Weekly Recap: Water Rates, Superintendent's 100 Day Plan, Readers' Choice

Here are some of the highlights from Melrose Patch's news coverage this past week. This is only a small sample—to see all the coverage, click on the News tab on the navigation bar.

To see your neighbors' news, check out our Announcements section under News.

Also, check out the read Local Voices bloggers' latest posts, and start blogging yourself—no application necessary!

Top Three Articles of the Week

After another lengthy meeting filled with strident voices from both residents and city officials, and with an amended proposal to soften the impact this coming year, a from the Melrose Board of Aldermen on Monday night.

Facing a school system still in flux, new Melrose Schools Superintendent Cyndy Taymore is laying out a in four specific areas by the end of October.

Cast your vote by Aug. 17 and help us in the final round of our Readers' Choice contest.

Election 2012

Jeff Semon and Frank Addivinola both want to oust Rep. Ed Markey from his 5th Congressional District seat in Congress and for the right to face Markey.

A majority of influential Massachusetts Democrats think from those Massachusetts voters who usually vote Democratic: that's the main finding of Patch's Inaugural Blue Commonwealth survey.

Police and Fire

The Middlesex County deputy sheriff who was found dead after an in Billerica Wednesday , according to the Lowell Sun.

Knocked over gravestones, a false prescription, report of sexual assault and more in

Government

located on Ravine Road and Swains Pond Avenue, the Melrose Health Department announced in a press release on Thursday.

A bill that toughens sentences for violent repeat-offenders passed the Senate last Thursday after having been approved overwhelmingly in the House Wednesday evening, with .

According to numbers from the U.S. Census, 4.7 percent of people in Melrose live below the poverty level—.

Real Estate

While statewide foreclosure activity somewhat abated in June and advertised foreclosure auctions in Melrose fell compared to last year, , according to the latest figures from The Warren Group.

Opinion

Vote for the street in the city that you think is the out the streets suggested by fellow readers.

Patricia Wright takes exception, in a letter to the editor, to at Monday's aldermen's committee meeting.