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Latest campaign commercials in Massachusetts race for governor: Charlie Baker rolls out 'Chance,' Martha Coakley gets plug from Bill Clinton in 'United'

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The 30-second spots released Wednesday feature upbeat messages from the candidates, neither of whom mentions the other.

BOSTON — Political campaign commercials are occasionally iconic (Think: LBJ's 1964 "Daisy Girl," which led to a landslide victory over Barry Goldwater), and are often spoofed in "Saturday Night Live" sketches parodying the convention.

For better or worse, these ads, replete with mood-changing music to highlight the good candidate's virtues and the bad candidate's deficiencies, are part of the fabric of the American political process.

But the latest commercials released by the Coakley and Baker camps are decidedly upbeat, highlighting the candidates' positive attributes and playing up their respective visions for a better Massachusetts. Both 30-second spots were released Wednesday, and neither ad mentions an opponent.

In "United," former president Bill Clinton shares his thoughts on fellow Democrat Martha Coakley, calling her a "relentless advocate for children and families" who'll make the state "stronger, healthier and more united " if elected governor on Nov. 4.

The ad flashes back and forth between images of Clinton standing at a podium as he sings Coakley's praises, and of Coakley talking with people along the campaign trail.

"Chance," Charlie Baker's latest, features footage of the Republican crisscrossing the commonwealth and talking to everyday people. "My iPhone is filled with the new friends I've met," he says. "We've talked about our dreams, our hopes and our fears. I will never forget."

Baker goes on to say that Massachusetts deserves a governor as good as its residents, someone who "listens, acts and cares."

The Baker and Coakley ads, as well as the famous "Daisy Girl" commercial, can be viewed below.




New York street harassment documented in video that gets 10 million hits in a day

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The video, shot over 10 hours one day in neighborhoods all over the borough and edited down to a 2-minute final product, has set off a storm of outrage on its way to more than 10 million views since it was released online Tuesday.

By DEEPTI HAJELA

NEW YORK -- A video recording the comments a woman hears as she walks around the nation's biggest city is a testament to the pervasiveness of street harassment women face, its creators said Wednesday.

Street harassment video 102914Actress Shoshana Roberts is seen during an interview at Associated Press headquarters in New York, Wednesday. Roberts starred in a video discretely made by man walking in front of her as she walked the streets of New York City and endured dozens of unsolicited catcalls during the course of a single day. 

The comments come continuously as the woman walks through the streets of Manhattan -- "What's up, Beautiful?" and "Smile!" -- and there's even a stretch when a man just silently walks right next to her for several minutes.

The video, shot over 10 hours one day in neighborhoods all over the borough and edited down to a 2-minute final product, has set off a storm of outrage on its way to more than 10 million views since it was released online Tuesday.

"This is having a very serious impact on the way we live our lives," said Emily May, executive director of Hollaback!, the anti-street harassment organization that put out the video.

The footage, which was shot and edited by Rob Bliss, was captured by a camera Bliss had in his backpack as he walked several feet of front of actress Shoshana Roberts, who was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and walked silently along.

At no point did Roberts make eye contact with any of the men she passed or talk to any of them. That didn't stop the comments from coming. When she didn't respond, one man told her, "Somebody's acknowledging you for being beautiful. You should say thank you more!"

Roberts said the number of comments the day the video was shot was nothing out of the ordinary for her.

"The frequency is something alarming," she said.

Martha Sauder, walking on a Manhattan street on Wednesday, agreed that street harassment is a problem and said it happens to her frequently.

"It's inappropriate. It's like an invasion of your space," she said. "I'd like it to stop."

But the video also has faced some online criticisms, among them that the men shown all seem to be minorities. Bliss and Roberts emphasized that the comments came from all racial groups, and Bliss said some interactions that were filmed couldn't be used for reasons like the audio was disrupted by passing sirens.

"My experience, what we documented, it was from everybody," Roberts said.

Another criticism was that some men's comments seemed innocuous: "Good morning," ''Have a nice day."

Some men could have been "genuinely being nice," said Gerard Burke, a Brooklyn resident who readily acknowledged street harassment exists and has seen it happen to women in his family. He said he thought the video shed light on a bigger problem, "but some people just genuinely want to say hello."

That's the problem with street harassment, May said, because when there's a fear that a simple good morning could escalate into sexual comments or actions, there's a reluctance to engage at all.

MassDOT announces temporary lane & ramp closures at junction of I-91 and Route 2 in Greenfield

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The closures are necessary to accommodate a $3.4 million transportation project.

GREENFIELD — Temporary lane and ramp closures are scheduled to take effect Thursday at the junction of Interstate 91 and Route 2 in Greenfield, according to MassDOT officials.

The closures will be in place from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weather permitting. They are necessary to accommodate paving along a nearly 3-mile section of Route 2 stretching east from I-91 in Greenfield to Gill, MassDOT officials said.

The $3.4 million project includes milling the existing surface, guardrail repairs, new pavement markings, and minor drainage improvements.

Beginning Thursday morning, the ramp from I-91 north to Route 2 east will be closed. Drivers headed for Route 2 east will continue north on I-91 to exit 28, where they will be detoured onto I-91 south until exiting the ramp for Route 2 east.

Additional temporary detours will be enacted after that portion of the project is completed, according to transportation officials, who urge motorists to allow for extra time and reduce driving speeds in the construction zone.

Yesterday's top stories: Southbridge fugitive Gregory Lewis captured, former Ludlow police lieutenant sentenced in drug case, and more

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Police are seeking the public's help as they work to identify a man who allegedly stole two drill sets on two different days recently from the Sears store on Boston Road in Springfield.

These were the most read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now. The most viewed item overall, however, was the photo gallery, above, that accompanied Michelle Williams' story about the fire damaged Holyoke home featured by Country Living Magazine.

1) Southbridge fugitive Gregory Lewis captured in New York after alleged cross-country sexual assault spree [Lindsay Corcoran]

2) Former Ludlow police lieutenant Thomas Foye sentenced to jail in drug case [Buffy Spencer]

3) Springfield police seek public's help as they search for man who allegedly stole drill set from Sears and came back for another [George Graham]

4) Springfield mom arrested with baby, 90 bags of heroin awaits sentencing after guilty plea [Jack Flynn]

5) Search continues for Amherst High School student Richard Hogans Jr. 2 days after reported missing [Diane Lederman]

Did you see this? Rainbow appears over Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke

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A rainbow made a short appearance over Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke Sunday.

HOLYOKE — A rainbow made a short appearance over Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke Sunday.

At the time of the rainbow, late afternoon or early evening, there were a scattering of people walking the reservoir path.

If you got a shot of the rainbow and want to share it and your thoughts, please add them to the comment section of this post. If you have other photos of the reservoir, or a favorite rainbow photo from somewhere else, you can add that too.

Springfield's Sci-Tech band closer to $35,000 Kickstarter fundraising goal to finance documentary

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If the campaign reaches its $35,000 goal by the deadline, the drive may be extended to help raise the $85,000 to complete the filmming, which is expected to wrap up early next year.

SPRINGFIELD — The online Kickstarter fundraising campaign to help pay for production of a documentary film on Sci-Tech's 500-member-strong band has raised almost $11,000 – nearly a third of its $35,000 fundraising goal – with a little over six weeks left in the 60-day campaign.

Lawrence Hott of Florentine Films is filming the story of how Gary Bernice, Springfield High School of Science and Technology music teacher and band leader, has taken students – most who had never picked up an instrument until they got to high school – and turned them into "The Pride of Springfield."

As of Wednesday afternoon, the campaign has raised $10,781 from 110 backers with 41 days to go before the drive ends at 3:45 p.m. on Dec. 9.

If the campaign reaches its $35,000 goal by the deadline, the drive may be extended to help raise the $85,000 to complete the filming.

Wednesday afternoon, the day after the band performed at the annual meeting of the Community Foundation at the MassMutual Center, students and bandleader Bernice were already thinking ahead and practicing for a holiday lighting concert performance at the Quadrangle on Nov. 28 and the annual winter concert at Chestnut Middle School on Dec. 11.

One of Bernice's teaching techniques is to enlist seasoned student band members to mentor newer students with drummers coaching drummers and guitar players coaching guitar players.

On Wednesday, Rebecca Marquez, a freshman with a few years of trumpet-playing experience behind her, was coaching freshmen Alfredo Navarro and Damarqus Fownery who are new to the instrument.

Bernice and Hott said guests attending the Community Foundation's annual meeting gave the 150 contingent of the Sci-Tech a standing ovation for its performance of "La Copa de la Vida," by Ricky Martin and a rendition of "The Blues." It was the band's fourth ensemble performance in October.

The Florentine Films project got its initial kick-start at the start of the school year with $15,000 from anonymous contributors, who donated the seed money to the private nonprofit Springfield School Volunteers, he said.

Hott, with his wife and business partner, Daine K. Garey, of Florence-based Florentine Films and Hott Productions, aims to complete shooting the 20- to 25-minute documentary film by the end of the year with plans to release the film spring 2015 to educational audiences.

The advantage of the Kickstarter drive, a crowd-funding model, is that it keeps donors engaged and invested in the project over the 60 days of the campaign, Hott said.

If the fund-raising goal isn't reached within the 60 days, the credit-card pledges of potential donors won't be charged.

Hott said the fundraising drive has received donations from beyond the region, but he believes the real stakeholders in the film's production and completion are the people of Springfield who should be proud of the good things happening in city schools.

"The experience of students who join Bernice's band drawn from 1,500 students at one of Springfield's underperforming schools has been transformative – with band members averaging a 95 percent graduation rate," Hott said.

"It's a story that needs to be told."

Upcoming Sci-Tech band concerts:
Nov. 28 – Springfield Quadrangle Lighting Ceremony at 5 p.m. 21 Edwards St.
Dec. 11 – Annual Winterfest concert, 7 p.m. at Chestnut Middle School, 355 Plainfield St.

While Hott said he's happy the project is winning a response beyond the city, he said the real stakeholders are the people of Springfield. "We're hoping to get Springfield people involved, they have a direct stake in this," he said

Defendant admits violence against police, hospital nurse, but denies mistreating pit bull

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Jorge Carrasquillo pleaded guilty to breaking and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony, assault and battery, three counts of threat to commit a crime, and a count each of assault with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest and animal cruelty.

SPRINGFIELD - Jorge Carrasquillo had no problem Wednesday admitting to seven crimes, including shaking a Fire Department ladder holding police who had climbed 50 feet in attempt to capture him on the roof.

He admitted he yelled in expletive laced Spanish and English he was going "to kill you f.....s" to police and shook the ladder they were climbing, throwing a glass and saying he would hurl them off.

Carrasquillo, 31, admitted he kicked at a nurse as he was being treated for cuts at a local hospital.

But Carrasquillo told his lawyer he didn't want to plead guilty to the charge of cruelty to animals.

Defense lawyer Dale E. Bass told Hampden Superior Court Judge Tina S. Page Carrasquillo wanted that charge continued without a finding.

Page would not do that, and Carrasquillo ultimately admitted there were facts sufficient to prove that charge.

The events of Oct. 14, 2013, originated as a domestic violence call, but the woman who had said Carrasquillo assaulted her had stopped cooperating with police and prosecutors.

Bass said the woman had called his office and said she would assert her Fifth Amendment right not to be forced to incriminate herself.

The judge said she would reluctantly accept the agreed upon recommendation by defense and prosecution of two years in state prison.

Given his record and the "crazy scene" he created that night, the sentencing guidelines for Carrasquillo should have been higher, Page said, referring to the calculation of state sentencing guidelines.

For the animal cruelty charge she gave Carrasquillo two years probation after the prison sentence, which the prosecution had requested.

He pleaded guilty to breaking and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony, assault and battery, three counts of threat to commit a crime, and a count each of assault with a dangerous weapon, and resisting arrest.

Assistant District Attorney Melissa G. Doran said when police officers forced entry into Carrasquillo's third floor apartment at 67 Fort Pleasant Ave. he was not there (he was on the roof) but there was a pit bull covered in filth on a porch, and excrement was littered everywhere.

There was no food or water for the dog and he was confined to the porch, she said. It was afraid of humans, she said.

Carrasquillo told Page the dog had food and water in the house and lived in the house, just going to the porch when police came in.

Carrasquillo said the dog was clean. "He jumps on the couch, jumps on the bed," Carrasquillo said of the 1-year-dog name Tara.

The events started at about 9 p.m. Oct. 14 when police officers were called to an address where the woman who said she was assaulted by Carrasquillo had gone. He had gone to that address and forced his way into the home of the friend.

While police were talking to her and her friend Carrasquillo was racing up and down the street on his motorcycle and would not stop for police. He had an outstanding warrant.

They went to his apartment but he was on the roof. That was when a Fire Department ladder was called in and police tried to climb to him.

Ultimately Carrasquillo said he wanted to talk to Police Capt. Cheryl Claprood and she got him to surrender.

He was brought to the hospital and on the way there tried to grab an officer's gun and threatened to kill him, Doran said.

While being treated for cuts he kicked at a nurse, she said.

Doran said the officers involved didn't want to speak at the sentencing but were in agreement with the recommendation.

She read a statement from the nurse saying in the past medical staff has suffered violence and individuals should be charged with that behavior.

"Too often we are victims," she said, saying it is difficult to perform duties when in fear of one's safety and "being kicked, punched, threatened and having things thrown at us."

Page asked if Carrasquillo was under the influence of any substance that night.

Bass asked his client and reported Carrasquillo had been drinking Hennessey (Cognac) to excess.

"That's a very expensive liquor," Page noted, later refusing to waive the victim impact fee.

As conditions of probation Carrasquillo must get his GED, stay away from the nurse, have no drugs or alcohol and be randomly tested and maintain employment.

Carrasquillo has 380 days credit for time served while awaiting trial.

The dog had been taken by animal control officers when Carrasquillo was arrested, Doran said.

Republican state Sen. Don Humason and Democrat Patrick Leahy tap prominent officials for help

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Michael Knapik has shown up for Humason while Stanley Rosenberg is in Patrick Leahy's corner.

HOLYOKE -- Republican state Sen. Donald R. Humason and Democratic challenger Patrick T. Leahy are tapping their arsenals with Election Day set for Tuesday (Nov. 4).

Humason, of Westfield, said he was joined at a "One Week to Victory" party Tuesday at Tekoa Country Club in Westfield by Michael R. Knapik, who held the 2nd Hampden-Hampshire state Senate seat for 18 years before leaving for another job.

Humason won the seat in a special election Nov. 5, 2013 and was a state representative for 11 years before that.

Leahy, of Holyoke, said Senate Majority Leader Stanley C. Rosenberg, D-Amherst, will join him Saturday at noon at City Hall for a get-out-the-vote effort.

Leahy has been a Holyoke police officer since 2003 and also is a Realtor.

Humason has been endorsed by Holyoke City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain.

Leahy has been endorsed by Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse.

Both candidates said they are working for votes in the district's 11 communities.

"And my volunteers and I are continuing to do literature drops and standouts throughout my district from now until Election Day," Humason said. "Things are going very well and I am optimistic that voters will support my campaign on Tuesday."

Leahy also has been endorsed by former Holyoke mayors Elaine A. Pluta and Martin J. Dunn.

"Garnering the support of these three wonderful public servants is both humbling and reassuring that our campaign is on the right track," Leahy said. "Mayor Morse has impressed so many people across the city, region, state and even nation by his ability to collaborate and move our city forward."

The district consists of, in Hampden County, Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland and Chicopee's Ward 7, Ward 8A and Ward 9A, and in Hampshire County, Easthampton and Southampton.

Humason and Leahy each has asserted he can be the most effective senator for the district on Beacon Hill.

Humason supports casino gambling in the state and Leahy does not. Humason said he will vote against Question 3 on the ballot, which calls for repealing the 2011 casino gambling law, while Leahy said he will vote yes on that question.

Leahy supports ballot Question 2, which would expand the beverage container law, known as the bottle bill. Humason opposes that in favor of more emphasis on recycling.

Leahy supports ballot Question 4, which which would let every Massachusetts worker earn up to 40 hours of sick time a year. The time off would be paid or unpaid depending on the size of the business. Employees could not be fired for taking sick leave.

Humason said he supports a measure proposed by Charlie Baker, the Republican candidate for governor, that would exempt businesses with 50 or fewer employees from providing paid sick time.


Springfield Innovation Hub plans cafe, co-working space and 'activation' of Bridge Street Park where Steiger's once stood

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The Innovation Hub cafe might be open as soon as April 2015.

SPRINGFIELD - Center Square Park at Bridge and Main streets in Downtown Springfield, the patch of land where Albert Steiger Co. department store once stood, may get seating, umbrellas and  WiFi internet access as part of the Springfield Innovation Hub.

"So that you could work out there if you wanted to," said Delcie Bean, CEO of Paragus Strategic IT and the force behind Springfield Innovation Hub and the Springfield Innovation Cafe. "The park is nice. But it is kind of quite. We really want to activate that park and make it a place that feels busy."

The park, which Bean said could be like tech-heavy Bryant Park in New York City, is owned by MassMutual Financial Group.

"Let's get the UMass Springfield Center students out to it," Bean said.

The Springfield Innovation Hub will be one of the tenants in the Springfield Innovation Center being created by DevelopSpringfield in 16,450 square feet of space now owned by DevelopSpringfield at 270 and 276-284 Bridge St. facing the park.

He hopes to have the cafe, once planned for the former Cobalt space at City Stage, open in April 2015. Bean said the idea moved when DevelopSpringfield  firmed up its plans for Bridge Street.

The location is right around the corner from where New England Public Radio  opened its new studios and offices this week.

The Springfield Innovation Center received $2.2 million grant from the state's MassWorks Infrastructure Program.

Plans call for the buildings will house:

  • The cafe on the first floor.
  • The Springfield Innovation Center, co-working space that business people can rent for the day or longer. Bean said it will include meeting space, printers and other equipment.

"Say you are in Springfield for a day and you need a place to meet with a client," Bean said. "Or think about an early-stage startup that doesn't have an office yet. Or you are working out of your home and you just need to work around people."

  • Space for Valley Venture Mentors, a business advice and incubation program now operating from temporary space in Tower Square.
  • Rental office space for companies that have graduated from the co-working space and from Valley Venture Mentors.
  • Event space for business-pitch competitions and presentations.

Bean and others envision the Innovation Cafe as a hangout for the tech entrepreneurs and start-up business people the Hub plans to attract. He said it will also enliven the city's restaurant scene by giving people a place to go between the end of business at 5 p.m. and  dinner time.

"So that they stay downtown for that hour or two," he said. "So they don't go home."

The cafe, to be run as a nonfprofit, will also serve as a test kitchen for budding restauranteurs. Someone with an idea for an eatery could try tout at Innovation Cafe at night and build a following without having to go to the expense of building a restaurant.

"Since we aren't interested in serving food at night, this would give them an opportunity," Bean said. "It would work with Valley Venture Mentors because I'm sure those restaurant start-ups need help with business plans and advice and all the things VVM provides."

One goal of the project is to give Downtown Springfield a bit more energy.

"When you go downtown it feels sleepy," he said. "There are a lot of people working there. But they don't come down out of the towers. You just don't feel the energy from all the good things that are going on."

The hub and cafe portions of the project will cost $400,000 to $500,000, Bean said. It's money he wants to collect from state grants, foundations and donors.

Baystate Franklin's interfaith forum celebrates fall with focus on gratitude

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Participants range from Catholic deacon to Jewish priestess.

GREENFIELD - An interfaith forum, at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, will bring together a variety of participants, from both Eastern and Western traditions, to celebrate the fall harvest with a discussion focused on gratitude. The form will be held Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in Conference Rooms B and C. Franklin County clergy and laypersons - Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist/Shambhala, and Pagan - will talk about gratitude in their faith tradition, with an audience discussion to follow.

Presenters scheduled Tony Walker, a Buddhist practitioner, meditation teacher and retreat leader from the Shambhala Center in Shelburne Falls; the Rev. Corey Sanderson, United Church of Christ ordained pastor, Second Congregational Church in Greenfield; Sher Sweet, a chaplain Intern, at Baystate Medical Center and Baystate Franklin, who is Jewish; Paul DeCarlo, Roman Catholic Deacon at Holy Trinity Church, in Greenfield, and chaplain volunteer at Baystate Franklin; Momodu Sarr, a practicing Muslim; and Kohenet Tiana Mirapae, ordained Hebrew priestess of an Earth-based tribal Jewish temple, as well as ordained Pagan clergy, a priestess of the Well of Avalon Church and Goddess Mountain Temple Sanctuary in Montague, and a licensed integrative psychotherapist.

This program is sponsored by Baystate Health's Office of Diversity & Inclusion, in collaboration with Spiritual Services. It is free and open to the public; and light refreshments will be served. To register, call Baystate Health Link at (413) 794.2255 or email: baystatehealthlink@baystatehealth.org.

Springfield party host admits assaulting police officer over noise citation

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After arriving at the apartment, the officers gave Vazquez two noise citations, then returned minutes later to hand her a third, the prosecutor said. The situation was especially volatile because the defendant kept encouraging her guests to verbally abuse the police, Sandstrom said.

SPRINGFIELD - It started out innocently enough with two women wrestling on the kitchen floor during an early morning party at 248 Fort Pleasant St.

"We were having a water fight" Serenna Vazquez explained when Springfield police, responding to a noise complaint, arrived and separated the friendly combatants, court records show.

But when the officers asked the revelers to quiet down, Vazquez began showering them with profanities and eventually pushed and kicked one officer, Assistant District Attorney Mary Sandstrom said Wednesday in Springfield District Court.

"She and her friends didn't see a problem with what they were doing" at 2 a.m., the prosecutor added.

The Aug. 15 party in Vazquez's apartment ended with her being arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assault and battery on a police officer.

On Wednesday the defendant pleaded guilty to all three counts and was ordered by Judge William Rota to pay $250 in court fees, serve nine months probation and enroll in anger management classes.

At Sandstrom's request, the judge ordered Vazquez to write a letter of apology to the officer she pushed and kicked.

"There has to be some repercussions," the prosecutor said, explaining that police showed "tremendous restraint" as the defendant and her friends grew increasingly hostile.

After arriving at the apartment, the officers gave Vazquez two noise citations, then returned minutes later to hand her a third, the prosecutor said. The situation was especially volatile because the defendant kept encouraging her guests to verbally abuse the police, Sandstrom said.

Defense lawyer Bruce Colton acknowledged that the party had gone too far. "Obviously, 2 a.m. is not the right time for a water-throwing party," he said.

But the lawyer asked Rota not to impose harsh financial penalties, noting that the defendant and her husband have three children and no income beyond the Social Security disability checks they receive each month.

"More than half of their income goes to rent," said Colton, adding that his client is currently taking classes to get her GED.

As an additional burden, she must pay $300 in fines for the three noise citations, Colton said.

Vazquez can avoid paying court and probation fees by agreeing to perform community service, the judge said.

 

Slain mobster Adolfo Bruno's son Victor pitted against former friend in beef over money

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A dispute over money pitted the son of slain gangster Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno against former bookmaker and friend Louis "Lou the Shoe" Santos in Springfield District Court.

SPRINGFIELD — A dispute over money has pitted the son of slain gangster Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno against former bookmaker and friend Louis "Lou the Shoe" Santos in Springfield District Court.

Victor C. Bruno, owner of Adolfo's restaurant on Worthington Street, sued Santos for $44,000, arguing he paid for various things while Santos went to federal prison for a brief stint in 2009 after an illegal gambling-related conviction.

Santos filed a countersuit, claiming he does not owe Bruno the money because he loaned the younger Bruno $40,000 in 2004 after his father was murdered.

Victor Bruno, who has no criminal record, has closely monitored the long-running criminal prosecution that sent eight rival mobsters to prison for plotting his father's murder. Adolfo Bruno was gunned down on Nov. 23, 2003, outside the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Social Club in this city's South End. It was a contract hit, witnesses testified.

Santos, of Longmeadow, testified that he loaned Victor Bruno two installments of $25,000 and $15,000 in 2004, out of devotion to his father. Santos contended the younger Bruno had outstanding bills associated with a block of property he owns on Worthington Street.

Bruno initially filed a lawsuit against Santos suing for $17,500 Santos was required to pay as restitution when he was sentenced to four months in prison for a gaming-related crime. He later amended the complaint to add $4,500 he said he paid to fix Santos' wife's car while Santos was behind bars; $6,000 for private school tuition for the Santos children and $18,000 in deferred rent for a commercial space the couple leased from Bruno.

Both men refute he owes the other a debt. To complicate matters for the courts, neither secured anything in writing.

"There was no note; there was no check; there was no receipt," Santos' lawyer, Bruce Melikian, told District Court Judge Robert Murphy during opening statements Wednesday morning. "That's not how they did business. That's not how these people operate."

Bruno's lawyer, Thomas A. Kenefick, began quizzing Santos on how he earned a living, which Santos primarily attributed to a $500-a-week sales job he has at a dress shop his wife's family owns. The lawyer further pressed him on what he suggested was a high-flying lifestyle with country club memberships and "hot shot Wall Street lawyers."

"Didn't you once tell people you were the biggest bookmaker in Greater Springfield?" Kenefick asked.

Santos shot back: "I didn't say the biggest. I said the best."

Santos conceded Bruno paid the $17,500 in restitution to the courts, but testified that he considered it a payment toward Bruno's debt. Under questioning by Melikian, Santos testified he was taken aback when Bruno asked for the money back.

"He goes: The money that I put up? The $17.5 Can I get that back? So I go: Get it back? You owe me $40,000," Santos testified.

"How did he respond to that?" Melikian asked?

"Like I had nine heads," Santos responded.

Bruno, of Suffield, Conn., told a far different story on the witness stand. He testified that Santos came to him just before he was headed to prison.

"He was in desperate, dire need with tears in his eyes. I told him I knew what it was like, when my father was away," Bruno said, referring to his own father's incarcerations. "I said if your wife needs anything while you're away, have her call me."

Bruno disputed that he ever borrowed money from Santos in 2004, and that he was flush with cash at the time following the sale of a business and rental properties. He also testified that Santos came to his home and thanked him for his help when he was released from prison.

"He came over with his wife and kids. He brought me gifts. He hugged me. I was the best thing since ice cream," Bruno said.

Under questioning from Melikian, Bruno said he never owed Santos money and that he was clear the money he said he gave the Santos family was a loan until Santos got back on his feet.

"But you didn't get a promissory note? That's not how you do business, right?" Melikian asked.

"He asked me for a favor and I did him a favor," Bruno said.

"And when you asked him for a favor he did you a favor, right?" Melikian asked. "In fact, he did you two favors. He lent you $15,000 and then $25,000?"

"Never happened," Bruno said.

Murphy gave lawyers in the case two weeks to request findings of fact and a ruling. Both litigants waived a jury, opting for a bench trial.

After campaigning for Congressional Democrats across US, Sen. Elizabeth Warren heading to Western Mass. to rally for Eric Lesser

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Sen. Warren is scheduled to spend Sunday morning at Eric Lesser's East Longmeadow campaign headquarters, which, in 2012, was the Western Mass. hub of Scott Brown's re-election efforts.

EAST LONGMEADOW — The Democratic Party star power throwing support behind first-time candidate Eric Lesser in his bid to represent the 1st Hampden-Hampshire District in the Massachusetts Senate is showing no signs of slowing with just days until the election.

This weekend, fresh off of a national tour where she has stumped for fellow Democrats from Iowa to New Hampshire, Sen. Elizabeth Warren is scheduled to rally Lesser's followers as they prepare for one of the final days of canvassing in the race. Lesser, a former aide to President Barack Obama and a Longmeadow native, is facing Republican Debra Boronski and independent Mike Franco in the race to succeed Democratic state Sen. Gale Candaras, who is instead running for Hampden County Register of Probate.

Warren, the senior U.S. senator from Massachusetts, knows all too well the power of getting out the vote in a close election. In 2012, with political strategist Doug Rubin in her ear and then Mass. Democratic Party Chair John Walsh behind the massive grassroots get-out-the-vote push on her behalf, thousands of voters across the commonwealth turned out to help her defeat the popular Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown just two years after he won the seat in an upset victory following the death of longtime Sen. Ted Kennedy.

1st Hampden Hampshire debate at WNEU in SpringfieldRepublican Debra Boronski and Democrat Eric Lesser debate at the Western New England University's law school on Tuesday evening as they compete to represent the 1st Hampden Hampshire District in the Massachusetts state Senate. (DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN)

Lesser's campaign says that on Sunday at 11 a.m., Warren is heading to his East Longmeadow headquarters to kick off a day of canvassing and voter outreach on his behalf. Coincidentally, perhaps, Lesser's 37 Harkness Ave. office in 2012 was rented by Republicans working to re-elect Brown in his bid against Warren.

On Saturday at 10 a.m., Democratic attorney general candidate Maura Healey is scheduled to campaign with Lesser.

Lesser's wide support base from national Democrats has been a source of strength and potential vulnerability in the race. While the backing of big names like Warren and David Axelrod certainly help excite the base in the district and fill his campaign coffers at a rate his opponents can't match, Boronski has leveled attacks based on the source of his campaign cash.

She's run an outsider campaign, of sorts, by painting Lesser as a candidate beholden to interests outside the district which have worked on his behalf. At the same time, Lesser has capitalized off his first-time candidate status to offer a "new vision" for the district, that includes pushing for investments Western Mass. infrastructure and a high-speed rail connection between Springfield and Boston. Lesser won a bitter 5-way Democratic primary which split local Democrats in a rift which still hasn't been fully healed, as evidenced by the lack of backing from former in-party opponents Chip Harrington and Springfield City Councilor Tim Allen.

Boronski has been under fire for what has been described as sloppy bookkeeping, including missing disclosures on her state ethics form and questions regarding her marital status. The campaign will, one way or another, come to a close on Tuesday as voters in the district elect a new state senator.


Man killed after struck by train in Belchertown Wed. night

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According to the Republican's media partner, CBS 3 Springfield, Belchertown Police Chief Francis Fox confirmed the fatality. Police and the Northwestern District Attorney's Office continue to investigate.

railroad crossing sign  

BELCHERTOWN -- A freight train struck and killed a pedestrian Wednesday night around 9 p.m. near Warren Wright Road where there is an at-grade crossing, and Wilson Road.

According to the Republican's media partner, CBS 3 Springfield, Belchertown Police Chief Francis Fox confirmed the fatality. Police and the Northwestern District Attorney's Office continue to investigate.

The Daily Hampshire Gazette reported the victim was a 38-year old male but his identity was not disclosed pending notification of next of kin.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more details are known.

Middle School Task Force looking for ways to make middle school program better in Hampden and Wilbraham, chairman says

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Marc Ducey was elected to chair the committee.

HAMPDEN - The Middle School Task Force Committee, appointed by the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee, held its first meeting Thursday night.

Marc Ducey, who was elected to chair the committee, said, "This committee could have a significant impact that could shape the district for years to come."

He said there were a great number of residents from the two towns of Wilbraham and Hampden who applied to serve on the committee.

"It was wonderful," he said.

The committee will examine the impact that declining middle school enrollment in Wilbraham and Hampden will have on the middle school program.

The committee will make its recommendations to the entire regional School Committee.

The recommendations will involve what is needed "to make the educational environment better and more cost effective," Ducey said.

"We will be looking for opportunities for improvement," he said, adding that the committee also will be looking for ways to put more money "back into the educational process."

The committee will be looking at facilities usage, capital needs of the Thornton W. Burgess Middle School and the Wilbraham Middle School, staffing and instructional equipment at the two schools, Ducey said.

He said he hopes the committee will be able to give the School Committee some direction sometime after Jan. 1.

The direction could involve having architects, engineers or consultants look at the two middle schools, he said.

One question will be how much needs to be spent to get a building where it needs to be, he said.

Regional School Superintendent M. Martin O'Shea said both the Thornton W. Burgess Middle School in Hampden and Wilbraham Middle School are undergoing a dramatic drop in enrollment.

"It has been four years since we closed Memorial School," O'Shea said, adding, "Now the middle school program needs attention."

Ducey said that whatever the task force recommends will not impact the 2015 school year.

Any changes to the agreement which created a regional school district would require approval by voters at town meetings in both Wilbraham and Hampden, he said.

Thornton W. Burgess Middle School was built in 1967. It currently houses students in grades 5 through 8.


CBS 3 Springfield report on Springfield mayor's recollections of Thomas Menino

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Domenic Sarno says the former Hub mayor "used to call me kid.'

Westfield police release photos of duo suspected in identity theft probe

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Police are hoping anyone who recognizes the man and woman, whose images were captured by an ATM camera, will contact Detective Scott Phelon at (413) 642-9390

WESTFIELD — Police have released photos of a man and woman suspected of identity theft, hoping that anyone who recognizes the duo will contact authorities as soon as possible.

Westfield Police Detective Scott Phelon said investigators are asking anyone who knows their whereabouts to call (413) 642-9390.

Phelon said the pictures were taken in August at ATM machines in West Springfield within minutes of each other, and the pair likely know each other. They're suspected of withdrawing money from accounts that don't belong to them, he said.

Identity theft occurs when someone wrongfully obtains another's personal information without their knowledge to commit theft or fraud, according to the FBI, which has been dealing with the issue for decades.

But the advent of the Internet has exacerbated the problem, helping to transform identity theft into a multibillion-dollar headache for the U.S.

In 2012, an estimated 16.6 million people experienced at least one incident of identity theft, with total financial losses reaching nearly $25 million, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports.

Springfield authorities respond to water main break on Main Street near Chicopee city line

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The break was reported on Main Street near Wason Avenue.

SPRINGFIELD — A stretch of Main Street near the Chicopee city line was flooded after a water main broke shortly before 8 p.m. Thursday.

Crews were on scene trying to fix the problem. Traffic continued to pass through the affected area, which is in the vicinity of Wason Avenue.

City police and fire officials responded to the incident, which occurred in a non-residential section of the city that's home to numerous medical arts buildings.

A reporter for CBS 3 Springfield, media partner of MassLive / The Republican, said a portion of Main Street was blocked because of the break.

There was no immediate word on any damage or when the problem might be fixed.


MAP showing approximate area that flooded:


CBS 3 Springfield report on Thomas Menino remembered by many

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People paid their respects to former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino on social media.

Sri Lankan officials predict no chance of finding more mudslide survivors

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There were conflicting reports of how many people were missing in the slide.

By ERANGA JAYAWARDENA

KOSLANDA, Sri Lanka - Hundreds of desperate Sri Lankan villagers dug with bare hands through the broken red earth of a deadly mudslide Thursday, defying police orders after a top disaster official said there was no chance of finding more survivors at the high-elevation tea plantation.

There were conflicting reports of how many people were missing in the slide, which struck Wednesday morning in the island nation's central hills after heavy monsoon rains.

Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said the number of dead at the Koslanda tea plantation would be fewer than 100. But Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center -- which Amaraweera oversees -- reported 190 people missing.

Villagers, meanwhile, said the death toll could easily exceed 200.

"I have visited the scene and from what I saw I don't think there will be any survivors," Amaraweera told The Associated Press on Thursday. "But that number is less than 100."

Frustrated relatives who had watched the search from the sidelines tried to follow a politician into the search site but were stopped by police. However, the politician argued with police and took villagers with him who joined hundreds of soldiers searching through the mud for survivors.

The search was suspended Thursday evening because of heavy rain.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the disaster site on Thursday and spoke to residents who are taking shelter in schools and temples. According to his website, Rajapaksa ordered officials to expedite rescue and relief for the victims.

Television reports showed Rajapaksa inspecting the disaster from the air and meeting with relief officials. Later he was seen distributing sleeping mats and boxes with essential items to the displaced people and consoling weeping men and women.

Amaraweera said the government had asked the National Child Protection Authority to take charge of children orphaned by the disaster.

Many children had left for school before the slide and returned to see their homes buried with their parents. A government minister told Parliament that they have found 75 orphaned children.

"The government will be fully responsible for them, we will not give them to anyone other than somebody from immediate family because they can be sent for child labor," he said.

A large number of children in Sri Lanka's tea plantations drop out of school and work as domestic helpers or waiters in tea boutiques. Many times parents send children to work due to poverty or alcoholism.

Displaced people spent their second evening Thursday crammed inside a dark, cold school classroom atop a misty mountain. Government officials had begun a survey of the dead and missing and doctors attended to the sick and wounded.

A 48-year-old truck driver who gave his name only as Raja said he lost all five members of his household -- his wife, two sons, daughter-in-law and his 6-month-old grandchild.

"I left for work early morning and got a call asking me to rush back," Raja said, weeping. "I came back and there was no trace of my home, everyone was buried."

A local government officer familiar with the tea plantation said he believes 200-250 people may have been buried, based on the number of people usually in the area at the time. There were many houses, a big Hindu temple, a playground and two milk collection centers where farmers brought their milk to sell.

The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because government rules prevent him from speaking to the media.

The tea plantation in Badulla district, about 140 miles (220 kilometers) east of Colombo, was one of many in the higher altitudes of Sri Lanka, formerly called Ceylon, one of the world's leading tea producers.

Most of Sri Lanka has experienced heavy rain over the past few weeks, and the Disaster Management Center had issued warnings of mudslides and falling rocks. The monsoon season here runs from October through December.

Vettiyan Yogeswaran, who lives in part of the tea plantation not affected by the landslide, said authorities had warned people that the area was vulnerable to mudslides and they should move. But he said no housing alternatives were offered.

"There are 50-70 families living in my neighborhood in the bottom of a mountain. If a mudslide happens we all will be buried," Yogeswaran said. "We want to leave but we have not been given a proper alternative."

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Sri Lanka has requested assistance from the United States. She said the department is working with the U.S. Agency for International Development to respond quickly, but did not provide immediate details on what kind of help it would provide.


AP writers Bharatha Mallawarachi and Krishan Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, contributed to this report.

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