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Pittsfield mayoral candidate denies making threatening phone calls

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Craig Gaetani allegedly threatened to shoot a city employee and burn her house down.

PITTSFIELD -- A Pittsfield mayoral candidate accused of threatening to shoot a city employee, burn down her house, and take away her job has been scheduled for a December jury trial, according to the Berkshire Eagle.

Craig Gaetani, who is representing himself, appeared in Central Berkshire District Court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing.

According to court records reviewed by the Eagle, Gaetani allegedly called the Pittsfield Fire Department on July 3 seeking information about having junk cars removed from his property. When told by a clerk the people he needed to speak to were not available, Gaetani allegedly swore at the the woman before she hung up on him. Gaetani called back and told the woman that he was going to be the next mayor, and would take away her job and retirement benefits, according to the court records.

Calling back again one minute later, Gaetani allegedly told the woman he was going to "come to her office and shoot her with a gun." Gaetani also allegedly threatened to burn the woman's house down over the course of six phone calls made in a 31-minute period, the Eagle reported.

Gaetani has pleaded not guilty to charges of threatening to commit a crime and making harassing phone calls. A conviction could result in a six month jail sentence.

Gaetani previously said he would produce evidence to implicate his brother David as the one who placed the calls, reports the Eagle.

Gaetani earlier this month called the charges a "smear campaign" directed by the office of incumbent Mayor Daniel L. Bianchi.

Gaetani will face current City Clerk Linda M. Tyer, Donna M. Walto, and Bianchi in a preliminary election Sept. 22. The top two finishers will compete in the Nov. 3 general election.

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Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com.


Missing 62-year-old California hiker survives 9 days with broken leg

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A 62-year-old hiker missing for nine days in California's rugged Sierra Nevada with a broken leg endured freezing nighttime temperatures and crawled two days for water before getting the attention of rescuers with a whistle she carried for moments of crisis, authorities said Monday.

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- A 62-year-old hiker missing for nine days in California's rugged Sierra Nevada with a broken leg endured freezing nighttime temperatures and crawled two days for water before getting the attention of rescuers with a whistle she carried for moments of crisis, authorities said Monday.

Miyuki Harwood slipped and fell about six feet after she left her hiking group and headed back to camp alone because she was low on water.

After two days on the ground, she decided to crawl 150 yards down a rocky, shrub-covered ravine to a spot where she heard running water, Fresno County sheriff's Deputy Jason Vinogradoff said.


"'I can die here, or I can at least get to the water and survive,'" she told Vinogradoff, who talked with her Saturday, just moments after she sounded her whistle to alert rescuers.

She was shivering, pale and crying tears of joy when searchers found her, Vinogradoff said, adding that she asked about her family.

Vinogradoff described Harwood's survival as a miracle and said the avid hiker is a strong-willed person who did not complain of extreme pain. He believes the whistle saved her life.

Once she was secured in the helicopter, the group of 15 rescuers erupted in applause.

"Everybody was pretty happy that she got the outcome that she did," California Highway Patrol helicopter pilot Officer Riley Dixon said.

Harwood, a resident of Folsom, was flown to a hospital in Fresno about 100 miles away and underwent surgery to set broken bones. She has declined requests for interviews.

Harwood had been on an extended hiking trip organized by the Sierra Club. The group searched for her after she disappeared and reported her missing, prompting the search led by the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

The effort was joined by more than 50 people on foot, horseback and helicopter. Smoke from a massive wildfire several miles away hampered searchers in aircraft.

Harwood ate nothing during the nine days she was missing, but she had a water filter. Vinogradoff said she was wearing hiking pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a down jacket. She sought shelter under a tree.

With each passing day, fears grew among rescuers. After being notified that she was alive, Dixon set out from Fresno in his helicopter.

Wildfire smoke forced him to take a longer route. He landed on a granite slab at an elevation of 9,200 feet and watched rescuers carry Harwood on a stretcher toward him.

Survival instructor Cliff Hodges, founder of Adventure Out LLC, said that without the water from the stream, Harwood would not have survived for nine days. He said the whistle was also a lifesaver, and she was fortunate to be lost in the summer.

She could not have endured frigid winter temperatures without shelter, he said, adding that her will to survive undoubtedly played a role.

"Ms. Harwood is clearly a tenacious and courageous individual," Hodges said. "Many people, even in the summer, I'm afraid would not have fared as well."

Unstable antenna atop Trump tower in Canada closes streets in Toronto

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Police said the area will be closed until at least noon on Tuesday.

By ROB GILLIES

TORONTO -- Police have closed off a number of blocks in Toronto's downtown financial district because of an unstable antenna on the Trump International Hotel and Tower Toronto.

Toronto police said Monday the area will be closed until at least noon on Tuesday. Several blocks around the luxury hotel and condo are cordoned off in what is a key part of the financial district. It has caused traffic chaos and police are stationed at the corner of each cordoned off block.

The Trump building, located on Bay Street, Canada's version of Wall Street, is in an area normally bustling with people and cars.

"There will be a considerable amount of time before it is rectified," Toronto police spokeswoman Caroline de Kloet said. "City of Toronto engineers are working on it."

The building's namesake is billionaire Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who often likes to make the case that he's qualified to be president because he can build great buildings. The construction on the building started in 2007. It opened on Jan. 31. 2012.

Neil Labatte, President of Talon International Development, the building's developer, said in a statement that Trump Hotel management noticed in routine preventative maintenance that the spire on the roof may need further inspection and alerted police as a precaution.

"Talon's technical specialist was quickly dispatched to the area, and found that the concerns were unsubstantiated. Talon is continuing its due diligence and is now awaiting a final report from its technical team. As soon as Talon has the final report, the police department will be notified," the statement said.

Toronto Mayor John Tory issued a statement calling for an investigation and saying he wants those responsible for the disruption to be held accountable. The mayor said he is concerned about the impact on traffic, and the city has told the building's owners to ensure there is no risk to the public.

Huge blast at Spanish fireworks factory kills 5, wounds 6

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Police and firefighters didn't know the cause of the blast and were prevented in initial efforts from trying to investigate it because fires were still raging at the site hours after the explosion and a series of smaller blasts.

By CIARAN GILES
and ALAN CLENDENNING

MADRID -- A huge explosion Monday at a fireworks factory in northeastern Spain killed five people and injured six others, authorities said.

The blast occurred around 2 p.m. at the Pirotecnia Zaragozana factory in the small town of Pinseque, sending a dense plume of white smoke into the sky that could be seen for miles.

The injured were taken to a hospital in the nearby regional capital of Zaragoza, said Gustavo Alcalde, the central government's top Interior Ministry official for the region.

A police spokeswoman said that three of those injured were in serious condition. She spoke on condition of anonymity because of department rules preventing her from being named.

Police and firefighters didn't know the cause of the blast and were prevented in initial efforts from trying to investigate it because fires were still raging at the site hours after the explosion and a series of smaller blasts.

Spanish national television said the blasts in the aftermath of the main explosion also hindered a search operation for people missing immediately after the incident.

By late afternoon, no more people were reported as missing, the spokeswoman said.

The factory was purchased in January by Etienne Lacroix Group and the French company said at the time that the plant's Spanish management team would continue running the business.

A woman who answered the phone at Etienne Lacroix said the company based near Toulouse had no immediate comment and referred inquiries to a company manager who did not immediately respond to an emailed message seeking comment.

Westfield public schools declared ready for Tuesday's start of 2015-2016 school year

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Kindergarten and pre-school classes begin Sept. 8.

WESTFIELD - The School Committee and Superintendent of Schools Suzanne Scallion took time Monday night to praise School Department staff, especially principals, teachers and custodians for making city schools ready for Tuesday's start of the new school year.

"We are ready," Scallion declared after School Committee members reported on their personal tour and inspection of each city school building.

"Our principals, teachers and custodians did an outstanding job preparing for the arrival of students," the superintendent said.

School Committee vice-chairman Ramon Diaz Jr. said he was impressed by the preparation at each school including Russell Elementary School in Russell which Westfield is leasing this year for students who would have been assigned to Juniper Park School on the campus of Westfield State University.

The city and WSU have parted ways on the lease of Juniper Park which was used for many years as an elementary school here.

Scallion and School Committee member Diane M. Mayhew also took the opportunity during Monday night's committee meeting to remind parents to send extra water or juice boxes with their children to school Tuesday and Wednesday because of high heat and humity in the forecast.

"Youngsters should bring extra water and/or juice boxes for the next two days," Mayhew said.

Veteran School Committee member Kevin J. Sullivan also announced that Westfield Technical Academy will have its "first ever" band this year under the direction of Westfield High School Band Director Patrick Kennedy.

Kennedy will split his band duties between the two schools and he reportedly has already "recruited" 40 vocational students for the start-up of a band at Westfield Technical Academy.

Tuesday will mark the start of the 2015-2016 school year for grades one through 12. Kindergarten and pre-school programs will begin the new year Sept. 8.

Chicopee missing bird found safe but with ruffled feathers

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The bird was found more than two miles from his home. Watch video

CHICOPEE - Five days ago Sparkles took flight, leaving the family that rescued the brightly colored bird about nine months ago frantically searching for their pet.

They called police and fire, but they could do little to help, neighbors kept a close watch for the red, green and blue bird and called any time they spotted him. Brandon Klusman even took time off from his work as a contractor to search for Sparkles.

But a few hours after Mike Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer, posted a plea asking for people to keep a watch out for the bird and it was picked up by Masslive and the Republican, Angela Breault-Klusman got a call late Monday that the bird had been spotted in a tree in a neighborhood behind the Hu Ke Lau restaurant on Memorial Drive.

Klusman and his brother-in-law Jason Breault sped to the last location to and spotted their feathered friend.

The residents who called them were bird lovers and put out peanuts and other food to try to lure the bird and keep him in the same area in the hopes of capturing him.

"He was in a tree and he kept going from tree to tree," Breault-Klusman said. "He high-fived my husband but then flew to another tree."

Birds bred and raised in captivity know how to take flight, but have problems flying lower and landing, which made it difficult for Sparkles to return to his owner.

Eventually Sparkles flew into a small tree and perched on a small branch and he finally perched on Klusman, who he was bonded, Breault-Klusman said.

"I'm just so glad he is home," she said. "I can't thank family and friends and the people who called us enough."

The Klusman family first found Sparkles, a large macaw with long tail feathers, on a website. The original owner posted that he wanted to sell the bird or even give him away.

When they arrived, they found his wings were clipped far more than they should have been, he had no tail feathers and he was underfed, she said.

Breault-Klusman said they already own a scarlet macaw named Snickers and love birds. They traded an old car they had for the bird, took him home to care for him.

Sparkles escaped on Thursday while the couple and their four children were in the middle of moving from Paderewski Street. They often take their birds outside, but in the commotion, he got away.

One of the reasons is Sparkles' feathers had been damaged by the severe clipping the previous owner had given him. Their groomer wanted the bird's feathers to grow back and fill in before she clipped them again so he couldn't fly far, Breault-Klusman said.

When the bird first flew away, he stayed fairly close to home and Klusman took a few days off stayed at the home until the last minute in the homes he would come home. The family's had a Sept. 1 deadline to move.

Breault-Klusman, a paraprofessional at Anna E. Barry School, however had returned to work after the summer vacation on Wednesday and could not take time off with children returning to school on Monday.

After a few days neighbors weren't catching glimpses of him any more. It turns out the bird become more adventurous and flew more than two miles from home, Breault said.

"We know there are hawks and eagles around and we were concerned about that," Breault-Klusman said.

They also weren't sure if their bird would be able to find any food or water on his own.

Their fears seemed justified. In the first hour after he was brought home, Sparkles drank more than half a bowl of water and was eating as much as he could, she said.

Other than being hungry though, he seemed healthy.

"His feathers are ruffled. He did get into a quarrel with some blue jays," she said, adding neighbors saw the birds chasing each other.

Soon they plan to have his wings clipped again. Meanwhile he will stay in his cage if he is taken outside, she said.

Dedham man, released from prison 2 weeks ago, charged with raping 2 women in Brockton

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Roberto Ruffini is accused of using rosary beads to choke one of the women.

Brockton Police patch.png 

A 38-year-old Dedham man who had been released from prison two weeks ago was accused of raping two women in Brockton Sunday afternoon.

According to WCVB-TV, Roberto Ruffini is accused of picking up a woman on North Main Street around 3:15 and then driving around the city buying and using drugs.

Police Lt. Kenneth LeGrice said while the two were driving, Ruffini became aggressive.

"If you don't want to die you're going to do everything I say. You're going to die. I'm going to chop you up in little pieces and dump your body where no one will find you," Plymouth County Assistant District Attorney James DeGiacomo said in court Monday afternoon, according to The Enterprise of Brockton.

Ruffini then grabbed the 25-year-old woman and forced her to perform a sex act on him, the newspaper quoted DeGiacomo as saying. When the woman pleaded with him to let her go, Ruffini took a set of rosary beats, wrapped them around her neck, and began choking her, the prosecutor said.

Eventually the woman was able to open the passenger's door and escape, seeking help at a nearby house.

While police were talking to her, they received a call about a second woman, also 25, being raped a half-hour later, LeGrice told the newspaper. An emergency medical technician driving an ambulance noticed a woman in the passengers's seat of a Ford wagon with her legs dangling out of the window, DeGiacomo said.

The EMT followed the car, recording its license plate. The car eventually stopped in front of the ambulance, allowing the woman to escape and run towards the ambulance.

Police arrested Ruffini about two hours later after putting out an alert, and said both women were able to identify their alleged assailant from his driver's license photo.

Ruffini, who was ordered held without bail Monday afternoon in Brockton District Court, had been released from the Plymouth County House of Correction after serving nine months for violating probation, DeGiacomo said.

Supreme Court rules against Kentucky clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses

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The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against the Kentucky county clerk who has refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses, and the clerk will arrive at work Tuesday morning to face her moment of truth.

MOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) -- The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against the Kentucky county clerk who has refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses, and the clerk will arrive at work Tuesday morning to face her moment of truth.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis will have to choose whether to issue marriage licenses, defying her Christian conviction, or continue to refuse them, defying a federal judge who could pummel her with fines or order that she be hauled off to jail.

"She's going to have to think and pray about her decision overnight. She certainly understands the consequences either way," Mat Staver, founder of the law firm representing Davis, said on Monday, hours before a court-ordered delay in the case expired. "She'll report to work tomorrow, and face whatever she has to face."


A line of couples, turned away by her office again and again in the two months since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage across the nation, plan to meet her at the courthouse door.

"Wow, wow, wow, I can't believe it, we might finally be able to get a license tomorrow," April Miller said Monday night, shortly after the court's decision. She has been denied twice to marry her partner of more than a decade.

Davis stopped issuing all marriage licenses in the days after the landmark decision. Two gay couples and two straight couples sued her, arguing that she must fulfill her duties as an elected official despite her personal religious faith. A federal judge ordered her to issue the licenses, and an appeals court upheld that decision. Her lawyers with the Liberty Counsel filed a last-ditch appeal to the Supreme Court on Friday, asking that they grant her "asylum for her conscience."

Justice Elena Kagan, who oversees the 6th district, referred Davis' request to the full court, which denied the stay without comment. Kagan joined the majority in June when the court legalized gay marriage across the nation.

If Davis continues to turn them away, the couples' attorneys can ask a judge to hold her in contempt of court, which can carry steep fines or jail time.

Dan Canon, an attorney representing the couples, said he hopes Davis will simply hand his clients licenses on Tuesday, and the controversy will end. Davis behind bars is not an outcome they are hoping for, he said.

"But if she continues to defy the court's order, we cannot let that continue unaddressed," he said Monday night. "It all depends on what happens tomorrow."

Meanwhile, a couple that had been turned away went to Rowan County Attorney Cecil Watkins to ask that she be charged with official misconduct, a misdemeanor defined by state law as a public official who "refrains from performing a duty imposed upon him by law or clearly inherent in the nature of his office." The crime is punishable by up to a year in jail.

Watkins cited a conflict of interest and forwarded the complaint to Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, whose office will decide whether to appoint a special prosecutor, generally a county attorney from a surrounding jurisdiction, who would decide whether to file charges.

As the clock wound down for Davis on Monday, the tension intensified between dueling groups of protesters outside her office window on the courthouse lawn.

Hexie Mefford has stood on the lawn waving a flag nearly every day for more than two months. The flag is fashioned after Old Glory, but with a rainbow instead of the red and white bars.

Mike Reynolds, protesting in Davis' defense, shouted at her that he found the flag offensive: He is an Army veteran, he said, and they had desecrated the American flag. The two groups roared at each other. Davis' supporters called on the activists to repent; the activists countered that their God loves all.

It was a marked difference from the cordial protests that unfolded there every day since Davis declared she would issue no licenses.

Rachelle Bombe has sat there every day, wearing rainbow colors and carrying signs that demand marriage equality. One particularly hot day, Davis, the woman she was there to protest against, worried Bombe would get overheated and offered her a cold drink. In turn, Bombe said she's checked in on Davis, whose lawyer says she's received death threats and hate mail, to make sure she's holding up despite the difficult circumstances.

"She's a very nice lady, I like her a lot," Bombe said of Davis. "We're on the opposite sides of this, but it's not personal."

On Monday, Davis' supporters stood on the grass and sang "I am a Child of God."

The marriage equality activists chimed in after each refrain: "So are we."


Chicopee's Dupont Middle School drop-off procedures changed

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On the first day of school traffic was backed up on Front Street.

CHICOPEE - The principal and school resource police officer at the 1st Sgt. Kevin Dupont Middle School have modified the drop-off procedures to try to alleviate traffic jams and improve safety on Front Street.

On the first day of school Monday, traffic was backed up on the street, which now has two schools which have a total of more than 2,000 students.

Starting Tuesday parents will be able to drop off their children on both sides of Front Street in the morning. Crossing guards and staff will help students cross the road, Chicopee Police said..

Parents will also be allowed to drop off students on Academy Street but only on the side closest to the school. Students can then walk up sidewalks to the school's recess area near the gymnasium entrance.

No vehicles will be allowed in bus unloading areas.

The school was renovated and converted to a middle school over the past year.

Springfield's 14th homicide of 2015 puts city in tie with 2014 murder total

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The latest victim has been identified as 21-year-old David Steven Guasp, who was stabbed to death outside a brick apartment building near the corner of High and Myrtle streets in the northwest section of Six Corners.

SPRINGFIELD — With four months left in 2015, this past weekend's killing brings Springfield's homicide count to 14, tying last year's total and increasing the likelihood that this year's final tally might surpass the 2014 murder rate.

The latest victim has been identified as 21-year-old David Steven Guasp, who was stabbed to death Saturday evening outside an apartment building near the corner of High and Myrtle streets in the northwest section of Six Corners. He was the second person to be killed on the block this year. In February, 38-year-old Alexis Perez-Melendez was fatally stabbed at 56 High St.

"Detectives have been working around the clock under the direction of Capt. Trent Duda and have been following leads," Sgt. John Delaney said, adding that the killing occurred in a high-crime area known for gang activity.

Police haven't released any information about the victim or identified a motive for the killing, which is under investigation by detectives in the Major Crimes Unit. Anyone with information can call police at 413-787-6355 or text an anonymous tip to "CRIMES," (274637), beginning the message with the word "SOLVE."

On Monday, friends of Guasp set up a table across from 92 High St., the scene of the killing, to raise money for the victim's family and to help cover funeral expenses. A curbside memorial for Guasp, including candles and messages, has also been established across from the crime scene.

Springfield almost went 60 days without a homicide, but that streak ended with Saturday's murder.


MAP showing approximate location of homicide scene:



Georgia police officer responds to wrong home; homeowner shoots, critically wounds him

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A police officer was shot and critically wounded Monday when he responded to a call of a suspicious person and showed up at the wrong house, authorities said.

ATLANTA (AP) -- A police officer was shot and critically wounded Monday when he responded to a call of a suspicious person and showed up at the wrong house, authorities said.

The homeowner was also shot in the leg and his dog was killed in what DeKalb County police Chief Cedric Alexander is calling a complicated shooting. Officers fired their weapons, the chief said, but it's not clear if the homeowner had a gun.

Alexander said his department would typically handle the investigation since it did not involve a fatality, but because of the unusual situation, he asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into it.

"We did respond to the wrong residence tonight and then these other circumstances unfolded," he said.

Officer Shot GeorgiaDeKalb County police officers work at the scene where an Atlanta-based officer was shot Monday evening, Aug. 31, 2015, five miles from Atlanta. (Ben Gray/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)  

Alexander said the situation happened like this: A neighborhood resident called 911 at 7:34 p.m. to report a suspicious person and described a home to the dispatcher. Three officers responded to a house that fit the description the caller gave 911. The officers went to the back of the home and found that a screen door and a rear door were unlocked.

"That in and of itself would probably suggest to anyone that it is possible that there could be intruders inside, but it turned out not to be the case," Alexander said. "Somewhere at the rear of that home, some things happened that have yet to be determined."

The officers had just entered the home when the gunfire erupted.

"There was gunfire, I just cannot tell you who fired and who did not," he said.

An officer was shot in the leg and lost a lot of blood. He was rushed to the hospital and was undergoing surgery. The homeowner was also taken to the hospital.

The homeowner's girlfriend was at the home at the time of the shooting and called 911.

Derek Perez told The Associated Press that he reported the suspicious person. He said he was walking his dog when he saw a man knock on a neighbor's door and then just stand in the yard. He said he then heard a loud noise, a dog barking and didn't see the man anymore. There had been break-ins in the neighborhood recently, so he called 911, he said.

Just as he was about to go into his house, he heard the gunshots, but they didn't come from the house where he had reported the suspicious person.

Police were still investigating whether there was a burglary at the home where the suspicious person was spotted.

All three officers have been placed on administrative leave.

The shooting happened in a neighborhood about 5 miles from downtown Atlanta.

His neighborhood called him 'Blanko,' a Puerto Rican kid who loved rap, reggaeton and salsa; now, they're raising money to bury him

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David "Blanko" Steven Guasp, 21, was stabbed to death on High Street in Springfield on Saturday, Aug. 29, according to police, who continue to investigate.

SPRINGFIELD — His neighborhood called him "Blanko," a Puerto Rican kid who loved rap, reggaeton and salsa. Now, his neighborhood is raising money to help bury him.

Blanko is also known as David Steven Guasp, the 21-year-old Springfield man who was stabbed to death Saturday night along a tough stretch of High Street between School and Myrtyle streets – the scene of many sad stories over the years.

This latest story is being told up and down the block, where Blanko was a well-known fixture.

On Monday, his friends hung a homemade sign on a chain-link fence and set up a collection table on the sidewalk across from where he was killed. The sign read: "R.I.P. Blanko. Raising money for funeral."

There was nothing ambiguous about their message.

A group of women and children manned the table, which included a jar stuffed with cash donations. Some young men lingered nearby, one of whom spoke about Blanko but didn't want a reporter to use his name. "He was a good kid. He liked to sing. He was really into music," said the man, who had a white towel draped over his shoulders and identified himself as a friend of the homicide victim.

The goal is to raise at least $7,000 so Blanko's family can give him a proper funeral, according to another man, who goes by "Papi" and asked a reporter to withhold his given name. Papi, another well-known neighborhood fixture, is the longtime building superintendent at 92 High St., the building closest to where Guasp was found just after 7 p.m. Saturday. That's when Guasp became the city's 14th homicide victim of 2015, another Springfield crime statistic without a face.

Police Sgt. John Delaney described the neighborhood as a high-crime area with gang activity, though authorities haven't released a motive for the crime or indicated if they have a suspect.

On the block, though, everyone knows what went down on Saturday.

"It was over a woman," said Papi. "They were beefing down by the store and it came up here."

The store Papi was referring to is the market near the corner of School and High streets. The disagreement between Blanko and his alleged killer migrated east up the block toward the building Papi has maintained and watched over for the past 15 years.

He says he knows both of the men who were beefing – Blanko and the guy who allegedly killed him. "They'll get him," Papi said of the suspected killer.

Papi believes he could have prevented Blanko's death if he were on High Street at the time of the stabbing. "I would have real quick jumped on both their asses, because they know me and respect me," he said.

He went to the hospital to check on Blanko, "but they didn't let me go in," Papi said, referring to police and hospital personnel.

At age 50, Papi is the unofficial mayor of the block – everyone knows him, and he knows everyone. On High Street, he's known as the guy who looks out for people. That included Blanko, whom Papi had known since he was a kid. That's why Papi wishes he was there on Saturday; he could have looked out for Blanko, he said.

By 10 o'clock Monday night, the women and children working the donation table for Guasp's funeral finally called it a night. They had been there for hours and managed to raise a nice chunk of cash to help Blanko's family. They folded up the table and the Puerto Rican flag chair, then headed for the row of imposing brick apartment buildings lining High and Myrtle streets.

Papi says it's good that they listened to him and went inside before it got too late. The block can be dangerous, he says, acknowledging that drugs are a big draw on High Street. "We get a lot of people who come from different states, different parts of the city, with different habits," Papi said.

But Papi, a father who's been married to his wife for 28 years, looks out for the locals. "This is our neighborhood," he said. "This is our community."

The really sad part of the story is that Blanko had just been released from jail, according to Papi. "He was out three or four days, then this," he said, referring to Guasp's death.

Asked if he thinks they'll raise enough money for Blanko's funeral, Papi said confidently, "We're going to make it." Blanko comes from a loving family, his mother is a pastor, and a lot of people are actively raising money and making T-shirts to honor her fallen son, Papi said.

It's now nearly 10:30 p.m. on Monday, and Papi and a man named "Kooky" are hanging out by the corner of High and Myrtle streets. Kooky had spent much of the evening shouting to passing motorists, telling them to stop by the donation table to lend support to the victim's family.

They looked down the hill to the area where Blanko spent his final moments, remembering the amiable kid with the lively spirit and good singing voice. As Blanko was gasping for air and slipping away, he asked for Papi.

"That was his last words – 'Where's Papi?'" said the building super who doubles as the mayor of High Street.


Anyone wishing to make a donation to help cover Blanko's funeral costs can go to the "Funeral de David" page on GoFundMe.com.

 


Springfield man awaiting trial on bank robbery charges dead of apparent suicide at Hampden County Correctional Center

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Luis D. Laureano apparently hung himself with a bed sheet in his cell Saturday night.

LUDLOW - A Springfield man awaiting trial on bank robbery charges is dead after he apparently hanged himself with a bed sheet Saturday night in his cell at the Hampden County Correctional Center.

The deceased, Luis D. Laureano, 36, of Springfield, was pronounced dead at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield early Sunday morning, less than two hours after he was found hanging in his own cell by a corrections officer making a periodic cell check, according to a jail official.

Hampden County Correctional Center spokesman Richard McCarthy did not release the name of the deceased, citing existing jail policy. Laureano's death was confirmed by his brother, Jose Rosario, who called The Republican on Monday seeking more information about the death.

"Our whole family is hurting right now," he said.

Laureano was being held at the jail in lieu of $100,000 bail following his arraignment Friday on a bank robbery charge.

He was charged with robbing a TD Bank branch in Springfield on Thursday. He reportedly entered the bank with sunglasses and a fake beard and demanded cash, according to prosecutors.

Police found Laureano after tellers slipped a GPS tracking device in the money bag.
He was due back in court on Sept. 25.

McCarthy said the inmate used a bed sheet to make a ligature that he tied to the top of his bunk and tied the other end around his neck. The bunk was not tall enough to hang himself while standing, so he knelled down and leaned forward, McCarthy said.

A correctional officer spotted him inside his cell at 10:18 p.m. and call for medical assistance.

Correctional officers attempted first aid until an EMT team arrived at 10:34 p.m. Attempts to resuscitate him continued until 10:45 p.m. when an ambulance departed with him for Baystate Medical Center, he said..

The state police were notified of his death at 12:40 a.m. and immediately began an investigation, which is required for every unattended death at the correctional facility, he said.

Laureano, because he had just been brought to the jail one day earlier, was being housed in an orientation unit that prepares inmates for longer stays in the general population units, McCarthy said.

This particular unit was under a 30-minute watch, meaning a correctional officers would check on each cell every 30 minutes.

A corrections officer had been performing the 30-minute checks, and the electronic check-in stations in the unit each confirm they had been done. The officer reported the inmate appeared fine up until he was found hanging in the cell, McCarthy said.

McCarthy also said a review of video footage for the unit show no one entered the cell prior to the discovery at 10:18 p.m.

"From our investigation, it appears to be an unassisted suicide," McCarthy said.

The suicide is just the third at the Ludlow facility since 2010, he said.

Rosario, who lives in South Dakota, heard of his brother's death from family on Sunday morning. Police visited his father early Sunday to deliver the news.

He said police did not disclose very much information about the death, leaving family desperate for more information.

He said his brother "had issues" that were the result of drug use and the breakup of his marriage, but family did not consider him suicidal.

He said a sister who saw him on Wednesday, one day before the alleged robbery, said he "didn't look too good."

When family went to see him at the jail following his arraignment, he would talk to his sister, but did not want to see his mother, Rosario said.

He said he wants the police to do a thorough investigation of his bother's death, saying that based on what he has heard so far, it does not make much sense.


Illinois police hunt for 3 suspects after officer killed while pursuing group of suspicious men

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The officer radioed in to tell dispatchers he was chasing three men on foot in the city of Fox Lake, 55 miles north of Chicago.

FOX LAKE, Ill. -- Police with helicopters, dogs and armed with rifles were conducting a massive manhunt in northern Illinois on Tuesday after an officer was fatally shot while pursuing a group of men.

An emotional Fox Lake Mayor Donny Schmit described the slain officer, Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewitz, as a personal friend, a three-decade member of the department and a father of four sons.

"We lost a family member," Schmit said of the 52-year-old officer known around town as "GI Joe." ''His commitment to the people of this community has been unmatched and will be dearly missed."

Authorities said Gliniewitz radioed in to tell dispatchers he was chasing three men on foot in the village of Fox Lake, 55 miles north of Chicago. Communication with him was lost soon after, said Lake County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli.

"His backup arrived shortly thereafter and found him injured with a gunshot wound," Covelli said. "The officer has succumbed to his injuries and passed away."

Undersheriff Raymond Rose told the Chicago Tribune that the officer had also been stripped of his gun and other equipment.

Less than an hour's drive from Chicago, the area is popular with boaters and for other outdoor pursuits because of its forest preserves and a chain of lakes that partly encircles Fox Lake. Some longtime city dwellers move to the region for what is normally a quieter lifestyle.

Police and other law enforcement officials, some of them in military-style camouflage, were seen taking up positions on rooftops and along railroad tracks, scanning the terrain with rifle scopes and binoculars. Others leaned out of helicopters with weapons at the ready.

Nearby Grant Community High School was placed on lockdown with children and staff instructed to say hidden and away from windows, and Schmit said that other schools were also put on lockdown, as staffers went from room to room to make sure the children were safe.

Authorities urged residents throughout the area to stay home while they conducted the search for three men, two of them white and the other black, using bloodhounds on the ground and helicopters above.

The service of a local commuter train was halted and residents who wanted to take their dogs out to relieve themselves were told to stay in their homes -- with the job of walking the dogs handled by police officers.

Gliniewicz's death is the third law enforcement fatality in Illinois this year, according to the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. It says firearms-related deaths in the U.S. are down 13 percent this year compared to the same period last year, Jan. 1. to Sept. 1; there were 30 last year and 26 this year.

Around Fox Lake, residents expressed their own sorrow over the death of the immensely popular Gliniewitz.

"This particular officer is a pillar in my community and definitely going to be missed, and (he) touched so many lives," said Gina Maria, a 40-year-old teacher who lives in the community.

Dow plunges 470 points after bleak Chinese manufacturing report spooks investors

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The Dow Jones industrial average, which fells as much as 548 points at one point, closed at 16,058.

By KEN SWEET

NEW YORK -- Stocks plunged again Tuesday, continuing a rocky ride for Wall Street, after an economic report out of China rekindled fears that the world's second-largest economy is slowing more than previously anticipated.

The sell-off adds to what has been a difficult few weeks for U.S. and international markets. U.S. stocks just closed out their worst month in more than three years. Tuesday's drop also dashed hopes that, after some relatively calm trading Friday and Monday, the stock market's wild swings were coming to an end.

"This market remains fragile," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank. "There's nothing fundamentally wrong with the U.S. economy, but we are going through this correction process. We've got a rocky road ahead of us."

Stocks started the day sharply lower and never recovered, with the Dow Jones industrial average falling as much as 548 points. No part of the market was spared. All 10 sectors of the Standard & Poor's 500 index fell more than 2 percent. Just three stocks in the S&P 500 closed higher.

"Monday's relatively peaceful markets are a distant memory as Chinese data and shares sparked another severe ... reaction from the developed world," said John Briggs, head of fixed income strategy at RBS.

In the end, the Dow lost 469.68 points, or 2.8 percent, to 16,058.35. The S&P 500 fell 58.33 points, or 3 percent, to 1,913.85 and the Nasdaq composite fell 140.40 points, 2.9 percent, to 4,636.10.

As it's been for the last several weeks, the selling and problems started in Asia.

An official gauge of Chinese manufacturing fell to a three-year low last month, another sign of slowing growth in that country. The manufacturing index, which surveys purchasing managers at factories, dropped to a reading of 49.7 in August from 50.0 in July. A reading below 50 indicates a contraction.

China's stocks sank on the news, with Shanghai Composite Index closing down 1.2 percent. The index has lost 38 percent of its value since hitting a peak in June.

The Chinese economy has been a focus for investors all summer, and the concerns have intensified in the last three weeks. China devalued its currency, the renminbi, in mid-August. Investors interpreted the move as a sign that China's economy was not doing as well as previously reported.

Investors moved into traditional havens like bonds and gold Tuesday. Bond prices rose, pushing the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note down to 2.16 percent from 2.22 percent on Monday. Gold rose $7.30, or 0.6 percent, to settle at $1,139.80 an ounce.

Faced with the possibility of slowing demand in China, the commodity markets once again took the brunt of the hit.

U.S. crude oil fell $3.79 to close at $45.41 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $4.59 to close at $49.56 in London.

Energy stocks were once again among the biggest decliners. Exxon Mobil fell nearly 4 percent and Chevron fell 2.5 percent. Exxon is down 22 percent this year, Chevron 30 percent.

In a sign of how battered energy companies have been this year, ConocoPhillips announced it was laying off 10 percent of its workers, roughly 1,800 workers, as a reaction this year's plunge in oil prices.

Along with worries about China, speculation about whether or not the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates as soon as this month continues to weigh on markets. Traders say a lot hinges on the August jobs report, which will be released this Friday. Economists are forecasting that U.S. employers created 220,000 jobs in the month and that the unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent.

The Federal Reserve meets September 16 and 17. Some economists are predicting that policymakers will be confident enough in the U.S. economic recovery to raise interest rates for the first time in almost a decade. While Fed officials are mostly focused on the U.S. economy, they cannot ignore problems in the global economy.

"China's problems are totally a concern for the Fed," said Tom di Galoma, head of rates trading at ED&F Man Capital. "With inflation remaining low here, I just don't a reason why they would raise rates."

Markets in Europe were broadly lower. Germany's DAX fell 2.4 percent, France's CAC-40 lost 2.4 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index declined 3 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 was also volatile, dropping 3.8 percent. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong sank 2.2 percent. Stocks also fell in South Korea and Australia.

The dollar fell to 119.68 yen from 121.20 yen on Monday. The euro rose to $1.1307 from $1.1225.

In other energy markets, wholesale gasoline fell 10.3 cents to close at $1.396 a gallon, heating oil fell 12.3 cents to close at $1.578 a gallon and natural gas rose 1.3 cents to close at $2.702 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Copper lost 4 cents to $2.30 a pound and palladium slumped $23.05 to $578.50 an ounce. The price of silver edged down four cents to $14.61 an ounce and platinum edged down $2.10 to $1,008.40 an ounce.


Tire problem with military transport plane temporarily closes Bradley Airport runways

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An Air National Guard C-130 aircraft had a tire malfunction during landing, according to Alisa Sisic, public information officer for the Connecticut Airport Authority.

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — A problem with a military transport plane temporarily forced the closure of runways at Bradley International Airport late Tuesday afternoon, according to officials at the Windsor Locks airport.

An Air National Guard C-130 aircraft had a tire malfunction during landing, Alisa D. Sisic, public information officer for the Connecticut Airport Authority, said, adding that things should be back to normal soon.

"It is currently in a location that has required us to temporarily close the runways," she said in email to MassLive / The Republican at 6:10 p.m. Sisic said the runways should reopen in about 15 to 30 minutes, or roughly between 6:25 and 6:40 p.m.


 

Sale of used books, CDs, DVDs to benefit Holyoke Public Library

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Those who want to donate books and other items for the Holyoke library sale can do so until Sept. 16.

HOLYOKE -- Used books, CDs, DVDs and recorded books will be sold to benefit the Holyoke Public Library Sept. 18 and 19 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church,485 Appleton St.

"The Library Board and I are appreciative of and thrilled to collaborate with Rev. Barbara Thrall and the St. Paul's Episcopal Church congregation with an event that will re-distribute books to the community," Library Director Maria G. Pagan said in a press release Tuesday (Sept. 1).

"Even in this day of digital materials, the physical book is very important and represents a commitment to reading and literacy in Holyoke," she said.

The sale will be 5 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 18 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 19, the press release said.

The event will include hardcover and paperback books including mystery, horror, romance, science fiction, anime and westerns, along with the classics and large-print books. Nonfiction titles include art, cooking, gardening, health and fitness, home improvement, history and sports, the press release said.

Those who want to donate books, CDs and DVDs for the benefit can bring them to the library at 250 Chestnut St. until Sept. 16. They also can call the circulation desk for a list of acceptable donations at (413) 420-8101, the press release said.

Donations are tax deductible, but library staff are unable to give appraisals of donated items. Letters of acknowledgement can be mailed to donors, the press release said.

Live reporting: Holyoke City Council wants ex-treasurer Jon Lumbra to repay

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Holyoke councilors also will consider borrowing $194,000 more for heating and ventilation systems at two schools.

HOLYOKE -- The City Council returns from summer break to a regular schedule Tuesday (Sept. 1) that includes asking a former official to give back some money.

Follow along as live reporting of the City Council's 7 p.m. meeting at City Hall is posted in the comments section under this story.

The council will receive a copy of an Aug. 19 letter (see below) that Assistant City Solicitor Kara Cunha sent to former city treasurer Jon D. Lumbra requesting that he repay the city for salary he received while working a full-time private job.

The letter was based on the City Council having approved Ward 5 Councilor Linda L. Vacon's seek-payment order Aug. 4. Mayor Alex B. Morse approved it in the form of not issuing a veto.

Lumbra, who is a candidate for the Ward 7 City Council seat in the Nov. 3 election, couldn't be reached for comment.

The treasurer's yearly salary is $70,016.

Lumbra began working for Loomis Communities, a local senior citizen retirement company, on Nov. 3, 2014 and resigned as city treasurer Feb. 13. He was in the second year of his second, four-year term as treasurer.

While credited with stabilizing and strengthening the treasurer's office, Lumbra angered councilors and others by taking the Loomis job and staying on as treasurer.

Because treasurer is an elected position, the mayor and City Council lack supervisory leverage. A binding question has been placed on the upcoming Election Day ballot to change treasurer to an appointed position.

Lumbra from early November until he resigned said that all of the treasurer duties were being fulfilled.

But the City Council debated measures to cut the treasurer's salary by $50,000, require payment only for documented hours worked and prohibit elected officials from working other full-time jobs during regular City Hall hours.

In other City Council action:

--Councilors will be asked to approve borrowing an additional $194,000, on top of $750,000 approved on Feb. 3, to replace or improve heating and ventilation systems at Morgan School, 596 South Bridge St., and E.N. White School, 1 Jefferson St.

City Council approval is still needed for such spending despite the presence since July 6 of a state-appointed receiver. The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on April 28 took over the public schools here after deeming students' academic results chronically under-performing.

As receiver, Stephen K. Zrike Jr., formerly the superintendent of the Wakefield Public Schools, has complete authority over hiring and firing personnel and policy decisions, supplanting the Holyoke superintendent and School Committee.

But the spending decision lies with the City Council because only the elected legislative body can borrow money for the city, council President Kevin A. Jourdain said.

--The agenda includes numerous constituent-response items filed by councilors that a cynic might attribute to seeking attention with Election Day two months away, but in truth, such orders usually pack the agenda.

They include: asking the Department of Public Works to replace a berm, or grass strip, at Bemis and West Meadowview roads; that a stop sign be installed at Ashley Road and Route 202; and that police be asked to deploy to the area of Laurel, Willow, View and Glen streets and Brown Avenue to deal with traffic and speeding concerns.

--Jourdain has filed the formal order calling for the holding of a preliminary election Sept. 22 in all 14 voting precincts. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The preliminary election ballot will have only one race: The three-candidate field for mayor -- incumbent Alex B. Morse, Fran O'Connell and Anthony Soto -- will be narrowed to the top two vote-getters in the preliminary election. Those two move onto Election Day and the third-place finisher is eliminated.

Holyoke Law Department letter to former treasurer Jon Lumbra

Deal reached on condemned house in Springfield where 50 animals were removed

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The owner and occupants of the house at 99 Champlain St., have agreed not to return to the house until the code violations are addressed.

SPRINGFIELD - A house in Indian Orchard that was condemned last week after 50 animals were removed from conditions called unhealthy and unsanitary conditions will not be re-occupied until a plan for the house is finalized and conditions are adressed, city officials said Tuesday.

The owner and two occupants of the house at 99 Champlain St., signed an agreement in Western District Housing Court on Tuesday, agreeing not to stay overnight at the house and only to return to clean the site or to remove belongings in a sanitary fashion, said Lisa DeSousa, associate city solicitor.

In addition, they are scheduled to return for a court review in three weeks to discuss options for the house to either make the necessary repairs and cleanup; or market the property for sale; or negotiate to turn the property over to the lien holder; or to agree to a court-appointed receiver, DeSousa said.

The owner was identified as Lynne Molinari, and the occupants as Elsie Molinari and Sheila Monette, according to Housing Court records.

Both DeSousa and David Cotter, the city's deputy director of code enforcement, said the owner and occupants were cooperative, and the signed agreement is designed in the best interest of the occupants, the neighborhood and the city.

"I think it is everyone's best interest," DeSousa said, noting the agreement is court-sanctioned, and the occupants must abide by the condemnation and not live there..

It was the second large-scale case of a house being condemned with large numbers of animals found by city inspectors and animal control officials.

Approximately two weeks ago, city officials condemned a house at 402 Allen St., in East Forest Park, citing unsanitary conditions along with approximately 280 dead animals in freezers and refrigerators and another 127 live animals living in squalor.

The 50 animals at 99 Champlain St. included seven dogs, eight cats, 15 rats, seven guinea pigs, four rabbits, six parrots, a duck and a hamster, officials said. Conditions included filth and stench, said Cotter and Pamela Peebles, director of the Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center.

"The city cannot leave this property in this condition," Cotter said. "Therefore a three-week deadline will not be extended. It's a public health hazard."

Cotter said that residents who are aware of such conditions within their neighborhoods should contact the city "and leave it to the experts" to address it. The city responded to the two properties with various officials including Code Enforcement, police and animal control officials, he said.

DeSousa said that under the reached agreement, the owner cannot simply transfer unsanitary conditions from one area of the property to another.

One of the occupants was a senior citizen and was represented by a senior advocate in court. officials said.

Live Reporting: Chicopee City Council to discuss Westover solar farm, Pride gas station improvements

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The meeting will begin at 7:15 p.m. Masslive will report on it live in the comments section.


CHICOPEE - The City Council will debate the request from Mayor Richard J. Kos to transfer $840,000 from the city's stabilization fund to a separate account to be used for the redevelopment of the former Navy housing property off Outer Drive.

The city is proposing to demolish about 128 homes that have been vacant for at least 15 years and use much of the 25 acres where they sit to create a solar farm.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Administration and Finance has given the city a $1 million grant for the project, but the city must invest a matching $1 million to complete the project.

The city acquired the unused property from the U.S. Navy in 2011 after years of negotiations. It had originally planned to sell five colonial homes off Fredette Street to a contractor who would rehabilitate them and sell them, but ran into legal problems with the deed.

The solar farm is part of a plan to help defray energy costs at Westover Air Reserve Base and otherwise make it look more attractive and save it from further federal budget cuts. The farm would also generate power for the city.

The City Council will meet at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday. Masslive will cover the meeting live in the comments section below.

The agenda has a total of 57 items on it. Included is a request for a special permit to renovate the Pride gas station and truck stop on Burnett Road, which has been discussed for a number of months.

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