Dedham women warmly welcome newcomers

Published by The Boston Globe

Jennifer Barsamian and Monika Wilkinson stood on the steps of a stranger’s home on Saturday morning, holding a bouquet of flowers and a bag of goodies. After no one answered the doorbell, they rang again.

“Sometimes flowers are the only thing that gets the door open,” said Wilkinson.

Kevin Kline opened the door of his new Dedham home. Despite his surprise to see the Dedham Welcome Wagon, he invited them in and showed him the living room.

“This is hilarious,” said Kline, who just moved to town from the South End in Boston. “We’ve been joking for a few weeks [about] when’s the next crock pot?”


Barsamian and Wilkinson, teachers and each mothers of three, visit ten new homes in Dedham every month, greeting new neighbors and passing out information about recycling, the Farmers’ Market and a welcome party they are having next month. If the unsuspecting new neighbor stays out to chat, the pair get to know the new neighbors, praise the local schools and exclaim over what they’ve done with the place. Barsamian also blogs at Dedham Rocks.

“It took us a couple of years to feel like we were beginning to get a sense of the town,” said Wilkinson, who moved to Dedham six years ago.

Though most people still haven’t heard about the Welcome Wagon, which they began in March, Barsamian and Wilkinson are making strides with their project. They don’t use a GPS, and finding all the new homes proved a challenge for them in the beginning. Now, they deliver ten welcome packages in a couple of hours, filled with goodies from local businesses and their sponsors, Needham Bank and Donahue Real Estate.

“It’s so good you guys do this,” said Rachel McGregor, who moved to Willow Street. “It makes people feel good.”

“Well, it makes us feel good, too!” said Barsamian as she waved goodbye.

Many people buy their first home in Dedham for affordability and proximity to easy commuting but realize they want to stay, the welcomers said. Barsamian and Wilkinson hope to build a sense of community for the newcomers, sometimes even providing networking between residents.

Lisa Dickey, who recently moved to Dedham from Ashland, said finding her place in a new town is difficult because she is single and does not have access to the organizations a family would provide.

“It’s hard to feel like you can settle,” said Dickey. “But here, I’ve got a house I love, a beautiful neighborhood and neighbors who brought me homemade brownies when I moved in.”

Police from several towns assist in chase and arrest

Published by The Boston Globe

A Dedham man wanted on attempted murder and other charges was arrested yesterday after a chase that took police from Needham to Dover, authorities said.

John Boyle, 22, was arrested in Dover by a Wellesley police officer after a search involving a State Police helicopter, K-9 units from Randolph and Braintree, and a number of area officers, Needham police said.

“I saw a whole bunch of cruisers pull him over,’’ said Charlie Arvanitis, owner of the Dover Cafe & Deli. “They were very cautious about the situation.’’



The pursuit began after Boyle was stopped by police on Great Plain Avenue near Trout Pond Lane in Needham at about 12:15 p.m. for an alleged motor vehicle violation, police said.

“He bailed out of the car and fled on foot,’’ said Lieutenant Chris Baker, a spokesman for the Needham police. “At some point, he met up with a friend in a new vehicle.’’

A bystander saw the suspect heading down Marked Tree Road and provided police with the vehicle’s description and license plate number, Baker said.

Police cruisers from Wellesley, Needham, and Dover converged on the car at the intersection of Springdale Avenue and Centre Street in Dover, Arvanitis said.

Boyle was arrested shortly before 2 p.m. by Wellesley police Officer Lamar Hughes, according to Wellesley police.

“It was a multijurisdictional response, and everyone did a great job,’’ Baker said.

Boyle is being charged with failure to stop for police and driving with a suspended license. Boyle was wanted on an outstanding warrant from Wrentham District Court on charges of attempted murder after allegedly hitting someone with a baseball bat, attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, said clerk magistrate Edward Doherty.

In addition, Boyle was wanted on a warrant issued July 13 from Norfolk Superior Court in connection with a probation violation.

Boyle pleaded guilty in June 2009 to possession of firearms without a license and breaking and entering during the daytime, according to court records.

The arrest was the talk of Needham, where police had blocked local roads.

Rob Nager, who runs a dog-walking business called Decadent Dog, said he had picked up a golden retriever named Ruby and was heading to the park when he found Marked Tree Road blocked by police.

“It was more than a little bit frightening,’’ Nager said. “The entire road was closed. There were police everywhere.’’

When he returned an hour later, Nager said, “every single entrance to that neighborhood was blocked off by police. . . . It was just scary.’’

Globe correspondent Sarah Thomas contributed to this report.