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The recent announcement that Westborough District Court is on a short list of courthouses statewide that have been recommended for closure to ease a $21 million budget deficit has local municipal and police officials, lawyers and state lawmakers ready to put up a fight.



Police - Deficit - United States - Government - Law

After more than 15 years of stalled plans and bitter lawsuits, a long-vacant, 5-acre site along Washington Street in the Lower Falls section of Wellesley is set to begin its transformation into a complex featuring housing for seniors, and retail and office space.



Falls Road Belfast - Washington Street - Office - Wellesley Massachusetts - Belfast

Citing environmental and health concerns, a group of Concord residents is fighting the Fenn School over its plans for an artificial turf playing field near wetlands and the Concord River.



Artificial turf - Concord River - Fenn School - Playing field - Business

On a recent weekday afternoon, Highland Avenue in Needham resembled not a quiet suburban thoroughfare, but a bustling street corner in Los Angeles or New York City.



Los Angeles - Highland Avenue - New York City - United States - California

The four finalists bidding to land Brookline’s top administrative job made their first public appearance in town last week, although few residents turned out to witness the four hours of interviews conducted by the Board of Selectmen.



Brookline Massachusetts - Board of Selectmen - United States - Massachusetts - Brookline

Determined to have an impact on the appointment of judges in Massachusetts, a fathers’ rights activist from Natick is running for a seat on the Governor’s Council, which has final say over judicial nominations.



Massachusetts - Natick Massachusetts - Natick - United States - Boston Scientific

Construction of an $80 million academic building at Beacon and College streets in Newton could exacerbate an already dysfunctional parking situation, a number of Boston College neighbors told school and city officials last week.



Boston College - Newton Massachusetts - United States - Education - Colleges and Universities

As the state Legislature works on a compromise bill that would allow gambling in Massachusetts, officials in three towns near a proposed Milford casino are teaming up to ask lawmakers to protect the interests of communities that surround any potential projects.



Gambling - Casino - Massachusetts - Games - United States

Members of a Tea Party chapter based in Lexington will host what they are calling a “Second Revolution’’ Sunday afternoon on the town’s historic Battle Green.



Tea - Lexington Kentucky - Shopping - Business - Kentucky

Though the official June 30 closing date for the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center in Waltham has passed, 47 residents are still on the campus, with several families fighting eviction and the rest readying their developmentally disabled loved ones to move into group homes or other state institutions.



Developmental disability - Group home - City and town halls - United States - Health

For years, unpopulated Elizabeth Island served as the launching point for Arlington’s fireworks celebrations, and has long been a popular stopping point for birders and boaters, and the centerpiece of the town’s vista of Spy Pond.



Fireworks - Spy Pond - Birdwatching - United States - Arlington

Ever notice how much New Hampshire drivers love vanity plates? Drive north, and it seems as though every other car boasts a “PONYUP’’ or a “MRSLJG’’ or a “SKI&RYD’’ plate.



New Hampshire - United States - Vanity plate - Recreation - License Plates

Ashland Town officials are enforcing water restrictions due to dropping water levels at the Hopkinton Reservoir, in hopes of avoiding a full water ban later in the summer. The restrictions prohibit washing cars, running automatic sprinklers, operating ornamental pools and fountains, and filling and topping off swimming pools with water from the municipal system. Residents can continue to water outside ...



Water - Outdoor water-use restriction - Environment - Swimming pool - Drinking water

ACTON Acton Memorial Library is offering four computer classes for next month to teach beginners basic skills such as using e-mail or filling out online forms. Each class will be held on Wednesdays from 1 to 2 p.m. at the library. The Aug. 4 class will focus on using a mouse; Aug. 11, using the Internet; Aug. 18, beginning word ...



Library - Libraries - United States - Arts and Entertainment - Public

Arlington School officials will meet this week to discuss a controversial proposal to require that all Arlington students be given the opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of school each day. The pledge hasn’t been said at Arlington High School for years. Last month Sean Harrington, a senior at the school, asked the School Committee to ...



Pledge of Allegiance - High school - United States - Student - Arlington High School

It’s hard to cut your lawn when you’re in a foxhole. So Sergeant Joseph Carlson, a member of the Massachusetts National Guard’s 747th Military Police Company, was glad that friends and family helped his wife, Amanda, with work around their house in Maynard while he was on a yearlong tour in Iraq.



Iraq - Military police - Military - United States - Sergeant

Nicole Culcasi and Danika Mason began their summer job search in the dead of winter, trekking store by store through the Natick Collection. The 17-year-olds left the mall with nearly two dozen applications and high hopes.



Natick Collection - Business and Economy - Business - Canada - Education

A $71.6 million plan by the White House and Beacon Hill to expand broadband Internet access in Western Massachusetts is a shot in the arm for the Westborough-based Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the region’s high-tech industry, officials said.



White House - Broadband Internet access - Western Massachusetts - United States - High tech

After nearly five hours of public comment and committee discussion at its meeting last week, Belmont’s School Committee approved accepting private donations to help underwrite high school athletics, including the recently cut freshman sports program.



High school - Public school - Sport - Private school - United States