Patch the Reindeer made his Northborough debut, riding the Holiday Trolley this weekend while making friends, and learning some new things along the way. We've got the video and image gallery to prove it. Did you meet Patch? Chance are you're in our coverage. A man who broke into a car in an over-50 community got community service, after running off with a GPS and some change from the vehicle. A Chelsea man's case was dropped by Westborough District Court, but was brought in front of Worcester's grand jury and charged with rape of a 12-year-old Northborough girl. Superintendent of Schools …

Remember that snowstorm at the end of October? Of course you do. Well, it forced the rescheduling of a lot of events. One of them was Rachel's Challenge, which is coming to the Melican School. Read about this very special anti-bullying program. Speaking of the snowstorm, many Patch readers have been asking about curbside service in regard to removing debris. The fact is, said Town Administrator John Coderre, that many towns don't offer this service—and neither does Northborough. It's a DIY situation, except where town property is concerned. The Northborough Fire Department is once again …

It's been three years since arson took down a section of strip mall in Northborough. Take a look back to pictures of the fire, and how Brown's TV is still recovering. Tess Herdman is definitely a Whiz Kid. She landed a role in the bigtime production of A Christmas Carol at Hanover Theatre. Santo Anza, owner of SA Farms, is in the news again. This week, he was ordered to stop bringing in fill to a location in Berlin. The new Sea Dog Steak & Ale in Northborough was featured on NECN's "TV Diner" with Billy Costa. It got a great review, too. People are still talking—er, disagreeing—about issues …

Did crime go up since the opening of Northborough Crossing in town? Well, statistically, yes, but the Northborough police are watching the stats, and responding. Craftworks, forced to move to make way for a bank, not only found a new location but is partnering up with a sewing store, creating a crafty and artsy all-in-one stop right here in Northborough. A new report from Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty in Hopkinton shows that the average home in Northborough is getting $174 per square foot. Actress Heidi Klum is the celebrity judge in a Patch-wide Halloween costume contest, where you…

Some harmful bacteria was found in Lake Chauncy, where many Northborough folks go for hiking, and others walk their dogs — another major concern. Northborough Patch posted a poll, asking, "Do you feel safe in Northborough's parks?" prompting lots of responses. As of now, 87 percent who answered our poll said they feel safe. How do you feel? The Algonquin boys soccer team kicked it, beating Milford this week, and we've got a stunning looking Viewfinder that captures the match in photos. Police departments were on the lookout for a woman who left a group home in Northborough and headed to …

BJ's is opening at Northborough Crossing, and the founder of Women of the Vine is attending. Northborough police are stepping up patrols at Assabet Park. Have you experienced any trouble down there? Some moms say have have, and they're angry. Now that the summer is over, Northborough Patch brought back Church Chat. This week's column put the spotlight on Rev. Judith Wright, the accomplished minister from First Parish Church who went to DC this past week. Our "moms columnist" Liz Nolan opened up the bi-weekly Backpack column this week, talking about StoryWalk, as well as a walk that was …

Applefest is this weekend, and there are more events during this one fest than some towns have all year. Check it out. The boys soccer team at Algonquin kicked off a win against the Shrewsbury Colonials this past week. Patch was at the net. Enrollment's up, enrollment's down. It depends on the school. This year's numbers remain somewhat steady from last year, though. This week's Whiz Kid is Zach Youssef, who is not only a Brown Belt, but has a lot more achievements under his belt. Algonquin quarterback Mike Halloran, as our athlete of the week, talks about what pumps him up, and what cools …

For those of you who were traveling this week, or simply too busy to keep up with us daily, here is a look back at the week's top five stories: 1. Northborough Schools Among the Best in the State - Boston Magazine named the Northborough-Southborough public schools the eighth best in Massachusetts in its region, joining such schools as Wayland, Lexington and Dover-Sherborn in the top honors. 2. Police Log: Neighborly and Fatherly Disputes, Arrests - This was a look at the daily police log along with some arrests. 3. Police Log: Sept. 5 and 6, Boys Fighting Over Soccer, Domestic Dispute - This …

Northborough's Elizabeth Dougherty is releasing her first novel, The Blind Pig, with a booksigning. A "culinary mystery" of sorts, Dougherty's foray into the published writing world mixes her knowledge of science and engineering with her love of writing. We got to know Tom Mead, principal of Alqonquin Regional High School. Photographer Jeff Loughlin captured the first day of school with this series of photos, our Viewfinder this week. Junior Priscilla Sena has been planning to return to LeadAmerica, a national leadership conference, ever since she was invited to attend LeadAmerica’s Global …

Of course Hurricane Irene has the attention of the media, and you. Among other Irene-related stories included one with the two chiefs — police and fire — and their advice on weathering out the storm. Our photographer, Jeff Loughlin, caught Jay Mantika in concert at the Northborough Free Library and featured a photo gallery from the event. Ready for school this Wednesday? This will help, knowing which bus your child should be on. They never did catch the guy, but the Northgate area of Northborough was in an uproar for much of Wednesday afternoon after an attempted break-in on Claflin Farm Lane…

Our photographer, Jeff Loughlin, captured The Exchange in pictures. This "unique boutique" celebrated an anniversary this week. We're always happy to support these local businesses. Andrew Sikora faced even more charges from the Northborough police department at the Westborough District Court this week. Sikora is accused of driving his snowmobile while drunk on the street and crashing it into a pole. Sea Dog Steak & Ale opened on Main Street this week, serving up a full menu family style. People have been asking, will Trombetta's Farm be open soon? Will ice cream lovers be able to get their …

In our "By the Numbers" weekly column, the police department provided us with some statistics about domestic violence in Northborough. "You Know You're From" type sites are popping up like dandelions on Facebook, and Northborough has had one for quite some time. But it's sitting there with no action. Is it time to get it going again? Our Whiz Kids this week are a group of neato Girl Scouts who earned the Silver Award. Pretty big stuff, and you can read about it here. Northborough Patch put the spotlight on Lori Diamond, singer and keyboard player from Northborough, in an arts and …

The Northborough Community Garden is flourishing. To celebrate, there's a grand opening ceremony coming up soon. And Northborough Patch headed over to the garden to capture the sprouting edibles in all its glory. Santo Anza Jr., the controversial owner of SA Farms in Northborough, filed a larceny complaint, stating that one of his work trailers was broken into and some miscellaneous tools — some of them very expensive — were taken. Our Whiz Kid this week's all about the animals, raising money to help them at the Worcester Animal Rescue League. Weigh in on the controversial subject of spanking…

Checking in with the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project, experts say the population of mosquitoes is down a bit, but the spraying still continues every Monday in select areas in Northborough. Northborough's Nick Krause is the number one ranked 18-year-old ski racer, and he's our athlete of the week. Read about this sporty high achiever. It's not always easy raising a kid with food allergies. Our moms columnist, Liz Nolan, delved into the subject this week. On Monday, we launched our Patch Passport, leading readers to kid-friendly fun, hidden gems, treasure hunts and more in town. …

This week, Northborough Patch discovered what's happening at those twin buildings being constructed across the street from Dunkin' Donuts on Main Street. It's going to be a restaurant, and a lot more. Read about the process, and watch a video on the endearing Greek guy who's making it all happen. Our Whiz Kids this week include five girls who took it upon themselves to form their own book club. They made it happen. It's awesome. Read how and why. Selectman Leslie Rutan questioned the fact that Northborough has a lot of missing street signs. It turns out, the town has more than its fair share …

Northborough All-Stars gave it a good run, but lost to Grafton in the district 5 quarterfinals. The tight game ended with an 8-6 loss for the Northborough baseball team. Two suspects were apprehended by Northborough police on Thursday, one of them who had fled into the woods off Brewer Street near Church Street after dropping his stolen goods on the street. The summer concert series sponsored by the Community Affairs Committee kicked off this week in Ellsworth McAffee Park wtih a show by Nu Direxion. Check our Viewfinder on Thursday for a photo gallery and video of the show, and the people in…

The WPI Robotics team visited the Northborough Free Library this week, helping kids to not only understand robots, but encouraging them to join FIRST robotics teams for themselves. Northborough Patch captured the visit in video. The skateboarders of Northborough were captured in photos in our Viewfinder gallery this week. There are some stunning shots of the tricks. It has been more than 30 years since there was a murder in Northborough, and that one happened after a marriage counseling session that apparently didn't go too well. The Whiz Kid this week was Conor Donovan, who shares his …

The Northborough Senior Center held its annual picnic. A barbecue, strawberry shortcake and a show by Jug O' Punch made it a great time. Northborough Patch was there, and captured the event with a photo gallery and video. The town lost a good friend this week in Adele Beatty, who lost her battle with cancer. Beatty was the town clerk for quite a few years, and continued to serve Northborough by volunteering her time. Here, present clerk Andy Dowd remembers Beatty. The driver bent over to pick up some papers off the floor, and ended up swiping two telephone poles on Church Street. Northborough…

No one was hurt, but a fire claimed the business of Wayne's Pools and Spas at 250 West St. in Northborough late Thursday night. The fire required assistance from more than four other towns. The charges against SA Farm owner Santo Anza were dismissed in Westborough District Court on Thursday. If you've been following this one, you know that Anza's presence has created quite a bit of controversy in town, and certain neighbors aren't very happy about it. Realtor Heidi Zizza asked "Is that a Candygram or a Shark at the Door" this week, cautioning house sellers to be careful during the house …