Mauke was a standout senior at SABIS International Charter School who had recently won a full-tuition scholarship to Springfield's American International College. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD — The well-dressed teenagers choked back tears while waiting solemnly and silently to pay their last respects to Kathryn "Kate" Rose Mauke, the 17-year-old SABIS International Charter School student who was allegedly killed by an ex-boyfriend at her East Springfield home Feb. 11.

On Thursday, however, no one spoke with anger in their hearts, but only with deep love and affection for Mauke, the senior who was nicknamed "Spitfire" and who just last month won a scholarship to American International College. As they filed past the open casket at Sampson's Chapel of the Acres for a final glimpse of their classmate, some took time out to share memories of Mauke.

"Kate, she taught me everything I knew when it came to track," said Debby Feliciano, a 16-year-old SABIS student. "She was the most enthusiastic person I've ever met."

Feliciano said she and Mauke bonded over "Twilight," the series of vampire-themed fantasy romance books and films. "I was embarrassed because I thought I was the only one that liked it, and she told me she loved it. And from that point on, she was just like, 'We're best friends,'" Feliciano said of Mauke.

The death of her friend has hit her "so hard," Feliciano said. "Kate means something to everyone. She's impacted everyone so greatly, so I just can't even tell you how much she means to me because she means so much."

Mauke's cousin, Damien Pittola, was particularly close to his young cousin. Mauke's obituary refers to Pittola as her "beloved cousin," whom she "idolized."

The feeling is mutual.

"She was a beautiful, beautiful soul," Pittola said.

On Thursday, Pittola, who works for Springfield attorney Jack St. Clair, did his level best to keep things together, serving as the family's public face as he greeted mourners and well-wishers. All the while, though, he was stifling his feelings. He admitted that he was waiting for the dam burst of emotions to come later, after the crowds had thinned and there was time to process things.

"I'm still in shock," Pittola said.

But everyone – from the Hampden District Attorney's office to the Springfield police detectives who quickly arrested 20-year-old Nickolas Lacrosse and charged him with Mauke's murder – have been so kind and helpful to the Mauke family, according to Pittola.

He singled out Springfield Police Detective Lt. Thomas Kennedy and his team of investigators for praise. "They have been wonderful with their professionalism to us, the family, throughout this process," he said.

Pittola also commended District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and his victim witness advocates for their outreach to Mauke's family. Gulluni showed up at the police station on the evening of Mauke's death to "oversee the legal issues," Pittola said. "The professionalism and genuine care received by their crew has been nothing short (of) amazing. They were all wonderful."

Mayor Domenic Sarno offered his condolences in a personal letter to the Mauke family, and the mayor also attended Thursday's wake.

And Mike and Diane Donovan, proprietors of Donovan's Irish Pub – the well-known Springfield restaurant where Mauke's father, Daniel J. Mauke, is a manager and Kate had worked – "have been just phenomenal," Pittola said.

SABIS has been "fantastic in supporting everybody," Pittola said. "They are very beautiful people."

Jennifer Mauke, Kate's mother, works at Bank of America, and the financial institution has been "incredibly supportive from the top down," Pittola said. "It's wonderful to see an organization of that size be so caring and concerned for the family."

Besides her father, mother and Pittola, Mauke is survived by two sisters, Ashley Ballou-Mauke and Mariah Mauke, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. She's also survived by "her extremely loyal group of friends, whom she adored," her obituary states.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Sampson's Chapel of the Acres, 21 Tinkham Road, Springfield, with burial to follow at nearby Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 421 Tinkham Road.

Mauke's family asks that any donations be made to the Kathryn Mauke Memorial Fund c/o Bank of America, 734 Bliss Road, Longmeadow, MA, 01106.

 

Bra holsters are growing in popularity, Charry Lightfoot, organizer of a group called the Well Armed Woman, said.

A woman who accidentally shot herself to death last month was adjusting a holster for a revolver in her bra, police in Michigan said yesterday.

According to USA Today, Christina Bond, 55, was struck in the eye at her home on New Year's Day as she was adjusting the holster for a .22-caliber gun.

"She was having trouble adjusting her bra holster, couldn't get it to fit the way she wanted it to," St. Joseph Public Safety Director Mark Clapp told MassLive's sister website, MLive.com. "She was looking down at it and accidentally discharged the weapon."

MLive reported that detectives were still awaiting autopsy results Wednesday. She died Jan. 2 at a hospital in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Police responded to her home shortly after 5 p.m. Jan. 1 where they found her with a gunshot wound. She was taken to Lakeland Hospital and then flown by helicopter to Bronson Memorial Hospital where she died.

She was an office administrator for the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, where she had worked since 2011, according to her LinkedIn.com page.

She also was a part-time bookkeeper at the Road to Life Church, where she had previously been the church's office administrator, according to the Herald-Palladium in St. Joseph, Mich. The Herald-Palladium reported that she had been an executive assistant at the Benton Harbor Area Schools from 2006 to 2011, and that she had received a degree in accounting at Lake Michigan College.

Online records show that she participated in the Blossomtime Festival's 5K Run for the Buds. In 2013 she finished 20th out of 114 women runners. In 2014 she placed first among women ages 50-54, and 93rd out of 255 competitors, the newspaper reported.

Carrie Lightfoot, who organized a group called the Well Armed Woman told USA Today that bra holsters are growing in popularity.

"It's kind of a natural location depending on the size of the gun and the size of the 'guns,' she said. "Women just need options because one day a woman is wearing a dress, the next day a suit and the next day exercise clothing."

According to Bond's obituary which appeared in the Herald-Palladium, she joined the US Navy right out of high school and was an active military police officer. Her obituary continues:

As an active member of the Christian Motorcycle Association, Christina was "on fire for the Lord." She often served at the Berrien County jail in ministry as well as being an active member on her church's prayer team. Christina was recently elected as a precinct delegate for St. Joseph Charter Township Precinct 1. Always physically fit, Christina took home the 2013 Miss Michigan Figure Overall Championship. She was a light to the world and will be missed.

She was active in Republican politics, according to her Facebook.com page.

St. Joseph lies on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, north of the Indiana border.

State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez is "a breath of fresh air," House Speaker Robert DeLeo said.

SPRINGFIELD — Described as a "family man" and a "dynamic leader," 10th Hampden District State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez was sworn-in at The Fort restaurant on Thursday night.

Gonzalez, along with 9th Hampden District State Rep. Jose Tosado, are the newest Western Massachusetts legislators in the House of Representatives. Although there was an official swearing-in ceremony at the State House in January, Gonzalez decided to do a little ceremony at home.

"It's an honor and a privilege to be serving as the 10th Hampden District representative," he said. "I'm excited about the opportunity to serve and I'm learning so much. I'm looking forward to working as hard as I can to make sure the 10th Hampden District receives the benefits it should."

Aside from fellow legislators and Mayor Domenic Sarno, Gonzalez also received support from House Speaker Robert DeLeo, who attended the event.

"As a freshman state representative it's such an honor to have him here. He has been a great friend and a mentor," Gonzalez said. "In the short period of time that I've been there it has been an open door access to be able to receive information and ask the questions that sometimes as a rookie you don't know."

DeLeo said he welcomes the opportunity to work with new legislators.

"Carlos and Jose Tosado have both been welcome additions and a breath of fresh air," DeLeo said.

He said during the Academy for New Legislators held at the University of Massachusetts, Gonzalez and Tosado had many questions and made it clear they plan on representing Springfield well.

"Carlos has been terrific. He asked me to come out and do the honors at this swearing-in, and I am only too happy to do it," DeLeo said.

Mayor Domenic Sarno described Gonzalez as a great family man and a politician with compassion.

"You've also elected a man who has savvy business acumen," Sarno said, referring to the Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce, which Gonzalez founded more than a decade ago.

MGM Resorts International is doing everything it can to hit a mid-March groundbreaking in the South End of Springfield, and the city's historical commission threw them a bone on Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD — MGM Resorts International is doing everything it can to hit a mid-March groundbreaking in the South End of Springfield, and the city's historical commission threw them a bone on Thursday.

In a unanimous vote, the commission granted MGM Springfield a waiver from a city ordinance which states any permit application to demolish a building that is at least 100 years old is automatically rejected, sparking a review process. This move paves the way for the old Zanetti School at 59 Howard St., which was damaged in the June 2011 tornado, to be leveled.

That building along with the old state Armory at 29 Howard St., were purchased by MGM for $1.6 million each back in 2014. MGM put our a call for bids to demolish the school last month and interviewed contractors a couple weeks back.

MGM is expected to announce a specific date for demolition, which sources say will likely include a public event to demonstrate their official entrance into the South End, in the coming days.

Charles Irving, president of MGM's local retail development partner Davenport Properties, said he appreciates the commission granting the waiver, and that the old school is crucial to kicking off the whole $800 million project.

"The school is directly where our parking garage is supposed to go. During the construction of our project and the (I-91) viaduct, we are phasing construction," Irving told The Republican and CBS 3 Springfield. "During construction, that garage will be prioritized for approximately 3,000 of our construction workers, about 500 state workers and overflow will go toward courthouse workers."

MGM Springfield has purchased every piece of property it needs to build its $800 million resort casino (see gallery below) in downtown Springfield, and is currently in the process of assisting current tenants with relocation efforts.

Part of MGM's property purchases includes several parking lots – many of which serve the busy Hampden County Courthouse on State Street.

Irving said that with construction of the parking garage complete, it will help to keep vehicles belonging to construction workers out of the already crowded downtown streets and Springfield Parking Authority garages, which are being filled by workers displaced by the lots in the casino footprint.

The Springfield Historical Commission is currently working with MGM Springfield's design firm Gensler and Davenport Properties to come to a consensus over four disputed historical buildings in the casino's footprint. Twelve other historic buildings were previously reconciled.

Both sides recently toured the four disputed buildings with the intentions of moving closer to a final design everybody can live with.

Irving said that plans are still to have the MGM Springfield casino hold its grand opening in September 2017.

One outcome of the meeting is that any future animal deaths will be reported to the Springfield Health Department.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 44 points to close just under 17,986.

By STEVE ROTHWELL

NEW YORK -- A slide in shares of utility companies nudged the U.S. stock market lower Thursday.

Utilities were the day's biggest losers, falling 1 percent, and their losses resumed a trend that emerged in late January. Investors have dumped the dividend-rich stocks as the yield of the U.S. 10-year note creeps higher.

Energy stocks also weighed on the market Thursday.

Overall, though, U.S. stocks have rebounded from a January slump. The Standard & Poor's 500 index has reached all-time highs in February, and is on track for its best monthly performance in more than three years. Company earnings are still growing and the economy is continuing to recover.

"The U.S. markets are still in a 'goldilocks' scenario," neither too hot, or too cold, said Jeremy Zirin, chief U.S. equity strategist for UBS Wealth Management Research. "Growth is solid, but not spectacular, and most importantly, not stoking high levels of inflation."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index ended the day down 2.23 points, or 0.11 percent, at 2,097.45. The index is still within a fraction of the all-time high of 2,100.34 reached on Tuesday.

The index has gained 5.1 percent in February. If it holds those gains through the end of the month, it would be the strongest performance since October 2011.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 44.08 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,985.77.

The price of oil fell, though it regained some of its losses when the Energy Department reported that the growth in supplies was less than expected. Benchmark U.S. crude fell 98 cents to close at $51.16 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 32 cents to close at $60.21 in London.

Technology stocks were among the day's gainers. The sector has outperformed the broader market since the start of the year and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite has gained 6.2 percent this month.

On Thursday, the index rose 18.34 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,924.70. It was the seventh straight gain for the index, its longest streak of gains since last February.

Investors are favoring technology stocks because they offer better growth prospects than the overall market, said Zirin of UBS.

Consumer-oriented tech companies such as Apple should benefit as lower gas prices leave more money in consumers' pockets, he said. Businesses are also likely to increase investments in technology.

Priceline was the biggest gainer in the S&P 500. The stock jumped $95.06, or 8.5 percent, to $1,218 as an increase in bookings helped the online travel company beat analysts' expectations.

In Europe, Greece's government asked to extend its rescue loan agreement by six months in order to give it and the eurozone more time to hash out a longer, permanent deal. However, Greece held back on offering to extend a series of budget cuts and reforms that the eurozone has required since 2010 in exchange for loans. Greece says that the measures have devastated its economy. The 19 finance ministers of the eurozone will meet Friday to discuss the proposals.

The main stock market in Athens rose 1.1 percent. Germany's DAX climbed 0.2 percent. The CAC-40 in France was 0.6 percent higher.

In U.S. government bond trading, prices fell. The yield on the 10-year government climbed to 2.10 percent from 2.08 percent on Wednesday. The yield started the month at 1.64 percent.

The U.S. dollar was little changed against the Japanese yen, trading at 118.97 yen on Thursday. The dollar edged up against the euro, pushing the currency down to $1.1383 from $1.1399.

In metals trading, gold rose $7.40, or 0.6 percent, to $1,207.10. Silver gained 11.6 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $16.38 and copper rose 0.5 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $2.62 a pound.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

1. Wholesale gasoline rose 4.2 cents to close at $1.616 a gallon.
2. Heating oil rose 3.5 cents to close at $1.994 a gallon.
3. Natural gas fell 0.3 cent to close at $2.834 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Patricia Baker, senior policy analyst with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute in Boston, noted that the most recently released SNAP numbers show that from Nov. 2013 to Nov. 2014, SNAP households in Massachusetts dropped by 7.6 percent. The SNAP national average decline was just 0.9 percent.

TAUNTON -- Last Friday, attendees of the Western Massachusetts SNAP Coalition meeting in Hatfield were surprised to hear that between Oct. 2013 and Oct. 2014, there was an 8.3 percent drop in the food stamp caseload in Massachusetts - 72,550 people in all.

Anti-hunger advocates say this is due to an overhaul of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program system that was intended to speed up the food stamp application process, but has instead caused roadblocks for many applying for or renewing their benefits.

Patricia Baker, senior policy analyst with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute in Boston, noted that the most recently released SNAP numbers show that from Nov. 2013 to Nov. 2014, SNAP households in Massachusetts dropped by 7.6 percent. The SNAP national average decline was just 0.9 percent.

The graph above shows the decline from Oct. 2013 to Oct. 2014. Here are those numbers in list form, provided by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (click on graphic to enlarge):

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities  

Click here to read MassLive.com's full coverage of this story.

Carolos Valez, 31, of Fall River, rolled his car after it went off I-89 south in South Royalton. He was injured, but the car sustained extensive damage, according to Vermont State Police officials.

ROYALTON, Vt. — A Massachusetts man emerged unscathed from a highway rollover crash in Vermont, although his car didn't fare nearly as well.

Carolos Valdez, 31, of Fall River, was uninjured in the crash on I-89 south in South Royalton late Wednesday afternoon, but his 2013 Ford Focus sustained extensive front, side and roof damage, according to Vermont State Police.

The car went off the west side of the highway, striking a reflector post and entering deep snow bordering the roadway.

The snow and the speed the vehicle was traveling at the time of the crash caused it to roll over, police said. However, the car "came back to rest on all four tires," police said.

The South Coast resident wasn't cited in connection with the crash.

The City Council bought, conserved, surplussed and accepted donations of land parcels big and small Thursday in a relatively brief meeting that lacked the drama of some previous ones.

NORTHAMPTON — The City Council bought, conserved, surplussed and accepted donations of land parcels big and small Thursday in a relatively brief meeting that lacked the drama of some previous ones.

The 90-minute meeting was approximately as long as the public comment sessions at the previous two, which featured votes on a big affordable housing project and the doubling of the stipend for councilors. Only three people spoke at the public comment session Thursday.

In one of the biggest transactions, the council bought 25 acres of land on Boggy Meadow Road for $30,950 from the Derouin and Anciporch families. Boggy Meadow Road is a dirt road that leads to Fitzgerald Lake. Planning Director Wayne Feiden told the council that the purchase will help the city deal with beaver activity that has flooded conservation land off the road.

The council added to the city's Saw Mill Hills Conservation area by accepting the donation of 3.5 acres from the Steidler family near the Mill River in Leeds. The acquisition will protect a key stream between Saw Mill Hills and the river, Feiden said. It also accepted a conservation restriction on 4.9 acres in the Mineral Hills off Sylvester Road.

The council surplussed a tiny parcel of land about 45-by-20 feet off Riverside Drive near the former Feiker School to the Conservation Commission. Feiden said the parcel will provide access to a larger tract of land near the Mill River.

In another small land deal, the council agreed to surplus a 200-square-foot wedge of land off Amber Lane to create a "parklet." A couple who recently moved to Northampton from San Francisco asked the city to create a space for a coffee shop they plan to open in a building off the Masonic Street parking lot. Feiden said the parklet would be for use by the general public.

About 800 teens from Springfield, Worcester, Boston and other cities joined youth jobs advocates for a rally, saying Baker had cut funding for 160 youth jobs as part of his effort to close a $768 million midyear state budget gap.

By GINTAUTAS DUMCIUS

BOSTON - Advocates and teens called on Gov. Charlie Baker Thursday to reverse his reduction in funding for youth jobs and increase appropriations for such programs next month in his first budget proposal.

Charlie Baker 

If Baker in his budget proposal keeps funding for youth jobs at $10 million - the same level as in fiscal 2015 - the program will be able to fund 1,194 fewer jobs this summer and next summer, or roughly 20 percent of the total jobs.

That's due to the minimum wage increase that went into effect in January, they said.

Under a law approved in 2014, the state's minimum wage law rose from $8 to $9 an hour on Jan. 1, 2015, and is scheduled to rise to $10 an hour in 2016 and $11 an hour in 2017.

Dylan Lazerow, a 26-year-old organizer with the Youth Jobs Coalition, acknowledged they were in an "ironic situation," since they advocated for the minimum wage increase.

"That loss of a thousand jobs is going to impact electricity bills, college readiness, even high school graduation," and youth jobs lead to higher graduation rates and less violent crime among teens, he said.

"Every penny is significant," said Jaelle Sanon, an 18-year-old senior at the O'Bryant High School in Boston and organizer with the Youth Jobs Coalition.

Bill Vernon, the Massachusetts state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, said small businesses have traditionally provided a role in providing summer jobs, as well as after-school and weekend jobs, for young people.

Elected officials have pressed large businesses on youth jobs, with mixed results, he said.

"To be frank, the resources to provide these opportunities arein the private sector," he said in an email. "There is no way the public sector can afford to meet the need. The answer is to lower costs for small businesses to hire a teen worker."

The Baker administration and Democratic legislative leaders in late January agreed that tax revenues in fiscal 2016 are likely to grow by about 4.8 percent and Baker has recently stepped up his warnings that unless the MassHealth program is addressed, its growing costs will crowd out potential funding for scores of other government services.

Youth job advocates held a gubernatorial campaign forum in October, said Sanon, and Baker attended and expressed support for youth jobs.

"In that room of about, like, 300 teens on that one October day, he said that 'I support youth jobs, I support your future,' and today, it's just one act of holding him accountable," Sanon said.

Baker's budget is expected to be filed on March 4. The 2016 fiscal year starts in July.
In seeking a fix for the $768 million deficit in the $36.5 billion fiscal 2015 budget, Baker pointed to over-spending as the main driver and cautioned that state government must live "within its means."

"We know it's going to be a hard road," Lazerow said, adding that they planned to lobby House and Senate lawmakers as their versions of the fiscal 2016 budget are released later this year.

Lazerow said advocates are pushing for $13 million for the YouthWorks teen jobs program, which provides grants to 16 regional workforce investment boards for placing teens in government and nonprofit jobs. That's a 30 percent increase from the $10 million funding level.

Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson was among the rally's attendees. "I think youth jobs should be held harmless," he said. "If we are serious as a state about lowering youth violence, it's absolutely critical."

Teens and other advocacy groups affiliated with the Youth Jobs Coalition are also pressing for $5 million for a "school to career" teen jobs program, a separate line item, which would be up from $2.75 million in fiscal 2015.

Funding for a youth violence reduction program is also on their agenda. Called the "Safe and Successful Youth Initiative," the program received $4.6 million fiscal year 2015, down from $8.8 million fiscal year 2014. Advocates are seeking $9.5 million in fiscal year 2016.

The Baker administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sub-zero temperatures are expected Friday morning and heading into the weekend, when it will warm up enough to snow again, before changing over to possible freezing rain Saturday night.

SPRINGFIELD — The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory until noontime Friday for Central and Western Massachusetts, where below-zero temperatures are expected to plunge well into the double digits.

A strong Arctic cold front has delivered another batch of extreme cold, which will peak heading into Friday night, says Nick Morganelli, meteorologist for CBS 3 Springfield, media partner of MassLive / The Republican.

By Friday morning, the wind chill factor could make it feel as cold as 30 below zero, according to Morganelli. Another round of bitterly cold air is on tap for Monday night into Tuesday morning, with more sub-zero readings expected, he said.

A wind chill advisory is issued when the wind chill index is likely to reach temperatures of 15 to 24 degrees below zero for at least three hours.

Snow is expected to develop by Saturday afternoon, possibly changing over to freezing rain sometime Saturday night before ending Sunday afternoon. "The concern is that any amount of rain could exacerbate ongoing roof issues with the deep snow cover in place," the National Weather Service reports.

There's a chance of more snow for Tuesday (a 30 percent chance) and Wednesday (a 40 percent chance), the weather service reports.

Thirty-seven-year-old Juan Mendez of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was in possession of about 570 grams of heroin, police said.

WESTFORD — A Pennsylvania man was charged with heroin trafficking after a Thursday morning traffic stop on I-495 south in Westford, according to Massachusetts State Police officials in Framingham.

Trooper Kyle P. Kilimonis, of the Concord barracks, stopped a 2009 Ford van that was speeding in the left travel lane, police said.

A subsequent investigation revealed that a passenger in the vehicle, 37-year-old Juan Mendez of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was in possession of about 570 grams of heroin, police said. Another occupant of the vehicle, 27-year-old Pablo Albino of Lawrence, had an outstanding arrest warrant for driving without a license, police said.

Mendez and Albino were both arrested and booked at the Concord barracks. Mendez was held on $500,000 cash bail pending arraignment Friday in Ayer District Court.

Police said Albino was taken to Concord District Court – the court that issued the warrant for his arrest – and the van's driver was cited for speeding and committing a left-lane violation.

a Hampden Superior Court judge in 2011 allowed a defense motion to suppress evidence based on the grounds that police made an illegal stop, search and seizure.

SPRINGFIELD — A Holyoke man in 2010 who led local and state police on a high-speed chase through three cities is suing officers for "brutally" beating him once they caught up with his car.

Erick DeJesus, 31, filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in 2013 against two Holyoke police officers, a state trooper and the city of West Springfield. The complaint alleged assault and battery and violations of his civil rights after they began pursuing him when he left a market in Holyoke on July 6. Published reports on the incident state DeJesus took off when Holyoke police attempted to stop his car.

The chase wound its way through Springfield and ended in West Springfield, according to police. They found drugs in his car and charged him with possession with intent to distribute.

Jeanne Liddy, DeJesus' lawyer in federal court, conceded there was a chase but contends police never had a lawful reason to stop DeJesus in the first place. She argued they beat and kicked him when he was down during the arrest, and then denied him medical attention.

"The brutal beating by officers resulted in plaintiff's inability to open his jaw, multiple contusions and lacerations to his head, neck, ribs, knee, back and face as well as a concussion together with headache and blurred vision," the complaint reads.

Lawyers for the police officers and troopers deny there was excessive force. The lead defendant in the lawsuit is Holyoke Police Officer William Delgado. The complaint states Delgado followed DeJesus out of Holyoke, down Route 5 and onto Interstate 91 after DeJesus left the grocery store. He was joined by Massachusetts State Police troopers and West Springfield Police in the chase.

"Plaintiff suffered extreme and grievous bodily harm and pain which required him to
seek medical treatment and plaintiff suffers and still suffers great pain, as well as humiliation, damage to his reputation and psychological trauma," the complaint reads.

As for the criminal charges against DeJesus, a Hampden Superior Court judge in 2011 allowed a defense motion to suppress evidence based on the grounds that police made an illegal stop, search and seizure. The state dismissed the charges against DeJesus.

The civil case is set to go to trial on March 30 before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor.

Domingo Anaya, 19, of 112 Noel St. was charged with marijuana distribution and marijuana possession with intent to distribute.

SPRINGFIELD — The inductive reasoning principle known as the duck test – If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck – helped bust up an alleged drug-dealing operation in the city's Forest Park neighborhood Thursday evening.

One indication things weren't quite right in the neighborhood, according to police, was the endless parade of foot and vehicle traffic associated with 112 Noel St. Residents of the neighborhood complained, and narcotics officers responded, said Sgt. John Delaney, a spokesman for the Springfield Police Department.

Detectives under the command of Lt. Alberto Ayala conducted an extensive investigation that included surveillance of the address, establishing enough probable cause to obtain a search warrant.

"The surveillance officers observed a great deal of traffic coming and going. After undercover purchases were made at the apartment, they determined that the occupants were not selling Tupperware," Delaney said.

The raid team entered the second-floor apartment shortly before 6:30 p.m., seizing one large bag of marijuana, 24 smaller bags of weed, and 11 plastic containers of the drug, according to Delaney. They also seized more than $700 cash, drug paraphernalia and drug-packaging material, he said.

Arrested was 19-year-old Domingo Anaya, the subject of the investigation and a resident of 112 Noel St., who was charged with marijuana distribution and marijuana possession with intent to distribute. Anaya's girlfriend is expected to be charged with the same offenses, Delaney said. Police did not release her identity.

Young children were present in the apartment while the drug dealing was going on, according to investigators.

"If any citizen has the same problem, where they suspect that drug dealers have set up shop at a certain dwelling, please pass on the information to the SPD," Delaney said.

• The Police Department can be reached at 413-787-6302.


• The Detective Bureau can be reached at 413-787-6355.


• Narcotics investigators can be reached at 413-787-6393.

MAP showing approximate location of drug raid:

The plan helps the city identify the best way to respond to natural disasters.

EASTHAMPTON -- Easthampton is updating its Hazard Mitigation Plan, and residents are invited to a meeting Tuesday afternoon to provide input.

The draft plan, updated with help from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, will be presented Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. at the 50 Payson Ave. Municipal Building.

The meeting will include an overview of the planning process, a summary of existing mitigation initiatives, and an outline of recommended strategies for addressing natural hazards. Municipal officials and planners will be available to answer questions and hear comments on the plan, which is posted online.  A paper copy will be available in the city clerks' office.

This plan is being updated to help the city assess risks faced from natural hazards, identify steps to prevent loss of life and property, and prioritize funding for so-called "mitigation actions."

A mitigation action is any step taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards, according to the Pioneer Valley Planning Agency.

The planning process is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

A digest of environmental stories from around the world. Ricky Gervais, Sir Richard Attenborough, other celebs urge Chinese president to end ivory trade (The Guardian) The Obama administration gives India a shove on its environmental record (The Washington Post) Pope Francis poised to weigh in on climate change (The Sun Sentinel) Nation's largest electric company charged with illegal dumping (AP/Citizen-Times)...

A digest of environmental stories from around the world.

A month of systemic failures on the region's public transportation agency has prompted Gov. Charlie Baker to create a commission to study the MBTA and plot how it should it move forward on the aftermath of the snow crisis.

BOSTON -- A month of systemic failures on the region's public transportation agency has prompted Gov. Charlie Baker to create a commission to study the MBTA and plot how it should move forward in the aftermath of the snow crisis.

Baker, speaking in the packed press briefing room on the first floor of the Massachusetts State House, told reporters that unlike the past panels and commissions that have studied the cash-strapped agency, this one will be different because of a 30-day turnaround time.

The commission is charged not with studying why the MBTA struggled in the snow and the cold but with examining the deep systemic and cultural problems that exist at the beleaguered agency. Previous studies have concluded the MBTA is financially troubled and has expanded without regard for upkeep of its core services.

"We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect a different result," said Baker.

Baker emphasized that the short turnaround time for the report will not impede the panel when it comes to conducting a thorough review.

"It will take a rapid diagnostic of the state of the MBTA's asset management, maintenance program, make recommendations to improve its governance, structure, operations, financials, in the short and long term to enable the MBTA to plan, operate and maintain the 21st century transit system we all deserve," said Baker.

The panel will operate separately from the service recovery efforts that will remain ongoing indefinitely. Service is schedule to return to all lines by Feb. 27, but the long-term status of the Commuter Rail remains uncertain, as does the future of the weather pattern that has crippled the MBTA.

Baker appointed to the volunteer panel former Federal Aviation Administration director Jane Garvey, former executive director of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Katherine Lapp, a Northeastern University vice president, Robert Gittens, Harvard University urban planning professor Jose A. Gomez-Ibanez, former MassPort chief financial officer Brian McMorrow and Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan. The panel will be chaired by former Boston Redevelopment Authority Director Paul Barrett.

Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack told reporters that the MBTA is calling upon other transit agencies for a peer review of their emergency response to the snow crisis as part of a separate review effort.

"The problems that have beset the MBTA and made it unreliable to provide public transportation services for the last few weeks are of course a serious problem but we also see them as symptoms of an even more serious problem," said Pollack.

The public will be allowed to weigh in on the review of the MBTA's problem in the coming days once a protocol is established. 

"We haven't yet dug out from the storm but it's time to dig into why this happened," said Pollack. 

Barrett said the four storms that pummeled the region with over seven feet of snow and brutally cold temperatures exposed problems and weaknesses inherent in the MBTA. 

"They need to be accommodated in the study," said Barrett.

Baker agreed with Barrett and said that he thinks the crisis has brought many of the critical problems facing the MBTA to light. "(The crisis) gives us a chance to talk about them in a way that we could not before," said Baker. 

The panel is expected to report back to Baker at the end of March. 

MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott was not present at the meeting, something Baker chalked up to her work on the recovery efforts. Scott resigned in the aftermath of the third storm after Baker appeared to express strong disappointment with the performance of the system. Both Scott and Baker said that her resignation was not related to the system's struggles. 

A proposal to change term limits to four instead of the current two year terms is also under consideration.

WESTFIELD - The City Council is expected to scrap a proposal to extend terms for mayor and council members to three years instead of the current two year terms.

The proposal was made by former City Councilor Agma Sweeney in October of 2013.

But, the council's Legislative and Ordinance Committee agreed Thursday to recommend removal of the proposal from committee review because a newer proposal, to extend terms to four years, has been presented since 2013 and is under consideration.

Councilors Ralph Figy, committee chairman, and Christopher Keefe will urge fellow countil members to reject that proposal.

The full City Council will meet Monday 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Keefe said the four-year term under consideration would save the city elections funding "by piggy-backing on state elections. Some towns have three-year terms but that could not work for cities."

Figy added that any change in elected terms will require a City Charter review and amendment. That process may include a voter referendum followed by approval of the state Legislature.

The Legislative and Ordinance Committee plans to engage the Conservation Commission in drafting a new ordinance.

WESTFIELD - The City Council's Legislative and Ordinance plans to draft a new ordinance governing the make-up of the Conservation Commission because the current regulation requires membership by at least one female.

The city's Law Department has determined the requirement of a female on the commission is invalid.

The Legislative and Ordinance Committee decided Thursday to keep the issue in committee and seek out assistance from the Conservation Commission, along with the Law Department in drafting a new ordinance.

The initial review was prompted last month after Councilor Cindy Harris questioned the legality of the current ordinance.

Councilor Mary L. O'Connell, who attended Thursday's committee meeting, questioned why the council was focusing on this particular ordinance when the "real prob lem is not a woman but an administration that does not appoint women to key boards ande commissions."

But, Harris, who also attended the meeting, said "you can't say women have no key roles in Westfield. We have a female Fire Chief, a femaile IT Director and a female Superintendent of Schools."

Harris had argued before the Law Department ruling that an ordinance that would "require" the appointment of a specific type of person was invalid.

Closer to home, a connected mother was arrested after her 4-year-old daughter nearly froze to death outside, after her mother left the house to go smoke pot with a friend.

A 3-year-old boy from Toronto froze to death when he went outside clad only in a diaper, T-short and his boots, authorities in Canada said.

Closer to home, in Connecticut, a 4-year-old girl nearly froze to death when she went outside early in the morning to go look for her mother, who police said had left the house with a friend to smoke marijuana.

Elijah Marsh 

A surveillance camera in a family member's building where Marsh was staying captured an image of the boy in the apartment building's lobby, looking up a the door handle. It shows him pushing it open and going outside. Once he was outside, the door locked behind him.

Once news of his disappearance got out, hundreds of volunteers helped search for the boy, and thousand more took to Twitter and other social media sites to spread his picture. Police were brought to tears as they carried his body to an ambulance.

It was about four degrees below zero early Thursday morning, the Toronto Star reported. But the wind chill factor made it feel more like 27 degrees below zero.

The newspaper quoted Gordon Giesbrecht, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Manitoba as saying that a child weighing 33 pounds would become hypothermic within an hour in such conditions. He said that the boy could have lost his vital signs in two to three hours.

"You would not expect a little kid like that to survive for six hours in that kind of temperature," Giesbrecht said. "Six hours is a very long time."

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's largest news broadcasting organization, a Toronto man launched an online fundraising campaign within a few hours to help pay for his Elijah's funeral. As early Friday evening, more than $125,000 had been raised through Tilt.com.

"This could have been my child," Justin Kozuch, organizier of the campaign told CBC. "This could have been a friend's child. This could have been anybody's child, and I think that's why this story has touched so many people and that's why we've seen the support that we've seen."

"As parents, we go to the ends of the Earth to protect our children and we'll do anything to keep them safe," said Kozuch, who has a son the same age as Elijah.

Kozuch said his goal was to raise $20,000.

Kozuch said he had not spoken to the Marsh family as of Friday afternoon, but that everything raised will go to them. The online fundraising company reportedly waived its fees.

He said he has no idea what he will say to them when he gives them the money.

"There are no words," he said.

In the Connecticut case, Rebecca Reyes, of New London, was arrested after she admitted to police that she had left the house to smoke pot.

According to the Hartford Courant, Reyes called police about 3:30 Friday morning saying that one of her three children was missing. She told police she had put all three children in bed around 12:30 a.m., but that about 3 a.m. she noticed her daughter, 4, was missing.

The child eventually was located "hunched in a doorway at a neighbor's residence exposed to the elements," according to police.

According to WVIT-TV, NBC30 in New Britain, the girl was found unconscious and turning blue in three degree weather.

Police said that the home was a mess and that it smelled of marijuana and rotting garbage. the television station reported. They said that the floor of the home was filled with dirty laundry, mixed with toys and food.

As police looked for the girl, her 5-year-old sister told them that the 4-year-old had gotten up "to look for mommy and could not find her" and that "mommy was not home."

Reyes was charged with three counts of risk of injury to a minor, first degree reckless endangerment and making a false statement. He was held on $250,000 bail.

Reyes' father took custody of the other two children, and the grandmother took custody of the 3-year old, police said.