By Mike Giesta, Globe Correspondent

The Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization will host the 2013 boys' state finals Saturday at Fort Devens.

The matchups:

* Division 1A: Scituate vs. Needham, noon

* Division 2: Andover vs. Milton, noon

* Division 1: Bishop Hendricken, R.I. vs. Belmont, 1:30 p.m.

Needham coach Diana Parkhurst is excited about her team’s rematch against defending champion Scituate.

“This is the first year we moved into varsity status here at the high school,” Parkhurst said. “But we’ve been a part of the tournament before.”

Her Rockets finished the season undefeated, and knocked off Scituate, 35-12, a week ago..

“We lost to Scituate last year in the finals,” said Parkhurst. “This is a big chance for redemption for us.”

Scituate coach Tucker Patterson, well aware of the recent history between the two squads, said “Needham is strong. But it’s rugby and anything can happen, we’re hoping to win.”

And beyond tomorrow, Patterson is excited for the future of the sport.

“It’s a growing sport in high school,” Patterson said. “Most schools are strictly club teams, and we are trying to get MIAA approved at some point down the road.”

In addition to the three state finals, a number of teams from across the state will be participating in jamboree at the site.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

The works of Thomas Gaitley, a Needham-based fine arts photographer who specializes in landscapes, will be on display in Dover starting this month through June in an exhibit that is free and open to the public, according to organizers.

The exhibit will be on display at Dover Town Library from May 25 through June 29.

Gaitley is a juried member of the award-winning New England Photography Guild, and has been photographing as fine art for more than three decades.

He was a student of the renowned photographer Galen Rowell, and credits Rowell’s skill with light and composition as a major influence in his own approach to making photographic art.

All of the photographs that will be on exhibit in Dover are original works, and while they include a growing body of images from around the world, viewers may be most drawn to Gaitley’s New England landscapes, from the countryside to the sea, organizers said.

Gaitley said in a statement that he channels emotional responses when taking landscape photographs.

“I constantly question the emotions I feel as I view the world around me," Gaitley said. "Bringing the features that capture the moment to prominence and concentrating on the emotion behind the vision is my ultimate goal.”

Many of the photographs on exhibit will be for sale to the public, with 10 percent of the proceeds donated to the Friends of the Dover Library.

For hours, directions, and more information on the exhibit, visit the Dover library's website or call 508-785-8113.

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

Jeremy C. Fox for Boston.com

The Wang YMCA of Chinatown is one of 13 branches of the Greater Boston YMCA offering free Get Summer memberships for teens.

By Jeremy C. Fox, Town Correspondent

The YMCA of Greater Boston is encouraging teens to get active this summer, offering free memberships at all 13 branches around the city, it announced Wednesday.

Young people 13 to 17 are eligible for the free access, offered as a part of the Y’s Get Summer program. The program seeks to engage students while school is out through arts, college admission tutoring, community service projects, dances, field trips, leadership programs, literacy, nutrition classes, sports, and other activities.

“The YMCA of Greater Boston is the place for teens to turn to for academic assistance, employment, life skills advancement and healthy fun,” Kevin Washington, chief executive officer of the YMCA of Greater Boston, said in a statement. “It’s our goal to make every teen feel welcome and know that we want them at our branches and we want them to succeed.”

Last year 5,655 teens used the program to get free memberships, the YMCA said. The offer includes branches in Brighton, Charlestown, Chinatown, Dorchester, East Boston, the Fenway, Hyde Park, Needham, Reading, Roxbury, Waltham, West Roxbury, and Woburn.

Teens can enroll at any branch location by bringing their valid state or student identification or having a parent present. A summer membership will give them access to all member privileges, including group exercise classes, workout equipment, pools, teen center activities and special teen programs. The free memberships will extend from June 29 to Sept. 2.

June 28 will be the final school day for 2012 – 2013 in Boston Public Schools. The 2013 – 2014 school year will begin on Sept. 4 for grades 1 – 12 and on Sept. 9 for kindergarten students in Boston Public Schools.

For more information about the Get Summer program, visit ymcaboston.org/teens or on Facebook at facebook.com/ymcabostonteens.

Correction: Due to an error in a statement provided by the YMCA, this article originally stated that free memberships would extend from June 22 to Sept. 7.

Jeremy C. Fox can be reached at jeremy.fox@globe.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @jeremycfox.
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Simon and Sons, a tuxedo and suit business, will be moving their Newton storefront to 679 Highland Ave. in Needham, which currently houses Party Works. The party shop will close this month; the tuxedo store will move there in mid-August.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Simon and Sons, a 108-year-old men's and boy's clothing store, will move from its Newton storefront home of the past 20 years to a more spacious spot in Needham this summer, said owner Paul Simon.

The shop, currently located on Needham Street in Newton, will be taking the 5,100 square foot space currently housing Party Works on Highland Avenue in Needham. The owners of the party shop recently announced that they will retire and close the store at the end of May.

But for Simon and Sons owner Paul Simon, the move proves a big win for the clothier shop started by his grandfather in 1905 on the streets of Back Bay.

"We're really excited about the Needham location," Simon said over the phone Monday. "It's only a mile down the road from our current location, but we feel it's easier to access for our customers. It's only 200 yards to highway, there's easier parking, and the new store is bigger. Plus, there isn't the congestion of Needham Street."

Simon said he plans to begin renovations at the new Highland Avenue location in June, and will move to the new location - ambitiously, without closing his shop for even one day - in mid-August.

"We’re going to move overnight," he said, laughing. "We’ll close early, roll everything down the street on rolling racks, rent some trucks, and be ready the next day for business."

Simon, who is the third generation running the store, said he is the only one in his family left in the business.

"My father and uncles have gotten older and have chosen to retire," he said. "They're past their working years."

And when asked if Simon's own children - two high-school aged kids - would take over the business in the years to come, he laughed again.

"They come in and help in the store when we need them, but I don’t know," he said. "It's too early to tell if they’ll take over."

For more information on Simon and Sons, visit their website.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Gabriel Gomez, the Republican candidate for the US Senate seat vacated by John Kerry, will address local business leaders later this month during an event hosted by the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce.

At the event, Gomez will speak to area residents, focusing mainly on business-related topics, and will then take questions from the audience. The forum will be held Thursday, May 23 at 8 a.m. at the Newton Health Care Center, located at 2101 Washington St. in Newton.

Gomez, a 47-year-old private equity investor from Cohasset, is making his first run for higher office against US Rep. Edward Markey, the Democratic candidate who spent the pasr 36 years in Congress. Gomez is the son of Colombian immigrants and a former Navy SEAL.

The chamber has also invited Markey to appear at a similar forum on a different, to-be-announced date.

The Gomez event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is requested.

For more information on the event, visit the chamber's website.

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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Needham School Committee member Marianne B. Cooley will run unopposed for the Board of Selectmen this June during a special town election, according to the town clerk's office.

Cooley will be running for the seat vacated by the late Jerry Wasserman, who died in February at the age of 65 after battling cancer. Then chairman of the board, Wasserman had served as a selectman for over a decade.

The special election will take place June 25, the same day as the special Senate election pitting Democrat Congressman Edward Markey against Republican Gabriel Gomez.

The last day to return papers to run for the selectman's seat was Tuesday at 5 p.m., and Cooley was the only one to do so, according to the town clerk's office. Unless another candidate wages a successful write-in campaign for the seat, Cooley will win de-facto.

Voters have until June 5 to register for the election, and the clerk's office will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day to accommodate anyone who wishes to do so. Locals can also apply for absentee ballots up until noon the day before the election.

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By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent

All 13 branches of the YMCA of Greater Boston are offering free 2013 memberships to victims of the Marathon bombings and free one-month memberships to local first responders.

“It’s at times like these that our community needs to come together to heal,” said a statement from YMCA of Greater Boston CEO Kevin Washington. “We all feel an acute need to extend ourselves in any way we can to offer support.”

“Since the YMCA stands for healthy living and social responsibility, we thought we could uniquely give back to the victims who are learning to find their strength and physical well-being again,” he added. “In the spirit of the Boston Marathon and the City of Boston, we are pleased to serve those affected by the bombings in their healing process.”

Memberships for emergency service personnel, including police, firefighters and emergency medical technicians, will be free during May.

Memberships for bombing victims will be free through the end of 2013.

For more information, visit ymcaboston.org or email info@ymcaboston.org.

E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com.
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By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

Needham Annual Town Meeting voted Monday night to pass a 10-month moratorium that would temporarily prevent any medical marijuana dispensaries from opening in town, according to officials at Town Hall.

The moratorium, popular in many Massachusetts communities since Attorney General Martha Coakley deemed them lawful earlier this spring, would give Needham officials until March 1, 2014 to investigate where dispensaries should potentially be located according to zoning.

The article was sponsored by the Board of Selectmen and supported by the town's Planning Board.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is expected to issue final regulations governing medical marijuana later this month.

Massachusetts voters passed a ballot question in November allowing for the use of medicinal marijuana for patients with certain medical conditions. Patients would be allowed to receive up to a 60-day supply of marijuana.

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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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The Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation of Needham to show support for the businesses in Boston’s Back Bay impacted by the April 15 Boston Marathon bombing, according to a press release.

On Wednesday, May 8, Fairway and the chamber will be offering free round-trip bus rides to the Back Bay in an effort to encourage chamber members and others in the community to shop and dine at local businesses that lost income due to shut down of their operations following the attack.

“Like many we were looking for a way to support those impacted by the tragic events on April 15,” said Amy Tierce, regional vice president for Fairway Independent Mortgage. “Reading about the lost revenue, damaged storefronts and inventory and fears that some businesses may not survive really hit home for me as a small business owner.”

“It’s unusual for the Newton-Needham Chamber to be promoting commerce outside of our two communities but this is a very worthy exception,” said chamber president Greg Reibman. “We’re really pleased to be standing in solidarity with the businesses in the Back Bay and we’re grateful to Amy Tierce and Fairway for creating this program and inviting our members to participate.”

Fairway has reached out to 20 businesses on Boylston Street, all of which are interested in participating in some way. Some restaurants will be featuring special menus and drinks, other businesses will provide special promotions or coupons for participants.

The motor coach will depart at 11 a.m. from 375-395 Eliot Street, Newton, across from Echo Bridge Mall at the corner of Eliot and Chestnut (cars may be parked in the overflow lot and left for the day).

Between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. attendees will be free to enjoy all that Boylston Street has to offer; dining, shopping and special offers from some of the businesses.

The motor coach will leave Boston at 3 p.m., returning to 375-395 Eliot Street by 4 p.m.

Transportation, event buttons, gift bags, coupons and promotions will be provided to all who participate For those who may want to participate but do not need transportation, the Charlesmark Hotel at 655 Boylston St. will have the gift bags and pins available for people to pick up there as well.

Space is limited and transportation is first come, first served.

Contact Amy at asteinberg@fairwaymc.com or phone at 781-719-4664 to reserve your space.

Deadline for registration is Monday May 6.