US Department of Education Assistant Secretary Michael Yudin and Lisa Capone, deputy director of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Green Communities Division, talk about sustainability initiatives with students.

The following press release was provided by Kate Crosby, energy manager for the Acton-Boxborough schools.

Leftovers from lunch had been carried out for composting, hallway lights were operating at half-strength intensity, and garden sprouts sparkled in the rich soil.

These were among the “sustainability tour” highlights when Assistant Secretary Michael Yudin of the US Department of Education and Lisa Capone of Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources visited the Acton-Boxborough schools Thursday.

Yudin’s visit marked the awarding to Acton-Boxborough schools of a prestigious Green Ribbon Schools “District Sustainability Award” from the Education Department.

Acton-Boxborough is one of just 14 school districts in the US to receive this “first-ever” district-wide honor.

Acton-Boxborough and other award winners were recognized for their exemplary efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, promote better health, and encourage effective environmental education, including civics, green career pathways and STEM (science, technology, engineering & math).

Highlights in the Acton-Boxborough application, which can be viewed at http://ab.mec.edu/departments/facilities/green-awards.shtml included an 18% drop in electricity consumption over three years with a focus on behavior change strategies, composting of food scraps and reduction in solid waste, an award-winning nutrition program, and excellence in integrating sustainability into K-12 curriculum.

JD Head, director of facilities and transportation spoke to the district’s commitment.

“We’re proud to be one of the inaugural Green Ribbon districts,'' Head said. "We’re passionate about this movement because we can make progress on social and environmental issues while generating cost savings that can be folded back into the budget to support our educational mission. “

Superintendent Stephen Mills noted that with this award, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School becomes one of a handful of schools to receive both a Blue Ribbon award for academic excellence and a Green Ribbon sustainability award, both from the US Department of Education.

The high school was also the fourth school in the US to receive the international Green Flag award from the National Wildlife Federation, which serves as the US host for the Eco-Schools program.

In addition to the district-wide award, three Massachusetts schools were also recognized as Green Ribbon Schools: Manchester Essex Regional Middle/High School, Quincy High School and the Berkshire School. They rank among just 64 schools honored nationally by the US Department of Education for their exemplary leadership in sustainability.

Acton-Boxborough Green Ribbon Schools application:
http://ab.mec.edu/departments/deptspdf/ABRSD-APSGreenRibbonApplication.pdf
Information about the Green Ribbon program
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/index.html

Brookline Police Sergant Bob Murphy shakes hands with Lincoln School Kindergartener, Collins Maguire, 6, during the school’s “Thank a Helper” event in the school’s gym Friday. Photo courtesy the Lincoln School.

By Brock Parker, Town Correspondent

More than two weeks after the Boston Marathon bombings, students at Brookline’s Lincoln School presented thank you letters to emergency workers and other first responders Friday morning.

Students at the Kindergarten through 8th grade school spent the week drafting thank you cards, notes and letters to first responders who helped save the lives of the people injured in the April 15 attack, according to the school.

Brookline Police Officer Keith Lacy greets Lincoln School First Grader Rosemary Cheng, 6, at the school’s “Thank a Helper” event. Photo courtesy the Lincoln School.

The school called the letter writing project “Find a Helper” in reference to the late “Mr. Rogers,” Fred Rogers, who quoted his mother saying that you can always look for and find people helping.

Boston Police Officer Juan Seone, Brookline Police Officer Tim Stephenson, and first graders Felix Destin, 7, Maxima DaSilveira, 7 and Gil Arkin, 7. Photo courtesy the Lincoln School.

Friday morning, representatives from Brookline and Boston police and fire departments, as well as nurses, doctors and others came to the Lincoln School on Kennard Road and received letters from the students.

“We wanted to find a way to address what happened, while also giving our students an opportunity to express their feelings in a positive, constructive way, said Lincoln School Principal Kristen Herbert in a press release Friday. “This hit close to home for many of our students.”

According to the school, parents of Lincoln School students were among the police, fire and emergency medical technicians who responded to the bombing. Several nurses and doctors who treated victims of the attack are also parents of Lincoln School students, and many families of children at the school were close to the victims or were at the finish line at the time of the explosion.

Brock Parker can be reached at brock.globe@gmail.com

By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent

Four men were held hostage – including two who were ordered to lie on the kitchen floor for about two hours – after two armed men broke into an Allston home early Thursday morning, first identifying themselves as police officers and then demanding money and drugs, authorities said.

One of the victims was hospitalized for a cut to the head after being pistol-whipped, a Boston Police report said.

Police surrounded the home during a lengthy standoff before arresting the two alleged intruders.

Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, identified the suspects as Jacob Noseworthy, 29, of Allston and Sean Bowler, 24, of Waltham.

Both men have been charged with home invasion and witness intimidation. Noseworthy was also charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

The two men were each ordered to be held on $50,000 cash bail at their arraignment on Thursday, Wark said. A not guilty plea was automatically entered on their behalf. They are due back in court on May 30.

Wark said all of the victims are men in their mid-20s and residents of the home.

At about 3 a.m. Thursday, officers went to the house on Holman Street and saw one man – later identified as one of the alleged robbers – shut the front door, the police report said.

Boston Police officers then surrounded the home as the two alleged robbers ran around inside the two-story, two-family home and trying to open windows and doors, in apparent attempts to escape, the report said.

One of the suspects tried to leave out the basement door. An officer pointed a gun at the man and ordered him to the ground, but the man refused. The officer and suspect got into a “violent struggle” and they both fell to the ground, according to the report. Another officer helped pin and arrest the man.

The suspect suffered a cut on his forehead that needed several stitches, the report said.

Soon after a man – later identified as a victim – walked out a back door of the home and was ordered by officers to put his hands up and walk toward them backwards. He obeyed and was cuffed and put into a police cruiser, according to the report.

The other suspect continued to walk around the house, ducking to try to stay out of view.

Another man – later identified as a second victim – tried to jump out a front window of the house. Officers outside ordered him to walk out the front door with his hands up. He, too, obeyed and was cuffed and escorted away by officers, the report said.

About an hour later, two more victims escaped from the back door of the house.

Later, the second suspect walked out of the front door with his hands up, the report said.

The first victim to come out of the house told police he had been in his bedroom listening to music when he heard several loud bangs and someone yelling “Boston Police.” A man then entered his room and repeatedly yelled “give me the money” and “where is the weed?,” according to the report.

The victim replied: “We don’t have any.”

The two suspects then ordered the victim into the kitchen, to lay face down on the floor and to not look at the suspects. The suspects took the victim’s phone so he would not be able to call for help, the report said.

Soon after, the suspects saw the officers outside and began running around the house. After waiting for several minutes, the victim ran for the back door, where he was stopped by police, the report said.

The second victim he was sleeping in his bedroom when one of the suspects came in holding a silver handgun and began yelling “give me the money,” according to the report.

As the suspect threw things around the room, the victim said he told the suspect he did not know what he was talking about. The suspect then pistol-whipped the victim in the side of the head and told him to lay in his bed and pull a blanket over his face, the report said.

The victim said he laid in the bed until the man left the room and then later hid inside a closet. After a while, he left the closet, looked outside a window, saw officers and went outside. He was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton to be treated for a cut on his head, the report said.

The third victim told officers he was in his bedroom when he heard loud banging and someone yelling “where’s the money?” the report said. The victim was then told to go to the kitchen and lay on the floor with his face down. The victim laid there for about two hours alongside the fourth victim, who declined to talk to officers at the scene.

The second suspect apologized to the two victims. They then got up and left.

Police found a bag of marijuana and a cell phone inside a black Jeep Liberty parked in the driveway. The vehicle was towed away and seized as evidence, the report said.

E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com.
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By Brock Parker, Town Correspondent

The state will close the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge and Memorial Drive between the Longfellow Bridge and Vassar Street Saturday morning for the 2013 Red Sox Run to Home Base.

The closures will be in effect from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 4, and parking restrictions will be in effect on a portion of Memorial Drive from 1 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, according to the state Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Then, on Sunday, more road closures and traffic delays are expected in Cambridge and Boston and several neighboring communities, as more than 40,000 people participate in Project Bread’s 20-mile Walk for Hunger.

The walk to raise money for hunger relief and prevention will start Sunday, May 5, at 7 a.m. at the Boston Common, and will lead to several road closures in the area, including the closing of Charles Street between Boylston and Beacon streets between 6 a.m. and 6.p.m. The outbound side of Commonwealth Avenue from Arlington Street through Kenmore Square will be closed from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., and other streets around the Boston Common and Kenmore Square will also be closed. The route map can be found here and a full list of the street closures and traffic restrictions can be found here.

In Cambridge, Memorial Drive will be closed between Fresh Pond Parkway and Western Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, and other closures, parking restrictions and traffic delays are expected.

In Brookline, the outbound side of Beacon Street will be closed between St. Mary’s and Carlton streets from 7 a.m. to noon.

In Newton, Exit 17 from I-90 Westbound will be closed from 10 a.m. until the heavy flow of walkers subsides around 2 p.m. and other closures and delays are expected.

In Watertown, Greenough Boulevard will be closed between North Beacon and Arsenal Streets will be closed to vehicles from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

By Jessica Bartlett, Town Correspondent

A Braintree firm specializing in blood equipment manufacturing is closing its Braintree manufacturing plant, the company announced Wednesday, and eliminating 320 jobs to accommodate the company's new focus in Mexico and Asia.

Haemonetics has been a fixture in the Braintree community since opening in 1978. The closure of the manufacturing plant will mean the loss of 320 jobs.

“The basic picture for Braintree is that the equipment we make here will be made by a contract manufacturer to be determined…and the disposables we make here will be transferred to our plant in Tijuana, [Mexico],” said Gerry Gould, vice president of Investor Relations. “We’re also adding an Asian plant…that’s our fastest growing market.”

Though the manufacturing side of the business will leave the South Shore, Gould said the company won’t transition entirely out of the area.

“We will lose 320 manufacturing jobs, but we will add 100 or so engineering technology positions, high tech type positions to develop the future projects we will introduce into our marketplace,” Gould said. “It’s a two-pronged effort. The ceasing of manufacturing but the build up of … a technology center of excellence.”

The corporate headquarters would also most likely be located south of Boston. Whether or not the company will stay in Braintree specifically has yet to be determined.

The change is expected to save the company $35-40 million annually starting in fiscal year 2018. According to Gould, the transition will take place over the next 12-24 months.

Haemonetics has contacted both state and local officials to try to fill the space the company’s departure may leave, hoping to bring another manufacturing company in to Braintree to employ many of the same people

Severance packages and positions within the company’s new direction for the region have also been offered to affected employees, Gould said.

According to Gould, the closure of the Braintree plant has more to do with remaining cost competitive than anything else.

The move was made especially necessary after Haemonetics acquired a blood transfusion business about a year ago.

“We have more facilities than we had before that acquisition,” Gould said. “We have some redundancies and some overlap. In order to remain cost competitive in the era we’re approaching, we need to reduce our manufacturing footprint to take those redundancies out.”

The switch was announced in the company’s Fourth Quarter revenue report, which also noted that the company is up 34 percent in revenue growth. The company’s net income fell 29.5 percent.

To read more about Haemonetic’s Fourth Quarter stats, click here.

To learn more about Haemonetics, click here.

John Swinconeck

Sr. Helen Sullivan delivered the invocation marking the first day of issue ceremony.

By John Swinconeck, Town Correspondent

WESTON -- A stamp might be a small rectangle affixed to an envelope, but for postal enthusiasts like those at Regis College on Friday, a stamp can deliver a message of resiliency, patriotism, and comfort.

The US Postal Service debuted a new collection of Forever Stamps at the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History. Known as a First Day of Issue ceremony, the event introduced the newly-produced stamps to the public.

Titled “A Flag for All Seasons,” each of the four stamp designs depicts a flag against trees that evoke one of the four seasons.

“We are honored with the flag in life, and in our darkest hours, we are comforted by it,” said Boston Postmaster James Holland in a statement. “Nowhere do we know this better than right here. As our nation was rocked by the senseless acts put upon Boston on Patriots Day, and again in the criminal trespass upon the campus of M.I.T. that claimed the life of Officer Sean Collier, we turned to our flag to speak for us.”

That sentiment was echoed by postal spokesperson Denise Varano: “Boston helped welcome these stamps for the country.”

A few dozen people attended the ceremony and were among the first in the nation to purchase the stamps and have them postmarked, according to the postal service.

Before the unveiling, Spellman Curator George Norton invoked the words of the museum’s namesake, Francis Cardinal Spellman: “Stamps are miniature documents of human history. They are the means by which a country gives sensible expression to its hopes and needs; its beliefs and ideals. They mirror the past and presage the future. They delineate cultural attainments, industrial works, domestic, civil and social life. In a word, these vignettes give a vivid picture of the world, its occupants and their multifarious endeavors.”

As part of the ceremony, a flag that had been flown over the US Capitol was displayed outside the museum as patriotic songs were performed by the Weston Country School Chorus.

Later, museum staff, volunteers, and stamp enthusiasts crowded inside the museum to purchase the stamps and have them canceled with a special “First Day of Issue” Weston postmark.

For museum trustee Ann Grady, there were two reasons to celebrate. “It’s wonderful to have this event here, because it was 50 years ago that this museum opened,” she said.
“Stamps connect people,” she said. “They have a wonderful history. They tell stories, and the museum is a wonderful place for people to come and learn.”

The stamp’s designed are based on paintings by Laura Stutzman, who used her personal photographs as flags as reference. In 2008, the Postal Service issued four of her designs as Flags 24/7. The art director was Phil Jordan.

“A Flag for All Seasons” stamps are now on sale for 46 cents apiece nationwide. They are Forever Stamps, meaning they will remain valid regardless of postal rate increases. Books of 20 will be made available May 17.

John Swinconeck can be reached at johnswinc@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @JohnSwinc.

John Swinconeck

Susan Osborn and members of the Weston Country School Chorus at the unveiling ceremony of the Flag for All Seasons stamps.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Locals who want to celebrate Mother's Day next week are invited to the Arsenal Mall in Watertown's national "Mom's Nite Out" event on Thursday, which features an evening of free pampering, food, and giveaways, according to organizers.

The event, which will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 9 near Old Navy, will also feature beauty advice and makeovers, fragrance samples, fitness demonstrations, food and drink tasting, shopping discounts, a prize giveaway, and more, organizers said.

The first 100 moms who register at the event will also be given free "swag bags" filled with goodies.

For more information on the event, visit the mall's Facebook or Twitter.

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Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com

By Terri Ogan, Globe Correspondent

The next round of construction for the Essex Street pedestrian mall will begin on Monday May 13 and will end no later than Sunday June 30.

This round of work includes:

-Removal of both landscaping beds located in front of the Museum Place Mall, and replacement with brick matching the existing pattern
-The removal of eight diseased street trees and replacement with seven new trees in front of Coons, to Cabot Money Management (216 to 226 Essex Street) and one new street tree planted in front of the Magic Parlor (213 Essex Street), between the two existing street lights
-The removal of the kiosk and replacement with brick paving
-The removal of cobble parking tabs and replacement with brick to match the existing patterns in three areas along the pedestrian mall (between Washington Street and Derby Square, Derby Square and Central Street, and Central Street to Museum Square) and replacement with brick matching the existing pattern
-The resetting of cobblestone areas to correct drainage and settling problems

The rehabilitation of the water fountain at the corner of Washington Street and Essex Street will not be done as part of this round of improvements. That specialized work is currently out to bid and is estimated to commence by Monday July 29 and wrap up on Friday September 13.

Phase one of the construction plans started in August of 2012 and ended the following September, and included removing three landscaping beds in the area.

Terri Ogan can be reached at oganglobe@gmail.com, or follow her on Twitter.

By Jarret Bencks, Town Correspondent

The city of Medford plans to add the names of veterans who were in the armed forces during recent wars and conflicts to its Honor Roll Park memorial on Winthrop Street, according to an announcement from Mayor Michael McGlynn.

The city has compiled a list of names of veterans who served during operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, but is asking the public's help in reviewing it in order to ensure all names are spelled correctly and no names are missing, McGlynn said in a statement.

View the list of Desert Storm vets here and Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom vets here.

The names will be included on a bronze plaque, which will be added to the war memorial at Honor Roll Park, located near the entrance to Medford High School on Winthrop Street. Any name corrections or additions must be submitted to the city's Veterans Services office by June 15. Once the plaque is made, names will not be able to be corrected.

A dedication ceremony is expected to be held in the fall.

Jarret Bencks can be reached at bencks.globe@gmail.com. Follow him on twitter @JarretBencks.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Needham Youth Services officials are accepting applications for both high school tutors and students who want tutoring in the third through eighth grades for its peer tutoring program to start in the upcoming academic year.

The program has the tutor and student being tutored meeting weekly for one hour at a designated place, starting in October and running until the end of the school year.

Tutors must be a high school student, be able to attend a mandatory training session in the fall, and check in with program staff periodically during the year. They will also be able to earn community service credits needed to graduate.

The organization will accept the younger students for tutoring when the student has demonstrated a need for academic assistance, or a need for help in developing study habits. The program is not recommended for students with advanced learning or behavioral issues.

Applications for tutors and students needing tutoring are available at www.needhamma.gov/youth/peertutor, and both are due by May 31. Any previous applicants who were on the program's waitlist must reapply with a current application.

Parents ofstudents being tutored will be notified by the end of June if their child qualifies for the peer tutoring program. There is a $45 fee to cover cost of materials, but it can be waived if the family demonstrates financial need, according to program organizers.

For more information, contact Michelle Butman at Needham Youth Services at 781-455-7500 ext. 266, or at mbutman@needhamma.gov.

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Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at jaclyn.reiss@globe.com

Jeremy C. Fox for Boston.com

The setting sun shone down as an outbound Orange Line train approached Roxbury Crossing.

By Jeremy C. Fox, Town Correspondent

Spring is in the muggy, fetid air on the MBTA

Storified by Jeremy C. Fox· Fri, May 03 2013 12:32:56

Jeremy C. Fox can be reached at jeremy.fox@globe.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @jeremycfox.
Follow Downtown on Twitter: @YTDowntown.

By Terri Ogan, Globe Correspondent

Tickets are now on sale for Marblehead Little Theatre’s upcoming production of "Next To Normal."

The production, which is produced by Christine Dhionis and Lara Finn, directed by Steve Black, with musical direction by Lianne Goodwin, will run May 10 to 19.

Performances will be on May 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18 at 7:30 p.m., and May 12 and 19 at 2 p.m.

"Next to Normal" is a rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt and originally opened on Broadway in April 2009.

It was nominated for eleven Tony Awards in 2009 and won three for Best Original Score, Best Orchestration and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Alice Ripley).

It also won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, becoming just the eighth musical in history to receive the honor. In awarding the prize to Kitt and Yorkey, the Pulitzer Board called the show "a powerful rock musical that grapples with mental illness in a suburban family and expands the scope of subject matter for musicals."

Ticket prices are $23 and $15 for students during matinees only. Tickets are available at the Spirit of '76 Bookstore and online at the Marblehead Little Theatre website.

By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent

A video projection art piece will be overlaid on the façade of the former Blessed Sacrament Church in Jamaica Plain as part of an event Friday night that bills itself as a rally to stop a controversial plan for the church to be converted into condo units.

Organizers of Friday’s event say they want to see the building used as a community space instead of housing.

The Hyde Square Task Force will host the event from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Friday in front of the church “to highlight the iconic importance” of the ornate building located “in the heart of what’s known as Boston’s ‘Latin Quarter,’ the rapidly changing Hyde/Jackson neighborhood of Jamaica Plain,” organizers said.

The evening will include Afro-Latin music, drum circles, treats provided by the Cupcakery food truck and the public projection of the art piece by MassArt students that “highlights the church’s significance within the community,” organizers said.

“The church’s beautiful architecture will serve as the base for a video projection art piece overlaid on the church façade,” said a statement from the Hyde Square Task Force. “The piece will include the sounds, voices and images of community members as they reflect on the church building, the changes to the community, and their hopes for the church’s future use as a community space where people can connect and be inspired.”

“Hyde Square Task Force hopes to inspire community members, the public, and elected officials to support this architectural treasure as the centerpiece of Boston’s vibrant Latin Quarter where people can gather, perform, create community, and celebrate individual, family, and community-wide events,” the statement said.

The Archdiocese of Boston closed the church campus in 2004 and sold the three-acre property along Centre Street a year later to two co-developers. A master plan to redevelop the campus was approved one year after that, following an extensive community review process.

Since then, 81 housing units have been built on the campus. All of the units constructed so far follow the original plan, including being designated as affordable housing.

But, there are two buildings on the campus that have not yet been redeveloped – the 99-year-old church building and the 117-year-old Norbert School building.

Recent proposals for the two buildings have drawn criticism because each would alter some aspects of the original master plan.

The latest proposal for the Norbert School calls for building 21 market-rate rental units inside. That plan has been criticized because it would cause the overall ratio of affordable housing on the campus to be lower than originally planned. The original master plan called for that building to be kept as a school, but the school moved out in 2009 and the building has been empty since.

The church building proposal has drawn controversy even though it largely follows the original plan, would actually create a slightly higher proportion of affordable units, and also calls for about 200 more square feet of community space. The church, a city-designated landmark, would be converted into between 32 and 34 condominiums, four of which would be designated as affordable housing.

The Archdiocese sold the church with a restriction that the building be used as housing, with the exception of the front portion of the first floor that is designated as community space, developers have said.

The original plan called for the entire campus to contain 118 housing units, 88 of which, or about 74 percent, would be designated as affordable. If both of the current development proposals are completed as planned, the campus would contain between 134 and 136 total units, 85 of which, or about 63 percent, would be designated as affordable.

Some community members have called for the co-developers to consider new proposals with either more affordable housing or more community use.

Officials from the co-developers have said they entertained more than 50 ideas to repurpose the two undeveloped buildings, but the only two that have proved feasible are the ones being worked on presently. The developers have said they have paid a few million dollars to maintain the vacant church and school and continue to incur costs.

But, critics have continued to oppose the proposals.

“The plans for the Norbert School will eliminate 15,000 square feet of space, originally set aside for community uses and the plan to build market rate condos in the church will close off the church forever from the community and for future community uses,” the Hyde Square Task Force said in a statement this week.

“When the campus plan was approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in 2006 there was a need for housing, but hundreds of units of mixed income housing have been built in the immediate area since then,” the statement added. “Many residents strongly believe that the church was built for community uses and needs to be reclaimed for those purposes.”

E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com.
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By Jessica Bartlett, Town Correspondent

Quincy police are investigating the apparent theft of a large amount of cash from the Quincy Patriot Ledger.

According to Quincy Police, an employee initially noticed that transactions in the circulation department were amiss. An audit found that a substantial amount of money was missing, police said.

Police declined to say the exact amount, though noted that it was substantial.

Quincy Police Captain John Dougan said the police were actively investigating the incident, and were making good progress.

“We do have a person of interest,” he said. “We expect a resolution in the near future.”

The missing money was reported to police by Gatehouse Media, the Patriot Ledger’s parent company, on March 29.

Several editors and the publisher of the Ledger could not be reached for comment.

Spokesmen for Gatehouse Media, Inc. also did not return repeated calls for comment.

No arrests have been made, Quincy Police said.

By Jarret Bencks, Town Correspondent

Melrose Mayor Rob Dolan is proposing a $68 million operating budget for fiscal year 2014, up over $2.6 million from the $65.4 allotted for the current fiscal year.

The line items for salaries are set to receive increases in many city departments: A 3.6 percent increase in the treasurer and tax collector department; 3.4 percent in the city solicitor's office; 4.6 percent in human resources; 5.8 percent in the city clerk's office; and a 7.7 percent increase in the salary line item for the mayor's office.

In January, aldermen approved a $25,000 raise for Dolan, brining his pay from just below $100,000 per year to $125,000 per year. The budget line for salary in the mayor's office, which would include other staff, is projected at $216,202.62 for the current fiscal year. Dolan is seeking $232,932.86 for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1.

A copy of the proposed budget can be viewed here.

Melrose's Board of Aldermen will be presented with the budget in a meeting Monday, May 6 at 7:45 p.m. at Melrose City Hall.

Jarret Bencks can be reached at bencks.globe@gmail.com. Follow him on twitter @JarretBencks.

By Jessica Bartlett, Town Correspondent

Quincy police arrested two people on Thursday after finding a large-scale marijuana growing operation at one of the couple’s Quincy homes.

According to police, detectives from the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office, who were helping a utility company turn off the service to a home at 228 Norfolk Street, called Quincy Drug detectives to report a large marijuana growing operation in the basement of the Quincy home.

The detective allegedly smelled raw marijuana upon entering the house in order to turn off the utilities, and upon further investigation, saw at least 30 potted marijuana plants growing amongst heat lamps.

Members of Quincy’s Drug Control unit arrived at the house while other detectives applied for a search warrant.

Detectives who were initially at the house told responding police that a man was putting down mulch outside the property when police initially arrived. When police entered the house, the man abruptly left.

The officer had taken note of the license plate for the car, a navy Honda Ridgeline, and police were asked to be on the lookout for the vehicle.

Quincy officers, along with members of the Drug Enforcement Agency, soon received a search warrant for the house at 2:56 p.m. and entered the building.

According to police, officers located 65 marijuana plants in the basement, 18 smaller plants of dried marijuana, along with space heaters, lamps, and other components of a drug growing operation.

While police were searching the home, a Quincy officer found the suspect’s car parked at a home on Adams Street.

Officers went to the address and knocked on the door. Two young boys, ages 13 and 8, answered, saying they didn’t know where their father was.

Police said one of the boys kept looking towards the back door, where the officers soon saw a man peak his head out from around the corner. The man refused to come out initially, but eventually came to the door.

As soon as police started to talk to him, the man ran off. Detectives chased after him, and located him hiding behind Quizno’s.

The man was identified by officers as the man who was shoveling mulch in the front yard. A key in the suspect’s pocket also opened up the truck sitting in the driveway.

Officers went back to the house to check on the children, but no one would come to the door. Police said officers forced their way in, and found a woman hiding in the bedroom along with four children.

Police said the Norfolk Street house was in both the male and female suspects’ names, and so they were both placed under arrest.

Hao Vu, 37, from Quincy was charged with trafficking in a class D substance, conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substances Act, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and child endangerment.

Annie Vu, 37, also from Quincy was charged with trafficking in a class D substance, conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substances Act, resisting arrest, child endangerment, and misleading a police officer after she lied about her relationship with the male suspect.

A 51A was filed with the Department of Children and Families on behalf of the children.

Police said the house was inhabitable because of the large amount of wiring used to heat the plants.

By Johanna Kaiser, Town Correspondent

With the cloud of the Marathon bombings still hanging over Boston, Northeastern University began the city’s commencement season Friday to recognize its students’ achievements and the work of region’s first responders.

More than 20,000 students, family members, friends, faculty, and staff gathered in TD Garden Friday morning to cheer and celebrate the graduating class. But the joyous day, which played out amid heightened security, was not without solemn reflection on recent events.

“While we have much to celebrate we are joined in the shadow of tragedy," Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun said in his opening remarks. “We are feeling a conflicting mix of emotions: joy and pain, triumph and loss. Fortunately, we also draw strength from one another.”

Aoun recognized the first responders, law enforcement officials, and ordinary citizens who helped at the finish line after the bombings, including Northeastern students in the Bouve College of Health Sciences originally there to offer first aid and routine assistance to marathon runners.

"But when disaster struck there was nothing routine about their response. They immediately put their education to use and when confronted with the worst they brought out their best," he said, asking the students and advisors to stand for a round of applause.

Northeastern also gave every person in attendance a blue and yellow bracelet with ‘Boston Strong’ and ‘#NU2013’ written on it.

To a long, roaring applause and standing ovation, first responders came onto the stage with Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis, who accepted an honorary doctorate in public service on behalf of the first responders and law enforcement officials who sprung into action to help others in the wake of the bombings.

Governor Deval Patrick, presenting the honorary degree, said “During the traumatic attack on our city and in the hours and days that followed, you ran toward danger to care for the injured, comfort the bereaved, and keep our citizens safe from further harm."

Nikesh Arora, senior vice president and chief business officer at Google; Jack D. Bryant, president of engineering firm Bryant Associates and a member of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II; and Barbara Lynch, CEO of Barbara Lynch Gruppo were also awarded honorary degrees.

In his commencement address World Bank president Jim Yong Kim encouraged students to use the tools and skills they have developed to successfully face a future that was uncertain, but full of possibilities.

"My challenge to you is this: set bold goals, deliberately and consciously build your willpower, and use your time well,” he said.

E-mail Kaiser at Johanna.yourtown@gmail.com. For more news about your city, town, neighborhood, or campus, visit boston.com’s Your Town homepage.

By Brock Parker, Town Correspondent

Road closures and traffic delays are expected in Cambridge and Boston and several neighboring communities Sunday as more than 40,000 people are expected to participate in Project Bread’s 20-mile Walk for Hunger.

The walk to raise money for hunger relief and prevention will start Sunday, May 5, at 7 a.m. at the Boston Common, and will lead to several road closures in the area, including the closing of Charles Street between Boylston and Beacon streets between 6 a.m. and 6.p.m. The outbound side of Commonwealth Avenue from Arlington Street through Kenmore Square will be closed from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., and other streets around the Boston Common and Kenmore Square will also be closed. The route map can be found here and a full list of the street closures and traffic restrictions can be found here.

In Cambridge, Memorial Drive will be closed between Fresh Pond Parkway and Western Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, and other closures, parking restrictions and traffic delays are expected.

In Brookline, the outbound side of Beacon Street will be closed between St. Mary’s and Carlton streets from 7 a.m. to noon.

In Newton, Exit 17 from I-90 Westbound will be closed from 10 a.m. until the heavy flow of walkers subsides around 2 p.m. and other closures and delays are expected.

In Watertown, Greenough Boulevard will be closed between North Beacon and Arsenal Streets will be closed to vehicles from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

By Brock Parker, Town Correspondent

More than 100,000 people are expected in Harvard Square this Sunday for the 30th Annual Mayfair featuring music, dancing, food, crafts, street art and a raffle to benefit two Cambridge newlyweds injured in the Boston Marathon bombing.

The fair will run from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, and because it falls on Cinco De Mayo this year, the Mariachi Veritas de Harvard will be roaming the square before appearing for a musical performance on the fair’s main stage at 3 p.m., according to the Harvard Square Business Association.

The business association will also hold a raffle and an auction at the fair with all proceeds going to Cambridge residents and newlyweds, Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, who each lost limbs in the Boston Marathon bombings. The raffle will be set up at the Harvard Square Business Association’s kiosk in front of Out of Town News by the fair’s main stage.

More than 150 artisans and merchants selling arts and crafts and vintage clothing will be at the fair, as well as more than 40 food vendors.

RE/Max will give hot air balloon rides, and Grafton Street, Border Café, and John Harvard’s Brew House will sponsor outdoor beer gardens. The Cambridge Rotary Club’s annual Chalk on Walk along Church Street will also be raising money for local charities.

A full list of all of the entertainment at the fair can be found online here.

By John Swinconeck, Town Correspondent

A Framingham man has been found guilty for the 2009 murder of Geoffrey McKinnon also of Framingham, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Friday.

Daniel Gonzalez, 23, was found guilty by a Middlesex Superior Court jury on charges of second-degree murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon following a 12-day trial in Woburn Superior Court, according to Ryan.

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Kathe Tuttman sentenced Gonzalez to life in prison for the murder of McKinnon. However, Gonzalez is eligible for parole once he has served 15 years, to be followed by 10 years probation on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

“This defendant was found guilty of brutally stabbing a man to death in his own home,” Ryan said in a statement. “This was a senseless, horrific crime and the defendant has now been held accountable for his actions. I commend the Framingham Police and State Police assigned to the District Attorney’s Office for their work in bringing justice to the victim’s family.”

According to Ryan, on June 14, 2009 at about 4:15 a.m., Framingham Police responded to a 911 call reporting a stabbing and requesting an ambulance at 307 Grant Street in Framingham. When police arrived, they found McKinnon suffering from multiple stab wounds to the face and abdomen. He was transported to the MetroWest Medical Center where he later died in surgery. He was 22.

Upon investigation, Framingham and State police learned that the defendant and the victim were at a small party at the victim’s residence on Grant Street, where Gonzalez stabbed the victim multiple times.

John Swinconeck can be reached at johnswinc@gmail.com.

By Patrick D. Rosso, Town Correspondent

A Dorchester teen was recently recognized for her work to combat tobacco use.

Brittani Jones, an 18-year-old senior at the Boston Trinity Academy, was named the Eastern Region Youth Advocate of the Year by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said a release from the organization.

She was honored at a gala May 2 in Washington D.C. for her work in the community with The 84, a youth-led anti-tobacco initiative.

“We are thrilled to honor Brittani as one of our Youth Advocates of the Year,” Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement. “Young leaders like Brittani bring energy, passion and creativity to our movement and inspire all of us to win the fight against the number one cause of preventable death.”

Jones, who also works in the neighborhood with the BOLD Teens, was highlighted by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids for her work organizing the Kick Butts Day event, which marched on the State House to urge legislators to raise tobacco taxes.

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Email Patrick D. Rosso, patrick.d.rosso@gmail.com. Follow him @PDRosso, or friend him on Facebook.

By Dave Eisenstadter, Town Correspondent

A new community watch group in Dedham will announce its presence with signs on Bussey Street and Liberty Lane.

Dan Giacalone, one of the groups founding members, said he joined the group to promote community and safety in the Liberty Lane and Bussey Street area.

“We just want to protect ourselves in any way we can,” Giacalone said.

The signs, which selectmen approved on April 25, will announce that the community is protected by a neighborhood watch, Giacalone said.

“If anybody is looking to do any house break-ins, they might be thinking twice about doing it in this neighborhood,” Giacalone said.

The group meets once every two months and Dedham Police Chief Michael d’Entremont attends all meetings and provides law enforcement updates about their neighborhood.

D’Entremont also provides similar updates to other neighborhood groups, including the Oakdale Square Alliance, the Mother Brook Community Group, the Manor Neighborhood Association, and Dedham Square Circle.

“These groups are a positive development for the town,” d’Entremont said. “It is important for residents to be engaged in communication and the safety of their neighborhood. Police rely on citizens to be observant and report criminal and suspicious activity.”

While d’Entremont does not have hard numbers for crime reduction in those areas, he did say there has been an increased sense of community in the areas that have neighborhood groups.

He added that the signs will have a positive effect.

“The signs do let people know that others are watching and will call the police,” d’Entremont said.

The police chief also informed the group about House Bill 2190, which would allow Dedham police to pursue criminals 500 yards into Boston and vice versa, according to Giacalone.

The group, being on a border with Boston, is advocating for the bill, Giacalone said.

By John Swinconeck, Town Correspondent

Town Meeting members voted Thursday to place a year-long moratorium on medical marijuana facilities in Natick.

According to Town Clerk Diane Packer, two new bylaws that define a "medical marijuana treatment center" and place a moratorium on such a facility until May 1, 2014 passed by wide margins.

Massachusetts' medical marijuana law was approved by voters in November 2012 and became effective Jan. 1, 2013. However, Town Administrator Martha White had previously said that the state Department of Public Health had yet to draft rules regulating marijuana dispensaries by the time Natick's Town Meeting Warrant was drafted.

White had said that it didn't make any sense for Natick to create zoning regulating a medical marijuana treatment center until the state's regulations could be reviewed.

John Swinconeck can be reached at johnswinc@gmail.com.

By Dave Eisenstadter, Town Correspondent

An assault at Legacy Place last week has led Dedham police to issue a statement aimed at dispelling concerns of gangs of teens instigating fights at the shopping mall.

At about 8:15 p.m. on Friday, April 26, police responded to an assault at Legacy Place in which multiple men were assaulted, one of which was transported to Norwood Hospital with an eye injury.

The incident remains under investigation, according to a statement from Dedham Police Chief Michael d’Entremont.

“The Dedham Police have seen allegations indicating certain teens are always at Legacy Place on the weekends instigating confrontations with other youths,” d’Entremont wrote in the statement released Friday, May 3.

The chief went on to say that police are always present at Legacy Place and incident data related to all shopping centers is reviewed on a quarterly basis.

“The Dedham Police have not observed or experienced any regular occurrences or patterns of youths instigating altercations at Legacy Place,” d’Entremont wrote. “To the contrary, our experience has been that youths are closely monitored when at Legacy Place without parental supervision.”

D’Entremont concluded the statement with a list of basic safety tips.

• Always be aware of your surroundings, especially at night. When parking, walking or returning to your car, remain in well-lit and populated areas.

• Wear sneakers or shoes that allow for added mobility.

• Be watchful and aware. Keep your head up. Make quick eye contact with those around you and be observant of passing vehicles.

• Don’t become distracted by talking on a cell phone or listening to an iPod/similar device.

• Avoid walking alone late at night. Walk with friends and people you know.

• Keep a whistle within reach. If you feel threatened, use the whistle to signal residents that you need assistance.

•Yelling “Fire!” or “Help!” are ways of drawing attention and alerting people that you need help.

• Carry a cell phone.

• Call ahead to your destination to alert them that you’re on your way. Make sure they expect you at a certain time, so that in the event you fail to show up, they’ll know enough to begin looking for you.

• Walk with confidence. Be assertive. Don’t let anyone violate your space. Trust your instincts. Know this: anyone at any time can be a victim of crime. Don’t assume, “IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME.”

• If you think that someone is following you, switch direction or cross the street. Walk toward an open store, restaurant or residence.

• Always call 911 for police, fire or medical emergencies.

By Dave Eisenstadter, Town Correspondent

Selectmen approved about $65,000 in spending from the police reserve fund Thursday, nearly half of which due to overtime from the week of the Marathon bombing.

“Something of this magnitude you don’t see,” Chief Richard Wells told selectmen Thursday. “This is money I really need.”

Police spent $28,665 on overtime and back pay the week of the April 15 Boston Marathon Bombing. The previous day, Milton police responded to a homicide on Hudson Street.

Wells called the week a “perfect storm” of police activity, and he told selectmen he was proud of the way the Milton police responded to the tragedies.

“It’s very humbling to be the chief of police at times like this,” Wells said.

Selectmen unanimously approved the fund transfer, which also included $25,000 for gasoline expenses, $6,233 for police overtime at the November presidential election, and $5,000 for overtime for the upcoming June special senate election.