NEWBURYPORT, Mass. — If you have attended a Belleville Roots concert in recent years or plan to enjoy the concert this month by Grammy nominated guitarist and songwriter Bill Kirchen, know that you have helped the on-going campaign to restore the church’s historic...
Stewart Lytle
Stewart Lytle is the lead reporter for The Town Common newspaper. Before joining The Town Common, he was a national correspondent for Scripps-Howard Newspapers in Washington, D.C., covering the Pentagon and Congress. He has also written for newspapers in Dallas, TX, and Birmingham, AL.
As a national reporter for the Scripps Howard newspaper chain, Stewart wrote the inside story on military life of soldiers and sailors and their families. He landed on aircraft carriers, experienced oxygen deprivation for high-altitude flight training and crawled through the mud with Marine snipers.
One of his proudest achievements outside of journalism was assisting USAA Chairman Robert McDermott in securing federal legislation that mandated air bags in vehicles.
Stewart is also a novelist and has written non-fiction books. He is currently working on a non-fiction book and screenplay about an incident that occurred in Boston.
His first novel, Iron City Conspiracy, explores power in a city. It features a black newspaper editor solving the bombing of a historic black church in a tough Alabama town.
Following in the footsteps of his idol, Ernest Hemingway, Stewart has completed a new novel about a love affair in the midst of the Spanish Civil War. The book, Montserrat, is based on a true story and has been made into a screenplay that will become an international feature film.
A graduate of Phillips Academy and Princeton University, Stewart lives with his wife, Mary, in Newburyport.
Even the Topsfield Fair Is Being Scammed
TOPSFIELD, Mass. — Amid viewing farm animals, munching on hotdogs, enjoying parades, beauty pageants and rock and roll concerts, scammers are lurking around the Topsfield Fair digital footprint. The Fair, which runs Oct. 2 to 12 at the Fairgrounds, notified current...
Paul Abruzzi and the Stories, Fun, and Changes at Jabberwocky
NEWBURYPORT — As he transitions to a new role at the popular Jabberwocky Bookstore, Paul Abruzzi recalled one of his fondest memories from his 33 years as its manager: bringing his infant son to work. He would stand at the Tannery's parking lot door with Nathan's car...
Newburyport Art Association Showcases 160 Works – Art Sale
NEWBURYPORT - Newburyport Art Assn. (NAA) is celebrating 25 years of creativity, connection and community by exhibiting more than 160 artworks that are available in its on-line auction. Many of the artworks can be viewed in this year's Art Auction exhibition until...
Georgetown Community Gardens’ Clean-up Approved
GEORGETOWN – The town’s Conservation Commission (ConCom) narrowly approved Alan Aulson’s plan to use his goats, volunteers armed with weed wackers and metal detectors and Essex County inmates to clean up the overgrown Community Gardens. Aulson, who owns the Great Rock...
Reorganizing West Newbury
WEST NEWBURY – The town is looking for a new manager and two senior department heads. It is considering whether the SelectBoard should have five members, instead of the current three. And last week, its hired consulting firm told the SelectBoard and its Governance...
Watchdog Groups Fight Lowering Radiation Standards at Seabrook Station
NEWBURYPORT − The C-10 Research & Education Foundation, the nonprofit watchdog group that monitors radiological safety around Seabrook Station, has joined state attorney generals, including Massachusetts Assistant Atty. Gen. Amy Laura Cahn, in urging the federal...
Aulson Brings American Legion/Community Together to Give Georgetown Community Gardens a Major Makeover
GEORGETOWN – The town’s Community Gardens, which have been allowed to overgrow in recent years, is being made ready for a new plantings next spring thanks to a local businessman and several civic groups. This weekend, the American Legion Georgetown chapter gave Alan...
Lions Club Helps the Blind Read
REGIONAL – For years since he lost his sight, a 93-year-old World War II veteran relied on his wife to read to him. But then she died, and his world got very small until he turned to the Lions Club for help. Bob LaFrance, a Lions Club member for 45 years and head of...
Does Georgetown Have a Cancer Cluster?
GEORGETOWN – The town’s Health Director has asked the state Department of Public Health to investigate whether the higher-than-normal number of cases here could be a cancer cluster. Health Director William Holt delivered a report to the SelectBoard last week that said...
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Recent News
- Roots Concerts Entertain, Restore Newburyport Church Sep 23, 2026
- IPSWICH CENTRAL STREET CUMBERLAND FARMS We couldn’t leave out Sean Mellow (left), another long time worker at 24/7 Cumby’s in Ipswich, with Joseppi DeMarco (right) reading a copy of The Town Common from the NEW red newspaper box outside of Cumberland Farms, downtown Ipswich. Sep 23, 2026
- Thom Gould Served the Maritime Museum Well Sep 23, 2026
- Even the Topsfield Fair Is Being Scammed Sep 23, 2026



