Officer Rocket and Needham school resource officer RJ Poirier have been among the town’s most famous residents as of late.
By Maddie Gerber
Hometown Weekly Intern
It was a gloomy day at Eliot Elementary School when Officer Rocket, a recent four-legged addition to the Needham...
Beth Paisner used birch bark, sweet pea, Queen Anne’s lace and monstera leaves - among others - to interpret Julia Clark’s artwork.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Last March, Needham’s 12th annual Art in Bloom was one of the last public events in town...
Needham Community Theatre has announced that it has awarded the first Needham Theatre “Hall of Fame Award” for excellence in professional theater to Tony Award winner and Needham native Gerard Alessandrini.
Gerard Alessandrini grew up in Needham and joined NCT in his teens, appearing in "Kismet" in 1971 and in...
By Amelia Tarallo
Hometown Weekly Staff
On Wednesday, February 24, viewers joined a YouTube livestream to watch this year’s Take Back the Night event. Normally, the event is held in November at Needham High School, but pandemic circumstances this year brought it to the virtual stage.
The...
The month of March is only a week away, and we will soon be hitting the one-year mark of the nationwide COVID lockdown. There is good news, though: this year, Needham’s Art in Bloom will be a virtual exhibit and open on Monday, March 1, at NeedhamArtinBloom.com.
“The library building may...
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
While the boredom of COVID-19 lockdowns has led most young people to do nothing other than spend more time on the internet, some teenagers are doing much more productive things with their newfound, mandatory time away from friends. Take Needham’s Dana Freedman, for instance. In...
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
While many towns are developing their own small vaccination clinics for residents, Needham uniquely has access to the types of freezers that allow them to store either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. While this makes things a bit more difficult for those planning the logistics...
Howard Koch and Freddie Filmore, played by Lily Oehlkers and Brian Curry briefly discuss the background of Welles’ recording.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Decades before “Cannibal Holocaust,” “Ghostwatch,” “The Blair Witch Project,” “Mermaids: The Body Found,” or “The Buried Secret of M. Night...
Despite incredibly cold temperatures, the trail was crowded with walkers and bicycle riders.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Who would be insane enough to walk the Needham Rail Trail on the coldest day of the year? Apparently, a lot of people - when I...
The Tapples pose for a group photo ahead of the release of their second album, “Where You’ve Been.”
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The state that produced bands like Aerosmith, New Edition, Boston, New Kids on the Block and The Cars hasn’t had a...
The Needham Select Board has approved the extension of free two-hour parking at town metered spots. This extension is planned to last until June 30, 2021, as a way to continue encouraging shopping at the many local businesses in Needham.
Free two-hour parking is one of the many initiatives...
Sean K. Ellis, the subject of Netflix’s “Trial 4” appeared to speak on the work he is doing to fight voter suppression and police brutality.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
With COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts showing very little signs of slowing down, like...
The Patel brothers pose in front of the large number of toy donations they collected.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
In 2020, kids saw their favorite events cancelled, their contact with friends severely limited, and their big family gatherings moved from in-person to...
In what might be Hometown Weekly's most extreme understatement of the still-young 21st century, we at the paper are confident in saying the last 365 days won't soon be forgotten.
With a world-stopping pandemic, contentious US presidential election, and demonstrations for racial equality dominating headlines around the globe, it won't...
Lauren, Matthew and Ryan made the event far more interesting with their near constant inside jokes and quips.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Winterfest is the major fundraising event for the NHS Friends of Music, but with COVID-19 forcing large in person concerts to...
By Maddie Gerber
Hometown Weekly Intern
“Well, I would usually wake up before school to do homework, maybe around 6 a.m. or so,” said current Needham High School senior Julia Ochalla, describing what a typical Monday looked like for her back in pre-pandemic times. Ochalla continued to detail her busy...
Families line the street to see the decorated cars cruising the Holiday House Tour route.
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Looking to rev up Needham’s Christmas spirit and generate a little bit of excitement about their Holiday House Tour, on Sunday night, the Needham...
Silent Witnesses, including children, all of whom were designed to honor victims of domestic violence. Photo by Emma Curry.
By Maddie Gerber
Hometown Weekly Intern
From November 5-11, a series of human silhouettes lined the steps of the town hall, their figures casting shadows...
Needham’s youngest recording artists are back with new music.
The Tapples’ holiday single, “Magical Christmas,” is now available on all streaming platforms. The song is a crescendo of harmonies that builds and eventually culminates with a nine-part moving harmony that simulates a choir of carolers.
“This year...
By James Kinneen
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Now in its ninetieth year, the Needham Community Council runs a vast array of programs to serve the Needham community. Unfortunately, when COVID-19 forced so many outlets to drastically alter how they are run, the Needham County Council had to both adjust a wide variety...
