Six members of the School Committee voted for a seventh in a fair process. The most experienced candidate for the one-year seat, Paul Schlichtman, drew four votes and won. That was the right choice, in my view.

But that's far from the only story from those two hours on Thursday, May 3. Here are some others (you may have your own, and you're welcome to comment at the link on the main page):

-- Politically, the push to participate in Arlington counters national cynicism that leads to public malaise. Here, people *want* to take part.

The following opinion column was written by Sen. Ken Donnelly, who represents Arlington.

Residents of Massachusetts, and especially of the City of Woburn, remember the now-infamous case Anderson v. Cryovac, where Woburn residents brought suit against a local tannery whose use of toxic chemicals had contaminated the municipal water supply and subsequently poisoned people simply by drinking their tap water. 

The media attention that was brought to this case ranged from newspaper and magazine articles, to a best-selling book, and finally a movie, "A Civil Action."

However, despite the attention and awareness this case brought to the dangers of toxic chemicals, we are still far from eliminating these dangers.

In news reporting, names are important. They establish a connection with the factual world.

False names veer away from facts. The lack of a name leaves questions.

An Arlington resident raised a question this week on the Arlington email list about the reporting of the name of a 16-year-old girl following her tragic death. 

The poster, Joe Tully, wrote: 

Each chair of the School Committee imparts a style to the position that reflects who they are.

Joe Curran's was straightforward, like a sprinter headed for a goal. Joe Curro's was nuanced, with his signature "Reflection, Remembrance and Recognition" leading off each meeting.

Kirsi Allison-Ampe, newly elected as chair on Thursday, April 12, offered a list of aims, which set a serious tone. She also had a surprise, a game with a message.

Want to write a letter to the editor about a candidate for the town election? You still can.

Now that the The Advocate no longer accepts April 10 election letters after March 29, your campaign and the public have a daily -- an hourly -- alternative: Post letters in support of a candidate -- or not in support -- to YourArlington's blog, Your View. See how here >> 

YourArlington accepts letters supporting a candidate for the April 10 town election -- or not supporting a candidate -- sent directly to the publisher. All will be accepted until 7 a.m. on Election Day.

To be accepted for publication, letters may be of any length -- and must be signed with the author's real, full name and address.

Bill Ackerly and Ellen Mass of the Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR)  have sent the following letter sent to Cambridge Mayor Henrietta Davis, Vice Mayor Denise Simmons and City Councillor Minka vanBeuzekom, chair, council's environmental committee.

The Friends of Alewife Reservation (FAR) and its Board of Directors wish to inform you of our growing concerns surrounding the Alewife Reservation and its development proposals from the McKinnon Company and its many subsidiaries, and any additional real estate developers that the City is permitting in the area. 

FAR is a group that affirms the priority of smart-growth affordable housing development. Our goal is environmental open space protection in the age of climate change for Cambridge, because we are in a low-lying plain near the Atlantic ocean, and because we enjoy the great gift of inhabiting an urban wild as part of our municipal property on the Mystic River watershed, which is protected by US-EPA and by our Mystic River Watershed Association and its Mystic Steering Committee which meets regularly with state agencies about the watershed.

The following was sent by Cara Fraley:

After asking for help in the search for a lost greyhound, those involved confirmed that the dog was struck and killed by a train in Somerville on Sunday, March 11. The following was published earlier:

Alex, a black, male greyhound got loose in Medford on Saturday, March 10, around 10:30 p.m. in the Hillside area of Medford near Tufts. He was last seen on Orchard Street and is wearing a purple collar. The owner is Sara, 802-287-1234.

If anyone sees Alex, please make note of where and when, then please call Sara immediately. Please do not attempt to chase him, as greyhounds can be very nervous of strangers. You may scare him and cause him to run or hide.

The following is a letter from Elizabeth Pyle sent Feb. 26 to the Redistricting Committee and presented publicly March 6. It is published with permission.

The letter comments on proposed redistricting map 3, which has been replaced by No. 4, but it explains the "triple domino effect" of switching students between schools. The writer believes the same effect will occur with buffer zones in draft map 4, because providing students with a choice between two overcrowded schools (Dallin and Brackett) will also start a domino effect that will push kids into Bishop and then Stratton.

The signers of the letter would like the Committee to investigate a buffer zone between Dallin and Pierce (which is undercapacity) to reduce this problem.  It particularly matters to our neighborhood in the northeast corner of Brackett, because we would have to be bused to Bishop School, instead of easily walking to Brackett now, if we are pushed out of the district due to overcrowding at Dallin.