Week in Review: Fire Lt. Placed on Leave, City Hands Out Green Awards

Medford Fire Lieutenant on Paid Leave After Alleged Assault: A Medford firefighter is on paid leave after he was arrested for allegedly beating an acquaintance with a pair of electrical pliers, according to city officials and police reports. Fire Lt. Paul Spencer, 56, faces charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery after an incident at a Howard Road home on Oct. 14 that left another man with a bloody head wound and unable to move his fingers, according to a Medford police report. Fire Chief Frank Giliberti placed Spencer on paid leave last week when the charges came to light, Giliberti said Monday. Spencer had not faced any disciplinary action from the department as of Monday afternoon, Giliberti said. "I don’t have all the facts yet," he said. "That’s what I’m doing right now -- I’m collecting the facts."

Medford Woman Allegedly Kicks Out Cruiser Window After OUI Arrest: A Medford woman allegedly kicked out the back window of a State Police cruiser in Danvers early Thursday morning after being arrested for driving under the influence of liquor. The incident happened at 1:38 a.m. on Route 1 northbound at Centre Street. A State Trooper assigned to the Danvers barracks stopped a vehicle at the Centre Street overpass and later arrested the driver, Katie Weismann, 26, of Medford. She was charged with operating under the influence of liquor, assault and battery on a police officer, malicious destruction of property over $250, resisting arrest and marked lanes violation.

Donato: Vote No on Assisted Suicide: State Rep. Paul Donato, D-Malden/Medford, is urging Massachusetts voters to say no to assisted suicide, according to a statement from his office. “Regardless of where a person stands on the issue of physician-assisted suicide, Question 2 – as designed – contains serious flaws, such the lack of a psychiatric evaluation and no family notification,” Donato said in a written statement. “For these reasons and others, I encourage the voters of Medford and Malden to reject Question 2 on November 6.”

City Hands Out 21 'Green Awards': A total of 21 local businesses and individuals were recognized by the City of Medford in its first round of winners of "Green Awards." Mayor Michael McGlynn, Chamber of Commerce Director Jodie Coyne, Tufts President Anthony Monaco, and Energy Committee Chairman of the Energy Fred Laskey presented the awards during a ceremony at the Harvest Your Energy Festival Oct. 13.