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Westfield police to hold bike safety rodeo for children

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The Westfield Police Department will be holding its first Bike Safety Rodeo on Saturday, in an effort to teach children safe riding practices.

 
The Westfield Police Department will be holding its first Bike Safety Rodeo on Saturday, in an effort to teach children safe riding practices.

The event, set to run from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Lodge of Elks, 56 Franklin Street, will feature bicycle obstacle courses, safety literature, face painting, refreshments and ice cream, according to a press release. Participating children must bring their own bikes and helmets, and will be taught how to safely ride their bikes in the street.

The police department plans to make the rodeo an annual event, the release says.

Parents seeking more information can contact Officer Juanita Mejias at j.mejias@cityofwestfield.org.


Teachers, parents, lawmakers urge Bay State to suspend use of standardized testing

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The Baker administration faces a decision later this year on whether to scrap the long-running MCAS exam in favor of a new test - the PARCC exam - tied to the national Common Core curriculum standards.

By MATT MURPHY

BOSTON — High-stakes high school testing came under fire Tuesday as teachers, parents and a slew of lawmakers spoke out in favor of suspending the use of standardized testing as a graduation requirement, voicing concern over a "testing culture" that puts undue pressure on students with minimal reward.

The Baker administration faces a decision later this year on whether to scrap the long-running MCAS exam in favor of a new test - the PARCC exam - tied to the national Common Core curriculum standards. Some school districts over the past two years, have been piloting the new exam, which education officials say will offer a better gauge of preparedness for college.

Dozens of House and Senate lawmakers from both parties, however, have signed on to legislation that would impose a three-year moratorium on the implementation of the PARCC exam, and suspend the use of MCAS results as a graduation requirement or in evaluating teachers, schools and districts.

Rep. Marjorie Decker, the sponsor of the main testing reform bill, said students are being put under extreme pressure to pass a standardized test that has not proven it can improve performance of students in low-income districts or prepare them for college.

The Cambridge Democrat, along with 53 House and Senate lawmakers who co-sponsored the bill, are calling for the state to "take a deep breath" and set up a new Education Reform Review Task Force to evaluate the use of mandatory students assessments.

Saying that she "bombed" every standardized test she took in school, Decker said, "I didn't experience success until I was in college when standardized testing was no longer the measure of whether I was smart."

The Joint Committee on Higher Education was forced to relocate its hearing to the larger Gardner Auditorium after hundreds of teachers, parents and advocates showed up to testify or listen. Many in attendance wore stickers that read: "Less testing; More Learning."

Some teachers testified against the bill, arguing that standardized tests have been an effective motivator for students, helping to teach them perseverance when they encounter struggles knowing that they must overcome those challenges in order to graduate.

Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester also spoke out against the bills, calling them a "step backward" for Massachusetts that could jeopardize as much as $200 million in federal Title I funding to the state.Chester said if the bill passed the state's current waiver from No Child Left Behind could be in jeopardy, either costing the state millions of federal dollars or flexibility in how they spend that funding.

Chester said Massachusetts' resolve over the past 22 years to remain committed to the standards of the 1993 education reform law is one of the main reasons why student performance has gone from "strong to the strongest in the nation."

"Any move to suspend that agenda and the accountability piece of that is a step backward and absolutely ill-advised and abandons our commitment to particularly the lowest-performing students in our state, who are often students from low-income backgrounds, students of color. We've seen their achievement elevate over the last decade and we need to continue on that path," Chester said.

Though he acknowledged more must be done to close the achievement gap between wealthier and poorer communities, the commissioner said over the past decade the average MCAS score for low-income students has improved from the "failing mark" to the proficient range.

"We're not where we need to be, but we've made a lot of progress," he said, suggesting the PARCC could help the state make the leap to better preparing high school graduates to enter college.

While the state's two major teachers unions are backing the Decker bill, some teachers showed up to defend MCAS and PARCC as valuable classroom tools.

Brittany Vetter, a sixth grade English teacher in Chelsea, said she starts her course by showing students the disparities in testing between Chelsea and more affluent school districts, encouraging them to work hard and defy statistics.

"They have surpassed my expectation," Vetter said. "PARCC's alignment with Common Core has upped the rigor of my course."

Chester, when asked about the significant level of support among lawmakers for suspending high-stakes testing in high school, said he hopes the committee hears the opinions of the less well-organized opposition.

"Every lawmaker has teachers in their district and there's no question that the state teachers unions have done a good job of activating teachers around a less-testing agenda, so the fact that lawmakers are feeling the heat does not surprise me. I am concerned that the most vocal and well organized voices are not the voice, necessarily, of the mainstream," he said.

Rep. Aaron Vega, a Holyoke Democrat and co-sponsor of the moratorium bill, said students that wind up in public schools after attending private or religious schools where no tests are required often have no problem passing MCAS. "Why? Because they've learned to learn," he said.

Vega also mentioned that a high percentage of high school graduates entering college, including many of the state's community colleges, require remedial class work before they can begin their degree studies. "What are we preparing our students for if they pass MCAS but can't take Math or English 101?" he asked.

Many of those showing up to testify Tuesday belong to the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance.

Barbara Madeloni, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, said in a statement from the group that "over the last 15 years, we have been inundated with the narrowest notions of what teaching and learning look like. We have allowed ourselves to be persuaded by rhetoric that silences teachers, students and parents - rhetoric that denies the reality of students' lives, of what it means to be homeless, to live a life of economic frailty in a world still marred by racism."

"Our students are more than a score," she said.

The Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education and Race to the Top Coalition joined opponents of the legislation despite agreeing with some of the core critiques of the MCAS exam.

Linda Noonan, executive director of MBAE, testified that the PARCC exam has the potential to fix some of deficiencies of the MCAS test in trying to measure a student's readiness for college or the workforce.

"MBAE urges this committee to resist attempts to dismantle the hard work already done or obstruct the efforts underway to educate all students in the Commonwealth for a successful future," Noonan said.

Willimansett bridge reopens to Holyoke-Chicopee traffic after $26.5 million renovation

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Detoured traffic because of the closed bridge hurt businesses.

HOLYOKE -- The Willimansett Bridge between South Holyoke and Chicopee reopened to vehicle traffic Thursday after a four-year, $26.5 million renovation.

"This is another exciting day for the city of Holyoke," Mayor Alex B. Morse said.

"It's going to be so much easier for every commuter, every resident, every business person. It's finally finished and I want to say thank you," said state Sen. Donald R. Humason, R-Westfield.

The 800-foot-long, 124-year-old bridge had structural problems that caused a weight restriction that banned large trucks. The bridge links Cabot Street in Holyoke with Chicopee Street in Chicopee over the Connecticut River.

The detouring of traffic because of the bridge being unavailable hurt nearby businesses. Owners of C-Town Supermarket at 13 Cabot St., Capri Pizza at 18 Cabot St. and Napa Auto Parts at 2 Cabot St. all said they had to lay off employees.

The bridge closed in August 2011. It was supposed to reopen in May 2014. But work stopped in September 2013 after the contractor, Pihl Inc., of Denmark, declared bankruptcy.

Northern Construction Service, LLC., of Palmer, completed the project. Northern Construction was the second-lowest bidder, but since the contract was made with American International Group, the insurance company which held the bond for the now-bankrupt Pihl Inc., of Denmark, they did not have to follow the state procurement process and that allowed work to resume sooner than if rebidding had to be done, officials said.

The final tally on the cost to renovate the bridge was $26.5 million, said state Rep. Joseph F. Wagner, D-Chicopee.

The contract called for Northern Construction Service to finish the Willimansett Bridge project by July, meaning the job is done a month ahead of that schedule. Had the company missed the deadline, it would have faced a daily fine of $6,200 until the bridge reopened.

A story on this event with additional detail will be filed shortly.

Chicopee offering lacrosse clinic for boys

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The cost is $80 for residents and $90 for non-residents.

CHICOPEE - The Parks and Recreation Department will hold a lacrosse clinic for boys entering grades three through eight.

The camp will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 6 through 10 at Garrity Grove Park. The head coaches Chicopee Comprehensive High and Chicopee High schools will run the program. The cost is $80 for residents and $90 for non-residents.

Students will learn and practice shooting, passing, defense and team work. They will participate in scrimmages as well as drills.

For more information or to register call the Parks Office at 594-3481. Lacrosse helmet, stick, mouth guard, shoulder pads, elbow or arm pads, cleats, lunch and snack, a water bottle and a bathing suit for time at the spray park are requirements.

3 refugees fined $50 each for hunting birds, turtles, frogs in Springfield's Forest Park

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The defendants and their families fled a long-running civil war in Myanmar and spent nearly a decade in refugee camps in Thailand, said Jean Marvel, who teaches their children at Central High School.

SPRINGFIELD - Three refugees from Thailand accused of using slingshots to kill birds, frogs and turtles in Forest Park last month were fined $50 each Thursday for hunting without a license.

The defendants - Patty Poo, 54; Kehney Moo, 38; and Hsa Wah, 60; all of Springfield - admitted to hunting without a license and violating park rules during their arraignment in Springfield District Court.

In exchange, prosecutors dropped an animal cruelty charge and reduced the remaining two counts to civil offenses.

The men were arrested on May 28 for killing wildlife around the park's Lilly Pond, a popular spot for families and children.

Bags containing dead turtles, frogs and birds were confiscated from the men by police responding to 911 calls from people in the park.

The men were held in custody overnight for an arraignment the next morning. But the hearing was postponed due to a lack of an interpreter fluent in Karen, a tribal language spoken by less than 10 percent of the population of Myanmar, the men's native country.

With no court-certified interpreter available Thursday, Judge William Boyle allowed a Karen-speaking woman to assist the defendants.

Once the animal cruelty charge was dismissed and the remaining counts reduced to civil offenses, each man pleaded responsible to hunting without a license and violating park rules.

Boyle imposed $50 fines on the illegal hunting charge and no penalty for violating park rules.

"This will close the case for you," the judge told the defendants.

"If you come back (on similar charges) the penalties will go up."

By late morning, the men were sitting outside the clerk's office, waiting to pay their fines.

Speaking on their behalf, Deirdre Griffin, a program director for Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, said they never realized that hunting in the park was illegal.

"They had no idea that what they were doing was wrong," said Griffin, whose agency relocated a handful of Karen-speaking families in Springfield in past few years.

Griffin praised the District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni's office for understanding that the case arose from a cultural misunderstanding and treating it accordingly.

Assistant District Attorney Karen McCarthy, who handled the hearing, referred questions to Gulluni or Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Fitzgerald, his first assistant.

The defendants and their families fled a long-running civil war in Myanmar and spent nearly a decade in refugee camps in Thailand, said Jean Marvel, who teaches their children at Central High School.

Hunting was intrinsic to their culture, Marvel said.

Her Karen-speaking students are "wonderful," the teacher said, adding the younger generation has picked up the new language and culture more quickly than their parents.

"They come to school and work hard every day," she added. "They are model students."

Worried about becoming addicted to gambling? Ban yourself

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As the state expands gaming in Massachusetts it is offering a service to those who are worried they may fall prey to a gambling addiction - ban yourself.

As the state expands gaming in Massachusetts it is offering a service to those who are worried they may fall prey to a gambling addiction - ban yourself.

In addition to existing gaming options such as The Lottery, the state is allowing the construction of casinos, including the planned MGM-Springfield.

The Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program is being offed by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. It allows a person to ban themselves "from any of the Massachusetts casino gaming facilities for a pre-determined period of time," according to a release from the commission.

The ban can be for six months, one year, three years, five years or for life.

According to the release, "Enrollees will not be allowed to enter any casino gaming facility in Massachusetts, and if they break the agreement any winnings will be forfeited. Information provided by enrollees will be maintained and securely managed by the Commission, and shared with security personnel in gaming establishments throughout Massachusetts as a service to help enrollees honor their commitment."

The request to be banned must be made in person through any of the following venues:

  • GameSense Info Center at Plainridge Park Casino
  • The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, call or write 617-533-9737 or vse@state.ma.us
  • The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling, call 800-426-1234

Additional support services will be provided to those enrolled.

Mayoral candidate Johnnie Ray McKnight releases education platform; criticizes Domenic Sarno on middle schools

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Johnnie Ray McKnight said Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is "losing control" of the middle schools.

SPRINGFIELD - Johnnie Ray McKnight, a candidate for mayor, recently unveiled his education platform that in part criticizes Mayor Domenic J. Sarno for "losing control" of the majority of the city's middle schools.

mcknight.jpgSpringfield mayoral candidate Johnnie Ray McKnight has issued his education platform. 

McKnight said, within a prepared campaign release, that a decision by the School Committee in December of 2014 "allowed for eight failing middle schools to succumb to an outside takeover" by Empower Schools Inc., beginning in the fall of 2015.

"As the Mayor and chairman of the School Committee for 7.5 years, Mayor Sarno has lost control of the majority of our middle schools, allowing them to fail and in turn be taken over by an outside company," McKnight said.

McKnight's education platform offers his view on improving the middle schools, professional development, youth engagement, parental engagement, recruitment of bilingual parent facilitators, reducing the dropout rate, ensuring a sense of safety and security in the schools, providing more incentives to students, introducing all children to the Spanish language, implementing a Khan Academy, implementing the "Brightspace" learning program, and reducing time students spend on preparing for standardized tests.

His full education platform can be seen on his website, shown here.

"His goal is to ensure not only safe schools in every neighborhood, but also quality schools in every neighborhood," according to a news release. "Schools that are better able to produce graduates who will go on to be contributing members of society. Johnnie will work to ensure that all children have the same opportunities in education, regardless of social or economic status."

Among the issues, McKnight said he will take back receivership of the middle schools and begin the rebuilding process in-house. He called for strengthening the relationship between educators and the community and also proposed that teachers who live in Springfield should be prioritized in the hiring process as being more inclined to "demonstrate a personal investment in the effort to improve our current educational system."

Statistics in Springfield indicate that the high dropout rates are not relevant to race, but is a larger issue faced by all students, McKnight said. An effort to reduce the dropout rates in Baltimore, and a study by the University of Virginia Curray School of Education both found that reducing the number of school suspensions appeared to be a key to reducing dropout rates, he said..

"Suspension removes kids from school and often leads to worse behavior and academic outcomes, so the study suggests that alternative methods of discipline are more effective for improving behavior, as well as reducing the dropout rate," McKnight's platform states.

Regarding parental involvement, McKnight said the U.S. Department of Education shows research "has proven that parental participation in their child's education has positive effects on the child's performance at school and leads to higher academic achievement, stronger problem-solving skills, and fewer behavioral issues.

McKnight said the current parent facilitator ratio is one per 1,500 students.

"This ratio needs to be improved to at least one parent facilitator to every 300 students so that the parent facilitator can build a relationship with the parents of the students they represent," McKnight said. "This strategy will also work to improve pathways of communication and understanding between educators, students and parents.

He also called for recruitment of more bilingual parent facilitators.

Regarding professional development, McKnight said it is important to create "a collaborative network of schools with open communication, so children can share equal opportunities across districts."

He called for all children will be introduced to the Spanish language under his platform.

"With growing diversity in our city, it is becoming increasingly important for children to be exposed to multiple languages at a young age, so they can become more fluent later in life," he said.

Some other ideas include: he supports incentives to students to "encourage students to make good decisions," such as a monetary scholarships for perfect attendance and good grades; and he believes that too much class time is designated for standardized testing, and he opposes MCAS and does not believe it should be a graduation requirement.

Amherst ZBA approves sign, entrance changes for Amherst Brewery, soon to be called Hangar

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The Zoning Board determined the proposed changes were minor.

AMHERST - Harold Tramazzo is now free to replace the signs at the Amherst Brewing Company and change the entrance after the Zoning Board of Appeals recently determined the proposal did not warrant further review.

In an email, Senior Planner Jeff Bagg wrote, "After reviewing all this information, the Board determined that the changes were minor and not significant enough to require modification (of the special permit)."

Tramazzo, who owns the Hangar, is planning to buy the brewing company, but for now has taken over the operation. He presented the proposed changes to the board earlier this month.

He plans to replace the brewing company signs with those that read The Hangar Pub and Grill. The signs will also bear the trademark airplane seen at the Hangar, which is currently across the street from the brewery.

The current entrance will be used by people attending functions only, with the new main entrance under the awning on the patio

He also will reconfigure the space.

In his letter to Amherst board members, Tramazzo stated that it "will continue to be a brewery, a pub and a function space." The capacity and seating will remain the same at 450.

"The goal of the changes is to create three more comfortable and flexible spaces within the building." The bar area known as the poolroom will become the home of the Hangar Pub and Grill. The poolroom will be moved to the area near the front door.

In March, the Zoning Board granted a change in ownership, but Tramazzo did not propose any changes to the establishment.

The board had to determine whether the changes proposed were significant enough to require modifications in the existing special permit issued to John Korpita.

Tramazzo could not be reached for comment about when the work might begin.

Related: Nick O'Malley tries, ranks all 24 Wings Over flavors

Gallery preview 

New England Tree Climbing Championship to be held at Smith College in Northampton Saturday

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The competition, hosted by the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, will be held from 6:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thirty-six climbers will face off for the chance to represent New England in the 2016 International Tree Climbing Champions in San Antonio, Texas.

NORTHAMPTON -- Professional arborists will scale Smith College's sycamores, maples and oaks Saturday for the 27th annual New England Tree Climbing Championship.

The competition, hosted by the New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, will be held from 6:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thirty-six climbers will face off for the chance to represent New England in the 2016 International Tree Climbing Championship in San Antonio, Texas.

From 6:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., spectators can watch the climbers compete in five preliminary categories: speed climb, aerial rescue, throw line, footlock ascent, and work climb. The top three men and women will advance to the "master's challenge" stage.

Before the finalists take to the trees, there will be a kid's climb from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a $10 suggested donation.

Bear LeVangie, president of the organization's New England chapter, said she chose to hold the competition at Smith because the college has an arboretum and is an all women's school.

"We're trying to get more women involved in arboriculture, and to showcase what we do," she said moments after descending a Smith tree Friday in preparation for the championship.

Almost all of the organization's climbers are arborists, she said, although some are recreational climbers and birders. Nationally, 95 percent of arborists are men.

LeVangie, who's been a competitive climber for 8 years, said the main goal of the competition is foster discussion about how to climb safely, tree species and tree health.

Because safety is essential in the competition, she added, climbers have to know what they're doing to participate. They must own their own climbing and protective gear, go through an equipment inspection and have qualified at state-level events in New England.

The competition has been held in Western Massachusetts four times before: Three times at University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2014, 2010 and 2006, and once at Northampton's Look Park in 2009.

For more information on the event, visit www.newenglandisa.org.

Flag Day event offered in Westfield by state Sen. Don Humason

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The Flag Day observance in Westfield with state Sen Don Humason will take place rain or shine.

HOLYOKE -- State Sen. Donald R. Humason, R-Westfield, will honor the Stars and Stripes with his annual gathering to celebrate Flag Day Sunday (June 14) in Westfield from 1 to 3 p.m.

The event will be in Wojkiewicz Park off Meadow Street on the south side between the two Great River Bridges, rain or shine, Humason said.

"Flag Day is a day especially set aside to honor our flag and the nation it represents. For many years, I have organized a pro-America, non-political, non-partisan, grassroots, patriotic standout on Flag Day in Westfield," Humason said.

The event is open to everyone, he said.

"Even if you don't live in Westfield, all are welcome," Humason said.

Humason also is offering to collect old or tattered American flags people want to retire in a respectful way.

"I will be collecting flags that are no longer serviceable and will be passing them on to a local veterans group for an appropriate retirement ceremony," Humason said.

According to one account, Flag Day began with an assignment that 19-year-old school teacher Bernard J. Cigrand issued to students in Ozaukee County, Waubeka Wisconsin in 1885 to write essays on the flag and its significance, according to the National Flag Day Foundation.

"This observance, commemorated Congress' adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777," the National Flag Day Foundation website said.

Other accounts say Flag Day originated in Hartford, Conn., in New York City and in Philadelphia with "the Society of Colonial Dames," according to online sources.

President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation May 30, 1916 calling for a nationwide observance of Flag Day.

President Harry S. Truman in 1949 signed an Act Of Congress designating the 14th day of June every year as National Flag Day.

On June 14th, 2004, the 108th U.S. Congress voted unanimously on H.R. 662 that Flag Day originated in Ozaukee County, Waubeka Wisconsin, the National Flag Day Foundation website said.

Humason holds the 2nd Hampden-Hampshire state Senate seat. The district consists of, in Hampden County, Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland and Chicopee's Ward 7, Ward 8A and Ward 9A, and in Hampshire County, Easthampton and Southampton.

Photos, video: Downtown Springfield dunk tank benefits Rays of Hope

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It was a slam dunk for the Rays of Hope on Friday, as a dunk tank was set up in front of One Monarch Place in downtown Springfield to raise money for breast cancer research. Watch video

It was a slam dunk for the Rays of Hope on Friday, as a dunk tank was set up in front of One Monarch Place in downtown Springfield to raise money for breast cancer research.

Organized by the employees of Health New England, which has its offices inside the building, it was the first time the company did a fund raiser which required their executives to get very wet in a tank of cold water.

The event, which was open to the public, allowed those who donated $2, one throw at the tank and those who paid $5, three throws.


Friends of Mater Dolorosa Church to honor 7 Holyoke Councilors

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Only seven of the 15 Holyoke city councilors supported a Polish historic district that featured the closed Mater Dolorosa Church.

HOLYOKE -- Friends of Mater Dolorosa Church will hold its fourth annual reunion of parishioners of the closed church with a banquet Sunday (June 14) honoring the seven city councilors who voted in favor of a Polish historic district that was defeated.

The banquet will be in Chicopee from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cavalier Restaurant, 366 Chicopee St., a press release said.

"There is much more to be done, but we pause on Sunday to honor the most dedicated Holyoke councilors, and celebrate our Polish-American Heritage," Victor M. Anop, chairman of Friends Mater Dolorosa, said in the press release.

The Holyoke City Council voted 8-7 against adopting an ordinance that would have established a Polish Heritage Historic District on the south side of Lyman Street featuring Mater Dolorosa Church, which the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield closed in 2011.

Councilors who voted in favor of the Polish historic district were Jossie M. Valentin, Rebecca Lisi, Linda L. Vacon, Gladys Lebron-Martinez, David K. Bartley, Gordon P. Alexander and Anthony Soto.

Councilors who voted against the Polish historic district were President Kevin A. Jourdain and councilors Jennifer E. Chateauneuf, Joseph M. McGiverin, Howard B. Greaney, James M. Leahy, Peter R. Tallman, Daniel B. Bresnahan and Todd A. McGee.

The Diocese lobbied councilors heavily to vote no, including letters to councilors from Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski.

The Diocese argued that including Mater Dolorosa Church in such a district would have created an unfair financial burden. The burden would have fallen on Our Lady of the Cross parishioners here in the form of funding historic-standard upkeep of the 114-year-old church, Diocese officials said.

If a historic district were established and included Mater Dolorosa Church, the Diocese would consider filing a lawsuit against the city, Diocese spokesman Mark E. Dupont had said.

But Olivia Mausel, chairwoman of the Holyoke Historical Commission, and Anop said including Mater Dolorosa Church in such a historic district was necessary to block the Diocese from demolishing the church.

Friends of Mater Dolorosa occupied Mater Dolorosa Church round-the-clock for a year after the last mass was held there in June 2011.

Polish immigrants built and paid for the church at Lyman and Maple streets and establishing a historic district would honor that legacy, supporters said.

Diocese officials said there were never plans to take down the church.

In a ruling released May 4, based on an appeal from Anop's group, the highest court of the Vatican in Rome, the Apostolic Signatory, ruled Mater Dolorosa Church can officially be closed. The ruling means the Diocese can deconsecrate and reuse, sell or even tear down Mater Dolorosa Church at Lyman and Maple streets.

The Apostolic Signatory decision however does not decide the fate of Mater Dolorosa or St. Mary's in Northampton. In the past the Diocese has tried to find another religious use for a closed church. Secular uses such as business or housing are considered next for former churches.

"In the last resort we have looked at tearing it down," Monsiegnor John J. Bonzagni, head of the Diocese's pastoral planning committee, said after the Vatican high court ruling.

The Diocese closed Mater Dolorosa Church because parishioner numbers had declined and out of concerns about the structure's steeple. But while an engineer for the Diocese said the steeple is unsound, an engineer for Friends of Mater Dolorosa said the steeple will stand for a long time.

The Diocese combined Mater Dolorosa with the former Holy Cross Church to form Our Lady of the Cross. That parish has Masses and other services at the former Holy Cross Church at 23 Sycamore St.

Amherst police asking for help finding 21-year-old Matthew Perry

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Perry is a white male with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing jeans and a blue and white striped shirt.

AMHERST — The Amherst Police Department is asking for the public's help finding 21-year-old Matthew J. Perry, a University of Massachusetts student who was last seen Thursday afternoon in Northampton.

Matthew Perry.jpgMatthew Perry (2014 photo) 

Perry, an Amherst resident who's majoring in computer science at UMass, is a white male with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing jeans and a blue and white striped shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 413-259-3000.


PM News Links: Father accused of taking 2-year-old on police chase, shooting suspects arrested after running stop sign, and more

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Ex-Patriot linebacker Brandon Spikes has been cited for the high-speed crash that injured a Billerica family last weekend on Interstate 495, according to state police — and the family's lawyer is vowing to sue for Spikes' "act of cowardice."

A digest of news stories from around New England.



  • Rhode Island father accused of leading Taunton police in chase with 2-year-old son in car [Taunton Daily Gazette] Video above


  • Drive-by shooting suspects arrested after allegedly running stop sign in Hartford [Hartford Courant]


    Brandon Spikes mug 2015Brandon Spikes 
  • Lawyer for Billerica family, allegedly hit by former New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes on Interstate 495, vows to sue, claiming 'cowardice' [Boston Herald] Photo at left, related video above


  • Fan from Central Massachusetts, hit by broken bat at Boston Red Sox game, released from hospital, transferred to rehabilitation facility [WCVB-TV, NewsCenter5, Needham]



    David Wright 6315In this Tuesday, June 2, 2015 photo, authorities remove David Wright from a house in Everett, after a day-long police investigation at the property. A second suspect was arrested in Rhode Island last night. 
  • Men who plotted with Boston terror suspect Usaamah Rahim readily admitted support for ISIS, FBI says [Boston.com] Video above, photo at right


  • New Hampshire man accused of killing parents last year, held without bail on 2nd degree murder, child pornography charges [Union Leader]


  • How Massachusetts State Police kept man from jumping off Tobin Bridge in Boston [Boston Globe]



  • Former chief financial officer at Woods Hole Research Center charged with stealing children's drugs [Cape Cod Times]


    Keith Broomfield 61015.jpgKeith Broomfield 
  • Central Massachusetts family at peace with death of Keith Broomfield, who died fighting ISIS forces in Syria [Telegram & Gazette] Photo at left


  • Traffic mess expected in Hartford area this evening with Dave Matthews Band concert at Xfinity Theater [WVIT-TV, NBC30, New Britain ] Video above






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  • Fewer employees than expected taking up Gov. Charlie Baker on retirement incentive

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    The application period for the incentive ends today.

    BOSTON - Fewer than expected state employees have applied for an early retirement incentive.

    The application period for the incentive ends Friday. As of the end of the day on Thursday, 2,870 people had applied.

    Originally, Gov. Charlie Baker's administration had estimated that 4,500 people would take the incentive, based on the number of people who retired when similar incentives were offered in prior years. But Baker officials are hopeful that they will still come close to meeting their goal of saving $172 million next year.

    "The primary goal of the early retirement incentive plan was to achieve budget savings.  We will review the final retiree enrollment figures, as well as other options, to meet the savings target with minimal impact on state services," said Baker spokeswoman Lizzy Guyton.

    According to Baker officials, the average salary of those who chose to retire is higher than anticipated, so that could provide some additional savings. The state originally planned to use 20 percent of the savings to refill positions that were left vacant, and it could now spend less money on rehiring.

    The law creating the incentive also allows departments to offer a $10,000 buyout to employees who are eligible to retire and have already reached their maximum pension benefit. Secretary of Administration and Finance Kristen Lepore estimated that around 100 workers will take that incentive, but the final numbers are not yet known.

    Baker administration officials have said they do not anticipate any widespread layoffs, but there could be some layoffs. Lepore said previously that around 200 state workers were likely to lose their jobs under the budget Baker proposed for fiscal year 2016.

    David Holway, national president of the National Association of Government Employees, said the union has worked with the administration to encourage retirement-eligible employees to take the incentive. He said he thinks the program is a "success" and will be "within striking distance" of the required savings, given the number of highly paid employees such as attorneys and people working in computers who are retiring.

    Holway said, as he has all along, that he still worries about the delivery of state services, with the departments overseeing revenue, transportation and children and family services all losing staff. "There's a lot of institutional knowledge walking out the door," he said.

    But Holway said he appreciates the fact that younger workers will be spared from layoffs. "Because of the governor's actions, a lot of young people looking for a career in government will be able to stay," he said.


    Massachusetts State Police announce sobriety checkpoint for undisclosed Essex County location

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    The checkpoint will be conducted at an undisclosed Essex County location from Friday night, June 19, into early Saturday, June 20.

    FRAMINGHAM — Col. Timothy P. Alben, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, has announced a sobriety checkpoint for an undisclosed Essex County location on Friday, June 19, into Saturday, June 20, according to the State Police Office of Media Relations in Framingham.

    The goal of the checkpoint is to increase public safety by removing intoxicated motorists from state roadways, according to State Police, who routinely implement such statewide roadblocks.

    The grant-funded checkpoint will be operated during varied hours and vehicle selection won't be arbitrary, police said.

    Essex County includes the North Shore, Cape Ann and lower portions of the Merrimack Valley.

    In 2013, motor vehicle crashes claimed 326 lives in Massachusetts, including 118 alcohol-related deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.


     

    Holyoke murder suspect Jose Santiago admits testifying against 2 co-defendants to get help with own case

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    Jose Santiago completed his eighth hour of testimony for the prosecution in the Holyoke La Familia murder trial of Jose Rodriguez and Joshua Santos Friday.

    SPRINGFIELD - Jose Santiago completed his eighth hour of testimony for the prosecution in the Holyoke La Familia murder trial Friday.

    Santiago, 22, put in five hours on stand Thursday and three Friday in the murder trial of Jose Rodriguez, 25, and Joshua Santos, 27, both of Springfield.

    Rodriguez, Santos and Santiago are charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Juan Quinones on June 2, 2013, on the back porch of an apartment building at 16 Cabot St. in Holyoke.

    Santiago's Hampden Superior Court trial was separated from Santos' and Rodriguez'. If his case is not resolved, his trial will be held after this trial is complete.

    Donald W. Frank, Santos' lawyer, and Jeffrey S. Brown, Rodriguez's lawyer, both highlighted the fact Santiago has signed a "cooperation agreement" with the prosecution. No more information about that agreement has been introduced in court.

    Both told jurors in opening statements Santiago is lying in an effort to get consideration in his own case.

    "You want help with your charges?" Frank asked Santiago, who replied, "Yes."

    Santiago said he contacted law enforcement in April of this year to correct something he had said in previous statements. Under questioning from Frank, Santiago said he realized what he had said to authorities before that didn't make sense.

    He had told police he and Santos went to 527 South Bridge St. to get a gun, but when they got there Santos realized he had a gun all along.

    On the stand in this trial, Santiago said he and Santos went to a first floor apartment there and got a gun from the resident, who was holding it for Santos. That was the first time he had said they got a gun from a resident of an apartment there.

    Brown also queried Santiago on his motive for testifying.

    "You could get life," he said to Santiago, who answered that he knew he could get life if convicted of murder.

    Under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Joan Moynihan Dietz, Santiago said after he first told police in November 2013 that Jose Rodriguez shot Quinones and Santos ordered the hit, he never wavered on that point.

    Santiago was under arrest for an unrelated drug and gun case when he gave that information to police in November 2013.

    Asked why he didn't voluntarily go to police with what he knew before he was arrested in November 2013 on the unrelated case, Santiago said, "Why would I want to put myself in that kind of situation? If you're on the streets you're in danger."

    Santiago testified Rolondo Colon, the leader of the La Familia street gang for Holyoke at the time, ordered the hit on Quinones, 23, of Holyoke.

    No clear motive for that hit has emerged to date in the trial. There has been no testimony Quinones was in any gang.

    Colon, the fourth co-defendant, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and an illegal firearms charge before this trial started.

    Judge John A. Agostini sentenced Colon, 38, who has a Ware address listed in court records, to a total of 19 to 20 years in state prison, the sentence recommended by prosecution and defense. The sentence is 14 to 15 years for manslaughter plus five years on an illegal firearm charge.

    Jurors Friday heard from state police Sgt. Ronald Gibbons about his interview with Santos when Santos was brought to the Holyoke Police Department late the night of the shooting.

    Santos' car had been seen on surveillance video cameras from the South Holyoke area.

    A videotape of the interview of Santos was shown in which he said he heard gunshots and "I sped away."

    He said Santiago had been in the car with him, but had gotten out to smoke. He said he sped away leaving Santiago there.

    Gibbons said Santos was then taken to another room and showed some surveillance video. After seeing the video Santos added something new to his statement, saying before the shooting he had rented his car to another man who is seen on the video getting out of the car.

    "I don't know who was involved (in the shooting)," Santos said. "I know I'm not involved. That's all the matters to me."

    Frank asked Gibbons if Santos had waived his right to a lawyer and agreed to talk to police.

    Gibbons agreed Santos had done that.

    The trial is scheduled to continue Monday. Agostini told jurors at the end of the day Friday the trial is on track as far as timing and he expects they will have the case for deliberation in the middle of next week.

    Triple Crown winner American Pharoah could become first racehorse to appear on a Wheaties box

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    The winner of the Triple Crown would be the first non-human athlete on a Wheaties box.

    American Pharoah, horse racing's first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, is likely galloping onto your breakfast table.

    American Pharoah's connections – connections being the horse racing term for the humans who make the business decisions – are reportedly in talks for him to adorn the iconic Wheaties cereal box, according to reports in AdWeek and the Louisville, Kentucky, Courier-Journal.

    He'd be the first horse on the Wheaties box, according to a Ranker.com list.

    The idea, according to AdWeek, is that collectors would snap up the American Pharoah Wheaties boxes, providing a sales boost.

    It's also a sign of how the would-be spokeshorse is entering mainstream American consciousness, having already made the cover of Sports illustrated.

    And horses do eat a lot of grain, albeit generally oats, so there is that.

    Officials: Military, intel data hacked in another breach linked to China

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    The forms authorities believed to have been accessed require applicants to fill out deeply personal information about mental illnesses, drug and alcohol use, past arrests and bankruptcies.

    WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hackers linked to China appear to have gained access to the sensitive background information submitted by intelligence and military personnel for security clearances, several U.S. officials said Friday, describing a second cyberbreach of federal records that could dramatically compound the potential damage. 

    The forms authorities believed to have been accessed, known as Standard Form 86, require applicants to fill out deeply personal information about mental illnesses, drug and alcohol use, past arrests and bankruptcies. They also require the listing of contacts and relatives, potentially exposing any foreign relatives of U.S. intelligence employees to coercion. Both the applicant's Social Security number and that of his or her cohabitant is required.

    The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the security clearance material is classified.

    "This tells the Chinese the identities of almost everybody who has got a United States security clearance," said Joel Brenner, a former top U.S. counterintelligence official. "That makes it very hard for any of those people to function as an intelligence officer. The database also tells the Chinese an enormous amount of information about almost everyone with a security clearance. That's a gold mine. It helps you approach and recruit spies."

    The Office of Personnel Management, which was the target of the hack, has not officially notified military or intelligence personnel whose security clearance data was breached, but news of the second hack was starting to circulate in both the Pentagon and the CIA.

    The officials said they believe the hack into the security clearance database was separate from the breach of federal personnel data announced last week -- a breach that is itself appearing far worse than first believed. It could not be learned whether the security database breach happened when an OPM contractor was hacked in 2013, an attack that was discovered last year. Members of Congress received classified briefings about that breach in September, but there was no mention of security clearance information being exposed.

    The OPM had no immediate comment Friday.

    Nearly all of the millions of security clearance holders, including CIA, National Security Agency and military special operations personnel, are potentially exposed in the security clearance breach, the officials said. More than 2.9 million people had been investigated for a security clearance as of October 2014, according to government records.

    In the hack of standard personnel records announced last week, two people briefed on the investigation disclosed Friday that as many as 14 million current and former civilian U.S. government employees have had their information exposed to hackers, a far higher figure than the 4 million the Obama administration initially disclosed.

    American officials have said that cybertheft originated in China and that they suspect espionage by the Chinese government, which has denied any involvement.

    The newer estimate puts the number of compromised records between 9 million and 14 million going back to the 1980s, said one congressional official and one former U.S. official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because information disclosed in the confidential briefings includes classified details of the investigation.

    There are about 2.6 million executive branch civilians, so the majority of the records exposed relate to former employees. Contractor information also has been stolen, officials said. The data in the hack revealed last week include the records of most federal civilian employees, though not members of Congress and their staffs, members of the military or staff of the intelligence agencies.

    On Thursday, a major union said it believes the hackers stole Social Security numbers, military records and veterans' status information, addresses, birth dates, job and pay histories; health insurance, life insurance and pension information; and age, gender and race data.

    The personnel records would provide a foreign government an extraordinary roadmap to blackmail, impersonate or otherwise exploit federal employees in an effort to gain access to U.S. secrets --or entry into government computer networks.

    Outside experts were pointing to the breaches as a blistering indictment of the U.S. government's ability to secure its own data two years after a National Security Agency contractor, Edward Snowden, was able to steal tens of thousands of the agency's most sensitive documents.

    After the Snowden revelations about government surveillance, it became more difficult for the federal government to hire talented younger people into sensitive jobs, particularly at intelligence agencies, said Evan Lesser, managing director of ClearanceJobs.com, a website that matches security-clearance holders to available slots.

    "Now, if you get a job with the government, your own personal information may not be secure," he said. "This is going to multiply the government's hiring problems many times."

    The Social Security numbers were not encrypted, the American Federation of Government Employees said, calling that "an abysmal failure on the part of the agency to guard data that has been entrusted to it by the federal workforce."

    "Unencrypted information of this kind this is disgraceful -- it really is disgraceful," Brenner said. "We've had wakeup calls now for 20 years or more, and we keep hitting the snooze button."

    Samuel Schumach, an OPM spokesman, would not address how the data was protected or specifics of the information that might have been compromised, but said, "Today's adversaries are sophisticated enough that encryption alone does not guarantee protection." OPM is nonetheless increasing its use of encryption, he said.

    The Obama administration had acknowledged that up to 4.2 million current and former employees whose information resides in the Office of Personnel Management server are affected by the December cyberbreach, but it had been vague about exactly what was taken.

    J. David Cox, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said in a letter Thursday to OPM director Katherine Archuleta that based on incomplete information OPM provided to the union, "the hackers are now in possession of all personnel data for every federal employee, every federal retiree and up to 1 million former federal employees."

    Another federal employee group, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, said Friday that "at this point, we believe AFGE's assessment of the breach is overstated." It called on the OPM to provide more information.

    Rep. Mike Rogers, the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said last week that he believes China will use the recently stolen information for "the mother of all spear-phishing attacks."

    Spear-phishing is a technique under which hackers send emails designed to appear legitimate so that users open them and load spyware onto their networks.

    Update: Boston Red Sox' Wade Miley contrite, John Farrell emphatic

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    The manager said he won't tolerate eruptions like that.

    If tone of voice means anything, Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell has just about had it with gripers - at least those who do their griping in full view.

    Pitcher Wade Miley says he got the message. The left-hander put the blame on himself for his quarrel with Farrell in the dugout after being pulled Thursday night in Baltimore.

    "I let my emotions get the best of me and did something I shouldn't. I took it too far,'' said Miley, who was irate at being pulled after four innings and 69 pitches of the 6-5 loss.

    "We talked it over, and I want to move on. I'm looking forward to my next start. Me and John have never had a problem, and this one's on me.''

    As for Farrell, he thought it was on Miley, too. There will be no fine, suspension or loss of start, but the manager said he would not tolerate this type of reaction.

    "Players will always disagree with a manager's decisions, but there's a way to express it. That wasn't it,'' Farrell said tersely on Friday night, about an hour before Miley spoke.

    Miley allowed five runs on nine hits, three of which were home runs. Challenging Farrell in full view led to a postgame meeting between player and manager.

    "I'm here to tell you it was unacceptable. He knows,'' Farrell said Friday.

    Farrell revealed little of what was actually said when he met with Miley after Thursday night's game. He was asked if Miley knew he made a mistake, and whether he apologized.

    "Yes. And that's all I'll say about that meeting,'' said Farrell, leaving it unclear whether "yes'' was an answer to both questions and if not, which one.

    Miley answered those questions by repeatedly expressing contrition.

    "John is doing everything he can to make the moves that get us going. We (players) have not held up our end of the bargain,'' Miley said.

    This is a crucial juncture for Farrell, who has always been known as a player-friendly manager. When he assumed the Red Sox before the 2013 season, he pledged to "bust his butt'' to earn the players' respect.

    He's now making it clear he expects respect in return. Citing Miley's competitive spirit, Farrell sounded as if he understood and even accepted the player's anger in being pulled, but would not tolerate a display of it in public.

    "I won't stand for it. What happened last night was that (there was) a pitcher who was competitive, but the outburst in the dugout was unacceptable,'' Farrell said.

    "We addressed it. He understands it was unacceptable. The best thing for all of us is to turn the page.''

    That will be easier if the Red Sox start winning. They are 27-34, buried snugly in the AL East cellar and hosting the Toronto Blue Jays, who come roaring into Fenway with an eight-game winning streak.

    Farrell's tone Friday differed from Thursday, when he attributed Miley's tantrum largely to "heat-of-the-moment'' passion, For his part, Miley - who was known as an emotional competitor with Arizona, but said reports of a similar outburst with manager Kirk Gibson were untrue - was generally unrepentant when he met with media Thursday.

    It was a different story Friday. The left-hander said he believed his teammates understood why reacted as he did, but that it didn't make it right.

    Farrell's contract was extended before this season, which made him appear safe. But Boston's dismal showing, coupled with some lackluster play that has brought team focus and commitment into question, have created a growing question over whether the manager who led them to the 2013 World Series title may take the fall after all.

    One criticism of Farrell has been that being a "player's manager'' gives too much rope to veterans, allowing them to take advantage of the situation. That opinion is not shared within the organization, which hired Farrell largely because his talent at maintaining relationships with players stood in contrast to Bobby Valentine, his predecessor who alienated the clubhouse.

    Earlier this week, David Ortiz complained about being benched against left-handers. Ortiz did it with media, not with dugout histrionics, and Farrell can live with that.

    Miley's reaction was a different story. Farrell says he will not allow his authority to be undermined this way. Miley's tone was that of a man who understands, and for this night at least, the spat was treated as a one-off and not a sign the team was deteriorating from within.

    "The clubhouse (mood) is ongoing, win or lose,'' Farrell said. "Something like this gets more attention because of the stretch we're in. I understand that.''

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