News Nearby: Robbed Mini-Mart Re-Opens With Malden City Hall, Businesses' Help

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

MALDEN—A Malden convenience store owner who said he'd close his store after this month said he felt safer following his “grand re-opening” this week, which saw a number of improvements to the store's security measures.

Mayor Gary Christenson's office coordinated local businesses, who helped owner Dharam Jain improve store security, including , installing a new security camera monitor, providing a new drop safe for mid-shift deposits and more.

A number of local businesses donated their services for free or at-cost, city Business Development Officer Kevin Duffy said. Representatives from Verizon and the commonwealth's Lottery Commission expedited the relocation of the store's lottery machine, a closely-regulated and often much lengthier process.

WAKEFIELD—A new Asian restaurant, serving sushi, Thai, Japanese, and other Asian cuisine, opened on Water Street a few weeks ago.

Sei Bar, a small, locally owned chain with existing locations in Medford and Everett, has officially opened its doors in Wakefield at 109 Water St., the location of the former Detorre's Italian Deli and Bella Cucina.

The owner and manager of the restaurant, Jen Lin, said he launched his own restaurant business in 2003 after working for years at the Weston Hotel in Boston. He said he decided to expand to Wakefield last year because a couple of regular customers at his Medford location suggested it to him. "They helped me find a Wakefield location," he said.

STONEHAM—The Stoneham Police Department is looking to add a new weapon to its arsenal: the Taser.

In recent months, the Capital Committee asked department heads to put together a "wish list" and police have requested $10,000 for the purchase of Tasers, according to Selectman Richard Gregorio during an April 10 session. He added that the committee plans to recommend the purchase and have it appear as a warrant article on the May 7 Town Meeting Ballot.

Of the 351 communities in Massachusetts, 123 currently have Tasers, according to Gregorio.

MEDFORD—Robert Covelle stood in the function room of one of the Riverside Avenue towers in front of the Medford Housing Authority's commission, residents and Medford citizens and outlined his plan to remedy issues raised in a federal audit report Wednesday night.

There was no talk of resignations or firings among housing authority officials, only discussion of the plan to address issues raised in a federal audit and how it will be carried out.

The housing authority and Covelle—its executive director—have been scrutinized since an audit report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development found procurements were agreed upon without a bidding process, and federal money was being used without following proper procedures.