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MPL welcomes Dog Psychologist Ray McSoley

MPL welcomes Dog Psychologist Ray McSoley

By Alana DiPlacido Hometown Weekly Reporter Nothing gathers a crowd quite like dogs do, so it was no surprise that every chair in Medfield Public Library’s (MPL) meeting room was filled with an audience member excited to hear Ray McSoley, a successful dog psychologist, speak. McSoley began the talk by defining his ethos in dog training through...

Westwood Robotics secures prestigious STEM honor

Westwood Robotics secures prestigious STEM honor

Founded in 2006, Westwood Robotics “The Wolverines” is a close-knit high school team that consists of around thirty members and three mentors. Each year, they compete in competitions organized by FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an international association that creates team-based robotics challenges. One such challenge is the FIRST Robotics Competition...

Dover Kitchen brings new life to Dover

Dover Kitchen brings new life to Dover

By Lenny Strauss Hometown Weekly Reporter In this week’s local restaurant feature, we will be covering Dover Kitchen, a gourmet deli which opened up in August 2024 in the back of Dover Market, located in the center of Dover, MA. What starts out as an unassuming convenience store with readily available packaged items and beverages as you...

Needham native stars in “Eephus”

Needham native stars in “Eephus”

By Lenny Strauss Hometown Weekly Reporter The Eephus is one of the rarest pitches thrown in baseball, known for its exceptionally low speed and ability to catch a hitter off guard. Former Pittsburg Pirate Maurice Van Robays, who coined the name, stated that the "Eephus ain't nothing, and that's a nothing pitch." In Hebrew, the word "efes"...

Discussions on spirituality at NFPL

Discussions on spirituality at NFPL

By Alana DiPlacido Hometown Weekly Reporter A group of interested audience members gathered in Needham Free Public Library’s (NFPL) Community Room to hear author Paul Fisher speak. Fisher, a Wellesley College professor of American Studies and an author of multiple books, had come to speak about the James’ family and their relationship with the popular movement of...

Historic Three-Peat for Medfield hockey

Historic Three-Peat for Medfield hockey

What began in 2022 ended with perfection in 2025, as the class of 2029 swept all three regular season and playoff championships in the Foxboro Sports Center Junior High School league, an overall 50-15-4 record, and netminders’ Alexander Bird and Jacob Mula’s eye-popping +212 goal differential. The road to a third-consecutive championship started with a season-opening...

Dr. Choueiri rides to cure cancer

Dr. Choueiri rides to cure cancer

By Lenny Strauss Hometown Weekly Reporter The battle against cancer is made up of stories, from patients, to doctors, their families, and to the countless people who dedicate themselves to finding the cure. Former President of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Edward Benz once said, “When they write the history of how cancer was conquered, the Pan-Mass Challenge...

Medfield seeks input on opioid settlement funds

Medfield seeks input on opioid settlement funds

In response to the opioid epidemic, Massachusetts joined numerous states in filing lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies. On July 21, 2021, the Commonwealth received its first financial settlement from these resolved cases, which held several companies accountable for their role in the ongoing crisis. Massachusetts continues to participate in resolving additional litigation, with...

Dover residents weigh in on generational ban on tobacco

Dover residents weigh in on generational ban on tobacco

By Lenny Strauss Hometown Weekly Reporter The Dover Board of Health held a remote meeting to discuss the proposed tobacco/nicotine ordinance to individuals born after a certain date via Zoom on March 3, 2025, at 6:30PM. Members of the committee discussed the proposed ordinance and its application, setting the stage for a heated dialogue around tobacco use...

Dover advances MBTA zoning compliance efforts

Dover advances MBTA zoning compliance efforts

The Dover Planning Board is pleased to announce details of the town’s efforts to comply with the MBTA Communities Act. Dover’s Planning Board is working to comply with the MBTA Communities Act zoning requirements under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40A, Section 3A. The Board will post a public survey on March 4, followed by a public...

28 years of Hometown Weekly

28 years of Hometown Weekly

It was March 6, exactly 28 years ago today, when Hometown Weekly delivered its first newspapers. This pivotal date marks the start of one of the area’s most successful and enduring local newspaper chains. Launched in 1997, this enterprise was the undertaking of two young entrepreneurs, Paul Stanton and Michael DeSario, colleagues at the former...

Swinning appointed as second Poet Laureate

Swinning appointed as second Poet Laureate

A unanimous Westwood Select Board has accepted the recommendation of the Westwood Poet Laureate Selection Committee and appointed Beth Swinning as Westwood’s second Poet Laureate, for a two-year term to begin June 1. Swinning brings a wealth of talents and skills to this honorary position—as a teacher/librarian at Martha Jones Elementary School in Westwood, a...

DSHS presents: “Into the Woods”

DSHS presents: “Into the Woods”

Over 50 Dover-Sherborn High School (DSHS) cast, crew, and set designers are deep into preparation for “Into the Woods,” the Stephen Sondheim musical that weaves together the classic fairy tales of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and characters following their wishes and resulting consequences as they venture into the woods. The students,...

Exploring New England’s Fairy Lore at MPL

Exploring New England’s Fairy Lore at MPL

By Alana DiPlacido Hometown Weekly Reporter A group of readers gathered at the Medfield Public Library (MPS) to hear Andrew Warburton, the author of “New England Fairies,” discuss his book. After settling in around a shared table, Warburton led the group in a discussion of the history of fairy lore in New England. Rather than lecture to an...

Needham Wrestlers compete at D1 State Tournament

Needham Wrestlers compete at D1 State Tournament

By Junior Captain Daniel Burdin Community Contributor On Saturday, February 15th, Rockets participated in Division 1 Central/Metro Section tournament held at Malden High School. Four Needham wrestlers qualified for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Division 1 State Wrestling Tournament. Wrestling at 126 pounds, junior Nathan Taub placed 1st in D1 Central/Metro section. Junior Captain Daniel Burdin placed...

First State Title for Walpole Softball

First State Title for Walpole Softball

The Walpole High School softball team celebrated a historic achievement on February 10, 2025, as they proudly unveiled their Division 2 championship banner—the first state title in Walpole High School history. Their championship run culminated on June 15, 2024 at UMass Amherst’s softball field, when they defeated Westfield High School 1-0 in a thrilling state Division...

Swim & Dive State Championship

Swim & Dive State Championship

Swim & Dive State Championship The girls MIAA Swim & Dive State Championships were held on February 15, 2025 at Boston University. Medfield High School Senior divers Greta Ten Hagen came in 17th and Sophie Shield 13th place. MHS Junior swimmer Jordan Lovino came in 14th in the 200 free and 11th in the 500 free! Congratulations to these...

Westwood’s Germano presented Post Cane Award

Westwood’s Germano presented Post Cane Award

By Alana DiPlacido Hometown Weekly Reporter Friends, family, and peers gathered at the Westwood Council of Aging (COA) to honor Eddie Germano as the town’s oldest citizen and the recipient of the Boston Post Cane. Germano, who turned 100 this past November, was the next recipient of this honor. The tradition of the Boston Post Cane began...

Blake hosts historically successful blood drive

Blake hosts historically successful blood drive

Superintendent Jeffrey J. Marsden and Thomas Blake Middle School Principal Nat Vaughn are pleased to share that students recently hosted their most successful blood drive in the initiative’s 11-year history. “Words can’t fully express my gratitude for being part of such an incredible community,” said social studies teacher and blood drive coordinator Cynthia McClelland. “Once again,...

Zullo seeks to secure its future

Zullo seeks to secure its future

In 1988, when a group of arts supporters sought to establish the non-profit Zullo Gallery Center for the Arts in the historic building at 456 Main St. in Medfield, it benefited from landlords who believed in the gallery mission to advance and support the arts, and who have supported it themselves with extremely reasonable lease...

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