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Former Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley lands job at Boston law firm

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Coakley, who ran unsuccessfully for governor last year, is joining Foley Hoag.

BOSTON -- Martha Coakley, the former Massachusetts attorney general who also ran unsuccessfully for governor and the U.S. Senate, has joined a Boston law firm.

Foley Hoag said in a statement Wednesday that Coakley will work in several areas, including health care, education, energy, and "government and internal investigations."

Coakley served two terms as Middlesex district attorney and two terms as attorney general. She was the 2014 Democratic nominee for governor, losing a close race to Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.

In 2010, Coakley lost to Republican Scott Brown in a special election to succeed the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy.

Coakley says she's looking forward to pursuing interests she worked on in government, while branching out to new areas.

She says Foley Hoag has shown a commitment to important social issues.


Westfield will observe Memorial Day with parade

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Marchers will gather at Mestek Company on North Elm Street at 9 a.m..

WESTFIELD - This city will observe Memorial Day Monday with a parade from North Elm Street to Parker Memorial Park where memorial services will be held.

City Veterans Organizations will lead the field of march followed by city officials and various civic and community groups.

Marchers will gather at 9 a.m. near Mestek Company on North Elm Street. The parade will begin at 10 a.m.. Marchers will march across the Great River Bridge onto Elm Street, continue to Broad Street and onto West Silver Street to Parker Memorial Park.

Following services at Parker Memorial Park, American Legion Post 124 will march the route in reverse to the post home on Broad Street where additional ceremonies will be held.

Hartford teenager killed in shooting; city's homicide count rises to 10

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After a teenager was died from a gunshot wound on Wednesday, Hartford's homicide count rose to 10, tying Springfield's.

HARTFORD — Connecticut's capital city has caught up to Springfield after a teenager died on Wednesday, becoming Hartford's 10th homicide victim of the year. Springfield reached that number on May 12, when 25-year-old Monique Van Zandt was fatally stabbed by her boyfriend in the Lower Liberty Heights neighborhood.

In Hartford, 17-year-old Mariano Gonzalez was shot in the head Tuesday night and succumbed to his injuries early Wednesday, Hartford police said. Deputy Police Chief Brian J. Foley, chief of detectives, said the "homicide investigation is ongoing."

Gonzalez was fatally shot near 122 Irving St., which is between Mather Street and Albany Avenue. The city teen was the third homicide victim since Saturday, when two people were killed within the span of a few hours. Michael Clahar, 28, of Hartford, was killed early Saturday on Mary Shepard Place, and Rashad Collier, 27, of West Hartford, was killed a couple of hours later at George and South streets in the city's South End, the Hartford Courant reports.

In Springfield, meanwhile, a man remains on life-support at a city hospital after being shot in the head in Lower Liberty Heights on Monday. The victim has a bullet lodged in his brain and his prognosis for recovery isn't good, according to police.



 

UMass professor Astrid Schween to join Julliard School's string quartet

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Astrid Schween, a Julliard graduate, was appointed to the Umass faculty in 2004

AMHERST - Cello virtuoso, teacher, recording artist and visiting assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts, Astrid Schween, will be joining the faculty at one of the most prestigious performing arts conservatories next year, the Julliard School, and will join the school's string quartet.

Astrid Schween.jpgAstrid Schween 
She is also on the faculty at Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Connecticut's Hartt School of Music.

The Julliard School's president this week announced Schween's appointment, and confirmed she would become cellist with the world-renowned Julliard String Quartet, replacing Joel Krosnick who plans to retire after 42 years with the ensemble. The quarter formed in 1946 under the guidance of American composer and college president William Schuman.

Schween, a Julliard graduate, was appointed to the UMass faculty in 2004.

"The Juilliard community is delighted to welcome cellist Astrid Schween back to Juilliard as the newest member of the Juilliard String Quartet and an esteemed faculty member. She brings remarkable artistry to her new role. We look forward to the fall 2016 semester, when she will join the ensemble and begin teaching at the school," President Joseph W. Polisi said on Tuesday.

"It is a great honor to join the JSQ," she said.

Yesterday's top stories: Officials say record-breaking drug bust shuts down heroin supplier, motorcycle crash victim was to graduate today, and more

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Aaron Hernandez is being disciplined for his role in a gang-related fight between two other inmates at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center, according to CNN.

These were the most read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now. This most popular photo gallery was the one showing six beachfront cottages for sale on Cape Cod, above.

1) Record-breaking drug bust in NYC shuts down major heroin supplier in Massachusetts, Connecticut: DEA officials [Patrick Johnson]

2) Brian Tangney Jr., killed in Worcester motorcycle crash, was set to graduate from Quinsigamond Community College Thursday [Scott J. Croteau]

3) Report: Aaron Hernandez served as lookout in gang-related prison fight [Brian Steele]

4) Holyoke police arrest 3 students at city schools Tuesday, one for reportedly carrying bullet [Michelle Williams]

5) Northampton police seek public's help with ID of suspect in downtown attack on 2 women [Patrick Johnson]

Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz: Health insurance not major factor in fiscal 2016 city budget

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The $103.1 million budget includes the water, sewer, solid waste and storm water enterprise funds and represents a 1.28 percent decrease from the $103.9 million fiscal 2015 budget.

NORTHAMPTON — Mayor David J. Narkewicz has released his fiscal 2016 budget and will offer it to the City Council for a vote in June.

The $103.1 million budget includes the water, sewer, solid waste and storm water enterprise funds and represents a 1.28 percent decrease from the $103.9 million fiscal 2015 budget. Narkewicz has also redistributed money from the $2.3 million override that voters approved in 2013 so that the city will remain financially stable until 2020.

Previously, the override money would have maintained level services and prevented another override until 2018. He has done this by putting revenues into the Fiscal Stability Stabilization Fund, which will be depleted by 2022. At that time, Northampton will probably face staffing and service cuts without another override.

Health insurance, an annual budget nightmare because of its rising cost, was not a major factor this year, Narkewicz said, because the city moved into the state health care system.

"That had been one of our biggest cost drivers," he said in a meeting with the media on Wednesday.

The biggest dents in the fiscal 2016 budget were from schools, which will require an additional $936,880, the retirement fund, which will go up by $400,052 and the Police Department budget, which will increase by $334,420. Much of that increase, the mayor said, is due to negotiated salary increases and a revised policy that will replace four cruisers every year instead of three. The city's charter school bill also rose by 14 percent, or $330,911.

The enterprise funds, meanwhile, have decreased by 19.5 percent because big payment items, such as the closing of the Glendale Road landfill, are behind taxpayers. Narkewicz also froze the water and sewer rates after an emotional meeting in which residents said they can no longer afford to live in Northampton.

The mayor is also working on a Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT program aimed at getting non-profit institutions, which don't pay taxes, to voluntarily pay 25 percent of what their property taxes would be. Boston, he said, has such a program and it provided $15 million last year.

State Rep. Steven Kulik, D-Worthington, is sponsoring a bill in the Legislature that would require non-profits to pay their communities 25 percent of their estimated taxes.

The City Council will take two votes on the budget in its June meetings.


Holyoke capital plan envisions $3.7 million for trash collection, police cars, roads

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At more than $2.6 million, most of the capital plan for next year has already been funded with state and federal money.

HOLYOKE -- Mayor Alex B. Morse has presented a five-year capital plan that includes spending $3.7 million for items like a new trash collection system, police cars, playground equipment and road paving.

"If approved, this will have a beneficial impact in each ward of Holyoke," Morse said in a May 14 letter to the City Council.

Morse submitted the capital plan with the $125.9 million budget he is proposing to run the city in the fiscal year that begins July 1. The City Council will begin hearings on the proposed budget June 1.

The capital items for the next fiscal year total more than $3.7 million. Of the total, funding is available for more than $2.6 million of the items from road-repair, or Chapter 90, funds from the state, and federal Community Development Block Grants, he said.

The remaining approximately $1,080,000 for the capital items planned for the next fiscal year could be paid for using free cash, he said. Free cash is the money that the state Department of Revenue certifies is available to the city in unspent money from the previous fiscal year. That certification usually comes around September.

Stretching to the year 2020, the capital plan envisions spending on numerous items from street cameras, new Police and Fire department radios and snow plows, to office copiers, roof repairs and more road paving. The goal of the plan is to prepare funding so equipment can be replaced periodically and avoid surprise expenses if possible.

Morse's plan was praised by the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and the Holyoke Taxpayers Association, and a financial advisory board to the city consisting of members of those two groups.

"The proposed five-year Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) is an excellent first step in multiyear planning. As expected, needs far outstrip available resources, but the efforts to review projects and capital equipment needs over a longer time frame will help city officials develop strategies to expand the capital renewal program," the business groups said in a May 12 letter to City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain.

The items under the $1,080,000 that would come from a free-cash transfer include $475,000 to buy rolling trash barrels for every home in the city. The goal is that this would save money by making trash collection faster with a unified system. It also would encourage people to recycle because the container would limit how much trash could be left for pickup instead of people potentially leaving numerous trash bags curbside, Morse said.

Other items in the as-yet-unfunded list are:

--$225,000 for a garbage truck

--$150,000 for computer servers

--$126,000 for three police cruisers

--$43,000 for a litter vacuum

--$36,000 for a riding lawn mower for the forestry division of the Department of Public Works

--$25,000 for a four-wheel drive SUV for the Department of Public Works (DPW)

Here are the items on the capital plan for the next fiscal year for which funding is identified:

--$1.6 million for road paving

--$375,000 for sidewalk repairs

--$190,000 for a "Center City" pavilion

--$155,000 Pina Park playscape on Center Street

--$150,000 for improvements to Pulaski Park along the Connecticut River

--$75,000 for South Street pedestrian signals

--$65,000 for "hot box and roller" equipment for the DPW highway division

--$50,000 for litter containers in parks

--$26,000 for a pickup truck for DPW

Springfield man with 3 drunk driving convictions facing 4th charge

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In court records, Bailey is described as a Springfield native, unemployed and receiving Social Security disability payments. He is listed at 6 feet tall, 210 pounds and appeared to wearing basketball clothes during his arraignment.

SPRINGFIELD - When a police officer asked for his license, David S. Bailey handed over his ATM card instead.

Moments later, after stumbling from his vehicle, Bailey refused to take a field sobriety test, according to court records.

"He told me not to (expletive) with him," Springfield patrolman James Donovan wrote in his arrest report.

The encounter on April 17 led to Bailey's arrest for operating under the influence of liquor, fourth offense.

During his arraignment in Springfield District Court, the 54-year-old Springfield man pleaded innocent and was ordered held on bail at the Hampden County House of Correction.

During a pretrial conference Wednesday, Judge Robert Gordon continued the case to June 29 and transferred Bailey to the Hampshire County House of Correction at the request of defense lawyer Dennis Powers.

A prosecutor said Bailey will likely be indicted by a grand jury in a few weeks, causing the case to be transferred to Superior Court.

In court records, Bailey is described as a Springfield native, unemployed and receiving Social Security disability payments.

He is listed at 6 feet tall, 210 pounds and appeared to wearing basketball clothes during his arraignment.

Bailey was convicted on drunken driving charges in 1992, 1996 and 2001, according to court records; no sentencing information was available Wednesday.

His latest arrest came after a St. James Avenue resident called police about 7:30 p.m. on April 17 to report that a black Nissan Maxima had been parked outside her house for nearly an hour, with music blasting from its radio.

The car's engine was running, its lights were on and the driver appeared to be drunk, the woman told police.

When police arrived, Bailey seemed surprised, according to the arrest report.

"It took him a few seconds to open his eyes. He then asked me in a very slurred voice what the problem was," Donovan wrote in the report.

The driver's eyes were glassy, he smelled of alcohol and his balance was so poor that Donovan had to help him avoid falling, the report states.

Following his arrest, Bailey refused a breathalyzer test and challenged several officers to a fight at the police station, the report states.

Under state law, anyone convicted of a fourth drunken driving offense faces a one-year mandatory jail term and as much as five years in state prison.

A conviction also carries a 10-year license suspension and a fine of up to $25,000.

 

Memorial Day 2015: Travel tips, traffic, gas prices, what's open and closed

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According to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report for Springfield, a gallon of regular now sells for $2.65. That is up from $2.63 a week ago and $2.47 a month ago. but it is lower than $3.66 a year ago. The record high was $4.08 in July 2008.

Memorial Day is a time to remember those who gave their lives in our nation's service.

And over the years, Memorial Day Weekend also developed into the first weekend of summer and for many people a chance to get away to the beach or mountains.

Here are a few things to keep in mind this Memorial Day 2015 weekend:

Traffic

AAA projects that 37.2 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home. That's a 4.7 percent increase from the 35.5 million people who traveled last year and the highest travel volume for the holiday in 10 years. Of those,  33 million travelers will be driving to their destinations.

Gas Prices

According to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report for Springfield, a gallon of regular gasoline now sells for $2.65. That is up from $2.63 a week ago and $2.47 a month ago, but it is lower than $3.66 a year ago. The record high was $4.08 in July 2008.

MassDOT on the Highways

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation said travelers should expect high travel volumes Thursday, Friday and Monday and motorists should try and avoid traveling between 1 and 7 p.m. on those three days.

Traffic is expected to be especially heavy on the Massachusetts Turnpike at the Interstate 84 interchange at Exit 9 in Sturbridge on Friday and at Exit 11A of  Interstate 495, which handles cars headed south to Cape Cod and north to New Hampshire and Maine. 

Live traffic cameras are available at www.eot.state.ma.us/.

Trains and buses

  • The MBTA will operate buses, subways and commuter rail on a Sunday schedule on Memorial Day.
  • The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority will operate all Springfield-area routes Monday on a Sunday schedule. In Northampton, routes B43, B48 and R44 will operate on Sunday service schedule and there will be no service on R41, R42 and X98. There will be no UMass Transit Routes on Monday.
  • The Franklin Regional Transit Authority, which normally doesn't even have weekend service at all, will not run on Monday either.
  • The MBTA CapeFLYER (www.capeflyer.com ) weekend rail service to Cape Cod and the Islands resumes Friday and runs through Labor Day.
  • The CapeFLYER has also announced that for the second year, veterans and active service members may ride the train to Cape Cod for free on the Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend.
  • Amtrak said service along the Northeast Corridor has been fully restored following the recent deadly crash in Philadelphia.
  • Peter Pan Bus Lines said buses will depart as scheduled over the Memorial Day holiday. But lease be advised that schedules are subject to change and delays are anticipated due to traffic. A detailed schedule is available here.

Bradley International Airport:

The Connecticut Airport Authority is expecting a 5-percent to 10-percent uptick in passenger traffic starting Thursday. The airport authority asks that passengers plan for delays and keep in touch with their airline.

The TSA is asking travelers be aware of possible delays at the

Travelers can use the "Can I bring my..." app to check what is and is not allowed on a plane.

What is open, what is closed

Memorial Day is a legal holiday in Massachusetts. State offices are closed. Liquor stores are closed. But some retailers remain open.

At Big Y, all Stores will be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pharmacies will be open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At Stop & Shop, all stores will be open until 9 p.m .on Monday. They will re-open for normal business hours on Tuesday, May 26.

Pharmacies will be open until 3 p.m. on Memorial Day.

The Holyoke Mall will be open on Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The following stores will be open for extended hours:

  • Macy's will be open from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
  • Target will be open from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
  • Best Buy will be open from 10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
  • JCPenney will be open from 10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
  • Sears will be open from 9:30 a.m. -9:30 p.m.
  • Babies R Us will be open from 10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
  • Uno's will be open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
  • Ninety-Nine will be open from 11 a.m. -10:30 p.m.
  • Ruby Tuesday will be open from 11 a.m. -10 p.m.
  • Burlington Coat Factory will be open from 9:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

The mall will be open regular hours on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Weather

Nick Morganelli, meteorologist for Western Mass News, television partner of The Republican and MassLive, said it should be pretty nice outside.

Another cold front will come through Friday afternoon making for a slightly chilly Saturday. But the weather warms up to get close to 80 on Sunday and Monday.

It will be dry, except for Monday night when Morganelli  is now predicting clouds with a chance of a shower.

Beachgoers need to be reminded that the water is still pretty cold, probably in the 50s.

"But it will be sunny," Morganelli said. "Be sure to pack your sunscreen."

 

Photos, video: Childs Park in Northampton blooms with planting of 7,642 flowers

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Childs Park superintendent Bob Lambron and a crew of five will make sure the park's formal garden is fully planted for upcoming weddings and events and that the rest of the park is ready for Memorial Day. Watch video

NORTHAMPTON — Wednesday was a beautiful day in Northampton to plant flowers – 7,642 flowers to be exact.

Childs Park superintendent Bob Lambron is exact, to say the least.

Lambron and a crew of five will plant all the flowers in three to four days, depending on weather. They will make sure the park's formal garden is fully planted for upcoming weddings and events and that the rest of the park is ready for Memorial Day.

Lambron said they were planting mainly marigolds to handle the dry conditions along with zinnias and salvia for accent colors.

According to Lambron, they will work as long as their backs hold out.


Judge tells man who pointed gun at Springfield cops 'you would be dead' if not for their discipline

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Daneshell Cruz of Springfield was sentenced to two to three years to state prison after admitting to pointing loaded gun at police officers.

SPRINGFIELD — Hampden Superior Court Judge Constance M. Sweeney had solemn words for Daneshell Cruz, who had just admitted to pointing a loaded gun at two police officers responding to a domestic disturbance.

"You displayed a handgun to police," she said Wednesday, saying Officers Christopher Collins and David Robillard are "highly disciplined officers."

daneshell cruz.jpgDaneshell Cruz 

If it were not for their discipline, Sweeney said, "You wouldn't have been here. You would be dead."

Assistant District Attorney Melissa G. Doran said Collins grabbed Cruz's hand that was holding the firearm, and there was a struggle. While Collins attempted to reholster his service weapon, Cruz's hand was either on top of Collins' gun or Collins' hand.

Doran said a round from Collins' gun was discharged in the struggle, but Collins is not sure if his hand or Cruz's hand fired the round, which did not hit anyone.

Cruz was found to have the semi-automatic pistol with a pink grip loaded with six bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber, Doran said.

Sweeney sentenced Cruz to two to three years in state prison, although she said she would recommend to the state Department of Corrections he be allowed to serve the sentence in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow.

Judges can only make that recommendation; there is no guarantee it will happen. Defense lawyer Jared Olanoff said given Cruz's young age of 21 and minor record, state prison would be "a daunting place for him."

The sentence will be followed by two years of probation.

Doran said on March 26, 2014, at about 7:35 p.m. police were called to 56 Fort Pleasant Ave. for "a domestic in progress." They were met by a woman who said her boyfriend had been in a heated and violent argument with her in her car.

She thought he fled the area, but Collins and Robillard brought her to her apartment rather than let her go alone.

The officers heard two male voices on the other side of the door, which was damaged.

They heard a male voice say, "Just open the door," and Robillard pushed the woman out of the way. Cruz stepped into the doorway with the gun at his waist, and then he raised it, Doran said.

That was when Collins grabbed the hand with the gun.

"The defendant was lucky Officer Collins chose to grab the firearm rather than fire his weapon," Doran said. "This was a very dangerous incident for everyone."

She said Cruz's record including a conviction for possessing a bullet.

Olanoff said from ages 2 to 6, Cruz saw his father physically abuse his mother. Cruz had depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder beginning in high school. Olanoff said the only positive influence Cruz has had was his mother, who was in the courtroom.

Cruz pleaded guilty to carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a firearm without a license and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

Charges of breaking and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony, malicious damage to a motor vehicle and assault and battery were dropped.


Incoming UMass president Marty Meehan accepts 5-year contract

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Under his contract, Meehan's salary will start at $525,000 and rise to $602,500 in his fifth year.

By MATT MURPHY

BOSTON - University of Massachusetts Lowell Chancellor Martin Meehan has agreed to a five-year contract to lead the UMass system as its next president with an annual base salary that escalates from $525,000 starting in July to $602,500 in the final year.

Meehan, the former Democratic Congressman from Lowell, was selected by the university trustees earlier this month to fill the presidency being vacated by UMass President Robert Caret, who is leaving to take over the University of Maryland system.

"I am pleased to have completed this step and to now be able to focus fully on the important business ahead. This is my dream job and I am excited to get started," Meehan said in a prepared statement.

The contract would entitle Meehan to annual performance bonuses not to exceed 11 percent of his annual salary, as well as a supplemental retirement annuity equal to 18 percent of his base pay each year.

UMass Board of Trustees Chairman Victor Woolridge, in a letter to the board outlining the deal, called it a "fair, competitive" contract in line with what other peer institutions are paying their leaders while still "fiscally responsible and in the best interests of the UMass system."

"As we prepare for our moment of presidential transition, I believe it is clear that the University of Massachusetts will be seeing in Marty Meehan a leader whose experience, passion and record of achievement makes him an outstanding choice and whose skills and attributes will serve us extraordinarily well in the years ahead," Woolridge said.

Meehan's base salary in fiscal 2015 will equal what Caret was supposed to be paid under the five-year deal he signed last fall, but while Caret's pay was due to climb $25,000 a year, Meehan's salary will increase at a slightly slower rate. Caret was due to be paid $600,000 for the final year of his deal starting July 1, 2018, but Meehan will earn $582,077 in that year, his fourth.

Under the terms of the deal, Meehan's performance will be evaluated annually based on goals and objectives set for himself and by the chair of the board, including but not limited to improving diversity among the students body and staff, increasing the number of donors to UMass and meeting fundraising goals, improving graduation rates and offering more three-year degree programs, supporting partnerships with community colleges, improving the national standing of the university's professional degree programs and working with the board and the state to develop a stable funding model.

The university has also agreed to lease a vehicle for Meehan "suitable for his role as president," or provide a car allowance of $12,500 per year, and to give the Andover resident a $60,000 a year housing stipend that cannot be counted as compensation toward a retirement pension.

Should Meehan decided to leave UMass before his contract expires, the incoming president would be required to pay back a portion of his salary starting at $125,000 if he leaves before the first year is up and decreasing to $50,000 if he were to leave for another job in the last year of the contract.

Meehan has said he made a commitment to stay at UMass long-term.

Photos: The Western Massachusetts News party at Holyoke's Log Cabin and Banquet House

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HOLYOKE - The Western Massachusetts News party was held Thursday, May 21, 2015 at the Log Cabin and Banquet House in Holyoke. The party was celebrating the unification of the three newsrooms of CBS3, ABC40 and Fox61 into one local news gathering organization - The Western Massachusetts News.

HOLYOKE - The Western Massachusetts News party was held Thursday, May 21, 2015 at the Log Cabin and Banquet House in Holyoke.

The party was celebrating the unification of the three newsrooms of CBS3, ABC40 and Fox61 into one local news gathering organization - The Western Massachusetts News.

Connecticut casino bill passes Senate, paving way for possible future facility to compete with MGM Springfield

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The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration, although the level of support in that chamber remains unclear, according to reports. Watch video

Click HERE for related coverage by MassLive / The Republican.



HARTFORD, Conn. — The Connecticut state Senate voted Wednesday on a bill that could eventually pave the way for the state's two federally recognized Indian tribes to open a new casino to counter the threat posed by MGM Springfield – the $800 million project poised to make Springfield a contender in the contest to become New England's gaming capital.

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration, although the level of support in that chamber remains unclear, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

In a 20-16 vote, the Senate narrowly passed the revised bill, which scaled back the number of possible new Connecticut casinos from three to one. The bill would allow towns to submit proposals for a casino that would be jointly operated by the tribes, according to the Hartford Courant.

House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, said the House of Representatives has yet to take any preliminary votes on the matter, but House Democrats are expected to hold a closed-door meeting next week to discuss the casino bill.

The original bill had proposed up to three satellite casinos to preserve Connecticut's status as New England's gambling mecca, fending off competition from MGM's project just north of the Connecticut border.

Revenue lost to MGM Springfield is projected to translate into job losses at Connecticut's two casinos – Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun – although proponents believe that adding a new slot parlor casino to the state's landscape could help retain Connecticut jobs and stanch the flow of gamblers to Massachusetts.

Sharkey was unenthusiastic about the original casino bill but is receptive to its retooled version, the AP reports. "I think this is just a very preliminary step designed to figure out how the tribes might consider expanding if, in fact, other things fall into place," he said.

The most likely site for a new Connecticut casino is somewhere in Hartford County near the Massachusetts border, according to backers of expanded gaming opportunities in the Nutmeg State. But any plans that emerge would need tribal and community agreements and approval by the Legislature, including amending state law to allow gambling at sites not located on Connecticut's two Indian reservations.

Some local Connecticut leaders have expressed interest in establishing a new slot parlor casino in Windsor Locks, East Windsor or East Hartford, though concrete plans have yet to materialize.

Ted Taylor, president of Sportech Venues – the British-based company that operates the 10,000-square-foot Bobby V's Restaurant & Sports Bar and Off Track Betting facility at the Bradley Teletheater – supports the idea of expanding the existing multimillion-dollar facility near the airport in Windsor Locks to include a slot parlor to compete with MGM.

"We're still discussing the various different options that may be appropriate," he told MassLive / The Republican last week. Taylor said the Windsor Locks venue – home to the region's largest sports bar, with dozens of big-screen TVs, a golf simulator and the OTB facility – would be an ideal spot for slot machines. His desire, he said, is to protect the interests of Sportech and its Connecticut workers.

Windsor Locks First Selectman Steven N. Wawruck Jr. and state Rep. Peggy Sayers, a Windsor Locks Democrat who was born in Springfield, are among the supporters of bringing a slot parlor to Windsor Locks. They say the Bradley Airport corridor is the logical location to expand Connecticut's gaming industry, keeping the state viable in the increasingly crowded Northeast casino market.

"To me, it's a win-win situation here in Windsor Locks," Wawruck told MassLive / The Republican in an interview last week. The addition of a slots parlor at Bobby V's would be an "extension of what's already there," he said. "Gambling is in place; let's just expand it to the slots."

Sayers believes expanding the existing Bobby V's footprint, horizontally and vertically, "would create something unique for Connecticut." The sports bar and neighboring OTB betting parlor at the Bradley Teletheater was one of the strongest local developments in recent years, she said.

Meanwhile, others are questioning the rush to expand gaming opportunities in Connecticut while the state's cut of the action continues to crumble.

Tribal payments to the state, a requirement of a revenue-sharing deal, have continued to decline since peaking at $430 million in fiscal 2007, the Courant reports. That total is projected to drop to $189 million in fiscal 2018 due to MGM Springfield, slated to open in 2017, and competition from New York state slot parlors.


Tawdry testimony of ex-Lee innkeeper continues on day 2 of federal trial of former Police Chief Joseph Buffis

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SPRINGFIELD - Thursday yielded the second day of testimony in U.S. District Court about a quiet prostitution enterprise in Lee, a hilly hamlet that attracts thousands of out-of-state visitors looking to soak up the fine arts and landscape of the Berkshires. The now-defunct Inn at Laurel Lake provided that, but also was once a hub for "swing parties," according to...

SPRINGFIELD - Thursday yielded the second day of testimony in U.S. District Court about a quiet prostitution enterprise in Lee, a hilly hamlet that attracts thousands of out-of-state visitors looking to soak up the fine arts and landscape of the Berkshires.

The now-defunct Inn at Laurel Lake provided that, but also was once a hub for "swing parties," according to its onetime proprieter.

Then-owner Thomas Fusco testified in the ongoing extortion and money-laundering trial of former Lee Police Chief Joseph Buffis.

Fusco was the third witness to take the stand in the prosecution's case and his testimony spanned most of the day. He told jurors that running the pretty 19-room inn was a yearly crap shoot with long, cold winters and astronomical heating bills offset by hopeful but uncertain tourist seasons.

So, his wife's suggestion to supplement their annual revenues with a sex business didn't seem like a bad one.

Buffis is accused of squeezing a $4,000 "donation" out of Fusco and his wife in exchange for shelving a prostitution investigation into the couple's enterprise. Fusco's wife, Tara Viola, had been caught up in a police sting. She testified on Wednesday that she launched a side business at the inn in 2011 to offer sex and massages for $200 an hour.

Buffis intervened and arranged for the charges to be dismissed after the couple agreed to pay the money to a specific police-sponsored charity at his urging, according to both Viola and Fusco. Prosecutors have argued that money - plus tens of thousands more - ended up in Buffis' pocket instead.

Buffis also is charged with money-laundering and wire fraud in connection with allegedly cycling thousands of dollars through the Laliberte Toy Fund into his own bank accounts. Federal investigators say he paid for his daughter's college tuition, his son's budding motocross career, his credit cards and other personal expenses with the money destined for the charity.

Buffis has denied committing any crimes. His defense lawyer has argued that Buffis was simply disorganized and a bad bookkeeper who didn't retain receipts. His trial began on Wednesday morning.

Viola testified she began offering "happy ending massages" to help bring more money into the household. She also told jurors that her husband was in favor of the idea and helped her take come-hither photos to advertise the business on Backpage.com and Craigslist.

Fusco on Thursday told jurors that he thought her prostitution initiative "wasn't a big deal" because the two had been involved in "a lifestyle" for some time.

"What sort of lifestyle was that?" Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow asked Fusco.

"We were involved in a swinging lifestyle ... myself more than Tara," Fusco said.

"Can you tell the jury what a swinging lifestyle means?" Breslow asked.

"If couples meet ... and they like each other, they can have intercourse," Fusco said.

He told jurors under questioning that he and Viola established a swingers network of around 250 couples including lawyers, doctors, teachers, sales executives, electricians, and even a state police officer.

He and Viola met other couples on a swingers website, he said, and they took great pains to hide their pastime from their six children and the community. Fusco testified that they hosted "swinging parties" a few times a year at the inn, but also took care to keep those gatherings private and unsuspecting customers at bay.

"For obvious reasons," he told Breslow, who asked what might those be.

"Well, there's loud dance music ... and it's not exactly the kind of thing you expect to see at a bed and breakfast," Fusco answered.

Fusco further testified that he and his wife were so anxious to get rid of the potential criminal charges that they showed up at a magistrate hearing in a Great Barrington court on Feb. 21, 2012 with a blank check and no lawyer. Buffis met them with a pre-drafted agreement for the $4,000 donation, which included a confidentiality clause.

In 2012, Viola and Fusco were charged with several crimes in Southern Berkshire District Court related to the alleged prostitution business at the inn; those are pending.

Fusco became emotional on the witness stand while talking about his family, saying he wanted to protect them from the start of the investigation.

"It just felt like the world was collapsing around me. For most of my life I was an anonymous guy," said Fusco, who was once a youth sports coach (including for Buffis' daughter) and a Boy Scout volunteer.

Under cross-examination, Fusco conceded he was fully in favor of the agreement Buffis had offered.

"This was a really nice break that he was giving you," defense lawyer Lori Levinson asked.

"Yes," Fusco responded.

"And he was giving you guys a second chance?" Levinson continued.

"Yes," Fusco said.

"And you assured him: you will never see us again ... And you meant that with every inch of yourself?" Levinson pressed.

"And even more," Fusco testified.

Testimony will resume on Tuesday in U.S. District Court.


Daron Dylon Wint, suspect in killings of wealthy DC family, arrested

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Police have not detailed why Wint would want to kill 46-year-old Savvas Savopoulos; his 47-year-old wife, Amy; their son, Philip; and housekeeper Veralicia Figueroa. Three of them had been stabbed or bludgeoned before the fire.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An ex-convict accused in the slayings of a wealthy Washington family and their housekeeper was arrested Thursday, a week after authorities said the family was killed and their mansion was set on fire.

Daron Dylon Wint, 34, was arrested in northeast Washington around 11 p.m. Thursday by members of a fugitive task force and charged with first-degree murder while armed, D.C. police and the U.S. Marshals Service said. Investigators had previously been seeking him in New York City.

Police have not detailed why Wint would want to kill 46-year-old Savvas Savopoulos; his 47-year-old wife, Amy; their son, Philip; and housekeeper Veralicia Figueroa. Three of the four victims had been stabbed or bludgeoned before the fire.

Police said Thursday that Wint, a certified welder, worked for Savopoulos' company, American Iron Works, in the past. Savopoulos was the CEO of American Iron Works, a construction-materials supplier based in Hyattsville, Maryland, that has been involved in major projects in downtown Washington.

Police said Thursday that they haven't ruled out the possibility that other people were involved in the slayings, but no other suspects have been identified.

Wint was born and raised in Guyana and moved to the United States in 2000, when he was almost 20 years old, according to court records filed in Maryland. He joined the Marine Corps that same year and was discharged for medical reasons, the records show. Following his discharge, he worked as a certified welder, the records show.

The Savopouloses lived in a $4.5 million home in Woodley Park, a neighborhood where mansions are protected by fences and elaborate security systems and local and federal law enforcement officers are a constant presence, in part because Vice President Joe Biden's official residence is nearby.

Text messages and voicemails from the Savopouloses to their confused and frightened household staff suggest something was amiss in the house many hours before the bodies were found. Their blue Porsche turned up in suburban Maryland hours after the slayings. It too had been set on fire.

DNA analysis at a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms lab linked Wint to the crime, a law enforcement official involved in the investigation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for lack of authorization to discuss the investigation publicly.

During the family's final hours, someone called Domino's from their house and ordered pizza. The Washington Post reported that the DNA was found on a pizza crust. At a Domino's about 2 miles away, a worker told the AP that a pizza was delivered from there to the mansion that day.

Wint was convicted of assaulting one girlfriend in Maryland in 2009, and he pleaded guilty the next year to malicious destruction of property after he allegedly threatened to kill a woman and her infant daughter, breaking into her apartment, stealing a television and vandalizing her car.

"I'm going to come over there and kill you, your daughter and friends," Wint told that woman, according to the records. "The defendant advised he was good with a knife and could kill them easily and was not afraid of the police," a detective wrote.

Also in 2010, Wint was arrested carrying a 2-foot-long machete and a BB pistol outside the American Iron Works headquarters, but weapons charges were dropped after he pleaded guilty to possessing an open container of alcohol.

Attorney Robin Ficker said Wint didn't seem violent when he defended him in earlier cases.

"My impression of him -- I remember him rather well -- is that he wouldn't hurt a fly. He's a very nice person," Ficker said.

A housekeeper who worked for the Savopoulos family for 20 years, Nelitza Gutierrez, told the AP that she believes the family and Figureroa were held captive for nearly a day before they were killed, citing an unusual voice mail she got from Savopoulos and a text message sent from the phone of his wife, telling her not to come to the house.

Gutierrez said she and Savopoulos spent May 13 cleaning up a martial arts studio he was opening in northern Virginia before his wife called around 5:30 p.m. She could hear his half of the conversation. He later said his wife told him to come home to watch their son because she was going out, Gutierrez said.

Later that night, sounding flustered, he left Gutierrez a voice mail saying Figueroa would stay with his sick wife overnight, that she shouldn't come the next day, and that Figueroa's phone was dead.

"It doesn't make any sense. How come you don't have another phone -- iPhones are all over," Gutierrez said. "He was kind of building stories."

The next morning, Gutierrez received a text message from Amy Savopoulos that read, in part, "I am making sure you are not coming today." She called and texted back and got no response.

The Savopouloses had two teenage daughters who were away at boarding school at the time of the slayings. Relatives of the victims have made few public statements and have not returned calls from the AP. Representatives of American Iron Works have repeatedly declined to comment.

Yesterday's top stories: DA identifies 2 people found dead in Greenfield, 'swing parties' described in ex-police chief's trial, and more

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Students are now worried about the potential for collective punishment from an equally frustrated administration, one student said.

These were the most read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now. One of the most viewed items overall was Mark Murray's photo gallery taken along the Springfield Riverwalk, above.

1) Northwestern DA discloses identities of 2 people found dead in Greenfield [Patrick Johnson]

2) Ex-Lee innkeeper tells jurors of 'swing parties' in federal extortion trial of former Police Chief Joseph Buffis [Stephanie Barry]

3) 'It's our daily bomb scare:' Frustration grows as threats continue in Palmer schools [Dan Glaun]

4) Man seeking to buy drugs in Springfield stabbed in back and hit with bricks, police say [George Graham]

5) Edwin Alemany told assault victim 'Know that you're going to die today,' witness in murder trial says [Shira Schoenberg]

Pet Project: Animals available for adoption in Western Massachusetts shelters May 22

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Through the "Precious, Not Parents," campaign, the Dakin Humane Society will provide a limited number of $20 spay and neuter surgeries for puppies and kittens under six months of age during the month of June.

Each week, MassLive showcases dogs and cats available for adoption at shelters at rescue organizations in Western Massachusetts.

With the participation of the shelters listed below, many animals should be able to find a permanent home.

In addition, we'll include on occasion pet news and animal videos in this weekly feature.

Reduced price surgeries offered

They may be just babies, but kittens as young as four months and puppies as young as five months are old enough to get pregnant and have their first litter just two months later.

"These tiny youngsters shouldn't be parents at five and six months old," says Leslie A. Harris, Executive Director of the Dakin Humane Society.

That's why Dakin, with funding provided by PetSmart Charities, is introducing the "Precious, Not Parents" campaign. Through the "Precious, Not Parents," campaign, Dakin will provide a limited number of $20 spay and neuter surgeries for puppies and kittens under six months of age during the month of June.

Some pet parents may worry that their pet is too young for this procedure, but spaying and neutering is safe and easy for kittens and puppies as young as eight to 10 weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

"Many people put off the procedure and wait until the puppy or kitten is six to eight months old," says Harris. "But by then, a litter of puppies or kittens can be born."

This special $20 rate is even less than the organization's normal low-cost price and is available to the public on a first come/first served basis. People who wish to take advantage of this offer must mention the "Precious, Not Parents" campaign when they schedule their appointment.

Dakin will provide 225 "Precious, Not Parents," sterilizations for $20 in June. Please visit www.dakinhumane.org or call (413) 781-4019 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Due to an anticipated large call volume, people are encouraged to visit the Dakin Community Spay and Neuter Clinic at 171 Union Street in Springfield Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to book their pet's surgery in person.

PetSmart Charities' "Precious, Not Parents" campaign provides more than $705,541 to clinics to fund affordable, surgeries for more than 13,935 puppies and kittens across the nation during the month of June.

Summer children's program set

The Dakin Humane Society will present its annual Animal Adventures program this July featuring an array of activities especially geared for children interested in animals.

The five-day sessions will take place from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. July 6 to 10 for children ages 7-9, and July 13 to 17 for children ages 10-12 at Dakin's Springfield Adoption & Education Center at 171 Union Street.

Participants will be treated to guest appearances from animal professionals (usually accompanied by animals of interest), craft-making, and quiet time with the sheltered animals.

A total of 24 children can be enrolled in each of the sessions. To enroll a child, contact Swanson at 413.781.4000 ext. 112 or email her at lswanson@dakinhumane.org.


Pet news links:

New Springfield clinic offers pets 'Second Chance'

A new veterinary clinic designed to help Western Massachusetts residents with the high cost of animal care opened in Springfield Thursday morning.

"Our focus is on the under-served population that may never have seen a vet before and we're providing those services here," Sheryl Blancato, executive director of the Second Chance Animal Shelter, told MassLive's TV partner, Western Mass News.

Second Chance told the station that it differs from other shelters by specializing only in low-cost vaccine, spay and neuter, and surgery.

Their program is based is central Massachusetts.

"A lot of Springfield people have been coming to our North Brookfield facility, but some simply can't get there," Blancato told the station.

The Springfield facility opened about a month ago.

"I've seen some cases where the animals seem to have been sick for a very long time," said Dr. Alan Ledis, veterinarian at Second Chance Animal Rescue.

The clinic is currently is offering $5 parvo vaccinations between now and the end of June as introduction to the community at its Belmont Avenue location.

What's on the Pet Connection this week?

Check out the Pet Connection from MassLive's TV partner, Western Mass News, below:

Western Mass News, Springfield


WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS SHELTERS:

Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society
Address: 163 Montague Road, Leverett
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12:30 -5:30 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 548-9898
Website: www.dpvhs.org

Address: 171 Union St., Springfield
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12:30-5:30 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 781-4000
Website: www.dpvhs.org

Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center
Address: 627 Cottage St., Springfield
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; Thursday, noon-7 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 781-1484
Website: tjoconnoradoptioncenter.com

Westfield Homeless Cat Project
Address: 1124 East Mountain Road, Westfield
Hours: Adoption clinics, Thursday, 5-7 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Website: http://www.whcp.petfinder.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westfieldhomelesscatprojectadoptions

Westfield Regional Animal Shelter
Address: 178 Apremont Way, Westfield
Hours: Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 564-3129
Website: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/ma70.html

Franklin County Sheriff's Office Regional Dog Shelter and Adoption Center
Address: 10 Sandy Lane, Turners Falls
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Telephone: (413) 676-9182
Website: http://fcrdogkennel.org/contact.html

Polverari/Southwick Animal Control Facility
Address: 11 Depot St., Southwick
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Telephon: (413) 569-5348, ext. 649
Website: http://southwickpolice.com/chief-david-a-ricardis-welcome/animal-control/

Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District to hold Family Fun Walk at Minnechaug

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Families from Hampden and Wilbraham are invited to attend the school district's annual Family Fun Walk, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to noon at Minnechaug Regional High School.

WILBRAHAM — Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District Superintendent Marty O'Shea is urging families to attend the district's annual Family Fun Walk, which is slated for Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to noon at Minnechaug Regional High School.

The PTO-sponsored Fun Walk also includes vendors, raffle prizes, face painting and an obstacle course.

Registration isn't required, but anyone who sends in a registration form by May 27 will receive one free raffle ticket.

"Families are encouraged to attend this fun-filled event," O'Shea said.

Minnechaug is located at 621 Main St. in Wilbraham.


MAP showing location of Minnechaug Regional High School:


Holyoke Councilor Anthony Soto seeks mayoral seat with special help from Fitchburg mayor

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Anthony Soto said the city needs new leadership and a mayor more open with details about his decisions.

HOLYOKE — Anthony Soto didn't have a podium but he did have the mayor of Fitchburg and a reference to a late friend, as the city councilor formally began his campaign for mayor.

"When I look out here today, I see the reflection of the great city that we live in," Soto said Thursday (May 21) at his campaign launch at Fernandez Family Restaurant.

The Ward 2 councilor said the city needs a mayor who can show leadership, be transparent in decision-making, welcome new businesses by easing the permitting process, innovate to maintain public safety and work to free the schools from state control.

Soto read the text of a speech from papers he had to hold along with a microphone at the 161 High St. restaurant, because, he joked, no one in his campaign had arranged for a podium.

Fitchburg Mayor Lisa A. Wong, who married Soto in November, is in her fourth term as mayor and won't seek a fifth. She said she and Soto debated about where they'd live.

"And, long story short, Anthony won," Wong said.

Winning an election for mayor means working for one vote, $1 and one campaign sign at a time, said Wong, who said Soto's devotion to Holyoke is strong.

"He loves this place," she said.

At the outset of his 14-minute speech, Soto choked up and said he was remembering Jorge L. Neves, 46, a lawyer and former city councilor who died suddenly Jan. 22. Neves probably would have been the event's master of ceremonies, Soto said.

"I have a lot more work to do because Jorge is not down here by our sides," Soto said.

Soto, 41, is in his second term on the council and is a former member of the Fire Commission. He lives at 10 James St. in the Springdale Neighborhood and has four children.

Soto confirmed to The Republican and MassLive.com April 24 that he was running for mayor.

He has taken a leave of absence from his job as field representative for the state secretary of state in Springfield to seek the seat, he told the gathering at the restaurant.

At this point, the field for mayor totals four. Mayor Alex B. Morse is seeking a third term, with a campaign launch set for Wednesday (May 27) at 6 p.m. at the Delaney House, 3 Country Club Road, off Route 5.

Francis P. O'Connell, who owns O'Connell Care at Home and goes by "Fran," said May 1 he is running for mayor.

Mildred Lefebvre, Ward 1 School Committee member, said May 4 she also is running for mayor.

Candidates have until July 28 to file nomination papers to have their names listed on the election ballot. Candidates for mayor must file papers with signatures of at least 250 registered voters to qualify for the ballot.

As of Thursday, only Soto's papers had been certified.

If necessary, a preliminary election will be held Sept. 22 to narrow the field to the top two vote getters, who would then compete in the general election Nov. 3.

Soto said the city needs a chief executive who will show leadership and transparency, qualities he said Morse has failed to deliver.

"We need a leader, but not just one person can make things happen. We need a leader who can work with the people. We need a leader who can work with the City Council....We need a leader who will be transparent. We need a leader we can trust," Soto said.

Soto didn't mention Morse in his remarks. But when asked later, Soto said it was Morse to whom he referred. Morse has been less than forthcoming in providing information about his decisions as mayor and has been unable to provide leadership such as in the state's decision last month to take over the public schools here, he said.

"You can quote me twice on that," Soto said.

Morse said when reached later he has lead the city to a path leading to progress.

"I have had the honor to lead Holyoke out of the recent economic downturn. Over the past two terms the city has realized increased property values, tens of millions in private investment and hundreds of new jobs. I look forward to a positive re-election campaign ...," Morse said.

Soto seems as unafraid to ask questions, in City Council meetings or elsewhere, as he is willing to raise issues that can confuse colleagues.

In his role as a member of the board of directors of the company that owns Holyoke Medical Center, Soto raised questions that led to Hank J. Porten, the hospital's former chief executive, paying the hospital $860,000 in August to cover overpayment for consultant services and other errors in the previous three years. The board ordered an investigation into Porten's compensation after a special meeting of the board called by Soto in April 2014.

In October, Soto raised eyebrows in City Council Chambers by filing an order asking that a nonbinding question be put on the 2015 election ballot asking voters whether they want the city to refuse Saturday mail delivery by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

Soto said the objective was to help the federal government and the financially strapped USPS by having Holyoke go on record as supporting an end to Saturday mail, and possibly in return, have the amount the city gets in funding for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) increased.

The council withdrew the order, with Peter R. Tallman, a fellow councilor and USPS letter carrier saying, "I saw this order and I was a little bit surprised by it. I respect my colleague and he brings up some issues that are sometimes out of the box."

Soto said he would work to get the schools back under municipal control while acknowledging that for a while, the city must work with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on April 28 declared the Holyoke schools to be chronically under-performing despite years of warnings to improve and will appoint a receiver who will have total control over the school system.

In Holyoke's form of government, the mayor is chairman of the School Committee.

"I will work to bring back control to Holyoke," Soto said.

He would work to increase police presence on the streets, Soto said, not by hiring more police but by moving officers who have inside duties onto the streets.

"I'm not talking about more police. I'm talking about taking police off desk duty and putting them out on the street," he said.

He will push city staff and the city in general to ensure cleanliness of streets especially downtown is a priority, he said: "We will let the people know that clean streets are everybody's responsibility. Don't litter."

Soto also said he would work to make the city more welcoming to business, such as by easing the process of obtaining permits, a common vow of candidates running for office here.

"We will make sure that everybody knows that Holyoke is open for business," Soto said.

The prospect of bureaucracy or a business owner seemingly being forced to jump through hoops can be seen in another perspective as protecting a neighborhood's rights.

Such a case played out this week on Whiting Farms Road. The City Council granted a zone change to Gary Rome Hyundai to build a $10 million dealership but only after residents who opposed the plan had filed a protest petition that pushed the threshold of approval Rome needed from the City Council for the zone change to 12 votes from the normal 10-vote limit. The council approved the zone change 14-0.


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