Week in Review: Celebrating Small Business

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

1. 40+ Charlestown Businesses You Should 'Like'—Patch is all about personal interactions on the web, and in honor of Small Business Saturday on Nov. 24, we came up with more than 40 Charlestown businesses that you should "like" on Facebook.
2. New Member Elected to Neighborhood Council—Local voters re-elected six incumbent Charlestown Neighborhood Association members and one new member to the seven at-large seats at an election held Saturday, Nov. 17 at the Knights of Columbus hall.
3. —Summer’s warmth is gone, and along with it goes Boston’s bicycle share program. The city was in the process of shutting down the Hubway bicycle system station-by-station last week, including the two stations in Charlestown.
4. Menino Staying in Hospital for Thanksgiving—Boston Mayor Thomas Menino remained in the hospital for Thanksgiving, with no set date for when he will be released.
5. One Bromfield Project Still On Hold—Plans to build a 28-story apartment and retail tower in the Downtown Crossing area remain on hold until further progress is made on the former Filene’s Basement site across the way.
6. Police Reports: Pair Arrested for Disorderly Conduct—Two people were arrested for disorderly conduct following a police investigation at Bunker Hill and Concord streets on Friday, Nov. 16.
7. Laptop Stolen from Homeland Security—Reports came in Monday morning about a search underway for a woman who may have taken a laptop and phone containing classified information from a Department of Homeland Security building in Charlestown.
8. Charlestown Residents Join Solar Power Program—Residential solar projects in Boston will double now that 116 homeowners have signed contracts to install solar projects through Solarize Mass-Boston.
9. Teamsters Local 25 Collecting Toys For Tots—Teamsters Local 25 in Charlestown will once again serve as a collection point for the U.S. Marine Corps' annual Toys for Tots holiday campaign.
10. At This Address: John Tapley's Yellow House on Common Street—History columnist Helen O’Neil tells the story of 14 Common St.

“Deck the House” Holiday Contest

This week, Patch is launching its annual “Deck the House” contest. We’re looking for the most over-the-top holiday decorations in America—the best “decked” house in the country—with a $100,000 grand prize awarded to the winner’s local school district.

Starting Monday, Nov. 26, Charlestown residents can enter the contest by visiting the “Deck the House” contest page and uploading a photo or video showing their house decorations. Entries will be accepted through Dec. 16. Along with the grand prize winner, Patch will select 24 regional finalists and pay up to $500 of each finalist’s utility bill. Happy holidays indeed, right? 

Talk About It

Charlestown Patch is all about you—the news and issues that matter to Charlestown 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.

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