Week in Review: Patch Chats with Gov. Patrick and Pumpkins Arrive in Needham

Life gets busy, and Patch certainly understands that. So with that in mind, here are a few stories you might have missed on Needham Patch this week:

1. Newton Man Arrested for Flashing Women on Walking Path—A Newton man was arrested for open and gross lewdness Thursday after allegedly exposing himself to women on a walking path in Needham.
2. Live Chat with Gov. Patrick—Gov. Deval Patrick answered reader's questions during Patch's live chat from 1:30-2:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27. Click "replay" to read what he said.
3. PHOTOS: The Pumpkin Patch Is Back!—Those traveling along Highland Avenue into downtown Needham this week likely discovered that a fun, fall tradition is back—the Pumpkin Patch at Carter Memorial United Methodist Church.
4. Staples To Close Dozens of Stores—Staples, which has a store in Needham, will close 30 of its North American stores to try to boost revenue.
5. Thermal Images Reveal Needham Homes' Energy Loss—Sagewell Inc., a company based in Woburn, captured hundreds of thermal images of homes in Needham and other area towns last winter, using a drive-by, shoot-from-the-street process similar to Google mapping. Now, the company is making those images available to homeowners free of charge via their secure website, and encouraging residents to take the next step by arranging a free in-home assessment of their energy usage.
6. New Van Keeps Council on Aging's Busy Grocery Program Moving—Thanks to a generous donation from the Friends of the Needham Elderly and a Mobility Assistance Program Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Council on Aging recently received a new 14-passenger van, complete with wheelchair lift and other features that help make travel easy and enjoyable for the many Needham residents participating in council programs.
7. PHOTOS: Last Look at Needham's Adirondack Chairs—More than 40 unique public art pieces were auctioned off on Saturday to benefit town beautification projects and high school scholarships.
8. Beth Israel Hospital Kicks Off 100-Year Celebration—Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Needham launched a celebration of its 100 years at work with a 1912-themed birthday party last week. The hospital's next big centennial celebration will be the 14th annual fundraising gala on Oct. 26.
9. SURVEY: Democrats Say Warren Should Focus on Brown's Republican Connection—Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren should focus on Sen. Scott Brown's Republican affiliation and continue to tie him to the national GOP during the final stretch of his campaign: that's the main finding of this week's Blue Commonwealth survey of influential Massachusetts Democrats.
10. SURVEY: Mass. Republicans Say Brown Should Focus on Economy To Beat Warren—Republican Sen. Scott Brown should focus on the economy during the final stretch of his campaign to fend off Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren's rise in the polls: that's the main finding of this week's Red Commonwealth survey of influential Massachusetts Republicans.

Sound Off

Needham Patch is all about you—the news and issues that matter to Needham readers. That’s why we occasionally ask readers to respond to polls, talk about local or state issues and submit their own photos and videos as part of our online community.

• What do you think about the quality of officiating in the NFL?
• Should a convicted rapist get parental rights?
• Should the State Install High-Speed Tolls on I-93?

Did we miss something? Send news tips, comments and suggestions to Becca.Manning@patch.com.