The most read police and fire stories in The Republican and Masslive for the week of Nov. 14-20.

An Ipswich couple discovered Albers in a pile of leaves, shivering and bleeding from the head. They placed the child in their car, wrapped her in a jacket and called police.

HAMILTON - Police announced the arrest of a former babysitter of a 2-year-old girl who went missing Friday and was found naked, bruised, burned and with her head shaved on the side of a road hours later.

Hamilton police announced in a statement that Abigail Hanna, 21, of Topsfield, was arrested on Saturday morning and charged with kidnapping, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a child and breaking and entering in the nighttime.

Lyndon Albers went missing from her home in the early Friday morning, prompting Massachusetts State Police make public appeals for the child's safe return.

News outlets report that an couple driving to work found the missing girl on the side of the road with a head injury, just miles from her home.

WCVB-5 in Boston reported that neighbors of the child's family said Hanna had worked for the Albers until very recently.

Hanna is being held without bail.

Hamilton Police Chief Russell Stevens told the Boston Herald that the toddler was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was listed in fair condition before being moved to Boston Children's Hospital.

"To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, no further details are being released at this time," Stevens said. "More information about the investigation will be released when it is appropriate to do so."

The couple who found Albers, Anton and Marge Crosby, told WHDH-7 in Boston that they saw something on the side of a road during their ride to work. They said they turned their car around to find out just what it was.

"I said: 'Marge, I think I just saw a little baby,'" Anton Crosby told the news station. "She told me I was crazy. I said I was going to spin around just in case."

They discovered Albers in a pile of leaves, shivering and bleeding from the head. They placed the child in their car, wrapped her in a jacket and called police.

Hamilton is a rural-suburban town in the eastern central portion of Essex County.

The board backed an appeal by Keith Harmon Snow and affirmed testimony from neighbors who said gun noise from the range had become unacceptable.

WILLIAMSBURG -- The Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday ruled in favor of neighbors who had complained about recently-elevated levels of gunfire at 74 Village Hill Rd., an informal outdoor shooting range owned by members of the Hodgkins family.

In its unanimous vote, the zoning board upheld an appeal brought by Keith Harmon Snow and his two siblings, who own property at 6 Hyde Hill Road and 84 Village Hill Rd. The appeal sought enforcement of a 2011 zoning board order that limited patterns of gun use at the range to pre-2003 levels.

The 2011 order was issued after building inspector Louis Hasbrouck found that a commercial entity was using the Hodgkins property to test automatic weapons. After at least one fine was imposed by Hasbrouck, levels of shooting at the range lessened, then ramped up again in recent months, various residents testified at recent public hearings.

The appeal was filed by Snow in August after Hasbrouck declined to take action against the range and its owners, Thomas Hodgkins of Williamsburg and his nephew Robert Hodgkins III of Spofford, New Hampshire.

Snow in his appeal reported "ongoing daily shooting" by Hodgkins and others, including "high-caliber weapons fire," "automatic weapons fire," and "explosions" at 74 Village Hill Rd. and at a nearby site.

Hasbrouck during a Nov. 5 hearing said that during his many site visits to investigate complaints, he had not witnessed excessive shooting, group or commercial shooting, or the use of explosives or heavy weapons, leaving him with no basis to take enforcement action.

Thomas Hodgkins at that hearing described the range as a decades-old family destination where only people known to him target-shoot on an occasional basis. Hodgkins' testimony, backed up by various supporters of the range, stood in contrast to testimony from a residents who said the gunfire has made it impossible for them to enjoy their homes in peace.

Acting zoning board chair Gerald Mann on Thursday said he had no issue with Hasbrouck, and believed he did "everything possible" given the wording of the board's previous ruling. "The building inspector said the 2011 order was vague and difficult to enforce, and I tend to agree with him," said Mann.

Now, said Mann, the obligation of the board is to issue a new ruling which sets "reasonable safety standards."

Mann and members Osa Flory and Marcianna Caplis said they would draft an order that addresses the use of automatic weapons, specifically controls access, and in other ways clarifies acceptable use at the property.

"Hodgkins has to exert some control over access," said Mann. "The previous system, based upon handshakes, has broken down."

Caplis agreed that "the whole system has broken down, and is being taken advantage of by persons unknown," but that ultimately it is Thomas Hodgkins' responsibility to make sure people use the property responsibly.

Caplis said that Hasbrouck's job has been difficult, and that by the time he arrives on site to investigate complaints, the shooters are gone.

Flory noted that "the cost of enforcement" has been high to the town and its residents. "The burden on citizens to prove violations is costly to their energy, time, emotional distress," she said.

The shooting area is part of a 160-acre wooded parcel that has been placed under 61B, a state program that gives owners a tax break for keeping their land in agricultural, forestry, or recreational use, which can include target shooting.

Supporters of the range had pointed to a provision of state law which grants existing shooting ranges immunity from certain types of zoning enforcement, but the board rejected that argument.

The shooting area is not immune, said Mann, because the unimproved field does not qualify as a controlled shooting range as defined by a Worcester superior court judge in 2013. That case, Brown v. Leahy, involved a conflict between owners of a target-shooting area and officials in the town of Northborough.

As such, a section of the town's zoning ordinance which references noise, nuisance and public safety is relevant to 174 Village Hill Road, which is not a "range," but an unimproved property, said Mann.

The board now has 45 days to issue a formal ruling, after which the Hodgkins have a 20-day window in which to appeal the order in court.

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

West Springfield police are reporting power outages along Riverdale Street after a "loud explosion" emanated from a manhole in front of D'Angelo's restaurant on Saturday afternoon.

WEST SPRINGFIELD - Police are reporting power outages along Riverdale Street after a "loud explosion" emanated from a manhole in front of D'Angelo's restaurant on Saturday afternoon.

A 911 call came in about the reported explosion and black smoke pouring out of the manhole cover around 1:30 p.m.

Police went to investigate and found certain businesses, including Friendly's and Cal's restaurant, had lost power. Public works and utility workers are expected to investigate.

More details as they become available.

The Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad is investigating the cause of an early morning fire that charred a detached shed and resulted in an estimated $15,000 in damage, city fire officials said.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ The Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad is investigating the cause of an early morning fire that charred a detached shed, city fire officials said Saturday.

Firefighters responded to a report of a detached shed on fire at 11 Undine Cir. around 5:47 a.m.

The fire damaged the shed, three large trees and the siding on a nearby home, according to the Springfield Fire Department. The blaze is estimated to have caused around $15,000 in damage.

Its cause remains under investigation.

The Springfield Kennel Club is hosting its 2015 Thanksgiving Classic Dog Show at the Eastern States Exposition this weekend. Watch video

WEST SPRINGFIELD ‒ Personality was in abundance at the Springfield Kennel Club's 2015 Thanksgiving Classic Dog Show, held at the Eastern States Exposition this weekend

Hundreds of confident canines pranced in their perfectly coiffured coats, expecting only a small treat for their performance at the event, which runs through Sunday in West Springfield.

Thousands of owners, handlers and spectators, meanwhile, mingled about as the star performers were pampered and clipped to perfection for seconds of showing their stuff.

"We're here to show off our beautiful breeds," said Ed Zigler, owner of a Samoyed being shown.

The Springfield Kennel Club teamed up with the Holyoke, South Windsor, Conn. and Windham County Kennel Clubs for the annual Thanksgiving cluster.

A five-car chair reaction crash on I-91 southbound sent numerous people to the hospital. State Police detectives are at the scene investigating the incident.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

The investigators are still at the scene of the crash at this writing, and the exact number of people injured and the extent of their injuries is not known. A release from the Framingham headquarters is expected later this morning.

Police said the 2:15 a.m. crash closed down all but one lane of the four lanes available at that point. One car burst into flames in the crash, bringing fire units from both Springfield and Chicopee to the scene, along with numerous ambulances for the injured.

Preliminary information indicates the accident was started by an unsafe lane change.

Troopers expect to open the remainder of the highway to traffic later this morning.

This is a breaking story and information will be posted as it becomes available.

Sponsored by a collaboration between the Salvation Army and The Republican, Toy for Joy is now in its 93rd year and is welcoming MassLive.com as a partner in the donation efforts. Also new this year is an option for readers to donate online.

SPRINGFIELD — For the past 92 years, Toy for Joy has made sure thousands of children in Western Massachusetts wake up on Christmas morning with gifts under the tree.

Sponsored by a collaboration between the Salvation Army and The Republican, Toy for Joy is now in its 93rd year and is welcoming MassLive.com as a partner in the donation efforts. Also new this year is an option for readers to donate online.

"It's been discussed for a few years, and we hope it's just a more convenient way for potential donors to contribute," said Danielle LaTaille, director of Social Services for the Salvation Army.

MassLive.com President Allison Werder said the company is proud to partner with the Salvation Army and The Republican.

"We're particularly happy about adding a digital donation element to this year's initiative," she said. "Given MassLive's active and engaged online audience, we're hopeful that our users will join in and embrace digital donations to help bring toys and happiness to more local kids this year."

People can still donate by mailing in the coupon printed in The Republican every day beginning Nov. 29 or by stopping by The Republican at 1860 Main St. (by Dec. 23) or the Salvation Army at 170 Pearl St.

Wayne E. Phaneuf, executive editor of The Republican, said the ultimate goal of Toy for Joy is that "no child will face a Christmas without gifts."

He said he hopes the online donations will help in reaching the $150,000 goal.

"We hope this change will spur even more giving to this great cause," he said.

Donations are now being accepted and the link will be included with the daily list of donations running on MassLive.com beginning on Nov. 29.

• Proceeds from the MassLive Holiday Party.....$1,000
• In memory of Priscilla Teixeira from Gary and Cynthia.....$50
• In loving memory of Richard Dunbar from Aimee and Doug.....$250
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Ann and Earl.....$100
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Richard.....$25
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Ronald and Susan.....$50
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Richard and Teresa.....$50
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Marilyn.....$50
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Robert and Patricia.....$50
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Mary Jane.....$30
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Paul and Andrea.....$50
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from J and L.....$25
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Colleen and David.....$30
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Martin and Barbara.....$50
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Louise and John.....$100
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Joseph$100
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from the Hampden County Bar Assoc....$25
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Boyajian Remodeling$100
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Dean and Barbara$100
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Dianne$20
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Patricia$25
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Mary and Donald$25
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Guy and Ann.....$50
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Erna and R.....$100
• In memory of Richard Dunbar from Kathleen and Joseph.....$50

Received: $2,505
Total to Date: $2,505
Still Needed: $147,495

Peck moved his practice in August. Now called Taylor Street Dental, he's in the historic former home of the Duryea Brothers automobile .

SPRINGFIELD - The Stacy Building at at 41 Taylor Street was once home to the Duryea Brothers and their early automobile.

Today,its home to Dr. David I. Peck's Taylor Street Dental practice. Peck and his team spent months rehabbing the building, which he now owns, creating offices with high windows and an urban loft ambiance.

That was just one of the five business stories you might have missed this week.

1)Dentist David Peck invests, expands in downtown Springfield

he went from five treatment areas at his old offices on Worthington Street to nine at the new location.

2) Trade reps from around the world get glimpse of Western Massachusetts innovation economy

Israel, Ireland, Brazil, Germany, they all have entrepreneurs with business ideas as varied as high-tech windows, connecting cattle to Cloud Computing and making use of new nonstop El Al airline service from Boston to Tel Aviv.

3) It's Holiday time again and I'm doing a raft of spending-and-travel pieces. Look for a detailed roundup on Thanksgiving travel next week.

Report: Holiday spending could post highest gains since Great Recession

Holiday spending by consumers could grow 4 to 5 percent or more this year, according to projections prepared by the American Institute for Economic Research in Great Barrington.

Thanksgiving 2015 travel: AAA says to expect extra busy roads

AAA expects 46.9 million people to travel 50 miles or more from home in the United States over the long Thanksgiving 2015 weekend, a level of travel not seen since 2007, before the impact of the Great Recession.

4)Vermont innkeepers offer Deerfield Valley Inn as prize in essay contest

I think they should award bonus points to entries endorsed by Larry, his brother Darryl and his other brother Darryl. but they probably won't.

5) Good economic news.

New local jobless figures come out in a few days. But until then let these facts sink in.

Massachusetts gains 11,000 jobs in October, unemployment rate remains 4.6 percent

And I hope to be able to bring readers these reports from economist Don Klepper-Smith of Farmington Bank each month. Feel free to give feedback.

Farmington Bank economist: Greater Springfield has more positives than negatives as recovery progresses

 

Parking restrictions are being proposed in the area of the MGM Springfield project.

SPRINGFIELD - The City Council on Monday will consider proposals ranging from new parking restrictions related to the MGM Springfield casino project to a new 475-square foot "changing image" sign proposed for the newly renovated Balise Hyundai automotive dealership on East Columbus Avenue.

The meeting is at 7 p.m., at the council chambers at City Hall.

The council will consider banning parking on the west side of Main Street from State Street to Bliss Street; on both sides of Howard Street; on the east side of State Street from Main Street southerly for a distance of 488 feet; and on both sides of Bliss Street.

Unrelated, the council will consider granting a special permit for the 475-square foot sign sought by Balise Automotive Realty, LP, at 603 East Columbus Ave., that includes an changing image that is 300 square feet, said Timothy Ryan, a lawyer for Balise.

The sign is not videotaped advertisements, but static automotive-related images that change no more than once every 10 seconds, Ryan said.

Balise invested $10 million the new Balise Hyundai in the South End, Ryan said.

The Planning Department issued a report to the City Council that praises the Balise investment but states it has some concerns about the large size of the sign. In addition to the square footage, the sign will be 45 feet high, the report stated.

The council will have a public hearing on the sign request to receive input from any proponents and opponents to the requested special permit.

Bills relating to solar energy, transgender rights, opioid abuse and public records were among those that never got passed before lawmakers recessed for the year.

BOSTON - As Massachusetts lawmakers head home to their districts for the winter recess after nearly a year of work, they leave behind a mound of unfinished business.

A bill raising a cap that is stalling solar energy projects was left in limbo after the failure of a last-minute compromise. A transgender rights bill with support from leaders of both houses does not have enough support from members. Although everyone on Beacon Hill is discussing opioid abuse, and some measures were taken to address it, major bills remain undone.

House and Senate leaders stress that they did pass some significant bills - notably, a state budget - and it is only the first year of a two-year session.

"You have to look at the session as a whole of two years and then you would state whether the session was a good one or wasn't particularly good," said House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop. "If you take a look at our body of work, it has been good."

Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, said the Senate passed 19 major policy initiatives, although 11 remain pending in the House. The Senate also made progress in improving transparency and public engagement, changing rules and doing more with social media.

"From our point of view, we feel it was productive, but we definitely would look forward to seeing even more legislation moving back and forth (in 2016)," Rosenberg said.

The beginning of the legislative session was dominated by snow. With nine feet falling on eastern Massachusetts and the MBTA breaking down, lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Baker were consumed with keeping the state running and fixing the MBTA. Baker also entered office facing an apparent deficit for 2015, which he had to resolve while planning the fiscal year 2016 budget.

"The first couple of months, most of our meetings were discussions of snow and trying to straighten out the MBTA, which I think we did a great job in doing," DeLeo said.

The $38.1 billion budget Baker signed in July included not only spending priorities, but policy changes. Lawmakers created an MBTA fiscal control board, which is in charge of fixing the transit system's finances and overseeing its operations. Despite opposition from unions, they suspended the Pacheco Law, which made it harder to privatize services, for three years at the MBTA.

Lawmakers expanded the earned income tax credit for around 400,000 low or middle income working families, increasing the average credit from $315 to $470. They approved an early retirement incentive for state employees, which cut the state workforce by 2,500 people.

The budget included large amounts of local and education aid - a priority for the governor and Legislature - and money to improve staffing at the troubled Department of Children and Families, prevent homelessness, provide job training for the unemployed and promote economic development.

Giving new University of Massachusetts president Marty Meehan a victory, lawmakers let UMass retain students' tuition, rather than having the money flow through the state general fund. However, Meehan later got in a fight with Rosenberg over student fees and funding for faculty pay raises, which only got resolved after a tense back and forth.

On another priority, lawmakers took steps to combat the epidemic of opioid overdoses. A supplemental budget set aside nearly $30 million for new treatment beds and to move civilly committed women out of a prison and into a hospital. The 2016 budget funded new recovery high schools, more post-detoxification beds, and a bulk purchasing program for the anti-overdose drug Narcan.

"Every time we moved a budget vehicle to the governor's desk, it contained expanded or now tools to help with the crisis," Rosenberg said.

But Baker's controversial proposal to expand the state's civil commitment law and limit the size of opioid prescriptions has not been acted on. Baker said he understands the delay, but if nothing happens by March, "I'm going to start to get pretty impatient."

The Senate passed a bill that would require schools to screen students for drug addiction, allow patients to partially fill prescriptions, require pharmaceutical companies to take back drugs and take other steps. But the House has not acted on it.

By all accounts, the number of policy bills that made it to Baker's desk this session is low, despite a flurry of last-minute lawmaking that passed some noncontroversial veterans-related bills, made fentanyl trafficking a crime, and cleared titles for people who bought foreclosed properties.

The Senate passed a bill in July to lift a cap on net metering, which is stalling solar projects in parts of the state. But the House only released its own version a day before the session ended, and the House and Senate were unable to compromise. Rosenberg said he hopes to resolve the solar issue early next year. The House is also developing a more comprehensive energy bill.

"I think everybody's pretty frustrated with the fact that nothing came of this," said Sean Garren, northeast regional manager for Vote Solar, a solar energy advocacy group.

"By not acting, the Legislature has decided the net metering cap should constrain growth in half the state for the next several months," Garren said. "That means missed environmental benefits from more clean energy, missed investments in our local communities and good jobs."

The House also passed reform of the state's weak public records law on the last day of the session. The bill was held up by concerns from municipalities that requirements would be overly burdensome, but now open government advocates say the latest version gives governments too long to comply with requests. The dispute will have to be worked out when the Senate considers the bill in January.

As lawmakers and the governor work with an outside group to review the state's criminal justice system, the Senate passed a bill removing the automatic license suspension given to non-violent drug offenders, although the House has yet to take it up.

Despite a push by Baker to allow more charter schools in high-need districts, lawmakers still have not decided whether to vote on the issue.

"We're still going through internal discussion in the Senate as to whether or not we feel that a bill could pass the Senate," Rosenberg said.

Lawmakers also have not decided whether to expand anti-discrimination laws to protect transgender people in places of public accommodation, like restaurants. The bill is controversial due to logistical concerns - such as implications for gender-segregated public bathrooms. Although it has support from Rosenberg, DeLeo, Attorney General Maura Healey and a growing number of businesses and advocates, it remains in committee.

"We're obviously disappointed that it didn't come up for a vote before the recess, because the need is so urgent," said Kasey Suffredini, campaign co-chair of Freedom Massachusetts, which supports the bill.

"We're poised to go into 2016 with a lot of energy, and we're not stopping," Suffredini said.

Town boards and private organizations in Longmeadow have two weeks to submit proposals for funding of their community preservation project proposals.

LONGMEADOW — Town boards and private organizations have less than two weeks to submit proposals for funding of their community preservation project proposals.

Dec. 3 is the deadline to apply for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding to complete improvements to open space, recreation, historic preservation and community housing in Longmeadow, Steven Weiss, Longmeadow's Community Preservation Committee chairperson, said.

"(CPA money) provide resources for funding for a variety of things that could not or would not get on a town budget, but are very important in maintaining the character of the town," Weiss said.

For example, Weiss said, CPA money took care of most of the cost of the tennis court renovations last year. The job cost upwards of $500,000. Other proposals have resulted in the fixing up of landmarks that give the town character, but are privately owned, like the historic cemetery.

Weiss was unaware of how many applications are filed and what proposals have been made.

"It's always a bit of a surprise to me, what (proposals) come on and what do not," Weiss said. "I'm never sure until Dec. 4."

The council will have a hearing first followed by a potential vote to set the new tax rates for fiscal 2016.

SPRINGFIELD -- The City Council has scheduled a public hearing Monday night to hear from residents and business property owners before setting the new tax rate for fiscal year 2016.

The public hearing is at 8 p.m., Monday in the council chambers at City Hall.

The hearing will be followed by a special meeting to consider setting the new tax rates. The rates will be for the year that began July 1, 2015.

The council will receive a recommendation on the rates from the Special Finance/Real Estate Tax Ratio Committee that consisted of representatives from the residential and business sector, and Board of Assessors Chairman Richard Allen and Council Finance Committee member Kenneth Shea.

The council will also receive a recommendation from the mayor.

The council typically does not set the rate until mid to late December, facing a Dec. 31 deadline. This year's rate is far earlier, officials said.

The special committee had two mandated meetings prior to the council considering the tax rates on Monday.

Shea said each year creates the challenge of setting a ratio that is fair to both homeowners and business owners.

Last December, the council approved tax rates after significant debate and a 7-6 vote.

The tax rate for homeowners was set last December was $19.67 for homeowners per $1,000 per valuation, a decrease of 4 cents per $1,000 valuation from the year before. The business rate was set at $38.77 last year, reflecting a decrease of 27 cents.

Some councilors who voted against the rate last year said they thought the residential rate should have been lower, and the business rate higher.

The total tax levy for fiscal 2016 is $181.9 million, as compared to $176.1 million last year, said Richard Allen, chairman of the Board of Assessors. The increase is $5.8 million, about 3.29 percent, which reflects the allowed increase under Proposition 2 1/2 plus levy growth due to new construction and renovations, he said.

The committee includes: Allen and Shea; Jeffrey S. Ciuffreda, executive director of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce; and Laura Walsh of the Forest Park Civic Association

The average single family value this year 134,800, . Last year, 131,500.

The Springfield health board is considering if the biomass plant project falls under its review after court rulings gave the go-ahead for construction.

SPRINGFIELD - The Public Health Council plans to have a hearing in January regarding a proposed $150 million biomass wood-burning plant in East Springfield, but has not yet decided it there should be a formal review of the project.

The health council met Wednesday and voted 7-0 to have the hearing. A date is not yet set, but the board will hear from proponents and opponents of the plant at that hearing when finalized, said Helen R. Caulton-Harris, public health commissioner.

After that hearing, the health board could decide on whether or not to have the biomass plant evaluated through a site review process and separate hearing at a future date, Caulton-Harris said.

Palmer Renewable Energy is proposing the plant at Cadwell Drive and Page Boulevard.

The proposal has drawn significant controversy in recent years, including revocation of a special permit and building permits by the City Council and Zoning Board of Appeals and three successive state court rulings in favor of the plant. The state Land Court, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Judicial Court all ruled in favor of the project.

The City Council and some residents had filed legal action seeking to block the project, with the appeals failing at all courts, officials said.

Michaelann Bewsee, a member of Arise for Social Justice and a resident in the failed suit, said that other options are being considered including the local site plan review.

The site plan review, if deemed proper, would determine if there is any need for "mitigation" for the impacts of the biomass plant, officials said.

Opponents have stated that the plant would worsen pollution and harm public health. Proponents say the plant involves state of the art technology and would not harm public health, complying with all air quality standards.

Caulton-Harris said the biomass plan had been discussed by the board in 2011, but was not acted on during the court challenges..

The bridge work will take place from 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Memorial Bridge leading into West Springfield will be closed from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday for paving, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Paving will take place on the Memorial Avenue Rotary today from 10 a.m. to midnight. and will also require the following road closures:

*Noon to approximately 3 p.m.: Closure of Route 147 eastbound between Main Street and the Rotary; westbound traffic will be detoured onto Route 5.

*3 p.m.- 6 p.m.: Closure of the Memorial Bridge. Route 147 westbound will be detoured on the Springfield side of the bridge. Route 147 eastbound will be detoured onto Route 5 South.

*10 a.m. to midnight: Intermittent closures of the ramps between Route 5 and the Memorial Avenue Rotary.

Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes.

Hampden Superior Court Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder denied the request for a new trial of Phillip Ayala, serving a life sentence for first degree murder.

SPRINGFIELD - Outgoing Hampden Superior Court Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder denied the request of Phillip Ayala - serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole - for a new trial.

Kinder rejected the argument of Myles D. Jacobson, Ayala's appeal lawyer, that Ayala did not get a fair trial in 2009 because his lawyer Greg T. Schubert did not provide adequate counsel. His ruling was issued Wednesday.

Ayala, of Springfield, was convicted of first degree murder in 2009 - when he was 37 years old - for the fatal shooting of Clive Ramkissoon.

Ramkissoon, 32, of Windsor, Connecticut, was killed on June 10, 2007, on the sidewalk across the street from 336 Wilbraham Road, after leaving a party with Robert Perez and a woman.

Kinder said he held a three day evidentiary hearing on three claims of ineffective counsel.

"After consideration of the evidence presented, the pleadings and the trial record, the motion is denied for the reasons that follow," Kinder wrote.

Assistant District Attorney Max Bennett, who represented the prosecution in the hearings on Ayala's motion for a new trial, said Schubert gave effective legal representation of Ayala. He asked Kinder to deny the motion for a new trial.

One claim of ineffective counsel was that there was a failure to investigate potentially exculpatory eyewitness testimony from a confidential informant that individuals other than Ayala were seen running from the scene of the shooting.

Kinder wrote in his ruling one of the "alleged third party culprits, Deshawn Howard, testified at the hearing and denied any knowledge of or involvement in the shooting....Accordingly, Ayala has failed to demonstrate how further investigation before trial would have provided an available substantial ground of defense."

The two other claims of ineffective counsel were a failure to sufficiently explore potential flaws in the Commonwealth's firearms expert's conclusion; and a failure to investigate or explore at trial potentially significant flaws in Perez's testimony that identified the defendant as the shooter.

Kinder wrote the identification issues were fully explored and presented to the jury.

He ruled even if the jury could have reasonably inferred from a defense expert's opinion (if the defense had presented an expert) that the muzzle flash of the type of gun thought to be used did not illuminate the face of the shooter, "I am not persuaded that the result would have been different."

Jacobson had called two ballistics witnesses at the motion for a new trial who said the muzzle flash on a gun would not illuminate the face of the shooter. Perez, the main government witness at the murder trial, said he saw Ayala's face in the muzzle flash of the gun being shot.

Bennett argued Jacobson was making too much of the issue of illumination from a muzzle flash.

He said there was testimony there was lighting from street lights and car headlights so jurors could have believed Perez could have seen the shooter's face because of other light sources.

The complete text of Kinder's decision follows:

Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder decision on Phillip Ayala motion for a new trial

The wrestling event lasted more than 2 hours.

SPRINGFIELD — With stage names like Tequila Rose and Demon Slugga, wrestlers from the Hispanic American Wrestling Alliance (HAWA) thrilled the crowd at Springfield's High School of Science and Technology.

The event held in the gymnasium on Saturday, was also a fundraiser for the school's English Language Learners program that currently involves 300 students from more than 10 countries.

The event featured triple threat matches, a five-lady elimination round for the first-ever HAWA Women's Championship belt, a 20-foot chain match, tag-team matches, a 'street' fight, and a cheerleading demonstration from the school cheerleaders.

Serving as Master of Ceremony for the evening was Guillermo Rene Negron, director of HAWA.

Results from the matches include:

*Hebster and Tornado Oscuro tag-team

* Spectacular J.C. over Huracan Sobrino

*Triple Threat was won by Terel Curtly over Bryce Clayto and Anthony Green

*Terek won the Ladder match over Sam Dodson and Lster Curtis

*Delmi Exo over Carmen LaBella

*Valkari,Tequila Rosie, Ashley Vox in the HAWA Women's Championship belt

*Foxxy Vinyer won the 20-foot chain event over Doug Summers

* Lou Nova and Demon Slugga over the tag-team of Izzy and Narciso Rex

* Huracan Boricua Jr., over Nate Nastic in the Main Event

*Banny El Boricua over 5-Star Jase in the Street Fight

*Jason Vile and J. Romano and J. Cisco over Boby C. and Jose Chico and Indio Aguevana.

One man is dead after a Saturday night standoff with Norton Police, according to CBS Boston. Authorities said shots were fired at officers during the incident.

NORTON - One man is dead after a Saturday night standoff with Norton Police, according to CBS Boston. Authorities said shots were fired at officers during the incident.

Police were called to an Azalea Road home around 10:30 p.m. for a report of a disturbance. CBS Boston said the person who called police told officers a man in the home was trying to get a gun from a safe.

The television station reports that when police arrived someone shot at them through a first-floor window. Officers shot back, police told the television station.

There is an active police situation on Azalea Rd. Please remain indoors at this time until more information can be released. Thank you

-- Norton Police Dept. (@NortonMaPolice) November 22, 2015

WCVB News said state police responded to the scene. A robot was sent into the home. Authorities found 48-year-old Kevin Murray dead inside, the television station said.

Murray died from a gunshot wound, but officials have not said if it was self-inflicted or if an officer shot Murray.

The scene on Azalea Rd. is secure. Thank you to all for your cooperation.

-- Norton Police Dept. (@NortonMaPolice) November 22, 2015

The accident sent several people to the hospital

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

SPRINGFIELD — State Police are seeking information regarding an overnight five-car crash on I-91 south that occurred near the Plainfield Street overpass in Springfield.

"The accident is currently under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Springfield Barracks as well as the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni's Office," said James Leydon, Public and Media Information Director for the District Attorney's Office stated.

Western Mass News, media partner to The Republican, is reporting that one person was killed in the accident. Police have not released any information on the crash or the victims involved.

Investigators are asking for anyone with information about this accident to please call the Springfield barracks at (413) 736-8390 or the Detective Unit at (413) 505-5993.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Roland Corbeil 

Roland A. Corbeil, 79, passed away on Wednesday. He was born in Springfield during the flood of 1936. He was raised in the two-story home and the barns located at the corner of Bay Street and Roosevelt Avenue, home of the Fitzgerald Dairy Farm, where his dad delivered milk by horse and wagon to homes in the Pine Point and Winchester Square sections. He was a graduate of the High School of Commerce, Class of 1953. He was a 1960 cum laude graduate of Western New England College with a BBA in accounting. He was employed by MassMutual Life Insurance Company for 43 years as director of client services, and retired in 1996. He was past president of the Ludlow Jaycees. He received an award from President Jimmy Carter for his work with the National Alliance of Business.

Full obituary and funeral arrangements for Roland Corbeil »