Last Week Included a Tropical Storm and Top 10

After Hurricane Irene blew through on Sunday, the other top stories of the past week in Hamilton and Wenham included a top 10 ranking for the school district from Boston magazine and an ongoing discussion about whether both towns should hold Town Meeting on the same day.

1. Hurricane Irene

When Hurricane Irene made it to the two towns, it was Tropical Storm Irene. The storm’s impact was . Several thousand electric customers lost power – some for longer than a day – and a home in Wenham was struck by a falling tree branch. Some roads were blocked for a time

2.

It was a source of pride last year when was named the No. 12 high school in eastern Massachusetts by Boston magazine. So it was even bigger news this year , based on test scores, teacher to students ratio and other statistics.

3.

The committee working on the . The plan also drew extensive feedback from local residents in the comments section on Patch.

4.

Both Hamilton and Wenham town leaders continue this fall. No final decision has been made, but town leaders say it may be a good way to address issues of common concern.

5.

A strange smell in the clubhouse caught the attention of the manager midday on Friday. And it turned out to have was extinguished before causing serious damage.