Week in Review: Brush Fires Along I-93, A Look at Medford's Presidential Donations

Medford Home Sales Skyrocket, Outpace State Averages: Home sales in Medford last month were more than double the total from June 2011, according to recent housing data. A total of 41 homes were sold in Medford in June, up from 20 in June 2011, according to data from real estate publisher The Warren Group. Year-to-date home sales in Medford totalled 153 through June, compared to 104 in the first six months of 2011, according to the data. The median home price stayed at $340,000 year-over-year in Medford, according to the data.

The Middlesex County deputy sheriff after an early-morning, single-car crash in Billerica Wednesday died from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, according to the Lowell Sun. The Middlesex County Sheriff’s office has identified the deputy as Edward “Teddy” Dillon III, 27, of Lowell, but has not commented on his cause of death. The Middlesex County District Attorney’s office has only said that his death was not suspicious and no charges are being filed, according to the Sun report.

Brush Fires on Side of I-93 Quelled: Three brush fires in Middlesex Fells along I-93 North in Medford and Stoneham were put out Monday afternoon, but not before they snarled Boston rush hour traffic. Smoke wafted from the fires onto I-93 Monday afternoon impacting visibility, but motorists were never endangered, Ripley said. "Things were under control all along," he said. "When you have smoke obscuring a roadway you want to get it cleared up as quickly as possible."

President Barack Obama has received 13 times as many donations and 8 times as much money from Medford residents than Republican challenger Mitt Romney since the start of 2011, according to data from the Federal Elections Commission. Obama's 295 donations from Medford residents from January 2011 to June 2012 total $46,452. Romney's 22 donations from Medford residents total $6,340, according to the data.

'Fast 14' Highway Project Gets National Recognition: The American Council of Engineering Companies recently recognized the I-93 Fast 14 rapid bridge replacement project in Medford with a national honor award and the Grand Conceptor Award from ACEC of Massachusetts. The national panel of 28 judges representing construction, government, media, and academia selected award recipients based on uniqueness and originality, technical complexity, social and economic value, and public awareness.