Mothers Out Front want to speak with you

Mothers Out Front Newton, a local environmental activism organization, is having an online meeting on Monday from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The topic will be how to reshape the city’s energy future and transition the city to all electric (like the BERDO, but for the whole city).

You can register to attend the meeting here.

Code red on CodeRED

The city has used the CodeRED system to let residents know about emergencies since 2012. And that system was recently hacked.

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller mentioned in her recent message to the community that CodeRED, which is operated by OnSolve, was hit with a cyber attack in November.

“The CodeRED service was shut down across the country last month by OnSolve while the incident was investigated,” she wrote. “It is now back up and running.”

Fuller emphasized that none of Newton’s data was breached and there was no impact on the 911 operations during or after the attack.

UMass Amherst Mt/ Ida campus in Newton. Photo by Bryan McGonigle

So long, Ida

Next month, there will no longer a UMass Mt. Ida Campus. Don’t worry, though. The school is staying. The name, however, is not.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst announced on Wednesday that the university’s Mt. Ida Campus, which houses its center for professional development and experiential learning in Newton, has been renamed the “Charles River Campus of UMass Amherst,” effective in January 2026.

UMass bought the 66-acre Mt. Ida College property in 2018.

Chamber Scholarships now available

The Charles River Regional Chamber is offering scholarship opportunities to up to four students from Needham, Newton, Watertown and Wellesley who plan to enroll full-time in an accredited post-secondary program, trade school, community college, college or university in the 2026–27 academic year.

The scholarship is for $2,000 and will be sent directly to each recipient’s institution after the student completes their first semester.

Transcripts are required, but grades are not the deciding factor in the selection process, so those with lower GPAs shouldn’t feel discouraged from applying. Winners will be chosen by a panel of local leaders who will review applications and take into consideration things like financial need, personal statements, community or work involvement, recommendation letters and more.

Application deadline is April 9, 2026, at 5 p.m. For more information and to apply, visit www.charlesriverchamber.com/scholarship.