By Dave Watkins in News — 08 Jul 2026

Newton Moves to Swap Gas Street Lights for Solar on Prescott Street

NEWTON — Underwood Elementary School fourth-graders collected more than 100 bags of food for the Newton Food Pantry, while the city moves forward on a plan to replace old gas street lights with solar fixtures on Prescott Street.

TOWN HALL

The city is exploring a plan to replace legacy gas street lights on Prescott Street with solar-powered fixtures, according to a report from Fig City News. The initiative reflects an ongoing effort to modernize aging infrastructure in Newton's neighborhoods while reducing reliance on gas-fueled lighting.

SCHOOLS

Fourth-grade students at Underwood Elementary School organized a food drive that brought in more than 100 bags of donations for the Newton Food Pantry, according to a Patch report picked up via community news channels. The effort was tied to a fourth-grade class project aimed at supporting neighbors facing food insecurity.

COMMUNITY & ARTS

Walnut Street Minyan is organizing "American Jews at a Moral Impasse," a Tisha B'Av program in Newton, with tickets priced at $18, according to a listing from JewishBoston.

ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS

"Newton 4th Graders Collect More Than 100 Food Bags For Pantry: Report" — Patch reports that Underwood Elementary fourth-graders gathered over 100 bags of food for the Newton Food Pantry as part of a class project, a story the town's News Flash channels also amplified today (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/newton/newton-4th-graders-collect-more-100-food-bags-pantry-report).

"Replacing gas street lights with solar on Prescott Street" — Fig City News reports the city is considering swapping out old gas street lamps on Prescott Street for solar-powered alternatives as part of a broader infrastructure upgrade (read it at https://www.figcitynews.com/2026/07/replacing-gas-street-lights-with-solar-on-prescott-street/).

COMING UP

The "American Jews at a Moral Impasse: A Tisha B'Av Program," organized by Walnut Street Minyan, is scheduled in Newton with $18 registration, per a JewishBoston listing.