Week's Highlights: Car into River, Donating Blood

With primary elections a mere nine days away, candidates began to make their final push for election. In the congressional race, Rep. Stephen Lynch and challenger Mac D'Alessandro dueled in a Sunday debate, and then with Lynch a no-show at a forum in Dedham on Wednesday, D'Alessandro and Republican hopeful Vernon Harrison handled questions. State Senate candidates also fielded questions from residents at NewBridge on the Charles Wednesday on a host of state issues as they compete in their respective primaries.

Fall means primaries, but it also means back-to-school for kids. This week Ursuline girls returned to the classroom – and many were ahead of the curve when it came to their volunteer requirement. In the coming week, Nobles, Rashi and Dedham public schools all return to their desks. And with struggling MCAS math scores, Avery School principal Clare Sullivan walked through a program aimed at improving scores called Everyday Math.

The Dedham Police handled reports of theft, vandalism and more car break-ins this past week, as well as reported to the scene of a woman driving her car into the Charles River on Thursday. Cops had a busy Saturday as well, as they responded to a pair of domestic incidents and a car accident in just a few short hours. In about two weeks, BJ's Club will answer violation charges of their own as they faces a 42-count complaint of allegedly selling liquor to an area store.

Dedham Patch went to a slew of meetings this week, from the school building rehab meeting to the Oakdale Square Alliance meeting, we were there. In the coming days, you will see us at the school committee meeting on Wednesday and the Board of Selectmen meeting on Thursday.

High school sports picked up momentum this week as Ursuline girls soccer scrimmaged Friday and their coach laid out his hopes for this season, and Nobles and Dedham girls soccer squared off in a inner-town match Friday morning.

The week ended with a blood drive in the name of 10-year-old Sally Naser, a Dedham kid battling cancer. Check out the pictures from Saturday's event.