Good morning,

NBC10 reported last night that “several pro-Israel groups” are calling for a boycott of Newton businesses following that fight and shooting at a rally at the corner of Washington and Harvard streets in Newtonville last Thursday.

“If you're conducting business with a Newton address, you will not have success. You are boycotted,” said Alex Milne of Betar USA, a Zionist youth movement that has joined with two other Jewish organizations in calling for a business and travel boycott.

As with many others, we were greatly troubled by Thursday’s violence.

But we do not understand how this has anything to do with our businesses. No Newton businesses were involved with this incident in any way.

Nor do we understand what this boycott, seemingly coming from outside organizers, seeks to accomplish, except to sow division in our already torn-apart community.  

The Middlesex District Attorney’s office — not the City of Newton — filed the charges of assault with a dangerous weapon against one participant. Another faces assault and battery charges.  The city cannot alter this.

We should allow any investigation and, ultimately, the justice system to prevail.

I’m confident most, hopefully all, local Jewish organizations, and pretty much everyone else, do not endorse this boycott.

But the fact that we live in a time when that needs to be said (and a respected news entity is giving it daylight) is disturbing and disheartening

Statement from Mayor Fuller

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller issued this statement yesterday in response to a call by three pro-Israel organizations to boycott businesses and travel in Newton.

“Across our country including here in our City of Newton, people are on edge and too often feeling unsafe. We are seeing too much hateful rhetoric and too many hateful actions, including disturbing violence here last Thursday.

“The small businesses in Newton are not an appropriate target for those concerned with the charges filed in connection with this incident, nor do they deserve to be harmed.”

Undocumented workers worth $650 M to state  

Undocumented residents in Massachusetts paid about $650 million in taxes in 2022.

That’s more than the state collected in taxes on cigarettes, hotel and alcoholic beverages that same year, according to a nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy study.

In Massachusetts that $650 million contribution would swell to nearly $850 million if those same undocumented residents had legal status, notes Neal McNamara at Patch.

Tuesday grab bag

• Hi Mr. Potato Head, choose us! Toy giant Hasbro Inc. is considering moving its headquarters from Rhode Island to Greater Boston. They’re looking at downtown Boston but also considered relocating to Boston’s ‘burbs, reports Greg Ryan at the BBJ.
  
  
• The picturesque Mount Auburn Cemetery in Watertown is celebrating its 193rd birthday with a new event Dinner Under the Oaks, a reception and dinner on Bigelow Lawn, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.
  
  
• The Watertown City Council’s Committee on Economic Development and Planning will discuss forming a Redevelopment Authority in response to the Watertown Square Area Plan tonight (Sept. 17) at 6 p.m.
  
  
• SEB Housing is offering affordable rental apartments at 185 Willow Street in Waltham through a lottery, with occupancy starting after October. Apply by Sept. 30.  Details at SEB Housing or (617) 782-2300.
  
  
• MassBay Community College has been named a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, becoming the first in Massachusetts to receive this honor.
  
  
• Newton-Wellesley Hospital hosts a “Purple Flag Event” tomorrow (Sep18) at 12:15 p.m. to honor the 2,125 lives lost to opioid overdoses in Massachusetts in 2023.
  
  
• After 21 years, Minado, the Japanese seafood buffet restaurant at Sherwood Plaza in Natick has closed, as have Natick’s Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza & Wings and UNO Pizzeria & Grill in Framingham. (Natick Report)
  
  
• On Oct. 1 at noon, we’re hosting a virtual debate between Democratic candidate Amy Sangiolo and the Republican candidate Vlad Yanovsky who are competing Nov. 5 for the seat currently held by Newton Rep. Khan.
  
  
• Massachusetts Horticultural Society hosts the 138th New England Fall Flower Show this Saturday, and Sunday (Sept. 21-22), 2024 at the Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley. Tickets.
  
  
• Interested in following news in Newton?  Don’t just look to Fig City News, the Newton Beacon and NewTV. The student reporters at the BC Heights are back from summer break with their usual high-caliber local reporting.

Large building owners will soon be required to report energy use

Owners of buildings of at least 20,000 SF of gross area, will be required to report energy use data to the state next year, according to a  draft regulations from the state’s Department of Energy Resources.

The Large Building Energy Reporting policy is a little known part of the 2022 clean energy bill. It required the DOER to establish a program requiring large buildings across the Commonwealth to report energy usage on an annual basis, according to Kathleen Brill at Foley Hoag,

In March, DOER will publish a Covered Parcels List on its website that includes all Parcels in the Commonwealth containing large buildings subject to the regulations.

DOER will provide more information and solicit input at a virtual public hearing on Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. Written comments can be submitted via email as attached PDF files with the words “BER Public Comment” in the subject line.

Business efforts to curb food waste showing success

Efforts across the nation to curtail greenhouse gas emissions from food waste have been failing.

Except in Massachusetts.

That’s according to a study in the journal Science, which singled us out as the only state that’s been able to reduce how much waste ended up in landfills, reaching a 7% reduction on average over five years.

Reducing food waste matters because spoiled food makes up the single largest volume of material sent to landfills and incinerators.  And food waste produces about half of the greenhouse gas emissions from the global food system

The study credited Massachusetts for creating simple regulations and building an extensive network of food-waste-composting sites, making it relatively simple and affordable for businesses to divert food from landfills and incinerators, reports Anna Phillips at the Washington Post.

Nine states have passed food waste bans aimed at businesses, the first of five states to adopt the laws were the focus of the study.

MBTA Communities update

Finally today, of the 130 municipalities required to pass an MBTA Compliance Plan this year,  59 have done so.

That leaves 71 facing a Dec. 31 deadline, according to Amy Dain at Boston Indicators and 35 “smaller towns” with a deadline next year,

Those due this year includes Needham, where the planning board is meeting tonight to finalize the maps for its approach (Needham Observer update here) and Watertown where planers are finalizing maps in concert with the Watertown Square Area Plan to present to the city council.

(Wellesley adopted its plan earlier this year but has a few details to complete at Town Meeting Oct. 21. Newton passed its plan last year.)

Boston Indicators is keeping an updated, color-coded map here. Communities in light red have rejected a proposal but still have time to create a new plan that complies.

As you’ll see most communities have, or are, complying. Only Milton and Holden (in dark read) are in violation at this time.  

And that’s what you need to know for today — one day before the Fed’s big interest rate decision — unless you need to know about the celestial trifecta taking place tonight.

More than ever, please stand with our businesses and shop local this week.

Greg Reibman (he, him)

President & CEO

Charles River Regional Chamber

617.244.1688

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