More Than Words, a nonprofit bookstore that aims to help at-risk youths, is launching a new café training program, to provide young adults with skills in business, food handling, and customer service.

The four-year-old bookstore/social enterprise seeks to empower youth “who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless or out of school, to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business,” Executive Director Jodi Rosenbaum said in a press statement.

The Moody Street bookstore has helped over 70 youth “pursue their education, obtain jobs and develop plans for their transition to adulthood and self sufficiency,” Rosenbaum stated.

The new cafe will allow the nonprofit to expand training, from about 16 young people to about 24.

-- Lisa Kocian

A former radio talk show host was sentenced today to life in prison without parole for murdering his wife by giving her Gatorade and other drinks and food that had been laced with antifreeze.

James Keown was convicted today in Middlesex Superior Court in the killing of his 31-year-old wife, Julie, on Sept. 8, 2004, while the couple was living in Waltham. Judge Sandra Hamlin this afternoon gave Keown the mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

Keown was arrested on Nov. 7, 2005, while he was on the air, hosting a radio talk show on KLIK-AM in Jefferson City, Mo.

Keown's wife, a registered nurse, started getting ill in May 2004 with symptoms that included vomiting, nausea, and slurred speech. She was originally diagnosed with gastritis. Four months later, her kidneys started deteriorating. She was being treated at Newton-Wellesley Hospital when she slipped into a coma and doctors discovered ethylene glycol, the poisonous substance found in antifreeze, in her system. She was given an antidote, but it was too late to save her life.

Prosecutors alleged Keown murdered his wife so he could collect a $250,000 life insurance policy. The couple had been married for eight years and moved from Kansas City, Mo., to Waltham in January 2004.

-- City & Region staff

Mark Parsons returned to his home in Newton and found that a tree had been uprooted by yesterday's violent storm. NStar customers lost power - mostly in Newton, Watertown, and Waltham - largely because of trees or limbs falling on power lines.
(Globe staff photo by Essdras M Suarez)

REGION

A violent thunderstorm tore through Greater Boston yesterday afternoon, causing flash floods, pelting pedestrians with pea-size hail, knocking out power, and uprooting trees with wind gusts exceeding 55 miles per hour.

About 20,000 NStar customers lost power - mostly in Newton, Watertown, and Waltham - largely because of trees or limbs falling on power lines, said Kate Leonard, a company spokeswoman. Power was restored for most customers by the evening.

Lightning strikes set off fires in the penthouse of a seven-story Beacon Street building in the Back Bay and a three-family house on Pearl Street in Cambridge. Flash floods caused the eastbound lanes of Storrow Drive, near Kenmore Square, to be shut down, and a sink hole on Route 9 in Brookline forced a closure there.

Two-thirds of an inch of rain fell at Logan International Airport in roughly 30 minutes, said Bill Simpson, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Taunton. He said the low number can be misleading in characterizing the storm's ferocity. Wind gusts at Harvard Bridge topped out at 57 miles per hour.

"It's not how much rain falls," he said, "it's the intensity of the storm."

WESTON

Proving that you don't have to have big-name affiliation or a multi-million dollar endowment to get noticed, the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History has been nominated as one of three picks for the "Best Museum" category by a parenting website affiliated with the cable television's Nickelodeon channel.

GoCityKids.com says the museum, which is tucked away on the Regis College campus, may be worthy of a "Parent's Picks 2008" designation for families with older children in the Boston area.

Many of the museum's exhibits and events cater to children, who are each presented with a free packet of stamps to start a collection when they visit.

The museum faces some stiff competition, however, because the other contenders in the category are the Peabody Essex Museum and Harvard University's Museum of Natural History. The final winner will be determined by parents who use the web site, who are being asked to vote for their favorite online.

Parents can vote at the GoCityKids website until June 30.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

In this corner: a 14-year-old Kennedy Middle School student who has earned the right to compete in the World Amateur Kickboxing/Karate Organization Jr. World Championship in Naples, Italy.

His opponent: the cost of traveling there to compete among teens from 60 other countries.

Zachary Johnson has been training at Perry's Tae Kwon Do Academy on Moody Street since the age of 4, and the academy is holding a June 13 dinner and silent auction to help him fulfill his goal of competing.

Academy Head Instructor Reggie Perry said that Johnson won the 125-pounds-and-under class divisions in semi-contact and continuous contact tae kwon do during the United States Team Trials in Warwick, R.I., in April. The world competition is in September.

The items up for auction include Red Sox tickets, a Wii Fit console, Celtics and Patriots memorabilia, and a membership to the Boston Sports Club's Waltham location.

The event begins at 6 p.m. at the academy, 308 Moody Street. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased by calling the academy at 781-891-4800 or visiting in person Monday through Thursday between 3:30 and 8:30 p.m.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

Tom Jewell, the director of the Waltham Public Library for the past 32 years, said recently that he is retiring in July to spend more time with his wife, children and grandchildren.

In a letter sent to members of the library's e-mail listserve, Jewell gave special thanks to the Friends of the Library for raising funds for improvements that the library wouldn't have been able to afford through its city budget alone.

"To have had the privilege of presiding over the revitalization and expansion of this wonderful institution has been deeply satisfying," he wrote.

Jewell said that the search is already underway for his replacement. Assistant Director Kate Tranquada was encouraged to apply for the post, the letter said, but she decided to remain in her current job.

The Library Trustees have set October as their target date for naming a new director.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

In a show of appreciation for those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Veterans Administration Heathcare System is sponsoring a family event in Waltham that will mix food, family fun, and information about the benefits, services, and educational and job opportunities available to veterans.

Military personnel who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and their families are invited to the event, which will be held on the grounds of the National Archives and Record Administration offices at 380 Trapelo Road on May 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Veterans and their families will enjoy a cookout, pony rides and an animal show, music, and free raffles with the grand prize of $1,000 or a 42-inch flat screen TV. Various local, state and federal agencies will also be there to provide information.

The event is not open to the general public. Anyone seeking more information is urged tocontact Diane LeBlanc at the National Archives at 781-663-0133 or 781-526-1137.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

The state Department of Environmental Protection has fined three Waltham businesses after receiving reports of "oil odors and an oily sheen" on the Charles River.

According to a March 26 news release from the agency, Pro Equipment Rental, Pro Waste Disposal, and Pro Cut, which are all run from a Calvary Street address, were found in violation of several environmental regulations involving solid waste management, air quality, hazardous waste management, storm water management, and improper storage and handling of materials containing asbestos.

The agency said Pro Equipment Rental will be required to assess possible soil and groundwater contamination and install measures to control catch basin run-off by June 30 and to pay a $23,020 penalty. Pro Waste Disposal, meanwhile, was hit with a $23,070 penalty and Pro Cut was fined $26,410, officials said.

The violations were found during an inspection in January of last year triggered by a witness who reported that the oily sheen on the river was coming from the companies' property.

--Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

The first of 12 community meetings aimed at gathering input about the School Committee's search for a new superintendent is scheduled for next Thursday.

All the meetings are open to the public, but each will concentrate on a different "focus group" of constituents. From 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, the focus will be on input from staff at the elementary schools. At the 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. session, organizers are especially hoping for comments from elementary school parents and from members of the community in general.

Both of the meetings will be held in the MacArthur Elementary School's cafeteria.

Parents in the school district should expect to receive an invitation to these meetings early this week, School Committee Vice Chairwoman Susanne M. McIvor said. Parents, staff and other Waltham community members will also be asked to fill out a superintendent search survey on the back of the invitation. The survey is also available on the Waltham Schools website.

The committee is also looking for volunteers interested in serving on the Superintendent Search Committee, which consists of three School Committee members, two school faculty members, two school administrators, two parents of Waltham Public Schools students, a representative from the City of Waltham, and one community resident at large.

Interested persons should send their name, contact information, and brief statement of interest to Susanne M. McIvor, Head of the Working Committee, Waltham Public Schools, Superintendent's Office, 617 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA 02452. The information can also be sent via e-mail.

All submissions are due March 5 at 4 p.m. and applicants must be available for an orientation on March 11 at 7 p.m. More information can be obtained from the school department web site or by calling School Committee secretary Marian Parrella at 781-314-5401.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

An executive of the development company that plans to build a 1.7 million square foot retail and office project on the site of the former Polaroid headquarters says that soil and groundwater contamination issues at the site have been remediated.

Chad Cooley, and assistant vice president for The Related Companies, recently told the city's Zoning Board of Appeals that Poloroid had been taking steps to eliminate contamination from its manufacture of film and chemicals for the last two decades. Cooley said the site was "closed out" as an environmental concern by state officials two years ago.

"There are no problems, and while we'll continue to monitor and to evaluate, Polaroid did a nice job," Cooley said.

The board has asked Related to provide proof of its environmental claims when their application for a zoning variance is brought up again on March 11.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

An ordinance that would establish a six-month waiting period before a building with historical value can be demolished is awaiting Mayor Jeannette McCarthy's signature.

Local history buffs claimed victory last Monday, when the Waltham City Council approved the matter in a 10-4 vote. Councillors who voted in favor were Sarafina "Sally" Collura, George A. Darcy III, Joseph M. Giordano Jr., Robert S. Kelly, Robert G. Logan, Patrick J. O'Brien, Stephen F. Rourke, Thomas M. Stanley, Edmund P. Tarallo, and Robert J. Waddick. Voting against the measure were Councillors Gary J. Marchese, David H. Marcou Jr., Kathleen B. McMenimen, and Paul J. Brasco.

To be historically significant, the Waltham Historical Commission must find that the building is at least 75 years old and meets any of the following criteria:

* That it is listed or eligible to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places;
* That it is associated with a historical person or event or important in a general historical context, or;
* That it is historically or architecturally important in terms of style, construction method, period, or association with a recognized architect or builder.

After a public hearing, the commission decides if the building is "preferably preserved" and can then order the six-month delay. City officials and historical groups can then try to negotiate an alternative to demolition with the property owner.

If none is found, the city can then issue a permit for demolition.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

Sal's owner says he wants to reopen ... if the landlord wants to rebuild
(Globe staff photo by John Bohn)

WALTHAM

The remains of the Main Street building occupied by Sal's Family Restaurant before it was destroyed by a fire last summer have been torn down.

The restaurant's owner, Salvatore "Sal" Pinzone, said that heavy equipment began the demolition Monday. By Tuesday night, all that remained was a pile of dirt and debris and a pit where the basement once was, he said.

Pinzone did not own the building, and he's not sure if his landlord will rebuild.

"I don't know what they're gonna do there," Pinzone said of the building, which also housed a small grocery store, California Convenience. " I intend to call sometime in the near future and see what they're gonna build there. If it's commercial, I'd like to rent there, even if it's in a smaller space."

The property's owner, Harriet Goldman, could not be reached for comment.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

No visit to the Gore Place estate is complete without a stop at the Great Hall.
(Globe staff photo by Bill Polo)

WALTHAM

The stately Gore Place estate is one of Waltham's better known historical attractions, but few people realize that discoveries about the house, which was built in 1804, and its first owners, Christopher and Rebecca Gore, are still being made.

The Waltham Historical Society is sponsoring a lecture by Gore Place Executive Director Susan Robertson entitled "Gore Place - Recent Findings of Research in the Mansion." The talk is about some of the new archaeological, architectural and archival discoveries connected to the site.

The free lecture begins at 7 p.m. on Jan. 8 in the RTN Federal Credit Union building at 600 Main Street.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Waltham School Committee Vice Chairwoman Susan R. Burstein said Wednesday that she is still waiting for her fellow committee members to return their performance evaluations for Superintendent Susan I. Parella.

The committee's last meeting of the year -- and Burstein's last as a committee member after being defeated in her re-election bid -- is Dec. 19. Ideally, the superintendent's evaluations should be finished prior to the start of the current school year, but this year, members said they'd been busy with staff and faculty contract negotiations.

At a meeting held Dec. 5, the members decided not to use an outside search firm to find the next superintendent. Parella's contract expires in August 2008 and it is unclear if it will be renewed. Burstein was the only dissenting vote on the motion.

Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, who also serves as chair of the School Committee, said in an e-mail that she was in favor of having an outside firm search for Parella's successor, but she does not vote in committee unless there's a tie.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Mayor Jeannette McCarthy has asked the Waltham City Council to appoint Thomas M. LaCroix as chief of police, according to a letter to council dated Dec. 6.

LaCroix, who has been acting chief since August, has worked for the department since 1986. He was hired as a police officer, and rose through the ranks as a sergeant and lieutenant before being appointed to a captain's position in May. He also has a master's degree in criminal justice from Anna Maria College in Paxton.

City ordinances state that the City Council must wait at least seven days after the date of the mayor's recommendation before conducting an interview of the candidate, and must wait another seven days or more after that to vote on his or her confirmation. That means that the council's Committee of the Whole could interview LaCroix during its Dec. 17 meeting and approve his appointment by the end of the year.

The Council's last meeting of 2007 is Dec. 26.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

For the first time, the Community Preservation Act Committee next Wednesday will begin reviewing applications for grants for historical preservation, open space or recreation and community housing projects.

This is the first year that the committee has had money to award, Waltham became a CPA community in 2005 and formed the committee a year later. The meeting will give applicants the opportunity to make a brief presentation about their idea.

Approved applications are forwarded to the City Council for appropriation within 20 days.

The committee will meet at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall in the City Council Chambers.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Babe Ruth's draft card, the original "I Want You" Uncle Sam army recruitment poster, and other military treasures will be on display at the National Archives and Records Administration in Waltham in honor of Veterans Day.

The National Archives will also be offering a Nov. 13 class for amateur genealogists and military families entitled "Records Related to the 18th, 19th, and 20th Century Military Service" from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Participants will learn how to glean information about ancestors dating back to the Revolutionary War era.

Besides helping family with genealogical research, archivists are also always available to help veterans and their relatives gather information needed to claim veteran's benefits.

The archives, located at 380 Trapelo Road, are open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. They're also open on the first Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Nov. 13 class requires pre-registration, which can be done by either calling 866-406-2379 or 781-663-0144 or via e-mail.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Traversing some commonly used streets in Waltham could be a lot more difficult this winter if a ballot question up for a vote on Nov. 6 doesn't pass.

A "yes" vote to the question would officially allow the city to clear private ways open to public use of snow and ice. A World War Two-era state law allows the city to do it, but officials apparently never put the issue to municipal voters as required and has been improperly plowing for the last 50 years.

The state Inspector General's office informed the city earlier this year that they'd have to put the matter on the ballot as soon as possible. Private ways affected include Worcester Lane, part of Second Avenue, and Summit Avenue.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

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

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.

WALTHAM

A seven-member selection committee will interview seven candidates this week for the post of Waltham's chief of police, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy said.

Of the seven candidates, four of whom are lieutenants in the department. McCarthy said a city ordinance allows lieutenants to be considered for the post if there are fewer than four internal applicants -- a situation created after a captain and deputy chief removed themselves from consideration last month.

McCarthy said she decided to allow all department lieutenants to apply after she learned that two of them had submitted applications. Captain Thomas LaCroix has been serving as acting police chief since August.

City Personnel Director Brenda Capello will serve as chairwoman of the committee, which also includes Waltham Council of Neighborhood Advocates president Doris Donovan, Council on Aging Director Marybeth Duffy, labor relations and human resources consultant Gerard Hayes, School Committee member Stephen Rando, attorney Soledad Valenciano, and Lynn Police Chief John Suslak.

The committee will give its recomendations on semifinalists for the job to McCarthy, who will make the final decision.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

Waltham firefighters have been honored by the city for their bravery in fighting this July 15 fire that destroyed a popular family restaurant and an adjacent convenience store.
(Globe staff photo by John Bohn)

WALTHAM

Waltham City Councilors have unanimously approved a resolution commending the firefighters who responded to the July 15 fire that destroyed Sal's Restaurant and California Convenience on Main Street.

The resolution specifically praised Captain Anthony Capello and Firefighter Joseph L. Nelson, who were injured when one of the floors in the building collapsed into the basement, and the two men who rescued them, Lieutenant John R. Castellano and Firefighter Dwight J. Anderson.

The audience at city hall -- which included many fellow members of the department -- gave the four men a standing ovation at the conclusion of the vote.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Eight affordably priced condos at the Wellington Crossing development off Trapelo Road are going up for sale by lottery.

Six of them are designated for Waltham residents, immediate relatives of Waltham residents, former residents, or employees of the city and emergency services providers. The other two are available to the general public. One-bedroom units priced at $219,900 and two-bedroom units are priced at $279,900.

Applicants are limited to a maximum household annual income of $46,300 for a one-person household, $52,950 for two people, $59,550 for three people and $66,150 for four people, officials said.

Applications and information packets can be picked up at Wellington Crossing, which is located at 106 Clocktower Drive. They must be turned in to Wellington Crossing by 5 p.m. on November 6, or mailed with a postmark no later than that date. Anyone seeking more information is urged to call the development's sales office at 781-899-3325.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

The City Council has rejected a local restaurant's request to use the William F. Stanley Senior Center's parking lot after hours.

During a recent meeting, the councilors voted to place the matter on file and remove it from their agenda. The owners of La Campania, at 504 Main Street, had asked for permission to lease part of the senior center parking lot at 488 Main Street for customer parking on evenings and weekends.

Councilors, however, said that doing so could preclude the Council on Aging from holding events at those times. Some councilors also voiced concern that granting the request would set a precedent where private businesses would seek to use other city-owned lots for their exclusive use.

The city's Council on Aging also opposed the request.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

A Waltham man charged with sexually assaulting a 6-year-old boy is being held on $500,000 bail on Cape Cod. Police allege that 40-year-old John Cox assaulted the boy in a Hyannis hotel swimming pool locker room over a year ago.

Cox was arrested last Friday on a child rape charge after the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab matched forensic evidence at the Hyannis crime scene to his DNA.

Cox, pleaded not guilty today during an arraignment in Barnstable District Court, is a Level 3 sex offender, considered the most likely to re-offend. he has two prior convictions.

The alleged rape occurred the morning of May 6th, 2006, when a Connecticut boy staying at the hotel was using the locker room. Police say Cox was not a guest at the hotel. The alleged victim gave police a description of his assailant.

-- AP

WALTHAM

Capping off more than a year of planning and $177,000 worth of fund-raising, Waltham officials last week opened the new Funway Park playground at William F. Stanley Elementary School.

At a dedication ceremony attended by about 200 people, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy and the city's Handicapped Services Commissioner Jerry LeBlanc watched a crowd of shrieking children to overrun the space, which was designed to also accommodate children in wheelchairs.

Over the summer, donors managed to come through with the last $8,000 needed to add rubber surfacing to the playground, which was ready in time for the first day of school.

Susan McKinney, a member of the volunteer committee that organized to build the park, said that the only detail yet unfinished is the dedication area, which will contain a brass plaque, a garden designed by the Waltham Garden Club, and a shade tree. The committee hopes to have that finished by the end of the year or whenever they can finish the plantings.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Women's clothing retailer Bon Worth, one of a dying breed that still manufactures the clothes sold in its stores, recently opened a new branch in Waltham.

The store opened last week in the River City Shopping Center on River Street. The Hendersonville, N.C.-based chain focuses on comfortable casual clothing and coordinates for the "mature woman," said the company's regional manager, Marilyn Lakin. Lakin said the company continues to control run its own manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Mexico because it keeps costs low.

Most of Bon Worth's pieces retail between $8.99 and $49.99. Lakin said that At-Large City Councilor Sarafina "Sally" Collura played an important role in bringing the store to Waltham.

"I had never met the woman, but I spoke to her several times, and she begged me the next time I came to Massachusetts to do a side trip and visit possible store [locations] with her," Lakin said from her office in New Jersey.

Lakin said Collura is a long-time customer and had hosted fashion shows featuring the store's clothing on her cable access television show in the past. The store will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 29 at 11 a.m.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

With this year's mayoral election coming up Nov. 6, the Waltham League of Women Voters and the Waltham Alliance to Create Housing are making a push to educate local residents about voting and the election process.

WATCH Director of Organizing Darline Jeanniton said recently the goal is to make sure everyone realizes what an important stake they have in local ballots elections -- not just presidential elections. Jeanniton said the groups also want to reach out to naturalized citizens and native-born citizens who don't vote.

The two groups will present an educational program on Sept. 13 from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Chester Brook Learning Center, which is located at 22 Brookway Road off of Lexington Street. Light refreshments will be available and door prizes will be awarded.

WATCH is also planning a voter registration drive during Historic Waltham Days, which run from September 14 to 23, and Jeanniton said there are also plans to reach out to local ethnic churches and community groups to talk to members about how to register to vote.

Officials are urging anyone seeking more information to contact Jeannitton at 781-891-6689, ext. 206.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Mayor Jeannette McCarthy said she hopes to have a candidate to fill a vacant election commissioner's spot by the time City Council meets on September 10.

The city has four seats, one of which is filled by the city clerk. Two seats are reserved for Republicans, and two for Democrats. One of the Republican commissioners, Hope Johnson, passed away earlier this year.

McCarthy said she'll be interviewing potential replacements in the next couple weeks. Waltham's election for mayor and city councilors' seats will be held on Nov. 6.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

It's been over a century, but an antique car manufactured in Waltham back in 1905 is returning to its roots.

The bright red Waltham-Orient touring car was built at the old Waltham Manufacturing Company on Rumford Avenue, and recently donated to the Waltham Museum by a collector in Florida, according to a press release from the museum.

The Waltham Museum will be naming a room after the donor, George Albright, who is considered an authority on Waltham-manufactured cars and bicycles. This model featured seating for five people, and a four-cylinder air-cooled engine with 16 horsepower.

The Waltham-Orient joins six other automobiles that are waiting to be housed in the Museum's new home at 25 Lexington Street.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Captain Thomas Lacroix will serve as Waltham's acting Chief of Police for the next three months, Mayor Jeannette McCarthy announced Monday . Former chief Edward Drew retired in June.

Lacroix has been on the force since 1986, and was promoted to Captain on May 13 of this year in the department's 911 Division. McCarthy said he was chosen out of four semifinalists for the chief's position for his enthusiasm for the job and for community outreach programs.

The other three candidates, who are all members of the Waltham Police Department, are Capt. Donald Feeney, Capt. Donald Russo , and Capt. William Stanton.

McCarthy said the next step is to create a screening committee who will interview the semifinalists and forward their recommendation to her. She would then send her recommendation to the City Council for confirmation.

Lacroix can hold the acting chief designation for up to six months, but McCarthy said she wants to make a permanent appointment for chief within three months.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

Joan Hanlon, a resident at the Fernald Development Center since the age of two, spends some time in the pool with staffer Linda Bonilla.
(Globe staff photo by Suzanne Kreiter)

WALTHAM

A federal judge yesterday halted the state's plan to close the Fernald Development Center in Waltham, ruling that the profoundly mentally retarded residents who have lived there for decades must be given the opportunity to stay.

US District Judge Joseph L. Tauro found there has been a "systemic failure" by the state to consider the individual needs of longtime Fernald residents by pushing its plan to close state institutions and transfer residents to community-based group homes or smaller facilities, reporter Shelley Murphy of the Globe's City & Region staff reports today.

In a seven-page ruling, Tauro said he agreed with the results of a court-ordered investigation by US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, who concluded in March that for some Fernald residents a transfer "could have devastating effects that unravel years of positive, nonabusive behavior."

Tauro said his ruling does not mean the state may never close Fernald, which currently houses about 185 residents.

"It does mean, however, that the Department of Mental Retardation must carefully assess the needs and wishes of each resident and provide a genuine and meaningful opportunity for their guardians to participate in their placement decisions," he wrote.

The state could now urge a federal appeals court to overturn Tauro's decision. It could continue to operate the facility as it is or choose to sell off part of the 190-acre property for development while continuing to care for remaining residents.

Juan Martinez, a spokesman for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, said in a statement: "We are currently reviewing the memorandum and order issued by Judge Tauro today so that we may better understand them and decide how best to respond. In the meantime, the Patrick Administration has not made a decision on the future of Fernald."

Read more about Tauro's ruling in the online edition of today's Globe.

WALTHAM

The intersection of School and Lexington Streets will be named for John P. McGrath, a World War II and Korean War veteran, City Councilors unanimously voted on Monday.

McGrath, who died in 2003 as a result of injuries he recieved in those wars, was a lifelong Waltham resident. He recieved both a Bronze Star and a Silver Star for his service in the second World War, and a Purple Heart and a second Bronze Star after recieving disabling wounds in Korea. After the war he volunteered for organizations serving disabled children.

A plaque marking the intersection as First Lieutenant John P. McGrath Square will be dedicated in a ceremony September 15.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Leaving homelessness behind isn't always as easy as just moving out of a shelter.

COMPASS for Homeless Families has begun a series of seminars, called "Life After Shelter," at Sandra's Lodge in Waltham, a shelter that houses 70 mothers and children on any given day. The typical "emergency" stay lasts 444 days, and COMPASS director Lana Jackman says it can be easy for the women to sink into despair, and worry about what step to take next.

The talks focus on topics like financial literacy, navigating the healthcare system, career paths, home ownership, workforce skills and homeownership. The program is seeking volunteer speakers to give those seminars and share their personal experiences with participants.

"'Life After Shelter' has a lot of objectives in one sense, but it's really about telling the moms that this is a one-way street - once you turn this corner, you can't imagine the number of options available to you. So while you're still in shelter, you really need to be thinking about them," says Jackman.

Participation requires a one-night commitment; seminars occur Wednesday nights between Sept. 12 and Dec. 12 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Anyone seeking more more information is urged to contact Jackman at 781-862-4446, extension 203, or via e-mail.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Two Brandeis University post-doctoral students were burned in a lab accident Friday morning, the Bostonchannel.com is reporting.

Officials said Waltham police and fire departments responded to a fire at the school just after 11 a.m. Police said a female student badly burned her legs, and when her male lab partner tried to help her, he burned his hands.

Both were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment. The cause of the fire was unknown.

WALTHAM

The Waltham Council on Aging has a new director, Marybeth Duffy.

Before being appointed to the position, Duffy served as a geriatric social worker at Mount Auburn Hospital, and a medical social worker and director of social work at the now-defunct Waltham Hospital. She replaces longtime director Ruth Gately.

The Council is having a welcoming tea to introduce Duffy to area seniors on August 16, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Senior Center, 488 Main Street. Attendees can RSVP at 781-899-7228.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Robert J. Waddick, who is running unopposed for the Ward 6 City Council seat he had previously occupied during the 1990s, has announced that he will resign from his post as one of Waltham's assistant city solicitors.

Waddick said his last day in the office will be July 27. His resignation will take effect on Aug. 10. He said his departure is not related to his city council bid, and that he was ethically permitted to hold both jobs.

"I made a decision to run for the Ward 6 seat only after I determined that I could serve as a city councilor and a municipal employee at the same time. The state law permits it," Waddick said.

Waddick's new job will be as assistant city solicitor for the city of Newton, an opportunity he said became available after he had decided to run for office.

Waddick has held his current position since 2006. Prior to that, he worked as an attorney for the city's Board of Assessors and Treasurer/Collector's Department for two years. He also served as David Gately's deputy mayor from 2000 to 2004, and as Ward 6 councilor from 1992 to 2000. He served on Waltham's school committee from 1986 to 1991.

"I'm looking forward to a new challenge in the city of Newton and looking forward to continued service to the city of Waltham on City Council," said Waddick. "This is my home, and this is where I'm going to stay and remain active in local affairs."

-- Stephanie V. Siek

There is apparently no truth to the rumor that the new Brandeis University fight song contains the term "cha-ching."
(Globe staff photo by Patricia McDonnell)

WALTHAM

At least 31 Brandeis University alumni must have fond memories of their years at the Waltham campus -- they all made multi-million dollar gifts that contributed to a record-breaking year for fund-raising at the school.

The former students all made contributions of between $1 million and $10 million. In total, donors to the school contributed $89.4 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30, a 10 percent increase over last year's record-breaking tally.

Brandeis, founded in 1948, is the only non-sectarian Jewish-sponsored university in the United States.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

(Globe staff photo by John Bohn)

WALTHAM

The fire that destroyed Sal's Family Restaurant last Sunday was accidental, the state Department of Fire Services has said in a press release.

Investigators believe the fire started in the basement area beneath the take-out counter, probably due to an electrical problem or natural gas leak ignited by any of several sources. The damage to the site was so severe that it would be "impossible" to determine exactly what caused the spark, the release said.

The fire also destroyed a neighboring store, California Convenience.

The Waltham Fire Department, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms had spent most of this week combing through the charred debris by hand.

--Stephanie V. Siek

(Globe staff photo by John Bohn)

WALTHAM

For 41 years on Main Street, the Italian immigrant served lunchtime workers and families seeking affordable dinners, like the elbow macaroni slathered with tomato and meat sauce for $4.95 that he sold as "American chop suey."

Salvatore Pinzone -- Sal to his customers -- catered to masses, except for Thanksgiving, when he cooked for his family.

Early yesterday, that legacy was reduced to blackened beams and broken glass, when a fire damaged much of Sal's Family Restaurant and a convenience store next door, at Newton Street, Globe correspondent April Yee reports in the online edition of the City & Region section.

Waltham Fire Chief Richard Cardillo said the cause of the fire, which was reported about 5 a.m. and claimed parts of the roof, was under investigation.

"What should my next step be at 79 1/2 ?" said Pinzone, who lives near the restaurant and in a rare occasion missed his 10 a.m. Mass. "So many people have been inconvenienced."

Several city residents, including Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, said they hope Sal's reopens.

"It's inbred," said McCarthy, who came with her family for the chop suey or fish and chips at least once a week. "This was a family restaurant."

NORTHBOROUGH-SOUTHBOROUGH

The Northborough-Southborough Regional School District will be paid $2.35 million as part of a settlement reached yesterday with Framingham-based Eastern Contractors Inc. and United States Fidelity and Guaranty Co., said a statement released by the district.

The district fired Eastern Contractors for nonperformance in December 2005 on a $60 million renovation project for Algonquin Regional High School after the project was delayed.

Eastern Contractors filed suit against the district in response. The district and the companies have now dropped all litigation in the dispute.

-- John Dyer

Waltham Deputy Police chief Keith MacPherson gives the Waltham Devil Dogs Pop Warner team a pep talk. On Monday, MacPherson will take on a new duty: acting police chief.

WALTHAM

With one simple sentence, Police Chief Edward J. Drew has ended 33 years of service with the city of Waltham - a week earlier than he had been expected to depart.

City Personnel Director Brenda Capello said that she received Drew's letter of resignation on June 29. The letter stated: "To confirm my previous conversations I am retiring as chief of police effective June 30, 2007."

Capello said she did not know why the date differed from the July 7 date for Drew's departure given to her by the city's retirement board.

The city ordinances state that when the chief of police is absent, the deputy chief, in this case Keith MacPherson, would perform the chief's duties. But MacPherson is on vacation until Monday, and the task now falls to Captain Donald Russo, the most senior of the department's captains.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

Ann Romney, Governor Mitt Romney's wife, reads during story time at the Waltham Public Library
(Globe staff photo by Essdras Suarez)

WALTHAM

While other libraries are cutting back hours and laying off staff, Waltham Public Library officials have announced that they will be open on Sundays during the summer.

Library Director Tom Jewell said that beginning this Sunday, the library will be open and offering its full range of services -- making it the only one of the 35 public libraries that are part of the Minuteman Library Network to do so.

A survey done earlier this year found that library visits were heavy on weekends during the school year, and there was interest in extending weekend hours year-round, Jewell said. The new Sunday hours will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

"We're very excited about it," he said. "Other libraries, I know, have struggled, and we feel very fortunate that Waltham has - particularly through good fiscal management but also because we have a supportive business community - been able to maintain our hours."

Jewell, who has worked at the library for 30 years, said this is the first time in his memory that the library has been open on summer Sundays.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

Former Waltham middle school teacher Robert Dacey at his arraignment last August
(Photo by Cyrus Moghtader for the Boston Globe)

WALTHAM

Robert Dacey , the former Waltham middle school teacher and coach suspected of sexually assaulting former students, died of a possible heart attack yesterday at an undisclosed Dedham location, police said.

Waltham police arrested Dacey in August and charged him with indecent assault and battery and rape of minors. Dacey was released on $25,000 bail, put under house arrest at a family member's home, and required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet. Last fall, a grand jury returned a 17-count indictment against him.

According to Corey Welford, spokesman for the Middlesex district attorney's office, Dacey had a status hearing last week in Cambridge Superior Court and was facing another hearing.

Waltham police Sergeant Brian Lambert said Dacey's attorney, Dino Colucci, notified the district attorney's office of Dacey's death. Waltham police confirmed it with Dedham police.

-- Globe City & Region staff

WALTHAM

A $15 million gift from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation will establish an academic center at Brandeis University that focuses on the culture, history, language and society of Israel.

The Schusterman Center for Israel Studies aims to fill a gap in scholarship about the country beyond its role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to a Brandeis press release.

The center will train graduate level students as well as offering learning and teaching opportunities to faculty at other universities.

The donation represents the largest single gift ever bestowed by the foundation and one of the largest ever received by Brandeis.

The non-sectarian, Jewish-sponsored university hopes the Schusterman Family Foundation's donation will be the seed of a $30 million endowment by 2015.

- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

The City Council has approved a call for proposals to reuse the former Banks School building on Main Street, and it does not include several changes made last month to increase the ability of local nonprofit groups to enter the bidding process.

The city is putting the building up for lease so that it can be developed into affordable rental housing, a place providing services for the developmentally disabled, or a combination of those uses.

The version of the request for proposals that was passed at last Monday's meeting will rank submissions according to how much rent income the proposal would provide for the city.

The version drafted in May had established a point system for ranking according to three principles other than rent: the amount of affordable housing to be provided, the amount and quality of services to be provided to the developmentally disabled, and the inclusion of "green" or environmentally friendly building practices.

The Waltham Alliance to Create Housing had argued that using rent income as a primary criterion would put nonprofit organizations applying to use the building at a disadvantage.

David H. Marcou, Jr., the at-large councilor who chairs the council's Request for Proposals Committee, said that the city law department had informed them that ranking proposals in any other way would be subjective and therefore illegal.

- Stephanie V. Siek

REGION

Several local schools won 'Green Team' awards from the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs following a program to reduce pollution and protect the environment.

The Globe West area schools honored were:

• Berlin Middle School in Berlin
• Fowler School in Maynard
• Marion E. Zeh School in Northborough
• Melican Middle School in Northborough
• Beatrice H. Wood School in Plainville
• James Fitzgerald Elementary School in Waltham
• Hemenway School in Framingham
• Mary E. Stapleton School in Framingham

Schools that won awards received recycling equipment to make their individual programs more effective.

-- Adam Sell

WALTHAM

The Raytheon Company has donated 100 computers to Operation Homelink, a charity that provides military families with computers that help them stay in touch with loved ones serving overseas.

Most service personnel have access to e-mail during their deployment, but that doesn't do much good when their families can't afford a home computer to communicate with them regularly, said the nonprofit organization's press release, and they end up using regular mail or expensive long-distance phone calls to stay in touch.

The donated computers are professionally refurbished, tested for problems, upgraded with a new operating system and software, and then shipped to the families.

The program has connected more than 2,300 families so far, and recently expanded to donate laptops to wounded soldiers and marines recuperating in military hospitals. Raytheon's computers will go to families of Massachusetts National Guard members.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM/WATERTOWN

The developers of a proposed Lowe's store at 20 Seyon Street want to withdraw their application for a special permit that would allow the home improvement giant to install fewer than the required number of parking spaces for the project.

The letter from Samuels & Associates' attorney Joseph M. Connors, Jr. asks Waltham's city councilors to let Lowe's withdraw the request without prejudice. The attempt to build a Lowe's on a lot overlapping both Waltham and Watertown has drawn criticism from neighbors who say it would attract more traffic than the area can handle.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

Ahh, summertime at Prospect Hill Park; sunbathing, concert-going ... snowboarding?
(Globe staff photo by Bill Polo)

WALTHAM

The Prospect Hill Park Advocacy Group has come out against a local businessman's proposal to cover part of the Prospect Hill with a synthetic surface ski slope that could be used for skiing and snowboarding in warmer months.

"It is ... incompatible with the goals of the [park] master plan, it is incompatible with the operation of the summer camp, it is incompatible with wildlife habitat values, and it is incompatible with other year-round uses of the ski slope," said the volunteer group's chair, Gloria Champion.

Entrepreneur Michael Colomba's plan has already met with opposition from the Park and Recreation Board, who rejected it at a meeting last month. But supporters on the City Council such as At-Large Councilor Sarafina "Sally" Collura and Ward 1 Councilor Robert S. Kelly are trying to put it on the council's agenda, saying it would provide a unique recreation option and attract tourism.

-- Stephanie V. Siek

WALTHAM

Employees of software company Pyxis Mobile Inc. remember feeling lonely in 2003 when they moved into Reservoir Place, a sprawling silver office building overlooking Route 128, the Globe reports today.

"You'd walk down the corridors, and you'd hear the echoes," recalled T. L. Neff, executive vice president of Pyxis, which makes software that puts financial data on BlackBerry mobile devices.

Today, he has plenty of company. Occupancy at Reservoir Place, a 530,000-square-foot building with a signature clock tower over its main entrance, has climbed to 92 percent after dipping below 70 percent in 2002 when the dot-com frenzy evaporated. The building's atriums are filled with young techies, some in shorts and polo shirts, sipping cups of espresso and tapping away on wireless laptops.

The scene is much the same elsewhere on the high-tech belt known as Route 128 West, a ribbon of highway running from Lexington to Needham through rolling hills studded with office parks.

-- Robert Weisman<