Patch Originals: Pride Flag Flap; School Crisis; Finding Home

More than a dozen journalists cover Patch sites in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. These roving reporters produce original, on-the-ground coverage of topics including a student's campaign to honor local Native Americans, a local lifeguard who has absolutely had it with people who leave balloons on the beach during gender reveal parties, and how a New Hampshire teacher went from an award-winning educator to an accused rapist. These stories and more were among the team's best original reporting recently:

Massachusetts

June is Pride Month and Southeastern Massachusetts editor Jimmy Bentley spoke with Stoughton Town Moderator Adam Dawkins, who said the town was the first place he felt comfortable being openly gay. "When I came to Stoughton, it was the first time I came out as an authentic person," Dawkins said. "The community embraced me."

• Stoughton Official Leaving Town That Welcomed Him

Meanwhile in Beverly, Merrimack Valley editor Dave Copeland chronicled a controversy involving a tiki bar that was asked to take down its Pride flag. The bar refused. The flag flap happened at about the same time as someone mistook a Beverly crossing guard wearing a "Make America Great Again" and posted a profanity-laced tirade on a local Facebook group.

• Beverly Becomes Battleground In Culture Wars

Copeland also wrote about statewide efforts to ban schools from using Native American mascots for sports teams. About 40 Massachusetts high schools still use such mascots. The Senate and House are currently reviewing bills that would ban schools from having Native American mascots.

• Bill Would Ban Schools From Using Native American Mascots

In Framingham, MetroWest editor Samantha Mercado covered a a student's campaign to honor the Nipmuc Native American tribe that settled in the region before the English arrived. Elana Gelfand's persistence paid off as town officials commissioned a historic marker at the Indian Head Heights land. Gelfand impressed Nipmuc tribe member Larry Spotted Crow Mann. "She's a part of that history now — this is a big deal, kid," Mann said.

Mercado also wrote a 47-year-old mother who overcame addiction and finally graduated college just days after her daughter graduated high school. Mercado was alerted to the story through the Jill Cotter's Neighbor Post on Framingham Patch. Patch Neighbor Posts are an easy way to interact with the community on your local Patch.

In Newton, Boston-area editor Jenna Fisher wrote about a 9-year-old girl named Pearl who helped convinced city officials to make a mural more inclusive. "Everyone in that mural is white, and that must not be welcoming for all children," Pearl said. A new mural was commissioned.

• Newton Mural To Change After Girl Notices Everyone Is White

New Hampshire

Tony Schinella, who covers Concord, Nashua, Milford and Amherst, wrote a three-part series about how a Concord teacher went from being a distinguished award winner to a rape suspect. Schinella drew from court documents, a school report and more in his stories.

• The Case Against Primo "Howie" Leung

Fellow New Hampshire reporter Liz Markhlevskaya, who covers Patch's eight other sites in the Granite State, wrote about how school buses in Merrimack are now equipped with cameras to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped buses. Police said earlier this school year, a driver ignored a school bus's stop sign and passed by the door, nearly hitting a student who was getting off.

• Merrimack's New School Bus Cameras Catch Drivers Not Stopping

Rhode Island

Rhode Island editor Rachel Nunes has been the authority for coverage of the Coventry school budget crisis that led to nearly 400 teachers being laid off. Officials are now scrambling to secure more funding in the hopes of hiring some back.

• 385 Coventry Teachers Receive Precautionary Pink Slips

Nunes also spoke to a local lifeguard who has absolutely had it with people releasing balloons on the beach during celebrations like gender reveal parties. The balloons eventually deflate and end up littering the beach and ocean, where they can harm wildlife. "People need to know how much their actions can impact the environment and wildlife," lifeguard Olivia Kelly said.

• Local Lifeguard: Balloons Ruining Rhode Island Beaches