Needham accepting applications for peer tutoring program
Needham Youth Services officials are accepting applications for both high school tutors and students who want tutoring in the third through eighth grades for its peer tutoring program to start in the upcoming academic year.
The program has the tutor and student being tutored meeting weekly for one hour at a designated place, starting in October and running until the end of the school year.
Tutors must be a high school student, be able to attend a mandatory training session in the fall, and check in with program staff periodically during the year. They will also be able to earn community service credits needed to graduate.
The organization will accept the younger students for tutoring when the student has demonstrated a need for academic assistance, or a need for help in developing study habits. The program is not recommended for students with advanced learning or behavioral issues.
Applications for tutors and students needing tutoring are available at www.needhamma.gov/youth/peertutor, and both are due by May 31. Any previous applicants who were on the program's waitlist must reapply with a current application.
Parents ofstudents being tutored will be notified by the end of June if their child qualifies for the peer tutoring program. There is a $45 fee to cover cost of materials, but it can be waived if the family demonstrates financial need, according to program organizers.
For more information, contact Michelle Butman at Needham Youth Services at 781-455-7500 ext. 266, or at mbutman@needhamma.gov.
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Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com
Newton-Needham chamber extends hand to Back Bay businesses
The Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation of Needham to show support for the businesses in Boston’s Back Bay impacted by the April 15 Boston Marathon bombing, according to a press release.
On Wednesday, May 8, Fairway and the chamber will be offering free round-trip bus rides to the Back Bay in an effort to encourage chamber members and others in the community to shop and dine at local businesses that lost income due to shut down of their operations following the attack.
“Like many we were looking for a way to support those impacted by the tragic events on April 15,” said Amy Tierce, regional vice president for Fairway Independent Mortgage. “Reading about the lost revenue, damaged storefronts and inventory and fears that some businesses may not survive really hit home for me as a small business owner.”
“It’s unusual for the Newton-Needham Chamber to be promoting commerce outside of our two communities but this is a very worthy exception,” said chamber president Greg Reibman. “We’re really pleased to be standing in solidarity with the businesses in the Back Bay and we’re grateful to Amy Tierce and Fairway for creating this program and inviting our members to participate.”
Fairway has reached out to 20 businesses on Boylston Street, all of which are interested in participating in some way. Some restaurants will be featuring special menus and drinks, other businesses will provide special promotions or coupons for participants.
The motor coach will depart at 11 a.m. from 375-395 Eliot Street, Newton, across from Echo Bridge Mall at the corner of Eliot and Chestnut (cars may be parked in the overflow lot and left for the day).
Between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. attendees will be free to enjoy all that Boylston Street has to offer; dining, shopping and special offers from some of the businesses.
The motor coach will leave Boston at 3 p.m., returning to 375-395 Eliot Street by 4 p.m.
Transportation, event buttons, gift bags, coupons and promotions will be provided to all who participate For those who may want to participate but do not need transportation, the Charlesmark Hotel at 655 Boylston St. will have the gift bags and pins available for people to pick up there as well.
Space is limited and transportation is first come, first served.
Contact Amy at asteinberg@fairwaymc.com or phone at 781-719-4664 to reserve your space.
Deadline for registration is Monday May 6.
Riverside Trauma Center to provide psychological support related to Marathon bombings
The Riverside Trauma Center in Needham will be managing psychological first aid for residents and businesses outside Boston affected by the Boston Marathon Bombings, according to a statement released Wednesday.
The Massachusetts Departments of Mental Health and Public Health requested the center, a service of Riverside Community Care headquartered in Dedham, to take on this responsibility, the statement said.
“We know that the tragic events of this magnitude will have lasting behavioral health effects,” said Department of Mental Health Commissioner Marcia Fowler. “I have every confidence that Riverside has the necessary experience in delivering crisis services to help with this enormous task.”
Riverside provides behavioral healthcare and human series across eastern and central Massachusetts. The trauma center helps people recover from overwhelming stress caused by traumatic events through community outreach, consultation, and counseling.
Riverside Trauma Center teams have already responded to a large number of requests for help from schools, communities, businesses, and families in Boston and throughout the surrounding communities, according to the statement.
This is the trauma center’s third large-scale deployment in the past three years in response to a statewide tragedy, the statement said. The most recent was the tornadoes that demolished homes in the Springfield area in 2011.
The Boston Public Health Commission will continue to manage requests for behavioral health support within the Boston city limits.
“While Boston has begun to heal as a city, we know that for many people there is still a long road to recovery,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission. “There are countless folks in greater Boston that will need a supportive voice and help coping in the days and weeks ahead, and we want to do everything possible to make sure professional help is easy to access.”
Anyone continuing to experience reactions such as anxiety or difficulty sleeping is encouraged to call the Riverside Trauma Center at 855-279-0632.
High school scholarships available
The Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce will be awarding two scholarships to deserving high school graduates who reside in Newton or Needham and who will be attending an accredited college or university in the 2013 - 2014 academic year, according to a press release.
Deadline to apply is May 8.
Full information can be found at www.nnchamber.com/2013-scholarship-application.
Nominations wanted for the Newton-Needham Green Business Awards
The Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce is looking to recognize business that have make significant contributions towards protecting the environment, according to a press release.
If you’d like to nominate a business submit a one page (or less) description of any a business that is based in either Newton or Needham and has: 1) made significant progress toward reducing energy, or other environmental strategies toward sustainability; or 2) supplies green products or services.
Email your nominations to Peter Smith at psmith@igc.org on or before April 30.
The businesses will be recognized that the Newton-Needham Chamber’s Annual Green Business Breakfast on June 26 at the Newton Marriott Hotel.
Guest speakers will be Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and Mark Buckley, vice president of Environmental Affairs at Staples.
Smoother drive ahead for bumpy Needham Street in Newton
The state has been repaving Needham Street in Newton this month after hearing years of complaints from businesses, city officials and drivers about the shabby condition of the heavily used roadway.
The milling and paving project, which costs $600,000, stretches from Highland Avenue and Webster Street in Needham to Needham and Dedham streets in Newton. It is a distance of about 1.8 miles, said Michael Verseckes, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
“There has only been some remedial work to this corridor for quite some time,” Verseckes said in an email. “This should be a major improvement to what folks are accustomed to driving on.”
Drivers have hit potholes on Needham Street, causing them to lose hubcaps and other cargo for years, said Bob Rooney, Newton’s chief operating officer.
But last year, several utility companies also did work along the road, causing even further deterioration, he said.
“There were a lot of patches that were causing an unpleasant experience, or in some cases unsafe experience,” Rooney said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Greg Reibman, the president of the Newton Needham Chamber of Commerce, said this state project will at least address the short-term problems with Needham Street, a commercial corridor off Interstate 95.
“Although what we need is a good long-term solution,” Reibman said. “It will be nice to have a smoother ride as we wait for the next step.”
The next step, a redesign and reconstruction of the corridor, has been in the works for decades. The state is currently working on 25 percent design plans to increase the capacity of the roadway and improve safety, Rooney said.
State transportation officials will present their preliminary ideas and plans to local businesses in June, Rooney said.
A roundabout and a reduction of the multiple entrance and exits from businesses are among the proposals being discussed, Rooney said.
In the meantime, the current paving project, will help, Rooney said.
Crews are working from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. from Sunday through Thursday. They still have two more days of work in each Newton and Needham before the project is finished, Verseckes said.
Reach Deirdre Fernandes at deirdre.fernandes@globe.com.
Take a peak into what the Needham Open Studios will feature
This press release was submitted by Todd Krieger for the Needham Open Studios
When Needham residents who drop off their trash at the Needham Recycling and Transfer Station see discarded VCRs and computers, they don’t typically envision parts of the old electronics being recycled into jewelry that would be worthy of the MIT Museum in Cambridge or fine craft galleries.
Needham resident Todd Krieger, however, transforms this electronic waste into fashionable brooches and pendants whose origins look more like they came from a Victorian artisan’s workshop rather than a motor from a broken computer.
Todd leverages the original patterns, shapes, colors, and textures of the discarded parts as a base for the jewelry. He adds additional dimensionality to the copper, blue, red, and green motor windings with enhancements such as hidden mirrors, refracting glass rhinestones, vintage metal filigrees, the glowing sheen of pearls, or antique elements and other unique findings.
In order to find interesting jewelry components that complement the recycled parts, Todd looks for inspiration from around the world by importing jewelry pieces for his work and sometimes bringing back unique additions from the travels required by his day job as a corporate attorney at a Cambridge software company.
Airport security personnel in London hand searched his luggage last year when they couldn’t identify a large metal mass on their luggage scanner, which turned out to be a bag of antique English coins that were destined to become part of Todd’s jewelry. His work was prominently featured in the Boston Phoenix’s holiday gift guide this past December after the managing editor saw the jewelry on display at the MIT Museum store.
The recycled jewelry is sold locally at Artitudes Gallery in West Newton (www.artitudesgallery.com) and the MIT Museum store in Cambridge (museum.mit.edu) and at Gorse Mill Studios (www.gorsemillstudios.com) during Needham Open Studios (www.needhamopenstudios.com).
On May 4th and 5th, as part of Needham Open Studios, visitors can see Todd’s work in the studio that he shares with his wife, Karen, who is also an artist. Her mixed media paintings (http://www.art203.com/) focus on a contemporary vision of Chinese ink and wash painting from a western view point.
Hidden among the other artwork lining the Gorse Mill studios walls are also several interactive devices that Todd also created with other parts of recycled electronics from the Needham Recycling and Waste Transfer station.
These devices captivate children and adults alike because they use old rotary phone dials, switches, and even a fire alarm handle to activate various buzzers, gauges, motors, and other recycled electro-mechanical components. One piece titled ‘Minor Keys’ uses motors and magnets to make suspended piano keys move as if they were being played on original piano that was long since discarded next to the waste metal section of the transfer station. Another piece incorporates foosball players from a discarded game spinning on recycled computer motors with music playing from an old musical greeting card.
Visitors to Gorse Mill Studios on May 4th and 5th, whether they are looking to appreciate art, see what their neighbors have been up to, or shop for a unique Mother’s Day gift, won’t be disappointed!
Earth Day Charles River cleanup postponed
The Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup was postponed from Saturday, April 20, to Saturday, April 27, as authorities continued their manhunt Friday for the second suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings.
The Charles River Watershed Association said it would provide more details about the rescheduled event next week.
The annual cleanup takes place at various sites all along the Charles River. Since 2000, Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) and a dedicated group of partner organizations and agencies have celebrated Earth Day by engaging local citizens in the state’s largest river cleanup.
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital breaks ground for new Cancer Center and Surgical Pavilion
Construction is now underway for the new Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center & Surgical Pavilion after Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham (BID-Needham) broke ground April 10 for the building which is expected to open in summer 2014, according to a press release.
This comprehensive cancer center and surgical pavilion will consolidate BIDMC’s west suburban cancer services into a new, state-of-the-art facility. The new surgical area will provide the ability for patients to have more advanced surgeries closer to home.
“This will be a very patient-centered facility,” said BID-Needham President and CEO John Fogarty. “Patients and clinicians have worked side by side with the architects for months to design the ideal patient experience. The result is a plan that consolidates all cancer services on one floor and a new surgical center on the second floor which allows for more advanced surgeries including cancer, colorectal, orthopaedic, urology, otolaryngology, and general surgery.”
The three-story, 30,000-square foot building, designed by JACA Architects and being constructed by BOND, will be located on the footprint of BID-Needham’s former administration building. In addition to the new building, a new parking area is being built where parking will continue to be free for all patient and visitors.
“This collaboration between BIDMC and Needham offers a unique opportunity to upgrade and expand cancer and surgical services already being offered in Needham to our patients in the western suburbs,” said Kevin Tabb MD, BIDMC’s President and CEO. “It is the latest example of our commitment to provide the right care in the right place at the right time.”
In the new building, BIDMC will offer patients a full array of cancer care which will include: advanced imaging systems; six new infusion bays; a radiation oncology suite which will include a state-of-the-art linear accelerator to facilitate the delivery of advanced conformal radiation therapy; and access to cutting-edge clinical trials and novel treatments.
“BIDMC already offers coordinated care from extraordinary clinicians in the service of individualized medicine,” said Lowell Schnipper, MD, clinical director of the BIDMC Cancer Center. “This new facility will enable us to provide patients the same world class-care available without them having to travel to and park in downtown Boston.”
The $24 million cost of the cancer center and surgical pavilion will be financed by a combination of community-raised capital campaign funds and significant investments by BID–Needham and BIDMC. BID–Needham will raise $6 million to make this cancer center and surgical pavilion a reality.
“This is an incredible day,” commented Richard W. Davis, Chair of the Board of Trustees, BID-Needham. “We could not accomplish this without the collaboration of the two hospitals and the community’s ongoing support. I am thrilled to be able to be part of such an important chapter in our history and the mission to keep our commitment to provide easy access to health care close to home.”
This project represents Phase II of a dedicated plan to improve and expand care available to patients in the western suburbs. In October 2009, BID-Needham opened a new emergency department and a new inpatient wing.
“BIDMC is proud to partner with BID-Needham in this project,” said Stephen Kay, chair of the BIDMC Board of Directors. “This new facility makes high- quality cancer and surgical care even more accessible.”
To view an animation of what the caner center will look like go to http://bcove.me/8izjd75c.
BIDMC is recognized by US News & World Report as one of the nation’s top hospitals in cancer care. In 2010, BIDMC joined with Commonwealth Hematology-Oncology, the largest community-based private cancer practice in New England, to expand the reach of BIDMC’s services into the community. Together, BIDMC and CHO have more than 22 physicians in 11 locations and infusion centers in communities across Eastern Massachusetts
BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. For more information, visit www.bidmc.org.
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham has received national and local recognition for its extraordinary stroke care.
A licensed 56-bed acute care community hospital, BID-Needham has served the residents of Needham, Dedham, Dover, Medfield, Newton, Wellesley, Westwood and surrounding communities for more than 100 years. This community hospital, previously known as The Glover Hospital, joined Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in 2002. The hospital provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services, complete diagnostic facilities, and a brand new, award-winning Emergency Department. For more information, visit www.bidneedham.org.
Needham elects new Planning Board member, while three School Committee members keep seats
Three Needham School Committee incumbents beat out a newcomer to reclaim their seats in last night's election, as Planning Board hopeful Elizabeth Grimes narrowly beat out her opponent for the seat vacated by current member Ronald Ruth.
In a town election that saw about an 8 percent voter turnout, or 2,442 ballots cast, Grimes received 1,225 votes for a Planning Board seat, compared to opponent Artie Crocker's 1,116, according to Needham's election results.
A Planning Board member term lasts five years, according to the town.
Meanwhile, three School Committee members will continue their positions on the board, as incumbents Joseph Barnes, Constance Barr, and Marianne Cooley edged out challenger David Ecsedy.
Barnes was the top vote-getter with 1,737; Barr received 1,686 vote; and Cooley got 1,574. Ecsedy received 633 votes.
The School Committee is made up of seven members, which each person serving a three-year term.
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Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com
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