Local arested in stabbing
Published on August 2nd, 2006
STONEHAM, MA - A Stoneham man was arrested by Stoneham Police after he reportedly pulled out a kitchen knife in a fit of pique and attempted to stab his 22-year-old roommate.
According to Stoneham Police reports, Stephen G. Loucka, age 48, of 521 Main Street, Stoneham, was arrested for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (knife) at 5:54 p.m.
Stoneham Police reported to the Main Street dwelling after a phone call reported a scene of a person being stabbed. Stoneham Police arrested Loucka after finding the victim with an injury to his upper right arm and a slash-type injury to his chest - both injuries reportedly the result of attack with the steak knife.
The suspect's anger and the ensuing assault allegedly stemmed from Loucka making unwanted amorous advances toward his younger roommate, which the younger roommate reportedly roundly rejected.
"Judging from the injuries, the suspect seemed to be wildly swinging the knife when he made contact with the victim," said a Stoneham Police source.
Officers DiCarlo, Thistle, Rotondi, and Norton reported to the scene and made the arrest, and the victim was taken to Winchester Hospital and treated for the stab injuries.
Loucka was arraigned at Woburn District Court on Monday morning.
Officials look into booze at Unicorn
STONEHAM, MA - The town's Board of Selectmen will explore the possibility of allowing alcohol sales at the Unicorn Golf course in the coming months.
During last week's meeting, Selectman George Seibold brought up the topic for the third time this summer, arguing that authorizing the sale of beer and wine was worthy of additional study.
Last June, the first-term Selectman also debated the possibility, but agreed to hold-off on future discussions until Town Counsel Bill Solomon could explore the legality of allowing alcohol sales at the recreational facility.
According to the Stoneham attorney, who worried that granting a liquor license may clash with the public grant and funding provisions that were utilized to create the golf-course, his research into the matter turned-up no legal roadblocks.
"That's one of our big revenue generators," Seibold said of the golf course. "And I'd like to see it make more money for the town. I'm not saying if you bring in booze, it's going to make it a better golf course. I just think the atmosphere would be a little better. People like to sit down and have a couple of beers after their game."
"I'm just throwing this out there because I know other places do this. But we should have a public hearing to go through some of the pros and cons," the Selectman added.
While not necessarily opposed to the idea, Selectman Tony Kennedy and Paul Rotondi expressed some wariness with charging forward with a proposal, especially before the specifics of the plans are hammered out.
According to the pair, the town needs to be aware of all of the potential upsides and downsides to selling alcohol at a public facility, and have a good gauge of the public's general reaction to offering such a service.
"What's the town's liability? Who is liable? What type of income do we see coming from this? We have to have a basic plan," Rotondi argued.
"There's a large profit to be made in selling alcohol, so I think the town needs to evaluate whether we want to share in that profit," Kennedy later chimed in.
Although he agrees with his counterparts that additional study and some type of public hearing should be accomplished before formally proposing the idea, Selectman Chair Robert Sweeney contends that the Town of Stoneham has no business selling alcohol.
According to the Chairman, the town would carry far too much liability if it directly benefited from alcohol sales. And while Sweeney shares the same opinion as Seibold - that selling beer and wine will boost profits - he predicts that benefit will indirectly stem from increased golf sales.
"I don't look at this exclusively as a revenue-enhancing idea. It's another service that the town could supply that would bring more players to the course. There's really not too many golf courses that don't offer [this]," Sweeney argued.
Also labeling the idea as worthy of consideration, Selectman John DePinto referred to the town's own liquor licensing rules, which require that a facility have at least 50 seats in order to serve alcohol.
In addition, DePinto explained, bar patrons are not allowed to consume more than two drinks without ordering a meal, rules that golf course patrons would also be subject to.
"Stoneham has a 50-seat restaurant requirement. So, if we serve alcohol, we'd have to put a restaurant up there, which would definitely make it a higher caliber golf course," DePinto remarked.
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