Obituary notices, week of August 31 through September 6, 2026

Two Needham-resident obituaries were published this week: Burke, Charles E., 63, of Needham, whose arrangements are being handled by James H Delaney & Son Funeral Home of Walpole; and Martin, Austin Randolph, of Needham, formerly of Watertown, husband of Lindsay (Ruhlmann) Martin, who d…

Select Board Sets Sept. 8 Hearing on Draft Tree By-law

Needham's Select Board scheduled a public hearing on a draft Tree By-law for September 8, inviting resident feedback on new protections. The hearing is set for 6 p.m., giving residents and community members a chance to weigh in before the proposal advances further. Elsewhere, Needham Pa…

Needham Primary Voting Set For Tuesday Amid Markey-Moulton Senate Race

Needham voters head to the polls Tuesday, Sept. 1, for the Massachusetts state primary, with a marquee U.S. Senate Democratic contest between Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Seth Moulton topping the ballot. Needham Patch's voter guide, headlined "MA State Primary 2026 Voter Guide: Races, Poll T…

Select Board Vice Chair To Hold Office Hours September 1

Select Board Vice Chair Josh Levy will hold public office hours on Tuesday, September 1, offering residents a no-appointment chance to raise concerns directly with a town leader. The town also kept its public health advisory in place for Rosemary Lake, where the Massachusetts Department…

Needham Changes Polling Locations for Five Precincts Ahead of Primary

Needham voters in five precincts will find new polling places for Tuesday's state primary. The town's News Flash confirmed Thursday that Precincts A, B, C, D and G have changed locations ahead of the September 1 Massachusetts Primary, when polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Elsewh…

Needham Warns Residents to Avoid Rosemary Lake Amid Algae Testing

Needham issued a public health advisory Wednesday warning residents to avoid contact with Rosemary Lake amid testing for a toxic algae bloom. The town's News Flash said the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is testing the water for cyanobacteria and urged residents to keep pets …

Elevator Outage Disrupts Programs at Center at the Heights

An elevator outage at the Center at the Heights disrupted second-floor senior programs Tuesday, prompting relocations and cancellations while repairs continue. The town's News Flash confirmed the equipment failure August 25 and gave no timeline for a fix, leaving some Council on Aging a…

Needham Overdose Vigil Remains Vital as Deaths Decline, Patch Reports

Needham's overdose awareness vigil remains a vital community touchstone even as opioid deaths in town have declined, according to a Needham Patch report published this week. The outlet's roundup, "Why Needham's overdose vigil remains vital even as deaths decline," framed the annual even…

Needham Youth Hockey opens registration for in-house and travel programs ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Needham Youth Hockey Association has opened registration for its 2026-27 in-house programs, Mite Development, Learn to Play and Learn to Skate, through the club's website. Families with coed travel hockey players, from Mite through Midget levels, are being directed instead to register t…

Obituary notices, week of August 17, 2026 through August 23, 2026

This week's obituary notices column for Needham lists three residents whose deaths were recorded on August 18 and August 19, 2026: Brennan, John Jr., 67; Meyer, Ann Rutherford "Penny," who was born and raised in Needham; and Langsner, Rudolph, 86. Brennan's arrangements are being handle…

North Hill To Host Empty Bowls Reception In Needham

North Hill senior living community is hosting an Empty Bowls reception, according to a Needham Observer event listing published Friday, Aug. 21. The Central Avenue gathering was the day's lead community item. Needham Patch's Friday newsletter also flagged "Defense Rests In Lindsay Clanc…

Property Tax Rates Rise in 109 Massachusetts Communities for FY2026

Residential property tax rates climbed in 109 Massachusetts communities for fiscal 2026, according to a new Patch report. The outlet's "Here Are The Highest, Lowest Property Tax Bills In MA" roundup, sent to Needham Patch subscribers Aug. 21, did not break out Needham-specific figures, …

Needham Dental Practice Becomes First in State With Dual-Trained Specialist

Chestnut Dental in Needham became the first dental practice in Massachusetts to staff a dual-trained pediatric dentist and orthodontist this week. Dr. Stephen Shusterman founded the practice in 1970, and the milestone means young patients can now get combined dental and orthodontic care…

Needham Early Voting Opens Saturday Ahead of September 1 Primary

Needham's Town Clerk opens early in-person voting Saturday, August 22, ahead of the September 1 Massachusetts state primary. The office is extending its hours this week to handle both early voting and last-minute voter registrations, giving residents extra days to cast a ballot before t…