Top 5 Stories of the Week on Newtown Patch

About this column: MIA from Patch this week? No problem, here were the top five most-read stories.

1. Although the budget hasn't passed, Police Chief Michael Kehoe says the department have already begun the first stages of a hiring process for new officers.

2. The Yankees and Red Sox remember the Sandy Hook community as baseball season kicks off.

3. The 2013-14 budget passed the Legislative Council Wednesday night, setting the stage for a referendum on a 4.7% increase.

4. Readers continued to seek out ways to help the Sandy Hook family who lost their home and dog in a fire last week.

5. As gun legislation worked its way into law, Rep. Mitch Bolinsky dedicated his vote to the Sandy Hook victims. Meanwhile,  to Patch.