On the fast track to nowhere

Michele McDonald for the Boston Globe

The MBTA’s plan to eliminate late-night and weekend commuter rail service comes at a time when commuter rail was supposed to be expanding in the region.

MEDWAY, MARLBOROUGH

Energy-savings bug bites towns

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council last week selected Medway, Marlborough and six other towns to take part in its new Local Energy Action Program.

Moving Concord toward food independence

Concord is at the center of a study by a group of graduate students from the Conway School of Landscape Design to assess the town’s readiness to provide its own food.

Musician’s self-published titles are hits

Justin Locke, of Waltham, has forged a path in self-publishing that’s helped him sell almost 5,000 copies of his two books — a success by any publishing standard.

CONCORD

Library workers turning to union

Fed up with what employees call a lack of respect from management, workers from the Concord Free Public Library are trying to join a municipal employees union.

Newton

School superintendent tops Newton salaries

The school superintendent, police and fire chiefs, police officers, and a handful of teachers ranked among 190 Newton public employees who earned more than $100,000 last year.

Arlington

Arlington urged to centralize finances

A report by the state Department of Revenue recommending Arlington consolidate its financial operations is drawing fire from the town’s three-term treasurer.

South

Bulger’s long ties to south suburbs

James J. “Whitey’’ Bulger’s name will always be associated with South Boston, but several of his alleged victims and their families are from communities south of Boston.

Beverly Beckham

Beverly Beckham

What did you do with your talents?

Dorothy Gilman was best known as the creator of Mrs. Pollifax spy novels. But she also wrote “A New Kind of Country’’ a book that changed columnist Beverly Beckham’s life.

The Book Buzz

Book Buzz

‘Nemesis’ by Philip Roth

Sarah Berman of Milton talks about the Philip Roth novel “Nemesis,’’ which deals with an outbreak of polio in the summer of 1944 in New Jersey.

Readers can contact the Globe West staff by mail at: 111 Speen Street, Framingham, MA, 01710; Phone: 508-820-4202; Fax: 508-820-4258

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MEDWAY | BRIEFS

Shamrock Shuffle registration

NORFOLK | BRIEFS

Dog licenses now online

WESTBOROUGH | BRIEFS

New hiking trail available

SHREWSBURY | BRIEFS

School plans night-out event

LITTLETON | BRIEFS

Voter participation studied

MILLIS | BRIEFS

New police chief selected

STOW | BRIEFS

Refuge to increase parking

MEDFIELD | BRIEFS

Affordable-housing concerns

PEPPERELL | BRIEFS

Preschool information fair

PLAINVILLE | BRIEFS

Fun Fair volunteers sought

FRANKLIN | BRIEFS

Art association show at library

BOXBOROUGH | BRIEFS

Nomination papers available

NORTHBOROUGH | BRIEFS

Photography classes at library

DUNSTABLE | BRIEFS

Kindergarten meeting

UPTON | BRIEFS

Town Hall funds to be voted on

SUDBURY | BRIEFS

Grants for home repairs

LINCOLN | BRIEFS

National park hosts lectures

BELLINGHAM | BRIEFS

Updated parking, loading rules

CARLISLE | BRIEFS

Survey on household recycling

HUDSON | BRIEFS

Condo architect wins award