Zenaida Ortiz teaches math and Spanish and Cynthia Murphy teaches English at Springfield High School, 1 of 8 alternative schools in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Editor's note: This article is the second in a three-part series documenting the success struggling students can find at one of Springfield's alternative high schools.

The first part in the series on students at Springfield High School was published Friday. »

The third part on administrators will be published on Tuesday.

SPRINGFIELD — The moment Zenaida Ortiz walked out the door after being hired for her first teaching job at the Massachusetts Career Development Institute, she was stopped on the street by a man who told her she was crazy.

"Why would you want to work there with those bad kids, that's what he asked me," she said. "I told him they are just kids, how bad can it be?"

Twelve years later, Ortiz is still working as a math and Spanish teacher at what is now Springfield High School, one of eight alternative high schools in the city, and some of those "bad kids" she taught have moved on to college and have families of their own.

"Kids are kids. Some (at the alternative high schools) have family issues, some have behavioral problems, but all of them just want someone to believe in them, to take them time and listen to them," said Ortiz.

Alternative education, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secordary Education, is an approach offered to "at-risk" students in a nontraditional setting.

After obtaining an undergraduate degree in accounting in Puerto Rico, Ortiz moved with her husband and three children to Boston, where she obtained her graduate degree in education from Lesley University.

Her goal was to work in finance, maybe become an accountant, but when her family relocated to Springfield, there were job openings in teaching.

"I like working with people and I wanted to make a difference in someone's life," she said. "Here I feel like I get to do that every day."

View full sizeZenaida Ortiz, a math teacher at Springfield High School on Dickinson Street. MARK M.MURRAY / THE REPUBLICAN  

For English teacher Cynthia L. Murphy, her first year at Springfield High is coming to an end, and she is excited about the potential she sees in many of her students.

"Sharing the success of my students is the most enjoyable aspect of my career," she said. "It is so rewarding to help students who did not believe in their own potential to achieve their goals."

Murphy has spent 33 years teaching in the Springfield Public Schools. She started her career at Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, where she taught in a pilot program that individualized learning for students who were academically below grade level.

Murphy said any misconceptions people have about Springfield High School generally disappear when they enter the building.

"It is like any other school. The real benefit we have is that our class sizes are so small. I wish I had been able to work with kids on such a one-on-one level in the more traditional school system," she said.

Both Ortiz and Murphy have made a point of engaging students with the world outside of Springfield High.

Ortiz has started bringing in local minority professionals, from city councilors to journalists, who grew up in the area and have successful careers, to show her students that anything is possible.

"I want them to see people who are just like them, but took advantage of school and made decisions in their life that helped them get where they are today," she said. "I want them to see all the possibilities that exist for them."

In her first year, Murphy coordinated several trips to see live productions of the plays her students read in class. For some of the students, it was their first time leaving the city or watching a play.

"From 'Othello,' to 'Higgins in Harlem,' and 'The Mystery of Irma Vepp,' they get to see these characters they have been reading about come to life, and that's awesome to witness," she said.

The school's on-site assistant principal, Matthew Bean, said he is very proud of the staff.

"Most of them choose to be here. They care about students and want them to succeed even when they are faced with tough life challenges," he said.

Murphy said it is not about pretending that the school has no challenges or that students are perfect.

"Some of our students are under a great deal of pressure on many levels – academic, peer, family, economic and societal," she said. "Behavioral issues generally arise as a result of frustration due to learning challenges. Our school focuses on a Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports system. We set incentives to encourage good choices. We also have immediate, realistic consequences for inappropriate behavior."

Murphy said oftentimes just sitting with students and talking through their frustration will bring them to a place of understanding.

"They are adolescents, they want acceptance and they need support. We can offer them that support in a small setting, and the results are often incredible," she said.

The story of Ryder Funeral Home and alleged improper handling of human remains generated a lot of commentary on Masslive

SOUTH HADLEY - Funerals, and the businesses that provide them, touch an emotional nerve for many people at a very difficult time. So, it is no wonder that the sudden closing of Ryder Funeral Home in South Hadley generated a great deal of reader comment on Masslive.com.

The state Division of Professional Licensure has suspended owner William W. Ryder's license and shut down the funeral home Friday after an investigation found that human remains were not handled properly.

An inspection last week found that Ryder failed to properly store or embalm six bodies including one found in a garage at the funeral home. One of the bodies had been in Ryder's possession since May 1, according to papers field by the state.

Ryder's attorney, Paul Boudreau of South Hadley, said other area funeral directors stepped in to complete the services Ryder had planned and are assisting in winding down the business.

Boudreau said Ryder suffers from unspecified health concerns and must decide for himself when and if he can ever become healthy enough mentally or physically to re-enter his profession and restart the business.

But first, Ryder must face a disciplinary hearing June 6 in Boston where he will be asked to show evidence why he should not loose his license.

Here are some of your comments:

Jennifer wrote:

They handled my father's funeral a few years back, and I thought that they did a wonderful job. Things can change I guess, and I have no knowledge as to what went on "behind the scenes". If these allegations are true, it is appalling that someone would take such advantage of people in their time of grief.  Also, my grandmother pre-paid for her arrangements, and I contacted the insurance company who holds the policy, and they assured me that my money was safe and that I could designate the fund to be transferred to another facility.

Jayson wrote:

There is no chance that Mr. Ryder will keep his license. The violations are so severe that the state will revoke his license permanently. 

Papineau2 wrote:

Jerianne wrote of her experience with William Ryder and his late father, Myron Ryder, who ran the business before William:

I am sad to hear about the entire situation. Something bad has happened here and people on the outside without the entire story judging another is probably saddest of all. My mom, dad and my two uncles were all cared for upon their deaths by Ryder's and be it Myron or Will they were always kind, caring and professional. I hope all works out for everyone involved, including Will.

People flocked to the Springfield Police Department's Facebook page to praise former Commissioner Bill Fitchet, who saluted the police station on his way out the door Friday, his last day on the job.

SPRINGFIELD — It was a simple act, and a classy one at that, according to well-wishers of William Fitchet, who can officially place the word "former" in front of the title "Springfield police commissioner."

After spending more than four decades protecting and serving the citizens of Springfield, on Friday afternoon Fitchet exited "130 P" – shorthand for Springfield police headquarters at 130 Pearl St. – for the last time as a city police officer. At precisely 5:05 p.m., the retiring commissioner turned around and saluted the building in a final gesture of respect to the institution and city he dutifully served since 1973.

The salute was a sign of "respect to all the men and women that remain and work as sentinels for peace and justice," said Police Department spokesman Sgt. John Delaney, Fitchet's executive aide for the past several years.

"He will be missed. It was an honor to serve with him," Delaney said.

To get a sense of how long Fitchet was a cop, in his first year on the job there were no such things as personal computers, cell phones, Twitter or the Internet. The No. 1 TV show in the nation was "All in the Family," and the year's top song was "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree." Nixon was in the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe-v-Wade decision upheld a woman's right to abortion, and the Grateful Dead stopped by the old Springfield Civic Center for a one-night stand.

Fitchet is passing the torch to John Barbieri, a former deputy police chief who officially takes the reins as commissioner on Sunday, June 1.

Before deciding how the next chapter of his life will read, Fitchet plans to take some time off to relax and reflect. "I plan on taking it easy and decompressing for the next few months," he said in an interview with The Republican last week.

People flocked to social media to praise the former commissioner after Delaney posted a photo of Fitchet's final salute on the Police Department's Facebook page Friday. Comments ran the gamut from "what a class act" to "job well done" to "you are awesome."

One commenter said Fitchet would "make a great director of casino security," and at five times the pay rate he made as police commissioner.

Nearly five years after his capture by insurgents, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's "safety and health were both in jeopardy" and officials had to act quickly to obtain his release, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Sunday.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Nearly five years after his capture by insurgents, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's "safety and health were both in jeopardy" and officials had to act quickly to obtain his release, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Sunday.

The only American prisoner of the Afghan war was freed Saturday after President Barack Obama agreed to release five high-level Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"While Bowe was gone, he was never forgotten," Obama said from the White House Rose Garden, where he was joined by Bergdahl's parents. "The United States of America does not ever leave our men and women in uniform behind."

Two Republican lawmakers, Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon of California and Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, said Obama violated U.S. law when he approved an exchange involving prisoners at Guantanamo without notifying Congress 30 days in advance.

In response, the White House said that officials considered what they called "unique and exigent circumstances" and decided to go ahead with the transfer in spite of the legal requirement.

On Sunday, Susan Rice, the national security adviser said on ABC's "This Week" there had been extensive consultations with Congress in the past about getting Bergdahl back and that lawmakers knew the idea of trading detainees was on the table.

Hagel, who was traveling to Afghanistan to meet with U.S. troops, said notice of Saturday's action was not relayed to Congress because of its urgency. He said intelligence indicated that Bergdahl's "health was deteriorating."

At Bagram Air Field, Hagel thanked the special operations forces that participated in the rescue. Gen. Joseph Dunford said there was a sense of excitement in the headquarters as the news spread.

"You almost got choked up," he said. "It was pretty extraordinary. It has been almost five years and he is home."

Bergdahl's parents, Bob and Jani, led a tireless campaign to keep their son's story in the public eye. They were expected to hold a news conference Sunday in their hometown of Hailey, Idaho, where residents were planning a homecoming celebration for the soldier.

Bergdahl, in good condition and able to walk, was handed over to U.S. special operations forces by the Taliban in an area of eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border, U.S. officials said. In a statement on its website, the Taliban put the location on the outskirts of Khost province.

The government of Qatar served as the go-between in the negotiations. Qatar is taking custody of the five Afghan detainees who were held at Guantanamo.

In weighing the swap, U.S. officials decided that it could help further the effort to reach reconciliation with the Taliban, something the U.S. sees as key to reaching a level of security in Afghanistan. But they acknowledged that there was a risk of emboldening other insurgent groups who might grab U.S. troops or citizens in an effort the secure the release of others prisoners.

Several dozen U.S. special operations forces, backed by multiple helicopters and surveillance aircraft, were involved in securing Bergdahl's transfer from about 18 Taliban members.

Bergdahl is believed to have been held by the Haqqani network since June 30, 2009. Haqqani operates in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region and claims allegiance to the Afghan Taliban but operates with some degree of autonomy.

The U.S. believes Bergdahl was held for the bulk of his captivity in Pakistan, but officials said it was not clear when he was transported to eastern Afghanistan.

Officials said Bergdahl was taken to Bagram Air Field for medical evaluations, then transferred to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, a military facility in Germany, before he's returned to the U.S. An official said Bergdhal was tentatively scheduled to go to the San Antonio Military Medical Center where he would be reunited with his family.

Bergdahl's parents had been in Washington on a previously planned visit when Obama called Saturday with news of their son's release.

As they stood with Obama in the Rose Garden, Bob Bergdahl said his son was having trouble speaking English after his rescue. The elder Bergdahl, who grew a long, thick beard to honor his son, had worked to learn Pashto, the language spoken by his son's captors, and delivered a message to him and the people of Afghanistan in that language.

Switching back to English, he said "the complicated nature of this recovery will never really be comprehended."

The circumstances surrounding Bergdahl's capture remain murky. There has been some speculation that he willingly walked away from his unit, raising the question of whether he could be charged with being absent without leave or desertion.

In 2012, Rolling Stone magazine quoted emails Bergdahl is said to have sent to his parents that suggest he was disillusioned with America's mission in Afghanistan, had lost faith in the U.S. Army and was considering desertion. Bergdahl told his parents he was "ashamed to even be American." The Associated Press could not independently authenticate the emails.

Hagel declined to say whether he believes Bergdahl was attempting to desert the Army or go AWOL when he walked away from his unit and disappeared.

"Our first priority is assuring his well-being and his health and getting him reunited with his family," Hagel said. "Other circumstances that may develop and questions -- those will be dealt with later."

A senior U.S. official told The Associated Press that the Army would make the decision on any charges but that the feeling at the moment was that Bergdahl had suffered enough in his ordeal. All the officials who discussed details of Bergdahl's transfer insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to be identified.

The U.S. has long sought Bergdahl's release, but there was renewed interest in his case as Obama finalized plans to pull nearly all American forces out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016.

Officials said the Taliban signaled to the U.S. in November that they were ready to start fresh talks on the issue of detainees. After the U.S. received proof that Bergdahl was still alive, indirect talks began, with Qatar sending messages back and forth between the two parties.

The five Guantanamo detainees departed the base on a U.S. military aircraft Saturday afternoon. Under the conditions of their release, they will be banned from traveling outside of Qatar for at least one year.

Obama and the emir of Qatar spoke last week about the conditions of the release, which have been codified in a memorandum of understanding between the two countries, officials said.

The detainees were among the most senior Afghans still held at the prison:

--Abdul Haq Wasiq, who served as the Taliban deputy minister of intelligence,

--Mullah Norullah Nori, a senior Taliban commander in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif when the Taliban fought U.S. forces in late 2001

--Khairullah Khairkhwa, who served in various Taliban positions including interior minister and had direct ties to Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden

--Mohammed Nabi, who served as chief of security for the Taliban in Qalat, Afghanistan, and later worked as a radio operator for the Taliban's communications office in Kabul

--Mohammad Fazl, whom Human Rights Watch says could be prosecuted for war crimes for presiding over the mass killing of Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan in 2000 and 2001 as the Taliban sought to consolidate their control over the country.

In a statement on the Taliban website that was translated by the Washington-based SITE Intelligence Group, the Taliban said it "was and has been for a long time attempting to free all the imprisoned Afghan prisoners inside and outside the country, and restoring the right of freedom to them quickly."

The Taliban said it was seeking the release of additional prisoners but offered no specifics.

In Pakistan, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said her government was "not aware of" Bergdahl's release or the negotiations leading up to it. She declined to comment further.

The fire melted the front portion of a box trailer filled with tires, said Dennis Leger, executive aide to Springfield Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant.

 

The box trailer, parked behind the business at 1736 Boston Road, sustained up to $20,000 in damage, according to Leger. "The whole front of this thing is destroyed," he said Sunday.

There were no reported injuries in the fire, which remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Springfield Arson & Bomb Squad at (413) 787-6370.

Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner Lewis Katz was killed along with six other people in a fiery plane crash in Massachusetts, just days after ending an ugly ownership dispute with a deal many hoped would end months of turmoil at the newspaper and restore it to its former glory.

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner Lewis Katz was killed along with six other people in a fiery plane crash in Massachusetts, just days after ending an ugly ownership dispute with a deal many hoped would end months of turmoil at the newspaper and restore it to its former glory.

His son, Drew, and a business partner confirmed Katz's death in a crash of a Gulfstream IV private jet, which went down on takeoff from Hanscom Field outside Boston on its way to Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Saturday night. There were no survivors.

On Tuesday, Katz and Harold H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest struck a deal to gain full control of the Inquirer as well as the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com by buying out their co-owners for $88 million -- an agreement that ended a very public feud over the Inquirer's business and journalism direction.

James P. Leeds Sr., town commissioner of Longport, New Jersey, said his 74-year-old wife, Anne, was also aboard the plane. He received a text from Anne just four minutes before the crash saying they were about to take off, he said.

Anne Leeds, a retired preschool teacher, had been invited by her neighbor Katz on Saturday to attend an education-related function, James Leeds said. They left Longport at about 2 p.m., attended the event and went to dinner, he said.

Officials gave no information on the cause of the crash. They said the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

When bidding on the company, Katz and Lenfest vowed to fund in-depth journalism to revive the Inquirer and to retain its editor, Bill Marimow.

"It's going to be a lot of hard work. We're not kidding ourselves. It's going to be an enormous undertaking," Katz said then, noting that advertising and circulation revenues had fallen for years. "Hopefully, (the Inquirer) will get fatter."

Katz, who grew up in Camden, New Jersey, made his fortune investing in the Kinney Parking empire and the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network in New York. He once owned the NBA's New Jersey Nets and the NHL's New Jersey Devils and was a major donor to Temple University, his alma mater.

The fight over the future of the city's two major newspapers was sparked last year by a decision to fire the Inquirer's Pulitzer Prize-winning editor. Katz and Lenfest wanted a judge to block the firing. Katz sued a fellow owner, powerful Democratic powerbroker George Norcross, saying his ownership rights had been trampled. The dispute culminated last week when Katz and Lenfest, a former cable magnate-turned-philanthropist, bought out their partners.

Lenfest said Sunday that the deal to buy out the company will be delayed but will proceed.

Three previous owners of the company, including Norcross, said in a joint statement that they were deeply saddened to hear of Katz's death.

"Lew's long-standing commitment to the community and record of strong philanthropy across the region, particularly Camden where he was born and raised, will ensure that his legacy will live on," they said.

When the crash occurred, nearby residents saw a fireball and felt the blast shake their homes.

Jeff Patterson told The Boston Globe he saw a fireball about 60 feet high and suspected the worst.

"I heard a big boom, and I thought at the time that someone was trying to break into my house because it shook it," said Patterson's son, 14-year-old Jared Patterson. "I thought someone was like banging on the door trying to get in."

The air field, which serves the public, was closed after the crash. Responders were still on the scene Sunday morning.

Hanscom Field is about 20 miles northwest of Boston. The regional airport serves mostly corporate aviation, private pilots and commuter air services.

The skies off the Hawaiian island of Kauai will be a stand-in for Mars as NASA prepares to launch a saucer-shaped vehicle in an experimental flight designed to land heavy loads on the red planet.

LOS ANGELES -- The skies off the Hawaiian island of Kauai will be a stand-in for Mars as NASA prepares to launch a saucer-shaped vehicle in an experimental flight designed to land heavy loads on the red planet.

For decades, robotic landers and rovers have hitched a ride to Earth's planetary neighbor using the same parachute design. But NASA needs a bigger and stronger parachute if it wants to send astronauts there.

This April 23, 2014 image provided by NASA shows NASA’s saucer-shaped experimental flight vehicle being prepared for a Range Compatibility Test at the at the U.S Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kekaha on the island of Kaua€˜i in Hawaii. (AP Photo/NASA)
 

Weather permitting, the space agency will conduct a test flight Tuesday high in Earth's atmosphere that's supposed to simulate the thin Martian air.

Cameras rigged aboard the vehicle will capture the action as it accelerates to four times the speed of sound and falls back to Earth. Viewers with an Internet connection can follow along live.

Engineers cautioned that they may not succeed on the first try.

"As long as I get data, I'll be very happy," said project manager Mark Adler of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The search for a way to land massive payloads on Mars predates the existence of NASA. Back then, engineers toyed with sending a winged spacecraft that would land like an airplane, but the idea was not feasible, space historians say.

Landing has always been "one of the big technology challenges for a human Mars mission," American University space policy professor Howard McCurdy said in an email.

When the twin Viking landers became the first spacecraft to set down on Mars in 1976, they relied on parachutes to slow down after punching through the Martian atmosphere. The basic design has been used since including during the Curiosity rover's hair-raising landing in 2012.

With plans to land heavier spacecraft and eventually humans, NASA needed a heftier solution. So it designed a supersonic parachute that's 110 feet in diameter -- twice as big as the one that carried the 1-ton Curiosity. It's so gigantic that it can't fit into the wind tunnels that NASA typically uses to test parachutes.

Since it's impractical to test unproven technology on Mars, NASA looked to Earth as a substitute.

During the flight, a high-flying balloon will loft the disc-shaped vehicle from the U.S. Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai to 23 miles over the Pacific where it will be dropped. Then it will fire its rocket motor to climb to 34 miles, accelerating to Mach 4. The environment at this altitude is similar to Mars' thin atmosphere.

As it descends to Earth, a tube around the vehicle should inflate, slowing it down. Then the parachute should pop out, guiding the vehicle to a gentle splashdown in the Pacific.

This undated image provided by NASA shows a saucer-shaped test vehicle holding equipment for landing large payloads on Mars in the Missile Assembly Building at the U.S Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kekaha on the island of Kaua€˜i in Hawaii.  (AP Photo/NASA)
 

Robert Braun, space technology professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, called the project a "high-risk, high-reward effort."

The latest test program "is advancing capabilities and creating the engineering knowledge needed for the next generation of Mars landers," Braun, who served as NASA's technology chief, said in an email.

NASA plans more test flights next year before deciding whether to use the new parachute on a future Mars mission.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Jayson Falcone 

Jayson James Falcone, 37, of Longmeadow, passed away on Thursday. Born in Springfield, he was raised in Longmeadow and was a 1995 graduate of Longmeadow High School. He graduated from Tufts University in 1999 and Suffolk University Law School in 2004, where he was a member of the Suffolk Transnational Law Review. Most recently, he was employed with Fierst, Kane and Bloomberg and previously was partner and counsel at Falcone Retail Properties. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Click Workspace Business Incubator in Northampton. In the 2007 Edition of Business West, he was awarded Top Entrepreneur of the year.

The East Longmeadow High School Class of 2014 graduation is scheduled to take place today at 2 p.m.

EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow High School Class of 2014 graduation is scheduled to take place today at 2 p.m.. Here are the details:

Name of high school:
East Longmeadow High School

Number of graduates:
207

Date and time of graduation:
Sunday, June 1st, 2 p.m.

Location of graduation:
East Longmeadow High Athletic Fields

Expected speakers at graduation:
Principal Gina E. Flanagan
Superintendent of Schools Gordon C. Smith
Class President Brendan T. Logan
Valedictorian Kristyna M. Murphy
Amanda M. Ferrero
Natalia T. Mesiti

As many as 150 teenagers attended an underage drinking party at a closed business on Route 9, according to police.

 

Hadley police announced the news on the department's Facebook page. However, police officials didn't name the business or identify the people who were charged.

The Facebook post didn't specify if the business was closed for the evening, or closed for good, as in it's no longer operational. Additional information was not immediately available.

"The party was comprised of approximately 100-150 guests that were 18 years of age or under, and many were observed consuming alcoholic beverages. It was also evident that marijuana had been smoked inside the business," the police post states.

The adults who were charged were ostensibly serving as "chaperones" at the party, police said.

"All party guests arranged rides home with sober drivers or were picked up by their parents," police said.

As President Barack Obama prepares to announce tougher new air quality standards, lawmakers in several states already are trying to blunt the impact on aging coal-fired power plants that feed electricity to millions of consumers.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- As President Barack Obama prepares to announce tougher new air quality standards, lawmakers in several states already are trying to blunt the impact on aging coal-fired power plants that feed electricity to millions of consumers.

The push against Obama's new carbon emission standards has been strongest in some states that have large coal-mining industries or rely heavily on coal to fuel their electricity. State officials say the new federal regulations could jeopardize the jobs of thousands of workers and drive up the monthly electric bills of residents and businesses.

It remains to be seen whether new measures passed by the states will amount to mere political symbolism or actually temper what's expected to be an aggressive federal effort to reduce the country's reliance on coal. But either way, states likely will play a pivotal role, because federal clean air laws leave it up to each state to come up its own plan for complying with the emission guidelines.

The proposed Environmental Protection Agency rules to be announced Monday could be the first to apply to carbon dioxide emissions at existing power plants. Coal is the most common fuel source for the nation's electricity and, when it's burned, is a leading source of the greenhouse gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.

Without waiting to see what Obama proposes, governors in Kansas, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia have signed laws directing their environmental agencies to develop their own carbon emission plans that consider the costs of compliance at individual power plants. Similar measures recently passed in Missouri and are pending in the Louisiana and Ohio legislatures.

Missouri lawmakers went even further in their defense of the coal industry. When activists proposed a ballot initiative barring local tax breaks for St. Louis-based Peabody Energy, state lawmakers quickly passed a measure banning such moves.

Some states have specifically empowered local regulators to develop emission plans that are less stringent than federal guidelines. According to measures passed recently, the state policies are to take into account the "unreasonable cost" of reducing emissions based on a plant's age and design and the "economic impacts" of shutting down particular power plants.

"The concern is that the federal standards -- if they come out the way that most people expect them to -- are going to drive the cost of electricity up for every single consumer in the state," said Missouri state Rep. Todd Richardson, a Republican.

Eighty-three percent of Missouri's electricity comes from coal-fired power plants, the fifth highest percentage nationally behind West Virginia, Kentucky, Wyoming and Indiana.

Federal emission regulations already allow flexibility for states if they can demonstrate costs would be unreasonable for particular facilities. But a spokesman for the EPA's Midwestern region, which oversees several states that rely predominantly on coal for their electricity, said he's unaware of that provision ever being used.

It's unlikely that the Obama administration would essentially undercut its new carbon emission standards by granting widespread exceptions, said Bill Becker, executive director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, which represents air pollution control agencies in 42 states and 116 metropolitan areas.

If a state doesn't comply with EPA guidelines, the federal agency can create its own plan for the state.

"This is not a standard that a state then can willy-nilly ignore," Becker said. "It's going to have to achieve at least that standard or more. Period."

In many Midwestern states, the drive to constrain the new federal emission standards has been supported by an electric industry that has a large financial stake in coal.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback held a ceremonial signing in April for legislation allowing the state to set "flexible" standards for carbon dioxide emissions. He held the event in Holcomb at the proposed site of a new $2.8 billion, coal-fired power plant being pursued by Sunflower Electric Power Corp.

The legislation "is an effort by us to be able to handle issues at the state level, instead of being dictated, one size fits all, nationally," Brownback said. He added: "We will see how effective it is."

"At this time there is no indication of an increase risk to public safety," said Stephanie Brackin-Dasaro, a public information officer at Vermont State Police headquarters in Waterbury.

 

Troopers responded to an 8:50 a.m. report of an "unresponsive, possibly deceased" 22-month-old boy at a Mountain View Drive address, said Stephanie Brackin-Dasaro, a public information officer at State Police headquarters in Waterbury.

"The child was pronounced deceased by medical personnel prior to the state police arrival," Brackin-Dasaro said.

A postmortem exam was completed at the Vermont Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, but a final autopsy report on the cause of death is pending, she said.

"At this time there is no indication of an increase risk to public safety," Brackin-Dasaro said.

Additional information was unavailable.

No one was injured in the blaze at 112 Mooreland St.

 

City firefighters were called to 112 Mooreland St. for a 10:15 a.m. report of "a stove fire that got out of control," Leger said.

There were no reported injuries, but the fire caused an estimated $5,000 in damage, Leger said, adding that the flames spread to cabinets near the stove.

Firefighters had to "rip open the wall" to make sure the fire was out, he said.

Christian Pratt, 38, of Williamstown, Vermont, was charged with disorderly conduct for attempting to spray a motorcyclist with a garden hose, according to Vermont State Police.

 

The incident happened on Route 14 in Williamstown at about 6 p.m. Saturday, according to Vermont State Police, who charged the resident with disorderly conduct for allegedly trying to spray the rider.

Christian Pratt, 38, was issued a criminal citation to respond to the charge next month in Orange County Superior Court.

The motorcycle rider, Christopher Hood, told police he almost crashed after trying to avoid the stream of water from Pratt's hose.

Hood confronted Pratt, who then entered his home to retrieve a gun, police said. Hood rode away from the scene and called State Police, who charged Pratt with disorderly conduct.

There were no reported injuries.

LONGMEADOW - The Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee annual breakfast was held at the Twin Hills Country Club on Sunday, June 1, 2014. The committee honored Dr. Stanley Glazer of Longmeadow with the 2014 Member Achievement Award. Former Massachusetts Gov. and 1988 Democratic candidate for President Michael Dukakis was honored as Democrat of the Year at the sold-out event. Also attending...

LONGMEADOW - The Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee annual breakfast was held at the Twin Hills Country Club on Sunday, June 1, 2014. The committee honored Dr. Stanley Glazer of Longmeadow with the 2014 Member Achievement Award.

Former Massachusetts Gov. and 1988 Democratic candidate for President Michael Dukakis was honored as Democrat of the Year at the sold-out event.

Also attending the event were Democratic candidates for Massachusetts Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer.

"We have a body. We're not ready to classify it at this point," Holyoke Police Lt. Jim Albert said.

Wikimedia Commons 

The Medical Examiner's office has determined the death to be suspicious, but authorities have yet to classify the case as a homicide as they continue their investigation.

"We have a body. We're not ready to classify it at this point," Albert said Sunday afternoon.

The body was found at 5:34 a.m. next to train tracks near the Muller Bridge, which carries Route 202 over the Connecticut River and connects Holyoke to South Hadley.

The case is being investigated by detectives from the Holyoke Police Criminal Investigation Bureau and state police assigned to the office of Hampden District Attorney Mark Mastroianni.

More information will be posted on MassLive as it becomes available.

The 18-year-old Ludlow senior is battling Ewing's Sarcoma.

LUDLOW – Additional fundraisers are beingplanned for Kyle Houle, 18, a junior at Ludlow High School, who is battling Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare, aggressive form of bone cancer.

The son of Mary Houle and David Houle, both of Ludlow, he is receiving chemotherapy treatment at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Friends, family and co-workers are organizing a benefit fundraiser to help family with medical and travel expenses associated with treatments.

A benefit will be held June 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Polish American Citizens Club, 355 East Street.

The benefit will include a pasta dinner with salad, rolls with butter and dessert. There also will be a band, “Changin’ Lanes” of Ludlow. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 12 and under.

A raffle will be held during the benefit, and organizers are seeking individuals and business owners who would be interested in donating raffle prizes.

To purchase tickets in advance or to make a raffle prize donation contact Jamie Dionne at 413-364-6043, Joanne Ross at 413-427-0912 or Sue D. at 413-348-5371.

A Zumba-thon also is being planned at the Ludlow High School gymnasium June 12 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Also, silicone wristbands are for sale for $5. They say “Team Kyle.” The wristbands are purple and yellow.

An account called “Kyle Fights Cancer” has been set up at Luso Federal Credit Union, 599 East St., Ludlow, to accept donations, in care of Scott Ganhao.

Checks should be made payable to Mary Houle.

The Gateway Regional High School Class of 2014 graduation is scheduled to take place Friday (June 6).

HUNTINGTON – The Gateway Regional High School Class of 2014 graduation is scheduled to take place on June 6. Here are the details:

Name of high school:
Gateway Regional High School

Number of graduates:
70

Date and time of graduation:
Friday, June 6, 6 p.m.

Location of graduation:
Gateway Regional High School,12 Littleville Road

Expected speakers at graduation:
Various student speakers and local legislators

There are 28 employees who work at the plant.

HOLYOKE – The owners of the Mount Tom Power Station have announced it will discontinue operations and shut down the facility this year.

The 28 employees who work at the plant were notified Monday morning that the plant would close and they would lose their jobs. A severance package will be offered to each and they are also being encouraged to apply for jobs at other plants which are also owned by GDF SUEZ Energy North America.

“It was a very difficult decision for the company to make. There are many highly-skilled and dedicated employees and the plant has been in operation since 1960,” said Carol Churchill, communications manager for GDF SUEZ.

The decision was an economic one. It is difficult for an older coal-burning plant to be operated efficiently, especially when compared to the newer natural gas-fired power plants.

GDF SUEZ has been operating the plant sporadically for three years and only during peak energy periods. It has not operated since January, she said.

The announcement was difficult for employees, many of whom have worked there for more than 30 years, said Clancy Kay, a mechanic who has worked at the plant for 32 years.

All the jobs in the plant are good-paying positions and the plant has a lot of economic spin-off from everything from truck drivers to contractors who are hired to work on different parts of the plant, he said.

Employees were told they would have their jobs until October, he said.

“There are a lot of unanswered questions,” he said.

This is a breaking story. More information will be added as it becomes available.

Baker and Fisher, at a forum on Monday, disagreed on fundamental principles, ranging from the science of climate change to whether health care is a human right.

BOSTON - Republican gubernatorial candidates Charlie Baker and Mark Fisher, at a forum on Monday, disagreed on fundamental principles, ranging from the science of climate change to whether health care is a human right.

Fisher, for example, said "the science isn't there" to prove that climate change is happening. "Climate change is a wonderful thing. I just celebrated going from spring into summer," Fisher said.

Baker responded, "The climate is obviously changing, and there's data to support it." Baker said the state, and private businesses, should find the "most economically efficient" ways to reduce the state's carbon footprint. 

The two met on stage for the first time at a forum at District Hall on the Boston waterfront sponsored by A Better City, the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, and CommonWealth Magazine. A Better City focuses on increasing economic development through transportation and infrastructure; the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership focuses on business and job growth. Four of five Democrats running for governor appeared at a similar forum last month.

Baker, a former health care executive, was the 2010 Republican gubernatorial nominee and has the party's support again this year. Fisher, a business owner, is affiliated with the Tea Party. The Republican Party said originally that Fisher came just shy of getting the 15 percent support from activists at the state party convention required to get on the party's ballot. However, after Fisher challenged the results in court, the Republican Party gave him a spot on the ballot. The differences between the established candidate and the challenger were clear at Monday's forum.

One stark difference came on health care, when moderator R.D. Sahl, a long-time broadcast journalist, asked whether health care is a basic right.

Fisher said no. "I don't believe so. I think it's a nicety. Do we have a right to a home, a car, an in-ground pool?" Fisher asked.

Fisher said people have "God-given" rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, and everyone should be free to decide how to pursue happiness. "I know people, my employees, feel that happiness for them doesn't include health insurance, but the state forces it on them or they'd have to pay a penalty," Fisher said.

Baker disagreed. "I think access to health care is a basic right," Baker said. "It's a basic right under federal law, a basic right under state law. No one knows when they're going fall off a ladder, break a leg, or find out they have cancer."

Baker praised the system instituted under Republican Gov. Mitt Romney, under which around 98 percent of Massachusetts residents were insured. Although Democratic President Barack Obama's national health care overhaul was based on Romney's law, Massachusetts has struggled with implementing the federal law – particularly with a website meant to govern its health insurance exchange. Baker has said Massachusetts should have sought a waiver from the Affordable Care Act.

"The overlay of federal reform in Massachusetts is a disaster," Baker said.

Fisher opposes raising the minimum wage, saying wages should be up to the employer and employee.

Baker supports raising the minimum wage. He said he supports the Massachusetts House's version of a minimum wage bill, which would raise it from $8 to $10.50 an hour over three years. He said he thinks there should be a tax credit for small businesses to help them absorb the increased labor costs.

Fisher has signed a pledge, circulated by anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, not to raise taxes. Baker said he will not raise taxes, but he will not sign the pledge because it might prevent him from signing a law that simplifies the tax code.

Asked whether government has a role in stimulating investment in broadband internet, Baker said yes, as long as the state is sure broadband will be the best technology to use five or 10 years down the line. Fisher said government should make Massachusetts "business-friendly" so private industry will develop broadband, if there is a need.

Fisher brought most of his responses back to the core of his campaign, which is making Massachusetts business friendly. He has proposed lowering the corporate tax rate, reducing regulations, stopping taxpayer funding of particular industries such as renewable energy and removing an "inventory tax," a tax on inventory that he says discourages distribution centers from building in Massachusetts. "I'm not going pander to individuals, I'm not going to pander to industries, I'm not going to pander to regions," Fisher said. "I'm going to raise the tide that floats all boats."

Fisher repeatedly referred to Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as his model. Walker gained national attention for his moves to lessen the power of that state's unions.

Baker said he believes government should help each region by assisting the type of industry that has grown up there. For example, he said the Pioneer Valley has a strong precision manufacturing industry; Worcester also has a major manufacturing presence. The state, he said, should have explicit agreements with local authorities "that build on the capabilities we already have in different places."