The pipeline would extend through several communities Kulik represents and deliver up to deliver 1.3 billion cubic feet of gas a day. Other opponents, such as Northeast Energy Solutions, were also denied full intervenor status, which would allow the party to demand documents and call witnesses. Several Franklin County communities, most recently Montague, have formally opposed the project.

BOSTON - Rep. Stephen Kulik, D-Worthington, has filed a bill mandating that legislators and municipalities affected by gas or electric projects have a greater say in the approval process.

The bill, filed last month, stipulates that proceedings regarding any petition or request for approval of a gas or electric company project have the full participation of any municipality within the service area of the company, any legislator district includes ratepayers and any group of not less than 10 ratepayers. Kulik was denied full intervenor status in the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities hearings on the Northeast Energy Direct natural gas pipeline proposed by Kinder Morgan.

The pipeline would extend through several communities Kulik represents and deliver up to deliver 1.3 billion cubic feet of gas a day. Other opponents, such as Northeast Energy Solutions, were also denied full intervenor status, which would allow the party to demand documents and call witnesses. Several Franklin County communities, most recently Montague, have formally opposed the project.

In a hearing before the Department of Public Utilities last week, Kulik said, "Specifically, this bill seeks to address a flaw in the statute governing which entities may intervene in certain adjudicatory proceedings involving gas and electric companies. Passage of this legislation will ensure our rights and those of the people we represent to participate in cases before the DPU which concern our constituent ratepayers, and energy policy for the Commonwealth."

Springfield Council candidate Jesse Lederman said his proposal for new ethics legislation is aimed at increasing transparency and accountability.

Jesse LedermanSubmitted photo 

SPRINGFIELD - At-large City Council candidate Jesse Lederman said in a prepared release this week that, if elected, he will propose new ethics legislation designed to "increase transparency and accountability" in city permitting.

Under Lederman's proposal, applicants for special permits or other approvals needed under the zoning ordinance from the City Council would be required to disclose their campaign contributions to local elected officials in the last five years as a part of their application process.

The disclosure would be filed with the City Clerk and the Springfield Ethics Commission, Lederman said.

If the applicant be a business entity, the listed principals of the business would be required to file the disclosure.

"As our city continues to pursue economic growth and new projects, our local governing bodies should be beyond reproach as they consider each proposal on its merit," Lederman said. "This law would expand upon already existing requirements to keep our elected officials honest and ensure that every project which is approved is done so because it benefits the future of our city."

"Residents of Springfield have the right to know where their elected officials are drawing on campaign funds, and when they are voting on issues tied to the same parties who contribute to them," Lederman said.

Contributions to elected officials and candidates are public records on file with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

Lederman said he is also calling for the filling of vacancies on the Springfield Ethics Commission to administer such a law as well as enforce existing ethics laws. The Ethics Commission has been dormant since its creation in 2009, and is awaiting current appointees from the Mayor, City Council, and School Committee, he said.

Novartis to buy Danvers-based Admume Therapeutics for its engineered protein said to boost the immune system to fight undetected cancer cells.

DANVERS - A Massachusetts drug research company is being acquired by Novartis, the world's biggest drugmaker by revenue.

Reuters reported the Swiss based company announced today that it would acquire Admune Therapeutics.

The acquisition is seen as a nod to a lucrative future in the field of biotechnology for treatments that address ways to help the body's immune system prevent the growth of cancer cells. This cancer immunotherapy or immuno-oncology is an evolving field of research and development.

Admune has a collaborative agreement with the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute to do clinical studies in humans of its lead compound, heterodimeric IL-15:IL-15Ra, for cancer immunotherapy. The trial is being conducted through the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health.

A recombinantly engineered human protein, hetIL-15 is said to boost the ability of the body's white blood cells to attack cancer cells that may go undetected by the body's immune system.

On its site, Novartis notes the trend toward target therapies for individualized cancers and the need to advance such treatment.

"To realize its full potential requires exploration of the complex system of biological pathways in the tumor microenvironment with agents that can stimulate the immune system to attack a wider variety of tumors." said Mark Fishman, president of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, in reference to the purchase of Admune and licensing agreements with two other companies.

MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis said the company remains confident in its revenue projections despite new, lower estimates for trips to the casino.

SPRINGFIELD - Here are five takeaways that came from MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis' press conference on Tuesday, when he answered questions regarding plans to reduce the size of its Western Massachusetts casino project by 122,534 square feet, nearly 14 percent.

The meetings are meant to help shape the state's 2017-2021 Capital Improvement Plan.

BOSTON - The Massachusetts Department of Transportation wants to know what transportation priorities the state's residents want to make the focus of construction from 2017 through 2021. 

MassDOT has scheduled a series of what it calls "Capital Conversations" across the state this fall. The goal is to collect data for the 2017-2021 Capital Improvement Plan now under development by MassDOT.

Suggested topics include winter resiliency at  the MBTA and highway and road projects in the region. The agency is also asking if anyone has an innovative plan for highway or bridge maintenance, or concerns and suggestions for the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

MassDOT is also collecting input at the following weblink via an online questionnaire.

• Monday, October 26, 6:00 p.m.
  Braintree City Hall, 1 John F. Kennedy Memorial Drive, Braintree
• Monday, October 26, 6:00 p.m.
  Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk, Amherst
• Tuesday, October 27, 6:00 p.m.
  Battleship Cove Marine Museum (Ward Room), 5 Water Street, Fall River
• Tuesday, October 27, 6:00 p.m.
  Middlesex Community College, Lowell Campus,
  33 Kearney Square, Lowell
• Wednesday, October 28, 6:00 p.m.
  Peabody City Hall, Wiggin Auditorium, 24 Lowell Street, Peabody
• Wednesday, October 28, 6:00 p.m.
  Natick Town Hall, 13 East Central Street, Natick
• Thursday, October 29, 6:00 p.m.
  Pittsfield City Hall, City Council Chamber, 70 Allen Street, Pittsfield
• Thursday, October 29, 6:00 p.m.
  Plymouth Town Hall, 11 Lincoln Street - Harbor Room, Plymouth
• Monday, November 2, 6:30 p.m.
  Mansfield Town Hall, 6 Park Row, Mansfield
• Thursday, November 5, 6:00 p.m.
  Springfield City Hall, 36 Court Street, Springfield
• Thursday, November 5, 6:30 p.m.
  Cape Cod Community College, Tilden Arts Theater,
  2240 Iyannough Road, West Barnstable

There'll be a fleet of new cars driving around Boston this winter, vehicles built with the mission of delivering hot pizzas.

There'll be a fleet of new cars driving around Boston this winter, vehicles built with the mission of delivering hot pizzas. 

Domino's announced Wednesday the company has designed and built a vehicle to be used specifically for delivering pizza, called the DXP, in collaboration with fellow Michigan companies Roush and General Motors. 

The company will introduce the new 100 DXP vehicles into 25 American cities, including Boston, in the next three months.

The vehicle is a modified Chevy Spark that only features a single seat. Instead of passenger seats, a warming oven is located behind the driver's seat and has the capacity hold up to 80 pizzas. The car also features a section for soda, salads, napkins, and other menu items.

"The Domino's DXP is the first purpose-built vehicle aimed at revolutionizing pizza delivery," President of Domino's USA Russell Weiner said in a statement. "This innovation allows drivers to do their jobs with greater ease and efficiency, and demonstrates that Domino's is absolutely fanatical about making perfect deliveries."

The company vehicle will be easily spotted as it comes equipped with a puddle light that will project the Domino's logo on the ground, a company car topper and even the hubcaps will feature the brand.

It comes equipped with a navigation system and has an estimated fuel economy of 39 miles per gallon on the highway.

Domino's delivers about 400 million pizzas each year in the United States and its drivers cover about 10 million miles every week.

A knife-wielding masked man stabbed four people Thursday at a school in southern Sweden, killing one teacher and a student before being shot by police.

JAN M. OLSEN
Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- A knife-wielding masked man stabbed four people Thursday at a school in southern Sweden, killing one teacher and a student before being shot by police, authorities said. One student said he thought the attacker was in a Halloween costume.

Students fled from the Kronan school in Trollhattan, near Goteborg, Sweden's second-largest city, as the attack took place in a nearby cafe just after 10 a.m., police said. The school has 400 students, ranging from pre-school to high school.

Police arrived to find one male teacher already dead and two male students and another male teacher seriously wounded, police spokesman Thomas Fuxborg told The Associated Press. One of the students died later at the hospital.

Police fired two shots, one of which hit the attacker, a 21-year-old man from Trollhattan, Fuxborg said. The attacker's motive was not known, he added.

The attacker had at least one large knife and possibly two, including what may have been a sword, another police spokesman, Stefan Gustavsson, told the AP. He said authorities knew the attacker had killed the teacher "because of the wounds he had."

Investigators declined to be more specific about the weapons used. A police press conference was scheduled for later Thursday.

Laith Alazze, a 14 year-old student at Kronan, said at first he thought the attacker -- who was clad in black with a mask -- had something to do with Halloween.

"One of my friends walked over to him to challenge him, but when we saw he stabbed him (the teacher), we ran away," Alazze told Sweden's TV4.

The three wounded underwent surgery later Thursday at the Norra Alvsborgs Lanssjukhus hospital. Dr. Lars Spetz told reporters the one teacher had been stabbed in the abdomen while the two students -- boys aged 11 and 15 -- were stabbed in the abdomen, liver and chest.

"They hover between life and death," Spetz said.

Police spokeswoman Maria Randsalu said the second victim was a male student, but did not say which one.

The attacker, who was also at the hospital, had gunshot wounds to his lower chest, Spetz said.

Swedish media said the school held a meeting Thursday morning to discuss teachers' fears that the school was too open. The Dagens Nyheter newspaper said students must go through a public cafe to reach the school's cafeteria and other parts of the building.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, who headed to the scene, described Thursday as a "black day."

"My thoughts go out to the victims and their families, the students and staff, and the whole community that has been affected," Lofven said. "No words can describe what they are going through right now."

Zygarowski, a 28-year police officer, said public safety will continue to be one of his priorities.

CHICOPEE - Robert J. Zygarowski, a 12-year veteran of the City Council, is announcing his candidacy for re-election for an at-large seat.

Zygarowski cited his commitment to constituent services and dedication to improving all wards of the city as his reason for wanting to serve on the City Council.

He is running for one of four seats. Also in the race are incumbents James K. Tillotson, Frank N. Laflamme and Gerard Roy. Newcomers are W. Kaween Fernando and Douglas Girouard.

One of his priorities as a City Councilor will be to ensure public safety to all residents.

Robert J. ZygarowskiSubmitted photo 

"I served the citizens of Chicopee as a police officer for 28 years and, during that time, as a D.A.R.E. officer in both public and parochial schools. Presently, I serve as chairperson of the Public Safety Committee," he said. "Public safety has always been a priority for me and I will continue to be a strong support of our Police and Fire Departments and all of the first responders who place themselves in harm's way to make our city safe and secure."

He also talked about fiscal responsibility. The budget must be managed with common sense and reflect the priorities of the citizens. Councilors must also continue to improve the bond rating to make it easier to fund long-term projects, he said.

Zygarowski said he is also a strong supporter of the city schools and said the construction of the two new high schools and renovation of the new 1st Sgt. Kevin Dupont Middle School shows the City Council's support for its students.

"We must never forget that our children's future depends on an educational system that will empower them to achieve their goals. We are fortunate to have educators and administrators who are dedicated to our children's success and we must support them with the resources to achieve those goals," Zygarowski said.

He said he will also continue to support making improvements in the neighborhoods and support residents' needs.

He cited the opening of the new RiverMills Senior Center as an example of city government responding to the needs of senior citizens who had worked hard to improve the city.

Zygarowski currently serves as the chairman of the City Council's Public Safety Committee and is a member of its Ordinance, Water Resources, License, Senior Citizens and Communications committees.

He is also involved in a number of community organizations. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Chicopee Municipal Employees Credit Union. He is also a member of the Chicopee Lodge of Elks #1849, the Knights of Columbus Council #4044, the Moose Family Center, Tigers Athletic Club, Sons of the American Legion Post #275 and is a past vice president of the Chicopee Boys and Girls Club.

The building, which is the former Grange Hall, has been renovated and is for sale as a single family home.

WILBRAHAM - The former Grange Hall at 485 Main Street in the center of Wilbraham is for sale for $359,000.

The home is a single family residence which has been renovated and remodeled.

It is the former Grange Hall, originally built in 1900.

According to the website, Trulia, the home boasts 16-foot ceilings and oversized original windows. It has custom built kitchen cabinets, granite counters, a center island and breakfast bar in the kitchen and hard wood flooring.

It includes a master suite, an office/bedroom and a laundry room on the first floor. There are two bedrooms on the second floor with walk-in closets, and a loft area with a balcony open to the main living area.

The remodeled building has gas heating, central air conditioning and insulation.

The Board of Selectmen took over the building from the Wilbraham Grange in 2004 after the Wilbraham Grange announced it was merging with the Palmer Grange.

ReVampit Home Buyers and Renovators of Wilbraham bought the building from the town for $50,555 with the intention of remodeling it for resale as a single family home.

A three foot-tall, vaguely terrifying sculpture of the fast food mascot that was stolen from a Leverett home in August was returned Wednesday to the Northampton Police Department, the Recorder reported.

Ronald McDonald is now in police custody.

A three foot-tall, vaguely terrifying sculpture of the fast food mascot that was stolen from a Leverett home in August was returned Wednesday to the Northampton Police Department, the Recorder reported.

The Hatfield man who turned it in had taken it from a dumpster near the Northampton Athletic Club, where club staff had placed it after the original thieves abandoned it in a tree outside the gym.

"We were so shocked," the statue's owner, Mary Ryan of Northampton, told the Recorder. "We figured Ronald was gone forever."

This Ronald McDonald statue, stolen from a Leverett home in August, was turned in to Northampton Police on Oct. 21.Northampton Police Department 

Ryan and her husband bought the statue from an antique store years ago and believe it is worth $3,000, they told the Gazette for a story last weekend about the missing statue. It was that story that broke the case; the Hatfield man who claimed it from the dumpster felt guilty after reading about Ronald's bereaved family, and turned it in to police.

The statue went missing during an house party thrown by Ryan's teenage daughter, the Gazette reported. Two teenage boys stole the statue and placed it in a tree near the Northampton Athletic Club; it was subsequently moved near the gym's dumpster.

The boys confessed to Ryan and she declined to press charges, the Gazette reported.

Northampton Police Capt. John Cartledge told MassLive the family is expected to reclaim the statue this afternoon.

Upcoming initiatives on prevention, intervention, treatment are part of the Action Plan to Address the Opioid Epidemic in the Commonwealth has been issued.

An update (pdf) to the Action Plan to Address the Opioid Epidemic in the Commonwealth has been issued. It is based on the recommendations of the Governor's Opioid Working Group.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health yesterday released updated data on opioid deaths for 2014 and 2015.

The 1,089 confirmed cases of unintentional opioid overdose deaths for 2014 represents a 63 percent increase over the 668 for 2012, and a 20 percent increase over cases the 911 cases for 2013, according to the data. Preliminary data for the first three months of this year suggests more overdose deaths than the same period last year.

The Department of Health and Humans Services has an informational Stop Addiction in Its Tracks website.

MassHealth and DPH have also committed to the development and implementation of a statewide database of available treatment services, available via helpline and website.

On Oct. 15, Gov. Charlie Baker filed landmark legislation (pdf) relative to substance abuse treatment, prevention and education.

Here are some key upcoming initiatives of the action plan:

Prevention

• Oct. 28, 29: DPH will sponsor a free training program for school nurses and other school personnel to become certified in providing evidence-based substance use prevention curricula.


• November: Department of Children and Families/ Bureau of Substance Abuse Service training on neonatal abstinence syndrome and addiction will commence.


• Nov. 4: Public awareness campaign to reduce stigma will launch.

Intervention




• October: Bureau of Substance Abuse Services will post a request for response to create a pilot program allowing walk-in access to a trained clinician, in community-based outpatient provider settings, who can provide an emergent/urgent addiction assessment and direct referral to the appropriate level of care.


• October: Bureau of Substance Abuse Services will post a request for response to create a pilot program to make recovery coaches available in emergency departments in geographic areas identified as hot spots.


• November: DPH to issue guidance to cities and towns about how to utilize the Commonwealth's Municipal Naloxone Bulk Purchase Trust Fund.


• Jan. 31, 2016: MassHealth will increase the capacity of emergency services Program to meet the needs of people with addictions.



Treatment




• Oct. 31: Inventory of available acute treatment service beds, clinical stabilization service beds , and transitional support service beds will be available via the helpline.


• Nov. 14: Mass League of Community Health Centers to hold a conference for its providers that will focus on safe prescribing and promoting physicians to obtain Drug Enforcement Administration waivers. This meeting will also include workshops led by physicians who are already prescribing Suboxone.


• Dec.31: Inventory of available acute treatment service beds, clinical stabilization service beds, and transitional support service beds and methadone clinics will be available via the website.


• December: 32 new available acute treatment service beds, and 32 new clinical stabilization service beds are scheduled to open in Greenfield.


• Jan. 31, 2016: Inventory of available structured outpatient addiction programs, intensive outpatient programs, and recovery home beds will be available via the helpline and website.


• Feb. 28, 2016: Inventory of primary care providers who prescribe medicated assisted treatment and opt-in will be available via the helpline and website.


• Winter 2016, 30 new secure section 35 treatment beds for women will open.


• Spring 2016, MassHealth will ensure that outpatient treatment programs that dispense methadone have the ability to bill MassHealth for buprenorphine and Naltrexone. This will expand access to medically assisted treatment throughout the commonwealth.
  

Town Meeting was to consider selling it at the meeting Thursday night.

HADLEY - Catherine Zatyrka remembers playing softball in the park named after her grandfather Joseph Zatyrka when she was a kid.

The park, nestled on a hill in the Breckenridge-Huntington Road neighborhood, though, has not been well maintained or used for baseball or tennis for years.

Without the money to care for the 4-acre site, the Parks and Recreation Commission proposed selling it.

But Thursday night, rather than make that decision, town meeting will be asked to pass on the article to sell the parcel until the spring, said Zatyrka.

This will allow a group who wants to save it to come with a plan. She is now the program director for the Parks and Recreation Department.

The Friends of Zatyrka Park have "collected pledges of support, moral and otherwise, from 173 people in the four and a half days between a meeting, between the Recreation Commission and families living near the park, and the list being delivered to the Commissioners this past Tuesday," said John Rollinson who is helping to lead the neighborhood effort to keep it a park.

In an email, he wrote that many grew up playing sports in the park when they were kids and want to keep as a park.

Zatyrka said the land became a park in 1980.

 It had been a kind of stump dump but her grandfather, who was the superintendent of roads and the tree warden then, advocated that it become a park. She said he felt it was "an unsightly mess on top of the hill.

"We as kids enjoyed it for years and years."

The Select Board suggested it be named after him, she said.

According to the plaque on a rock overlooking the park the dedication reads "The Joseph Zatyrka Memorial Park Superintendent of Streets, Tree Warden, Lover of Nature, Good Citizen."

She said the idea might be to the land as a kind of pocket park not for organized sports.

The town built new fields behind the Hadley Elementary School more than a decade ago that are now used for baseball and soccer.

 But people feel it's important to keep the land available for outdoor use not developed.

The land with an assessed value of $153,300 is zoned agricultural residential.

The group, she said "they're in its infant stages now," but the Parks and Recreation Commission has agreed to table it.

She said they realized "selling it isn't in the best interest of the park."

Andy Klepacki, member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, said selling it wasn't their first choice.

"We'd love to see it become a nice park. We don't want to see it deteriorate (further) and become a hazard."

While the town did not have the money to repair it "Many hands make for small work," Zatyrka said.

"If there are many friends for the park..." She is hopeful a group of directors to oversee its repairs will emerge.

Besides as a benefit for the town, she said her family is happy. "It feels as if a breath of fresh air has swooped in."

She wants to see it used for recreation "no matter who's name is on it."

Following the release of data suggesting that Massachusetts opioid overdose deaths increased by nearly two-thirds from 2012 to 2014, congressional lawmakers lauded the Obama administration's newly announced efforts to combat prescription drug and heroin abuse.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ Following the release of data suggesting that Massachusetts opioid overdose deaths increased by nearly two-thirds from 2012 to 2014, congressional lawmakers lauded the Obama administration's newly announced efforts to combat prescription drug and heroin abuse.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health data released this week found that unintentional opioid overdose deaths hit 1,089 in 2014 -up from the 668 reported in 2012 and 911 in 2013. Preliminary data for the first three months of 2015 suggests that the number of opioid-related deaths is on track to continue rising.

With similar trends being seen across the country President Barack Obama this week announced new public and private efforts to address growing opioid abuse.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., praised the administration for focusing on the issue, saying "we must take action to immediately slow the prescription drug and heroin epidemic and reduce the number of overdoses that is rising by the day in Massachusetts."

"We need to bring together science, medicine, law enforcement, families, survivors and public health to implement a comprehensive strategy to address this epidemic," he said in a statement. "I applaud President Obama for devoting much needed attention to this issue, and I will fight to make sure we devote the federal resources necessary to prevent and treat this crisis that continues to devastate our communities."

The Massachusetts senator has introduced federal legislation to require opioid pain medication and other controlled substance prescribers to be trained on safe prescribing practices and identification of possible substance use disorders. He has also offered a bill to increase funding so states can better assist people struggling with addictions.

Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, was among a handful of Massachusetts delegation members who took to Twitter to to praise the president's efforts.

"Together, we can end #opioid epidemic," he wrote. "Glad @POTUS is strong partner for #MA families."

U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, meanwhile, tweeted: "The #opioid crisis has devastated too many families. Thank you @POTUS for making prevention & treatment a priority."

Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, D-Lowell, lauded the administration's announcement on Twitter as "important steps taken by @POTUS and @ONDCP to address opioid epidemic."

U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, who serves on the chamber's Energy & Commerce Committee, stressed that Congress must follow the Obama administration's lead with bipartisan action to address prescribing practices, reimbursement rates and mental health parity for those seeking coverage and care.

"In just the first six months of this year, over six hundred Massachusetts families lost loved ones who couldn't shake the grasp of opioid addiction," he said. "Whether expanding access to treatment, increasing awareness in high schools and colleges, engaging the private sector or strengthening prescription drug monitoring programs, the initiatives announced by President Obama today are welcome steps in our fight to combat opioid abuse.

The president's announcement and state DPH data came a week after Gov. Charlie Baker proposed legislation that would require Massachusetts doctors prescribing opioid painkillers to patients for the first time to only give them a 72-hour supply.

The governor's Opioid Working Group, meanwhile, released recommendations and an action plan to help curb the epidemic in June. An update to the Action Plan to Address the Opioid Epidemic in the Commonwealth has also been issued.

Ware police officer Aaron Desantis was on the stand when he mentioned during the course of his testimony that Norbert L. Berthiaume had refused to take a breathalyzer test after being stopped by police on June 30 of last year in Ware. Drivers stopped for suspicious of drunk driving have a Constitutional right to refuse a breathalyzer test and their refusal is not admissible in court.

NORTHAMPTON - The trial of a Ware man on operating under the influence of alcohol and related charges came to an abrupt halt Thursday when a Hampshire Superior Court judge declared a mistrial.

Ware police officer Aaron Desantis was on the stand when he mentioned during the course of his testimony that Norbert L. Berthiaume had refused to take a breathalyzer test after being stopped by police on June 30, 2014, in Ware. Drivers stopped for suspicious of drunk driving have a Constitutional right to refuse a breathalyzer test and their refusal is not admissible in court.

Berthiaume, 52, is also charged with resisting arrest and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. He was indicted for OUI fourth offense but can only be tried for OUI because the fourth offense charge could be prejudicial. If the jury had convicted him of OUI, he would have faced the more serious charge.

Prosecutor Matthew Thomas called Desantis back to the stand in front of Judge Bertha D. Josephson and had him testify about their earlier conversations, in which Thomas had warned the officer not to mention Berthiaume's refusal to take the test. Defense lawyer Michael O. Jennings also questioned Desantis briefly.

Although she scheduled a retrial for Nov. 3, Josephson said she thought Desantis' violation was "deliberate."

"He wanted to say it and he wanted the jury to hear it," she said.

The judge also scheduled a pretrial conference in the matter at the end of October.

Springfield councilors say they will protect the interest of the city and residents when discussing and negotiating changes to the MGM Springfield project.

SPRINGFIELD — The majority of city councilors said Thursday they are very concerned about a proposal by MGM Springfield to reduce the size of its casino project and will protect the interest of the city and residents.

During a press conference at City Hall, most councilors were very critical of MGM Springfield, and said the company can expect tough negotiations on proposed changes to the project.

"Our decisions in the coming weeks will have lasting impacts for generations to come, and the nature of our positions as elected leaders demands that we do what is right - not what will ruffle the least amount of feathers or what will keep our political allies pleased," Council President Michael Fenton said.

Fenton said he "will not, under any circumstances, support a design change that does not improve the deal for the city of Springfield above and beyond what we were promised over two years ago."

MGM has proposed elimination of a 25-story high-rise hotel and would replace it with a six-story hotel with the same number of rooms. In addition, councilors and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno were surprised when The Republican reported this week that MGM Springfield is proposing a 14 percent reduction in the size of its project, a reduction of 122,534 square feet.

Councilor Bud L. Williams said he is "very upset and very annoyed" at MGM, saying the council needs to "get tough" with the company.

Councilor Timothy Rooke, however, was urging his colleagues not to rush to judgments, saying he spoke directly to MGM about the reductions and received explanations for much of the reduction.

The story will be updated as reporting continues.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Carl Pastoreck 

Carl "Rudy" Pastoreck, 71, of Hampden, passed away on Saturday. He was born in Springfield. He was a prominent and well-known figure in the classic car community across the country for over 50 years. He opened his first business, Rudy's Auto Sales, in Springfield, selling mainly Corvettes. He next started Auto Imports and Arctic Cat West dealerships on Riverdale Street in West Springfield. He opened Classic MotorCar Company at a few locations in the Western Mass. area, selling strictly antique, classic, collector and custom cars. In 2004 the business was moved to Webster, where it will continue to be operated in his memory.

Full obituary and funeral arrangements for Carl "Rudy" Pastoreck »

Parents Stephen Fortune and Joanne Fortune, and their children Matthew Fortune and Jennifer Fortune were each charged with multiple drug and weapons charges, police said.

SPRINGFIELD - The family that deals together gets arrested together.

Springfield police arrested four members of a Pine Point family - the father, mother and two children - during a narcotics raid to a residence on Pheland Street that yielded amounts of heroin, oxycodone, and an unlawful handgun, according to Springfield police spokesman John Delaney.

The family, Stephen Fortune, 53, Joanne Fortune, 49, Matthew Fortune, 24, and Jennifer Fortune, 19, all of 96 Pheland St. were each face multiple drug and weapons charges.

Each was charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute, violation of a drug-free school zone, possession of a firearm without a permit and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

A fifth person, Ashley Figueroa, 21, of 124 Seymour St., was also arrested on the same charges, Delaney said. She is believed to be the girlfriend of Matthew Fortune

Narcotics detectives under the command of Lt. Steven Kent raided the residence at about 11 a.m. Wednesday. Police obtained a district court search warrant for the property after having the home under surveillance, Delaney said.

The investigation was started after residents on the street complained to police about ongoing drug activity, Delaney said.

Police found 100 packets of heroin inside the house, along with 48 oxycodone pills, a .22 caliber handgun and $153 in cash.

The Fortunes and Figueroa were scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Springfield District Court.

The club-owned ski area will be celebrating its 80th anniversary.

BLANDFORD - The Springfield Ski Club and Competitive Edge Ski and Bike shop will kick off the 80th season of skiing at the Blandford Ski Area with an open house and ski sale.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 24 and 25 at the ski area on 41 Nye Brook Road. Competitive Edge will be selling ski and snowboard equipment and discounted seasons' memberships will be available for this year's season at Blandford.

There will also be a beer garden, snack bar and music.

The new R. W. Kern Center at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts is to meet the "A Living Building" challenge.

AMHERST - The new R. W. Kern Center at Hampshire College will not only have three classrooms but is a classroom in its own right.

Even as it's being built, classes are using the building for learning and people touring the building, expected to open next March.

"The structures on campus should be part of the (Hampshire) mission," said President Jonathan Lash.

And it should "articulate the values we feel strongly about. Why would you ever do anything else?"

The 17,000-square-foot building is being created as A Living Building - the highest environmental standard there is surpassing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and there are fewer than a dozen buildings that are so certified in the United States.

The building must supply all of its energy and water and treat its own waste. It will use composting toilets.

And it must be built using specific materials and not contain things like PVC and Formaldehyde among the red list of materials.

Timber products must be Forest Stewardship Council certified.

The college led a tour of the building this week with builders, architects and officials lovingly explaining the details of what creating this kind of building entail.

Work on the building began about a year ago.

Principal contractor Jonathan Wright of Wright Builders Inc. and a Hampshire graduate, talked about the Hawley Stone, that drapes part of the building, which was purchased just 18 miles away.

 Part of the challenge is to limit the carbon footprint, which means buying products accepted in the challenge as close as possible.

But he did point to the elevator, which had to come from Mexico because it had to be electric. Other elevators contain chemicals in the oils banned on the so-called red list.    

Jason Forney, principal architect with Bruner/Cott, which has designed the building, talked about the uplifting roof, which was important to have for the building that will be used as the point of entry for prospective students and their families.

It will also be the home of the admissions office, serve as a hub to share information about the campus, and highlight Hampshire's mission. It will feature offices, meeting spaces, three actual classrooms and a cafe.

The building costs about 10 percent more than a traditional building of its size, Wright said. He said Bruner/Cott did all they could to rein in the cost. And the additional costs will be recouped with its savings in electric, water and other bills.

The price tag is about $7.2 million for the building. The project cost is $11 million including the re-design of the roads and landscaping to accommodate and complement the building.

To date, the college has raised $7.3 million. 

Lash, who came to the college from the Washington-based environmental agency World Resources Institute, said if he was still there, he'd be getting ready for the climate summit in Paris in December.

But he said seeing this building coming into being 'is a lot more satisfying. This is going to make a huge difference for the next 50 years."   

The threats came to light at about 7 p.m. and the suspect, a Springfield resident, was arrested in Chicopee at about 2 a.m.

Jeanette DeForge | jdeforge@repub.com 

CHICOPEE - Police arrested a 17-year-old Chicopee High School student early Thursday after he allegedly threatened a school resource officer and several staff members on Twitter.

The profanity-laced tweets, still visible on the suspect's Twitter account early Thursday afternoon, include: "Tomorrow dooms day keep your kids at home."

A photo of threatening tweets posted on Twitter by a Chicopee teen. courtesy of Twitter 

Threats against Officer Johnny Jusino included references to his "home and his family" and "clips and gun ranges," Michael Wilk, public information officer for the department, said.

The threats came to light at about 7 p.m. Wednesday and the suspect, a Springfield resident, was arrested in Chicopee at about 2 a.m.

"We are going to see these things on social media and we are going to take them seriously," Wilk said.

Wilk said police immediately launched an investigation after learning of the threats. Detectives Lt. Holly Davis, Sgt. Chris Lareau, Doug Lambert and School Resource Officer Mark Hammon worked the case. They ultimately applied for and obtained an arrest warrant from juvenile court.

Since the suspect is a Springfield resident, they first attempted to find him there. With assistance from state police it was discovered that he was in Chicopee.

Wilk said no weapons were located.

The suspect was charged with threat to commit a crime, threatening a police officer and threat of disruption of school with a deadly weapon. He is slated to be arraigned Thursday in juvenile court.

Police posted information regarding the threats on their Facebook page, Wilk said. "We wanted people to know that we are on top of this," he said.

Alvin W. Morton, assistant superintendent for student support services at Chicopee Public Schools, said Thursday afternoon that student will not be allowed back in the high school, or on school grounds, until the matter has been adjudicated.

Morton said parents and guardians have been notified of the incident. "Chicopee Public Schools and Chicopee High School take the security and safety of students and staff to the utmost," he said.

This is a developing story. Additional information will be added as soon as it is available.