UPDATE: Due to persistent rainy weather since last week, which has delayed ripening of the strawberries at Drumlin Farm, the event has been postponed from June 15 to the next Saturday, June 22.

Join in for a day of fun to celebrate the strawberry harvest by heading out to Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm, 208 S Great Rd., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 22.

Dig in the dirt with the farm staff, meet some berry-loving animals, and pick your own strawberries to take home. Drumlin Farm's strawberries, like all of its produce, are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides, according to a press release.

All activities except strawberry picking are free with admission ($7 for adults, $5 for seniors and children 2-12, free for Mass Audubon members).

Pick-your-own strawberries will be available for purchase from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., while supplies last.

For more information go to www.massaudubon.org.

We're obsessed with coffee over at Boston.com, so wanted to put together Coffee Week to celebrate all things java!

New interactives, maps, and galleries for the caffeine-obsessed will be unveiled each day this week. On Sunday, we wrote and mapped out how Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks are battling for coffee supremacy in Massachusetts. Today, we took a look at the national trend.

We wanted to find a way to feature local independent shops that have also developed a passionate following. Sadly, we still couldn't fit everyone in (but we've got something Wednesday that might go toward fixing that). We didn't want to leave anyone out.

FULL ENTRY

By Jennifer Fenn Lefferts, Globe Correspondent

Two of the three finalists for the interim superintendent/principal job at the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School withdrew from consideration before the School Committee was set to make a selection last week.

Despite having just one candidate remaining, the committee voted unanimously Tuesday morning to hire former Wellesley superintendent Bella Wong.

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee released a statement Tuesday announcing the appointment, saying that it had engaged in a “rigorous and inclusive search process, which included numerous interviews, a campus visit, and an extensive reference checking process.’’ It did not mention, however, that Wong was the only finalist at the end.

School Committee member Nancy Marshall released a statement Friday clarifying the selection process.

“In our Committee meeting Tuesday morning, we did not discuss reopening the search. We deliberated in good faith to ensure we were fully informed in our decision,” Marshall’s statement said. “We are satisfied with the process and looking forward.”

Edward Malvey, interim superintendent of the Monson schools, took another job before the final interview. Then Herbert Levine, who most recently served as interim superintendent in Peabody, withdrew last weekend, the statement said.

Wong, who resigned as superintendent of the Wellesely school system amid a tumultuous period in 2011 and 2012, said she is ready to not only get back to work but return to where her educational career began. She said those formative years helped shape who she became as an educator.

“I’m really excited,’’ Wong said. “It’s where I started my teaching career.’’

Wong taught in the science department at Lincoln-Sudbury between 1991 and 1998. Most recently she spent six years as assistant superintendent in Wellesley and five as superintendent. She announced her resignation in the fall of 2011 and stepped down in the spring of 2012 following public concern over the administration of the school system’s business office.

Wong said she feels good about what she accomplished in Wellesley. She cited advancements in curriculum and instruction, building projects, the use of technology and staff mentoring.

“After reflecting, I feel really good about what I was able to do over the long term,’’ she said. “I feel my decision to resign was the right decision and in the best interest of the students and community at large.’’

The Wellesley district had $169,000 worth of uncollected school lunch payments from the 2009-2010 school year and before. The debt’s discovery in spring 2011 plunged the district into a year of turmoil in which Wong resigned and business manager Ruth Quinn Berdell was dismissed, leading Berdell to file a lawsuit against Wong and Suzy Littlefield, the School Committee’s chairwoman at the time, accusing them of conspiracy and defamation.

Details of Wong’s contract with Lincoln-Sudbury are still being worked out, though she is expected to start July 1 and stay on for a year while the district searches for a permanent superintendent.

Carpenter was paid $155,000 to run the 1,600-student high school for the 2012-2013 school year. Wong’s salary in Wellesley, which has about 5,000 students, was $178,073.

Wong said she will not apply for the permanent job but is not ruling out a superintendent’s job in the future.

“Right now, my focus is to do the best I can at Lincoln-Sudbury. I’m sure at some point during the year, I’ll decide what I want to do next,’’ she said. “I want to be very deliberate about that choice.’’

Marshall said that Wong is a good fit for Lincoln-Sudbury because of her familiarity with the school, her understanding of key policy issues, and experience advocating for capital projects.

Wong said she took the past year to be home while her twin boys transitioned to middle school. She has also served as Weston’s representative on the School Committee for Minuteman High School in Lexington.

She said she was looking for a one-year position to make the transition back to work when the Lincoln-Sudbury job opened up. She thinks her 14 years in administrative experience will help guide the school through its transitional year.

The key, she said, is listening to community members about their priorities and making them happen in the short term.

“It’s making the most of that time,’’ she said.

Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at jflefferts@yahoo.com.

By John Swinconeck, Town Correspondent

The MetroWest Visitors Bureau is looking to help train a few good ambassadors to help guide visitors to the MetroWest region.

Three workshops are designed for real estate agents, hotel personnel, residents looking for something new to do with the families and guests, human resources specialists and corporate recruiters, school admissions personnel, municipal employees, docents, ticket-sellers at cultural venues, retailers, among others.

The workshops will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Yawkey Special Olympics Training Center in Marlborough, and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Historic Village Hall in Framingham.

A third workshop will be held June 1 from 10 a.m. to noon at the DoubleTree by Hilton Milford.

The workshops are part of the bureau's MORE MetroWest campaign that seeks to help define the region as an attractive area to visit and do business in.

"MetroWest is indeed a region with its own unique characteristics. It's not just a place to drive through on the turnpike between Boston and Worcester. But if you're going to market the region, you've got to know about the region," said the bureau's Executive Director Susan Nicholl.

In order to accomplish that, the workshops will help educate ambassadors on cultural or economic "jewels" in the region, said Nicholl, which can range from businesses such as Bose, to facilities such as the New England Sports Center, to wildlife sanctuaries and botanical gardens.

"There's so many people who work in an ambassador-type role," said MetroWest Visitors Bureau Executive Director Susan Nicholl. "If we can help by giving them more tools, then they can become more effective ambassadors."

Contact John Swinconeck at johnswinc@gmail.com. Follow @johnswinc on Twitter.

By John Swinconeck, Town Correspondent

Not every cat lands on its feet. Some take a tumble and need to be rescued. That's what happened to a sweet but stray cat that veterinarians believe was struck by a vehicle in Natick.

Now, staff at Natick Animal Clinic and the Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center of New England (VESCONE) in Waltham say they need a home for the cat and money to pay for the thousands of dollars worth of treatment.

According to staff at VESCONE and Natick Animal Clinic, a good Samaritan brought a cat wrapped in a blanket and placed in a laundry basket to the Natick clinic on May 14. Natick Animal Clinic Supervisor Chad Gerber said the cat's rescuer had seen the cat tumble down a hill off Mill Street in Natick.

It's unusual to see a cat fall down a hill, unless it has been struck by a vehicle, said Gerber.

"The cat was in a lot of pain because of the extent of the injuries," Gerber said.

Animals are euthanized only when there is no other recourse, Gerber said, and the clinic got permission from the Natick Police Department to treat the animal. Stray animals are considered property of the town, and so require authorization in order to be treated by the Natick clinic.

Natick Animal Clinic transferred the cat to VESCONE on May 16.

Vetrinarian Dr. Julie Bailey treated the cat — nicknamed "Lulu" — for much her stay in Waltham, and said the cat had suffered multiple injuries to her right side, including a broken hip, multiple rib fractures, a break to the right front elbow, and a broken right tooth.

"I would suspect she got hit by a car," Bailey said. "That's pretty significant blunt trauma."

The more immediate concern, however, was a life-threatening infection to Lulu's uterus, which was removed during emergency surgery, said Bailey. The infection was not related to the other injuries, she said.

Despite what the cat had been through, Bailey said Lulu was "an absolute sweetheart" who loved to be patted. "She was just a sweet cat who started purring from the moment she got here. Despite the injuries she had a will to live," the Bailey said.

Lulu was transferred back to Natick on May 23.

Gerber said that no one has called the Natick clinic seeking a missing cat matching Lulu's description. The cat doesn't have an embedded microchip and was not wearing a collar with any identification.

VESCONE and Natick Animal Clinic are now looking for a home for the friendly feline. Her breed is described as Ragdoll, which tend to be very gentle friendly with people, according to the Cat Fanciers' Association.

Lulu will be available for adoption in two to three weeks, depending on her recovery, according to Gerber. "She's definitely a loving cat, the only thing we don't know yet is how she does with other animals," he said.

Those interested in adopting Lulu can email the Natick Animal Clinic at info@natickanimal.com.

The two animal care centers are also looking for the community’s support in raising money to pay for of her treatments, which cost more than $10,000. Anyone who is interested in adopting her, or would like to make a contribution, should call VESCONE at (781) 684-8387. Businesses interested in contributing prizes to a raffle for contributors can email Kirsten Sims at ksims@vescone.com.

Contact John Swinconeck at johnswinc@gmail.com. Follow @johnswinc on Twitter.

By Jennifer Fenn Lefferts, Globe Correspondent

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee voted unanimously Tuesday morning to appoint former Wellesley superintendent Bella Wong as the high school’s interim superintendent/principal for one year.

Wong resigned from her Wellesley post in 2012 amid public concern over the running of the school system’s business office.

Her appointment in Lincoln-Sudbury is subject to successful completion of contract negotiations. The School Committee will undertake a search for a permanent superintendent/principal in the fall when more candidates are expected to be available.

“Bella Wong is a good fit for LS for many reasons, most notably her knowledge of LS by virtue of her having been a teacher at the school, her understanding of key policy issues affecting public education, and her experience advocating for capital projects,’’ said Nancy Marshall, the School Committee chairwoman, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with her very much.’’

Wong is expected to begin July 1. The current Lincoln-Sudbury superintendent, Scott Carpenter, announced in April that he will resign to take the superintendent job in Monomoy, effective July 1.

A search committee narrowed the candidates for the position down to three finalists. They were Edward Malvey, interim superintendent of Monson schools and Herbert Levine, who most recently served as interim superintendent of Peabody public schools. Malvey dropped out of the running to take another job before the final interview, leaving Levine and Wong.

Wong resigned from the Wellesley post after the administration came under fire for uncollected lunch fees and a harsh audit of the business office. The Wellesley district had $169,000 worth of uncollected school lunch payments from the 2009-2010 school year and before.

The debt’s discovery in spring 2011 plunged the district into a year of turmoil in which Wong resigned, business manager Ruth Quinn Berdell was dismissed, and Berdell filed a lawsuit against Wong and Suzy Littlefield, the School Committee’s chairwoman at the time, accusing them of conspiracy and defamation.

Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at jflefferts@yahoo.com.

By John Swinconeck, Town Correspondent

Massachusetts state Senator Karen Spilka has one more reason for supporting Ed Markey's campaign for U.S. Senate. If Markey wins the seat vacated by John Kerry in the special June 25 election, Spilka said she will run for Markey's seat in the U.S. House.

"I'll make a formal announcement that I'm a candidate, once I can call him 'Senator Markey,'" Spilka said in an interview Thursday. "I'm working very hard to get Ed elected, and I believe he will be elected."

Markey, a Democrat representing the Fifth Congressional District, is leading Republican Gabriel Gomez in the race, 41 to 35 percent, according to a WBUR poll.

Efforts to reach Markey's campaign office for comment Thursday were unsuccessful.

Spilka is on a growing list of potential candidates for Markey's seat if he wins the Senate race. Others are Middlesex County Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian, state Senators William Brownsberger of Belmont and Katherine Clark of Melrose and state Representative Carl Sciortino of Medford, all Democrats.

Spilka said she has a strong track record in "fighting for the little guy" during her time in the Massachussets legislature, first as a member of the house, then as senator representing the Second Middlesex and Norfolk District, comprising Ashland, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway, and Natick.

If elected, Spilka would represent communities from Holliston to Winthrop.

Among her accomplishments, she cited the overhaul of the Children Engaged in Services, or CHINS, law, for handling children who consistently get in trouble at home or at school, including runaways and students who are habitually truant.

She said she also helped change state law to allow communities west of Boston to create or join existing regional transit authorities.

Spilka said she would be able to work in the U.S. House, an often fractious and partisan body. "My background is in conflict resolution," she said. "People are tired of hearing about conflict, bitterness, and divisiveness."

She was elected to the Massachusetts House in 2001, before becoming sworn in as Senator in 2005. In January, she was promoted to Majority Whip after previously serving as Assistant Majority Whip since January 2012. She also serves on the Joint Committee on Rules, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Rules, and the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy.

Spilka lives in Ashland with her husband, Joel S. Loitherstein. They have three children and three dogs.

Contact John Swinconeck at johnswinc@gmail.com. Follow @johnswinc on Twitter.

By John Swinconeck, Town Correspondent

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has confirmed at least one case of rabies in a raccoon in Wayland. According to DPH representative Anne Roach, the animal tested positive for the virus last week.

Statewide, 19 animals tested positive for rabies between January and March, according to DPH, including 12 raccoons, five skunks, one bobcat and one bat. That's up from 15 animals during the same period in 2012.

Rabies is a very serious disease that affects the brain and spinal cord of mammals, according to the DPH's website. Rabies is caused by a virus and almost always causes death.

Roach said it is important to keep a safe distance away from any animal that is behaving strangely and to call the proper authorities. For more information, visit the DPH rabies website.

Contact John Swinconeck at johnswinc@gmail.com. Follow @johnswinc on Twitter.

By By Jennifer Fenn Lefferts, Globe Correspondent

A search committee to find an interim superintendent/principal for the Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School voted Thursday night to recommend three finalists for the position.

Herbert Levine, Edward Malvey and Bella Wong, will now be interviewed by the full School Committee next week. All three have previous experience as superintendents.

Levine was most recently with the Peabody public schools and Malvey is currently superintendent at the Monson Public School District. Wong resigned as Wellesley’s superintendent at the end of last school year after her administration came under fire for uncollected lunch fees and a harsh audit of the business office.

The School Committee will interview Levine at 4 p.m. Monday, May 20; Wong at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 21; and Malvey at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21. The interviews will be held in the Library at Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School.

Scott Carpenter, the school’s current superintendent/principal, is leaving in July to be superintendent of the Monomoy Regional School District. The search for a permanent replacement will begin in the fall when more candidates are expected to be available.

Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at jflefferts@yahoo.com.

By Laura Gomez, Globe Correspondent

The weekend service suspension of the Fitchburg commuter rail line scheduled for May 4 has been postponed to begin on Saturday June 1, according to the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company.

Due to MBTA improvement projects on the line, service will not be available between the Fitchburg and South Acton stations on Saturdays and Sundays from June 1 to July 28. On Independence Day weekend (July 4 to July 7), weekend train service will be provided.

On Saturday August 3, weekend service will be suspended for the South Acton, West Concord, Concord, Lincoln, and Kendal Green stations until November 17. Weekend train service will be available on Labor Day weekend (August 31 to September 2).

Substitute buses will not be provided throughout the duration of the project.

Trains will terminate and originate at South Acton during the first phase of the project. During Phase 2, trains will terminate and originate at Brandeis/Roberts.

Phase 1: June 1 - July 28 (Fitchburg to/from South Acton)
Trains will terminate and originate at South Acton. During these weekend outages, the following stations will be closed:

• Fitchburg
• North Leominster
• Shirley
• Ayer
• Littleton/Route 495

Fitchburg line trains (inbound and outbound) between South Acton and North Station will operate on the normal weekend schedule.

Phase 2: August 3 - November 17 Fitchburg to/from Brandeis/Roberts
Trains will terminate and originate at Brandeis/Roberts. The following stations will be closed:

• South Acton
• West Concord
• Concord
• Lincoln
• Kendal Green (Weston)

Fitchburg line trains (inbound and outbound) between Brandeis/Roberts and North Station will operate on the normal weekend schedule.

Weekday service will not be impacted.

For more information, visit MBTA.com.