Weekly Recap: Superintendent Finalists and More

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, and read Local Voices bloggers' latest posts.

Top Articles of the Week

Melrose Patch live blogged from the public meetings and School Committee interviews with finalists for the Melrose Public Schools superintendent positions, and wrapped up each the next day with selected highlights:

• Dr. James Kelleher— and .
• Ms. Cyndy Taymore— and .
• Dr. Steven Hiershe— and .
• From last week, Dr. William Hart— and .
• This Wednesday we'll be covering the meeting and interview with Dr. Kristan Rodriguez.

Eight-year-old Sam Egan took to the stage again on Saturday for the 13th annual Fitness for a Cure . Sam was also selected by Patch partner The Huffington Post as its Greatest Person of the Day on Friday.

We asked which playground or park most needs some TLC (tender loving care) from the city, and several people commented about Gooch Park. .

Police and Fire

, who were serving a warrant at 306 Main St. in Melrose on a man wanted for allegedly violating his probation, Melrose Police Chief Mike Lyle said.

Shoplifting at CVS, reports of vandalism and more in .

Arts

On Saturday, Polymnia Choral Society held a concert featuring Gabriel Fauré's "Requiem" and other works from the  Romantic Revolution age. .

Business

We conducted a and 56 percent said this quarter (Jan.-March) was better than the same quarter last year. And more than 69 percent of the 82 business owners that answered the survey said . We now want to know how our other Patch readers are faring in this economy—.

Schools

A new national report places Massachusetts among the states with the strongest gains in high school graduation rates between 2002 and 2009—?

Five MVMMS kids' creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills enabled them to place first at the Destination ImagiNation Metro North Regional Tournament on Saturday, March 17. .

Opinion

Marie Ryan asked her fellow residents to

Melrose Patch asked you whether or not you thought that the MBTA should give fines to riders who take up too much space on crowded buses or trains, and . 

The Neighborhood Files

With the unusually warm temperatures this past week, Clayton Heims, lawn and garden manager at Mahoney's Garden Center in Winchester, offered these

Best of Readers' Choice

In this week's Melrose Patch Readers' Choice contest, . Out of the two dozen businesses considered, , receiving the most votes, 241 (34 percent of total votes cast), and the most 5-star reviews on their Places listing.

Local Voices Bloggers

Moderno Salon offered some examples of Now you too can speak salon!

Maxed out on your IRA and 401(k)? .

Jim Morse gave us his monthly .