WELLESLEY

A mother confronted by police in September after she left her child unattended in a parked car in downtown Wellesley for 12 minutes has been given a second chance.

The woman, who police have declined to identify because she wasnt arrested, appeared in Dedham District Court on October 22 for allegedly violating a state law that prohibits adults from "consciously disregard[ing] a substantial and unjustifiable risk" that could result in "serious bodily injury" to a child.

The 18-month-old infant was sleeping in a car that had the windows down far enough that police were able to gain access to the child. Wellesley police spokesperson Marie Cleary said the court officer decided that, if the woman is involved in no other infractions during the next six months, the charge against her will be dropped.

Since May 1999. Wellesley police have issued only one other summons on a charge of reckless parental behavior, Cleary said. In that instance, a woman who allowed her seven-year-old child to sleep in her car outside her place of employment in Wellesley for about two hours every morning in December, failed to appear at her first court appearance and is awaiting a hearing early next month.

-- Lisa Keen

WESTON

Five openings on the town's Cultural Council have the Board of Selectmen looking for volunteers.

The board, which has five to ten members, is responsible for administering grant funds from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The money can be used for things like performances, educational programs, and lectures that "provide access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences... to improve the quality of life and contribute to the economic vitality" of the community.

Anyone intereseted in applying for a spot on the council is urged to send a letter of interest with background information to: Town of Weston, Board of Selectmen, P.O. Box 378, Weston, MA 02493.

Materials can also be faxed to Town Hall at 781-891-3697, or e-mailed.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

MARLBOROUGH

A conservative Episcopal parish in Marlborough is bolting the denomination, in the latest indication that even in liberal Massachusetts the Episcopal Church is losing congregations over its support for gay rights.

Holy Trinity Church in Marlborough is leaving behind its building, renting space in a nearby Methodist church, and affiliating with the Anglican Mission in the Americas, which is overseen by the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, Globe religion writer Michael Paulson reports today.

The small Marlborough congregation, with about 70 active members, is following a national trend in which conservative Episcopal congregations are leaving the Episcopal Church USA to affiliate with theologically like-minded Anglican provinces in Africa.

The Marlborough congregation is the third local group of Episcopal parishioners to bolt this year. In January, many of the parishioners of All Saints Episcopal in Attleboro left to form All Saints Anglican in Attleboro and in September, most of the parishioners of All Saints Episcopal in West Newbury left to form All Saints Anglican in Amesbury. The new Attleboro congregation is affiliated with the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, the new Amesbury congregation with the Anglican Church of Kenya.

There are also several other Anglican congregations in Eastern Massachusetts - including in Brewster, Brockton, Middleborough, and Sandwich - that have been formed by individuals who are unhappy with the direction of the Episcopal Church.

Read more about the breakaway parish in the online edition of today's Globe.

WALTHAM

A New Jersey man killed Sunday when an alleged drunk driver hit his car from behind on Route 128 in Waltham was an intern in the media relations office of the New York Yankees, team officials said.

The team identified the young man as Matthew Wasser, 22, of Bernardsville, N.J. Wasser was a student at the College of New Jersey, and was set to graduate this December with a degree in communications, officials said.

"A loss of this magnitude is impossible to put into words," Yankees Director of Media Relations Jason Zillo said in a statement released by Major League Baseball. "Matt will long be remembered for his boundless enthusiasm and uplifting, selfless spirit. The Yankees family reaches out to the Wasser family during this tremendous time of grief, as we keep his loved ones and friends close to our heart."

State police said that Wasser and the driver of the car, Christian N. Ighodaro of Hyde Park, were stopped in traffic in the northbound left lane about 2:50 a.m. when a car driven by a Templeton man struck the car.

Lawrence P. Laine of Templeton, who was uninjured in the crash, was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, police said. Ighodaro was taken to the Lahey Clinic in Burlington with serious injuries.

-- Ralph Ranalli

The view from there.
(Photo courtesy of the Steve Glidden Foundation)

NEWTON

If you just have to see the Sox in the World Series in person but the thought of lining some greasy ticket scalper's pockets makes you ill, the Steve Glidden Foundation may have the ducats you've been looking for.

The foundation is named for Steve Glidden, a 7th grader who was one of four Oak Hill Middle School students killed in 2001 when their bus overturned during a school band trip to Nova Scotia. The foundation raises money for a summer camp, scholarships, and for other organizations and projects that "foster leadership and advocacy capacity in young people."

The foundation is offering 2 obstructed view tickets to the Thursday night's Game 3 in Section 23, Row 10. The opening bid is $750 per ticket (they have a $150 face value) but the first person offering $2,500 for the pair takes them away, according to an e-mail sent out yesterday by Elaine Alpert, Steve's mother.

Bids are usually taken on the foundation's "Steve-bay" auction site, but anyone interested in buying the World Series tickets is instead urged to bid by sending an e-mail to the foundation. Anyone seeking more information is urged to call either 617-527-0172 or 781-929-5136.

The foundation also said that any amount paid that is over face value is considered a charitable donation and that a receipt would be provided for the buyers' taxes.

-- Ralph Ranalli

WELLESLEY

A 20-year-old student at Wellesley College was charged yesterday with breaking into a dormitory at MIT and stabbing her former boyfriend seven times as he slept, according to police and prosecutors.

Anna Tang was ordered held without bail after her arraignment this afternoon in Cambridge District Court on charges of armed assault with intent to murder and home invasion, staff writer Maria Cramer of the Globe's City & Region section reports.

Suzanne Kontz, an assistant Middlesex district attorney, said in court that the victim, a 19-year-old student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, woke up to Tang stabbing him seven times. The couple had been romantically involved for eight months but broke up three weeks ago and the relationship took a violent turn, Kontz said.

Kontz said that Tang sent the victim threatening e-mails and then broke into his dorm room today at about 6:30 a.m. Tang was arrested by Cambridge police inside the dormitory on Memorial Drive. The name and condition of the victim were not released.

John Valerio, an attorney who represented Tang, described his client as a "meek and mild mannered" young woman who had been taking classes at MIT. Valerio said he will investigate the accusations.

The victim identified Tang as a suspect, according to a statement released by the office of Middle District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr. Investigators found Tang's jacket covered with blood and a black folding buck knife was found in her backpack, according to the statement.

"We allege that the defendant traveled to MIT last night, entered her ex-boyfriend's dorm room, and then stabbed him multiple times while he was in his bed," Leone said. "We believe this to be an isolated incident done with specific intent to critically harm the defenseless victim."

Tang is scheduled to return to court for a dangerousness hearing on Oct. 30.

Read more about the stabbing on the Local News Updates blog.

NEWTON

Mayor David B. Cohen called for a property tax increase through an override in his State of the City address last night, less than a year after voters approved construction of the most expensive high school in state history.

Cohen, who once insisted he would not ask for a tax hike to pay for the $155-million school, said an override is needed to pay for rising city expenses and improvements to public buildings. Cohen said his administration would calculate the cost of an override to taxpayers by Jan. 15, in time for a possible vote next spring.

"The choice before us is to make deep cuts in the level of services we are providing today or to raise the necessary revenue that will allow us to move forward," he said. "Now is the time to seek an operating override."

Judging from what has happened recently in other municipalities in Massachusetts, Cohen will have his work cut out for him. A majority of cities and towns across the state have rejected similar tax increases through overrides. In December, the Globe found that two-thirds of overrides in 2006 were rejected and that 2007 was on track to be the second-straight year in which more override requests failed than passed.

Newton voters approved an $11.5 million override that permanently raised city taxes in 2002. It won by 709 votes.

-- Megan Woolhouse

WALTHAM/POLITICS

This is the first installment of three sets of candidate profiles for Waltham's School Committee, City Council At-Large, and Mayoral races in 2007. Today we examine the five School Committee candidates who are seeking three seats on the committee, which they will hold for one two-year term.

Each candidate's profile is followed by a short sound bite from the School Committee Candidate Forum held on Oct. 11.

Since 2001, the Waltham Schools have hired 40-50 new teachers each year mostly to replace retirees, according to a September interview with Waltham Assistant Superintendent Emile Rosenberg. Nationwide, districts face difficulties finding enough foreign language, math, science and special education teachers.

Listen to each candidate describe why they think teacher shortages are becoming more common, and what they think should be done to recruit and retain more qualified teachers.

Harold "Jerry" Walker

Age: Will be 61 on Nov. 2

Family: Wife, Judith, and two adult daughters who attended Waltham Schools

Neighborhood: North Waltham

Education: Bachelor's degree in History from University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Master's degree in Education from Boston University

Occupation: Waltham High School history and social science teacher from 1968-2003, now retired.

Experience: School Committee member since 2003; founding member of Youth Opposed to Using (YOU), a student anti-drug and drinking group; Waltham Park and Recreation Board member since 2003; member of Waltham High School Evaluation Steering Committee for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation, 1973-75, 1983-85, 1993-95; Reagle Players Featured Performer appearing in more than 30 productions.

Key issues: Walker said he wants to find ways to encourage and enable teachers in Waltham to work through the ranks and become administrators. He thinks professional development offered to teachers should have more of a practical emphasis, and that successful master teachers within the district should be encouraged to share their methods. He also wants to make the School Department website a better tool for communicating policy, achievements and information about the schools.

What distinguishes him: "I think I wear a number of hats. Besides being a former educator, besides being a community person involved in things like the Park and Rec Board, and a parent and a grandparent... I am a stage performer, so that helps with interpersonal skills a great deal." He said his years as a teacher who created courses like AP History and Foreign Policy gave him insight into what makes an effective curriculum, and his experience as an evaluator of other school systems with NEASC helps him to better evaluate Waltham's schools.

Listen to an audio clip of Jerry Walker describing what should be done to recruit and retain more qualified teachers to Waltham.

-- Stephanie Siek

Stephen Rando, Jr. (incumbent)

Age: 63

Family: wife Barbara, four adult children, one of whom, Julie Ranucci, is a Waltham High School teacher

Neighborhood: "fringes of Cedarwood"/West End

Education: Attended Cambridge Junior College and earned Bachelor's degree in History and Sociology from Suffolk University. Also earned a Master's degree in Education from Suffolk University.

Occupation: retired principal of Jonathan Bright Elementary School

Experience: 34 years as a teacher and administrator in the Waltham Public Schools; past supervisor of the Adult Basic and Civic Education Program (which oversaw teaching English and Citizenship to foreign-born students).

Key issues: Rando said he is especially concerned with health and safety issues. He'd like to look into having dental screenings reinstituted in the schools, strictly enforce the district's anti-bullying policy, encourage walk to school programs and recess as a way of battling obesity in schoolchildren, and better train teachers in how to deal with children who have experienced traumatic events like the death of a parent. More broadly, he wants to see if there's a way to expand the district's options for gifted students. He's also doesn't want electives like arts and music to be jettisoned in favor of MCAS preparation. "Rather than eliminating some of the fine arts areas, we me may have to look into making the day longer to provide academic support in some of the other subject areas."

What distinguishes him: Rando said that his range of experience in the schools, from teacher and principal to administrator, sets him apart. "I've been there, done it all. I've seen it from the administrative side and from the teacher's perspective."

Listen to an audio clip of Stephen Rando Jr. describe what should be done to recruit and retain more qualified teachers in Waltham's schools.

-- Stephanie Siek

Lisa Limonciello

Age: 39

Family: married to husband Thomas, they have two daughters, 8-year-old Sophia and 6-year-old Ava. They attend Henry Whittemore Elementary School.

Neighborhood: South Side

Education: After graduating from Waltham High, she attended the University of Massachusetts-Lowell for two years, studying child psychology.

Occupation: Merchandise specialist for the TJX Companies in Framingham

Experience: Co-president of Whittemore Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization since 2004, cofounder and board member of the Waltham Education and Beyond Foundation

Key issues: "My priorities this go around would be the MCAS [several] schools haven't met Adequate Yearly Progress, and that's really concerning to me. I know it's a tough test, and I know it's state mandated, but we really need to stop making excuses and put our department heads on notice and start making some hard changes, and not accept mediocrity." Limonciello said she also wants to make sure the committee finds ways to mitigate large class sizes before the start of the school year, by adding teachers, aides, or volunteers. She is emphatic for the need for a better School department website that provides information for parents and touts the district's achievements.

What distinguishes her: Her corporate background and ability to put efficiency and effectiveness over politics, she says. "Some of our school committee members want to play nice in the sand with everybody. but it's about running a business and doing right by the students, and not about who you used to work with, or who you were friends with. That's not important to me. My children and their education are what's important."

Listen to an audio clip of Lisa Limonciello discuss what should be done to recruit and retain more qualified teachers to Waltham.

-- Stephanie Siek

Margaret M. Donnelly

Age: 65

Family: Single

Neighborhood: Roberts, near the Weston line

Education: Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Regis College, Masters of Education in Guidance Counseling from former Boston State College

Occupation: Middle school history teacher in Marlborough, now retired.

Experience: School Committee member 1993-2005, School Building Committee member 1996-present, Park and Recreation Board member 1996-2005, Massachusetts Association of School Committees' Legislative Advocacy Committee 1996-2006, Fundraising Coordinator for Funway Park at William F. Stanley Elementary School 2006-2007, Member of EDCO Collaborative Board of directors 2001-2005, Program Director for local AARP chapter 2001-present.

Key issues: "Now that we're finishing up the [elementary school buildings], we need to immediately start a plan for the High School renovation...We can make a plan and an application process to the [state] to get us in line to receive reimbursement. You need to be very proactive with that, or you just lose time, and time is money, with the inflation factor, and with the needs of the students at the high school. The student population has started to increase again - slightly, but there is an increase."

What distinguishes her: Donnelly said her experience with education policy-makers at the state and regional level gives her a unique perspective on things like state funding and MCAS.

Listen to an audio clip of Margaret Donnelly discussing what she would do to recruit and retain more qualified teachers for Waltham.

-- Stephanie Siek

Susan R. Burstein

Age: 49

Family: husband Richard Scales, 5-year-old daughter, Abigail, who attends James FitzGerald Elementary School

Neighborhood: Warrendale

Education: Waltham High School, bachelor's degree in Public Administration from New York University

Occupation: Chief Budget Officer for City of Newton

Experience: Waltham School Committee member since 1999 and current vice chair, former Ward 7 City Councilor from 1992-1993. Before her current job, she was a budget director for the state Department of Transitional Assistance.

Key issues: "We've had, and I think will continue to have, turnover of some leaders and educators. and finding qualified people who understand the really diverse nature of the community has been and will continue to be important," she said. She also said that the need to improve MCAS and SAT scores is important, but that the city should not have to sacrifice its advanced arts and performing arts programs to do so. She wants to better communicate the district's achievements and improve the School Department website.

What distinguishes her from the other candidates: Burstein said it's her experience in the public sector that sets her apart - as a Newton budget official, a former city councilor, and a former state official - and as one of only two candidates with children currently in the schools. "I think it gives you, albeit somewhat anecdotal, experience and knowledge of what's going on on a daily basis; how information is being communicated to parents. It gives a unique opportunity to communicate with other parents and find out what their experiences are, because obviously experiences are not uniform. "

Burstein: Listen to an audio clip of Susan Burstein talk about what should be done to recruit and retain more qualified teachers to Waltham.

Expect backups at Exit 17
(Globe staff photo by Lane Turner)

NEWTON/TRAFFIC

From the Globe's "Starts and Stops" column:

Until late 2007, reconstruction work will take place on the Church Street Bridge on the Mass. Pike in Newton.

Lane closures, daytime and nighttime, will be in place at various times in that area on the Mass. Pike east and west. Expect periodic Exit 17 ramp closures.

Also, Church Street traffic near the bridge has been reduced from four lanes to two lanes (one in each direction).

For a complete listing of recent commuter updates, read Starts and Stops online.

FRAMINGHAM

While officials are counting on the Arcade at Downtown Framingham, a nearly $60 million mixed-use project, to revitalize the town's commercial core, some worry that the project will help push out immigrant businesses.

After nearly three years of negotiations with developers, community leaders are touting the Arcade project, which includes renovation of historic buildings, a new garage, and an apartment complex, as the cornerstone of downtown revitalization, Globe West correspondent Tanya Perez-Brennan reports in today's Globe West.

"I think it's huge," said John Steacie, chairman of Framingham Downtown Renaissance, a coalition of community groups. "It would bring people into the downtown [who] have discretionary income. They'd be willing to spend, so that's a big economic boom."

The project would include 290 one- or two-bedroom apartments, a six-story, 563-space parking garage, and 50,000 square feet of new commercial space. Michael Gatlin, an attorney for developer Framingham Acquisition LLC, said officials are "pretty optimistic" construction could start as soon as early winter and be completed within 2 1/2 years.

Developers are building multimillion-dollar projects in downtowns across New England, including in area communities such as Lincoln, Franklin, and Westborough. But what's happening in Framingham is an early example of a new gentrification trend, one that pushes out immigrant-owned businesses, according to Jonathan Leit, who wrote his master's thesis on the Arcade project for the urban studies and planning department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

After the project's completion, commercial rents could double to $18 to $20 per square foot, which has some existing merchants feeling uneasy, and some, including Brazilian business owners, fearing they could be displaced.

Vera Dias-Freitas, an advocate for the Brazilian community and owner of a jewelry store in the existing Arcade building, one of four Concord Street buildings included in the larger project, said the concerns of local businesses are not being taken into account.

Read more about the benefits and pitfalls of Framingham's downtown revitalization in today's Globe West.