The event will be held at the Exit 7 Theater in Ludlow.
LUDLOW - The town will hold its annual Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. at Exit 7 Theater.
Guest speaker for the event is Captain Kimberly Jean Askew of the 439th Airlift Wing at Westover Air Reserve Base.
Light refreshments will be provided by VFW Post 3236 at 8:30 a.m.
Close to half of the city's residents cast their ballots Tuesday, electing Mayor Alex B. Morse for a third term.
HOLYOKE -- Close to half of the city's residents cast their ballots Tuesday, electing Mayor Alex B. Morse for a third term.
Between the mayoral, city council, treasurer and school committee races, 46 candidates competed for an elected position.
Just under 42 percent of registered voters in the city participated in the election process, two percent higher than the last mayoral election in 2013.
The mayoral race was extremely tight as each of the city's 14 precincts results were announced by City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee Tuesday evening. Morse garnered 52.8 percent of the 10,278 mayoral votes cast. His challenger, newcomer to politics Fran O'Connell received 46.9 percent of the vote. Two dozen ballots were cast for write-in candidates.
Morse placed first in 10 precincts. He swept votes in the lower wards, receiving four out of every five votes in Ward 1, precinct A.
O'Connell received the majority of voters support in three wards: Ward 7, precinct A; Ward 5, precinct A; and Ward 3, precinct B.
Each candidate received 394 votes in Ward 3, precinct A, earning 49.75 percent of the vote. Voters wrote in the names of four different candidates in this precinct.
Turnout was highest in Ward 5 and Ward 7 precincts. Of registered voters in Ward 5, precinct A, 61.5 percent cast their ballots. In Ward 7, precinct A, six in every 10 registered voters participated in this election.
Below is a map of the city's 14 precincts. Dark blue represents precincts where Morse received an overwhelming majority of the vote, with lighter blues representing victory by a smaller percentage. Precincts won by O'Connell are shown in green, with dark green representing winning a larger percentage of the vote. One precinct in which candidates received the same number of votes is colored in blue-green.
A study that involves a neuroscientist at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst may suggest that sleep can make one more hesitant to follow through on prior decisions based on personal preferences.
AMHERST - A study that involves a neuroscientist at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst may suggest that sleep can make one more hesitant to follow through on prior decisions based on personal preferences.
In short, "sleeping on a decision" may make one less impulsive.
UMass' Rebecca Spencer, and Uma Karmarkar, of the Harvard Business School, collaborated on "Should you Sleep on it? The Effects of Overnight Sleep on Subjective Preference-based Choice."
In the study that mimicked on-line shopping, some 62 participants, ages 18 to 36, were asked to indicate their preference for one of four laptop carriers displayed and described to them.
In a summation of their study on the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, the researchers said the participants were then "asked to select their preferred item after a 12-hour interval that either contained sleep or was spent fully awake."
"After an overnight period including sleep, individuals showed increases in positive perceptions of the choice set," the researchers found. This contrasts with earlier research that shows a remembrance for more negative information, they note.
The researchers note as well that "this increase in positive recall" did not result in a "greater desire" for the participants to actually purchase their preferred item.
The researchers say the study, which could suggest possibilities for future research, indicates "people may feel more positive about the choice options but not more confident about the choice after 'sleeping on' a subjective decision."
"Sleep makes us more rational about the decision," said Spencer in a release statement about the study that had two components.
"Rather than asking ourselves whether we should buy camera A or camera B, after sleeping on it, we might ask whether I really need a new camera after all."
Spencer is an assistant professor in UMass' psychological and brain sciences department.
Karmarkar's research examines the neural and psychological factors that underlie consumer decision-making.
Ohio voters on Tuesday rejected a proposal that would have legalized marijuana in their state. But what does that mean for Massachusetts? That depends on whether you ask Bay State Repeal, Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, or Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
BOSTON - Ohio voters on Tuesday rejected a proposal that would have legalized marijuana in their state.
But what does that mean for Massachusetts, which could see the legalization issue crop up on the November 2016 ballot? That depends on who you ask.
Two pro-legalization groups are gathering signatures in the hopes of placing their respective initiatives on the ballot.
They differ in their approaches, with one group, Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, pushing for more of a regulatory state structure than the competing group, Bay State Repeal.
So it may not be a surprise that they also disagree on how to interpret the results in Ohio, where a proposal to grant a "monopoly for the commercial production and sale of marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes" failed 64.1 percent to 35.9 percent.
Jim Borghesani, the communications director for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, said Ohio's results will have "no impact" on Massachusetts and their effort.
"It's very different from anything that is going to be on the ballot in Massachusetts," he said.
"I think it was more the way they intended to go about structuring their sales and cultivation in Ohio," he added.
An older and more conservative electorate showing up at the polls during an off-year election might have also played a role, Borghesani said.
The Marijuana Policy Project, a national organization helping to fund the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, did not support or oppose the Ohio initiative. Efforts to legalize marijuana - which do not include the word "monopoly" - are also underway in Nevada, Arizona, California, and Maine.
But Bay State Repeal's Steve Epstein said the Ohio vote demonstrates voters do not want an industry that supports limiting access to marijuana and setting up an "oligopoly." His group's proposal promotes allowing individuals to cultivate their own marijuana.
"The core constituency will not tolerate" concentrating marijuana growth in a few hands, he said.
For Jody Hensley, a coordinator for Smart Approaches to Marijuana in Massachusetts, which opposes legalization, it is an indication that the tide is turning against allowing recreational use of marijuana.
"Legalization got crushed in Ohio," she said, adding that Ohio is viewed nationally as a "bellwether" state.
Her group has voiced fears that legalization of marijuana will aid in the creation of a massive for-profit industry similar to "Big Tobacco" and increase the risk of individuals getting hooked on harder substances. Smart Approaches to Marijuana supports clinically researched and FDA-approved cannabinoid-based medicine.
Calvina Fay, executive director of Drug Free America Foundation and Save Our Society from Drugs, said in a statement that Colorado's legalization of the substance has led to a backlash.
"Increases in marijuana use, drugged driving and accidental ingestion of potent edibles by children are all reasons to vote down any initiative seeking to legalize marijuana," Fay said.
But a trade group, the National Cannabis Industry Association, called the Ohio initiative "deeply flawed" and a proposal that "failed to garner broad support from advocates or industry leaders."
"This debate has shown that there is a strong base of support for legalizing, taxing, and regulating marijuana," executive director Aaron Smith said in his own statement. "Now the foundation has been laid for a potential 2016 effort that would put forward a more common-sense initiative and have a major impact on the presidential conversation in the process."
Kevin Gonzalez-Feliciano was ordered held on $100,000 bail after denying Springfield firearms charges in Hampden Superior Court.
SPRINGFIELD - A 19-year-old city man on Wednesday denied seven charges, including trafficking firearms in the amount of three to nine weapons.
Kevin Gonzalez-Feliciano, whose address is listed in court records as 48 Fort Pleasant Ave., was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail by Hampden Superior Court Judge Edward J. McDonough.
According to the indictment, the firearms trafficking happened between Aug. 21 and Sept. 28.
Gonzalez-Feliciano also denied three charges of possession of a large capacity feeding device, two counts of possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card and one count of receiving stolen property worth over $250. The crimes are alleged to have happened Sept. 28 in Springfield.
The indictment identifies the stolen property is a firearm.
Ronald Moore has been in jail since he was arrested two years ago.
SPRINGFIELD - Ronald Moore has spent 950 days in jail since his arrest in March 2013. He was awaiting trial for a 1992 rape; he was arrested as the result of a DNA match.
Moore, 57, will get the 950 days credited toward the four year sentence he was given Tuesday by Hampden Superior Court Judge Mark D. Mason. Moore pleaded guilty to one count of rape.
Moore's arrest in 2013 was the result of then recently obtained DNA results. At the time of his arrest his last known address was in Ludlow.
The rape case had been pending in Hampden Superior Court since 2007, but there was no known defendant.
Until March 2013, the name "John Doe" and words "DNA profile" were written in the space where a defendant's name would have gone.
The case, which is from an August 1992 case in Springfield, took on a new life in 2013 when the combined DNA index system produced a match with the DNA profile.
CODIS, managed by the FBI, is a computer software program that operates local, state, and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence and missing persons.
Then-Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni said after the DNA match, his office did all the legwork to put the case together, including talking to witnesses, and then sought the warrant for Moore's arrest.
Assistant District Attorney Eileen M. Sears asked Mason to sentence Moore to five years in prison. Defense lawyer Jennifer E. Cox asked Mason to sentence Moore to time served.
The VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System is hosting a Veterans Town Hall Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Recreation Hall (Building 11) on its Leeds campus, 421 North Main St.
LEEDS - The VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System is hosting a Veterans Town Hall Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Recreation Hall (Building 11) on its Leeds campus, 421 North Main St.
The meeting, which will focus on access and improvements to the system's healthcare, is open to veterans, their family members, Veterans Services Organizations, and others involved with this population.
Participants include director John P. Collins, as well as representatives from the Veterans Benefits Administration and the National Cemetery Administration.
The event is similar to one held in January in Springfield.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Wednesday requested public comment on proposed MGM Springfield design changes that would, among many things, reduce the casino's square footage, as well as the size of a planned hotel.
SPRINGFIELD ‒ The Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Wednesday requested public comment on proposed MGM Springfield design changes that would, among many things, reduce the casino's square footage, as well as the size of a planned hotel.
The request comes more than a month after MGM Springfield presented some of the proposed revisions before the state gaming panel during an open public meeting.
They included a proposal to reduce the size of MGM's hotel from a 25-story tower to just six-stories and to relocate it to to the corner of Main and Howard streets, as well as a plan reduce the MGM parking garage in size by one floor. An outdoor plaza also appears to be larger in the revised plans.
MGM has also said that conversations are under way with property owners of nearby residential sites regarding plans for market rate apartments. It had estimated having 54 market rate apartments on site that are now planned off-site.
A document filed with the state, meanwhile, suggested that retail space would be reduced by 38.1 percent overall, from 50,536 square feet to 31,250 square feet, under the proposed 14 percent reduction.
MGM Springfield representatives will again present details of the proposed design change to the commission during it's Thursday morning meeting in Boston.
With the proposed revisions having received criticism from some local officials, MGM Resorts International Chief Executive Officer James Murren and others traveled to Springfield last week to reaffirm their commitment to the city's casino project.
Individuals seeking to submit comments on the proposed changes may email them to mgccomments@state.ma.us with "MGM Springfield Design" in the subject line.
The House on Wednesday unanimously passed the Stolen Valor Act, a bill proposed by Velis that would make it a crime to fake military service for financial gain.
By Gintautas Dumcius and Shira Schoenberg
The Massachusetts House on Wednesday unanimously passed the Stolen Valor Act, a bill proposed by State Rep. John Velis, D-Westfield, that would make it a crime to fake military service for financial gain.
"We have in front of us a bill that would once again allow Massachusetts to lead from the front in protecting the valor of our veterans and service members," Velis said on the House floor, before the 149-0 vote.
Velis' bill would make it a misdemeanor, punishable by a year in prison or a $1,000 fine, to wear a military uniform, awards or decorations that one has not earned, to use fake military identification, or to falsely claim to be a military member or veteran for purposes of financial gain.
If enacted, the bill would give Massachusetts one of the strongest Stolen Valor laws in the country, according to Velis, a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves. A federal Stolen Valor law and similar laws in other state make it illegal to falsely claim a military medal for financial gain, but the Massachusetts law would extend that to any claim of military services.
"Some people have asked, is this bill necessary? Do we need a separate law on the books dealing with this very type of fraud?" Velis said. "My answer to this, simply put, is a resounding yes, for the very fundamental reason that we need to pay the highest tribute of honor to those who sacrifice so that we can do what we're doing here today freely."
The bill is about "protecting and maintaining the honor and integrity of the men and women who have sacrificed so much on our behalf," Velis said.
Velis said passage of the bill is personal for him, since when he was deployed, three of his friends were killed in action and another had his leg blown off.
"Falsely representing military status for financial gain, committing this stolen valor, is a slap in the face to the service members, veterans and their families," he said.
The bill had bipartisan support. State Rep. Timothy Whelan, R-Brewster, who served as a U.S. Marine, spoke in favor of the legislation, noting that Veterans Day was approaching and calling it a "gift to our veterans for their valiant service."
The bill now goes to the state Senate.
Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, said he plans to speak to Sen. Michael Rush, D-West Roxbury, who chairs the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, to see if Rush has vetted the bill.
"I'm assuming he'd be behind it," Rosenberg said. "We'll look for his advice and suggestions on how we move forward."
Rosenberg said while he is not sure about the timing of when the bill would come up, "Based on what I've heard, it sounds like a bill that we need to get done."
State Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, is co-sponsoring the bill and plans to push for it in the Senate. Lesser's father is a doctor in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, who served a tour in Iraq.
"As the son of a veteran and as the son of someone who's made great sacrifices to put the uniform on, it's both about protecting taxpayer dollars by making sure the benefits are going to the correct people, and also it's a point of honor," Lesser said. "People who have made the sacrifice are the ones who should be receiving the recognition and no one else."
In a legislative session a week before Veterans Day, the House also passed by unanimous vote several other bills dealing with veterans' issues.
One bill would establish a fine for the unauthorized sale or attempted sale of grave markers. Although stealing a grave marker is already a crime, this would ensure that bronze markers that have been stolen cannot easily be sold. Another bill would require the court to make someone convicted of desecrating a gravestone pay restitution, in addition to any other penalties. This would apply to all gravestones, not only veterans'. Another bill would make it illegal to steal the American flag off a veteran's grave or the grave of a police officer or firefighter.
Thrive offers free and confidential screening for public benefits, individual financial coaching sessions, money skills classes, workforce training workshops and free tax preparation services to both HCC students and members of the community.
HOLYOKE - Holyoke Community College, the United Way of Pioneer Valley and PeoplesBank will host a grand opening of the second Thrive financial success center Tues., Nov. 10.
The new Thrive center will be located on the first floor of the Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center at 206 Maple St., Holyoke, and will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:30 to 4:30.
Thrive offers free and confidential screening for public benefits, individual financial coaching sessions, money skills classes, workforce training workshops and free tax preparation services to both HCC students and members of the community.
Holyoke Community College President Bill Messner said in a news release:
"This new Thrive office builds on the success we've experienced with the first Thrive center here on the HCC campus. It makes terrific sense to bring these same financial services into the center of downtown Holyoke, closer to people who might need them."
Since it opened in February on the second floor of the college's Frost Building, Thrive@HCC has served more than 350 people, 80 percent of them HCC students and the rest local residents.
For more information about Thrive and its services, please go to www.hcc.edu/thrive
Rectrix plans to add staff.
WESTFIELD - Rectrix Aviation has bought Five Star Jet Center at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport and announced plans to expand its services and staff at the airport here.
Rectrix, based in Bedford, is now the only fixed base operator or FBO at the Westfield-Barnes. It bought AirFlyte in 2013, keeping the Airflyte name for some of its aircraft maintenance operations, said Brian P. Barnes, airport manager.
A fixed base operator is to aircraft what a service station is to cars, he said. They sell fuel and do minor repairs.
With the purchase, Rectrix said it now has 25 total employees at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport with plans to hire eight more. The purchase price was not disclosed.
The dictionary definition of "recrtrix" is any of the larger feathers in a bird's tail, used for steering in flight.
Brian Barnes said he doesn't see a problem with there being just one fixed base operator. He said the traffic through Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport really doesn't warrant having two.
"I think it's the quality of service," he said. "That's what Rectrix provides. That's what matters to the corporate executives who use these jets and use the airport."
A fixed base operator also handles catering for private charter flights, arranges for ground transportation like rental cars or limos and cleans the aircraft between uses, Barnes said.
In a news release, Richard Cawley, CEO of Rectrix Aviation said:
Rectrix Aviation also has Massachusetts locations in Bedford, Worcester and Hyannis as well as Sarasota, Florida.
Barnes said Rectrix rents land and office space from the city at the airport. The land rental includes space for two fuel tank farms, the one that belonged to AirFlyte and the one that belonged to Five Star.
According to a 2013 report, there are about 65,000 takeoffs and landings a year from Barnes. Just 16 percent of that traffic are military flights from Barnes Air National Guard Base. The airport has an annual economic impact of $181 million a year, creating 2,100 jobs and $60 million in payroll.
State gaming officials are asking the public to comment on the proposed design changes to Wynn Everett's casino project.
SPRINGFIELD ‒ State gaming officials are asking the public to weigh in on the proposed design changes to Wynn Everett's casino project.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission announced Wednesday that it's seeking public comment on changes to the planned Everett casino, which were presented at its meeting last week.
Among the revisions to the casino project Wynn executives outlined, were the substitution of a smaller "ultra lounge" for a planned nightclub and reduced parking, the Boston Globe reported. The size of the entire resort increased by around 3 percent.
Individuals seeking to comment on the proposed changes may email mgccomments@state.ma.us, using "Wynn Design" in the subject line, the commission said. It is also asking for public input on the proposed revisions to MGM Springfield.
Wynn Resorts announced Wednesday that it will pay the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation $250,000 to study the feasibility of a walkway over the Mystic River.
The $1.7 billion casino project has faced a series of legal challenges in recent months.
A 28-year-old Gloucester woman is facing multiple drug distribution charges after police, working with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, carried out a search warrant on her apartment, then arrested her after she admitted to carrying $1,400 worth of heroin in her bra.
A digest of news stories from around New England.
Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse was re-elected with 53 percent of the vote to 47 percent for Fran O'Connell.
HOLYOKE — Fran O'Connell on Wednesday congratulated Mayor Alex B. Morse on his re-election and wished him well in managing the city.
"It is with great disappointment that I will not become the next mayor of Holyoke, but I wish Alex the best in guiding our great city back to its rightful place of prosperity," O'Connell said in an email issued by the Market Mentors public relations firm of West Springfield.
"I am so grateful to everyone who believed in me and who worked so hard on this campaign on my behalf," O'Connell said.
The email failed to address O'Connell's views on why Morse received more votes than he did on Election Day Tuesday; whether he had any regrets, such as how he handled controversial comments; reaction to Morse's contention he ran a negative campaign; and whether he will run for office again.
Market Mentors didn't return messages seeking such comments.
Morse was re-elected with 5,429 votes, or 53 percent, to O'Connell's 4,855 votes, or 47 percent.
The statement and a post on Facebook were O'Connell's only comments about the election result. He refused to answer reporters' questions in a brief visit to concede to Morse at a gathering at Gateway City Arts on Race Street on Tuesday night.
Morse said the exchange consisted only of O'Connell telling him "congratulations" and a quick handshake. O'Connell and advisers pushed their way past Morse supporters outside to a white van and drove away.
O'Connell said his campaign offered voters "a new direction" with pledges he would put to use the business and management expertise he acquired in his successful business O'Connell Care at Home.
But Morse said that O'Connell's was more a campaign about demonizing Morse than presenting ideas to improve the city and that such negativity about various aspects of the city, from economic development to education, soured voters.
O'Connell was unavailable to address whether he thought his handling of a controversial comment about a female city employee hurt his election chances.
He refused throughout the campaign to say whether he did or did not make the remark.
"I am not sure we are going to get any further comment from him as he is look forward, not back," Market Mentors' Michelle Abdow said in an email Wednesday night.
Here is O'Connell's statement from Market Mentors:
Francis (Fran) P. O'Connell, mayoral candidate for the city of Holyoke, extends his congratulations to Mayor Alex Morse, who was chosen by voters to lead the city during the election Nov. 3."It is with great disappointment that I will not become the next mayor of Holyoke, but I wish Alex the best in guiding our great city back to its rightful place of prosperity," said O'Connell, who also expressed his thanks to all of his supporters, including his wife, Kim, daughters, Alison, Briana and Brigit, and stepson, Declan. "I am so grateful to everyone who believed in me and who worked so hard on this campaign on my behalf."
O'Connell began his mayoral campaign with concerns about the education of Holyoke children, public safety, economic development and the management of city government. His vision included "A New Direction" to turn Holyoke into a more prosperous city. In September, he and Morse faced Ward 2 City Councillor Anthony Soto during the preliminary election and were chosen by voters to move forward at the November general election.
"Our city is at a critical juncture and we must work together to move Holyoke forward," O'Connell said. "I hope our mayor brings to our deserving city new jobs and creates an atmosphere in which businesses are welcomed with open arms. We are counting on him to invest in our citizens, to get them to work, and to move our economy forward."
Here is the statement posted on the O'Connell for Mayor Facebook page:
"Thank you to the voters in Holyoke for supporting me throughout this mayoral campaign. I started this journey with concerns about the education of our children, public safety, economic development and the management of our city government. My vision was to take A New Direction in order to turn Holyoke into a more prosperous city and the support I received along the way was tremendous. I am grateful for the opportunity I've had to bring attention to the problems our city faces and wish my opponent the best in addressing those issues during his next term."
Ricardo Morales, of Springfield, got 10 years in state prison after pleading guilty in theft-related crimes.
SPRINGFIELD - Ricardo Morales pleaded guilty to a total of 47 crimes in several different cases Tuesday in Hampden Superior Court.
Judge Mark D. Mason remarked until Tuesday he had never seen "this number of offenses in a single plea."
In many of the counts Morales was pleading guilty as a subsequent offender.
The bulk of offenses to which Morales, 37, of Springfield, pleaded guilty were thefts of older Honda Accords and objects - such as stereros - in the cars. He pawned a number of items he stole.
But there were also armed robberies in the mix.
Mason sentenced Morales to 10 years in state prison followed by three years probation.
For the case involving 34 counts having to do with stealing cars or objects from cars, there were 24 victims, Assistant District Attorney Amy D. Wilson said.
Wilson asked Mason to sentence Morales to 12 to 15 years in state prison followed by three years probation.
Defense lawyer Richard J. Rubin asked Mason to sentence Morales to eight years in state prison followed by probation.
Rubin said although Morales was admitting to all the crimes, he does not have a clear memory of stealing some of the specific cars at specific times.
Wilson said Morales would steal a Honda Accord and it would be later found running with a damaged ignition and often times items stolen from inside. He would usually leave it in a parking lot next to where another Accord was parked. He would then steal the Accord next to the stolen one he had just parked.
Rubin said Morales was committing crimes to support his drug addiction. Mason had been given a report about Morales prepared by the court forensic mental health clinic which detailed his early life among other things.
Mason, without sharing what was in the report, told Morales to say he had a troubled childhood was an understatement.
Morales told the judge he wanted to apologize to the victims of his crime. He said if he had not been addicted he knows he would not have committed the crimes.
He told Mason he would like to go to the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow because it has great programs and because his mother and daughter could come visit him.
Morales pleaded guilty in one case to 19 counts of larceny of a motor vehicle (subsequent offense); six counts of receiving a stolen motor vehicle (subsequent offense); five counts of larceny under $250; two counts of larceny over $250; and a count each of receiving stolen property under $250 and breaking and entering into a motor vehicle in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony,
Those crimes happened between March and May 2014 mostly in Springfield.
In another case Morales pleaded guilty to armed robbery while masked, armed assault with intent to rob, armed assault with intent to murder and receiving a stolen motor vehicle.
Wilson said on Oct. 20, 2014, Morales went into the Pride convenience store on Berkshire Avenue in Springfield with a ski mask and silver handgun that looked like a real gun and stole $470..
On Oct. 11 Morales tried to rob the Racing Mart on Sumner Avenue in Springfield. He pointed a handgun at the woman working there and demanded money.
Wilson said Morales' mask fell down so the two workers could see his face. The male worker saw the gun did not appear real and did not give him money.
The surveillance photo was posted on Masslive.com, Wilson said, and anonymous calls identified Morales. A detective also recognized Morales from the surveillance photos since he knew him from an older, similar case.
Morales pleaded guilty to more thefts in other cases.
The court cases of Keva Clay and Ryan Willis, two Westfield State University students accused of beating the man dating the ex-girlfriend one of the suspects, have been continued until December.
The court cases of two Westfield State University students accused of beating a man dating an ex-girlfriend one of the suspects, have been continued until December.
Keva Clay and Ryan Willis, both 21, were arraigned Sept. 1 on charges of assault and battery causing serious injury and armed assault in a dwelling following a house party that turned violent. They appeared again in court on Wednesday, but their case was pushed back without resolution until Dec. 18.
Clay is still a student at Westfield State University and is scheduled to graduate in December, having been found not responsible for the incident by a student conduct board in October. Willis withdrew shortly after the charges were filed, Westfield State officials told MassLive.
The cases were pushed back at the request of both the defense and the District Attorney's office to give additional time to review evidence turned over in discovery, according to a motion to continue by Clay's defense attorney.
In police reports from the criminal case, witnesses and the alleged victim told officers that Clay and Willis showed up at their house on the night of Aug. 31 and started a fight with the victim, who is dating Willis' ex-girlfriend. Willis allegedly brandished a knife and Clay allegedly beat up the victim, who was taken to Baystate Noble Hospital with serious facial injuries, including a damaged eye socket and the loss of several teeth.
According to the student conduct board decision, multiple witnesses said the fight took place during a gathering of 15 to 20 people at the victim's apartment. The victim told the board, made up of three students and a professor, that Clay rushed him from the side, punched him in the face and kept hitting him until unknown people pulled Clay off him.
But the board said that other witnesses did not have direct views of the altercation and found their testimony did not confirm the victim's account.
University spokeswoman Molly Watson confirmed that Clay is still a student at Westfield State but said the school could not comment on Clay's case due to the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which restricts what information universities can provide about students. Speaking about the schools disciplinary system in general, Watson said that school sanctions can be reassessed if a student is found guilty in the criminal justice system.
In an interview after the student conduct board hearing, Clay denied the allegations and said he did not fight with the victim.
"I can say that there were a lot of people fighting there and I was in the mayhem trying to break everything up, but physically, one-on-one, I did not get in a fight with him," Clay said.
The victim, who asked not to be identified, disputed Clay's statements and said he clearly remembered being assaulted by him.
A witness told police after the incident that Willis allegedly brandished a knife at her.
After a mild afternoon even this evening will be comfortable. Temperatures will not cool off much. With some cloudiness around and a southerly flow temperatures will stay in the 50s overnight. There may be a stray shower but most of us will stay dry. Although skies will be mostly cloudy tomorrow the warm temperatures will stick around with readings climbing back...
After a mild afternoon even this evening will be comfortable. Temperatures will not cool off much. With some cloudiness around and a southerly flow temperatures will stay in the 50s overnight. There may be a stray shower but most of us will stay dry.
Although skies will be mostly cloudy tomorrow the warm temperatures will stick around with readings climbing back into the 70s. The flow will increase out of the southwest as the cold front draws closer. There may be a shower or two Friday evening but most of the moisture with this front will dry up before making it into the valley. It will be windy late tomorrow into tomorrow night as the front slips through the area. It will be mild and breezy for tomorrow night's football games. There may be a brief shower but most of the evening will be dry.
Before this front moves in, we may tie or break the record high of 72 (1959) for tomorrow. Then, the cool-down commences for the weekend. We're only in the 50s on Saturday under a mix of sun and clouds and will top off around 50 on Sunday but at least it will be bright and sunny. Overall the weekend is looking very seasonable.
It looks as though we stay dry with perhaps another moderating trend for next week!
Cristian Pena, the owner of a Lawrence market was sentenced to 4-to-6 years in prison Thursday after he pleaded guilty to defrauding the federal food stamps program out of $1.5 million.
LAWRENCE - The owner of a Lawrence market was sentenced to prison Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to defrauding the federal food stamps program out of $1.5 million.
Cristian Pena, a Dominican national and owner of the Bonao Market in Lawrence, was arrested when officials raided four stores in the city. Five other people, including Pena's father, were also arrested.
Pena was sentenced to serve between four and six years in prison after he pleaded guilty in Salem Superior Court to larceny, money laundering and trafficking in EBT benefits, according to the Essex District Attorney's Office. He will be deported after he completes his sentence.
Pena's father, Ramon Pena, also pleaded guilty to trafficking EBT benefits, larceny and unlicensed gun possession. The father, who worked as a clerk at the market, was sentenced to two years of probation, the district attorney's office said.
The case against Esperanza Ortiz, another clerk of Bonao Market, was dismissed as part of the plea agreements.
"This is not a victimless crime. We all pay the price when the greedy few defraud the taxpayers out of scarce public resources that are meant to feed, house and clothe our most needy residents," District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett said. "Working with our federal partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute this type of fraud."
Authorities said $990,000 worth of SNAP (food stamps) benefits was trafficked through the market over three years. The money was laundered through different bank account transactions.
The district attorney's office, federal authorities and the Massachusetts State Police began an investigation in June 2012.
"Trafficking in food stamp benefits is when a merchant allows an individual to obtain cash from their food benefits for a fee which is strictly prohibited," the Essex County District Attorney's Office said. "The investigation, which involved undercover purchases, review of SNAP transaction records, and analysis of financial records of the store culminated in the June 10, 2015, raids of four Lawrence convenience stores, including Bonao Market, the arrest of six individuals, including Cristian Pena and Ramon Pena, and the seizure of over $60,000 dollars in laundered proceeds derived from these crimes."
The Bonao Market conducted $1.5 million in SNAP transactions. Many of those transactions were for over $100, which investigators said was practically impossible to do in the store since it had low inventory, limited shelf-space and other limitations.
"Additionally, analysis of the records for the Bonao Market operating account revealed that the store had expended far less than $300,000 for inventory," the district attorney's office said.
The cottage in the rear of the property was unoccupied an undergoing renovation.
SPRINGFIELD - A fire to a small cottage at 15 Groveton Street on Thursday afternoon caused an estimated $10,000 damage, a fire official said.
Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, said no one was injured in the fire, which was reported at about 2:15 p.m.
The cottage in the rear of the property was unoccupied an undergoing renovation.
The exact cause of the fire has is under investigation but is not considered suspicious.
Trawick was the last of there candidates for the UMass police chief/vice chancellor position.
AMHERST - Before it was time for Clark Atlanta University Police Chief Thomas Y. Trawick to speak at a community forum, he went around the room shaking hands and introducing himself.
He answered questions with stories and explained how he loves the work.
Trawick was the last of three candidates who came to campus to interview for the new police chief/vice chancellor position.
New York City Deputy Chief Joseph R. Riley was on campus last week and Penn State Police Chief Tyrone Parham was here earlier this week.
He spoke just for a few minutes and rather used his time to answer questions.
Trawick had been police chief for the Savannah State University Department of Public Safety and started his police career in 1990 as police officer, narcotics agent, detective and school resource officer for the Chatham County Police Department.
He also served in the US Army, and the Army and Air Force National Guard.
"I enjoyed having a dual career. I believe in helping people that's what I do the job for. I believe in helping people by doing so we uplift our community."
When asked about how he would deal with profiling he told the story of being a young boy in Miami and seeing what happened to a friend of his father's. Police had taken him away and beat him in an abandoned building.
The next day he saw bruises all over his face. He overheard him tell his father what had happened. "It disturbed me.
"I was small enough to know it wasn't right. Sometimes the only way to solve the problem is be part of the solution."
He said what's happening with profiling and police violence, police forget that they're not serving the customers. And the community members are those customers.
He said its imperative for police to understand the diverse culture.
He told the story of trying to get a man out of the middle of a sting operation and when he approached the man gave him money.
When he was back in the cruiser running the man's license who was from Panama, his partner also from Panama, explained that's what happens in Panama.
People have to pay police in order to continue on their way. "That's part of that culture."
Police have been talking about community policing for years yet they aren't doing it.
He believes in collaborative interactive policing. No matter what people's skin color, "you are all my community. We look at problems on campus and we solve our problems together.
"That's the only way we can save and salvage the community is working together." He said that means setting "goals and objectives. We have to reestablish trust."
He talked about Andy Griffith on "The Andy Griffith Show."
"Everybody knew Andy. Everybody trusted Andy. Everybody went to Andy. If you watched, he never solved the problem himself.
"He facilitated the process." He believes policing needs to be like that..
He said UMass police is "a great department." He would just tweak it.
He also said he would engage in targeted hiring to ensure the UMass force reflected the campus its serves.
He said he believes in collaboration with departments here and with the community he has that relationship with Atlanta police.
He talked about working with the department when Hillary Clinton came to campus last week or when students were going to engage in protests following the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
The challenges he faces at Clark Atlanta are different than the challenges he would face here and that is about setting.
He said as a Historically Black College in an urban environment, the college has limited funding. They have murders and violent crime in his neighborhood. His officers have shot and killed people.
"You guys would be giving me a break by hiring me," he said.
On this campus, he said he sees alcohol and drug use as his challenges.
When asked about whether he favors a confidential informant program - a program Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy ended last year after an informant died of a drug overdose - he said "you never use them.
"They can't protect themselves. They don't have the social development to protect themselves." He said police have other means to find out about drug use on campus.
Seventy-five applied for the position, said UMass spokesman Edward Blaguszewski. Eleven were interviewed over Skype, with five of those interviewed at Bradley Airport.
The three finalists were brought to campus.
David Vaillancourt, senior associate dean of students and committee chairman, said the committee will review the comments and talk about the candidates.
It will be up to Enku Gelaye, the vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life to make the decision. The process will take several weeks.
Tristan LaLiberte, a freshman and governor at Orchard Hill, met with Trawick Wednesday night and likes him. "He's approachable," he said.
