The Globe has a piece today entitled "Allston: From lamentable to lovable" that chronicles the writer's path from undesired entrance into the neighborhood as a BU undergrad to her hesitant departure as a "card-carrying member of the "real world"" with a new residence in the South End. The narrow view of Allston she offers (frat parties, the late Mr. Butch, "crusting sidewalk vomit," great takeout options) wouldn't be too objectionable if it wasn't pierced......

--Boston University police have released a sketch (left) of a suspect in the robbery of a law student--"one of several recent attacks on young women near the BU campus." [Boston Herald] --In other sad collegiate news, a 20-year-old UMass Amhert student is dead after apparently jumping from the 17th floor of a dorm. The student was from Hingham. State police are investigating but the school does not suspect foul play was involved. [Boston Globe]......

--The Commonwealth's fire marshall says that arson caused a fire that took out five businesses Tuesday in Northborough. 70 firefighters were needed to put down the flames. A five and dime that had been in operation for 50-plus years was among the casulties, which also included "an appliance store, a jeweler, a market and a bead shop." [Boston Herald] --We don't often link to college blotters (there's only so many times you can report......

Update: The BU Free Press has a piece today entitled "Frat Brothers Try to Dispel Myths." Although we were expecting them to say they actually trash Radissons, not Days Inns, some of the nicer fraternity brothers explained that a few of them engage in philanthropy. Allegedly a national convention for the Lambda Phi Epsilon fraternity turned into National-Lampoon-esque chaos at the Days Inn on Soldier's Field Road. The Allston-Brighton Tab reports that 100 people were......