The Indian Orchard Citizens Council's community room was named in honor of the late Karen Ledger.

SPRINGFIELD – Residents and city officials gathered at the Indian Orchard Citizens Council recently to celebrate the memory of neighborhood activist Karen Ledger and to formally name the community room in her honor.

The naming ceremony was fitting when considering Ledger’s many years of service to the neighborhood both as a long-time director of the citizens council, and as someone who loved her neighborhood, according to residents, family members and local officials.

“This was her second home,” said Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, taking part in the ceremony. “This was her life. When you think of the Indian Orchard Citizens Council, you think of Karen Ledger.”

Ledger died Dec. 26, 2010, at age 63, after working more than 30 years for the citizens council, including serving as its director for most of her career. She was described as a “tireless advocate” for the neighborhood.

William T. Foley, who was the first director of the citizens council, recalled she was hired initially as a secretary in 1976, and rose to office manager and then director within a few years.

“For Karen, it was a dream come true,” said Foley, who is also a former city councilor in Springfield. “She was working in her neighborhood and getting paid for it. She did a great job and was always a team player.”

Linda Yarber, who returned to the neighborhood after living in Florida for 12 years, said Ledger helped Yarber recover from past domestic violence.

“Karen Ledger was a lady who was devoted to the Orchard, loved what she was doing, did her job, respected everyone, and over-extended herself in everything she did because she loved Indian Orchard and the city of Springfield,” Yarber said.

Gloria Mitchell, Ledger’s older sister and a lifelong resident of Indian Orchard, said she appreciated everyone’s efforts to honor her sister.

“It’s very nice that she is recognized by this memorial and dedication,” Mitchell said. “Almost everything that happened in the Orchard in the last 30 years, she either started it or was a major participant in it.”

Susan Soto-Craven, a past president of the citizens council, said Karen was a “wonderful lady.”

“Her dedication to this neighborhood was unbelievable,” Soto-Craven said. “Any little thing she could do for anybody, whether they lived here or not, she did it. She was one in a million and a good friend.”

At-large City Councilor Kateri Walsh called the ceremony a “wonderful tribute to a wonderful person.”

“She was always there for Indian Orchard,” Walsh said. “She truly is a person that has made a difference in Indian Orchard and the entire city.”

Paul Caron, a former state representative, recalled his first campaign for the Legislature in 1982, and how he was from Pine Point running against two candidates from Indian Orchard. He recalled that Ledger made sure he was aware of every neighborhood event, and then becoming an ally when he was elected.

Several burglary-related thefts were reported on Monday, according to Springfield police, who continue to investigate.

 

SPRINGFIELD — "Who the heck steals two kittens?" Jennifer Ashton asks on the Springfield Police Department's Facebook page.

That's apparently a question police are still trying to answer, after someone took two baby felines during a break-in at a Sixteen Acres home on Monday.

The victims left their Winding Lane residence early that morning and returned around 5 p.m. to find the front door had been kicked in, police said. Stolen from the home were two kittens and two Dell laptop computers, according to police, who continue to investigate.

But that was just one of several residential burglaries reported on Monday.

At 3 p.m., a North End resident told police that various tools and equipment were taken from a shed at a Morgan Street property.

At 6 p.m., an Indian Orchard resident reported that cash and other items were missing from a Mohegan Avenue home.

And at 7 p.m., a Pine Point resident told investigators that cash, jewelry, a tablet computer and an iPad Mini were taken from a Coleman Street home.

Police are also investigating a break-in at Midas Auto Service, 1160 Boston Road, that was reported around 8 p.m. Monday. Responding officers said they found a broken bay window, but apparently nothing of value was taken.

Also on Monday, a gray 2002 Saturn SL1 was taken from a Metro Center parking lot at 45 Willow St., police said. The license plate for the Massachusetts-registered car is 181KV7.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about these crimes to call the Springfield Police Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355.

The Worcester Opportunities Fair on Wednesday will highlight job and volunteer opportunities with the city.

WORCESTER — The Worcester Opportunities Fair on Wednesday will highlight job and volunteer opportunities with the city.

"We are excited to host this venue to present information to our residents about both employment options and civic engagement positions within the City," said Interim City Manager Ed Augustus. "This Opportunities Fair is just one of the many strategies
the City utilizes to increase participation and I encourage all residents to attend."

The fair will be held at the Central Community YMCA Branch, 766 Main Street, from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26. There will be information available both about jobs with the city and volunteer opportunities. These opportunities are available online, but the forum is yet another way to reach members of the community, said Augustus.

"It is my goal to reach and recruit individuals who otherwise might not have applied for these positions and in the process to strengthen and diversify our workforce and Board & Commission membership," he said.

Among the jobs available with the city are positions with the Fire Department. The application deadline is March 17 with a written exam date of April 26.

There are currently 20 openings on various boards and commissions within the city. Some of these positions are specific to certain districts of the city, while others are open to all city residents.

The qualifications for consideration are:

• Be a registered voter.


• Be a resident in the district for one year.


• Not be employed by the city.

Fifteen employees lost their jobs at Assumption College this week after the small liberal arts school completed a restructuring of some departments in order to stay within its approved budget.

Fifteen employees lost their jobs at Assumption College this week after the small liberal arts school restructured some of its departments in order to stay within budget.

"The restructuring plan, which includes the reduction of 15 employees from various divisions of the college, was necessary to address current challenges facing the higher education community, specifically maintaining or reducing costs for students," Michael K. Guilfoyle, college executive director of communications, said in a news release Tuesday night.

The affected employees, which include faculty, staff and administration, were given a severance package and the college has offered transitional assistance, according to Guilfoyle. No additional reductions are planned at this time.

Assumption College President Francesco C. Cesareo shared the news with faculty and staff on Tuesday afternoon.

Guilfoyle said that the decision to reduce staff, which will provide an annual savings of $1.2 million, "was not related to, nor the result of, the tuition freeze at the college" and that the college remains optimistic about the future.

"Such a reduction in force would have occurred with or without the true pricing program that was recently announced to make college more affordable," Guilfoyle wrote in an email Tuesday.

Despite the job eliminations, Guilfoyle said that the Roman Catholic college's fiscal status is good. Guilfoyle said that its long-term debt to cash ratio is low and that its endowment is in excess of $96 million. He added that the college, located on Salisbury Street in Worcester, will implement new revenue generating initiatives this summer, although more detail regarding the initiatives was not provided.

Guilfoyle also said that the reductions would not affect the implementation of the new criminology and education majors, announced Monday.

"Academic programs will continue to grow at Assumption and there remains great optimism on campus," he said.

In 2012, Assumption had 2,000 students enrolled, of which 92 percent live on campus, according to the college's quick facts page. The cost of attending Assumption for next year's incoming freshmen is expected to be $35,510.

The 4:22 p.m. crash tied up traffic downtown for about an hour during the evening commute.

A Worcester Police Department cruiser was involved in a three-vehicle crash on Tuesday that sent four people to the hospital with minor injuries, police said.

The 4:22 p.m. crash tied up traffic downtown for about an hour during the evening commute.

According to a police account of the crash, the cruiser was headed south on Summer Street with its lights and siren on when it entered the intersection of MLK, Jr. Boulevard. At the same time, a Honda Odyssey minivan traveling east on MLK was headed into the intersection. The vehicles collided, and the force sent the cruiser into a a third vehicle, a Lincoln Navigator SUV, that was stopped at the red light.

The 40-year-old driver of the Lincoln, along with the SUV's 20-year-old and 15-month-old passengers, were taken to St. Vincent's Medical Center for evaluation, police said. The 25-year-old police officer was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center.

The driver of the Honda refused treatment, police said.

None of the injuries were serious. The names of the people involved were not made public.

No citations have been issued, though police said an investigation was ongoing.

BOSTON (AP) — A commission looking at the viability of trying to bring the Summer Olympics to Boston in 2024 says finding space for an 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium and a 100-acre athletes' village are major hurdles. The 11-member commission says in a draft report that Boston already has enough hotel rooms, security expertise, and cultural cachet to host the games...

BOSTON (AP) — A commission looking at the viability of trying to bring the Summer Olympics to Boston in 2024 says finding space for an 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium and a 100-acre athletes' village are major hurdles.

The 11-member commission says in a draft report that Boston already has enough hotel rooms, security expertise, and cultural cachet to host the games but faces a "monumental task" making the city easy to navigate and finding enough space for the necessary venues.

The Boston Globe obtained a copy of the report, due for public release within days.

John Fish, the chief executive of Suffolk Construction and leader of the commission, says the group would also need to conduct an in-depth study of the costs of hosting the Olympics, an issue not examined in the draft report.

___

Information from: The Boston Globe

As the owners of the Palladium prepare to start an ongoing restoration project, they are looking to their "family" of patrons to get the ball rolling with a $25,000 Indiegogo campaign.

WORCESTER — As the owners of the Palladium prepare to start an ongoing restoration project, they look to their "family" of patrons to get the ball rolling with a $25,000 Indiegogo campaign.

"There's a family aspect of the Palladium. We feel that the people who come here are part of the family," said Jill Miller, the Palladium's marketing director. "We wanted to give people an opportunity to make this bigger and better."

The owners look towards their legions of metal fans that turn out in droves for shows by groups like Gwar and Insane Clown Posse for their initial fundraising efforts.

Since the Palladium was renamed in 1980, it has been the concert location for multiple generations of metal fans. The improvements and preservation of the building will allow this to continue well into the future, said Miller.

"We have a lot of kids who grow up here. They might feel like outsiders, but this is a place that we want them to be able to go and feel comfortable and listen to the music they love," said Miller. "We are really passionate about giving kids a place they feel comfortable .... where everyone is going to have a safe, great time."

The first restoration efforts of $25,000 will focus on the exterior of the building. The total goal, $1 million raised by the end of the year, will fund inside the Palladium. Those interior improvements will extends from the facilities, to office space as well as the sound equipment.

"We want to keep the classic elements and bring in all the new advances that make a concert hall great," said Miller. "We want to bring in everything that is big, great and new about concerts."

The musical experience will improve through the restoration, she said. The improvements to the sound and overall venue will draw in larger acts while simultaneously allowing local bands to be showcased even more effectively.

The efforts are being made to not just improve the show-going experience, said Miller, but to preserve the historical building and space. The building was constructed over eight decades when it opened as the Plymouth Theater. It has been a movie house, performance space and then a movie theater again, said Miller. The four-story building has roughly 3,000 square feet of space on each floor and the basement used to house a bowling alley.

The initial fundraiser has a number of different benefits associated with different levels of donations. From t-shirts to a private tour with lunch and culminating in an opportunity to sign the stage. There will be other fundraising events as the year goes on, said Miller.

More information on the Palladium fundraiser can be found on the Indiegogo page.

State police say at least 185 people have died from suspected heroin overdoses in Massachusetts since Nov. 1, a figure that does not even include overdose deaths in the state's three largest cities.

BOSTON (AP) — State police say at least 185 people have died from suspected heroin overdoses in Massachusetts since Nov. 1, a figure that does not even include overdose deaths in the state's three largest cities.

Although there are no comparable figures for overdose deaths in the same period last year, a state police spokesman says ODs are on the rise.

David Procopio tells The Boston Globe "experience and accumulated knowledge" indicates that the numbers represent an increased rate of fatal heroin overdoses.

The number of heroin-related deaths in Boston, Worcester and Springfield was not readily available.

According to the state Department of Public Health's annual statewide figures, the number of opioid-related deaths increased from 363 in 2000 to 642 in 2011, the most recent year that data was compiled.

___

Information from: The Boston Globe

Fire officials say two people have died in an early morning house fire in Methuen.

METHUEN, Mass. (AP) --€” Fire officials say two people have died in an early morning house fire in Methuen.

The fire was spotted at about 3 a.m. Wednesday by a police officer on routine patrol.

Official describe the victims as an elderly married couple. Their names were not immediately made public.

The fire apparently started in the garage area but the exact cause remains under investigation.

Some nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.

A Winooski man described by prosecutors as a major crack cocaine trafficker in Vermont has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A Winooski man described by prosecutors as a major crack cocaine trafficker in Vermont has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.

The Burlington Free Press reports (http://bfpne.ws/1k8v3FP ) that 30-year-old Randy Gaboriault offered a brief apology as he was sentenced Tuesday in federal court. Court documents say he and his associates made as many as 70 trips to Springfield, Mass., between 2009 and 2012 to purchase about 8 kilograms of cocaine worth up to $980,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan said Gaboriault had 15 prior convictions and called him a longtime thorn in the side of the community. His lawyer, Jordana Levine, told the judge her client recognizes what he did was terrible and destructive and that he wants to change his behavior.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating reports that someone pointed a laser light at the cockpits of two airplanes in the Boston area.

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating reports that someone pointed a laser light at the cockpits of two airplanes in the Boston area.

Also, police in Newton, just west of Boston and the Logan Airport, are looking into a report from a driver that a man pointed a green laser at him and other drivers on Tuesday night, about two hours before the planes were allegedly targeted.

One plane had left Boston and was heading to Atlanta; the other was en route to Boston and flying over Providence, R.I.

The FAA pinpointed the coordinates to Forte Park in Newton, and police responded but did not find anyone.

Police do not know if the incidents are related.

The FAA and Newton police did not immediately return calls Wednesday for more details.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission continues to evaluate applications for the slots parlor license. The commission will issue the single slots license award on Friday, Feb. 28.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission continues to evaluate applications for the slots parlor license. The commission will issue the single slots license award on Friday, Feb. 28. For more information on the slots evaluation process, click here. For the full agenda, click here.

Tweets by @MassGamingComm

Outside of education, police officers and medical professionals are among the highest earners in state government.

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of posts about state employee pay. Last week, we asked what you want to know about state pay — and you answered with a number of interesting suggestions. In the days and weeks ahead, we'll have reporters following up on as many of your questions as possible. A searchable database of the spreadsheet we received from the state comptroller appears at the bottom of this post.

Employees of the University of Massachusetts earn the most money among all state employees, according to 2013 state salary data released by the Massachusetts comptroller's office. Other public college presidents also topped the state salary list.

The data show that 313 state employees earned more than $200,000 a year in 2013 — and of those, 224 were affiliated with the University of Massachusetts.

Outside of education, police officers and medical professionals are among the highest earners in state government.

The top earner on the state salary list was Michael Collins, the chancellor of UMass Medical School and senior vice president of health sciences, who earned $816,601 in 2013. The second-highest earner was Terence Flotte, dean of UMass Medical School who is also provost and executive deputy chancellor, who earned $730,187.

Mark Shelton, a spokesman for UMass Medical School, said the chancellor's compensation is set by the university president. The salaries of executive leadership, including Flotte, are set based on the salaries for similar jobs at comparable institutions. UMass Medical School aims to set its base salaries so employees fall between the 50th and 75th percentile in the market.

“The university sets salaries based on their view of what’s competitive and appropriate for the position and the person and the market,” Shelton said. “We do pay competitive salaries for an academic health science center. We do what we think is really important work, and we pay people appropriately for the good work they do.”

However, university officials point out that unlike many other public employees, UMass faculty are not primarily paid with taxpayer money.

At the medical school in particular, the salaries are not paid exclusively from public money. The state gave the medical school $41 million in 2013, less than 5 percent of the school’s total revenue of $939 million. The medical school also writes the state a check each year to cover the future costs of retiree health care and pension benefits for its employees.

“About 5 percent of non-research faculty salaries come from something associated with public payers. The rest is generated from other sources,” Shelton said.

Other top-paid UMass employees include head basketball coach Derek Kellogg ($719,663) and Derek Lovley, a professor of microbiology and associate dean of the College of Natural Resources and the Environment ($703,164).

Derek Lovley, a professor of microbiology and associate dean of the College of Natural Resources and the Environment at UMass Amherst, was the fourth-highest paid state employee in 2013, earning $703,164. (AP Photo/Nathan Martin) 

Daniel Fitzgibbons, a spokesman for UMass Amherst, said 35 percent of Lovley’s salary comes from university funds and the rest comes from grant funding that he brings in as a researcher. In 19 years at the school, Lovley has brought in $67.5 million in research funding, Fitzgibbons said. “He’s one of the leading microbiologists anywhere right now,” Fitzgibbons said.

Asked about Kellogg’s salary, Fitzgibbons said, “Salaries in college athletics are market-driven, and UMass needs to pay competitive rates to attract high-quality coaches who can promote success for their programs.” He said UMass Amherst coaches, compared with other flagship campuses in NCAA Division I, rank at the lower end of the pay scale.

The Republican / MassLive.com previously reported that Kellogg’s contract includes a mix of base pay and bonuses and will pay him between $665,000 and over $800,000 a season for two years.

Among other coaches, former UMass head football coach Charley Molnar earned $322,215 in 2013, although he was fired at the end of the year. Records show Molnar has received over $900,000 in pay in 2014, reflecting a buyout of the remaining three years of his contract that was originally estimated at $836,000.

UMass athletic director John McCutcheon earned $264,768. Normand Bazin, head coach for men’s ice hockey at UMass Lowell, earned $289,518.

In general, the university establishes salaries in relation to what people at comparable institutions are paid for doing comparable jobs, said Ann Scales, a spokeswoman for UMass. “We feel it's necessary that the salaries be competitive to attract and retain top faculty and staff,” Scales said. In fiscal year 2014, 19 percent of the university budget was state funded.

University and college presidents at all institutions earn high salaries. A recent report by Attorney General Martha Coakley found that presidents’ salaries at five of the state’s highest paying non-profit universities ranged from around $700,000 to more than $1 million a year.

The Massachusetts salary data named University of Massachusetts President Robert Caret as the fifth-highest paid public employee in 2013, earning $653,472. (Photo by Don Treeger / The Republican)

Among public universities, the state salary data named UMass President Robert Caret as the fifth-highest paid public employee in 2013, earning $653,472. UMass President Emeritus Jack Wilson, who remains a professor and has held a number of other campus roles, earned $266,422.

The presidents of Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Middlesex Community College, Mount Wachusett Community College, Salem State University and Massachusetts College of Art all earned around $250,000 a year, while a number of other college presidents earned slightly less than that. Ira Rubenzahl, president of Springfield Technical Community College, earned $206,560.

Outside of academics, Chief Medical Examiner Henry Nieds topped the state salary list, earning $260,943 last year.

The only other non-academics to earn more than $250,000 from the state were two police lieutenants: David Wilson ($259,293) and John O’Grady ($258,453). In total, around 50 state police officers — troopers, sergeants, lieutenants and others — cracked $200,000.

In most cases, their base salaries (according to 2014 rates) were between around $90,000 and $130,000. David Procopio, a state police spokesman, said the additional pay is mostly attributable to overtime and paid details.

Overtime is paid by the police department. In 2013, that would have included overtime related to the Boston Marathon bombing investigation, snowstorms and other events. Details are paid for by the company hiring the officers — whether a private construction company or a state agency such as the Department of Transportation.

Detail work in 2013 was paid at a rate of $40 an hour, based on a collective bargaining agreement. Police salaries are also boosted by the Quinn Bill, which raised police salaries for employees with advanced degrees by 10 to 25 percent. (The state cut its funding for the bill in 2010 and the bonus does not apply to the most recent class of police academy graduates.)

Also peppering the list of those earning over $200,000 a year are a number of medical professionals.

Linda Roedder, a nurse for the Department of Developmental Services who used to run nursing services at the Fernald Center, a state mental institution that has closed, earned $243,052 in 2013.

Several physicians at the Department of Public Health and psychiatrists at the Department of Mental Health earned around $230,000. Julie Kaviar, a spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, said for both departments, the Massachusetts Nursing Association guides the salaries for those positions. A collective bargaining agreement dictates salary placement rules, which are reviewed and approved by Human Resources.

Searchable Database

Use the Department, Employee Name, or Job Title fields to begin your search. The database will return results for partial information in any field — for example, searching the Department field with the term "Transitional" will return all results for the Department of Transitional Assistance.

To see the entire database, leave all fields blank and click Search.

Once the database has returned your results (the browser may reload the page, so you'll need to scroll back down to the bottom of the article), use the drop-down menu at right to sort the data. For example, you can sort names alphabetically, or sort earnings from high to low.

The three residents, two adults and a child, were being helped to find temporary shelter by the American Red Cross.

This is an update of a story that was originally posted at 8:49 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD — Three people were displaced by a fire Wednesday night that caused between $50,000 and $60,000 in damage to a home at 196-198 College St. in the city's Bay neighborhood, a fire official said.

Dennis Leger, aide to Springfield Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, said the fire appeared to have started in an enclosed second-floor porch and then spread inside.

Two rooms in the second-floor apartment were gutted, and other rooms received smoke damage. The first-floor apartment, which was vacant, sustained water damage, he said.

There was also fire damage to the attic, and firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof to ventilate smoke, he said.

The American Red Cross was helping the displaced residents, two adults and a child, find temporary shelter.

The fire was reported just before 8 p.m. Leger said the cause remains under investigation.

College Street is in the Bay neighborhood and runs from State Street to Acorn Street.

According to city records, the 2 1/2-story, two family home was built in 1924. The property is listed to Brian Krawiec of Springfield, and has a total assessed value of $105,000.

The board of Danish export credit agency EKF has approved a $600 million loan to the Cape Wind offshore energy project, the project's president announced Wednesday.

BOSTON — The board of a Danish export credit agency has approved a $600 million loan to the Cape Wind offshore energy project, the project's president announced Wednesday.

The loan from EKF was announced by Cape Wind President Jim Gordon at the GreenPower USA Offshore Wind Conference in Boston.

"EKF is a very knowledgeable and experienced investor in the offshore wind industry and they recognize that Cape Wind makes sense both economically and environmentally," Gordon said.

The wind farm proposed for Nantucket Sound off the coast of Cape Cod is expected to cost about $2.6 billion. If built, it will be the first offshore wind farm in the U.S.

A partnership between EKF and Cape Wind makes sense, EKF deputy CEO Soren Moller said.

Several Danish companies are already involved in the project, he said, and EKF has invested in similar wind energy projects in Europe.

"This is not a first for us," he said. "This is technology that is proven and a project that is well known."

Cape Wind last year secured a $200 million investment from a Danish pension fund. The project is also in the running for a $500 million U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantee.

EKF aids Danish companies building markets abroad, according to its website.

Established in 1922, EKF is owned and guaranteed by the Danish government but operated as a modern financial enterprise.

The loan is subject to the finalization of due diligence and completion of documentation.

The Cape Wind project, a decade in the planning, received federal approval in 2010 and has won the regulatory permits it needs to be built, but still faces several legal challenges.

"Today's announcement is another example of Cape Wind's reliance on conditional foreign investments," said Audra Parker, president of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, which opposes the wind farm project. "The high-priced and controversial project has yet to receive any U.S. financing or obtain a critical loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy," she said.

The funding comes as the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved 12 long-term power purchase agreements for onshore wind facilities in New England, representing a total of more than 409 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 122,000 homes.

Officials said the move represents the largest procurement of renewable energy in New England by Massachusetts utilities, and should reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6.7 million tons over the life of the contracts.

The weighted average price from the contracts is less than eight cents per kilowatt hour.

Stephen Rakes' death was not connected to the Bulger case, but was the result of a business dispute, police say.

WOBURN, Mass. — A Massachusetts man Wednesday pleaded not guilty to murder in the July poisoning death of an alleged extortion victim of Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger.

The Associated Press/file 

The MetroWest Daily News reports William Camuti, 69, of Sudbury was arraigned Wednesday in Middlesex Superior Court. He was indicted in November. Camuti appeared on crutches because of recent hip-replacement surgery. He is held without bail.

Rakes had hoped to testify in Bulger's 2013 trial but wasn't called by prosecutors. Bulger was sentenced to two life terms in a broad racketeering case that included involvement in 11 killings.

Prosecutors say Camuti poisoned Rakes' iced coffee when they met over a business deal, then drove him around for hours before dumping his body.

Three people sustained non-life-threatening injuries in a three-car crash near 315 Russell St. (Route 9) that tied up traffic in Hadley late Wednesday afternoon.

03.09.11 | Photo by Julian Feller-Cohen – A Hadley Police Department cruiser. 

HADLEY — A three-car collision on Route 9 snarled traffic and sent three people to the hospital late Wednesday afternoon.

None of the victims sustained life-threatening injuries, according to Hadley police.

Hamp Scanner reports that the incident happened around 4:30 p.m. near Steve Lewis Subaru, 315 Russell St. (Route 9).

An elderly woman was driving eastbound in a sedan when she drifted into westbound traffic and struck an oncoming vehicle head-on, police said. A third vehicle was unable to stop in time and crashed into the wreckage.

Two people in the car struck by the older woman were injured. The woman, whose name was unavailable, also was injured. Updates on their conditions were not immediately available.

The crash happened just as rush-hour was beginning and led to significant delays for some motorists.

It was not immediately known if any charges were filed in connection with the crash, which remains under investigation.

MAP showing westbound view of Route 9 crash site:

No one was injured in the fire at 231 Baker Road, but the blaze caused about $50,000 in damage, according to Shutesbury Fire Chief Walter Tibbetts.

 

SHUTESBURY — Firefighters here quickly extinguished a chimney fire that spread to the attic of a home at 231 Baker Road early Wednesday evening.

The incident was reported as a chimney fire at 5:18 p.m., according to Fireground360, the online site that monitors public safety activity in parts of Western Massachusetts.

A second alarm was issued just before 5:30 p.m. as flames spread to the attic, prompting mutual aid requests from surrounding fire departments, Fireground reports.

The fire was brought under control quickly, Shutesbury Fire Chief Walter R. Tibbetts told the Greenfield Recorder.

"When we responded, there was a working fire in the attic, with flames showing through the soffit vents and gables," he said.

Tibbetts said there were no injuries in the fire, which caused about $50,000 in damage.

Although the fire was quickly contained, the second alarm was issued to ensure adequate water supply, he told the Recorder. Several area departments backed up Shutesbury firefighters.

Baker Road runs between Pelham Hill Road and West Pelham Road.

A part of the Connecticut-based Max group of restaurant ventures, Max's Tavern is a testament to that organization's attention to detail.

The passing years have been kind to Max's Tavern. Now in its second decade of operation, the restaurant remains one of Greater Springfield's most successful dining venues.

A part of the Connecticut-based Max group of restaurant ventures, Max's Tavern is a testament to that organization's attention to detail.

Even though the Tavern's seen plenty of customer traffic, its comfortable, upscale interior remains fresh looking.

The culinary style at Max's could best be labeled as "chop house contemporary."

There's an obvious focus on beef, with choices like Prime Rib ($26.95) and Filet Mignon ($33.95) at postposition.

Pasta and seafood options play supporting roles in forms such as Shrimp Pasta ($20.95), a gussied-up Baked Macaroni ($17.95), and Cape Cod Day Boat Scallops ($27.95) served with coconut sticky rice and "kim chi" Brussels sprouts.

A handful of comfort food specialties -- Hilda's Meatloaf ($15.95) and "Classic" Fish & Chips ($19.95) -- round out the current repertoire.

Starter choices have a bar food focus. Crispy "Rhode Island" Calamari ($8.95) and a daily Grilled Flatbread ($7.95) selection are available, as are options like Maryland Crab Cakes ($12.95) and Tuna Tacos ($10.95).

We chose to pass on those, instead opting to begin with The Wedge ($8.95). A steak house classic, it's an iceberg-wedge, blue-cheese-dressing affair that's currently enjoying quite the revival.

The Tavern's version is first rate, thanks primarily to impeccably fresh ingredients.

Simplicity proved to be the hallmark of our main course steak selection.

Max's Tavern serves a New York strip in two different sizes; the smaller 12-ounce cut ($26.95) had been carefully trimmed and expertly broiled.

Our steak got a shot of black pepper after coming off the grill and, though that's not a final touch we'd typically request, we did decide that the seasoning enhanced the meat's flavor in a likeable enough way.

Grill selections come with a choice of steak house sides, and we opted for the Pan Roasted Wild Mushrooms ($5 when ordered ala carte). Seasoned with white pepper, shallots, and a hint of garlic, the mushrooms -- earthy-flavored and hearty -- were the perfect accompaniment for the steak.

Just as with the food, beverage service at Max's is top notch. The Max Restaurant Group recently upgraded its wine and spirits program; Max's Tavern now features a world-class wine list.

Dessert is another chance to experience "Max" excellence, since the Tavern has its own pastry chef.

The Tavern Chocolate Cake ($8) is all a chocolate fanatic might desire -- cake with a dense cocoa crumb, a dark mousse filling, and a lush chocolate ganache icing.

We made a second visit to Max's Tavern for lunch -- the midday agenda is quite similar to that at dinner -- and had an equally enjoyable visit.

Though we usually stick to the menu when ordering, the Asparagus Bisque ($5.95) being offered as a daily special seemed like just the taste of spring we were yearning for.

Asparagus soup can be a tricky business -- too much cream, too little flavor -- but the version we were served was exceptionally well balanced. Based on chicken broth, which provided savory underpinnings, the soup had a character that was delicate yet satisfying.

Atlantic Salmon A La Plancha ($15.95 at lunch) was an impressive medley of flavors and textures. A sweet, fruity cider reduction balanced the salmon's distinctive presence; sauteed kale added color and crunch.

A clever "risotto" of cauliflower (coarsely chopped and enriched with a cheese sauce) was good enough to gobble down alone, and a garnish of pan-roasted almonds added toasty crunch.

Our only quibble? By stacking all the components one on the other, the kitchen created a visually attractive but messy-to-eat experience.

The Apple Cider Doughnuts ($8), a half-dozen golf-ball-sized fritters served with salted caramel sauce, were interesting but nothing we'd be motivated to order again.

On Sundays Max's Tavern offers brunch, during which the regular lunch menu is augmented with several breakfast-inspired selections.

Name: Max's Tavern
Address: 1000 West Columbus Avenue, Springfield
Phone: (413) 746-6299
Website: maxrestaurantgroup.com/tavern
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Entree prices: $16.95 - $41.95
Credit cards: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Handicapped access: Accessible, with rest rooms equipped for wheelchairs
Reservations: Accepted and advised, especially on weekends

Springfield police were investigating a rash of burglaries, including the theft of 2 kittens from a Sixteen Acres home.

These were the most-read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now.

1) 15 Springfield restaurants that have withstood the test of time [By Ray Kelly]

2) Massachusetts salary database: UMass staff earn the highest pay among state employees [By Shira Schoenberg]

3) Springfield police investigating rash of burglaries, including theft of 2 kittens from Sixteen Acres home [By Conor Berry]

4) Massachusetts CORI records: Baystate shooter Eddie Bonafe arrested 12 times between 1986 and 2010 [By Patrick Johnson]

5) Fred Contrada: Conversations with The Bearded Lady [By Fred Contrada]

Photos: A slideshow of 15 Springfield restaurants that have withstood the test of time.

The Student Prince Cafe and The Fort Dining Room, 8 Fort St. The Student Prince Cafe was opened September 24, 1935 and has been run by the Scherff family for much of its rich history.