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Warren police save owl hit by car

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Barred owls can be found throughout the eastern United States.

WARREN - A police officer working the night shift saved an owl early Saturday morning.

According Western Mass News, the media partners for The Republican and Masslive, the owl had been in the road on South Street when it was hit by a car. A resident called police to report the injured barred owl.

Police were able to pick up the owl and place it in a box. It was alert and it was taken to a Connecticut veterinarian clinic, Western Massachusetts new said.

Barred owls can be found throughout the eastern United States. Their territory ranges from Canada south to Florida. At night they hunt small animals, especially rodents, according to the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology.


Photos: 50th Annual Holyoke Gas & Electric Shad Derby on the Connecticut River

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HOLYOKE - The 50th Annual Holyoke Gas & Electric Shad Derby began this weekend on Saturday, May 9 and continues next weekend. The derby is one of the region's largest fishing events. A $1,000 cash prize goes to the adult winner of the derby. The derby offers both adult and youth fisherman the opportunity to win cash prizes as they...

HOLYOKE - The 50th Annual Holyoke Gas & Electric Shad Derby began this weekend on Saturday, May 9 and continues next weekend. The derby is one of the region's largest fishing events.

A $1,000 cash prize goes to the adult winner of the derby.

The derby offers both adult and youth fisherman the opportunity to win cash prizes as they enjoy the recreational benefits of the Connecticut River.

Western Mass weather hot and dry but not a heat wave - yet

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Temperatures are about 20 degrees above average.

Sunday was the second day this month that Western Massachusetts hit 90 degrees and the early season heat is expected to continue for two more days.

"Obviously summer has made an early preview," said Tyler Jankoski, meteorologist for Western Mass News, media partners to the Republican and Masslive. "It is like we flipped a switch and we went from ugly to summer."

While it is hot, temperatures are not record-breaking, he said.

The record for May 10 at Westover Air Reserve Base, in Chicopee, was 94 degrees set in 1979. Still it is unusually hot.

"If we are 10 degrees off the average it is noticed and we are 20 degrees off the average temperature," Jankoski said.

Along with the unusually early heat, it also has been exceptionally dry. The region has gone 18 straight days without rain according to records kept at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Jankoski said.

"We are in the first level of abnormally dry," he said. "We do need rain. It would clean up the pollen and it would reduce the brush fires we are having."

By mid May, Western Massachusetts has received an average of 14.56 inches of rain or snow. Despite the snowy winter, the rainfall totals are about two inches below average, he said.

Going 18 days without rain is a long time. There are some showers expected for Tuesday but the kind of widespread rain needed for the region is not predicted in the long term forecast, he said.

While the region will not see rain, residents will get relief from the heat on Wednesday when a cold front pushes through, dropping temperatures back to a high of 68, which is the average temperature for this time of the year, he said.

Sunday, so far, has been the warmest day of the year with the high hitting 90 degrees at Westover and 92 degrees in Westfield. Friday was a close second with the high temperature hitting 89 degrees at Westover and 90 degrees in Westfield, Jankoski said.

A heat wave is defined of at least 90 degree days in a row. While it is warm, residents should not see that before the Wednesday cool down, he said.

Monday's temperatures should be in the mid 80s and Tuesday should be in the upper 80s. Both days are expected to be cloudy so if the sun is able to peak through either day, temperatures could climb into the 90s making it a heat wave, Jankoski said.

Chicopee fire investigating cause of shed fire

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It is not know how much damage the fire caused.

CHICOPEE - Fire officials are investigating the cause of a Sunday afternoon shed fire on High Street.

Firefighters were just returning from an unrelated call and were in the area and were able to respond to the fire almost immediately after the blaze was reported, fire officials said.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze quickly. It did not damage the nearby house or any other buildings, officials said.

The fire was reported at about 4:30 p.m. It is not known how much damage it caused.

Pioneer Institute report says Massachusetts Health Connector officials 'appear to have lied' to federal government

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The Pioneer Institute on Monday will publish a scathing report on the state's management of Massachusetts' troubled Health Connector website under former governor Deval Patrick.

The Pioneer Institute will publish a scathing report on Monday about the state's management of Massachusetts' troubled Health Connector website under former governor Deval Patrick.

The Pioneer Institute is a conservative think tank that has been critical of the Affordable Care Act and Massachusetts' implementation of it. The report is based on accounts from two primary whistle-blowers, conversations with other officials and reviews of internal audits, which are public documents.

The report finds that Massachusetts officials failed to hold CGI, the technology company contracted to build the website, accountable for shoddy work and missed deadlines. It did not provide CGI with adequate resources or proper state leadership. State officials apparently misrepresented the progress of the website to the Health Connector board and the federal agency overseeing Medicaid, according to the report.

Jason Lefferts, a Health Connector spokesman, said state officials received a copy of the report late in the day Friday. He referred questions about it to Gov. Charlie Baker's office.

Baker's office declined to comment on actions taken by the Patrick administration. "When it comes to the Health Connector, the Baker-Polito administration's sole focus is fixing the broken system it inherited so that people can access the health care they need," said Baker spokeswoman Elizabeth Guyton. "The administration is cooperating with the subpoena regarding the Health Connector's difficulties dating back to 2010."

It was reported last week that the U.S. Attorney has subpoenaed documents from the Health Connector, indicating that there is some sort of federal investigation.

After the site launched in October 2013 and customers were unable to use it to enroll in health insurance, Patrick, a Democrat, fired CGI and brought on new state leadership. But the Pioneer report argues that the Patrick administration minimized the state's mismanagement.

Josh Archambault, the study's author and Pioneer's senior fellow in health care, said the study points to "the level of complete incompetence and mismanagement" on the part of the state and "how across the board poorly things were run from the beginning."

The report finds that there were problems as far back as 2012. "The fall of 2012 was marked by unchecked shoddy work by CGI Corp., missed deadlines, and insufficient resources," the report states.

The report pointed to problems including gaps in the state's contract with CGI and a lack of resources. For example, MassHealth workers sent CGI documents to their home computers because the outdated word processor on their work computers could not open them. State officials regularly skipped meetings with CGI. There were meetings where no one took minutes, so the same issues were later revisited.

As work continued, CGI continued to miss deadlines, the report found, but state officials did not properly address what this meant for the final project and how to adapt to new deadlines.

A whistle-blower told the Pioneer Institute that in the run-up to the launch of the site, the state team working on the project knew it would not operate correctly. Most of the site had not been tested. "We were waiting for people to recognize how bad this was, because we had done everything we could to escalate. We were always told to be quiet, it doesn't matter, don't say anything," the whistle-blower said, according to the report.

By the summer of 2013, state officials knew they may not be able to get the site fully working even by December - although customers needed health insurance by Jan. 1. None of this was revealed to the public.

The state finally added staff to the project in June 2013, but there continued to be missed deadlines. It became clear that more and more features would not be ready on time, while features that would be ready had defects. Problems continued after the launch in October.

"Behind the scenes, the post-launch period was characterized by cascading delays and no workable schedule for establishing a fully functional website," the report found.

The report also contained new allegations about the transition period between when Patrick fired CGI and when a new company, Optum, took over. Although the state paid CGI to transfer codes and knowledge to Optum, the report said there was no unfinished code, and Optum scrapped most of the unfinished work.

The Pioneer report suggests that in presentations to a federal agency, state officials may have overstated the progress of the exchange and may have "cheated" on a test required by the federal government related to the ability of the state site to connect with a federal hub.

"Our public officials not only were incompetent from a managerial perspective, but appear to have lied to the federal government to cover up mistakes made by both the state and CGI," the report stated.

Archambault said, "In at least two instances we uncovered, what we told the feds was either in direct conflict with internal audits or highly improbable given what was being said in the audit and what whistleblowers said was happening at the time."


Train strikes and kills man in Vermont

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The man was walking with his back toward the train.

BRAINTREE, VT. - A man walking along on the railroad tracks was killed after being hit by a passenger train Saturday.

The man was walking down a stretch of train tracks that runs parallel to Route 12A when a southbound Amtrak train struck him at about 10:45 a.m., according to Vermont State Police.

"The male was alone and appeared to have been walking on the tracks with his back to the oncoming train," police said.

Police did not release the man's name or age pending notification of his family.

The engineer and other train personnel took emergency measures but were unable to stop in time to avoid striking the man. The victim did not appear to respond to the approaching train, police said.

No train passengers or train personnel were injured in the accident.

State Police and Amtrak Police are currently investigating the collision. Anyone with information can contact police at the Royalton Barracks, 802-234-9933.


Train strikes and kills man in Vermont

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The man was walking with his back toward the train.

BRAINTREE, VT. - A man walking along on the railroad tracks was killed after being hit by a passenger train Saturday.

The man was walking down a stretch of train tracks that runs parallel to Route 12A when a southbound Amtrak train struck him at about 10:45 a.m., according to Vermont State Police.

"The male was alone and appeared to have been walking on the tracks with his back to the oncoming train," police said.

Police did not release the man's name or age pending notification of his family.

The engineer and other train personnel took emergency measures but were unable to stop in time to avoid striking the man. The victim did not appear to respond to the approaching train, police said.

No train passengers or train personnel were injured in the accident.

State Police and Amtrak Police are currently investigating the collision. Anyone with information can contact police at the Royalton Barracks, 802-234-9933.


Faces in Northampton to remain open: What are people Tweeting

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So far the new owners said they will keep Faces "as is."

NORTHAMPTON - Faces, a much loved quirky downtown store, was saved this week when a Longmeadow business group announced it had purchased the business.

In January long-term owner Peter Vogel announced he planned to close the store, citing increased costs. Later he said he was ready to give up the business. That announcement left many parents, students and residents mourning its imminent closing.

The new owners are Chris Andrew, Inc., a Longmeadow business group made up of Camile and Tiffany Hannoush, who own several retail businesses in the region, and Chris and Amy Pariseau.

So far they have announced they expect to keep Faces "as is."

Here are some of the things people have been Tweeting about the news that Faces will remain open.


Hadley police accuse 2 of stealing $1,500 in fishing poles, life jackets, clothing from Walmart

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The two women will be arraigned Monday in Belchertown

HADLEY - Two women accused of stealing more than $1,500 worth of fishing poles, life jackets, fishing lures and clothing from Walmart are to be arraigned on larceny charges Monday.

Jennifer Doolittle, 35, and Jody Rattigan, 48, of Turners Falls were arrested Friday night by Hadley Police and both were charged with larceny over $250. They will be arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, Police Sgt. Mitch Kuc said.

The two women were spotted around 5 p.m. by security officers in the Walmart. They were acting suspiciously, selecting merchandise without checking prices and placing it in a laundry basket and other containers, Kuc said.

When officers arrived one of the suspects had already left the store with most of the merchandise. However security cameras caught her getting into her car and driving away, he said.

Meanwhile they arrested Doolittle, who was still at the store. After she was booked, police allowed her to leave on bail but questioned how she was to get home and kept her under surveillance as she walked from the station. Shortly afterward they found Rattigan picking her up and officers arrested her at about 7:30 p.m. on a warrant, Kuc said.

The shoplifting, which totaled $1,531 worth of merchandise, was an unusually large theft, he said.

Hadley police accuse 2 of stealing $1,500 in fishing poles, life jackets, clothing from Walmart

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The two women will be arraigned Monday in Belchertown

HADLEY - Two women accused of stealing more than $1,500 worth of fishing poles, life jackets, fishing lures and clothing from Walmart are to be arraigned on larceny charges Monday.

Jennifer Doolittle, 35, and Jody Rattigan, 48, of Turners Falls were arrested Friday night by Hadley Police and both were charged with larceny over $250. They will be arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, Police Sgt. Mitch Kuc said.

The two women were spotted around 5 p.m. by security officers in the Walmart. They were acting suspiciously, selecting merchandise without checking prices and placing it in a laundry basket and other containers, Kuc said.

When officers arrived one of the suspects had already left the store with most of the merchandise. However security cameras caught her getting into her car and driving away, he said.

Meanwhile they arrested Doolittle, who was still at the store. After she was booked, police allowed her to leave on bail but questioned how she was to get home and kept her under surveillance as she walked from the station. Shortly afterward they found Rattigan picking her up and officers arrested her at about 7:30 p.m. on a warrant, Kuc said.

The shoplifting, which totaled $1,531 worth of merchandise, was an unusually large theft, he said.

NY man kicked out of restaurant, acts like he has gun, drives into cop, police say

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The incident began when an unruly patron, Nino Valvano, 38, was kicked out of Lola's restaurant on 169 East Post Road, White Plains, New York, police said.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. --  A Westchester County police officer suffered minor injuries Sunday when he was struck and dragged several feet by a car whose driver had just been ejected from a local restaurant, authorities said.

Nino Valvano, 38, of Mount Kisco, New York, was kicked out of Lola's restaurant on 169 East Post Road in White Plains at about 4 a.m. due to unruly behavior, the Journal News reports.

Valvano then walked to his car, appeared to grab something and put it in his waistband, then walked away from the vehicle, bouncers told police. The bouncers said they suspected he was carrying a gun.

When White Plains police arrived, he appeared to toss the object into the backseat of the car, police said. As an officer tried to grab a door, police said, Valvano put the car in drive, hitting the officer, who was dragged for about 100 feet.

Valvano surrendered after calling 911 while being chased on Interstate 287, police said.

The officer was treated for minor injuries.

Valvano was arrested on charges including assault, reckless driving, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon (the vehicle) and drug possession (cocaine). No firearm was recovered, police told WCBS-TV.

It wasn't known Valvano had a lawyer who could comment on the charges.

Mississippi slain cop's dad on Facebook: 'I just need some kind of mercy'

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The deaths of Officers Benjamin Deen and Liquori Tate stunned this small city of Hattiesburg in southern Mississippi.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- One was a decorated "Officer of the Year." The other was a proud recent graduate of the academy who had wanted to be a policeman since he was a boy.

A routine traffic stop led to their shooting deaths Saturday night -- the first Hattiesburg police officers to die in the line of duty in more than 30 years -- and four people were arrested, including two who were charged with capital murder.

The deaths of Officers Benjamin Deen and Liquori Tate stunned this small city in southern Mississippi.

On Sunday morning, bloodstains still marked the street where the two were shot, and a steady stream of people visited the site to leave flowers or balloons. In the nearby New Hope Baptist Church, worshippers prayed for the fallen officers and their families.

"This should remind us to thank all law enforcement for their unwavering service to protect and serve," Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said in a statement. "May God keep them all in the hollow of his hand."

After Tate became a police officer, his father, Ronald Tate, posted comments on Facebook, telling his son "to be safe," The New York Times reported.

Tate went on Facebook this weekend to grieve.

"Well Lord, I have been praying that it was all just a mistake," he wrote. "My baby ... I just need some kind of mercy right now."


Marvin Banks, 29, and Joanie Calloway, 22, were each charged with two counts of capital murder, said Warren Strain, a spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. Banks also was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and with grand theft for fleeing in the police cruiser after the shooting, Strain said.

"He absconded with a Hattiesburg police cruiser. He didn't get very far, three or four blocks and then he ditched that vehicle," Strain said.

Banks' 26-year-old brother, Curtis Banks, was charged with two counts of accessory after the fact of capital murder.

The fourth person, 28-year-old Cornelius Clark, was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice, he added.

All four are expected to make their initial court appearances Monday at the Forest County Justice Court, Strain said.

A preliminary investigation indicated Deen had pulled over the vehicle on suspicion of speeding and then called for backup, which is when Tate arrived. Strain said it was too early to say who shot the officers or how many shots were fired.

The U.S. flag flew at half-staff outside the Hattiesburg Police Department, and red roses placed on a concrete sign wilted in the afternoon sun.

For many in the community, the first death of an officer in three decades while on duty was a shock. The pain hit particularly close to home for Erica Sherrill Owens, whose mother, Sgt. Jackie Dole Sherrill, was killed in 1984 while trying to serve a warrant on a suspect.

When Owens heard that two officers had been killed, she said she hoped it wasn't someone she knew.

"Then when I heard one of the names, my heart just sank because I went to high school with him," Owens said, who had gone to Sumrall High School with Deen and graduated a year after him in 1999.

"We were great friends in high school. He married his high school sweetheart and he's got two kids and a great family," she said. "It's just heartbreaking."

Local reports identified Deen, 34, as a former "Officer of the Year" in Hattiesburg.

After high school, Owens said she would see Deen around town and recalled the day he graduated from the police academy.

"He was so proud, you know?" she said.

Tate, 25, grew up in Starkville, 150 miles north of Hattiesburg. Strain said he was a 2014 graduate of the law enforcement academy.

He was known to his friends as "CoCo," said his stepfather, B. Lonnie Ross of Jackson, adding that Tate was 12 when they met and already wanted to be a policeman.

"He was the most respectful young man you would meet. It was a pleasure to meet someone so gentle and nice," Ross said. "Everybody who met him liked him."

Jarvis Thompson, who knew Tate from childhood, said he wanted to be a policeman to make a difference in the black community.

"He wanted to become an officer because we've seen so much of our peers get killed or end up in jail," said Thompson, 24, of Starkville. "He was talking all the time about how he wanted to do better and make the place better."

Alberta Harris, who heads the Briarfield Neighborhood Association near the shooting site, said she knew both officers, and "both of them had a humble spirit. They cared about the people that they were serving and protecting."

At a news conference, Mayor Johnny DuPree asked the community to pull together.

"We want to ask everybody to pray for these families. We want everybody to pray for police officers not only here but around the United States," DuPree said.

A memorial service is planned for the two officers on Monday.

Tony Mozingo, a local judge, left red roses near the scene of the shooting.

"We all just are heartbroken because we know and work with these officers every day," said Mozingo, accompanied by his wife and two daughters.

At the nearby New Hope Baptist Church, the congregation prayed both for the slain officers and for their relatives during services Sunday morning -- Mother's Day.

"It's sad. It's just a tragedy, going from one mother to another," said Dorothy Thompson, wife of the pastor. "Every day is a bad day (for violence), but especially on a day like today."

It was the second time that two Hattiesburg police officers were killed together.

On March 9, 1952, Hattiesburg officers James Everett and M.W. Vinson Jr. were both gunned down as they chased suspects in a burglary at the Ace Weathers Motor Co., according to police records. They were the first two Hattiesburg officers killed in the line of duty, records show.

West Haven man charged with shooting woman in face with shotgun

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A woman was shot in the face with a shotgun Sunday morning after she had a fight with a man in a West Haven bar.

WEST HAVEN,CONN.— A West Haven man was arrested Sunday after police said he shot a woman in the face with a shotgun as she left a West Haven bar early that morning.

w.hartford shooting mug.jpgEDWARD CORRIDINO (Courtesy West Haven Police department) 

The Hartford Courant reported the victim was listed in stable condition after the attack.

West Haven police arrested Edward Corradino,47, of Campbell Ave. in West Haven Sunday evening, and charged him with two counts of criminal attempt to commit murder.

Police said the woman had had a fight with Corridino in Kelly's Bar on Campbell Street, and just before 3 a.m. she left the bar. Corridino waited outside for her and shot her in the face with a shotgun. Authorities found her on the sidewalk near the corner with Noble St., and she was transported to a local hospital.

Corridino was arrested later Sunday and charged with the two counts of attempted murder as well as two counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm, reckless endangerment, first-degree assault, attempted assault and breach of the peace.

Tom Brady suspended four games: Twitter reacts to New England Patriots' penalty after Wells Report

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The news of Tom Brady's four-game suspension immediately became the talk of Twitter on Monday evening. As the defending Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots will play in the league's season-opener on Thursday, Sept. 10 without their star quarterback. Here's how Twitter reacted to the news: [View the story "Tom Brady suspended four games: Twitter reacts" on Storify]

The news of Tom Brady's four-game suspension immediately became the talk of Twitter on Monday evening.

As the defending Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots will play in the league's season-opener on Thursday, Sept. 10 without their star quarterback.

Here's how Twitter reacted to the news:

Gloucester police chief to lobby federal officials for more drug fighting funds

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Starting next month, any addict who walks into the Gloucester police station with their drug paraphernalia and remaining drugs asking for help will not be charged, and will be guided toward a recovery program.

By MATT MURPHY

BOSTON - After signaling major changes to the way Gloucester police will handle drug addicts in that North Shore city, Gloucester Police Chief Leonard Campanello plans to travel to Washington D.C. on Tuesday to lobby federal officials for an increase in the share of money seized from drug dealers that gets earmarked locally for recovery and prevention.

Campanello plans to meet with U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, as well as U..S. Rep. Seth Moulton, of Salem, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Since publicizing his policy changes and travel plans on Facebook, nearly 2 million people have viewed his post.

"I will bring what Gloucester is accomplishing and challenge them to change, at the federal level, how we receive aid, support and assistance. I will bring the idea of how far Gloucester is willing to go to fight this disease and will ask them to hold federal agencies, insurance companies and big business accountable for building a support system that can eradicate opiate addiction and provide long-term, sustainable support to reduce recidivism," he wrote.

Republican Rep. Donald Wong, of Saugus, and Democrat Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, of Gloucester, plan to travel with Campanello.

Starting in June, any addict who walks into the Gloucester police station with their drug paraphernalia and remaining drugs asking for help will not be charged, and will be guided toward a recovery program.

Addison Gilbert Hospital and Lahey Clinic have committed to work with police to quickly process those seeking help, according to Campanello.

The police department has also reached an agreement with Conley's Drug Store and is working on one with CVS Pharmacy for the police to cover most or all of the cost of nasal Narcan, an overdose reversal medication available without a prescription, for those without insurance.

Police will use money seized from drug dealers to cover the cost of the drug. "We recognize that nasal narcan is not the answer, but it is saving lives and no one in this City will be denied a life saving drug for this disease just because of a lack of insurance," Campanello said.


Westfield's Stanley Park coming alive with color (photos)

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The colors of summer have started to bloom at Stanley Park in Westfield, which is already a showcase of color with tulips and other bulbs flaunting their hues like strutting peacocks.

WESTFIELD — The colors of summer have started to bloom at Stanley Park in Westfield. Opened for the season on May 2, the park is already a showcase of color with tulips and other bulbs flaunting their hues like strutting peacocks.

Sitting on 300 acres across from Westfield State University, Stanley Park was the vision of Frank Stanley Beveridge, the founder of Stanley Home Products in Westfield. Beveridge established a foundation in 1947, and two years later created the park on 25 acres across from what would later become the corporate headquarters of his company.

Director Bob McKean is looking forward to a wonderful season at the park. Thousands of flowers are waiting in the greenhouse to be planted, and McKean plans on using his $1.2 million operating budget to "Continue the grand legacy of the park."

He goes on to say, "We are looking forward to carrying on the benefaction of Mr. Beveridge and all the workers of Stanley Home Products."


Brockton residents to vote on $650 million casino plan

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The Brockton plan is competing with proposals in New Bedford and Somerset for Massachusetts' third and final resort casino license.

BROCKTON -- The fate of a proposed $650 million resort casino for the Brockton Fairgrounds rests with city voters.

The southeastern Massachusetts city, perhaps best known as the hometown of boxing great Rocky Marciano, is holding a special election Tuesday on the proposal, which calls for a red brick casino complex housing a 225-room hotel, an event center and a number of restaurants on about 45 acres.

Voter approval is a critical step for the project to be considered for a state gambling license. The Brockton plan is competing with proposals in New Bedford and Somerset for Massachusetts' third and final resort casino license.

Supporters say the project represents well-paid jobs and additional revenue for a city sorely needing both.

"What we have is spread very thin," said Brian Currivan, a city resident who was volunteering at the pro-casino "Yes for Brockton" campaign headquarters Monday afternoon. "The police department is so understaffed. The schools have teacher layoffs coming up. There are potholes that need fixing."

The project promises to create about 1,400 temporary construction jobs and 1,500 permanent casino jobs paying an average of $50,000 a year. Qualified Brockton residents would get hiring preference for casino jobs.

Additionally, Brockton's "host community agreement" requires the developers to pay the city $3 million upfront and at least $10 million a year when the casino opens its door.

Critics are concerned city youth will suffer: The casino would be located next to Brockton High School.

"The location is horrible. It's bad enough kids don't want to go to school. Now you're going to put a casino next door?" said Yvonne Pierre, who was among a trio of women on Main Street on Monday who said they opposed the plan. "Maybe if they wanted to put it elsewhere -- like the other side of town -- I wouldn't mind. I understand the job opportunities. But where it's at? That's just not right."

Opponents have been vastly outspent by Mass Gaming and Entertainment, the project's developer and a subsidiary of Rush Street Gaming, a Chicago-based company that operates casinos in Pennsylvania and Illinois.

The company has spent at least $1 million on campaign advertisements, staff and other costs; the opposition group "Stand UP for Brockton" has spent just over $3,000.

Massachusetts has already awarded resort casino licenses in the state's western and eastern regions: an $800 million MGM project in Springfield expected to open in late 2017 and a $1.7 billion Wynn Resorts project in Everett scheduled to open in 2018.

The state's final resort casino license is reserved for the southeast, a region that could become the state's most crowded.

Plainridge Park Casino, a slot parlor in nearby Plainville, says it's on track to open June 24.

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, meanwhile, is hoping the federal government designates land in Taunton as part of its tribal reservation so that it too can build a resort casino.

And the owners of Rhode Island's Newport Grand are contemplating moving the slot parlor closer to the Massachusetts state line. (Twin River Casino, the slot parlor's owners, is already located near the state line in Lincoln, Rhode Island.)

Lance George, Plainridge Park's general manager, said Monday he isn't too focused on the region's increasingly murky gambling picture.

He and slot parlor officials gave media a peek at the $250 million project, which already boasts a casino floor of some 1,250 video gambling machines, including electronic versions of traditional table games like blackjack, roulette and poker.

"I don't believe anyone at this point can tell you how this ultimately ends up," George said. "We're just going to do what we can out of the gates to control our circumstances."

 

Tom Brady's four-game suspension: New England QB's agent Don Yee promises appeal in statement

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Don Yee, the agent for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, released a statement Monday night in response to the NFL's four-game suspension. Here is the entire statement: "The discipline is ridiculous and has no legitimate basis. In my opinion, this outcome was pre-determined; there was no fairness in the Wells investigation whatsoever. There is no evidence that Tom directed...

Don Yee, the agent for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, released a statement Monday night in response to the NFL's four-game suspension.

Here is the entire statement:

"The discipline is ridiculous and has no legitimate basis. In my opinion, this outcome was pre-determined; there was no fairness in the Wells investigation whatsoever. There is no evidence that Tom directed footballs be set at pressures below the allowable limits. In fact, the evidence shows Tom clearly emphasized that footballs be set at pressures within the rules. Tom also cooperated with the investigation and answered every question presented to him. The Wells Report presents significant evidence, however, that the NFL lacks standards or protocols with respect to its handling of footballs prior to games; this is not the fault of Tom or the Patriots. The report also presents significant evidence the NFL participated with the Colts in some type of pre-AFC Championship Game planning regarding the footballs. This fact may raise serious questions about the integrity of the games we view on Sundays. We will appeal, and if the hearing officer is completely independent and neutral, I am very confident the Wells Report will be exposed as an incredibly frail exercise in fact-finding and logic. The NFL has a well-documented history of making poor disciplinary decisions that often are overturned when truly independent and neutral judges or arbitrators preside, and a former federal judge has found the commissioner has abused his discretion in the past, so this outcome does not surprise me. Sadly, today's decision diminishes the NFL as it tells its fans, players and coaches that the games on the field don't count as much as the games played on Park Avenue."

Gas prices rise another 4 cents per gallon in Massachusetts

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AAA found self-serve, regular selling for as low as $2.39 per gallon and as high as $2.79.

BOSTON -- Massachusetts gas prices are on the rise again, up another 4 cents per gallon on average in the past week.

AAA Northeast reported Monday that the average cost of a gallon of self-serve, regular is now $2.64.

The current price is 30 cents higher than a month ago but still $1.02 lower than at this time last year.

Massachusetts per gallon prices are also 2 cents lower than the national average.

AAA found self-serve, regular selling for as low as $2.39 per gallon and as high as $2.79.

Holyoke Councilors to consider auto-dealer zone changes including Gary Rome Hyundai

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Gary Rome Hyundai's $10 million million dealership would produce 50 new jobs, Rome said.

HOLYOKE -- The eastern side of Whiting Farms Road could get a step closer Tuesday (May 12) to getting auto dealerships in plans that include a $10 million Gary Rome Hyundai facility.

The City Council Ordinance Committee will consider Planning Board recommendations on three zone-change petitions at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.

The board has recommended that the City Council grant Gary Rome Hyundai a zone change to Business Highway from the current Business General, which prohibits an auto dealership. Rome wants to build a $10 million dealership on nearly 19 acres across from Autumn and Lynch drives owned by the Holyoke Gas and Electric Department (HGE).

Rome has a deal to buy the property from HGE for $2,050,000 contingent on getting the zone change.

The Planning Board voted 5-0 to recommend the full council grant the zone change, said Marcos A. Marrero, director of the city Department of Planning and Economic Development.

The board also voted 5-0 to recommend the City Council reject a petition residents filed to change the zone of the same property Rome is targeting to a designation called RM-20, Marrero said. That stands for Multi-Family Residence at 20 units per acre. The uses are generally housing with limited commercial uses like bed and breakfast, funeral home, hospital and nursing home.

Also, the board with one member recused from voting decided in a 3-1 vote to recommend the City Council grant James P. Lavelle Jr. a zone change to Business Highway from the current Business General to allow for auto sales at the family-run JP's Restaurant & Sports Bar at 200 Whiting Farms Road, Marrero said.

Lavelle would sell a maximum of four vehicles at a time at the site, he told the Ordinance Committee and Planning Board.

The Ordinance Committee will consider the Planning Board recommendations in voting its own own recommendation to the full City Council, which has authority over zone changes.

Most speakers at a crowded public hearing praised Rome's plan, which Rome said would produce 50 new full-time jobs, some part-time jobs and thousands of dollars to the city annually in property tax revenue.

Among those urging the City Council to grant the zone change to Rome have been Mayor Alex B. Morse and Kathleen G. Anderson, president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce.

Gary Rome Hyundai currently is at 1000 Main St. here and has Rome said that business would stay open regardless of whether he is able to build a new one.

But some residents, with former city councilor Helen F. Norris as lead proponent, argued instead for the RM-20 zoning designation. They said auto dealerships like the proposals from Rome and Lavelle are incompatible with what they said is a mostly residential area.

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