Former Malden Priest Charged with Sexual Assault; Medford Tests Out Plug-In Prius

Every Saturday, Melrose Patch will run a round-up with links to stories from surrounding communities that are of interest to Melrosians.

• : BEDFORD—Bedford, N.H. Police have confirmed the arrest of Franklin Huntress Jr., a former Episcopal priest charged with felonious sexual assault stemming from an incident or incidents involving a juvenile under the age of 13 in the early 1980s. Huntress served briefly at St. Paul’s Parish in Malden during the early 1960s.

• MEDFORD—The newest vehicle in Medford's fleet can power up by plugging into any three-prong outlet. The city is taking part in a test program where municipalities give Toyota's not-yet-released plug-in hybrid Prius as test run. It costs about 45 cents to give the car an electric charge worth 13 miles, and it's equipped with typical Prius hybrid technology, allowing it to run off energy generated by breaking or switching to gas as well.

• : WAKEFIELD—The third annual Wakefield Farmers’ Market kicks off this Saturday morning at Hall Park, where local residents will get a taste of some of the best locally grown produce the area has to offer. The Farmers’ Market will run every Saturday in Hall Park from July 9 to Oct. 8, starting at 9 a.m. and enFding at 1 p.m. The opening day festivities will also include a musical performance by students from Wakefield’s own Onset School of Music.

• : READING—The Board of Selectmen voted on Tuesday to suspend the liquor licenses of four Reading businesses. The decision came after the Reading Police Department presented evidence that Oye's Restaurant and Bar, Bangkok Spice, The Wine Shop of Reading, and The Knights of Columbus all allegedly served alcohol to a minor without asking for identification after a sting conducted between June 22 and June 24th. All four businesses will face a three-day suspension of their liquor licenses.