Boston Globe -- Globe West

Many high school athletes suffered concussions in fall sports, data show

Lisa Kocian, Globe Staff — 2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

A Globe survey of 26 high schools across Greater Boston found that athletes suffered 338 head injuries on football and soccer fields last fall, the first time athletic departments were required to collect data under the state’s new concussion law. Football programs accounted for 207 of the injuries, exceeding soccer at most of the schools. And girls’ soccer programs recorded nearly twice as many head injuries as boys’ soccer, 85 compared to 46.

How we did the concussion survey

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Boston Globe asked high school athletic directors in the Greater Boston area to provide the number of “head injuries and suspected concussions’’ sustained in 2011 for each of the following fall sports: football, boys’ soccer, and girls’ soccer. This is the first year state law requires ADs to keep such data.

Franklin fights for certification of library amid budget cuts

Jose Martinez, Globe Corespondent — 2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Franklin Public Library has been decertified by the state, leaving city officials scrambling to prove their commitment to preserving services at the library started with a passel of books donated by Ben Franklin himself. The town cut the budget for its library by nearly a third for 2012, but officials say the drop in funding is more a reflection of efficiency than a dropoff in support for the institution. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is unconvinced.

A new troupe to light up area theater

Lenny Megliola, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Katherine Alix-Gaudreau and Kim Beauchemin love the theater life but got tired of the traveling. They solved the problem with a bold stroke. “We decided to start our own theater company in Marlborough,’’ said Beauchemin. Enchantingly called Ghost Light Players, the first production will be the quirky play “Almost, Maine,’’ which runs the weekend of March 23 at the First Church of Marlborough.

MBTA cuts, hikes decried as major setback

Jaclyn Reiss, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

MBTA officials felt no love in Framingham last night as local residents, state legislators, and advocacy groups tore apart both proposed scenarios raising fares and cutting services to save the organization from a projected $161 million deficit next fiscal year. Approximately 100 people filled Framingham Town Hall on Valentine’s Day to rail against the proposals, both of which eliminate weekend commuter rail service and stop commuter trains after 10 p.m. on weekdays.

Newton store seeks beer, wine license

Deirdre Fernandes, Globe Staff — 2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

In Newton, this Tuesday, the Star Market in Chestnut Hill will ask the city’s licensing board for permission to sell beer and wine. The supermarket’s application for one of the city’s 34 alcohol licenses has uncorked anger and opposition from the three liquor stores near the Route 9 intersection and area residents.

Students ask why board ousted Bakr

John Dyer, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

With demonstrations, a Facebook page, an on-line petition and a presentations before the School Committee, students, parents and alumni of Marlborough High School are trying to get administrators to say why a well-liked assistant principal disappeared from the school just before Christmas. But school and city officials will not answer their questions, saying the status of Adam Bakr is a personnel matter. Bakr could not be reached

Winter lectures at park

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Friends of the Minute Man National Historical Park present a lecture series starting on March 4 and continuing on Sundays throughout the month. All free lectures begin at 3 p.m. and are open to the public at the park’s visitor center and interpretive site on Route 2A in Lincoln. There is free parking at the site. Call 978-318-7822 for more information. On March 4 Hilary Anderson Stelling will lecture on “Sowing the Seeds of Liberty: Lexington and the American Revolution.” On March 11, Emily Murphy and Alicia Paresi offer “Town and Country: an Exploration of Archaeological Collections at Salem and Concord.” March 18, George Quintal presents, “Patriots of Color at Battle Road and Bunker Hill.” For the last presentation on March 25, David Wood, curator at the Concord Museum, lectures on “The Greatest Events of the Present Era: Collecting History at the Concord Museum.” Light refreshments will be served. The Friends of the MMNHP is a volunteer group that offers public affairs programming and fund-raising events on behalf of the national park. E-mail info@friendsofminuteman.org. - Betsy Levinson

Food drive at library

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Marlborough teens have the opportunity to compete in various games based on the acclaimed book “The Hunger Games’’ on Friday. The competition, hosted by the Marlborough Public Library, is open to 15 teens in grades 7 to 12 for a chance to win two passes to the upcoming Hunger Games movie. The games will take place at the Public Library on 35 West Main Street from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Pizza will be served free. Entry is first come first serve. To register e-mail jbacon@cwmars.org or visit the library circulation desk.

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2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Fund-raiser for firefighter

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Natick firefighters’ union, Local 1707, is hosting “Bash for a Brother’’ on March 3 to raise money for the family of Joe Slattery, a 1983 Natick High School graduate and 14-year Natick Fire Department veteran. Slattery is undergoing cancer treatment and has three young children. The event will be at the Natick Elks Lodge, 95 Speen St., from 7 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $20 and can be picked up either at the downtown fire station or at the door. For those who can’t make it but want to contribute, visit www.natickfire.org and click on the “Donate’’ link. The event’s organizers are also collecting raffle and silent auction items; contact information is on the website. Alternately, checks can be made out to the Joe Slattery Family Fund and mailed to the Joe Slattery Fund, c/o 15 Grant St., Natick, MA 01760. The fund is set up through Natick Federal Savings Bank.

Substitute nurses

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The town’s public schools are seeking substitute nurses. Any registered nurse interested in more information on these positions should e-mail Susan Rieger at srieger@plainville.k12.ma.us. Those interested in applying should contact the superintendent of schools office at 508-699-1300.

Nutrition specialist lauded

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Noting pioneering work acquiring local fruits and vegetables for school lunches, the Brookline Commission for Women named Sonya Elder Woman of the Year for 2012. Elder is director of food services for the Brookline Public Schools. The award mentions her Make It Meatless program and sourcing local produce for school cafeterias. Elder has also changed the most popular lunch offerings to make them more nutritious, the commission notes. Elder came to the food service department in 2009 after finishing a PhD in nutritional biochemistry at Tufts University. She and her family live in Brookline. She will be presented with the award at the commission’s annual awards ceremony March 29, at 5:30 p.m. at the Main Library, 361 Washington St. - Andreae Downs

Historical Society event

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

History buffs are invited to the join in the fun Friday when the Northborough Historical Society will be sharing its knowledge of late 19th and early 20th century life in town through a unique and entertaining performance. Historical Society members Forest Lyford, Jane Fletcher, and Jim Halpin will don period clothing and portray Northborough newscasters presenting highlights from 1899 and 1900 in a modern news telecast setting. The newscast will also feature photographs of Northborough from the time period. This performance is part of the regular monthly meeting being held by the Historical Society at its building located at 50 Main St. There is no charge to attend the event, and all are welcome.

T budget cuts opposed

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Lexington selectmen are voicing opposition to service cuts proposed by the MBTA, including one scenario that would eliminate $80,000 in funding for the town’s Lexpress minibus system. Selectmen sent a letter to the MBTA this month that opposes the cut to Lexpress funding, as well as the proposed elimination of the 62 and 76 bus routes, which serve Lexington and make key stops, including the Alewife subway station, the Bedford Veterans Administration Hospital, and Hanscom Air Force Base. The proposed service cuts each fall under the MBTA’s “Scenario 2’’ proposal that also includes fare hikes for bus and subway service as the T tries to offset a budget deficit of $161 million. The MBTA’s “Scenario 1’’ proposal includes far fewer service cuts, but larger fare increases. Selectmen argued that many Lexington residents commute using the 62 and 76 buses, and eliminating the service will affect the already congested Route 2, according to the board’s letter to the MBTA. Lexpress, the town’s minibus system that has been operating for more than 30 years, provided 70,000 rides in Fiscal Year 2011 and if the MBTA cuts funding, selectmen wrote, the town would be faced with adding $80,000 to its “already significant tax levy.” - Brock Parker

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2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Common use rules approved

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Board of Selectmen has implemented new rules about how the Town Common may be used, responding in part to public debate surrounding the rejection of an application to use the municipal space for a prayer vigil last September. Adding further definition to the subject of what uses the Town Common can host, “private commercial and noncommercial uses, including but not limited to civic, political, and religious purposes’’ is now in the language of the policy. Applicants must inform Upton officials of how many attendees are expected at a planned gathering. The Upton Police Department will then determine whether there is a need for traffic and safety officers. Costs associated with any police presence deemed necessary may be the responsibility of the applicant under the approved rules, and organizers of a gathering must also pick up all litter after the event.

Bids for new ambulance

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The town administrator is inviting sealed bids for a new ambulance. The bids will be due to the fire chief’s office by March 5 at noon. Specifications for the new ambulance, which should be constructed to withstand rugged and intense use in providing emergency medical care in New England, are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Medway Fire Department at 44 Milford St., and on the town’s website at www.townofmedway.org. For more information, e-mail manzivino@townofmedway.org.

Election workers at polls

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The town is seeking registered Norfolk voters to work at the polls for the presidential primary March 6, as well as for the coming town election, state primary, and presidential election. Full- and half-day paid positions are available, and all poll workers must attend a training session next Monday at Town Hall. Individuals interested or with questions should contact Town Clerk Shawn Dooley at sdooley@virtualnorfolk.org or call 508-528-1400.

Mosquito spraying an option

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Residents who don’t want their homes sprayed for mosquitoes later this year can opt out of the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project but must notify the Framingham town clerk’s office by March 1. Homeowners must also mark their property lines every 50 feet with orange surveying tape or a similar product. To opt out, send a certified letter that includes your name, address, telephone number, property marking method, and name of the project - East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project - to the town clerk at 150 Concord St., Framingham, MA 01702. For more information on spraying and opting out, contact the mosquito project’s office at 781-899-5730. - Megan McKee

Main Street plans considered

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Developers are floating preliminary plans for a new commercial development at 626 Main St. this winter, an initial phase of a downtown development effort that has slowly been taking shape for years in this small rural town. The schematic plans, which would need special zoning approved by voters this spring to move forward, would add 25,000 square feet of commercial space to Bolton’s downtown.

Town meeting warrant open

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Board of Selectmen voted at its last meeting to officially open the warrants for the Annual and Special Town Meetings scheduled for May 7 and to close them on March 23 at noon. Articles may be inserted on the annual warrant by petition of 10 registered voters, and on the special warrant by petition of 100 voters. For more information on how to initiate a petition for an article, go to www.littletonma.org.

Downtown development

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

A study of downtown development options in Millis is underway. A Downtown Steering Committee has been appointed by the Board of Selectmen to work with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s Sustainable Development Consortium on the study. The committee will help manage a grant of nearly $40,000 from the Sustainable Communities Consortium, which will assist the town in conducting a marketing feasibility study and create options for future developments downtown. The committee is concentrating on the site of the former GAF manufacturing facility on Union Street and the Ann and Hope parcels on Main Street. - Derek McLean

Fire chief retirement gala

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Residents are invited to attend a retirement celebration for Fire Chief Arthur Cotoni, who served the town for 46 years. The celebration will be held at 7:30 p.m. March 2 at the American Legion Post 440, 295 California St., in Newton. Tickets are $40 per person and should be purchased by Feb. 24. For tickets contact Ben Juhola at juholben@lincolntown.org or Catherine Dubeshter at cdubeshter@lincolntown.org; or call 781-259-2675. - Jennifer Fenn Lefferts

Black History Month concert

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Join the Congregational Church of Westborough next Sunday for an evening dedicated to the celebration of African-American history, culture, and heritage. The church will be joined by a number of choirs from other local churches, putting on a special performance of spiritual and gospel music. The performance is an annual event led by music director Curtis Richardson in honor of Black History Month. Musical pieces that will be featured include: “Down to the River to Pray,’’ “Peter, Go Ring Dem Bells,’’ “Ride Up in the Chariot,’’ and “Lift Every Voice and Sing.’’ The Congregational Church is located at the corner of Church and West Main streets. Free-will donations will be accepted, and all proceeds from the concert will go toward music ministry. For more information, call 508-366-2000. - Jennifer Roach

Crowded fields for local offices

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Competition could be heavy in the race for local offices in Arlington this year, as five candidates have obtained nomination papers for two selectmen’s seats, and eight potential candidates have pulled papers for two seats on the School Committee. The candidates have until Tuesday to return their nomination papers to the registrars of voters to have signatures certified. The annual town election will be held on April 10. With selectwomen Clarissa Rowe and Annie LaCourt not running for reelection, five candidates have pulled papers to fill their seats. The candidates include School Committee member Joseph Curro, former School Committee member Joseph Curran, Upland Road resident Steven Byrne, Alton Street resident A. Michael Ruderman, and Inverness Road resident Robert Tosi. For the School Committee, incumbents Cindy Starks and Jeffrey Thielman have taken out nomination papers along with potential challengers Gregory Brogan of Melrose Street, James Flanagan of Trowbridge Street, Sean Harrington of Woodside Lane, A. Matthew Pallett of Winchester Road, Ian Jackson of Highland Avenue, and Andrew O’Brien of Hillside Avenue. - Brock Parker

Appointments for town boards

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Board of Selectmen is dealing with appointments for various town boards and committees, including positions on the Conservation Commission, Council on Aging, Historical Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals. Typically, incumbents are interested in continuing their service and no reapplication is required, but other residents interested in getting involved are invited to inquire about or apply for these positions as well. For a full list of positions up for appointment, visit the town’s website at www.bellinghamma.org. - Rachel Lebeaux

Antiques show

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The town’s 44th annual Antiques Show, sponsored by the Citizen Scholarship Foundation of Holliston, will be held next weekend in the Holliston High School gymnasium. The show will feature 100 exhibitors, with all proceeds from the event used to fund scholarships. The Citizen Scholarship Foundation “has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Holliston college students since 1964,’’ according to a news release. The show will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $7 and parking and refreshments are available at the high school field house.

Artist supports teen center

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

To benefit the Brookline Teen Center, Brookline artist Evelyn Berde is donating 25 percent of all sales at her gallery until March 6 to the center’s capital campaign. The Muddy River Gallery, at 320A Harvard St., is showing Berde’s work in “Open Heart: A Celebration of Love and Friendship.” The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. on weekends. Details at www.themuddyrivergallery.com - Andreae Downs

Community garden plots

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Watertown Community Gardens is accepting applications for its community garden plots at 103 Nichols Ave. and 165 Grove St. until Friday. A community garden allows people to tend their own personal gardening spaces within a larger plot of land while enjoying the benefits of shared space, tools, and expenses. To learn more and download an application, visit watertowngardens.org. Submitting an application is nonbinding; those assigned plots have until late March to decide whether to commit and pay the $30 fee for the year. A waiting list will be kept if there is more interest than availability. For additional info, contact Joan at 617-744-6411 or e-mail info@watertowngardens.org. - Megan McKee

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2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Running for selecman again

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Gary Luca is running for his third term on the Board of Selectmen. Members serve for three years. The town election will be April 23. A longtime US Postal Service employee, Luca is the Ayer postmaster.

Forum on special ed rights

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Board of Health has issued a notice that flu vaccines will remain available through the end of February for Bedford residents who did not receive one earlier in the season. Please call the Board of Health at 781-275-6507 to set up an appointment.

Democratic convention

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Eight Holliston delegates and three alternates have been chosen to attend the Massachusetts Democratic Party’s endorsing convention June 2 in the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield. The delegates were elected by 40 residents at a caucus organized and hosted by the Holliston Democratic Town Committee on Feb. 11. Delegates are Judy Gagnon, Lisa Kaplan, Elaine Doyle, Ginny Keniry, Allen Rutberg, Mark Signore, Lee DeSorgher, and Joe Harary, and alternates are Sasha Golden, Jonathan Loya, and Tom Driscoll. Also attending will be Beth Greely, chairwoman of the town committee, and state Representative Carolyn Dykema. State Democratic Committee members Rob Cassidy and Bill Dooling will also attend as ex officio delegates. -Derek McLean

Developer offers to finish trail

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Opening on Conservation Commission

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The death of Richard Upjohn last month has left the Southborough Board of Selectmen with an empty seat on the town’s Conservation Commission - a seat held by Upjohn for 34 years. The board is calling on passionate and knowledgeable residents to apply for the position. The term will expire on June 30, 2014. Those interested in applying should send a cover letter and resume to the Board of Selectmen, 17 Common Street, Southborough, MA 01772. Applications can also be e-mailed to selectment@southboroughma.com. The board plans to fill the seat quickly, so interested parties should apply as soon as possible. - Jennifer Roach

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2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Transportation discussion

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

A month-long food drive sponsored by the Maynard Public Library and Friends of the Library is underway, according to Dottie MacKeen of the library friends. The drive began on Monday to support the town’s Open Food Pantry, which serves an average of 100 individuals and families each week. The library is accepting nonperishable foods that are not past their “sell by’’ date. Food can be left in the collection box at the library during regular hours. Items that are especially welcome include cooking oil, tea, instant coffee, cocoa, packaged meals, baking supplies, canned meat, personal hygiene items, and cleaning supplies, according to MacKeen. - Derek McLean

Development planner named

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Lexington has hired the principal economic development planner from Somerville to head the town’s department. Town Manager Carl Valente announced the appointment of Melisa Tintocalis as Lexington’s economic development director. She started on Feb. 1 and will earn a salary of $74,700, according to the town. In Somerville, she worked on initiatives to support local businesses and encourage new commercial investment in targeted areas, Valente said in a press release. Tintocalis is replacing former Lexington economic development director Susan Yanofsky, who left the post last year. - Brock Parker

Town budget picture brightens

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

An anticipated increase in state aid for schools, which will start to address Brookline’s enrollment surge, and increases in revenue beyond the property tax will mean less budget pain this year than the town has faced since 2008, according to Town Administrator Mel Kleckner’s budget message. Efficiencies include eliminating positions in the planning and public works departments - following two studies of their operations. The budget anticipates changes to parking meter technologies - meaning some expenditures on hand-held computers, reprogramming, and some new meters - continuing enrollment pressures on the schools, and putting aside funds for post-retirement health costs and other reserves. This budget also sees the payment for the land under new condominiums on Fisher Hill and the construction of the park on the old state reservoir land across the street. - Andreae Downs

School work ahead of schedule

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Better than anticipated weather this winter has allowed the Tahanto Regional Middle/High School construction project to move forward rapidly in the last few months. Work on the new track and soccer field, which wasn’t expected to get underway until spring, has moved forward this month. The project is also under budget at this point, report school officials. - Matt Gunderson

Panel discussion on taxation

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Sudbury Democratic Town Committee is sponsoring a panel discussion on taxation on from 3 to 5 p.m. next Sunday at the Goodnow Library. The panelists will be Noah Berger, president of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, an independent research organization, and Democratic Senator Jamie Eldridge of Acton. The panelists will look at how the state can raise revenue to pay for education, roads, bridges and other essential services.

Art Center features Lapuh

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The work of Brookline artist Yanick Lapuh is on exhibit at the Brookline Arts Center until March 14. Lapuh makes sculptural paintings using wood cut-outs on a wooden base, on which he paints. “My work derives from a dynamic internal dialogue between opposing elements,” he said. Years in the making, the show features new and exemplary works. A public reception is scheduled for Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. The Arts Center is at 86 Monmouth St. and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Details at www.brooklineartscenter.com. Other works by Lapuh can be viewed at YanickLapuh.com. - Andreae Downs

Free day of family fun

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Waltham YMCA and Let’s Move Waltham are hosting Let’s Move Family Day on March 3 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Waltham YMCA. The free event is geared toward families and will feature games and activities like Zumba, karate, gymnastics, swimming, and climbing, all with the goal of inspiring healthy living. A free shuttle will be picking people up from the Waltham Common across from the train station starting at 11:30 a.m. For questions, call Jennifer Weller at 781-894-5295, ext. 102. - Megan McKee

Roosevelt program at library

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Sargent Memorial Library will present “Teddy Roosevelt: Mind, Body, and Spirit,’’ at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Actor and author Ted Zalewski combines history, drama, and humor to give voice to many of Roosevelt’s own words, writings, and beliefs. A video of Zalewski’s performance has been placed in the National Archives in Washington D.C. He has appeared at a number of presidential libraries, the White House, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Theater. The program is sponsored by the Friends of Boxborough Library. - Jennifer Fenn Lefferts

Housing authority finances

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The state auditor’s office reported on Feb. 2 that the Shrewsbury Housing Authority failed to meet the Commonwealth’s minimum level for an operating reserve, but Auditor Suzanne Bump has since exonerated the authority, explaining that an accounting error in the numbers her office received was responsible for the reported problem. The authority’s assistant executive director declined to comment last week, and the executive director did not respond to a request for further information. Originally, Bump’s office issued a statement indicating the Housing Authority’s reserve was more than $150,000 below the state-mandated minimum operating reserve. On Feb. 9, however, Bump told The Boston Globe that the numbers reported were inaccurate and that the Shrewsbury Housing Authority appeared to be operating with sufficient reserves to satisfy state requirements. - James O’Brien

Survey for master plan

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Arlington is asking residents to complete a survey that will be part of an initiative to create a community master plan for the town. Copies of the survey, which is being conducted by the Arlington Vision 2020 Committee, were recently mailed out with the town census; the deadline for responses is March 16. Survey responses will be part of a report that will begin preparations by the town to create a long-term view of Arlington’s future. The master plan process is expected to take three to five years. The survey can also be found online at www.arlington.ma.gov/vision2020. - Brock Parker

Community garden waiting list

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Franklin Community Gardens group is inviting applications for a waiting list for a garden bed at the King Street Memorial Community Gardens. Available garden spaces will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, with assignments beginning March 5, pending available space at the garden; the fee for the season is $40. Individuals interested in renewing their plots should submit their applications by March 2. For more information or to sign up for the waiting list, visit the town’s website at town.franklin.ma.us or the garden group’s website at www.franklincommunitygardens.org. - Rachel Lebeaux

Marathon money grants

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Board of Selectmen is accepting applications for grants toward local programs, using funds raised through the assignment of last year’s Boston Marathon invitational numbers. The grant program, made possible through an arrangement with the Boston Athletic Association, which sponsors the Marathon each April, netted the town $44,000. Proposals for this round of funding, totaling $18,500, are due March 1. For more information, call Susan Robie in the selectmen’s office at 508-881-0100 ext. 614 or e-mail srobie@ashlandmass.com. - Rachel Lebeaux

Library pastel class

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Pastel artist Gregory Maichack will hold a painting class this Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the town’s library. Maichack will provide instruction on painting the Venetian canals, using techniques such as pointillism. The free class is funded by the town’s Cultural Council and the Friends of the Fiske Public Library, and all materials will be provided to participants. Space is limited; to sign up, call the library at 508-384-5440. - Rachel Lebeaux

Nomination papers available

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Conservation Commission has an opening on its seven-member board, which has two major areas of responsibility: administration of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and protection of the town’s natural resources. The commission is particularly interested in applicants with a legal, civil engineering or agricultural background, as well as the geological or other sciences. To apply, please send a brief resum� and cover letter to both the Conservation Commission, and to Carlisle Board of Selectmen, Town Hall, 66 Westford St., Carlisle, MA 01741. For more information, call the Conservation Office at 1-978-369-0336. - Nancy Shohet West

Retirement gala for fire chief

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Ideas sought for library site

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Ideas are being sought to enhance program offerings at the former library building, which has become a center of community activities, including classes such as yoga and jazz and special events. The evolving venue, located across from the town common, is called The Pilot Project At The Old Library. Suggestions should be submitted to pilotprojectinfo@gmail.com. - Davis Bushnell

Housing authority false alarm

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The state auditor’s office reported on Feb. 2 that the Shrewsbury Housing Authority failed to meet the Commonwealth’s minimum level for an operating reserve, but Auditor Suzanne Bump has since exonerated the authority, explaining that an accounting error in the numbers her office received was responsible for the reported problem. The authority’s assistant executive director declined to comment last week, and the executive director did not respond to a request for further information. Originally, Bump’s office issued a statement indicating the Housing Authority’s reserve was more than $150,000 below state-mandated minimum operating reserve. On Feb. 9, however, Bump told The Boston Globe that the numbers reported were inaccurate and that the Shrewsbury Housing Authority appeared to be operating with sufficient reserves to satisfy state requirements. - James O’Brien

Nomination papers available

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Nomination papers for elected offices are now available in the town clerk’s office. The deadline to file nomination papers with the signatures of at least 49 Groton voters is April 3 at 5 p.m. The town election is May 22. There are seats open on the Board of Assessors, Board of Health, Board of Selectmen, Commission of Trust Funds, Groton Electric Light Commission, Park Commission, Planning Board, Sewer Commission, Water Commission, Groton-Dunstable Regional School Committee, and Trustees of the Groton Public Library. The town clerk and town moderator positions are also on the ballot.

Lecture series at park

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The Friends of the Minute Man National Historical Park present a lecture series starting on March 4 and continuing on Sundays throughout the month. All free lectures begin at 3 p.m. and are open to the public at the park’s visitor center and interpretive site on Route 2A in Lincoln. There is free parking at the site. Call 978-318-7822 for more information. On March 4, Hilary Anderson Stelling will lecture on “Sowing the Seeds of Liberty: Lexington and the American Revolution.” On March 11, Emily Murphy and Alicia Paresi offer “Town and Country: an Exploration of Archaeological Collections at Salem and Concord.” March 18, George Quintal presents, “Patriots of Color at Battle Road and Bunker Hill.” For the last presentation on March 25, David Wood, curator at the Concord Museum, lectures on “The Greatest Events of the Present Era: Collecting History at the Concord Museum.” Light refreshments will be served. The Friends of the MMNHP is a volunteer group that offers public affairs programming and fund-raising events on behalf of the national park. E-mail info@friendsofminuteman.org. - Betsy Levinson

School enrollment declining

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The number of students entering Medfield schools is expected to shrink over the next five years, district officials say. Enrollment districtwide is currently pegged at 2,970 pupils, according to numbers submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in January. That total is expected to fall to 2,195 by 2017, a decrease of about 26 percent. Part of the reason for the lower enrollments can be attributed to a decreasing number of births in district families, especially since 1999. In that year, there were 162 children born to district residents. The number reached a low of 87 in 2010, 46 percent fewer children born than at the turn of the millennium, according to the new data. To see the school department’s enrollment-related charts, visit Selectman Osler Peterson’s blog at: medfield02052.wordpress.com and click on the entry of Feb. 14.

Developer offers to finish trail

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

The final leg of Milford’s popular off-street bicycle path may be completed by a private contractor in exchange for permission from the town to drop the 55-plus age restrictions on the Walden Woods condominium development. Natick-based Eastland Partners received a special permit from the Milford Planning Board to build 165 units of age-restricted housing instead of 110, but has since found the market for those units lacking. The developer already has received tentative approval from selectmen and the Planning Board will take up the matter at this week’s meeting, said Town Counsel Gerald Moody. The first two phases of the Upper Charles River Trail, which stretches from the Hopkinton border off Route 85 to Milford’s Main Street and from Holliston to Route 109, had been built with federal grants. However, the final stretch of path would follow a route that also has been discussed as the location of a potential Route 16 bypass, which disqualified it as a candidate for further rail-trail funding. Moody said the developer has asked for the change in its special density permit in exchange for building the $920,000 final phase of the trail to link the other two legs, which would provide a substantial public benefit. The Planning Board is expected to discuss the permit change and conditions at Tuesday’s meeting. - Jose Martinez

Newton official helps playwright get Nonantum dialect down just right

Cindy Cantrell, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Alan Flynn takes pride in his Nonantum roots and the “lake talk’’ dialect he learned from his predominantly Italian-American neighbors in the village. Now he is extending the slang to audiences in California as a consultant for a play set in Nonantum. “The Prince of Atlantis’’ is a comedy about the trials and tribulations of a family living in Nonantum. It was written by Steven Drukman, a Chestnut Hill native who now lives in California.

Globe North: Best Bets

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

BOOKS

Roosevelt program at library

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

Forum on special ed rights

2012-02-19T05:00:00Z

A workshop at the Tahanto Regional Middle School on Feb. 28 will outline parents’ rights under state and federal special education laws. Sponsored by the Berlin-Boylston Special Education Parent Advisory Council, the forum kicks off at 7 p.m. in the middle school library. - Matt Gunderson

Breaking the mold

Taryn Plumb, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

Gil is chubby, gap-toothed, not too bright, and his working class parents are divorced. The central character of a new syndicated comic strip penned by Plainville cartoonist Norm Feuti, the 8-year-old bucks the idealized tradition of the comic pages, representing the norm of many 21st Century American families.

AD:

2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

40 years on, Title IX still resonating

Lenny Megliola, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

US soccer legend Kristin Lilly headlined a panel of distinguished women Monday night at Wellesley College discussing the impact of Title IX since its introduction in 1972.

For these students, horseback riding brings special benefits

Gene Cassidy, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

The minute Jona Ghelli arrives at the horse barn in Hopkinton, she heads for Karina, an Icelandic mare among the horses she has ridden nearly every week since 2008 at Equine Partners. Eighteen-year-old Jona has microcephaly, which causes physical and mental delays in her development. The benefits of therapeutic riding depend on the student, says Beth Timlege of Equine Partners. Alleviating anxiety, ranks high on everybody’s list. Also - “They develop strength, core strength, fine motor skills,’’ Timlege says.

How Malden entrepreneur (may have) launched Presidents’ Day car sales

Peter DeMarco, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

The annual hoopla for Presidents’ Day car sales will soon be in full swing. But just when did the holiday become synonymous with auto-selling extravaganzas? The idea, according to many, was the brainchild of Malden native Alvan T. Fuller. Fuller is perhaps best remembered for his tenure as Massachusetts’ 52d governor. But long before his career in politics, Fuller was just an enterprising teenager selling bicycles out of a backyard barn on Cross Street in Malden.

In Lexington, a unique window on theater

Nancy Shohet West — 2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

The Munroe Saturday Night series in Lexington presents staged readings by four Boston-area playwrights this weekend, with each play followed by a question-and-answer session with the actors, director and writer. For some, it is a first chance to see their words come to life; for others, it provides a way to get feedback from a different demographic than their typical audience. Other events this week include harp music, bluegrass, “Fame! The Musical,’’ and an exhibit at Wellesley College.

Best bets

2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

FAMILY

Goalies can hold key to postseason play

Jason Mastrodonato, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

Casey Schaejbe has her own pregame routine. The Arlington High senior goalie is alone in thought, her headphones into Katy Perry or Jessie J, consistent with her cellphone’s ringback tone, which blasts the latter’s upbeat hit, Domino. And then she cranks up Al Pacino’s motivational speech from Any Given Sunday. And then the 5-foot-10 Schaejbe shuts down some of the area’s best teams, keeping the Spy Ponders’ state tournament hopes alive.

Ice chips

2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

Players of the Week, Jason Mastrodonato’s Top 10 boys’ and girls’ teams, and a Game to Watch this week for high school hockey teams west of Boston.

Arlington’s small team boasts 3 stellar runners

Rich Fahey, Globe Correspondent — 2012-02-16T05:00:00Z

A win-loss record does not tell the entire story. The Arlington High boys’ and girls’ indoor track teams found it challenging to compete in the Large School Division of the Middlesex League this winter. The girls team did not win a meet while the boys managed just a tie with Belmont. Until very recently, though, Arlington High was the only school in the state to have three athletes ranked in the top 20 of the national rankings in their respective events.