News Nearby: Rescued Dog, Escaped Prisoners and Train Strikes Car

Medford

A car was crushed in an accident with a train this morning at the High Street rail crossing after its driver drove around the lowered crossing gates, according to transit police. Arthur Brennan, 69, drove his Buick LeSabre with New Hampshire plates around the gates about 8 a.m. and was struck by an Amtrak Downeaster train headed for Boston, Deputy Transit Police Chief Robert Lenehan said Thursday morning. "This fellow was the first person in line and apparently did not want to wait for the train to cross," Lenehan said. Brennan was treated for minor injuries after the accident and issued a citation and a $50 fine, according to police.

Somerville

Somerville has released a plan that would pave the way for major redevelopment of Union Square over the next few decades. The plan designates nearly 117 acres of Union Square as a revitalization district, and it calls for the city to acquire seven key "development blocks"—currently assessed as being worth around $26 million, in total—for future disposition to developers.

North Reading

Around 7:17 a.m. Monday morning, two prisoners being held before their arraignment escaped from the  holding facility, police said. The two prisoners, originally arrested on Saturday on charges of heroin possession, "were able to take advantage of a breach in the locking mechanism of the holding cell door that allowed them to escape," police said in a recent press release. Around 9 a.m., the two prisoners were located and placed back in custody.

Wakefield

Landmark hot dog stand Fred's Franks, long a fixture at the Route 128 rotary, may soon be forced to find a new location after spending much of the last decade on state right of way land just off the highway.

Wilmington

A Wilmington man was arrested after a woman suffered a drug overdose outside of a King Street home on Tuesday afternoon.

Police Lt. Joe Desmond said a call came in at 3:33 p.m. on Tuesday from 29A King Street for a suspected overdose. When officers arrived they found a young female on the ground in front of the house who was, according to Desmond, responsive but “not doing well.”

Joshua Kivlehan, 18, of 29A King Street, was arrested at the scene and charged with possession of Class A drugs for allegedly having heroin at the home. The female was only given a civil citation because there was a small amount of marijuana in her vehicle. She was transported to a local hospital.

Arlington

The dog that  by the Animal Rescue League of Boston is recuperating at a local animal hospital, a league spokeswoman said Monday.

The female mixed-breed, which was in rough shape when it was found near , has been named “Arli,” according to Jennifer Wooliscroft, of the league. Arli is believed to have been a stray, she said.

After what appears to be a long time of neglect, Arli has garnered quite a bit of attention since she was brought in. A photo of her on the league’s Facebook page had more than 150 likes and 100 comments as of Monday night, just 24 hours after it was posted.

Stoneham

The town may have to delay the sale of the North Elementary School to a local developer after learning that Winchester had rejected a zoning waiver, according to Town Administrator David Ragucci.

"The closing of the North School may be delayed depending on the Winchester vote," Ragucci told the Stoneham Board of Selectmen Tuesday night during their meeting at . 

At the May 7  in Stoneham, Article 1 was approved by voters. The article dealt with the transfer of land from the Stoneham School Committee to the Stoneham Board of Selectmen, which also included granting the Selectmen permission to sell the land to Collins Development Inc.

Melrose

Eleven residential units of various types are in the process of being constructed at the Upham Street residential development site, according to Melrose City Planner Denise Gaffey.

On Jan. 24, 2011, local developer Mark "Woody" Carroll  for an eight-unit residential development. However, he submitted a new proposal in the spring that called for more residential units to be built at the site.

“According to the Applicant, a combination of financing requirements, market constraints, and structural limitations proved to be insurmountable obstacles that rendered the previously approved 8-unit development seemingly unfeasible,” according to a document containing the decision of the Planning Board to approve the project. “Consequently, the Applicant re-evaluated his development plan and returned to the Planning Board with a revised proposal that included a modified site layout, three additional units, and a unit mix that better reflects the ‘empty nester’ market segment.”