News Nearby: Joe Fish May Come to North Reading

While we do our best to focus on news and events directly concerning Lynnfield, sometimes it's nice to know what's going on in neighboring communities. Welcome to the weekly regional news roundup, which will bring you the top news from the towns surrounding Lynnfield.

Note: Original reporting from Stoneham Patch, Reading-North Reading Patch and Malden Patch.

NORTH READING—There has been speculation that a Joe Fish restaurant will move into the old Piccadilly Pub location on Main Street in North Reading, and Jim's Restaurant Group, LLC, owned by Jim Dietz who owns and runs Joe Fish, pulled a demolition permit for the location this week.

STONEHAM—The Stoneham Board of Selectmen are considering bringing a skating rink and a winter carnival to the  this winter.

Selectman Tom Boussy discussed both activities at Tuesday night's meeting at .

"My idea is to invite local restaurants, booster clubs...get a DJ and raise a few bucks for (local organizations)," Boussy said of the Winter Carnival, adding that it would be a first step toward revitalizating the downtown area.

READING—The Reading School Committee has set the wheels in motion to begin to provide free, full-day kindergarten for all Reading kindergartners. The committee voted 6-0 Monday to direct school administrators to begin that process.

If the school department provides all-day kindergarten to all kindergartners, the town  in Chapter 70 money, Assistant School Superintendent for Finance and Administration Mary DeLai told the committee last month – if the program is free. Now Reading offers full-day kindergarten as an option. Parents who elect that option pay for half a day of school time.

A Malden man was arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping and attempted carjacking earlier this week, after allegedly attempting to steal three vehicles in the parking lot of a Connecticut hospital. 

The Hartford Courant reports that William C. Palma, 21, was admitted to the hospital after "acting irrationally" on a bus near Vernon, Connecticut. Police told the paper Palma claimed he was being "tested by Lucifer to find his way home." The man was submitted to nearby Rockville General Hospital for treatment.