13TH NORFOLK NEWS

Mass Cultural Council celebrated a $588,900 state investment into the cultural sector of the MetroWest Region - to date - in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).

I hope you all had a wonderful November! As we look ahead to December and the New Year, there’s so much to look forward to across the district—holiday cheer, conversations with students, and celebrations of the individuals who make our community strong.

We had a busy month between committee hearings, district events, and constituent cases, and that’s just how we want it. Keep reading to learn more about our month in the district and at the State House.

State Rep Joshua Tarsky is honored to announce that Bigbelly Solar, LLC, headquartered in Needham with manufacturing operations in Methuen and Lawrence, is a 2025 recipient of the “Manufacturer of the Year” Award presented by the Massachusetts Legislative Manufacturing Caucus.

We had a busy month between committee hearings, district events, and constituent cases, and that’s just how we want it! Keep reading to hear more about our month in the district and at the State House.

One of the important lessons Josh learned is that a society’s well-being depends on a strong educational system and a reliable and predictable system of laws. When he left active duty, he continued his own education, getting a master’s degree in Education and, while teaching and then moving up the educational administrative ladder to become a principal, he attended law school at night.

I was proud to vote yes on H.4530. This supplemental budget bill will infuse needed funds into our strained hospitals and healthcare...

Massachusetts has become the first state in the U.S. to guarantee insurance coverage of vaccines recommended by the state, including vaccines for respiratory viruses like COVID-19, flu, and RSV, and routine vaccines for children, like measles, chickenpox, and Hepatitis B. Furthermore, CVS and Walgreens are now working to make COVID-19 vaccine appointments available online.

Welcome back to Talking with Tarsky! July and August flew by, but we were able to get a lot done in the short stretch of time. We handled numerous constituent cases and concerns, passed legislation that betters our commonwealth, held office hours and meetings with constituents across the district, and laid the groundwork for our office’s messaging and outreach.  

In August, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a bill that would require schools to limit student access to and/or use of cellphones during the school day. The vote garnered headlines, but the bill has yet to reach the State House floor let alone become law.

The Office of State Representative Josh Tarsky is looking for highly-motivated high school students in the district to apply for its Inaugural Youth Council, an unique opportunity to help shape the future of Beacon Hill. Young people are crucial to our country’s future, and our office is committed to empowering young people through chances to contribute and learn skills that will arm them with the confidence to succeed.

“Talking with Tarsky” may have begun as a campaign attempt to keep people informed, but as we were fortunate enough to be elected to represent the fine people of the 13th Norfolk District, “Talking with Tarsky” lives on as our official office newsletter! We’re hopeful that we can utilize this format to update you on what we’ve been up to, both in district and at the State House, and what’s happening in Needham, Dover, and Medfield’s Precincts 1 & 2. Thanks for joining us on

A potential statewide “bell-to-bell” ban on cell phones in schools could get devices out of the classroom by September.

Hundreds of “No Kings” protestors from Needham and beyond filled the sidewalks around the town common on the afternoon of June 14, carrying homemade signs and breaking into frequent chants, all expressing intense disagreement with various policies and actions taken by President Trump in his second term.

Chants echoed through the Town Center Saturday afternoon as an estimated 1,000 people protested the Trump administration in one of many “No Kings” rallies across the country Saturday.

Highlights from the Memorial Day ceremony on May 26, 2025.

After its passage at Town Meeting, a plea to disarm the country’s nuclear arsenal solicited support from Needham’s state and federal lawmakers, though their stance on the issue is nuanced.

Cameron Morsberger, The Needham Local, February 10, 2025 February 7, 2025• Needham Local visited state Rep. Josh Tarsky, D-Needham, at...

Cameron Morsberger, January 6, 2025 State Sen. Becca Rausch and Rep. Josh Tarsky, D-Needham, officially started their new terms in a...