Community Corner

NEWS ROUNDUP: Patrolmen Contracts, Playground Needles and Gym Demolitions

Recent news from other Patches in the Commonwealth

 

Chelmsford: Elderly Couple Perishes in Woodcrest Condo Fire

The fatalities were accompanied by several dozen individuals who were misplaced in the blaze as well as a young boy who required a medevac flight due to serious burns.

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Tewksbury: Former TMHS Star Athlete Gives of Himself To Save a Stranger

Many college students enjoy spending parts of their Semester Break on ski trips to the mountains or lounging on some tropical beach.

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Manny Cabral, a junior at Texas Southern University, spent his break doing his part to save the life of a complete stranger.

On Dec. 20, doctors at the Roger Williams Medical Center extracted bone marrow from the former Tewksbury High star athlete to transplant to a patient battling a life-threatening illness.

Reading: Teacher Fired After Allegedly Abusing Child at Goddard School.

The Department of Early Education and Care reported that they received information from the Goddard School in Reading regarding alleged abuse of a child by one of the school's teachers. The teacher was fired. Details of the abuse have not yet been disclosed. DEEC officials are still investigating.

North Reading: Hundreds of Hypodermic Needles Found at Playground in North Reading. 

Hundreds of hypodermic needles were found by DPW workers on Jan. 9 at Clarke Park in North Reading. Police recovered the needles and other drug paraphernalia.

Wilmington: High School Gymnasium to be Demolished in February

Superintendent of Schools Joanne Benton announced during Wednesday’s School Committee meeting that the Wilmington High School gymnasium will be demolished over February vacation.

Though the high school project is currently being appealed to Superior Court, it was previously ruled that the Activities and Use Limitation (AUL) was not allowed as part of the appeal, leaving the door open for the town to begin work on at least part of the project.

February vacation is slated to begin on Monday, February 20. On February 11, Benton said fencing will be put up in the area.

Medford:

Tuesday's Medford City Council meeting ended shortly after it began when councilors could not agree on how to proceed with voting for a council president and vice president for 2013. Councilor Michael Marks questioned whether councilors voting for themselves for president or vice president presented a conflict of interest due to higher compensation for those positions.

Stoneham: Stoneham Foreclosure Activity Up Slightly in November

While completed foreclosures Massachusetts declined again in November, Stoneham's foreclosure activity continued to outpace 2011 according to the latest figures from The Warren Group.

There were two foreclosure deeds, which represent completed foreclosures, recorded in Stoneham during November, while there were none in November 2011. Year-to-date foreclosure deeds are only up slightly in Stoneham, with 16 recorded through the first 11 months of 2012, compared to 14 during the same time period the year before. Foreclosure deeds are down 8 percent year-to-date across Massachusetts.

Melrose:  Mayor Dolan Announces 'Historical Agreement' With Melrose Patrolmen

After reaching a "historical agreement" with the Melrose Patrolmen's Union, the city of Melrose can expect to see at least three patrolmen and an officer assigned per shift every day, Mayor Rob Dolan said in a press statement on Monday.

A year ago "an outside consultant (was brought in) to review police operations, as I have done with other departments in the city," Dolan said in the statement. The consultant was brought in to investigate overtime costs associated with each shift, according to the statement.


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