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The winter of Newton's discontent

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The winter of Newton's discontent

This is the winter of Newton’s discontent.

Last spring voters rejected an operating tax override. Last fall, voters ousted city councilors who favored a city-wide plan designed to generate more housing, economic vitality and tax revenue.

That was just the preamble.

Already divided over development (which had been the third rail of Newton politics) the eight-day-old teachers strike that shows no sign of resolution has divided the city further, pitting neighbors against neighbors, igniting passionate arguments on social media and protests and eroding confidence in city leadership.

“This being Newton, there are plenty of highly articulate partisans on both sides. And spreadsheets — lots of spreadsheets,” notes the Globe in an editorial this morning calling for the strike to end.

But there’s also been bullying, name calling and “pandemonium” at nightly dueling press conferences. 

Even the group that spread all those lies about Newton’s pro-housing councilors last fall are back at it again, hurling anonymous, unsubstantiated, claims of antisemitism at Newton teachers.

Ironically, while there was so much attention last November on city council races, not one of the eight seats on the Newton School Committee was contested. In fact, most members on the committee hold their seats without ever once facing an opponent.
 
That’s not likely to happen again.
 
Yesterday, a parent of three Newton Public Schools students filed an Emergency Motion to Intervene in Middlesex Superior Court asking the court to compel the NTA immediately to terminate the strike.
 
It's not clear how that helps. The teachers have already been ordered by a judge and urged by Rep. Jake Auchincloss, Gov. Maura Healey, The Globe, and the 1,200-and-counting folks who've signed this to return to the classroom.
 
The only thing that’s certain at this point is that no one knows how this will end. Oh, and that this is harming Newton’s kids, creating chaos for working parents and their employers and damaging the city's reputation.
 
On the other hand, the only thing that will likely anger parents more right now will be what happens over the next few years if the city agrees to an unsustainable contract now.

Really, we are stuck.

One more thing 

We are so fortunate to have the Newton Beacon and Fig City News, helping us understand and follow the Newton teachers’ strike. That’s not something we would have had as little as two years go.

Just as importantly, they'll be here long after this is over and all the TV cameras and regional reporters are off following the next big story.

Actually I should say: These two nonprofit news sites will be here as long as we support them financially. I’m proud to donate to both. I hope you will as well: Here and here.

Climate activists ambush BofA CEO at Wellesley event

Climate Defiance

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan’s appearance at a Wellesley Rotary Club dinner was jolted by a group of climate activists last Thursday.

More than one dozen protesters who had secretly embedded themselves at the ($100 a seat) dinner tables, got up and surrounded the stage with large banners in hand, writes the Swellesley Report's Bob Brown.

The activists, from the group Climate Defiance, chanted about BofA’s funding of companies in the fossil fuel industry. 

Almost immediately, Moynihan left the room.

The protesters chased him down the hall and were eventually escorted by police from the Wellesley Golf Club.
 
The 18 activists were accompanied by a Rolling Stone reporter who provided a less gentle accounting of the event than Brown (as well as video)

“The Rotary Club crowd did not want to hear about Bank of America’s financing of fossil fuels," Rolling Stone reported. "The audience loudly booed. Some in the crowd got violent. Two audience members ripped a banner away from the activists, causing one of them to fall.
 
“One of those audience members shoved a Climate Defiance staffer who was attempting to de-escalate. An older man tried to hit that same staffer with his cane; he subsequently appeared to hit a woman staffing the Rotary Club event with his cane as she walked by, perhaps under the impression she was part of the climate action (she was not). A man pushed another activist down to the ground twice.”
 
After the interruption, Moynihan, a Wellesley resident, returned to discuss the World Economic Forum, the U.S. election, commercial real estate trends and even he latest on Wellesley’s BoA branches, according to Brown.
 
One guest also asked for help tracking down a missing safe deposit box. Moynihan promised to help.

Today's grab bag 

 
  • The entire Green Line is reopen. after crews finally completed the second of two lengthy downtown closures over the weekend. The T says it removed 15 speed restrictions (WBUR)

  • The first-ever Wellesley Wonderland Ice Sculpture Stroll, Feb. 9, from 4-6 p.m. will feature nine artistically carved creations and other events, located throughout Linden, Church and Wellesley squares. 
 

  • The deadline to file for a real estate tax abatement is Thursday. Here’s what to know. (Boston Globe).

  • The Mass Life Science Center's Tax Incentive program deadline is this Friday, (Feb. 2). The program is open to companies engaged in life sciences research and development, commercialization and manufacturing in Massachusetts. Apply

  • Our chamber team is looking forward to participating again this year in the Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup on April 19 and 20. Your company can too. The cleanup brings together over 3,000 volunteers to improve the parks, forests, playgrounds, and paths and keep the Charles River clean, safe, and beautiful. Registration opens Thursday.

Child, home, health care workers eligible for student loan help

Early education, childcare, home health and other home- and community-based workers are eligible are eligible for funds to repay students loans through the state’s MA Repay program.

The Healey administration is committing $16.5 million to help health and human services workers with the repayments. Three additional funding rounds are planned through the remainder of the year, reports Grant Welker at the BBJ.

MA Repay is federally funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Paging Dr. Barbie: Local docs want you in surgery 

Newton Wellesley Barbie

Finally this morning, doctors from Newton-Wellesley Hospital and Mass General Brigham are urging Mattel to add a "surgeon Barbie" to the doll’s many different career configurations.

The idea came in response to a recent study that found that while the number of medical and science Barbies has increased in recent years, the dolls tend to be stereotyped -- often portraying glamorous doctors and nurses, rather than more diverse and realistic STEM professionals.

The study also found that all Barbie doctors appeared to have either no specialization or were pediatricians with no apparent sub-specialization.

So Dr. Sheila Partridge and Dr. Susana Wishnia created their own original barbies, dressed in operating room scrubs and white coats, modelled after Newton-Wellesley general surgeons.

The docs say that the lack of representation in Barbie dolls reflects the existing reality regarding women in STEM leadership positions. They hope with an expanded line, Barbie can be inspirational to young girls’ views of surgeons and scientists.

That what you need to know for today, unless you need to know for today -- National Croissant Day -- unless you need to know how fast you're aging and how to slow it down.

Be back Friday.

Greg Reibman (he, him)
President & CEO
617.244.1688
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