Top 10 July Stories: Medford Dem Endorses Brown, Robbery at Victory Park, Lewd Act Spotted While Fishing

The following stories were the most-read on Medford Patch in July:

1. A woman fishing with her husband on the Medford side of Lower Mystic Lake Sunday evening called police at about 6:45 p.m. after she spotted a man with his pants around his knees on the Arlington side who appeared to be masturbating, according to Arlington police. The woman, who was near Mystic Valley Parkway in Medford, told police that she first yelled over to the man that she could see him and told him to stop. She said the man continued until she yelled over that she was going to call police. The man then ran away from the lake, toward East Arlington/Somerville, she said.
2. A group of teenagers at Victory Park were surrounded by five men who robbed them using a gun and knives Friday night, according to a police report. The suspects were spotted by police shortly after the incident and three of them attempted to flee, leading police on a brief manhunt before being apprehended and positively identified by the victims, the police report said.
3. A self-described lifelong Democrat, Medford City Councilor Rick Caraviello announced his support for the re-election of Republican U.S. Senator Scott Brown Monday. Brown and Caraviello spent Monday morning touring businesses and shaking hands with passersby in West Medford and Medford Square. Caraviello, owner and founder of R.C. Limo Service, said he's supporting Brown because he is tired of federal regulations and taxes on small businesses. "It makes it hard for us to do business," Caraviello said inside Magnificent Muffin and Bagel Shoppe Monday morning.
4. Mayor Michael McGlynn is looking to immediately address building issues at the city's public works yard and may appeal to the state for permission to do so on an emergency basis. Six garage bays have been condemned since 2009, but McGlynn said workers sometimes access them anyway. In addition, other neighboring bays will be shut down, McGlynn said after a tour of the yard Friday morning. "These must be torn down," he said.
5. A woman in premature labor ended up giving birth to a baby girl in the parking lot of the State Police barracks in Medford Wednesday, according to police. About 1:30 p.m., State Police received a frantic 9-1-1 call that a woman was going into labor in the back of a car on Route 16, but was stuck in gridlock traffic due to issues with the lights in Wellington Circle, according to a state police press release.
6. The Middlesex County deputy sheriff after an early-morning, single-car crash in Billerica Wednesday died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, according to the Lowell Sun. The Middlesex County Sheriff’s office has identified the deputy as Edward “Teddy” Dillon III, 27, of Lowell, but has not commented on his cause of death. The Middlesex County District Attorney’s office has only said that his death was not suspicious and no charges are being filed, according to the Sun report.
7. A woman was seriously injured Saturday evening in a rollover on Route 93 north in Medford. The crash took place at about 7:15 p.m. near exit 33, according to police scanner reports. Multiple lanes of traffic were closed for about an hour. The woman was unconscious immediately after the crash and was trapped in her vehicle, according to the reports. She was transported by ambulance to Mass General Hospital.
8. Prosecutors Move forward with Forfeiture in Magic Store Case: Prosecutors have put the wheels in motion in reclaiming over $560,000 the owner of a Medford magic trick shop obtained through fraudulent charges to one customer's credit card. Harry Levy, the owner of Hank Lee's Magic Factory, pleaded guilty in March to charges of credit card fraud and issuing false statements after $561,927, then misled federal investigators looking into the charges, according to court filings.
9. It's been over five years since Bestsellers Cafe last opened its doors for business, but it looks like the end of the hiatus is now almost in sight for the former Medford Square staple. Rob Dilman, the cafe's owner, appeared before the City Council Tuesday night seeking a common victuallers license, which was granted unanimously. A food permit from the board of health is the last obstacle remaining for the bookstore/coffee shop/lunch spot located at 24 High St. to re-open for business. "It’s a fantastic spot and I’m looking forward to getting back into the community," Dilman said Tuesday.
10. As the Medford Housing Authority recovers from recent scandals, city councilors took more caution in approving a new member for the authority's board Tuesday. Heather Merchant, of 15 Light Guard Drive was approved as the newest appointee to the Medford Housing Authority's Board of Commissioners by a 5-2 vote by the council Tuesday night. Merchant, a resident of federal housing development LaPrise Village, will be one of the board's resident representatives.