Farewell, Fairley

After a decade of helping Newton with its ongoing road to accessibility, Newton ADA Coordinator Jini Fairley is retiring.

Fairley served as director of services at the MetroWest Center for Independent Living for several years before joining Newton City Hall. In Newton, she’s helped staff the Commission on Disability as well as made sure the needs of people with disabilities are addressed as the city has undergone a transformation with new buildings, sidewalks and other infrastructure.

Fairley has a form of vision impairment called retinitis pigmentosa, and you may have seen her around the city or at events with her dog, Rubicon. Next time you do, you can congratulate her on her retirement.

Creem to host event on ‘safeguarding’ democracy and civil rights

State Sen. Cindy Creem will be at the Cooper Center for Active Living at 11 a.m. on Jan. 4 for a talk with constituents about “safeguarding our civil rights, protecting the environment, and defending Massachusetts values from outside interference.”

The event was organized in collaboration with the Newton Democratic City Committee, the Ward 2 Democratic Committee and Newton Indivisible.

There will be a question-and-answer session after the talk.

The Cooper Center is located at 345 Walnut Street in Newtonville.

Little Luke’s Cafe in Upper Falls. Photo by Bryan McGonigle

Upper Falls oral history high school grants

There are two Kenneth Newcomb Oral History Grants of $500 each available to high school students living in Newton Upper Falls.

Recipients must be high school freshmen, sophomores or juniors and live in Upper Falls. And each recipient must have a mentor, such as a teacher, listed who has an interest in whatever topic the student chose.

Grants will be divided in half, with $250 paid at the start of the oral history project and $250 paid when the project is complete and submitted to the Upper Falls Area Council. And projects are expected to be finished by next October.

Project proposals are due Jan. 31, 2026, and should be 500 words or fewer describing project objectives, with a letter of support from the mentor. The Upper Falls Area Council will make decisions on winners in February.

Proposals should be sent via email to Newcomb.UF.OralHistory@gmail.com.

Feeding the hungry for the holidays and beyond

Local food pantries and other nonprofits fighting hunger have had a busy season since the federal government shutdown led to SNAP benefits being shut off for weeks.

And Newtonians have stepped up. Newton Food Pantry is reporting a sharp spike in donations since the October SNAP shut-off.

“Since the start of the SNAP crisis in October, the Newton Food Pantry has seen a 30% increase in the number of local households seeking supplemental food assistance,” the nonprofit announced in a statement recently. “These are older adults, working parents, recent immigrants, and families facing unexpected hardships. Thanks to a lot of hard work and the generosity of many, we have been able to meet this moment.”

SNAP benefits are turned back on, but there are still cuts expected to the program in 2026. Newton Food Pantry is encouraging people to keep giving with a tax-deductible donation in honor of a friend, family member or anyone who deserves a mention. You can donate here.