Obituaries from The Republican.

Ralph Shindler 

Ralph Lester Shindler, 93, of Arden, N.C., passed away on Monday. He was born and raised in Rosalia, Wash., and graduated from Rosalia High School in 1939. He joined the U.S. Army in 1943, serving in the South Pacific until 1945. Upon his return from World War II, he received an associate's degree in business office practice from Northampton Commercial College in Massachusetts. He received a bachelor of science and a master's in education between 1954 and 1959. He worked for eight years as a teacher and then assistant principal at Longmeadow High School, followed by 16 years as principal of East Longmeadow High School, retiring in 1979.

Multiple reports of a funnel cloud were received throughout the Springfield area.

Update at 1:50 p.m. Sunday, July 27: A National Weather Service official in Taunton said the federal agency has received some reports of a funnel cloud spotted in the Springfield area, but they are still trying to confirm these reports. This and other information has been added to the report below.

"We're getting reports," a National Weather Service official in Taunton said, but those reports have yet to be confirmed. "We're sending people out to check," she said.

One caller reported seeing a funnel cloud and swirling winds in the East Springfield section of the city around 12:50 p.m. That call was followed several minutes later by a dispatch report of a possible funnel cloud seen in the city, and yet another sighting reported around 1:15 p.m.

A ranking Springfield police official, who was contacted before the first dispatch report, said the department hadn't received any calls about a possible funnel cloud.

Sunday's weather forecast included temperatures in the low-80s, high humidity levels, thunderstorms and showers.

Weather service officials said they were tracking strong thunderstorms that were moving across Hampden County in a northeasterly direction around 25 mph. "Wind gusts up to 40 mph can be expected with this storm," an alert from the federal agency stated.

NORTHAMPTON — A section of Damon Road in Northampton will be closed to through traffic for the weekend of August 9 and 10. The road needs to close so workers can upgrade the railroad crossing between King Street and Industrial Drive, said Mayor David Narkewicz. The upgrade is part of the Knowledge Corridor project, which will bring commuter rail service...

NORTHAMPTON — A section of Damon Road in Northampton will be closed to through traffic for the weekend of August 9 and 10.

The road needs to close so workers can upgrade the railroad crossing between King Street and Industrial Drive, said Mayor David Narkewicz. The upgrade is part of the Knowledge Corridor project, which will bring commuter rail service to Northampton and points beyond.

The closed section will stretch from King Street to Industrial Drive. The closure will begin Saturday, Aug. 9 at 7 a.m. and end Sunday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m.

Variable message boards will be set up during the preceding week to warn the public of the closing. Northampton police officers will be on hand to help divert traffic.

Local businesses on Damon Road between Industrial Drive and Exit 19 of Interstate 91 will remain open.

Workers will remove and replace the existing track, upgrade signal systems, and repave the area, according to a press statement.

Damon Road serves as a prime route from Williamsburg, Leeds and Florence to I-91 south.

Questions can be directed to the Knowledge Corridor Project Hotline at (617) 721-7506.

The funnel-shaped cloud was spotted in the area between roughly exits 4 and 5 of I-291 shortly before 1 p.m., according to weather officials.

Updates story published at 1:20 p.m. Sunday, July 27.

The funnel-shaped cloud, which is associated with tornadic activity, was seen between 12:40 p.m. to 12:50 p.m., according to weather service officials, who investigated reports from trained spotters, State Police and emergency management officials.

The area of Springfield where the funnel cloud was spotted was between roughly exits 4 and 5 of I-291, according to Mike Skurko, meteorologist with CBS3 Springfield, the media partner of MassLive / The Republican.

Skurko said he viewed a video submission showing "a rather ominous-looking cloud" in the city.

A caller to MassLive / The Republican said the funnel cloud was visible from I-291 as she exited the highway at Liberty Street. The woman said she also saw swirling winds and debris.

That call was followed by a handful of area police dispatch reports for a funnel cloud spotted moving across greater Springfield.

Minutes later, Springfield police responded to a report of a "tree down" in the Clarendon Street area of McKnight, between Worthington Street and St. James Avenue. The incident caused traffic backups in that area, police said.

Funnel clouds often appear as violent, rotating cones that extend downward from the base of a thunderstorm but don't make contact with the ground. When they do make contact with the ground, they are considered tornadoes.

A review of campaign finance records by The Associated Press shows Republican Charlie Baker has received contributions of more than $50 from all but about 50 of the state's 351 cities and towns. The next closest candidate is Democrat Martha Coakley.

BOSTON — Republican Charlie Baker is not only leading every other candidate in the fundraising race for governor, but his financial support is also deeper across a wider swath of Massachusetts than any of his rivals.

A review of campaign finance records by The Associated Press shows Baker has received contributions of more than $50 from all but about 50 of the state's 351 cities and towns. The next closest candidate is Democrat Martha Coakley, who's received contributions of more than $50 from all but about 90 communities.

The patchwork fundraising map of Massachusetts also shows Baker has received more than any other candidate, community by community, in large areas in central Massachusetts and north and south of Boston.

Baker is also outpacing other candidates along portions of Cape Cod, in communities stretching along the state's southern edge and in two of the state's largest cities, Worcester and Springfield.

In Worcester, for example, Baker has collected about $20,500, more than double the amount collected all the other candidates combined.

Baker's campaign finance director Mark Fuller said the candidate is overwhelmed by the support and is "working day and night to earn the votes of Massachusetts residents in every corner of the state."

Coakley, the state's attorney general, topped every other candidate in several dozen communities, including Lowell, Concord, Lincoln, her hometown of Medford and North Adams, where she grew up.

A spokeswoman for Coakley's campaign said she's outraised every other Democrat during the past seven months.

"Martha is on the road every day, listening to families, workers, those out of work and business owners," said campaign press secretary Bonnie McGilpin.

Another Democrat, former federal health care official Donald Berwick, showed fundraising prowess in liberal enclaves like Cambridge and Amherst. In Cambridge, Berwick raised more than $67,000 by mid-July compared to Coakley and fellow Democrat, state Treasurer Steve Grossman, who each raised about $41,000 in the city.

Berwick has captured the imagination of many liberals for his support of a single-payer health care system.

Campaign spokesman Leigh Appleby said Berwick has been able to hold his own even though he's never run for statewide office before.

"He has consistently raised as much or more than his two primary opponents, both of whom are Beacon Hill insiders," Appleby said, referring to Coakley and Grossman.

Grossman topped every other candidate in fewer than 20 communities, including Brookline, where he collected about $48,000 compared to about $38,000 for Berwick and $31,000 for Coakley.

There are some quirks in the map.

The candidate who reported raising the most in Boston is independent candidate Jeff McCormick, who collected around $700,000. That's because McCormick, who lives in Boston, has given his campaign hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Coakley came in second in Boston, having collected nearly $500,000. Berwick raised nearly $370,000; Baker, nearly $174,000; and Grossman, about $122,000.

Another quirk is in Newton, Grossman's hometown. Newton is also the hometown of independent candidate Evan Falchuk, who's loaned his campaign hundreds of thousands of dollars and collected a total $725,000.

Grossman came in second in Newton, having collected about $121,000 there. Coakley and Berwick each raised about $72,000 there.

The map showed the most volatile part of the state for fundraising was western Massachusetts, where Baker, Coakley, Grossman and Berwick each could claim to have raised the most in different communities.

Western Massachusetts also had the highest concentration of communities where residents decided to keep their wallets closed. Of the 30 communities statewide where no resident had contributed $50 or more to any gubernatorial candidate, 25 were located in western Massachusetts.

As of mid-July, Baker had the most cash on hand in his campaign account ($1,110,687), followed by Grossman ($819,012), Coakley ($371,218), Berwick ($202,182), Falchuk ($130,123), Republican Mark Fisher ($39,326), McCormick ($16,857), and independent Scott Lively ($3,684).

Baker also benefits from the fundraising muscle of his hand-picked running mate, former Shrewsbury state Rep. Karyn Polito. As of mid-July, Polito had about $511,000 left in her campaign account.

On the Democratic side, there is a five-way primary for lieutenant governor. Whoever wins will team up with the winner of the gubernatorial contest for the November election.

Ambulances arrived from Eaton, Foxboro, Mansfield, North Attleboro, Norton and Plainville to help private ambulances services.

MANSFIELD, Mass. -- Emergency service workers from six towns responded to numerous reports of illness at a Keith Urban concert in Mansfield. Officials said alcohol consumption was the likely cause.

Ambulances arrived from Eaton, Foxboro, Mansfield, North Attleboro, Norton and Plainville to help private ambulances services at the Saturday night concert at the Xfinity Center.

At about 9 p.m., Mansfield fire officials declared a mass casualty incident at the concert venue, which typically indicates a large number of people with potential illnesses or injuries.

The Sun Chronicle reports that officials requested help for a 16-year-old boy with an unspecified injury and was unresponsive.

Mansfield Deputy Fire Chief James Puleo could not confirm the number of people taken to hospitals.

Police have reportedly confiscated a nearly 3-foot long sword.

A samurai sword was reportedly used in an attack on a man in Bourne, Mass. early Sunday morning. 

BOURNE, Mass. -- Police in Bourne have arrested a suspect in an alleged samurai attack.

Police say the 39-year-old unidentified victim said he had been stabbed several times by a man wielding a samurai sword early Sunday morning and that the attacker was still on the property. He was taken to Rhode Island Hospital.

A 28-year-old unidentified suspect was found in a side yard and arrested.

WJAR-TV reports that police have confiscated a nearly 3-foot long sword.

No other details were immediately available.

A severe thunderstorm warning for central Hampden and south central Hampshire counties was issued Sunday at 6:02 p.m. by the National Weather Service.

UPDATE, 6:30 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued a new severe thunderstorm warning at 6:23 p.m. that includes southwestern Hampden County and northern Hartford County in Connecticut. The warning is in effect until 7:15 p.m. CBS 3 Springfield meteorologist Mike Skurko reports Westfield and Southwick should expect another round of stormy weather in the next half-hour.

The warning area includes Springfield, Westfield, Southwick, Agawam, West Springfield, South Windsor, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow and Hampden in Massachusetts and Enfield, Windsor, Simsbury, Bloomfield, Suffield, Windsor Locks, Granby, East Windsor, Canton East Granby and Hartland in Connecticut.

A severe thunderstorm warning for central Hampden and south central Hampshire counties was issued Sunday at 6:02 p.m. by the National Weather Service.

The warning is in effect until 6:30 p.m.

Mike Skurko, a meteorologist for CBS 3 Springfield, the media partner of The Republican and MassLive, reports via Twitter that 60 mph winds and quarter-size hail are possible.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING for Holyoke and Springfield areas until 6:30. Quarter-sized hail, 60-mph winds possible. pic.twitter.com/1qfsvTwGLr

— Mike Skurko (@Skurko_wx) July 27, 2014

The warning area for the fast-moving storm includes the cities and towns of Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield, Holyoke, Agawam, West Springfield, Ludlow, South Hadley, Easthampton, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Palmer, Monson, Southampton, Hampden, Russell and Montgomery.

Severe hail likely near Barnes ANGB, Westfield (shown in purple). Heading toward downtown Chicopee and Springfield. pic.twitter.com/Py6h0gtPLD

— Mike Skurko (@Skurko_wx) July 27, 2014

Westfield, Southwick ... heads up for round 2 in the next half-hour pic.twitter.com/xtc4iE7mYI

— Mike Skurko (@Skurko_wx) July 27, 2014

Earlier Sunday, the National Weather Service confirmed reports of a funnel cloud in Springfield. The Republican's Conor Berry reported the cloud was observed "in the Interstate 291 area of Springfield, between roughly Bay Street and Berkshire Avenue, and also in the Fuller Street area of Ludlow."

Skurko told The Republican he viewed a video submission showing "a rather ominous-looking cloud" in the city.

The police department reported protesters had received proper permits for the rally.

CHICOPEE — About 100 people joined together outside the road to Westover Air Reserve Base for a rally to protest the proposal to temporarily house as many as 1,000 undocumented immigrant children from Mexico and Central America on the base.

Sunday’s four-hour rally was loosely organized by the Pioneer Valley Tea Party, a new group called Impeach Obama and others, said Michael Franco, of Holyoke, a long-time political activist who is an “America First” candidate for state Senate in the 1st Hampden-Hampshire district.

“Coming and going we counted about 100 people. We peaked at about 80 people at one time,” he said.

The rally was held at the rotary at the intersection of Memorial Drive, Granby Road and Westover Road. There were few problems with the exception of parking issues, Franco said.

While some people were affiliated with one of the groups, there were neighbors who don’t want the children detained in their backyards and some veterans who do not believe the base should be used for a non-military purpose.

“It was more of a rally than a protest. It was friendly and we got a lot of support from motorists,” Franco said.

Gov. Deval Patrick two weeks ago announced he had responded to a plea from President Obama, who is searching for a solution to handling the estimated 50,000 unaccompanied children being held in detention after trying to cross the border. He agreed to take about 1,000 children who would be housed behind the secure gates at Westover or at Camp Edwards military installation in Bourne.

City Councilor Gerry Roy, who represents Ward 9, said the group was a loosely-organized combination of people who do not want to see Westover used to house the children.

“It is a number of different pro-American groups,” he said.

Roy, who is on vacation, could not attend the protest but has been in touch with many people concerned about the proposal.

“They are saying enough is enough. They just don’t trust the government,” Roy said.

Protesters held signs saying “We have had enough” and others pushing politicians to solve domestic problems before taking in the child immigrants.

Franco said he personally is against the proposal saying he feels it is unconstitutional to give any illegal immigrant amnesty.

The Chicopee Police Department posted a statement on social media saying Chief William Jebb had authorized a permit for Sunday’s rally and said there were no problems.

“A peaceful demonstration was held today at the Rotary on Memorial Dr(ive) and Granby Road. The leaders had notified Chief Jebb of their intentions, and Chief Jebb met with the leaders to ensure a peaceful scene, and compliance with all laws and ordinances, as well as a safe scene for all parties present,” the statement said.
The protest is the latest in a series of complaints that have come from the city following the announcement.

It also comes a day after a major rally protesting illegal immigration attracted hundreds to Boston.

Mayor Richard Kos and state Rep. Joseph Wagner, D-Chicopee, on Thursday invited Patrick to visit the city to explain the possible use of Westover Air Reserve Base to house the children who are from Mexico and Central America.

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal has also been invited to join any meeting or tour with the governor, they said.

The governor declined, saying Kos and Wagner have been briefed and added he will continue conversations if the federal government decides to use Westover.

Kos has argued using Westover makes little sense. It lacks housing and, since Westover is an busy Air Force Reserve base, there are also security concerns.

Each child would stay for an average of about 35 days and that all expenses will be picked up by the federal government while they are being processed for deportation, reunification or asylum. All children’s needs, including schooling and health care, would be provided at the base.

A second storm is expected to come through at about 7:15 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm that brought hail and high winds is just leaving the region but a second one is expected to come through at about 7:15 p.m.

Agawam police are reporting a number of downed trees and wires, including those which are blocking roads. Specific information was not immediately available.

Lightening strikes or flooding also being reported in Longmeadow, West Springfield and Chicopee. Springfield police reported little damage with the exception of a few trees down.

A flash flooding was also reported until 10 p.m. for south western Hampden County and north western Tolland County in Connecticut. Some towns listed include Springfield, Chicopee, Agawam, West Springfield, Westfield, Enfield and Somers.

At the height of the storm about 5,400 customers were without electricity but crews were able to reroute some power so some of it has been restored, said Pat Bandzes, a spokeswoman for Northeast Utilities.

Crews are now going out to assess the damage and will restore power as quickly as possible, she said.

"The storm that just came across the region, we had high winds and hail across the region," said Mike Skurko, meteorologist for CBS 3 Springfield, the media partner of The Republican and MassLive.

Winds in some towns his 60 miles an hour, he said.

"It is really just a typical thunderstorm. There were no funnel clouds there was high winds and a lot of rain," he said.

A funnel cloud was spotted in a morning thunderstorm but there was no damage.

A second thunderstorm is expected to come through at about 7:15 p.m. and is expected to hit the region around Westfield and Enfield and could clip Agawam again, Skurko said.

Heavy rains takes its toll.

LONGMDEADOW -- A torrential downpour in Longmeadow, with lightning and thunder, left some streets flooded and trees down around 6:45 p.m. A flash flood warning was issued around 7:12 p.m. to avoid flooded areas and check local media until about 10:15 p.m.

ANNE-GERARD FLYNN PHOTO 

ANNE-GERARD FLYNN PHOTO 

CHARLEMONT - The three-day run of Yankee Doodle Days ended on Sunday, July 22, 2014 in Charlemont. The event, sponsored by the Friends of the Charlemont Fairgrounds and held at the fairgrounds, featured live music, food, local crafters, a petting zoo, draft horse and tractor pulls, fireworks and a demolition derby.

CHARLEMONT - The three-day run of Yankee Doodle Days ended on Sunday, July 22, 2014 in Charlemont.

The event, sponsored by the Friends of the Charlemont Fairgrounds and held at the fairgrounds, featured live music, food, local crafters, a petting zoo, draft horse and tractor pulls, fireworks and a demolition derby.

The Domino's employee was not injured in the robbery.

SPRINGFIELD - A Domino's employee was held up and robbed of an iPhone and money Sunday evening.

The employee was delivering food to 187 Trafton Road when a man armed with a handgun threatened him and took his money and phone, Police Capt. Trent Duda said.

The delivery man was not injured in the robbery, that happened at about 5:25 p.m., Duda said.

It is unknown if the call was made to set up the employee. No one was home at the house at the time of the robbery, Duda said.

This is the second robbery of a Domino's pizza delivery employee in Forest Park in a day. At about 12:30 a.m. an employee was robbed at gunpoint on Hiawatha St.

The policies, which have been posted for public comment, are available on the Longmeadow Public Schools website.

 

LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow School Committee will meet Monday morning at 10:30 to go over various subcommittee reports, approve two policies related to field trips that are currently posted for public perusal, and consider the appointment of a new Director of Pupil Services.

Other notable items to be discussed include: the handbook for the 2014-15 school year at Longmeadow High School and the minutes of previous meetings.

Time has been set aside at the beginning of the meeting for the committee to receive comments from any interested members of the local community.

The meeting is scheduled to convene in Conference Room A15 of the satellite building on the campus of Longmeadow High School.

The posted agenda has been embedded below.

Longmeadow School Committee Agenda

Police were called to 330 Sumner Ave. "several times" early Friday morning, including for fight and disturbance reports. Police were called back to the same address for a Saturday shooting incident.

SPRINGFIELD — The gunfire reported Saturday at 330 Sumner Ave. was preceded by multiple disturbance calls to the same Forest Park address on Friday, according to city police, who continue to investigate.

Shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday, two men tried to shoot their way into the residence next door to Forest Park Middle School on Oakland Street. Another male suspect was with the shooters, police said.

The house sustained gunfire damage but there were no reported injuries in the shooting, Lt. Henry Gagnon told MassLive / The Republican.

That incident was preceded by multiple disturbance reports on Friday, according to police, who responded there "several times" within a few hours. Citations were issued but no apparent arrests were made.

The last call on Friday came about 4 a.m. At least eight police cruisers were seen parked along Sumner Avenue and near an entrance to the neighboring middle school.

The large, three-story home was "a real problem spot" for police on Friday, according to a department official. "We've been out there several times tonight," he said.

Police were looking for two men suspected of possible malicious damage in connection with one of the disturbance calls.

Meanwhile, authorities described the three suspects in Saturday's shooting as a black man and two Hispanic men, all of whom were seen fleeing the area in a dark SUV.

Chicopee has one solar farm located off Montgomery Street.

CHICOPEE — Faced with an increasing interest in renewable energy generation, the Planning Board and Planning Department is creating an ordinance to develop guidelines for those interested in generating power from sun or wind.

The Planning Board recently reviewed a draft of the renewable energy ordinance, recommended some changes and decided to continue working on it before voting to add it to the city’s rules and regulations.

“The purpose of this ordinance is to promote the use of renewable energy systems,” the ordinance says.

It is also designed to set standards for the placement, operation and monitoring of the systems.

It allows solar generation for on-site use with no special permit for homes and businesses, including commercial and industrial buildings. Larger operations designed to generate power for off-site use will need a special permit.

The ordinance regulates wind power generation more and bans pole mounted systems. It does allow wind conversion systems that are integrated in a building without a special permit.

The reason for banning pole mounted windmills is they create continuous noise, City Planner Catherine L. Brown said.

The city already bans outdoor wood burning boilers through the Health Department, but that is also included in the ordinance to make it easier to find, she said.

Chicopee has one about 10,000-panel solar farm off Pendleton Street operated by the Citizens Energy Corp. The property is owned by St. Stanislaus Church and is leased to the energy company.

When the farm was proposed about a year ago, the city had no ordinances regulating renewable energy. The corporation voluntarily agreed to go through the site planning review process then.

Under the proposal, even the smaller installation of solar panels for on-site will have to follow some regulations, including trying to limit the negative visual impacts on neighborhoods.

In the draft ordinance, roof-mounted solar panels are permitted but cannot exceed overall building height limits if they are not flush with the roof. Those mounted on the ground will have to meet with regulations for accessory structures including setback requirements.

Larger systems, mainly known as solar farms, must be set back at least 50 feet from the property line, have a security system, limited land clearing, an operation and maintenance plan and screenings, including fences and evergreens.

“I like that once it is defunct, it goes away,” said Ronald M. Czelusniak, a board member.

The ordinance proposal requires owners of larger farms to provide a surety bond to cover the cost or removing the equipment and to remediate the landscaping.

The proposal also calls for owners of the systems that are generating electricity for the site to enter into an interconnection agreement with the utility company that operates the electrical grid, which is typically Chicopee Electric Light Company.

Owners who must seek a special permit are required to provide information in writing they have notified the utility company, the ordinance proposal says.

The Springfield Parking Authority plans to purchase a second license plate reader and expand the program to help collect delinquent excise taxes and parking ticket revenue.

SPRINGFIELD — The city’s use of a license plate reader to crack down on motorists with long-delinquent excise taxes and parking tickets has shown strong results the first two years, and has triggered plans to purchase a second device, officials said.

“When you look at the results, it is well worth it,” said City Councilor Timothy Rooke, chairman of the Finance Committee. “It’s smart government is what it is.”

The Springfield Parking Authority has used the vehicle-mounted license plate reader in the downtown area during the past two years, and plans to expand to other neighborhoods with the second device, said Ehsanul H. “Bokul” Bhuiya, authority comptroller.

The city and parking authority will split the cost of the second electronic device, estimated to cost approximately $50,000.

City Treasurer-Collector Stephen Lonergan said excise tax collections increased by $889,085 in fiscal year 2014, compared to the prior year, a 9 percent increase,

He believes part of the reason can be attributed to motorists knowing that the city is cracking down and immobilizing parked cars with a metal “boot” on the front wheel when there are long-delinquent excise taxes detected by the automatic reader.

During the past two years, 675 cars have been booted, leading to the collection of $190,225 in delinquent excise taxes, $60,990 in parking ticket revenue and $67,500 in “boot” fees, according to Lonergan. When the motorist pays the back taxes and parking fees, the boot is detached for the $100 fee.

Just in July, starting the new fiscal year, the city has collected $21,355 in delinquent excise taxes from booted cars, Lonergan said.

“It’s another tool in our tool box for collecting delinquent taxes,” Lonergan said. “I think the program is successful and I am in favor of expanding it.”
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The plate reader program is a cooperative effort of the mayor’s office, the City Council, the police, the parking authority and the collector’s office, city officials said.

The Springfield Parking Authority is under contract with the city for on-street and off-street parking enforcement.

A home rule bill that was sponsored by Rooke was passed by the council, Mayor Domenic Sarno, the state Legislature and the Governor in 2011 and 2012, allowing Springfield to impound cars whose owners are delinquent in paying excise taxes after multiple notices.

Rooke said that a team effort has brought in nearly $1 million in uncollected delinquent revenues either through booted cars or people paying up to avoid being booted.

The city is more efficient by using the newest technology, Rooke said.

The device is programmed to alert traffic enforcement officials when it detects vehicles with the outstanding parking tickets or excise tax bills.

A Feeding Hills man is charged with OUI after a crash Sunday in Agawam.

WESTFIELD - A Feeding Hills man is charged with OUI after a crash Sunday in Agawam.

Demetrios Gravanis, 46, is charged in Westfield District Court with OUI and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Judge Philip Contant set $1,000 bail at Gravanis's arraignment Monday.

According to the police report, officers responded Sunday to a crash near 326 N. Westfield St. Two women approached the officers as they arrived on scene, one of them bleeding from the head and face, the report said.

The women said the other driver had crossed the line into their lane and struck their vehicle, and he had tried to leave the scene, the report said. Officers then checked on the other driver, Gravanis, who said he was all right but dazed by his car's airbag.

Gravanis's vehicle had driven almost 350 feet after the accident, finally striking a mailbox and getting stuck on the post, the report said. Gravanis said the women's car had crossed into his lane, and he was showing signs of intoxication, the report said.

Paramedics gave first aid to everyone at the scene, the report said. Officers determined Gravanis's vehicle crossed the double line and side-swiped the women's vehicle, the report said.

Officers administered field sobriety tests, which Gravanis failed, the report said.

NBA great Alonzo Mourning sat down with MassLive on Monday.

As part of its 60 Days of Summer promotion, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame brought in former Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning on Monday, July 28. Mourning — who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, August 8 — spoke to a large group of fans and children, describing his career, his battle with kidney disease and more. He talked to MassLive after the event.

MassLive: You were known for challenging every dunk attempt. Why was that such a point of focus for you?

Alonzo Mourning: Well it was ingrained in me. It became instinctual. Once I started competing, I knew I could have tremendous impact on the game by making it difficult for other people to score, plain and simple. That’s what kind of fueled my overall impact on the game, because I knew if the ball wasn’t going through the hoop for me, I knew I could still help the team win. I could rebound. I could defend. I could change the game from that perspective. That was a big part of why I wasn’t known as just a one-dimensional player.

MassLive: It was pretty obvious that you took help defense very seriously.

Mourning: When you think about help defense and you think about the reason teams are successful, it’s because they are able to stop other teams collectively. The two things, one of those things is about trust. Being a part of the team, where every guy on the floor is going to trust that when I leave, I don’t even have to think about it. I know someone is going to be there to have my back. It’s a beautiful thing to watch when a team is playing that way. It has a tremendous impact on the outcome of the game because it’s very difficult to stop a team that trusts one another. Very difficult. You’re going to leave the furthest man away open. Now it’s going to take a great passing team to find that open man, because we’ve got all the other more logical passes covered. We leaving the furthest man away open. Between time and distance, we can cover that pass. It just comes down to that. The best teams I’ve ever been a part of, they did just that, they trusted that.

MassLive: So it wasn’t about individual defense, it was more about being a part of the whole?

Mourning: No doubt. You got some guys who are known as great individual defenders, like Bruce Bowen and Ron Artest, but then you got Magic Johnson, who was a terrible on-ball defender. He’ll tell you that today. “I wasn’t a great defender, but I was a great team defender.” When the Lakers won those championships, collectively they were great team defenders. Guys had to help. They had to cover spaces. There were holes in the defense, and you had to cover those holes. Ultimately, the ball wants to get to the middle of the paint. Once it gets there, the paint collapses. Someone has to cover the paint. When it collapses, that’s when the ball sprays out to the shooters. So it’s a matter of keeping the ball from the paint, and forcing lower percentage shots.

MassLive: You were known for playing with a lot of passion. Was it kind of cathartic to leave so much emotion out on the floor?

Mourning: You know what? I didn’t want to waste anybody’s time when I was out there, let alone mine, so the one thing I did was try to play every game like it was my last. Once I experienced the whole situation with kidney disease, it was a situation where I felt like when I came back, each game could be last game. It literally could be my last game. So, when I came back and played again, I played literally each game like it was my last.

MassLive: When you got sick, you must have been glad you were playing that hard up until that point.

Mourning: Very much so. No doubt. That was one of the things that motivated me, knowing that every day wasn’t promised me. I don’t know when this is going to end, so I had to seize the moment now.

MassLive: The battles between you and Patrick Ewing kind of defined an era of big men. Is that gratifying now?

Mourning: It was (gratifying). It’s unfortunate that we’re like dinosaurs now. We’re kind of extinct. There aren’t as many quality big men as there were back then. You got more of these big men who are perimeter-oriented. It’s not the way the game is being taught now. These kids are developing their shooting skills. Guys are shooting the ball better. The physical contact is still there, but it’s not as prevalent as it was. Back then, it was extremely physical. I played in that era, and it was something that fueled me, just the physical play. I had the body and the physical approach to the game, so it was perfect for my game. Now, you can’t touch anybody. They blow the whistle on everything, so it makes it kind of difficult from that perspective.

But the game has grown, and I’m happy to have been a part of the growth of the game, to have helped contribute to it in some type a way. David Stern has done an amazing job. It’s kind of ironic that I’m going into the hall with David, because back in 1992, I was standing onstage with him shaking his hand. When you think about his 30 years, how he’s grown the game globally, the decisions he’s made, I’m just happy to have been a part of the process.

MassLive: At your jersey retirement, Udonis Haslem gave you a commemorative dumbbell. Do you still have that?

Mourning: I still have that. It’s actually sitting in my office.

MassLive: Was that the best trophy you’ve ever received?

Mourning: (Laughs) You know what, one of them. When he handed me that trophy, the weight, it had my name engraved, it was pretty cool. Then they actually named the weight room after me because I spent so much time in there. That was pretty cool.

With the jury out of the room defense lawyer Brett Lampiasi asked Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder to ask John Ecker, on the court record - if he understood he did not have to testify.

SPRINGFIELD - John L. Ecker began testifying in his own defense Monday in Hampden Superior Court and quickly both his lawyer and the trial judge had to stop him from embarking on long stories not directly related to the questions asked.

John L. Ecker 

Ecker, 53, is charged with stalking, criminal harassment, violation of harassment orders, attempts to commit crimes with the victims being four women, one of whom was 16 in summer 2013 when the crimes are said to have occurred.

He is also accused of open and gross lewdness for allegedly performing a sexual act on himself in the window of his apartment while the 16-year-old was across the street on the library steps in Indian Orchard.

With the jury out of the room defense lawyer Brett Lampiasi asked Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder to ask Ecker if he understood he did not have to testify.

Ecker said he wanted to testify to "assert my innocence," correct inaccuracies in witness testimony and because jurors wonder why a defendant - if innocent - won't testify.

Kinder warned him to keeps his testimony "within the bounds of evidence."

Ecker said he was in the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons for 20 years, released in September 2009 when he was helped by the state Department of Mental Health to reintegrate into civilian life. The jury has not been told why he was in custody for 20 years.

Kinder has carefully set the boundaries for areas of testimony. Ecker has been found competent to stand trial. Lampiasi told Kinder Ecker has forbidden him to ask for a jury instruction on mental impairment or lack of criminal responsibility.

Assistant District Attorney Karen Bell has objected to Lampiasi's attempts to bring out opinions about Ecker's mental health issues during cross examination because the defense did not give the proper notice for that defense.

Lampiasi said Ecker does not have the capacity to form the intent necessary to be convicted.

During one discussion with the jury out of the room, Ecker stood up and said, "The prosecutor brought these charges in bad faith."

Ecker testified the 16-year-old victim's mother and grandmother accused him - when they confronted him about harassing the girl - of being "robotic like."

"I do feel awkward," Ecker said, going into detail - until brought back on track by Lampiasi - about technology advances he found when he was released in 2009.

"Thank God I'm gifted with the brain that I have," he said.

When asked about the testimony of one victim - a waitress at a local restaurant - Ecker said she lied when she said she told him to stop contacting her. He also said she smoked pot outside the restaurant with off-duty members of the Ludlow police.

As he went into a long story about why he thought she filed a criminal harassment complaint against him, Kinder stopped the trial for the day since it was 4 p.m. and sent the jury home.

Ecker is scheduled to resume testimony Tuesday.

The 16-year-old testified Ecker would try to talk to her when she was at a relative's house near where he lived. She said he would approach her and ask her how she was doing and say she looked nice.

She said when she and a friend were on the library steps Ecker masturbated in his apartment window and looked at her. "We ran," she said, saying she didn't tell an adult about it until Ecker left a business card at her grandmother's house.

She said she got repeatedly more afraid of Ecker, who knew her name even though she hadn't told it to him.

The girl's mother testified about a series of letters sent to her daughter and other family members by Ecker in October and November 2013 after his arrest in the case.

In one, which was read to the jury, he said he wanted to take the girl to Canada. In another he recounted crimes for which he had been arrested and held, telling her, "I love you. Your need to be aware of who you are sharing a bed with."

The girl testified she never had any relationship with Ecker, and thought he was a creepy old man.

In that letter he talked of going west with the girl, the mother testified, saying she was afraid because Ecker seemed to believe he had the right to take the girl somewhere.

Ecker wrote to the girl's father asking for his permission to marry her.

The letters were sent in violation of the criminal harassment order preventing him from having contact with the girl, according to the prosecution.

The girl testified when the letters came to the house, and her mother told her some of the content, she was "scared he was going to take me away from my family and do things to me."

Lt. Alfred Ingham, commander of the criminal investigations unit for the sheriff's office, testified they intercepted two letters written by Ecker in violation of the harassment order.

In one he tried to order flowers, candy and a teddy bear for the girl. In another he tried to have the girl authorized to use his Macy's charge card.