Bales of paper caught fire.
ERVING— Firefighters have responded to a brush fire outside the Erving Paper Mills, Inc. at 97 East Main St. Sunday.
State Police in Athol said several bales of paper caught fire outside the mill, located near Route 2.
Officials said there were no injuries and firefighters are working to contain the fire. No streets have been closed and traffic continues as usual along Route 2, police said.
Hillary Rodham Clinton jumped back into presidential politics on Sunday, as a top adviser announced her much-awaited second campaign for the White House.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hillary Rodham Clinton jumped back into presidential politics on Sunday, announcing her much-awaited second campaign for the White House. "Everyday Americans need a champion. I want to be that champion," she said.
As she did in 2007, Clinton began her campaign for the 2016 Democratic nomination with a video. But rather than follow it with a splashy rally, she instead plans to head to the early-voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, looking to connect with voters directly at coffee shops, day care centers and some private homes.
"So I'm hitting the road to earn your vote. Because it's your time. And I hope you'll join me on this journey," Clinton said at the end of a video, which features a series of men, women and children describing their aspirations.
This voter-centric approach was picked with a purpose, to show that Clinton is not taking the nomination for granted. Only after about a month of such events will Clinton will give a broader speech outlining more specifics about her rationale for running.
The former secretary of state, senator and first lady enters the race in a strong position to succeed her rival from the 2008 campaign, President Barack Obama.
Her message will focus on strengthening economic security for the middle class and expanding opportunities for working families. The campaign is portraying her as a "tenacious fighter" who can get results and work with Congress, business and world leaders.
"Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times. But the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top. Everyday Americans need a champion and I want to be that champion," she said in the video.
"So you can do more than just get by. You can get ahead and stay ahead. Because when families are strong, America is strong."
Clinton's strategy, described ahead of the announcement by two senior advisers who requested anonymity to discuss her plans, has parallels to Obama's approach in 2012. He framed his re-election as a choice between Democrats focused on the middle class and Republicans who sought to protect the wealthy and return to policies that led the country into recession.
Clinton will face pressure from the progressive wing of her party to adopt a more populist economic message focused on income inequality. Some liberals remain skeptical of Clinton's close ties to Wall Street donors and the centrist economic policies of her husband's administration. They have urged her to back tougher financial regulations and tax increases on the wealthy.
"It would do her well electorally to be firmly on the side of average working people who are working harder than ever and still not getting ahead," said economist Robert Reich, a former labor secretary during the Clinton administration who has known Hillary Clinton for nearly five decades.
The GOP did not wait for her announcement to begin their campaign against her. The party's chairman, Reince Priebus, has outlined plans for a broad effort to try to undermine her record as secretary of state while arguing that her election would be like giving Obama a "third term."
Republicans have jumped on Clinton's use of a personal email account and server while she was secretary of state, as well as her handling of the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, in his own online video, said Sunday: "We must do better than the Obama-Clinton foreign policy that has damaged relationships with our allies and emboldened our enemies."
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who launched his presidential campaign last week, also pointed to the Clinton family's foundation, which has drawn criticism from Republicans for raising money from foreign governments.
Paul said it was hypocritical for the foundation to accept money from Saudi Arabia, which places public restrictions on the movement and activity of women, while Clinton carries forward with her long-standing effort to improve in women's rights.
"I would expect Hillary Clinton if she believes in women's rights, she should be calling for a boycott of Saudi Arabia," Paul said on NBC's "Meet the Press." ''Instead, she's accepting tens of millions of dollars."
Clinton is the first Democrat to get into the race, but there are some lower-profile Democrats considering challenging her, including former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee.
The party's nominee will have to overcome history to win election. In the last half-century, the same party has held the White House for three consecutive terms only once, during the administrations of Republicans Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
The 2016 campaign is likely to be the most expensive in history, with total spending on both sides expected to well exceed the $1 billion spent four years ago. This weekend, Clinton campaign fundraisers escalated their outreach to Democratic donors, who largely back her bid, with a flurry of phone calls urging them to donate as soon as possible.
Clinton's formal entrance into the race also triggered the start of more aggressive fundraising by Democratic outside super political action committees such as Priorities USA Action that have been reorganized to promote her campaign.
The boys were carrying sleeping bags, tents and food.
PITTSFIELD - A three-hour search that involved a Massachusetts State Police helicopter, police rescue dogs and officers on off-road vehicles, located two Boy Scouts who had become separated from the rest of their troop while hiking Saturday.
The boys had been hiking with the rest of their troop in the Pittsfield State Forest when they got separated. After failing to find the students, the troop leader called the State Police for assistance at about 5:15 p.m., police officials said.
State Police activated its Air Wing so it could search by helicopter. It also used rescue dogs. Police were joined by New York State Police, since the forest, which has about 30 miles of hiking trails, borders New York, police said.
Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Massachusetts Environmental Police, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Berkshire County Sheriffs Department, Berkshire Mountain Search and Rescue, Dalton Fire Department, Lanesboro Fire Department, and County Ambulance Service. The agencies provided personnel and many also helped with different types of off-road vehicles. A reverse 911 call was also sent to local residents to advise them to be on the lookout for the scouts, police said.
Police were told the two Boy Scouts were prepared for the hike and were carrying tents, sleeping bags and food.
During the search, Police found two sets of footprints, believed to be the missing scouts, and a team started following them, police said.
At about 8:25 p.m., the State Police Air Wing discovered the two boys south of Barry Pond. The two were waiving at the helicopter. They had previously erected a tent and started a fire. They were uninjured and reunited with the rest of the troop.
The names of the scouts or the leader will not be released. No charges are anticipated to be filed, police said.
Police would not say which town the Boy Scout troop was based.
A look at key things to know about Hillary Rodham Clinton, who entered the 2016 Democratic presidential campaign Sunday.
AMHERST - The annual St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraiser at Rafters Sports Bar and Restaurant in Amherst was held Sunday, April 12, 2015. Local fire, police, EMT and friends and families raised money to help fund research of childhood cancers. Many of the participants got their heads shaved in a show of support. For the second year in a row, the...
AMHERST - The annual St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraiser at Rafters Sports Bar and Restaurant in Amherst was held Sunday, April 12, 2015.
Local fire, police, EMT and friends and families raised money to help fund research of childhood cancers. Many of the participants got their heads shaved in a show of support. For the second year in a row, the Springfield College football team participated in the event.
The all-day event also featured live music and a 50/50 raffle.
The Northwestern District Attorney's office with the Massachusetts State Police and local police are investigating a pedestrian accident that happened in downtown on Sunday.
AMHERST - The Northwestern District Attorney's office with the Massachusetts State Police and local police are investigating a pedestrian accident that happened in downtown on Sunday.
Amherst Fire Department paramedics responded to the accident scene and treated and brought people to the hospital by ambulance, Fire Chief Tim Nelson said.
"Their injuries were non-life threatening," he said.
Police told CBS 3, media partners to the Republican and Masslive, said a car hit some pedestrians at about 2 p.m. in a parking lot on the corner of Main and South Pleasant streets.
Police have referred all inquiries to the Northwestern District Attorney's Office.
Northwestern District Attorney spokeswoman Mary Carey confirmed two women were brought to Cooley Dickinson Hospital after being hit by a car.
The incident remains under investigation by Amherst Police and the Massachusetts State Police Collision and Accident Reconstruction Section, she said.
Masslive will update as more information becomes available.
Two college students have been suspended after authorities discovered a cellphone video that allegedly shows them sexually assaulting a woman.
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Two college students from Alabama's Troy University have been suspended after authorities discovered a cellphone video that allegedly shows them sexually assaulting a woman at a beach while a large crowd of spring-break revelers watches.
Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen described the video as "very, very graphic" and called it the "most disgusting, sickening thing" he had ever seen. He said the footage shows several men surrounding an incapacitated woman on a beach chair.
The victim told authorities that she thought she had been drugged at the time, and she did not remember the incident well enough to report it.
Delonte Martistee, a 22-year-old senior from Bainbridge, Georgia, and Ryan Calhoun, a 23-year-old sophomore from Mobile, Alabama, were arrested Thursday in Alabama on Florida warrants. Martistee remained in jail Sunday in Panama City. Calhoun was released on bond.
The sheriff's office said additional arrests are expected.
Court records do not list attorneys for either man. Calls to a phone listing for Calhoun were not immediately returned Sunday. A phone listing for Martistee's mother rang unanswered.
Authorities have released few details of the assault, which they say happened sometime between March 10 and March 12 but was only recently uncovered while university police were investigating a shooting.
The sheriff's office released a short video of the crowd they said was present at the time. The recording shows a seemingly normal day at the beach for dozens of bikini-clad spring breakers goofing off and standing around talking about Instagram. At one point, a few people cheer, but it's unclear why.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Ruth Corley said the video was released "to show the crowd that was surrounding the incident and to show people, not only was it a horrible event, but it was witnessed by so many people who did absolutely nothing to stop or call police."
The sexual assault followed a shooting that injured seven people in March at a spring-break beach house party. Beach officials have cracked down on underage drinking and increased the presence of law enforcement because of the violence.
"We have got to get control of our beaches," the sheriff said. "It is not safe for our children to be out there on the beaches when these animals are out there."
Back in Alabama, Troy University Dean of Student Services Herbert Reeves said Sunday that both students have been temporarily suspended. Martistee was also removed from the track and field team, he said.
The university athletic department's official website lists Martistee as a former Bainbridge High School athlete who has competed for Troy in the high jump, long jump and triple jump. He was a Georgia high school state champion in the triple jump and participated in football, basketball and soccer in high school, according to the site.
On Sunday morning, dance music still pumped as cleanup crews mopped and swept the dance floors outside the Spinnaker Beach Club where the assault was said to have happened.
Zack Sasser, who has rented out beach chairs and equipment for the past four years, picked up beer cans, cigarette butts and the occasional condom that littered the beachfront. He said the biggest issue with spring break is binge drinking.
"People come down here and go from zero to 60, and they cannot handle it," he said, adding he did not think spring break was any more out of control than normal, but that more people are filming every action.
At a Panama City Beach McDonald's, teenagers Timia Bryant and Arabia Quigley, both 17, were among a group of 15 teens from Atlanta.
"I felt safe because I was with my friends," Bryant said. "We always stayed in groups and checked on each other."
Quigley said spring break safety comes down to personal choices.
"If you are drinking or doing drugs or not paying attention to who you are with, it can be dangerous," she said.
The Rev. Al Sharpton led a memorial for Walter Scott, a South Carolina man shot and killed by police officer Michael Slager.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- The Rev. Al Sharpton thanked the mayor and police chief in North Charleston on Sunday for their response to the fatal shooting of Walter Scott.
Sharpton gave the sermon at Charity Missionary Baptist Church, where Mayor Keith Summey and Police Chief Eddie Driggers were among those in the congregation. Later, he led a vigil for a small crowd in the grassy, fenced-in area where Scott, 50, was fatally shot after fleeing a traffic stop April 4.
Scott's death was criticized as another police shooting of an unarmed black man by a white officer under questionable circumstances. In Sharpton's commendation of the city's response, he said the mayor and police chief's swift action could set the tone for handling future questions of police misconduct across the country.
Despite the city's response and Sharpton's praise, there's still a lingering sense of skepticism about whether Scott's death would have been thoroughly investigated without the witness video.
"The mayor and the chief, they did what they had to do because none of us are blind," Keith White, 60, of North Charleston, said before the church service. "Everyone saw the video and they did what they were forced to do once that video became public."
The response by city officials and the local community hasn't been similar to that of Ferguson, Missouri, where protests after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown and a grand jury's decision not to indict the officer who shot him turned violent and exposed striking social rifts between black and white residents in the area.
Some North Charleston residents have said they suspect abuse of power and public trust among law enforcement as issues that may have played a more pivotal role than race in Scott's death.
"It's not about the color of your skin, it's about social justice. When we all practice social justice we're all free," said Mattese Lecque, a North Charleston resident who heard Sharpton preach Sunday. "Sometimes it takes disaster to bring about change, and that's what's happening now."
Before concluding his sermon, Sharpton mentioned that South Carolina is an important state in the upcoming presidential race. He charged the congregation with pressing candidates about their stances on community policing.
"Don't let anybody run for president and come through South Carolina without addressing what they would do as president of the United States about police accountability," Sharpton said.
"Don't let them come through here and eat some sweet potato pie and sing with the choir and then get your vote on the cheap. Make them stand up and discuss your issues."
HOLYOKE - Ruth Harcovitz of Needham was crowned the 2015 Ms. Massachusetts Senior America queen at the 22nd annual pageant held at Holyoke High School on Sunday, April, 12, 2015. Six contestants participated in the pageant for women over 60. The event featured the women being judged on informal wear, talent, interviews and formal wear. Jessie Rivers, the producer of...
HOLYOKE - Ruth Harcovitz of Needham was crowned the 2015 Ms. Massachusetts Senior America queen at the 22nd annual pageant held at Holyoke High School on Sunday, April, 12, 2015.
Six contestants participated in the pageant for women over 60. The event featured the women being judged on informal wear, talent, interviews and formal wear.
Jessie Rivers, the producer of the pageant, also performed and was honored for her years of service to the pageant.
The death penalty phase of the trial begins April 21.
BOSTON - Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokar Tsarnaev was found guilty as expected Wednesday on 30 counts of against him, including killing four people during and after the race.
Jurors are expected to return to court on April 21, after the 2015 running of the Boston Marathon, to decide if the now 21-year-old should be put to death for his actions.
He was found guilty of killing Lingzi, Lu, a Boston University student from China, Martin Richard, 8, of Dorchester, Krystle Campbell, 29, of Arlington and Police Officer Sean Collier, 27. He was also found guilty of seriously injuring more than 260 people at the race.
Here are some of the things d about the guilty verdict and the upcoming death penalty phase of the trial.
The Senate on Wednesday will debate a version of Gov. Charlie Baker's early retirement proposal that would cap the number of employees who could take advantage of the pension-sweetening incentives at 4,500 employees.
By Matt Murphy
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, APRIL 10, 2015....The Senate next Wednesday will debate a version of Gov. Charlie Baker's early retirement proposal that would, unlike the governor or the House, cap the number of employees who could take advantage of the pension-sweetening incentives at 4,500 employees.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Friday released a redrafted version of the bill (S 44) that included the cap as a mechanism for addressing the concerns of some senators that the level of service delivered by certain agencies could be harmed if a large number of employees choose to retire this spring.
"I've tried to listen to all the senators' concerns and the result, I think, is that the Senate has crafted a strong bill that offers several tools to achieve savings without undermining the operation of state government," committee chairwoman Sen. Karen Spilka said in an interview.
Under the Senate's plan, the Baker administration would be able to identify critical positions within agencies that would be deemed ineligible for early retirement, while all other applications would be evaluated based, in part, on seniority.
The Ways and Means Committee voted 14-0 to recommend the new draft of the bill, with Sens. Sonia Chang-Diaz, of Jamaica Plain, and John Keenan, of Quincy, reserving their rights. Sens. Kenneth Donnelly, of Arlington, and Anthony Petruccelli, of East Boston, did not vote.
The early retirement program, first proposed by Baker as a means of finding savings to close a projected $1.8 billion shortfall in the fiscal 2016 budget, would allow executive branch employees aged 55 and older with at least 20 years of service to add up to five years to their age or length of service for their pension.
The bill, differing from the version that passed the House on March 25, would also authorize agencies to offer employees one-time payments of unspecified value to encourage them to retire to meet the goals of the program, which is anticipated to save than $172 million in fiscal 2016.
The objective of the one-time payments is to incentivize the retirement of employees who have already reached their maximum pension of 80 percent. Spilka estimated that about 800 executive branch employees fall under that category. "If they want to leave, that would be an option for them," she said.
While Baker set a target of reducing payroll by 4,500 employees, neither the governor's bill nor the House version recommended a cap on employees that could take advantage of the program. Baker did not include a cap in order to provide flexibility for the administration to meet its target for budget savings, but officials on Friday suggested they would be open to adding the restriction.
"The administration is pleased at the progress that has been made on an early retirement package aimed at closing the $1.8 billion structural deficit inherited this year and looks forward to reviewing the final bill that makes its way through the legislature," Baker spokesman Billy Pitman said in a statement.
Under the Senate bill, the window to apply for early retirement would open on April 27 and run through May 29. Employees taking advantage would have to retire by June 30.
The House had proposed to open the application period next Wednesday and run it through July 15, giving employees an extra month until July 31 to retire. Spilka said she didn't think the shortened application window to allow for a full fiscal year of salary savings would hurt the program's success.
"It's out there. It's not like people don't know about it. I think the four-week application period is probably sufficient," Spilka said.
The Senate has scheduled a debate on the bill next Wednesday, with senators having until 5 p.m. on Monday to file amendments.
Senate President Stanley Rosenberg told the News Service the bill, if passed on Wednesday, would probably require a conference committee with the House, but he said he didn't think it would be overly onerous to iron out the differences.
"Senator Spilka and the Committee on Ways and Means has crafted a thoughtful bill that achieves the same amount of savings, limits the long term pension liabilities, and protects the levels of government services," Rosenberg in statement. "The committee did an excellent job incorporating diverse opinions and listening to all concerns during this process."
Like the House and Baker, the Senate bill proposes to allow the administration to backfill positions left vacant by retirement using up to 20 percent of the total payroll savings.
While the House recommended a 120-day "cooling off" period before retirees could be hired back as consultants, the Senate bill simply calls for consultants hired back to be limited to 90 days of work, with their salaries counting toward the 20 percent backfill provision.
"What we're hearing is what would be helpful is if people leave to be able to come back for up to 90 days. So it would be July, August and September to ensure that there is a knowledge transfer if had not fully taken place before June 30," Spilka said.
The Senate bill also includes an additional reporting requirement, starting in mid-May, for the administration to keep lawmakers informed on how many people are applying for early retirement and what agencies they are leaving.
A toddler was killed in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday afternoon when a 3-year-old boy shot him with a gun that had been left unattended in a home, police said.
A toddler was killed in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday afternoon when a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot him with a gun that had been left unattended in a home, police said.
At least one person was home at the time of the shooting, but Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said investigators hadn't determined who owned the gun.
The toddler, who was 1 years old, was pronounced dead at the hospital after he was shot in the face, WEWS-TV reported.
The boy's mother could be hear screaming from the home's back porch after learning he had died, Cleveland.com reported.
The boy was identified as Braylon Robinson. Authorities did not immediately identify the other boy, the names of parents or other details of the shooting on the city's east side.
"It's a sad day for Cleveland," Williams told reporters. "This fascination that we have with handguns, not just in this city but in this country, has to stop. This is a senseless loss of life."
Neighbors said the mother lived in the house with at least three small children, Cleveland.com reported.
"They were really nice," neighbor Larry Simpson said of the family. "It's a shame this had to happen."
The driver refused to stop for a number of police cars.
BERLIN, VT - Police arrested a 23-year-old woman who was driving the wrong way on Interstate 89, forced another car off the highway and refused to stop for multiple police officers.
Savannah Lapan, of Vershire, Vermont, was charged with driving under the influence of drugs at about 11:20 p.m. Saturday, Vermont State Police officials said.
Vermont State Police received multiple reports of a car driving south in the northbound lane late Saturday night. When officers responded, they found one driver who had been forced off the road and whose car was consequently damaged.
When police found the car several miles away, they attempted to stop the driver. The driver was followed by several miles by Vermont State Police assisted by the Berlin Police Department, Orange County Sheriff's Department and Hartford Police department.
State Police eventually used stop sticks to puncture the car tires. After the tires deflated, the driver continued on until she struck another vehicle.
Lapan was taken into custody and transported to Central Vermont Hospital to be treated for a leg injury. She was also processed for suspicion of driving under the influence by a drug recognition expert, police said.
Francis Pusok's violent arrest, which was filmed by a TV news helicopter, has led to an FBI civil rights investigation and 10 deputies being placed in leave pending an internal probe.
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- The attorney for a Southern California man who was beaten by several sheriff's deputies following a 21/2 hour-long chase involving a stolen horse said Saturday that his client is "doing fairly well" while receiving medical attention in jail.
Francis Pusok's violent arrest, which was filmed by a TV news helicopter, has led to an FBI civil rights investigation and 10 deputies being placed in leave pending an internal probe.
San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said the video "disturbed and troubled" him and appeared to show an excessive use of force.
Pusok's girlfriend, Jolene Bindner, told the San Bernardino Sun that he is "a pretty tough cookie."
"He has a lot of swelling, bumps and bruises," she said Saturday. "He says he's really sore."
Pusok, 30, fled by car and then on the horse in the desert on Thursday while deputies chased him on foot after trying to serve a search warrant in an identity-theft investigation.
It shows Pusok face down with his legs outstretched and hands behind his back as a deputy threw punches and kicks, while another kicked him in the crotch. Other deputies arrived moments later.
Pusok's lawyer, Jim Terrell wouldn't say why his client fled, but he told the San Bernardino Sun it was the wrong thing to do.
Pusok has a slew of vehicle code violations and pleaded no contest to several criminal charges, including multiple instances of resisting arrest, attempted robbery, animal cruelty and fighting or offensive words, according to San Bernardino County Superior Court records.
Terrell said his client's criminal history isn't relevant to this case.
"The reason it was brought up was to dirty the guy that got beat up by the police," he said. "For a guy that's been beaten and pulverized, he's doing fairly well."
Pusok is being held on suspicion of felony evading, theft of a horse and possession of stolen property.
The beating is the latest in a string of recent videotaped incidents involving police officers using extreme force on suspects, including the shooting death of an unarmed man as he ran from a police officer last weekend in North Charleston, South Carolina.
The money would also fund plans to reuse the portion of town hall that had been the police headquarters.
PALMER - The $567,040 approximate cost to renovate town hall can be accomplished without a tax increase, according to Town Manager Charles Blanchard.
Architectural Insights, Inc. of Palmer provided the estimate last week.
The money would also fund plans to reuse the portion of town hall that had been the police headquarters.
According to Blanchard, that area would be used to provide more space for the Board of Health, Building Inspector, Conservation Agent, Recreation Director, the Town Manager and the Town Council.
In a letter to the Council, he said the building would undergo an interior paint job. New lighting, carpet tiles, windows and bulletin boards would be installed.
Plans call for repairs to the cupola, and a new tax collection service window and transaction counter.
"The estimate for these renovations is $567,040 - since this has been identified as a high priority, we will make every effort to try to complete the work in FY 16 and fund this within the limits of Proposition 2½ over the next three to five years," Blanchard wrote.
A city resident was arraigned in Holyoke District Court on Monday and following a short arraignment hearing, was promptly returned to Hampden County House of Corrections.
HOLYOKE -- A city resident was arraigned in Holyoke District Court on Monday and, following a short arraignment hearing, was promptly returned to Hampden County House of Corrections.
Twenty-five-year-old Alejandro Rosario, of Holyoke, was charged with murder last week for the death of fellow city resident Luis Burgos. Holyoke District Court Judge Maureen Walsh ordered he be held without the right to bail without prejudice in court Monday. Prior to Holyoke police detectives issuing a warrant for Rosario's arrest, he was in custody for another alleged offense.
On Easter Sunday, Holyoke police allege Rosario killed Luis Burgos following a verbal argument. During the course of their investigation, detectives interviewed multiple witnesses - some of whom described the scene that lead to Burgos' death, others who told police of conversations they had with Rosario, allegedly admitting to the shooting.
Thirty-year-old Burgos reportedly drove up to 304 Chestnut St. in the early evening of Sunday, April 5. His mother was with him, but remained in the passenger seat when Burgos exited the grey vehicle.
As soon as Burgos opened the front door of the apartment complex, he found the man he was looking for, witnesses say. The two began arguing in Spanish, blocking the doorway.
"You called the cops on me when I was in the grey car," a witness alleges Burgos said to Rosario.
After Burgos seemed to settle down, a witness alleges Rosario to have said, "Watch your back, see what happens."
As Burgos began walking back to the car, Rosario is alleged to have disappeared inside momentarily then ran out and fired three shots at Burgos. He was hit in the back with a bullet and another one struck the car his mother was in, though she was uninjured.
One witness reported that the gun appeared to be a .22 "long pistol" that was an automatic. The witness told police Rosario also had a second gun in the waistband of his jeans.
Police later recovered three .22 caliber shell casings in front of the building.
Witnesses say Rosario then ran from the scene, across the street through South Chestnut Street Park then into an alleyway between Chestnut and Elm Streets toward Hampshire Street.
Hours after the shooting, a person alleges Rosario admitted to the shooting.
After speaking to the multiple witnesses and several picking Rosario out of a photo array, they obtained a warrant for his arrest. That warrant was later cancelled as he was already in law enforcement custody for an unrelated charge.
In interviews with police, Holyoke detectives allege Rosario admitted to shooting Burgos, saying he feared for his own safety.
In his police narrative, Holyoke Officer Jorge Monsalve wrote that Rosario spoke with police in an audio recorded interview. He reportedly told the officers that he got into an argument with Burgos, a man that he has sold heroin to a number of times.
When Burgos attempted to buy heroin again from him, Rosario said Burgos refused to pay. He told police Burgos had robbed him multiple times in the past. While the two were arguing, Rosario said a gun fell from the waistband of Burgos' pants. While he bent down to pick it up, Burgos reportedly fled the building.
He also told police that he had a .38 caliber handgun in his possession at the time of the shooting, and that he left the scene with both guns. He does not possess a valid firearms identification card.
Prior to his arraignment hearing Monday, Rosario was determined to be indigent. Calvin C. Carr, an attorney with an office in Heath, was appoint his lawyer.
Carr filed several motions during the arraignment, requesting money for the defense and access to state files.
He filed a request for up to $5,000 to hire an investigator and another request for up to $5,000 for ballistics testing. Carr also filed a motion requesting the preservation of any evidence against his client. All motions were granted by the judge.
Rosario will be back in court for a pre-trial hearing on May 11.
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is asking for more state money - and for reforms at the state agency that administers food stamps - after the state implemented anti-fraud measures that pushed eligible people off food stamps.
BOSTON - The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is asking for more state money - and for reforms at the state agency that administers food stamps - after the state implemented anti-fraud measures that pushed eligible people off food stamps.
"When people are kicked off SNAP, they turn to food pantries for help," said Christina Maxwell, director of programs at the western Massachusetts food bank.
Maxwell was one of numerous social service providers and others who appealed to the Legislature's budget writers at a public hearing Monday. But unlike many other providers, Maxwell asked for reforms, rather than just money.
Last March, in response to reports of welfare fraud, the Department of Transitional Assistance began to compare different sources of data to ensure that people receiving assistance were actually eligible. For example, the system compared welfare and Department of Revenue data to see if people had unreported income. In June, the department began automatically cutting off eligibility for food stamp recipients based on the results of an online data check.
As The Republican/MassLive.com previously reported, advocates for the poor complained that these changes kicked off of food stamps people who were eligible. The state also updated its phone and office system in October. Although the goal was to match caseworkers and clients more quickly, by allowing any caseworker in the state to assist a client, regardless of region, the new phone system made it harder for recipients to get through to the agency.
"This impenetrable bureaucracy - coupled with flawed data matching, extreme verification demands, and automatic case closures without any worker review - is pushing many eligible people off the program, and is denying others access to a program that they need and for which they are eligible," Maxwell told the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.
Tom Mills, a spokesman for the Department of Transitional Assistance, said the process is already being reevaluated. As of March 20, caseworkers began manually reviewing the wage match data from the Department of Revenue, rather than just sending out an automatic request to the client to verify information. The department is also performing a full review of the criteria used in the wage match process in order to refine the process. "(The Executive Office of Health and Human Services) and DTA are committed to creating a system that balances benefit access and program integrity," Mills said.
Mills said of the new phone and office system, "The new model is continuing to improve, and DTA is committed to making the modifications necessary to ensure client's needs are being met."
Between December 2013 and December 2014, the number of SNAP recipients dropped by 77,000 people, or 8.8 percent, compared to 1 percent nationally.
Advocates for the poor attribute this to the new DTA policies. DTA officials point out that SNAP numbers can vary widely between years, and five states had larger declines than Massachusetts during the same time period.
According to data provided by the anti-poverty Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Massachusetts is losing $115 million a year in federal money due to the drop in food stamp recipients, even as more people are seeking help at food pantries. Maxwell said the use of the Western Massachusetts food bank increased by 9 percent over the last year.
"We're turning away federal dollars," said Patricia Baker, a senior policy analyst at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute. "We want to make sure DTA is doing everything it can ensure people who are eligible for benefits get them."
Maxwell asked the budget-writing committee to require the Department of Transitional Assistance to end the use of "flawed" data matches and prevent the department from automatically denying food stamps to someone without review by a staff member. She urged DTA to locate SNAP families whose benefits were wrongly terminated and reinstate them and to increase staffing and phone system capabilities to improve customer service.
Maxwell also asked state budget writers for an additional $5 million for the state's food banks, giving them a total of $20 million, so food banks can meet demand for emergency food assistance.
The daylong course includes classroom work and a firing-range demonstration.
HOLYOKE -- Holyoke Revolver Club's monthly National Rifle Association basic pistol shooting course will be Saturday (April 18) from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 431 West Cherry St.
"The course reviews basic knowledge, skills and attitude for owning and operating a pistol safely," a press release said.
"Additionally, the eight-hour course includes subjects on responsible ownership, hand gun operation, ammunition and shooting fundamentals," the press release said.
The cost is $100 and registration is required.
To register and for other information, visit holyokerevolverclub.com or call (413) 539-9345.
Students will receive the NRA Guide to the Basics of Pistol Shooting handbook. An NRA pistol course certificate and a state certificate, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Certificate LTC-002, will be awarded upon successful completion of the course, the press release said.
"In addition to classroom time, a live fire range demonstration is planned," the press release said.
The Holyoke Revolver Club celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. It began in a factory cellar on Dwight Street and has been at its current site since 1989.
The clinic will help people maximize golf performance.
CHICOPEE - The Rivermills Center for senior citizens is offering a free yoga clinic for golfers.
The clinic, held from 11 a.m. to noon on May 15, will help people improve and maintain functional movement patterns for golfing and maximize golf performance. Yoga also improves proper breathing, stability, internal strength, muscle endurance and balance.
The clinic is offered at no cost at the RiverMills Center on 5 West Main St. Participants should register by calling 534-3698. For more information contact Violet Suska, health and fitness coordinator at extension 117.
State security officials have declared the route of the 2015 Boston Marathon a "no drone zone." The change isn't because of a newly discovered threat but more out of a general precaution, officials said.
FRAMINGHAM -- Enhanced security measures will remain in place for this year's running of the Boston Marathon with one notable addition: no drones.
State security officials have declared the route of the 2015 Boston Marathon a "no drone zone." The change isn't because of a newly discovered threat but more out of a general precaution, officials said.
"We've had drones at big public events, had them crash at public events. There's a growing concern over the use of drones," State Police Col. Timothy Alben.
Alben emphasized that while there have not been any high profile incidents in Massachusetts with drones they are a relatively new phenomenon in the United States.
Items that were banned from the race course in 2014 will still be banned in 2015. Spectators that need to bring a bag to the race are encouraged to do bring clear, see-through bags for security purposes. Bottles containing liquids should not be larger than 1 liter. All items are subject to a possible search by police and security officials along the route.
Homeland Security Undersecretary Kurt Schwartz said that costumes and signs of any kind will not be permitted along the race course. Schwartz said that while they want spectators to enjoy themselves they should be alert.
"We are asking runners and spectators to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings. If they see something that just doesn't seem right they are encouraged to report it. If you see something, say something," said Schwartz.
Hundreds of cameras along the route will be utilized by law enforcement officials, including private cameras that police have the ability to tap into temporarily for special events. There are additional quick deploy cameras available to law enforcement if needed.
"We have a lot of cameras out there," said Boston Police Deputy Superintendent William Ridge.
Over 3,500 uniformed and plainclothes law enforcement officials across multiple agencies are expected to provide security along the 26.2 mile race route.
The number of runners in this year's race is dropping down to 30,000 according to Boston Athletic Association Executive Director Dr. Thomas Grilk.
Grilk said that race officials were pleased at the lack of bandit runners in the 2014 race. When pressed, Grilk said that there were no reports of bandit runners and that he hopes that tradition continues in 2015.
"The number of unauthorized runners has gone down down over the years," said Grilk.
Bandit runners not only cheat registered runners in the race but create anxiety for spectators and runners by creating a possible security hazard.
"What we have seen is that everybody respects their fellow citizens and now they don't do it," said Grilk.
Officials were not clear on when answering whether or not these heightened security precautions are the new normal along the route. Alben did say that they don't want these measures to discourage people from attending the race.
"We don't want to make this oppressive, we just want to make everybody safe These rules are pretty common sense.
"We want you to come out and enjoy this, the very best partner that we have in this is the public. Please help us be a partner in this. There will be hundreds of police officers out there, hundreds of thousands of spectators. Again, we're inviting you all to come out. Please don't stay home, these are the kinds of celebrations that you want to come out and show what this community and country is all about," said Alben.
