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Westfield ordinance restricting residences of sex offenders remains on books

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The local legislation was adopted in 2010.

WESTFIELD - It may not be enforceable but local legislation restricting where registered sex offenders can live will remain on the books here indefinately.

The City Council refused Thursday night to rescind the local legislation it adopted in 2010 despite a state Supreme Judicial Court decision determining such ordinances invalid and recommendations by the Westfield Law Department and the council's own Legislative and Ordinance Committee to rescind the ordinance.

Instead the council voted unanimously to table the matter indefinately, after several councilors expressed dissatisfaction with the SJC August ruling.

The SJC determined that local ordinances, based on the state's Sex Offender List are in conflict. That decision impacts about 40 communities across the Commonwealth.

Councilor Ralph J. Figy, chairman of the Legislative and Ordinance Committee, said "this is a situation where we may not agree because of the issue of public safety but we need to rescind the ordinance."

But, Ward 6 Councilor Christopher Cream argued "I can't smoke a cigarette on school property, but a sexual predator can watch a child. Are we more concerned about health issues that safety of children issues?"

Councilor David A. Flaherty said he was not willing to act on the issue at this time. "The existing ordinance was adopted for a reason. The court never sent me a letter that I have to vote to repeal it," he said.

Councilor Brent B. Bean II said he wanted some legislation in place. "There is too much at stake here," Bean said.

Figy said he expects the matter to receive statewide attention by the state legislature in the near future.

Councilor Cindy Harris, calling the issue "unfortunate" called on her colleagues to table the matter and give the state Legislature to respond.

Westfield's ordinance prohibits sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of a school and establishes child safety zones at schools, parks and playgrounds.


Woman shot in face by Agawam police gets $20K in town settlement

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Miles opened the door for police while holding her young daughter in her arms when Petrangelo's gun accidentally went off on May 5, 2015, according to accounts of the incident. Miles was struck by bullets in the face and chin. Miles said she is still suing the town for $1.5 million in federal court.

The town of Agawam has agreed to pay $20,000 to a woman accidentally shot in the face by police in 2012.

The money is for emotional distress of Britteney Miles' two children, according to WWLP. Miles, now 24, was pregnant at the time of the incident.

Miles said she is still suing the town for $1.5 million in federal court. The lawsuit, filed in April, alleges police engaged in a cover-up to justify former Agawam police officer Danielle Petrangelo drawing her gun while responding to a 911 call for a possible break-in at the Elizabeth Manor Apartments on May 5, 2012.

Miles opened the door for police while holding her 18-month-old daughter in her arms when Petrangelo's gun accidentally went off, according incident reports. Miles was struck by bullets in the face and chin.

The police department justified Petrangelo's actions by stating that officers heard glass breaking, yelling and a commotion inside the apartment. But Miles said only she and her two small children were present at the time, reports said.

The lawsuit -- which names Petrangelo, the town of Agawam, Police Chief Eric Gillis and two unnamed Agawam police officers as defendants -- additionally accuses the police officers of assault and battery and the town of failing to properly train its officers.

Miles' then 3-year-old son was sleeping when the gun went off and woke up to see his mother's face covered in blood, WWLP reports.

Miles has agreed to place the $20,000 into two investment accounts for the affected children.

Petrangelo was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing and was placed on paid leave after the shooting. Mayor Richard Cohen confirmed in April she no longer works for the department.

Southampton lawyer charged with prostitution in Northampton District Court

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Karen J. Andrade, 51, of 21 East Street, came under suspicion when a neighbor told police she had seen a number of men coming and going at her apartment. Southampton police went on the Internet and found reviews of Andrade as both an attorney and an escort.

NORTHAMPTON - A Southampton lawyer accused of working as a prostitute pleaded not guilty to sexual conduct for a fee this week in Northampton District Court and was released on her own recognizance.

Karen Andrade.jpgKaren J. Andrade

Karen J. Andrade, 51, of 21 East St., came under suspicion when a neighbor told police she had seen a number of men coming and going at her apartment. Southampton police went on the Internet and found reviews of Andrade as both an attorney and an escort.

Andrade, who specializes in child custody, was placed under administrative suspension by the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers on Jan. 21, 2014 and had a disciplinary proceeding pending as of May 20, 2015 according to the board's website. The event connected with the charge took place in Southampton on June 17, according to police.

Using a search warrant, police confiscated several items from Andrade's home, including condoms, lubricants, electronic devices and $305 in cash.

Reviews of Andrade on an online site say she is not a "clock-watcher."

"Let her know what you like and want," one client wrote.

She worked as an escort under the name "Rose," police said.

Judge Jacklyn Connly released her on personal recognizance and continued the matter to Nov. 12.


Hampshire College honors retiring math professor David Kelly with 17 mph speed limit signs

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All of the 15 mph speed limit signs on campus have come down and been replaced with ones that read 17 mph.

AMHERST — There are probably an infinite number of ways to say goodbye to a beloved math professor, but Hampshire College's David Kelly would prefer his students and colleagues keep it to just 17.

Kelly, who has taught the mathematical and social history of the number 17 during his four and a half decades of teaching, didn't want a party. So, instead of a dinner reception, Hampshire College decided to give Kelly the lasting tribute he preferred.

"As he was getting ready to retire last spring, he said he didn't want a a party or tribute, he just wanted to see the speed signs changed to 17," said Elizabeth Conlisk, a professor of public health.

Conslisk, together with Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash, worked to make it happen. All of the 15 mph speed limit signs on campus have come down and been replaced with ones that read 17 mph.

Kelly's reaction of seeing the new 17 mph speed limit signs for the first time: "It felt very good," he said. "And soon after, someone from admissions told me a prospective student was visiting campus, and when he drove up and saw the 17 mph sign he said, 'I'm going here.'"

Kelly said, "That's just what I wanted. This captures Hampshire uniqueness in some sense."

Kelly says the number 17 has fascinated mathematicians for 2,000 years because it has a lot of mathematical properties. His office is filled with 17-related scholarly accounts and ephemera, and his student have carried on his interest, according to a press release from the college.

On a recent Sunday, for example, Kelly began receiving emails about the New England Patriots' 51-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. While he's not a football fan, Kelly said it was the score that fascinated him. "Of course, 17," he said in statement in the press release. "and then 51 is 17 times three."

Among Kelly's popular classes over the years have been Complex Function Theory and Calculus. He was also longtime director for the Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics for high-ability high school students.

Hampshire released the following list:

Top 17 Sensational 17 Stats from David Kelly

  1. The ancient Greeks knew how to construct squares, equilateral triangles, and regular pentagons with straightedges and compasses; in 1796 Carl Friedrich Gauss proved that the euclidean tools sufficed also for the construction of a regular 17-sided polygon.

  2. Any sequence of fewer than 17 consecutive positive integers contains at least one number which has no divisor in common with any of the other numbers; the 17-term sequence {2184, 2185, ..., 2200} contains no such number.

  3. You can color all the (136) edges joining pairs of 16 points with 3 colors without having 3 of the edges forming a triangle be all the same color; with 17 (or more) points, there must be a monochromatic triangle.

  4. A cube can be cut along 7 edges and unfolded to make a cross; a tesseract or 4-dimensional hypercube can be cut along 17 2-dimensional faces and unfolded into a three-dimensional cross.

  5. There are 17 muscles in a horse's ear.

  6. Roman historian Plutarch records "The Pythagoreans also have a horror for the number 17, for 17 lies exactly halfway between 16, which is a square, and the number 18, which is the double of a square, these two, 16 and 18, being the only two numbers representing areas for which the perimeter equals the area."

  7. There are 17 columns on the long side of the Parthenon in Greece.

  8. There are 17 mathematically distinct wallpaper patterns. Tilings in the Alhambra, a Moorish castle in Spain, and M.C.Escher's tessellations exhibit all the 17 different combinations of translations, rotations, and reflections.

  9. Horses have recently been reported to distinguish among 17 facial expressions.

  10. The 17th century was a great century for Japanese Haiku which has 17 syllables (comfortably spoken with a single breath).

  11. 17 is the smallest number of clues that can be provided for a 9x9 Sudoku puzzle to have a unique solution.

  12. There are 17 ways to write 17 as a sum of primes.

  13. 1/17 is the 1st reciprocal of a positive integer whose periodic decimal expansion contains all 10 digits. (1/7 = 0.142857 142857 ... ; 1/11 = .090909...; 1/17 = 0.0588235294117647 0588235294117647...)

  14. To calculate a 17% tip, divide the bill by 6 (and round up by 0.33333...%).

  15. Morris the Cat died at age 17, the average lifespan of a goldfish.

  16. The 17-year locust.

  17. There are almost 17 ounces in a pound.


Northampton medical marijuana consultant Ezra Parzybok charged after home raided by state police

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Parzybok is a card-holder himself, documents show, and as such can legally possess a 60-day supply of marijuana, or 10 ounces. But during their search of his home at 30 Norwood Street on Sept. 22 investigators seized 46 pot plants, about 70 jars containing what police identified as marijuana oil and 20 one-gallon bags of marijuana.

Massachusetts State Police have filed drug distribution charges against a Northampton medical marijuana consultant after finding large amounts of pot in his home during a raid in September, according to court documents.

Ezra Parzybok, 41, is an outspoken advocate in the community for medical marijuana use. He consults patients on how to legally grow cannabis and how to obtain a medical marijuana card through his business, High End Cannabis Consulting.

Parzybok is a card-holder himself, documents show, and as such can legally possess a 60-day supply of marijuana, or 10 ounces. But during a search of his home at 30 Norwood Street on Sept. 22 investigators seized 46 pot plants, about 70 jars containing what police identified as marijuana oil and 20 one-gallon bags of marijuana, as well as tools for packaging pot.

Massachusetts State Police filed a complaint against Parzybok on Oct. 8, with two counts of possession with the intent to distribute a class D drug, or marijuana, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a class C drug, a category that includes Valium, Hydrocodone, psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelics.

Court documents did not make clear which class C drug investigators may have found in Parzybok's home.

"Ezra has no comment on police action or the complaint at this time, but we expect to formally comment on these actions within the next two weeks," said Michael D. Cutler of Northampton, Parzybok's lawyer.

On Sept. 22, detectives from the Northwestern District Attorney's Anti-Crime Task Force were assigned to assist the Massachusetts National Guard Counter Drug Unit in "marijuana eradication" efforts throughout Hampshire County, court documents show. A National Guard helicopter used for the operation was manned with trained spotters tasked with locating outdoor marijuana grows.

The team was prompted to investigate Parzybok's house when the helicopter crew saw pot plants growing on its second-floor porch, reports said.

Detectives knocked on Parzybok's door around noon but no one answered, police said. Members of the National Guard then walked into the backyard as the helicopter circled above, and allegedly found 21 marijuana plants in flower beds and along the home's perimeter. They also discovered a small white paper bag on the porch with a green logo featuring the words "High End," which contained several small jars with various strains of the plant, reports said.

Investigators noted reflective shielding hanging from a clothes line in the back of the residence, an apparatus that usually indicates an indoor marijuana grow.

Parzybok arrived 15 minutes later and provided police with a valid Massachusetts medical marijuana card. He agreed to the search of his home, at which time Northampton police were called to assist.

Detectives found growing lights and other tools and instruments associated with growing weed in the basement, police said, as well as two-dozen jars of marijuana oil and twenty gallon nags of marijuana in the refrigerator. Police also located two rooms consistent with the description of a grow room, and another room for drying the plant, reports said. Neither of the rooms were in use.

Another room was identified by police as a manufacturing and packaging space, as it held several boxes of mason jars and glass droppers labeled "High End." A hot crock pot contained an unknown black, oily substance that was still cooking, detectives said.

Seized from that room were the following items, according to reports: 36 jars of marijuana oil; 19 glass droppers containing an unknown liquid substance; nine receipts labeled with names and money amounts paid and owed; three weight scales; $1,640 in cash retrieved from several envelopes with names written on them; and various amounts of "green vegetable matter" believed to be marijuana.

For his consulting work, Parzybok advises card-holders on dosage, strain selection and medical efficacy of pot, and also holds lectures for health service providers and health care institutions.

"It is my goal to help adults understand this age-old plant and to break cultural stereotypes by being as upfront, helpful, and open as possible," his professional website reads.


Parzybok's arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 3, documents show.

Yesterday's top stories: Southampton lawyer charged with prostitution, car crashes through Worcester liquor store window, and more

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State police have filed drug distribution charges against a Northampton medical marijuana consultant after finding large amounts of pot in his home during a raid in September, according to court documents.

These were the most read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now. One of the most items viewed yesterday was photographer Dave Roback's photo gallery of the Nearly Naked charity run at UMass, above.

1) Southampton lawyer charged with prostitution in Northampton District Court [Fred Contrada]

2) Watch car crash through liquor store in Worcester [Michael D. Kane]

3) Northampton medical marijuana consultant Ezra Parzybok charged after home raided by state police [Laura Newberry]

4) Human remains found in Vermont may be missing fugitive wanted for alleged sex offenses [Conor Berry]

5) Simultaneous police raids in Springfield and Chicopee end with 3 arrests, seizure of cash, drugs and loaded gun

Accused court-skipper limps back; Springfield District Court judge jails him anyhow

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But even before his alleged disappearing act on Aug. 5, Serrano had been a problematic probation client. In nine months, he was cited for three violations, including failing to take a previous drug test, according to his probation officer.

SPRINGFIELD - The last time Ariel Serrano was in court, he allegedly skipped out.

So when he limped back into Springfield District Court last week, wearing an orange and black tiger-print sweatshirt and matching orange ankle cast, his prospects for getting released again were not good.

Serrano, 20, of Springfield, was arrested on Oct. 7 in Westfield following an alleged road rage incident, a prosecutor told Judge William Rota.

A woman called Westfield police to report that one of four men riding in a car on Route. 20 had waved a gun at her; when police stopped the car, there were three passengers and no gun, a prosecutor said.

During the traffic stop, Serrano was arrested on a default warrant for allegedly walking out of court on Aug. 5 to avoid a taking a drug test.

For Serrano, the test was a condition of probation from a 2014 case in which he was charged with possession of heroin and cocaine, both with intent to distribute.

But even before his alleged disappearing act on Aug. 5, Serrano had been a problematic probation client.

In nine months, he was cited for three violations, including failing to take a previous drug test, according to his probation officer, who asked the judge to revoke Serrano's probation.

Defense lawyer Thomas Bessette argued against revoking probation, explaining that Serrano was the parent of a young child that he needed support.

As his lawyer spoke, Serrano sat handcuffed in the prisoner's dock, with his injured left leg resting on the bench.

Rota eventually ruled there was probable cause that Serrano had violated his probation, and ordered him held for a final hearing on Nov. 12.

 

The Republican photographers discuss the best photos taken at the 2015 Big E fair on WGBY's Connecting Point

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The Republican photographers Don Treeger and Michael Gordon discuss the best shots from the 2015 Big E on PBS affiliate WGBY's Springfield, Massachusetts show Connecting Point.

SPRINGFIELD — Although smartphones and cheap camera technology have empowered many to feel like professional photographers, there are only a few among the general population who have the experience and eye for true visual quality.

Here at The Republican, the award-winning staff photographers have shot everything from carnivals and house fires to U.S. presidents and civil unrest.

And thanks to an invitation from our friends over at PBS affiliate WGBY-TV 57, photographers Don Treeger and Michael Gordon, are appearing on-air to share the crew's insights regarding their best work on the popular show Connecting Point.

In their first appearance, Treeger and Gordon discuss the best shots taken at the 2015 Big E fair in West Springfield.

Check out the video below for the full segment and the gallery above of some of the Big E photos from this year's festivities. Click here for more from the Connecting Point team.


Bouncer stabbed at Worthington Street bar in Springfield

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A bouncer for a Worthington Street bar was stabbed as he walked a patron out of the bar Friday night.

SPRINGFIELD— A bouncer for the Odyssey bar on Worthington Street was stabbed by an errant patron who was being walked out of the bar.

Springfield Police Sgt. Monique McCoy said the off-duty bouncer was helping out and walked the patron from the bar just before 11:30 p.m. Once they were outside, the patron allegedly turned and stabbed the employee, then fled.

A police officer near the scene radioed for an ambulance, which took the injured man to the Baystate Medical Center.

McCoy said the bouncer suffered non-life threatening injuries.

This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Create 'We compost!' decal, win cash prize in Valley Zero Waste contest

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Zero Valley Waste member Jessica Tanner, of Northampton, in a statement said: "Food in the trash goes to landfills and incinerators and adds to the greenhouse gases emitted from these facilities."

Valley Zero Waste, a local coalition of volunteers committed to sustainable garbage disposal methods to lessen negative environmental impacts, is offering a $50 prize to design a sticker restaurants may display showing their unused food is composted instead of thrown in the trash.

According to a spokesperson for the group, the winning sticker must contain the words "We compost!"

Valley Zero Waste – a reference to the group's focus on the Pioneer Valley – announced the contest Thursday, intending it to mark the one-year anniversary of a new state Department of Environmental Protection regulation.

"A MassDEP ban on disposal of commercial organic wastes by businesses and institutions that dispose of one ton or more of these materials per week takes effect on October 1, 2014," the DEP said in a statement last year. "By diverting food wastes from disposal to composting, conversion, recycling or reuse, your organization can not only cut its waste management costs, but potentially save money on purchasing, too."

Zero Valley Waste member Jessica Tanner, of Northampton, in a statement said: "Food in the trash goes to landfills and incinerators and adds to the greenhouse gases emitted from these facilities."

She said, "Diverting food to a composting facility on the other hand, creates a product that can be used to enrich soil."

Zero Valley Waste says it is important to recognize that a number of food-selling businesses in the valley do not produce the one-ton weekly food-waste volume mandating their compliance to the DEP rules. But those that are doing it voluntarily should be recognized, and a prominently displayed sticker would show their customers that.

"Most restaurants are not large enough to fall under the state regulation," Valley Zero Waste spokesperson Lynne Pledger said.

She said research by the organization shows that "many smaller restaurants are keeping food out of the trash for other reasons: because it keeps their kitchens cleaner, or saves on trash disposal costs, or is simply the right thing to do."

The deadline to submit a decal design is Nov. 12.

"The window decal contest run by Valley Zero Waste is open to any resident of the Pioneer Valley. The design should be at least 4.5 inches and must include the words, 'We compost!'" Tanner said.

"We would like the design to show a piece of discarded food, such as an apple core or a partially eaten piece of bread, but no banana peels," she said.

Contest entries or questions about the decal contest can be forwarded via email to: valleyzerowaste@gmail.com.

Two-time child porn defendant refuses to apologize to victim in Springfield federal court

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Sokolowski admitted creating 14 different fake Facebook accounts under pseudonyms shortly after he was released from probation from a prior child pornography conviction. He served four years in prison plus three years of probation.

SPRINGFIELD - Despite a teary address from a victim in a child pornography case, defendant Robert Sokolowski passed when offered an opportunity to publicly apologize to a young woman he exploited who appeared in U.S. District Court on Friday.

"I would like you to know that I will never forgive you for what you did to me," the woman said tearfully, turning to face him in court during his sentencing hearing, when he received more than 12 years in prison.

It was unclear whether Sokolowski was avoiding her gaze or staring at some spot on a far wall, as his posture did not change at all during the proceeding - except for when his lawyer nudged him to stand up to address U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni.

The defendant, 43, of Northampton, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. He admitted creating 14 different fake Facebook accounts under pseudonyms shortly after he was released from probation from a prior child pornography conviction. He served four years in prison plus three years of probation.

His goal appeared to be to conceal his own identity and use women, unwittingly, to more easily solicit pornography.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow cited "Victim A" and "Victim B" in his pre-sentencing memo, noting that Sokolowski had "friended" them on the social media site and later used non-pornographic images to solicit "tributes" from other porn fans.

"They downloaded photographs of victim B's face from Sokolowski's fake accounts, printed out her pictures," and used the photos in solitary sex acts, sending the result back to Sokolowski's accounts.

The judge was largely silent during the proceeding, he accepted the plea deal, noting that the sentence must be fair and serve as a deterrent for other potential defendants.

He did, however, ask the defendant twice whether he chose to address the victim on Friday.

"He doesn't want to say anything," defense lawyer Alan J. Black confirmed.

Mastroianni recommended that Sokolowski serve his sentence as Fort Devens, a federal facility in Ayre that has a sexual offenders treatment program.

 

Ludlow water main break closes Chapin and Miller streets and Collins Bridge

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A water main break near the intersection of Chapin and Miller streets in Ludlow, forced police to close those streets and Collins Bridge.

LUDLOW— A water main break near the intersection of Chapin and Miller streets has closed down that intersection as well as all traffic over the Collins Bridge.

Ludlow Police Sgt. Brian Shameklis said Ludlow police and DPW crews have closed off Chapin and Miller streets on the Ludlow side of the Chicopee River, and Wilbraham police have closed the Cottage Avenue approach to the bridge as well.

Shameklis said the break was discovered at about 7 :00 a.m, and DPW crews are setting up saw horses to close the road. The roadbed itself is being compromised by the errant water flow.

Dion Label Printing of Westfield adjusts, starts making labels for nutrition and health care

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Dion Label Printing once made its name making lift passes for ski areas, a business it iis till in. Watch video

WESTFIELD - John Dion, a co-president of Dion Label Printing of Westfield, enjoys searching retailers -- Walmart, CVS, Trader Joe's what have you - for products labeled with products from his company.

"I usually find them pretty easily," he said. "It's pretty amazing when you think about it."

Dion's father, also named John, founded Dion Label printing in 1969. Today, run  by brothers John and Dave, the company has 79 employees including some who have been with Dion for 25 years or more. The plant and offices are at 539 North Road.

On a recent afternoon, workers were on hand prepping space for a new $1.5 million press Dion needs to keep competitive.

Despite the loss of local manufacturers who once bought Dion labels, the company is growing into new product lines like nutraceuticals and nutritional supplements.

The nutraceutical industry is centered in Connecticut and on Long Island, John Dion said.

"I think we are perfectly situated," he said.

They also make labels for generic over-the -counter medicines, like store-branded aspirin or ibuprofen tables and many of those manufacturers are in Connecticut and on Long island as well.

Dion Label is working towards getting FDA certification, he said. Today, it relies on the FDA certification and oversight of its customers who manufacture the products.

Dion still makes labels for local companies. Micro Abrasives around the corner on Southampton Road is a longtime customer.

They make labels for food and beverage products. Peoples Pint in Greenfield is a customer.

It also make labels for Berkshire Mountain Distillers.

Some labels are printed on a shrinking plastic material that conforms to bottle shapes, said Ashley Obara, marketing supervisor. Her business card is made of the same plastic-sleeve material.

Once Dion did business with American Family Publishers making those peel-and-stick magazine order forms that came with sweepstakes entries. that industry really doesn't even exist any more, Dion said.

For 45 years, Dion has manufactured lift tickets for ski resorts. The company still does, but its  no longer as big a part of the company's business and a seasonal business at that.

Although during  a recent visit rolls of lift tickets were in the warehouse ready to be shipped out to resorts all over the country in time for the slopes to open.

They make labels for food and beverage products. Peoples Pint in Greenfield is a customer.

Some of Dion's products count as medical devices, John Dion said. Those include radiology targets that affix to the skin of cancer patients getting life-saving treatments.

They look like bandages a mom might use to cover a scraped knee. But the adhesive targets have a small bead embedded in the gauze that radiation equipment can e hone in on. Coming in several shapes to match body parts, Dion makes the targets on behalf of a Massachusetts company that developed the technology.

Dion also showed off marker tags his company prints for use with IV solutions. They let health care workers keep track of what patients are getting what solutions and are writable so health care workers can put handwritten notes on the tags.

New history of Wibraham becomes available Oct. 25th at Country Club of Wilbraham

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The new town history was published in honor of the town's 250th anniversary. The book will be available for the first time Oct. 25th at the Country Club of Wilbraham

WILBRAHAM - The 366-page hard cover edition of Wilbraham's fourth volume of local history will be available for the first time ever for $30 Oct. 25th from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Country Club of Wilbraham at 859 Stony Hill Road.

Atheneum Trustees from the Old Meeting House and the Friends of the Wilbraham Public Library will be on hand to sell books. Proceeds will benefit the Meeting House and Wilbraham Public Library programs.

"Wilbraham History and Culture Volume IV, 1963-2013" is the Sestercentennial Edition or 250th Anniversary edition, commissioned by the town's 250th Anniversary Committee.

The first book in Wilbraham history is the 1913 "Historical Address of the Town of Wilbraham" written by Rufus Stebbins in 1863, followed by the "History of Wilbraham U.S.A." contributed to and edited by Charles Merrick and published following the town's bicentennial in 1963.

A pictorial edition of Wilbraham's history, "Images of America" by Coralie M. Gray in 2001 is an excellent historical companion to the series as well.

The new book contains 25 pictorial chapters with a foreword, prologue and epilogue written by several volunteer authors who have either lived in Wilbraham or are connected to the people of Wilbraham.

Wilbraham's original charter is replicated in the book, courtesy of former State Sen. Gale D. Candaras, and Massachusetts State Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo Jr.

There also are present day maps, historic timelines and an 1800s census map of Wilbraham inhabitants by occupation, courtesy of New England Promotional Marketing of Wilbraham.

The rise and fall of the Wilbraham Peach Festival is highlighted as is the crumble of the State Line Potato Chip factory. The growing commerce along Boston Road, the growth of local government and the preservation of historic farms and treasured woodlands also are explored in detail with historic pictures.

Other chapters include a salute to military veterans, historic homes, expansion of the golf course at the Country Club of Wilbraham, revitalization of Recreation facilities and senior activities and traditions as well as housing, population, urban sprawl and education through the decades.

The Oct. 25th event is free and open to the public. There will be hot and cold plattered specialties and passed hors d'oeuvres. There will be a small program between 3:15 and 3:30 p.m.

For more information or to reserve a book call Joan Paris at 413-205-8669.


Ludlow Police and Fire Departments to hold open house Sunday

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The Ludlow Police and Fire Departments open house is from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the public safety complex on Chapin Street.

LUDLOW - The Police Department will hold an open house in conjunction with the Fire Department Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the public safety complex on Chapin Street.

The open house will include presentations by the K-9 Team, special police, the Detective Bureau, the school resource officer, dispatchers and bicycle officers.

There also will be displays by the Ludlow Cares Coalition and the Dias Foundation.


This week in Springfield District Court: Dallas Cowboys fan denies knife-point robbery; suspect in Longmeadow break-ins had juvenile record; and more.

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Either the alleged heroin dealers at 25 Marble St. watched a lot of television or - as police suggest - they were protected by an unusually sophisticated security system, with cameras streaming live images and audio to three television sets on each floor.

These were the most read stories out of Springfield District Court this week, plus one from last week. If you missed any, click on the links below to read them now.


Teen suspect in Longmeadow break-ins had extensive juvenile record, prosecutor says


Suspected Dallas Cowboys fan denies knife-point robbery

Forest Park drug raid sparked by neighborhood complaints, prosecutor says


'There were cameras everywhere' at Springfield drug house, prosecutor says

Judge refuses to dismiss heroin charge against Princeza Aponte of Springfield

Shoplifting suspect stole from Marshalls 4 times in 1 month, store personnel tell Springfield police


Bank robbery conviction not helpful at Springfield man's bail hearing

Moms Club of Greater Springfield planning Open House in Ludlow

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The Open House will be held Monday morning at 54 Winsor Street in Ludlow. Moms are invited to come with their children.

LUDLOW - The Moms Club of Greater Springfield will hold a Fall Season Open House member signup Monday at 9:30 a.m. at 54 Winsor Street.

The signup will include a fun filled morning of live music.

There will be a guest host musician, John O'Neil, who will provide engaging live music for children of all ages. Moms are invited to come out and sing, play and laugh with their children.

To RSVP, email at momsclubofgreaterspringfield@gmail.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/momsclubofspringfield.

Volkswagen's 'Clean Diesel' ads under review in light of emissions scam

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The FTC is now reviewing whether that 30-second spot and others like it touting Volkswagen's "Clean Diesel" engines amount to fraud, adding a new avenue for U.S. regulators to punish the German automaker for its emissions-rigging deception.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- "Aren't diesels dirty?" asks the grandmother in the passenger seat of the gleaming new VW Golf SportWagen.

"Diesel in Latin means 'dirty,'" chimes in another friend in the backseat.

To prove them wrong, the gray-haired driver gets out and holds her white scarf up to the tailpipe of the purring car.

"See how clean it is!" she exclaims, holding up the spotless shawl.

The Federal Trade Commission is now reviewing whether that 30-second spot and others like it touting Volkswagen's "Clean Diesel" engines amount to fraud, adding a new avenue for U.S. regulators to punish the German automaker for its emissions-rigging deception.

FTC spokesman Justin Cole declined to comment Friday beyond confirming the commission's coordination with other federal agencies conducting a criminal probe into VW's use of a "defeat device" to hide emissions of smog-causing gases at up to 40 times the legal limit.


MORE: Leonardo DiCaprio to produce film on VW scandal


For years, the company had used well-funded national ad campaigns to boast its vehicles had the perfect balance of peppy acceleration, 40-mile-per-gallon gas mileage and low greenhouse-gas emissions. The pitch helped lure environmentally conscious customers who wanted to help save the planet without sacrificing driving performance.

While the FTC can't send anyone to jail, it can go to federal court to protect consumers and negotiate settlements with wide-ranging penalties. Those could potentially include paying cash restitution to the affected car owners and forcing VW to buy new national ads admitting the company lied to customers.

"This is exactly the type of case you would expect the FTC to look at," said Lee Peeler, a former FTC official who is president of the Better Business Bureau's Advertising Self-Regulatory Council. "When it comes to false advertising the agency actually has a pretty broad range of authority."

VW hastily took its "Clean Diesel" ads off the air following last month's admission it had cheated on emissions tests. The ads have also been removed from the company's websites and YouTube channel.

Volkswagen spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said airing the spots no longer made sense after the company withdrew its diesel cars from the market. VW is now coordinating with the Environmental Protection Agency on an expected recall of the nearly 500,000 sold in the U.S. since the suspect software first appeared in its 2009 diesel models.


RELATED: Volkswagen diesel cars show steep decline in sales prices


"Our primary focus is addressing the matter at hand and making things right for our customers, dealers and employees," Ginivan said Friday. "Once the diesel models have final certification from the EPA and become available for sale, we plan to return them to our website and other advertising platforms."

On Friday, VW also announced the launch of a new website for U.S. diesel owners to determine whether their cars are among those containing the problematic software. Owners can key in their vehicle identification number stamped on the dashboard near the driver's windshield. The number can also be found on many state auto registration cards.

Hartford residents spur police to set up large-scale drug bust

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Police said that among the drugs and other contraband seized during the operation were 1,397 bags of heroin; 87 bags of cocaine; 16 bags of PCP; a 3-oz. vial of liquid PCP; and more than $5,000 in cash.

HARTFORD - Fed up residents in a neighborhood infested with drug activity spurred police to make a large-scale heroin bust this week, according to news reports.

Hartford police said they had received many complaints about open air drug sales from residents, and set up an undercover sting on Franklin Avenue on Thursday.

Hartford Police Chief Brian Foley told Fox CT
that many of 18 arrested were users from out of town who traveled to the city simply to buy drugs.

Police said that among the drugs and other contraband seized during the operation were 1,397 bags of heroin; 87 bags of cocaine; 16 bags of PCP; a 3-oz. vial of liquid PCP; and more than $5,000 in cash.


Pursuit of 'El Chapo': Officials say drug lord injured in latest escape

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The pursuit of escaped drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman in recent weeks moved into the mountains of northwestern Mexico and officials think he injured a leg and his face in evading capture, the government said.

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- The pursuit of escaped drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman in recent weeks moved into the mountains of northwestern Mexico and officials think he injured a leg and his face in evading capture, the government said late Friday.

In a statement, Mexico's security Cabinet provided no details on when or exactly where the operation took place. It said efforts to recapture Guzman have been continuing since his daring July 11 escape from his cell through a tunnel dug under the maximum security prison where he was being held not far from Mexico City.


RELATED: Was 'El Chapo' really a hometown hero? Investigating the myth


The government cited information-sharing with international agencies for recently leading its hunt for Guzman to northwestern Mexico.

Guzman evaded capture for years in the rugged mountains of Sinaloa state. He previously escaped from another maximum security prison in 2001.

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