Sam Mintz of Brookline.News and Jessica Smyser of Brookline Interactive Group discuss the latest news, including why trash is piling up, the latest on controversial bus lanes in Brookline Village, school leadership turnover and the story behind two popular Buy Nothing Facebook groups. Click play below, or find us on your favorite podcast platform.
Category: Health
Dozens of Brookline riders get ready to take on the Pan-Mass Challenge
Lewis Berk, a 49-year-old Coolidge Corner resident, never considered himself an athlete, nor a fundraiser. In 2022, he decided to become both. Berk, whose mother battled cancer throughout his childhood and died of the disease when he was 17, signed up for a 186-mile bike ride and fundraiser for cancer research called the Pan-Mass Challenge.… Continue reading Dozens of Brookline riders get ready to take on the Pan-Mass Challenge
Trash piles up at some Brookline businesses and apartment buildings after two weeks of Republic Services strike
Dumpsters outside some of Brookline’s restaurants and apartment complexes are piling high with trash as contract talks between waste management company Republic Services and its workers drag on. Republic has 160 commercial customers in Brookline, Commissioner of Public Works Erin Chute told the Boston Globe. Roughly 30 of those customers are restaurants, and another 20 are… Continue reading Trash piles up at some Brookline businesses and apartment buildings after two weeks of Republic Services strike
Push for an outdoor pool in Brookline gains new momentum
Summer is here, and it’s been a hot one: Brookline residents are looking for somewhere to cool off. But with only one indoor public pool in town and private pools inaccessible or costly, the options can be slim. Since 2019, when Town Meeting passed a resolution calling for the town to study the possibility of… Continue reading Push for an outdoor pool in Brookline gains new momentum
Meet the 91-year-old Brookline philanthropist and scientist on a quest to develop artificial blood
André Danesh came to the U.S. in 1956 with $67, a Persian carpet and the words of a family friend in his ear: “Gold is everywhere. The people are rich. One day you’re washing windows and the next you’ll be driving a Cadillac.” When Danesh, an Iranian Jew and a transfer student from the University… Continue reading Meet the 91-year-old Brookline philanthropist and scientist on a quest to develop artificial blood
Photos: Reopening ‘Jennifer Coolfridge,’ the community refrigerator on Station Street
A month after being taken down because of health complaints, a community refrigerator has been re-installed on Station Street in Brookline Village. The new version of what volunteers have dubbed “Jennifer Coolfridge” is smaller and includes a built-in pantry. At an event on Sunday, June 29, organizers from groups including Brookline For The Culture, Bowls4Boston… Continue reading Photos: Reopening ‘Jennifer Coolfridge,’ the community refrigerator on Station Street
News in brief: Public health director departs, community fridge to reopen, a new tree manager
Sigalle Reiss, Brookline’s public health director, will step down on July 1 after more than three years in the role. She will join the consulting firm BME Strategies as Director of Public Health to support local health departments across the state. Reiss told Brookline.News that the departure was “bittersweet.” “I joined Brookline during a challenging… Continue reading News in brief: Public health director departs, community fridge to reopen, a new tree manager
Severe bedbug infestation spreads through Coolidge Corner condo building
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information from the Select Board meeting on Tuesday, June 24. A severe bedbug infestation in a condominium complex near Coolidge Corner has been festering for weeks, leaving residents frustrated and alarmed at the situation, and at the slow process of fixing the problem through the health… Continue reading Severe bedbug infestation spreads through Coolidge Corner condo building
Heat emergency: How to cool down in Brookline this week
With temperatures forecast to hit the upper 90s on Monday and Tuesday, the town of Brookline has declared a heat emergency for Monday, June 23 and Tuesday, June 24. In an announcement, the town recommended that residents use air conditioners and take precautions when outside. To see more tips and resources on the state’s website,… Continue reading Heat emergency: How to cool down in Brookline this week
Nick’s House, a home away from home for families of cancer patients, marks its first year in Brookline
Nick Colleluori was the kind of person who remembered to shake every coach’s hand, even after a championship game. He was a college lacrosse player at Hofstra University, an elementary education major, a future educator, a brother and, by all accounts, the heart of any room he walked into. Nick had many labels, but he… Continue reading Nick’s House, a home away from home for families of cancer patients, marks its first year in Brookline
Community fridge temporarily taken down after health complaints
A community refrigerator located in Brookline Village has been temporarily removed after the town’s health department received an uptick in complaints about its cleanliness and safety. Volunteer organizers say they are hoping to install a new, smaller version of the fridge on Station Street outside Brothers and Sisters Coffee, by the end of June. Sigalle… Continue reading Community fridge temporarily taken down after health complaints
Brookline officials outline local public health strategy amid federal funding cuts
Brookline public health officials promise more local support as President Trump’s administration slashes federal funding for programs across the country. Dozens of residents attended Friends of Brookline Public Health’s event “High Stakes for Public Health in 2025” at the Brookline High School freshman building Wednesday night. The event was part of National Public Health Week,… Continue reading Brookline officials outline local public health strategy amid federal funding cuts
Independent pharmacy opens in Washington Square, offering alternative to crowded chain stores
Days before New England Pharmacy & Wellness opened, owner Sepideh Amirifeli was already fulfilling prescriptions and getting to know patients. The independent pharmacy opened Thursday at 1655 Beacon Street in Washington Square, bucking a national trend. Nationwide, nearly one in three pharmacies have closed since 2010. Amirifeli, who lives in Brookline and goes by the… Continue reading Independent pharmacy opens in Washington Square, offering alternative to crowded chain stores
What to know about bird flu in Brookline
Since the beginning of the U.S. outbreak in January 2022, bird flu has been found in approximately 12,000 wild birds nationally, with cases in all 50 states. The virus has also caused outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows, leading to nearly 70 human cases in the U.S., primarily in dairy and poultry workers. Now, birds… Continue reading What to know about bird flu in Brookline
Brookline High sees some improvement amid nationwide student mental health decline
Young, developing minds on social media. Post-pandemic rebuilding of social connections. Academic pressure in a big school. These all play roles in how Brookline High School students are experiencing issues that are part of a nationwide mental health crisis, students and staff say. Of 904 Brookline high schoolers surveyed in May 2023, 28% reported feelings… Continue reading Brookline High sees some improvement amid nationwide student mental health decline
A Brookline couple’s dog grooming ordeal highlights gaps in state regulation
Cristian Sosa and his spouse Diana Lopez were struggling to find a trustworthy groomer for their six-year-old Yorkshire terrier Camila when they moved to Brookline from Las Vegas in 2022. By December 2023, Camila was in dire need of grooming, so they dropped her off at Tails Inc. in Jamaica Plain and assumed everything would… Continue reading A Brookline couple’s dog grooming ordeal highlights gaps in state regulation
Facing worker shortage, town privatizes curbside trash collection
In an effort to stave off a crisis caused by issues with staffing and vehicle maintenance, the town on July 1 will turn over curbside trash collection to a private company, Casella Waste Management, under a five-year, $26.3 million contract that the Select Board unanimously approved at its January 14 meeting. The board also okayed… Continue reading Facing worker shortage, town privatizes curbside trash collection
Neighbors rally to keep the Brookline Community Fridge going
At the end of 2024, Vena Priestly, a fourth-generation Brookline resident and real estate agent at Rise Realty, needed to find a home for an extra refrigerator one of her landlords had. Unsure about what to do with the appliance, she posted a notice in the “Buy Nothing Brookline” Facebook group, where people give and… Continue reading Neighbors rally to keep the Brookline Community Fridge going
A Brookline doctor tries to update podiatry for the 21st century
Dr. Zac Cartun, a newly minted graduate of UMass Chan Medical School, had just arrived at the Paris business school INSEAD in 2023 when he saw a note asking if anyone wanted to collaborate on a custom orthotics business together. During medical school, Cartun felt that he had “blinders on,” that he just needed to… Continue reading A Brookline doctor tries to update podiatry for the 21st century
How a Brookline doctor’s COVID-19 coping mechanism turned into a board game that sold thousands of copies
For many, newly-acquired pandemic-era hobbies fell to the wayside as the world adjusted to the new normal. Sourdough starters were tossed in the trash, watercolor palettes got lost in the basement and copies of “The Power Broker” ended up back on the shelf. Lakshman Swamy, however, was in too deep to abandon his particular labor… Continue reading How a Brookline doctor’s COVID-19 coping mechanism turned into a board game that sold thousands of copies