Champion teams see a lifeline in February...

Sep 17, 2020 by

Football, volleyball & swim will compete in ’21 Published September 18, 2020 COMING OFF their Super Bowl-winning season, the Melrose Red Raider football team’s season has been moved to a “Fall’2” wedge season to take place from February – April. (file photo)  By JENNIFER GENTILE  MELROSE—Some of Melrose High’s most popular sports teams won’t see varsity play until 2021 after the Middlesex League voted to pass a modified version of fall high school sports on September 4 that didn’t include a handful of fall sports. Being postponed to a Fall-2 “wedge season” from Feb-April are football, cheer, girls’ swim, volleyball and Unified Basketball. It’s good news, however, for cross country, golf, field hockey and soccer, who will see play this fall starting in late September. That’s if another shoe doesn’t drop. And in 2020, it’s been raining Jimmy Choos.  The move...

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City has small business grants

Sep 17, 2020 by

Published September 18, 2020 MELROSE — COVID-19 has presented significant challenges to many small businesses, and several have struggled to remain open during this pandemic. To provide support to local business owners, Mayor Paul Brodeur worked with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to apply for a state and federally funded micro-enterprise grant program. Melrose has been selected to participate in the program, making over $175,000 available in total funding for local merchants and business owners. “Our small businesses are one of the key elements of what makes Melrose such a unique community. Watching how the pandemic has upended how they operate has been challenging, so I am glad that we are able to make this funding available to alleviate that hardship,” Brodeur said. The funding is being utilized to address emergency needs in light...

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Ell Pond Committee turns 50

Sep 17, 2020 by

Published September 18, 2020 MELROSE — Long a force for positive change, the Ell Pond Improvement Council, Inc. celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Formed originally in 1970 as the Activity, Beauty and Conservation (ABC) Committee, EPIC is a non-profit 501(c)3 whose mission is to expand and improve the pond’s shoreline greenways and walking paths and improve water quality. Melrosians who enjoy the pond area have seen some of the projects we’ve accomplished, including creation of the Crystal Street/DeForge Park shoreline greenway; improvements to the knoll shoreline greenway, including addition of a rain garden; planting of hundreds of native shoreline trees and shrubs as part of our annual “Green and Clean” days and other grant programs; and monitoring of storm drain bacterial levels. Some readers may also remember our mostly-musical Ell Pond Festivals held from...

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Share a story with us

Sep 17, 2020 by

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month Published September 18, 2020 MELROSE — October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In our effort to raise awareness of the disease and, especially, highlight the hope of remission and recovery, we are asking the following of our readers: • Do you have a personal story to share or know someone who has waged a courageous battle against breast cancer? • Do you know of individuals, organizations, agencies or medical professionals who have stepped up to support patients and their families as they navigate through the challenges of the disease? We hope to showcase these stories in the Melrose Weekly News next month. Please send submissions to melroseweeklynews@rcn.com. Thank you in advance for...

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Joan Crawford, 89

Sep 17, 2020 by

Published September 18, 2020 NORTH READING — Joan (Rolfe) Crawford, 89, of North Reading, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 9, 2020. She was the daughter of the late Frederick W. Rolfe, Jr. and Ariel M. (Decker) Rolfe of Malden and Melrose, and the sister of the late Edwin D. Rolfe. Joan grew up in Melrose and graduated from Melrose High School, Class of 1948 and Boston University, Class of 1950. She married her high school sweetheart, the late Charles Whitney (Whit) Crawford, in 1951. They were married 58 years until his death in 2009. She was the devoted mother of Michael and his wife Carol of Rockport, Richard and his wife Anne of Melrose, the late Steven of North Reading, Brian and his wife Karla of Youngsville, La., Philip and his wife Ellen...

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Kathleen R. Courtney, 84

Sep 17, 2020 by

Published September 18, 2020 SUFFOLK, Va. — Kathleen R. (Theodore) Courtney, 84, of Suffolk, Va., formerly of Melrose, passed away on Sept. 8, 2020. She was born in Chelsea on March 17, 1936 to the late Alexander and Alice (Clark) Theodore. Kathleen worked for many years as a switchboard operator for the New England Telephone Company. She is survived by her four sons: Robert, Kenneth, Brian and Scott. She is also survived by her granddaughter Suzanne and four great-grandchildren. A graveside prayer service was held on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit...

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