Seven Days in Brookline: Oct. 25 - 31

Brookline's last seven days were marked with accusations of off-shore tax cheating, conspicuous efforts to ramp up voter turnout, and the town's most ironic fire in decades, but it all started with images from two time-honored autumn traditions: a spectacle of light at the annual Lantern Parade on Jamaica Pond, and a spectacle of pet owners who subject their animals to wearing ridiculous costumes each Halloween.

And because it's nearly November, this week's sports coverage was all about Brookline teams clinching their place in the post-season, or in the case of football, posting a first win for the year. Boys soccer finished its regular season with 2-0 win over Framingham, while girls volleyball completed a grueling 3-2 victory against Weymouth. And it was good news of a sort for the football team, which finally won a match against Norwood after posting seven straight losses.

Meanwhile, Brookline Police were kept busy tending to "racist" shaving cream and a woman robbed at gunpoint in Brookline Village, while firefighters spent Thursday night putting out a fire in their own firehouse. And the Justice Department checked in to let us know they'd arrested a Brookline man accused of hiding his investments in offshore shell companies, including one called "Lucky Overseas."

And while all the candy-loving kids of Brookline were preparing for a weekend of Halloween-themed shenanigans, the town's Democratic operatives were busy setting up shop in one of Brookline's first storefront campaign offices in years. Meanwhile, we started looking at some of the referendums on the ballot next week, including questions about alcohol tax, sales tax and, of course, marijuana tax. Look for more tomorrow, and don't forget to do your civic duty on Tuesday.

And while this week brought us free candy and growing political rhetoric, it also saw the seasonal end of the Brookline Farmers Market, which invited farmers and vendors to a Coolidge Corner parking lot to peddle the last of their produce last Thursday. See you in the spring, guys.

Well, for better or for worse, Brookline Patch isn't going anywhere this fall. See you next week.