An Update From Patch

This evening and part of Saturday, Patch will be undergoing site maintenance that will increase the speed at which pages load and allow us to make future improvements to the site more rapidly. This is a first step toward reintroducing popular Patch features such as local calendars and discussion areas.

You can still read Patch while the maintenance is underway, but Patch editors won’t be able to post new stories until Saturday evening.

We will be posting vital breaking news in the meantime on the Natick Facebook page. (To stay in the loop there, be sure to like the page so the latest updates show up in your news feed.)

Thanks for supporting Patch, and thanks for your patience. We’ll let you know when the site is updated. In the meantime, we’ve pulled together some of the top stories from the past few weeks from Natick Patch.

• Police Chief on Alleged Murderer: ‘Mr. Young is Well Known to Us’: Mikhail Young, charged with murdering his parents while on vacation, was known to police and has a history of violence and mental illness.
• Natick Arrests: New Hampshire Man Charged for Second Time With OUI: The following was supplied by the Natick Police Department. An arrest does not indicate a conviction.
• Looking to Rent in Natick? Start here, with this list from Zillow.
• Lilja Elementary School PTA to Discuss Students’ Literacy: The meeting will be held Wednesday, May 6 at 7 p.m.
• Natick Recreation to Hold Meetings for Groups Attending Natick Days: The meetings will be held Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 7.
• Natick Joins Mass. Walk and Bike to School Day: Thousands of elementary and middle school students celebrate Walk and Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 6.
• Let’s Hear About Your Small Business in Natick: This week is National Small Business Week. Patch would love to profile yours.
• Does Your Natick Mom Rock? Nominate Her to Be Patch’s Mother’s Day Superstar! Does your mom rock? Does she slay bullies with a single sneer? Does she make other moms shake in their shoes with her awesome baking skills?
• Middlesex County DA Says Education and Early Prevention Could Curb Opiate Epidemic: District Attorney Marian Ryan spoke before a state-wide anti-drug task force on Friday.
• The Big Sneeze: Pollen Count is High This Week in Natick: Allergy season makes its grand entrance this week.
• Massachusetts Ranked Good State for Working Moms: The Bay State ranked high in a recent report that ranked metrics for working moms.