Quantcast
Channel: News
Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live

Westfield police: Search for missing swimmer in Westfield River shifts from rescue operation to recovery effort

0
0

The swimmer, a man believed to be in his mid-30s, hasn't been seen since he disappeared in the river shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday.

Updates story posted at 9:43 p.m. Saturday, June 28.



WESTFIELD — A ranking Westfield police officer said the search for a missing swimmer in the Westfield River has gone from a rescue operation to a recovery effort, now that the man in his mid-30s hasn't been seen since disappearing in the river late Saturday afternoon.

City police were joined Sunday morning by Massachusetts State Police and other first responders near the Great River Bridge, the area where the man was last seen swimming around 5:17 p.m. Saturday.

Search efforts were halted about a half-hour before sundown Saturday and resumed around 8 a.m. Sunday. As of noontime, however, authorities had yet to release any information about the missing man.

Officials know the identity of the person they're searching for and will continue to do so "as long as the sun's up," the Westfield officer said. "It's definitely (a) recovery (operation) at this point," he said.

The man apparently got caught in the current and didn't make it across the river, according to police, who said that area isn't fit for swimming.


Pulaski Park redesign shows stage, water garden, green space, urban plaza, and "overlook"

0
0

Plans for the redesign of Northampton's downtown Pulaski Park are nearing completion following three community design forums hosted by the Cambridge landscape architecture firm Stimson & Associates.

NORTHAMPTON — Plans for the redesign of Northampton's downtown Pulaski Park are nearing completion following three community design forums hosted by the Cambridge landscape architecture firm Stimson & Associates.

The final forum, which drew about 30 people, was held Thursday at the Northampton Senior Center on Conz Street.

Lauren Stimson, principal with the firm, showed a slideshow of proposed plans for the one-acre park showing expanded green space, a larger play area, an urban plaza/bus stop near Main Street, a water garden to serve as a "green" stormwater management system, and a permanent stage near Memorial Hall.

In a major change to the city's overall urban design, the rear of the park, now a steep, unused dropoff crowned with a chain link fence, would become a graded and green area called "The Overlook" featuring ramped access to the Round House parking lot below.

The plans incorporated ideas and feedback from two earlier forums in April and May, said Stimson. More feedback was gathered Thursday.

Rehabbing the park has been on the city's checklist for years; its last major makeover was 40 years ago, and the space suffers from cracked concrete, poor drainage, and other problems.

"The park doesn't necessarily reflect the values and current culture of Northampton," said Stimson.

The park became a political flashpoint between 2006 and 2010 when a plan advanced by former Mayor Mary Clare Higgins would put a Hilton Garden Inn at the rear of the park. The hotel idea, and a proposal to re-design the park with the hotel as its backdrop, prompted protest from some quarters. The city pulled the plug on the hotel project in 2010 after developers failed to meet multiple deadlines to procure financing.

The current round of design work was funded with a $194,500 Community Preservation Act grant (pdf). The Department of Public Works has applied for a $400,000 state Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant. The DPW may apply for another round of CPA funding and phase the project's construction over time in hopes of landing a second year of PARC grant funding.

Construction could begin as early as next spring if funding comes through. With the addition of the "overlook" concept, the construction price tag could reach $2 million, said City Engineer James Laurila.

Mormon gay-rights advocate John Dehlin faces excommunication

0
0

John Dehlin, of Logan, Utah, enters the meeting fearful that church leaders have already made their decision to oust him. He expects to find out if he'll face a disciplinary hearing or be exonerated.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A Mormon man who is well-known for advocating for gay rights and questioning some church policies was set to meet Sunday with a regional church leader in northern Utah to discuss whether he still faces excommunication.

John Dehlin, of Logan, Utah, enters the meeting fearful that church leaders have already made their decision to oust him. He expects to find out if he'll face a disciplinary hearing or be exonerated.

Dehlin, who also has operated a website for years that provides a forum for church members questioning their faith, said he was hopeful that he and the church representative could have a constructive dialogue.

This is the third time in the last decade that Dehlin has faced possible discipline from the church. He has been allowed to stay a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints each time.

"Nothing has changed in my beliefs or behavior since then. It's really frustrating that these inquiries continue to happen," said Dehlin, a 44-year-old father of four. "It feels a little bit like harassment, although I believe they are well-intended."

His meeting comes six days after Kate Kelly, the founder of a prominent Mormon women's group, was excommunicated in a case that sent ripples throughout the country. Kelly is appealing that ruling.

Scholars say Kelly and Dehlin are the most high-profile examples of excommunication proceedings since 1993. That year, the church disciplined six Mormon writers who questioned church doctrine, ousting five and kicking out a sixth temporarily.

Jan Shipps, a retired religion professor from Indiana who is a non-Mormon expert on the church, said church leaders were practicing "boundary maintenance," using Dehlin and Kelly as an example to show dissenters how far they can go.

Dehlin and Kelly received letters from local leaders within days of each other in early June.

Dehlin's letter informed him that he needed to resign as a church member or face a disciplinary committee. It said church leaders were deeply concerned about Dehlin's recent comments about no longer believing fundamental teachings of the faith.

Mormon officials haven't discussed Dehlin or Kelly's cases specifically, but they have said the church welcomes questions and sincere conversations about the faith. In a new message posted Saturday online, the church's highest leaders said that "members are always free to ask such questions and earnestly seek greater understanding. We feel special concern, however, for members who distance themselves from church doctrine or practice and, by advocacy, encourage others to follow them."

They clarified that apostasy, of which Kelly was accused, is "repeatedly acting in clear, open, and deliberate public opposition to the church or its faithful leaders, or persisting, after receiving counsel, in teaching false doctrine."

Dehlin's believes he's being targeted not only for the website he started nine years ago, Mormonstories.org, but also for his outspoken support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community and his support of Kelly's group, Ordain Women. That group is pushing for gender equality with the goal of women being allowed into the faith's lay clergy.

Dehlin, a doctoral candidate in psychology who previously worked in the high-tech industry, said his desire to stay in the faith is a demonstration of his love for the religion he had belonged to his entire life.

"I stay in the church as an expression of faith and hope that the church can mature to the point of being able to accept doubt, criticism and the open discussion of difficult matters," Dehlin said. "So many people are suffering in silence in the Mormon church, it's a fight worth fighting."

Excommunication is not common in the Mormon faith, reserved usually for cases where members violate the religion's moral code by having affairs, being charged criminally or committing sexual abuse, said Patrick Mason, chairman of the religion department and professor of Mormon studies at Claremont Graduate University in California.

Even if Dehlin is kicked out of the church, the door will remain open to repent and return someday. Excommunication is not a lifelong ban. There are other, lesser forms of punishment that allow people to remain members but limit forms of participation.

Nobody has solid numbers on how many church members are ousted each year, but it is probably between 10,000 and 20,000, said Matt Martinich, a church member who analyzes membership numbers with the nonprofit Cumorah Foundation. The church has some 15 million members worldwide.

Mother of child who died in unattended SUV told cops she researched it first

0
0

The mother of a toddler who died in an unattended SUV in suburban Atlanta told investigators she did online research on how hot it needs to be for a child to die in an unattended vehicle because she was afraid it might happen, police said.

ATLANTA -- The mother of a toddler who died in an unattended SUV in suburban Atlanta told investigators she did online research on how hot it needs to be for a child to die in an unattended vehicle because she was afraid it might happen, police said.

Leanna Harris hasn't been charged in the death of her son, 22-month-old Cooper. But a search warrant released Sunday said the woman went onto the Internet before the child's death to search for information about children dying in cars.

Police say Cooper died after being left in the backseat of an SUV by his father June 18.

Justin Ross Harris, 33, has told police he was supposed to drive his son to day care that morning but drove to work without realizing that his son was strapped into a car seat in the back. The child was left in the car alone for about seven hours. The temperature that day was 88 degrees at 5:16 p.m., according to a police warrant filed the day after the child died.

In an interview after his son's death, Harris told investigators that he had also done an online search on what temperature could cause a child's death in a vehicle. The warrant didn't specify when Harris did the searches.

Harris is jailed on charges of murder and second-degree child cruelty. He was unable to attend his son's funeral Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Massachusetts State Police: Body of missing swimmer recovered from Westfield River

0
0

The body of a 33-year-old Springfield man who was reported missing in the Westfield River late Saturday afternoon was recovered around 11 a.m. Sunday, according to Massachusetts State Police, who continue to investigate.

Updates story published at 12:55 p.m. Sunday, June. 29.



WESTFIELD — The body of a missing swimmer was recovered from the Westfield River late Sunday morning, according to Massachusetts State Police officials, who continue to investigate the apparent drowning.

State Police said the body of a 33-year-old Springfield man was found in the river around 11 a.m. Sunday.

The man was last seen swimming east of the Great River Bridge near Hanover and Park streets at about 5:15 p.m. Saturday, according to authorities, who called off their search around 9:15 p.m. Saturday.

Search efforts resumed early Sunday morning, including police divers and aerial units. State Police were assisted at the scene by Westfield police and firefighters and members of the Massachusetts Environmental Police.

Because the case now involves a death, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and troopers assigned to the Hampden District Attorney's Office are involved in the investigation.

Additional information wasn't immediately available.

Benghazi criminal proceedings unfold against political backdrop

0
0

The first prosecution arising from the Benghazi attacks is playing out in the federal courthouse blocks from both the White House and Capitol Hill, an appropriate setting for a case that has drawn stark lines between President Barack Obama and Republicans in Congress.

WASHINGTON -- The first prosecution arising from the Benghazi attacks is playing out in the federal courthouse blocks from both the White House and Capitol Hill, an appropriate setting for a case that has drawn stark lines between President Barack Obama and Republicans in Congress.

The criminal proceedings could provide new insights into the 2012 attacks that killed four Americans and will serve as the latest test of the U.S. legal system's ability to handle terrorism suspects captured overseas.

Unfolding during an election year, the case against alleged mastermind Ahmed Abu Khattala could help shape the legacies of Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder, and spill over into the potential 2016 presidential candidacy of Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Untangling the law from the politics may prove especially challenging for the public, given how prominent the attacks on the diplomatic compound in the eastern Libyan city have become in U.S. political discourse.

"What's going to matter to the public more than anything else is the result, and I think it's going to only diffuse some of the ongoing Benghazi conspiracy theories if the Obama administration is going to be able to successfully obtain a conviction in this case," said American University law professor Stephen Vladeck, a national security law expert.

Still, he said the case raises the same legal issues as past terrorism prosecutions and should not by itself be viewed as a referendum on the Obama administration.

"The story of this case is not the story of the Obama administration's reaction to Benghazi," he added. "The story of this case is those who were responsible for Benghazi and those who need to be held accountable for the four deaths that resulted."

A 10-minute court appearance amid tight security Saturday was the American public's first concrete sense of Abu Khatalla, the Libyan militant accused by the U.S. government of being a ringleader of attacks on Sept. 11, 2012.

U.S. special forces captured him in Libya during a nighttime raid two weeks ago, and he was transported to the U.S. aboard a Navy ship, where he was interrogated by federal agents. He was flown by military helicopter to Washington.

Prosecutors have yet to reveal details about their case, although the broad outlines are in a two-page indictment unsealed Saturday.

He pleaded not guilty to a single conspiracy charge punishable by up to life in prison, but the Justice Department expects to bring additional charges soon that could be more substantial and carry more dire consequences.

For instance, a three-count criminal complaint filed last year and unsealed after his capture charged Abu Khattala with killing a person during an attack on a federal facility -- a crime that carries the death penalty.

His capture revived a debate on how to treat suspected terrorists from foreign countries, as criminal defendants with the protections of the U.S. legal system or as enemy combatants who should be interrogated for intelligence purposes and put through the military tribunal process at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"If we're doing to do this for everybody engaged in terrorism around the world, we'd better start building prisons by the dozens," Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

He questioned the "sheer expense, the manpower, the planning" in preparing this criminal case.

The Justice Department considers that discussion moot.

Though a 2009 plan to prosecute several Guantanamo Bay detainees in New York City was aborted because of political opposition, Holder has said successful terrorism cases in U.S. courts -- most recently the March conviction in New York of Osama bin Laden's son-in-law -- shows the civilian justice system's capability to handle such defendants.

Experts say the Justice Department would not have embarked on Abu Khattala's capture and prosecution if it didn't feel comfortable after the case. Even so, cases like these are never easy.

Witnesses and evidence must be gathered from a hostile foreign country, and some of the evidence may be derived from classified information.

Any trial that occurs would take place years after the attack, raising concerns of foggy memories.

The case is being handled in Washington, where there's less established case law on terrorism prosecutions than in New York, which more regularly has handled this kind of case.

Also, defense lawyers invariably will raise questions about Abu Khattala's handling, including his interrogation aboard the ship and the point at which he was advised of his Miranda rights.

A U.S. official has said Abu Khatalla was read his Miranda rights at some point during the trip and continued talking. Rogers described him as "compliant but not cooperative."

"There's a whole host of challenges the government faces in this case," said David Laufman, a Washington attorney and former Justice Department national security lawyer. "We don't have transparency into how they are grappling with them or how they have or overcome some or all of them. This will not be an easy case to present."

No matter how the case proceeds, the political backdrop will be unavoidable.

The rampage in Benghazi on the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks has long been a politically divisive issue, fueled by dueling and bipartisan accusations.

Republicans have criticized the response by Clinton, then the secretary of state, to the attacks. The GOP has accused the White House of misleading the American public and playing down a terrorist attack in the weeks before the 2012 presidential election. The White House has accused Republicans of politicizing the violence.

Multiple investigations and the release of tens of thousands of pages of documents have done little to quell the dispute.

It's not clear whether the court case will resolve those questions. But, said Laufman, the legal issues alone will make it "fascinating to watch the case unfold."

Springfield police investigating South End disturbance and shooting

0
0

Multiple police units responded to the corner of Central and Morris streets for a disturbance call involving gunfire early Sunday morning, according to police reports.

SPRINGFIELD — Authorities responded to a disturbance and shooting report in the city's South End early Sunday.

Multiple police units responded to a 1:30 a.m. ShotSpotter activation near the corner of Central and Morris streets, where a man exited a home and fired about four rounds into the air.

"Send us some cars. We got a big disturbance here," an officer said, requesting backup in the vicinity of 96 and 100 Central streets, homes near the corner of Central and Morris.

A witness told officers that a black man wearing a black hat and black T-shirt stepped outside a residence near that corner, fired a gun into the air, then went back inside, according to initial police reports.

A sergeant requested an ambulance as a precaution and told dispatchers to notify Baystate and Mercy in case any victims were to show up at the city hospitals for treatment. There were no apparent injuries, however, and it remains unclear if anyone was charged in connection with the incident.

A police shift commander reached on Sunday afternoon said he had no information about any arrests tied to the shooting.

Authorities were called to the same corner for a shooting in May, when a man was shot and wounded outside 100 Central St. A motorist who was driving by the scene spotted a man on the ground and called police.


MAP showing approximate location of shooting and disturbance report in city's South End:


President Obama to nominate former Procter & Gamble executive Robert McDonald as VA Secretary

0
0

President Barack Obama plans to nominate former Procter & Gamble executive Robert McDonald as the next Veterans Affairs secretary, as the White House seeks to shore up an agency beset by treatment delays and struggling to deal with an influx of new veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama plans to nominate former Procter & Gamble executive Robert McDonald as the next Veterans Affairs secretary, as the White House seeks to shore up an agency beset by treatment delays and struggling to deal with an influx of new veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

An administration official said Obama would announce McDonald's appointment Monday. If confirmed by the Senate, McDonald would succeed Eric Shinseki, the retired four-star general who resigned last month as the scope of the issues at veterans' hospitals became apparent.

In tapping McDonald for the post, Obama is signaling his desire to install a VA chief with broad management experience. McDonald also had military experience, graduating near the top of his class from West Point and serving as a captain in the Army, primarily in the 82nd Airborne Division.

The administration official insisted on anonymity in order to confirm McDonald's appointment before the president's announcement.

Jim McNerney, Chairman and CEO of The Boeing Company, welcomed the development. "I believe Bob McDonald is an outstanding choice for this critically important position. Following his military service, Bob spent more than three decades in business, where he rose through the ranks leading increasingly large and complex organizations by demonstrating strong management skills and by understanding and attending to the needs of hundreds of thousands of individual consumers of Procter & Gamble."

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a statement that he looked forward to meeting with McDonald next week to get his views on issues he views as important.

Among them, Sanders said in a statement, "The VA needs significantly improved transparency and accountability and it needs an increased number of doctors, nurses and other medical staff so that all eligible veterans get high-quality health care in a timely manner."

A biography of McDonald on Procter & Gamble's website says he led the company from 2009 to 2013.

During that time, the company website states: "P&G realized annual sales of over $84 billion. The company had more than 120,000 employees, 120 plants and 200 brands in 35 categories, of which 25 brands generate over $1 billion in sales each year."

The company's Tide detergent, Crest toothpaste and other products can be found in 98 percent of American households. But under McDonald's leadership, it struggled to grow under increased competition and global economic challenges. Critics suggested he was having trouble getting the 150-year-old-plus company to fire on all cylinders.

Investors, including activist investor William Ackman, voiced frustration over the company's slow revenue growth and stagnant market share gains. Ackman, who took a 1 percent stake in the company, pressed for the company to streamline operations and improve results.

In a letter announcing his retirement from P&G, McDonald wrote, "This has been a very difficult decision for me, but I'm convinced it is what is in the best interests of the company and you."

"During the past year, much attention has been focused on me from several angles, which has been a distraction that is not in our best interests," he wrote.

In a surprise move, McDonald was replaced by the man he had replaced, former P&G CEO A.G. Lafley.

McDonald has also served on the board of directors of the Xerox Corp., the United States Steel Corp., the McKinsey Advisory Council and the Greater Cincinnati regional initiative intended to "grow high-potential startups" in the Cincinnati region.

McDonald is 61. A native of Gary, Indiana, McDonald grew up in Chicago and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1975 with a degree in engineering. He also earned an MBA from the University of Utah in 1978. 


The Fort, a Springfield icon, holds final party before closing doors for summer

0
0

The Student Prince is expected to reopen in September with a new owner.

SPRINGFIELD – When Rudi Scherff took the stage as the owner of The Student Prince Café and the Fort Dining Room for the last time, Lori Unghire looked around at the crowd full of people who have become her friends over the past 13 years.

“There was not a dry eye in the house and all the men were in tears,” she said.

On Monday, Scherff announced he and his sister Barbara B. Meunier are closing the iconic restaurant, open since 1935, that their father owned since 1961. Four days laterPeter Picknelly, chairman and CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines, confirmed he will purchase and reopen the restaurant in the fall.

Dinner was served for the last night on Saturday. On Sunday, long-time patrons gathered for a casual buffet and drinks but mostly to say goodbye to Scherff and his staff.

Unghire said she and her husband visit the Student Prince – better known by its nickname the Fort – usually once a week. Her husband travels frequently for work and several years ago they also started making a habit of coming after she would pick him up at the airport, sitting in a quiet booth and catching up.

fort.JPGLeft to right are John Unghire, Darbie Driscol, Lisa Guthrie, Lori Unghire, Mark Guthrie and Jeff Carrozzo with the original owner Rupert Scherff overlooking their table at The Forts final day before closing.  

Lisa Guthrie’s first Christmas with her husband was spent at the Fort, one of the bartenders was in her wedding party and on her anniversary June 18, the couple came for dessert and everyone celebrated with a cake and candles.

“On my birthday my girls were here with me,” the West Springfield resident said.

Ron Krupke, of Springfield, has been coming to the Fort for 25 years and likened it to having the camaraderie of a golf course where everyone quickly becomes friends.

“People come from all walks of live, all aspects of life, rich, poor, middle-class…everyone can come and have a good time,” he said.

While Krupke said he was going to miss the place as it closes for two months, Scherff admitted he is looking forward to the break.

The hardest part was saying goodbye to staff as they slowly drifted out of the restaurant while the regulars remained long after the official 5 p.m. end of the party.

“They worked so hard this week. Business was four times as heavy and the guys did a wonderful job,” he said. “At Christmas it is this busy but they get a bonus. Now they are getting a pink slip.”

But at 66, Scherff said he is ready to drop some of the responsibility of being a business owner. He hasn’t had a vacation since 2011 and has worked every Thanksgiving since he was in high school.

He said he will still be working at the restaurant greeting people and helping the new owners, but is happy to give up the day-to-day responsibilities. “I won’t have to do the hiring and firing and deal with the endless minutiae,” he said.

Debbie Hall, of East Longmeadow, was already working out final plans that will allow she and her fiancée Michael Katsounakis to have wedding pictures taken at the Fort after their Sept. 13 wedding.

The couple went to the Fort for their first date 12 years ago and have been regulars ever since.

At the party she tried to round up regulars who have become close friends so long and convince them to keep in touch by going to Katsounakis’ restaurant, Mike’s East Side Pub on Page Boulevard in Springfield, while the Fort is closed.

“I’m going to miss this place,” she said.

Vendor kicked out of Pa. gun show after he accidentally shoots woman in leg

0
0

The Columbia County district attorney's office will determine whether the vendor, Geoffrey Hawk, will face criminal charges.

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- A vendor accidentally shot a woman in the leg while demonstrating a gun and holster at a central Pennsylvania gun show, police said.

The Columbia County district attorney's office will determine whether the vendor, Geoffrey Hawk, will face criminal charges stemming from the shooting Saturday at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds, Officer Brad Sharrow said.

eagle.jpg 
Hawk, 44, of Warminster, didn't immediately return calls Sunday to his cellphone and business, In Case of Emergency Enterprises. He was manning a booth for his business at the Eagle Arms Gun Show at the time of the shooting.

Hawk told police he thought the gun was unloaded when he demonstrated a concealed-carry wallet holster to the woman, Krista Gearhart, 25, of Orangeville. Gearhart was treated and released for a thigh wound at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.

Hawk told police he had done the same demonstration about 20 times without incident before the shooting, "racking" the gun's slide to clear it of bullets each time, Sharrow said. Somehow, the gun was loaded when Gearhart was shot.

Police said Hawk told them he had left the gun on display when he completed background checks on some customers and believes it's possible someone loaded the gun when he was busy.

Joel Koehler, the gun show organizer, said Hawk was asked to close his booth and leave the show, which continued Sunday. The show has an entrance sign that says "No Loaded Weapons" and Koehler said his staff checks all guns to ensure they are unloaded before they are brought in for display.

Koehler said Saturday's shooting was the first at any show he has held at the fairgrounds or anywhere else.

Massachusetts budget deal relies on casino licensing fees; bottle bill expansion dropped, setting up ballot campaign

0
0

Massachusetts House and Senate leaders reached compromise Sunday on a $36.5 billion state budget for the fiscal year that starts Tuesday, but a Senate effort to expand the state’s bottle redemption law and avoid a summer and fall ballot campaign did not make it into the final spending package.

By MATT MURPHY

BOSTON — Massachusetts House and Senate leaders reached compromise Sunday on a $36.5 billion state budget for the fiscal year that starts Tuesday, but a Senate effort to expand the state’s bottle redemption law and avoid a summer and fall ballot campaign did not make it into the final spending package.

The budget, which exceeds the estimated 4.9 percent revenue growth assumed when lawmakers built their original spending plans, also counts on $73 million in casino licensing fees and slot parlor revenues that could disappear in November if voters repeal the state’s casino gambling law.

The agreement “strikes a careful balance between making vital investments in our Commonwealth and continuing our practice of fiscal responsibility, which has served us well through challenging financial times,” said House Ways and Means Chairman Brian Dempsey, a Haverhill Democrat.

The House and Senate have plans to meet Monday to ratify the agreement (H 4242 – view the entire bill at then end of this article), but with Gov. Deval Patrick leaving in the afternoon for Panama the new fiscal year will start without a formal budget in place. The governor has 10 days to review the spending plan once it arrives on his desk. Lawmakers last week approved a $4.6 billion interim budget to keep government running through July.

The House also plans on Monday to take adopt a welfare reform bill and take up a compromise, also reached Sunday, on compounding pharmacy legislation and a Senate bill to make substance abuse treatment more readily accessible.

Dempsey, in an interview, said negotiators were able to afford the increase in the bottom line – which surpassed spending approved by the House and Senate – by banking on increased one-time tax settlements and additional Medicaid and Group Insurance Commission revenues from new communities joining the state-administered health insurance program.

The budget also counts on $35 million in revenue from a tax amnesty program that affords scofflaws a window next year to pay back taxes without facing penalties, of which $5 million would be dedicated to substance abuse treatment.

Senate Ways and Means Chairman Stephen Brewer said in a statement that the budget “reduces the reliance on one time revenues, invests in new solutions to combat the issue of substance abuse, and delivers historically high levels of local aid to our cities and towns.”

All six conference committee members, including Republicans Rep. Viriato deMacedo and Sen. Richard Ross, signed off on the deal. Rep. Stephen Kulik and Sen. Jennifer Flanagan were the other conferees.

On the policy front, the budget would for the first time allow for direct shipments of up to 12 cases of wine a year from out-of-state vineyards to Massachusetts wine drinkers.

After the House and Senate last week came together to pass legislation setting nurse staff ratios in intensive care units as part of an effort to head off a ballot question in November, the same type of agreement could not be reached to expand the bottle bill to include water and sports drinks.

The Senate slipped a bottle bill expansion into its version of the budget passed in May.

“I think we continue to have concerns about some of the issues relative to the bottle bill, in terms of the issue of it being really a fee. The speaker has expressed that as a concern so we just couldn’t get there,” said Dempsey, who noted that another consideration in leaving in out of the budget were the ongoing conversations of a special legislative task force exploring a deal on the issue.

Both the House and Senate had also counted $73 million in gaming revenues, including $53 million from casino licenses and $20 million in slot revenue. The Supreme Judicial Court last week gave the green light to a ballot question repealing casino gaming that could wipe those funds away.

“We’re certainly aware of the events and will continue to monitor that. Should there be changes necessary we will revisit that collectively to address the issues depending on what happens,” Dempsey said.

The budget accord, which is not subject to amendment, includes $18 million in new funds for substance abuse prevention education and treatment programs, including $10 million for a new trust fund that lawmakers said would provide services for 10,000 residents addicted to drugs.

House and Senate lawmakers also poured $15 million in new spending into early education to reduce wait lists for low-income families, and adopted many of policy recommendations made by the Child Welfare League of America to reform the embattled Department of Children and Families, including licensing for social workers.

The budget relies on $140 million in “rainy day” fund reserves, and boosts state contributions by $163 million to speed the process of covering the state’s unfunded pension liability by 2036.

Other spending highlights include a $25.5 million increase for municipalities in unrestricted local aid, full funding at $257.5 million for special education and $70.3 million for regional school transportation to provide a 90 percent reimbursement rate for cities and towns.

The budget also includes $65 million for rental vouchers to expand the program to new families and a $21 million increase for state universities and community colleges. While the University of Massachusetts has agreed to freeze tuition and fees based on its budget appropriation, leaders of other public campuses asked for more funding that they did not receive in order to also guarantee costs would not rise for their students.

Dempsey said the cost of college continues to be a concern, and said lawmakers will work with college leaders to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

“It’s the second consecutive increase and it demonstrates our ongoing commitment to higher education,” Dempsey said. “Certainly they were looking for more. We’re pleased to hear UMass has committed to not increasing tuition and fees, but community colleges had different views. Certainly it’s a concern but we have to find balance and continue to look at the expenses side of the equation as well.”

A panel of lawmakers negotiating legislation since last year to further regulate compounding pharmacies also announced a breakthrough on Sunday. The issue leapt to the forefront of the policy agenda in 2013 after a deadly national outbreak of meningitis was traced to a pharmacy in Framingham, but talks to reach compromise between the branches stalled.

The deal (H 4235) calls for the Board of Registration in Pharmacy to establish four new specialty licenses for retail sterile compounding pharmacy, retail complex non-sterile compounding, and institutional pharmacy license to apply to hospitals and an out-of-state pharmacy license for those doing business in Massachusetts.

Inspectors would be required to conduct planned and unplanned inspections of all licensed compounding pharmacies in the state, and out-of-state pharmacies must participate in the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program.

To honor Brewer, who plans to retire from the Legislature at the end of the year, senators during their budget debate voted to make the Barre history buff the official reenactor laureate of the Commonwealth. Dempsey said the gesture was not included in the final budget at the request of Brewer himself.

BillH4242


Westfield Police identify drowning victim as Luis Robles of Springfield

0
0

The 28-year-old man's body was recovered at about 11 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Updates story posted at 2:15 p.m. Sunday, June 29.


WESTFIELD — Police are calling the Saturday afternoon drowning of a 28-year-old Springfield man in the Westfield River a tragic accident.

The body of Luis Robles was recovered at about 11 a.m. Sunday by police and firefighters who had searched the river for several hours over the weekend.

The investigation remains open until an autopsy is completed. The man's death is considered a “tragic accident” and not suspicious, Westfield Police officials said.

Massachusetts State Police initially reported that the victim was a 33-year-old Springfield man, but Westfield police confirmed the victim was actually 28.

Robles was swimming with a group of family members east of the Great River Bridge near Hanover and Park streets at about 5:15 p.m. Saturday when he got into trouble, went under the water and did not surface, police said.

It is not immediately known why he went under the water, police said.

Westfield police and fire officials, assisted by Massachusetts State Police aerial and dive units and members of the state Environmental Police, searched the river until 9:15 p.m. Saturday before ending the operation for the night.

Search efforts resumed early Sunday morning and concluded when Robles was found at about 11 a.m., a short distance downstream from where he was last seen swimming, according to state police.

Family members remained at the river Saturday and returned Sunday morning to await news as the search resumed.

Because the case involves a death, the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and troopers assigned to the Hampden District Attorney's Office are involved in the investigation, state police said.

William Owens Jr., Springfield police officer Ronald Boykan testify to events of 1999 incident as civil hearing continues on damages

0
0

Police Officer Ronald Boykan testified he was looking for a possible suspect in an armed robbery of an individual who the victim said may have run into the 166 Boston Road store.

SPRINGFIELD — William Owens Jr. and city Police Officer Ronald Boykan each took the stand Tuesday and testified about an incident which happened on June 12, 1999.

Owens said Boykan rushed into the convenience store owned by his mother Lucy Jones and himself and wouldn't say why.

Boykan would only say, "Shut up, shut up, shut up," Owens said.

"All I can remember is him (Boykan) coming directly toward me. He just grabbed me, turned me around, cuffed me, grabbed the cuffs and lifted me up and ran me outside against the (cruiser) car," Owens said.

Boykan testified he was looking for a possible suspect in an armed robbery of an individual who the victim said may have run into the 166 Boston Road store.

He said Owens tried to block him from entering and was confrontational and hostile.

"He immediately assaulted me and pushed me out of the store," Boykan said, saying he then place Owens under arrest for assaulting him but used no excessive force.

He said he did put Nicole Jones, Lucy Jones' daughter, in a headlock because she was trying to push him out of the store.

The reason events of that day are still being discussed in a courtroom is a hearing on how much money the city should be made to pay the Jones family in the police brutality case.

In 2004, a Hampden Superior Court judge issued a default judgment and ordered the city to pay $1 million in damages. But challenges to that amount have led to the hearing this week in front of Hampden Superior Court Judge Richard J. Carey.

Carey said there is no issue at this hearing as to whether Boykan did the acts - assault and battery, excessive force, false arrest and submitting false reports - as liability has been established.

The only issue is the amount of damages.

The state Supreme Judicial Court in February 2013 ordered a new hearing to determine damages in the case.

After their arrests by Boykan, Nicole Jones and Owens later were exonerated of all charges while Boykan eventually was required to attend sensitivity training and forfeit a day's pay.

On Monday Lucy Jones and her daughers Sierra Jones, 28, and Nicole Jones, 36, testified their lives were altered by Boykan's actions.

Owens said after that day "Mentally, I trust no one. I' m sorry to say this - I have no trust in the system."

Because the three Jones women and Owens are representing themselves, they each had a chance to question Boykan.

When Nicole Jones asked him about his treatment of her, Boykan said, "You were put into a headlock from your assaultive nature. It was better than pulling out my baton or macing you."

The hearing is expected to end Wednesday with the last of the testimony and closing arguments from each side.

The city and Boykan are represented by John T. Liebel and Kevin Coyle.

Jones and Owens were involved in a September 2004 incident at the Police Department headquarters on Pearl Street.

They alleged police misconduct for an incident in the lobby but the Police Commission cleared then Capt. Robert McFarlin and Lt. Thomas M. Kelly of misconduct.

PM News Links: Boy attacked by wild animal, deceased veteran finally gets doctor's appointment, and more

0
0

Hollywood has an obsession with depicting South Boston in the worst light possible, former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn says. The big screen adaptation of “Black Mass,” the story of notorious Boston mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger, is the latest case in point.

A digest of news stories from around New England and beyond.


  • Rehoboth boy, 12, reportedly attacked by fisher cat [WCVB-TV, NewsCenter5, Needham]

  • Veteran finally gets VA doctor's appointment two years after he died [CBS Boston.com] Video above.

  • Former mayor Ray Flynn blasts image of South Boston in Whitey Bulger film, 'Black Mass' [Boston Herald]

  • Massachusetts ranked among top 10 nationally in prescribing pain killers [Boston Globe]

  • Accused murderer Aaron Hernandez, featured in new Florida Gators wall calendar [NESN.com]

  • Former secret service agent pleads guilty in New Hampshire to child rape [Foster's Daily Democrat]

  • New York 'cannibal cop' released after murder conviction overturned [New York Daily News] Video above.

  • Cape Wind gets $150 million U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantee [Cape Cod Today.com]

  • Monica Lewinsky says she 'was a virgin to humiliation' until day Starr report was released [People Magazine]



  • Do you have news or a news tip to submit to MassLive.com for consideration? Send an email to online@repub.com.



    Interactive Live Weather Map
     

    Gubernatorial candidates split on high campaign donation limits for unions

    0
    0

    Charlie Baker and Don Berwick support lowering the amount of money unions can give to political campaigns. Steve Grossman opposes a change, while Martha Coakley is "open to reviewing" donation limits.

    BOSTON - The candidates for Massachusetts governor are split on a law that allows unions to donate more money to state candidates than other organizations or individuals are allowed to give.

    In an unusual alliance, Republican Charlie Baker and Democrat Don Berwick support lowering the amount of money unions can give to political campaigns. Democrat Steve Grossman opposes the move and Democrat Martha Coakley said she is "open to reviewing" donation limits.

    The issue came up recently due to a bill in the state Legislature that would amend the state's campaign finance laws to increase contribution limits from $500 to $1,000 per individual. The bill would also increase disclosure laws so corporations, labor unions and other entities have to disclose their expenditures and their donors within seven days.

    During debate over that bill, the state Legislature rejected an amendment by Republican Rep. Ryan Fattman, of Sutton, which would limit the amount unions can donate to $1,000 apiece.

    Current state law limits the amount of money individuals and political action committees can donate to candidates for state office to $500 a year. State party committees are limited to $3,000 a year. Corporations are not allowed to make any donations to state candidates. However, a rule established in 1988 sets a limit on union contributions of $15,000 or 10 percent of the union's general fund, whichever is less.

    The law has traditionally favored Democrats, which get the bulk of support from Massachusetts labor unions.

    Baker, the 2010 Republican gubernatorial nominee, said Monday that he supports the bill in the Legislature, but wants to see it lower the union contribution limit. "The special donation limit of $15,000 provided to unions is bad policy and should be corrected," Baker said in a statement. "There is no justification for permitting one special interest group to be treated any different from other groups or individuals."

    Republican treasurer candidate Mike Heffernan and Republican attorney general candidate John Miller quickly came out in support of Baker's position.

    Baker has not received any union donations of more than $1,000.

    Opinion was split, however, among Democrats. Berwick has said he supports ending the union loophole. Berwick has not received any donations of greater than $1,000 from unions.

    Grossman opposes changing the union donation laws. Grossman campaign manager Josh Wolf pointed out that the union money represents donations from hundreds or even thousands of union members, not a single individual. The $15,000 maximum is also the total amount unions can give to all candidates in a calendar year, so a union will generally contribute less than that to any one particular candidate.

    "There are many ways the campaign finance system could be made better, but reducing the chance for working people to be heard through their union isn't one of them," Wolf said.

    According to data from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Grossman has received $11,250 from unions in donations of greater than $1,000. He got $1,250 from Teamsters Local Union 122 and a total of $10,000 from multiple chapters of the National Association of Government Employees.

    Coakley spokeswoman Bonnie McGilpin said Coakley supports the current bill in the Legislature. "(Coakley) believes strongly that increased transparency and disclosure is needed so voters know where contributions are coming from and all donations - including labor contributions - are fully disclosed," McGilpin said.

    But McGilpin would not give a firm yes or no on whether Coakley supports closing the union loophole. "She is open to reviewing donation limits for individuals and organized labor with the goal of leveling the playing field so that working families can compete with SuperPAC's funded by corporations and special interests," McGilpin said.

    According to data from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Coakley has received $44,500 in contributions of more than $1,000 from unions. The Teamsters Local Union 25 contributed $14,500; I.B.E.W. Local 2013 and the Brotherhood of Utility Workers Council each gave $10,000; and several chapters of the National Association of the Government Employees gave a total of $10,000.


    Worcester Police make arrest in string of break-ins

    0
    0

    WORCESTER – Worcester police officers identified and arrested a suspect on Tuesday they believe to be responsible for a series of home invasions at an 83-year-old mans home dating back to June 16 and a break-in at a local convenience store.

    WORCESTER - Worcester police officers identified and arrested a suspect on Tuesday they believe to be responsible for a series of home invasions at an 83-year-old man's home dating back to June 16 and a break-in at a local convenience store.

    Lonnie Goyette, 51, of 12 Lakeside Ave., Apt. 2, Worcester, was charged with four counts of home invasion and breaking and entering into a building during the nighttime with the intent to commit a felony, police said.

    Police allegedly identified Goyette after obtaining video surveillance from a break in at the Edgemere Mini Mart, located on 447 Park Ave., which occurred on June 16.

    The suspect in that break-in matched the suspect from four separate home invasions that occurred at the home of an 83-year-old man on Beaver Brook Parkway, police said. These home invasions took place on June 16, June 22, June 25 and June 29.

    During the home invasions, the suspect allegedly forced his way into the home, brandished a gun and demanded cash and personal items from the victim, police said. He was not hurt in the home invasions and a minimal amount of cash and a few valuables were taken, police said.

    Police said the investigation remains ongoing.

    FTC: T-Mobile made hundreds of millions of dollars from bogus charges

    0
    0

    In its complaint filed in a federal court in Seattle, the Federal Trade Commission claimed that T-Mobile billed consumers for subscriptions to premium text services such as $10-per-month horoscopes that were never authorized by the account holder.

    WASHINGTON (AP) – T-Mobile USA knowingly made hundreds of millions of dollars off its customers in potentially bogus charges, a federal regulator alleged Tuesday in a complaint likely to mar the reputation of a household name in wireless communications.

    In its complaint filed in a federal court in Seattle, the Federal Trade Commission claimed that T-Mobile billed consumers for subscriptions to premium text services such as $10-per-month horoscopes that were never authorized by the account holder. The FTC alleges that T-Mobile collected as much as 40 percent of the charges, even after being alerted by other customers that the subscriptions were scams.

    "It's wrong for a company like T-Mobile to profit from scams against its customers when there were clear warning signs the charges it was imposing were fraudulent," said FTC Chair Edith Ramirez in a statement. "The FTC's goal is to ensure that T-Mobile repays all its customers for these crammed charges."

    The Federal Communications Commission has launched a separate inquiry into T-Mobile's billing practices, which could result in fines if it finds any wrongdoing.

    The practice is often referred to as "cramming": businesses stuff a customer's bill with bogus charges associated with a third party. In this case, the FTC says T-Mobile should have realized that many of these premium text services were scams because of the high rate of customer complaints. In some cases, the FTC says, as many as 40 percent of customers demanded refunds in a single month on certain services.

    The FTC said one way for consumers to try to prevent fraudulent charges is to ask their providers to block all third-party businesses from providing services on their phones.

    T-Mobile did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile US, Inc., is a publicly traded company. According to its website, Deutsche Telekom AG maintains a 67 percent ownership in the company's common stock.

    Sprint Corp., the third-largest cellphone carrier, is in talks to buy T-Mobile US Inc., according to published reports. Analysts believe such a link-up would face stiff opposition from the same regulators who blocked AT&T from buying T-Mobile in 2011.

    T-Mobile's stock fell 10 cents to $33.52 in afternoon trading.

    Struggling students find education, friendship and hope at Springfield's Young Parents Program

    0
    0

    The Young Parents Program is under the purview of the Corporation for Public Management.

    SPRINGFIELD — Luis Cintron, of Springfield, had given up on the idea of earning a diploma. After losing his mother when he was 19 he entered into a tough legal battle with his stepfather for the custody of his two younger sisters. He also had a wife and child to support.

    He entered the Young Parent Program, which helps young parents get their General Educational Development degrees(GED), jobs, parenting skills, and additional education, at the urging of his wife in 2013.

    This June Cintron, 20, graduated with his GED. He is working full-time, has custody of his sisters and is being the best father and husband he can be.

    "It took a lot to get to this point, but I'm glad I stuck it out," he said.

    Program Director Nelly Roldan said there are countless stories of young people who take advantage of the second chance offered at the Young Parents Program.

    Valerie Medina started the program in an effort to get her GED, in the process she found rowing. She joined a local rowing team for teenage mothers, developed a skill for the sport, lost 40 pounds and learned to make healthy food for her and her child.

    cintron.JPGSpringfield- Luis Cintron hugs Program Director Nelly Roldan during Young Parents Program graduation. 

    "When I came here I realized it was about more than education. The teachers care for you and want you to succeeded," she said, crediting lead instructor Sandra Scribner for her dedication to the students.

    According to the Partners for Community website, Corporation for Public Management (CPM) operates programs like the Young Parents Program, that enable people to break the cycle of welfare dependency and allows those with special needs to remain in the community, supporting their capacities to lead productive lives surrounded by friends and family rather than in institutionalized settings.

    The agency's programs focus on social issues such as teenage pregnancy, welfare dependency, joblessness and illiteracy.

    Recently more than 40 young parents graduated at a ceremony held at the Paramount Theater. Many walked up to the stage to accept their diplomas with their toddlers in tow.

    "This celebrates the achievements of not only the students, but the wonderful people like Nelly and Sandra who run the program day-to-day," said Vanessa Otero, Deputy Director of Partners for Community.

    Otero invited Helen Caulton- Harris, Springfield's Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, to share her story with the graduates.

    She described herself as a young woman with a dedicated family and loving environment who still took the wrong path.

    I still was attracted to the wrong crowd to the dismay of my family, she said.

    Caulton-Harris had a baby at 18-years-old and still managed to graduate from college and have a successful career. She told students that while it wasn't the ideal path, or the easiest, she managed to work hard and succeed.

    Heriberto Flores, Partners for Community Board of Directors Chairman, told students not to let their pasts define who they are today.

    "You and your children are the future of this city," he said.

    Steve Grossman's internal polling has him 23 points down from Martha Coakley in Democratic gubernatorial race

    0
    0

    The internal campaign poll shows Grossman getting a bounce in public opinion after the Democratic State Convention.

    BOSTON - An internal poll from the gubernatorial campaign of Massachusetts Treasurer Steve Grossman found that Grossman received a post-convention bounce after he was endorsed by the Massachusetts Democratic Party. However, even the internal polling shows Grossman lagging far behind Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley.

    The campaign-sponsored poll, conducted by Global Strategy Group on June 20-24, found Coakley leading Grossman, 47 percent to 24 percent, with Democratic candidate Don Berwick at 9 percent. That was a smaller lead for Coakley than in a poll conducted by the Grossman campaign in October, where Coakley led Grossman 51 percent to 16 percent.

    The poll was conducted less than a week after the Democratic State Convention in Worcester, where Grossman got support from 35 percent of delegates, followed by 23 percent for Coakley and 22 percent for Berwick. Coakley withdrew her name from consideration for the party's endorsement, allowing Grossman to get the party's nod by acclimation. The positive headlines for Grossman and the attention from the convention could have given Grossman a boost in public opinion, at least temporarily.

    The poll surveyed 604 likely Democratic Party primary voters, who had overwhelmingly positive feelings toward the Democratic Party. Among the 41 percent of voters who were aware Grossman got the party's endorsement, Grossman was favored by 38 percent, compared to 32 percent for Coakley.

    Independent polling has shown a larger gap between Coakley and Grossman, but there have not been any independent polls since the Democratic convention. A Boston Globe poll conducted June 1-3 and June 8-10 found Coakley leading Grossman, 49 percent to 14 percent, with Berwick at 3 percent. A Boston Herald poll conducted June 4-7 found Coakley leading Grossman, 44 percent to 12 percent, with Berwick at 4 percent. Those polls also included Juliette Kayyem and Joe Avellone, who failed to earn a spot on the Democratic ballot at the convention.

    The margin of error for the internal Grossman poll was plus or minus 4 percent. The poll did not randomize the names of candidates but asked voters: "If the Democratic primary election for governor were held today and the candidates were Steve Grossman, Massachusetts State Treasurer, Martha Coakley, Attorney General of Massachusetts and Donald Berwick which candidate would you vote for?"

    Chicopee Mayor issues statement about suit filed by acting police chief

    0
    0

    The judge took the request for a preliminary injunction under advisement.

    The full story about the court hearing was filed at 6:03 p.m.

    CHICOPEE - Mayor Richard J. Kos released a statement Tuesday following a hearing in Hampden Superior Court over a request filed by Acting Police Chief Thomas Charette for a preliminary injunction that would prevent Kos from appointing a permanent chief.

    After listening to testimony from lawyers representing Charette, Chicopee and Deputy Police Chief William Jebb, Judge Richard Carey took the issue under advisement.

    Kos agreed to the judge's request that he not appoint a police chief until the court ruling is made.

    This is Kos' full statement issued after the hearing:

    Today Temporary Police Chief Thomas Charette pursued litigation with the City of Chicopee in an attempt to preclude anyone who has not been a resident in the City for the last two years from being considered for the permanent Police Chief appointment per his interpretation of the City’s Charter and ordinances. The matter was in Hampden Superior Court and the parties agreed that the City would not make a permanent appointment pending the judge’s decision.

    Per the previous Civil Service ruling, the following became effective July 1, 2014:

    • Mr. Charette's promotion as permanent Police Chief shall be vacated.

    • Until such time as a permanent Police Chief is appointed, Mr. Charette shall serve as the Temporary Police Chief.

    • The state's Human Resources Division (HRD), or the City in its delegated capacity, shall revive the Certification initially used to make this promotion in June 2013.

    • The City's Appointing Authority, newly-elected Mayor Richard Kos, shall make a promotional appointment in compliance with all applicable civil service law and rules that is consistent with basic merit principles.”

    Viewing all 62489 articles
    Browse latest View live




    Latest Images