Needham Youth Commission needs volunteers

The Needham Youth Commission is looking for volunteers to hold "parent coffees" in their home to discuss the prevention of drug and alcohol use among teens. There is no cost to the host because the program is funded by the Needham Community Council, and more than 650 parents have participated, according to an e-mail announcement from Jon Mattleman, director of the youth commission. For more information, go to needhamma.gov/youthcommission/coffee or contact Mattleman at jmattleman@town.needham.ma.us or 781-455-7518, ext. 265. - Lisa Kocian

ADVISORY GROUP MEETING - The Citizen Advisory Group will release a draft of its report on the city's revenue structure at a 7 p.m. meeting on Oct. 23 at the Newton Senior Center on Walnut Street. The 14-member group was formed in June by Mayor David Cohen, aldermen, and School Committee members to identify how the city can cut costs, generate more non-tax revenue, and bridge the growing gap between the city's income and expenses. It will also host a public forum on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. in the Oak Hill Middle School library. At the public forum, the group will provide an update of its activities, as well as give residents the opportunity to make general comments. Information is available on the city's website. Residents can also e-mail chairman Malcolm Salter at msalter@hbs.edu or vice chairwomen Ruthanne Fuller at damc3@aol.com. - Rachana Rathi

TWO MORE SURPLUS SCHOOLS - The city has two more surplus schools to deal with. The School Committee voted earlier this month to declare both the Bright School and the South School to be surplus buildings. "These schools have got to be taken care of quickly," said Mayor Jeannette McCarthy. South has been eyed for community use, she said, and Bright has been discussed as a possible location for market-rate and affordable condos or for community adult day care. "My first concern is that it not cost the city any money, and if we can get revenue out of it, that would be good," said McCarthy. - Lisa Kocian

AUTHORITY PROGRAM WINS HONOR - State officials recently honored the Watertown Housing Authority for completing a two-year program to improve the efficiency and environmental effectiveness of energy and water systems in the town's public housing properties. Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, Tina Brooks, the state's undersecretary for housing and community development, as well as state Senator Steve Tolman and Representative Peter Koutoujian were at the Woodland Towers elderly housing development on Oct. 1 to commend the authority for making $4 million in systems and appliance upgrades to minimize energy consumption and costs through a state program run jointly with Ameresco Inc., a Framingham-based energy consultant. The authority took out a loan for the work under the guidance of state housing leaders, said Phil Hailer, spokesman for Mass. Department of Housing and Community Development, at no cost to taxpayers. The loan will be paid back through an expected $400,000 a year savings in operating costs and should improve service and safety for residents, said Hailer. - Christina Pazzanese

PHARMACY ACCEPTING UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS - The Eaton Apothecary in Wellesley collected more than 30 gallons of unwanted prescription drugs during one weekend last summer, and next weekend it will do it again. The intent is to avoid flushing old medications into the water supply, which can contaminate drinking water. The drugstore will incinerate the pills and capsules. Eaton, located at 266 Washington Street, will accept unwanted medications on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

- Lisa Keen

SEEKING BUILDING COMMITTEE MEMBERS - With turnout somewhat lighter than expected, the Board of Selectmen has extended the deadline for residents interested in applying to serve on the town's Permanent Public Building Committee until Friday. The seven-person committee oversees the construction, renovation, and maintenance of all municipal and school buildings. The committee will also work with the town's director of facilities to review the condition of town buildings and help develop a capital property management plan on behalf of the board and the School Committee. Building committee members are appointed jointly by the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee and serve a three-year term. Residents with related professional expertise, such as licensed builders, registered architects, or engineers, are encouraged to send a letter of interest with their background information to the Board of Selectmen, PO Box 378, Weston 02493 or e-mail it to selectmen@westonmass.org.

- Christina Pazzanese

WEST NILE VIRUS FOUND - Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus have been found in Berlin, the town's Board of Health announced recently. The board is urging residents to take measures to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, and to help officials curb the insects' population in town, according to a statement issued by the board. Mosquitoes are most active from dusk to dawn. Draining standing water and making sure window screens don't have holes are the best ways to avoid the pests. Also, dead crows or blue jays are a sign that the virus is in the area. Residents are asked to report dead birds to the state Department of Public Health at 866-627-7968; the number can also be used for other questions. - John Dyer

HELP FINDING NEW FIRE CHIEF - The town has hired Brookline-based MMA Consulting Group to assess applicants for the fire chief's position, said Town Manager Julian Suso. The group will set up an assessment center, which is a series of tests and exercises that candidates must undergo as part of the screening process. The evaluations will take place over one day, Suso said. The new chief will replace Fire Chief Ollie D. Gadson, who will retire in November after a 32-year career with the department. The town will pay the consulting firm between $5,000 and $10,000 to evaluate prospective candidates, according to Suso. The annual salary range for the new fire chief is $118,000 to $149,431, Suso said. Gadson is earning $149,431. The town hopes to hire a new chief, who is appointed by the town manager, by next month.

- Tanya Perez-Brennan

THE LESSONS OF COLUMBINE - Hudson High School is scheduled to host a national program started by the families of students killed in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado. "Rachel's Challenge," named after Rachel Scott, the first person to be killed at Columbine, seeks to teach students and parents about avoiding conditions that lead to violence in schools. Students will listen to members of Scott's family and others on Oct. 23 during the day, while from 6:30 to 8 p.m., parents are encouraged to attend a discussion about preventing violence. For details, call guidance counselor Maureen Sanford at 978-567-6250. - John Dyer

SPECIAL OLYMPICS HQ - Special Olympics Massachusetts has opened its new headquarters in Marlborough. The $10.8 million facility on Forest Street, called the Yawkey Sports Training Center, replaces the organization's headquarters in Danvers; officials decided that the building there was too small and lacked the central location of the Marlborough site, said spokeswoman Olivia Asarch. Around 90 percent of the state's population is now within a 90-minute drive of the headquarters, she said. Special Olympics Massachusetts oversees year-round sports training and athletic competition for almost 11,000 people with intellectual disabilities.

- John Dyer

STUDENTS LAUNCH TOOL DRIVE - The engineering class at the Maynard High School is accepting donations of old tools this fall, as it embarks on a tool refurbishing project as part of the class. When repaired, the tools will be sent to disaster relief organizations. Old hammers, chisels, handsaws, and screwdrivers can be dropped off at the high school's engineering workshop. No power tools will be accepted, organizers said. - Matt Gunderson

NEW CARDIAC SERVICE - Milford Regional Medical Center recently expanded its cardiovascular services to include the area's newest catheterization lab. To celebrate the lab's opening, the Prospect Street hospital is holding an open house next Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at its Hill Health Center. The event will feature a tour of the lab guided by Milford Regional's cardiologists and cardiovascular services staff, as well as refreshments and a raffle, and pedometers and stress-reduction balls will be handed out. In addition, blood pressures tests will be available, dietitians will provide nutrition information, and the first 500 visitors will receive a heart-healthy cookbook.

- Anna Fiorentino

WARNINGS ON WOOD STOVES - It's not the drastic increase in permit applications for wood- and wood-pellet-burning stoves that worries Fire Chief Warren Champagne. It's the people who aren't applying for a permit. Champagne estimates there's been a 50 percent increase in wood-stove installation applications this year, and suspects there are many other residents who are bypassing the inspection process. He says that if the wood stove is more than 20 years old, chances are it doesn't meet current safety standards for airtightness. When stoves aren't airtight, carbon monoxide, a deadly odorless gas, may leak out while too much air can flow in, causing the stove to overheat. Champagne also stressed the importance of placing the stove on a noncombustible surface, and to be sure flammable objects are kept far away from the stove's sides and top. - Megan McKee

DIP IN GREENHOUSE GASES - Natick is getting greener. That's the verdict from Robert Bois, the town's environmental compliance officer, who presented the results of a greenhouse-gas emission study of government property to the Board of Selectmen on Monday. Bois looked at municipal and school energy use from the 2004 and 2007 fiscal years, and determined that greenhouse-gas emissions decreased 850 tons, or 6.2 percent, during the four-year period. Much of the improvement came from simple changes, such as replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescents and carpooling to job sites. "Energy-conservation steps for the town are very practical and very common-sense," said Bois, who is now preparing a wider community environmental assessment that includes calculating home emissions.

- Megan McKee

BECKER COLLEGE OPENS CAMPUS - Becker College has formally opened its MetroWest Center for Accelerated & Professional Studies on Route 9. Around 300 students are expected to take courses at the satellite campus of the Worcester-based college. Becker is also allowing local groups to use the facility's five classrooms for meetings and other gatherings. For more information, contact Timothy Corcoran at 508-373-9783. - John Dyer