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Recognize this bank robbery suspect? VSP wants to hear from you

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After analyzing surveillance video and interviewing witnesses, the suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Matthew T. Martin, according to the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which didn't release additional information about Martin.

LUDLOW, Vermont — Authorities are looking for a suspect wanted in connection with the armed robbery of the Heritage Family Credit Union in Ludlow, Vermont, on Monday afternoon.

After analyzing surveillance video and interviewing witnesses, the suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Matthew T. Martin, according to the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which did not release Martin's last known address.

Troopers and Ludlow police responded to the Main Street credit union for a reported bank robbery around 3:56 p.m. Martin displayed a black handgun and fled with an undisclosed amount of money, police said.

"There are currently active arrests warrants for Martin in Vermont and New Hampshire in relation to other armed robbery charges," Vermont State Police officials said in a statement Monday night.

Anyone with information about Martin and his whereabouts is asked to call the Rockingham Barracks 802-875-2112.



Report: Double shooting, other recent violence prompts owner of Springfield Irish pub to sell his Hungry Hill business

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"I've already been getting calls about the listing. I am ready to leave Springfield and reopen someplace else in a surrounding town because I don't think I can get a fair shake here," Mike Moriarty, owner of Moriarty's Bar & Grill, said in a statement.

SPRINGFIELD — It's been a good while since the predominant accent in Hungry Hill was Irish. Still, the Springfield neighborhood that was once the city's Irish stronghold has managed to retain a bit of its historical identity despite the ever-changing demographics.

But after a weekend double shooting injured two men as they were leaving Moriarty's Pub and Grill, the owner of the Liberty Street bar says he's ready to pack his bags for good. Mike Moriarty has put the business up for sale, citing the shooting, a recent stabbing and the mayor's reaction to the violence among the reasons he's selling, according to Western Mass News, TV partner of MassLive / The Republican.

"I've already been getting calls about the listing. I am ready to leave Springfield and reopen someplace else in a surrounding town because I don't think I can get a fair shake here," Moriarty said in a statement to the TV station.

Police Commissioner John Barbieri said Saturday's shooting outside Moriarty's was gang- and drug-related and that both victims have gang affiliations. Police are still hunting for the gunman and asking anyone with information to call detectives at 413-787-6355.

Mayor Domenic Sarno, who joined Barbieri at a news conference outside the bar several hours after the shooting, said Moriarty's is among the city establishments that attract "a negative element."

Moriarty, who went home before the shooting occurred around 1 a.m. Saturday, punched back at the mayor, calling him a "bully boy."

"I'm being cooperative and he's telling me he's going to shut my bar down. He's calling my customers gangbangers. That's just offensive. Am I supposed to discriminate against a customer for the way they look? Who am I? Hitler? These are just guys from the neighborhood. It's a neighborhood bar," Moriarty told The Republican.

"I always cooperate with police. I told them I would give them all my video," Moriarty said, referring to footage captured by the surveillance cameras at his bar. On Monday, he turned over the videos to police to help them with their investigation.

Moriarty's Pub and Grill was formerly the location of Finnegan's Tavern, another neighborhood fixture.


 

No indictment in Sandra Bland jail death

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A grand jury decided on Monday that no felony crime was committed by the sheriff's office or jailers in the treatment of a black woman who died in a Southeast Texas county jail last summer.

HEMPSTEAD, Texas (AP) -- A grand jury decided on Monday that no felony crime was committed by the sheriff's office or jailers in the treatment of a black woman who died in a Southeast Texas county jail last summer.

But prosecutor Darrell Jordan said the Waller County grand jury reached no decision on whether the trooper who arrested 28-year-old Sandra Bland should face charges. The grand jury will return in January to consider that issue.

The Chicago-area woman was pulled over July 10 by a Texas state trooper for making an improper lane change. Dashcam video showed their interaction quickly became confrontational and she was arrested for assault.

Bland was taken in handcuffs to the county jail in nearby Hempstead, about 50 miles northwest of Houston, and remained there when she couldn't raise about $500 for bail. She was discovered dead in her jail cell three days later, hanging from a cell partition with a plastic garbage bag used as a ligature around her neck.

Bland's relatives, along with supporters fueled by social media postings, questioned a medical examiner's finding that Bland killed herself.

Cannon Lambert, an attorney representing Bland's family, said Monday the decision is consistent with what the family believes has so far been an attempt by authorities to cover up the events after Bland's arrest.

"They continue to do things we are disappointed in," he said.

Bland's mother and sisters spoke at a news conference in Chicago before Monday night's announcement, where they said they had no faith in the grand jury.

Bland's mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, said she wants to see all the evidence and is frustrated by delays in the case. Attorney Larry Rogers acknowledged grand juries usually meet in secret, but said the process "screams of a cover-up." He said lawyers haven't been able to examine a Texas Rangers report on the incident because it's grand jury evidence.


In the days after her death, county authorities released video from the jail to dispel rumors and conspiracy theories that Bland was dead before she arrived at the jail or was killed while in custody. County officials said they themselves received death threats.

Her arrest and death came amid heightened national scrutiny of police and their dealings with black suspects, especially those killed by officers or who died in police custody.

"After presenting all the evidence as it relates to the death of Sandra Bland, the grand jury did not return an indictment," Jordan said after the grand jury met Monday for about 11 hours. "The grand jury also considered things that occurred at the jail and did not return an indictment."

Jordan is one of five special prosecutors appointed by the county's district attorney, Elton Mathis.

"Having an independent committee to evaluate the case, that can be a positive thing in a situation like this," Brian Serr, a law professor at Baylor University said.

Among evidence presented in the secret grand jury proceedings were the findings of a Texas Rangers' investigation.

"There's nothing in there that shows anything happened but she killed herself," Mathis had said.

Lambert said late Monday he believes prosecutors' decision to have the grand jury return in January is another attempt to delay releasing the report. He said he expects to ask a federal judge to compel Texas authorities to turn over the document.

Bland's sister didn't immediately respond to a phone message requesting comment on the grand jury's decision, and Reed-Veal couldn't be reached for comment late Monday.

Royce West, a Dallas Democrat who has been a vocal leader in the case, and one of two black Texas state senators, also had said he was "comfortable" with the medical examiner's determination.

Bland's mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court in Houston against the trooper, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Waller County and two jail employees. State lawyers have asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit. A judge last week set it for trial in January 2017.

The Bland family attorneys contend Waller County jailers should have checked on her more frequently and that the county should have performed mental evaluations once she disclosed she had a history of attempting suicide. In her lawsuit, Reed-Veal also contends that the trooper who arrested her daughter, Brian Encinia, falsified the assault allegation to take Bland into custody and that jail personnel failed to keep her daughter safe.

County officials have said Bland was treated well while locked up and produced documents that show she gave jail workers inconsistent information about whether she was suicidal.

Encinia, who in June completed a year-long probationary stint as a new trooper, has been on administrative duty since the Bland death.

Dashcam video from his car showed Encinia at one point holding a stun gun and yelling at Bland, "I will light you up!" after she refuses to get out of her car. The director of the Department of Public Safety, Steve McCraw, has said Encinia violated internal policies of professionalism and courtesy.

Melissa Hamilton, visiting criminal law scholar at the University of Houston, said Bland had no legal right to remain in her car after the trooper ordered her out.

"Whether you like it or not, the Supreme Court has made it clear police are in charge at a traffic stop, and they can make anybody get out of the car -- driver or passenger -- for no reason whatsoever," she said. "The idea for that is to allow police to control a potentially dangerous situation."

SpaceX succesfully launches, lands rocket booster, deploys 11 satellites

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SpaceX sent a Falcon rocket soaring toward orbit Monday night with 11 small satellites, its first mission since an accident last summer. Then in an even more astounding feat, it landed the 15-story leftover booster back on Earth safely.

SpaceX sent a Falcon rocket soaring toward orbit Monday night with 11 small satellites, its first mission since an accident last summer. Then in an even more astounding feat, it landed the 15-story leftover booster back on Earth safely.

It was the first time an unmanned rocket returned to land vertically at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and represented a tremendous success for SpaceX. The company led by billionaire Elon Musk is striving for reusability to drive launch costs down and open up space to more people.

"Welcome back, baby!" Musk tweeted after touchdown.

"It's a revolutionary moment," Musk later told reporters. "No one has ever brought a booster, an orbital-class booster, back intact."

What's significant is that this was a useful mission, Musk noted, not merely a practice flight. "We achieved recovery of the rocket in a mission that actually deployed 11 satellites," he said.


SpaceX employees broke into cheers and chants, some of them jumping up and down, following the smooth touchdown nine minutes after liftoff. Previous landing attempts ended in fiery blasts, but those aimed for an ocean platform.

Musk said he ran outside and heard the sonic boom of the returning booster just as it landed; he assumed it had exploded. He learned the happy truth when he went back into Launch Control and saw video of the standing rocket.

"I can't quite believe it," he said. "It's quite shocking."

Musk said the landing appeared close to perfect and the company "could not have asked for a better mission or a better day."

The top officer at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, noted that the returning booster "placed the exclamation mark on 2015."

"This was a first for us at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and I can't even begin to describe the excitement the team feels right now having been a part of this historic first-stage rocket landing," Monteith said in a statement.

Across the country, SpaceX employees jammed company headquarters in Hawthorne, California, anxiously awaiting success. They cheered at full throttle when the first stage separated cleanly two minutes into flight and reoriented itself for an unprecedented return to Cape Canaveral. Then the roar became deafening, as TV cameras showed the first-stage booster landing on extended legs at its new, dedicated landing zone. SpaceX commentators called it "incredibly exciting" and were visibly moved by the feat.

"This has been a wildly successful return to flight for SpaceX," said one SpaceX launch commentator. "We made history today."

Blue Origin, another billionaire's rocket company, successfully landed a booster last month in West Texas. That rocket, though, had been used for a suborbital flight. The SpaceX booster was more powerful and flying faster in order to put satellites into orbit.

The touchdown was a secondary objective for SpaceX. The first was hoisting the satellites for OrbComm, a New Jersey-based communication company. All 11 were successfully deployed.

OrbComm chief executive officer Marc Eisenberg seemed just as excited about the booster landing as his satellites reaching orbit.

"Here she comes back," Eisenberg said via Twitter, sharing a photo of the returning booster. Then: "Bullseye."

The booster-landing zone, a former Atlas missile-launching site, is about six miles from the launch pad. SpaceX is leasing the touchdown area -- marked by a giant X -- from the Air Force. The reinforced concrete provides a stable surface, unlike the barges used for the initial attempts, primarily for increased safety.

On its previous flight back in June, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket failed shortly after liftoff, destroying a supply ship intended for the International Space Station. A snapped strut in the upper stage was to blame. SpaceX spent months correcting the problem and improving the unmanned rocket. It hopes to resume supply runs for NASA in February.

Musk, who also runs the Tesla electric car company, said he can drastically reduce launch costs by reusing rocket parts. Three tries at vertical landings of the first-stage boosters earlier this year failed; in each case, the segment aimed for a modified barge off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida. This time, Musk opted for a true land landing.

Musk said it will take a few more years to iron everything out, for actual reusability of his rockets. In the meantime, he's working to transform the SpaceX Dragon capsules from cargo ships into real spaceships for crews traveling to and from the orbiting station.

His ultimate goal, for human missions, is Mars.

"This was a critical step along the way to being able to establish a city on Mars," he said. "That's what all this is about."

Anti-casino activists sue to block ballot question allowing 2nd Massachusetts slots parlor

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A group of anti-casino activists appealed to Massachusetts' high court to keep a question that would allow a second slots parlor in Massachusetts – most likely at Suffolk Downs – off the 2016 ballot.

A group of anti-casino activists have appealed to Massachusetts' high court to keep a question that would allow a second slots parlor in Massachusetts - most likely at Suffolk Downs - off the 2016 ballot.

Ten Massachusetts residents who oppose expanded gambling filed a complaint with the Supreme Judicial Court against Attorney General Maura Healey and Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin.

"The suit is to encourage them to take a second look at the language and recognize this is not a statewide ballot issue," said Celeste Myers, a leader of No Eastie Casino, which was formed in 2012 and led the East Boston opposition to a proposed casino at Suffolk Downs, a racetrack that straddles Boston and Revere. Myers is one of the plaintiffs in the complaint.

Eugene McCain, who filed the ballot question petition, did not respond to requests for comment.

The proposed 2016 ballot question would allow the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to issue a second slots parlor license. Currently, only a single slots license is allowed under state law. The question specifies that the new slots parlor would have to be located near a horse racing track.

By law, a ballot question cannot apply only to one particular locality.

Healey's office, which certified that the ballot question is constitutional, found that the language is broad enough that it could apply to multiple sites.

But the anti-casino group argues that the language is clearly written to apply to only one location - Suffolk Downs.

They write in their court complaint that the only other potential sites that would fit under the language are Plainridge Park, which already has the state's first licensed slot parlor, and Brockton Fairgrounds, which is applying for a license for a resort casino and would be prohibited from filing another license application under an agreement it signed with the town of Brockton.

The anti-casino activists argue in their complaint that based on geography and on public statements by the petition filer, McCain is trying to develop a parcel of land around Suffolk Downs. So the ballot question would only affect one community and should not be voted on by the entire state.

"It's very specific to our local area," Myers said.

The petition also argues that the same issue was voted on during the last statewide election. State law prohibits the approval of a ballot question that is "substantially the same" as a measure that was voted on in the previous statewide election. In 2014, voters rejected a question that would have repealed the state's law allowing casino gambling. The anti-casino group argues that this question is similar because it is an amendment to state's gambling law.

Healey's office will file a brief with the court in the coming months saying why it believes the ballot question is constitutional. The complaint will be considered by a single justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, who can either issue a ruling or transfer the case to another court.

A spokeswoman for Healey declined to comment on the substance of the case.

Galvin spokesman Brian McNiff said Galvin's office does not comment on matters pending before the court. But he noted that the decision about constitutionality is entirely up to Healey. Galvin's only involvement is to certify whether a group gathered sufficient signatures.

Although supporters of the ballot question successfully gathered 74,500 signatures, more than enough to meet the first threshold for getting a question on the 2016 ballot, the process has been quiet. Neither McCain nor an attorney who filed papers for the ballot question with Galvin's office returned phone calls or emails.

Advocates for the ballot question have not filed paperwork with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to form an official ballot committee. An official committee is required when two or more people or organizations get together and spend money to support or oppose a ballot question. Unless McCain is working by himself, he would have to file a report if he hired a firm to collect signatures.

The Boston Globe reported in September that McCain is a real estate broker and developer living in Thailand who has an option to buy a trailer park in Revere, near Suffolk Downs. McCain told the Globe that he was considering multiple locations for a hotel and mixed-use development, which would include a slots parlor.

The 10 original signers on the petition were from West Springfield, Dover, Hull and Needham. One of them told The Republican / MassLive.com that she was not answering questions about the petition. The others did not respond to voicemail messages left on Tuesday.

Chip Tuttle, chief operating officer at Suffolk Downs, told The Republican / MassLive.com that the racetrack is monitoring the proposal but is not involved in it.

If a second license is authorized, it would still have to be granted by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Gaming Commission spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said the commission is not considering the issue right now, since it is out of the commission's control. "If we reach a point where we need to, we will," Driscoll said.

Suffolk Downs previously proposed hosting a resort casino. But in 2013, East Boston voters rejected the plan. Suffolk Downs then proposed building the entire casino to the Revere side of the racetrack, since Revere voters supported the plan. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission, however, awarded the resort casino license to Wynn Resorts in Everett instead of to Suffolk Downs.

City of Boston officials say McCain has not reached out to them. Revere's economic development director did not return a phone call.

Deerfield town administrator Kayce Warren to take interim job in Ashfield

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Warren began as an administrative assistant in Deerfield, moving on to become interim town manager before taking the role full-time last August.

DEERFIELD - Town administrator Kayce Warren will end her 17-year career with Deerfield next month to take over as interim town administrator in Ashfield.

Kayce Warren mug.jpgKayce Warren 
Warren, 44, began as an administrative assistant in Deerfield, moving on to become interim town manager before taking the role full-time last August. Before that she worked administratively with the Sunderland Police Department.

Warren had nary a bad word about Deerfield, saying only that the Ashfield job will enable her to be closer to her home in Goshen.

"It's an opportunity to work in a different town with a different make-up," she said, calling Ashfield "quaint but busy."

Warren said she will miss the people she works with in Deerfield and the support given her by the town's Board of Selectmen.

During her time in Deerfield, Warren has had to deal with some major issues. Last year it was the disposition of the former pickle plant known as the Oxford property. That land, some 12 acres, is currently in the process of being sold to New England Natural Bakers. More recently, the town has been at odds with Kinder Morgan over its proposed natural gas pipeline, which is projected to pass through Deerfield. The town has banned the pipeline from its borders, but Warren herself has no official public stance on the project.

"It's not my place to have a personal stance on the pipeline," she said.

Warren is scheduled to begin her new job in mid-January.

News Links: Teacher's aide accused of having sex with student, thousands of dollars worth of toys missing from police station, and more

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A Roxbury, Mass., mother was arrested with her daughter for allegedly stealing about $1,000 worth of clothes from a New Hampshire department store moments after she left a court appearance in another shoplifting case, police said.

A digest of news stories from around New England.

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WTIC-TV report aired Dec. 8.

Kyle Damato-Kushel.jpgKyle Damato-Kushel 
  • Connecticut teacher's aide accused of having sex with student, 15 [Connecticut Post] Photo at left, video above


  • Thousands of dollars worth of toys, coats reported missing from New Haven police substation [New Haven Register]


    Adelaida Jordan.jpgAdelaida Jordan 
  • Boston mother accused of shoplifting with children, moments after leaving New Hampshire court on other shoplifting case [Union Leader] Photo at left, video below


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    Valerie McGrath.jpgValerie McGrath 
  • Suicide note found in car of woman accused of kidnapping 2 Lakeville children; bail set at $50,000 [CBS Boston.com] Photo at right, video below


  • Vermont woman accused of attacking other woman with hammer after victim questioned suicide pact, court records indicate [Brattleboro Reformer]


    Stephen Silva.jpgStephen Silva 
  • Arson investigator probing rash of fires in Lowell threatened by man with 8-inch kitchen knife, police say [Lowell Sun]


  • Man who gave gun to Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev that was used to kill MIT police officer sentenced to time served -- 17 months [Boston Globe] Photo at left, related video below


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  • National Grid to pay largest fine ever levied by state Department of Public Uiilities -- $1.25 billion -- for 20 violations of gas pipeline safety on Cape Cod [Cape Cod Times]

  • MBTA report considers fare hikes, late-night service cuts, wage freezes, in bid to close T's deficit [Boston Herald]


  • Connecticut gun maker, Stag Firearms LLC, admits illegally possessing machine gun not registered to company; owner agrees to sell company [Hartford Courant]


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    'In Case You Missed It'


  • State champion BMX racer's bike stolen; Springfield police get it back for her

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    Ashley Connor's bike was stolen off her front porch, and her family thought it was gone for good. But Springfield police detectives had other ideas.

    SPRINGFIELD -- Ashley Connor thought she would never see her bike again - and then she did.

    Connor, 16, is a state champion BMX racer in the 16-year-old novice division, and on Monday her BMX bicycle was stolen right off the front porch of her home in Liberty Heights.

    The red Eastern Battery BMX with wide tires and special racing pedals is valued at $300, but that's not important. What is important is it's the bike that she paid for herself by working at the Big E last year, and it's the bike that she rode in the state championships ... and it's the bike she rides continually in the day and keeps in her bedroom at night.

    The value for her goes well beyond $300.

    "It's a pretty sentimental bike," said Elaine Connor, her mother.

    It was her bike - and then suddenly it was gone.

    The bike was taken off the porch Monday afternoon when Ashley took a break from riding to go inside for a glass of water. She couldn't believe it wasn't there when she went back minutes later.

    "I was like 'Arrrrr!' I was in shock," Ashley said. "I didn't know what to do."

    But this isn't a sad story about loss at Christmas time; it's a story about loss - and recovery.

    In a few short hours after the Connors gave a report to the Springfield police, detectives tracked it down on the other side of town, got it back and delivered it back to the rightful owner.

    And that was due in no small part to some sleuthing by Ashley and her family. On Monday evening, a few hours after the bike disappeared, Ashley was scrolling through a BMX riders group that she belongs to on Facebook. She noticed someone was selling a bike that looked just like hers, a red Eastern Battery with wide tires and special racing pedals. It also had the exact same scratches in the exact same places on the frame as her bike.

    She knew it was no coincidence and yelled to her mother.

    "Mom, I found my bike."

    Her parents had already promised to get her a new bike, but it would have to wait until sometime after Christmas. Her mother reminded her of that.

    "Then I said 'No, mom, I found MY bike!'" Ashley said.

    Her brother tried reaching out to the seller, asking what he wanted for it. The reply was $150, but when her brother pressed, trying to arrange a meeting site to look at it, the person on Facebook got apparently got spooked and blocked her brother.

    Elaine Connor, meanwhile, took a screen grab of the post and of the seller's Facebook profile, complete with picture, and forwarded it to Springfield police, who took it from there.

    Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney said Detective Misael Rodriguez was assigned the case. Springfield detectives investigate every case of theft of property, but it's not often police clear the case and return the stolen property in less than eight hours, he said.

    Rodriguez did an extraordinary job not only in closing the case, but in making Ashley and her family happy, he said.

    Delaney said there was no address or phone number assigned to the person's Facebook profile, but Rodriguez recognized a location in the city from the person's profile photo. He canvassed that street, but people there said he and his family had moved away months ago. Someone gave him the address of a home on Quincy Street, Delaney said.

    Rodriguez went to Quincy Street, knocked on the door, and found a 14-year-old boy and Ashley's bike.

    The boy told officers he didn't take the bike, but he had traded for it from another kid. He got the bike in exchange for a new pair of Air Jordans and other items, Delaney said. All of this was a surprise to the boy's mother, who immediately handed the bike to Rodriguez and told her son he was grounded.

    Police opted not to press charges against him, because he had no prior record. Another consideration was the mother's promise to hold him accountable.

    Delaney said sometimes in juvenile cases, going forward with a prosecution is not necessarily the best approach.

    The Connors, meanwhile, were not expecting to see the bike again.

    "We were already thinking it was a loss," Sean Connor, Ashley's father, said.

    At around 10 p.m., the police knocked on the door, asking if Ashley was the girl who had her bike stolen.

    "I thought the kid already sold it and they were coming to say, like, 'yeah, it's gone,'" Ashley said.

    But then she watched Rodriguez pull the bike out of the back seat of his car. In a moment of apparent whimsy, the detective hopped on and rode it across the street and into their yard.

    Ashley said she was somewhat taken aback by it all.

    "I was like, 'Is that my bike or ...?'" she recalled. "I was in shock when he rode it across the street."

    Ashley has been riding competitively for about four years. She trains and races at Whip City BMX in Westfield, and has competed in Billerica, Wakefield and on Cape Cod.

    Having no bike would obviously put a crimp in her plans for future races. Getting her bike back means that she can keep in training.

    "She rides it all the time. She trains year-round for BMX. She rides it constantly." Elaine said.

    "When we say year-round, we mean year-round," said Sean.

    "She rides in the snow," Elaine said.

    Sitting on her bike in the driveway, Ashley can describe her bike in great detail even down to the scratches in the red finish. The scratches are each a reminder of some spill on the track during races and practices.

    "You want to know what they call her?" Sean asked. "Crashley. Crashley Ashley."

    Ashley shrugged and said, "I wipe out a lot."



    TSA tips: How to make holiday travel and security screening easier (photos)

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    Even movie stars cannot bring their Ninja throwing stars onto an airplane. Watch video

    WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The stars may be out tonight, but your Ninja throwing stars are out of your possession if you try to bring them through the Transportation Security Administration passenger screening at Bradley International Airport.

    The TSA and spokesman Michael McCarthy invited media to the airport Tuesday to show their collection of recently confiscated tools, weapons and other items prohibited from carry-on bags.

    The TSA routinely screens nearly two million passengers daily and many more than that during peak holiday travel days. So for the benefit of the occasional flyer, the unsure and the downright forgetful, McCarthy offered handy tips to make the screening experience easier for you and for those waiting in line behind you.

    It is better not to bring already wrapped gifts onto the plane, carry-on or in checked luggage, because if a screener is unsure of the contents, it will be opened.

    Be aware of everything you are bringing to the screening area so that you don't lose things that cut or poke people that might be allowed in your checked bags (and why was it that you brought your brass knuckles to the flight for a family reunion?).

    Some things cannot be brought onto planes at all, and for a list of them and all the TSA rules for air travel go to tsa.gov or get the MY TSA app for your smart phone.

    And especially around the holidays, arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight.

     

    Live Interstate 91 traffic information now online as viaduct reconstruction progresses, MassDOT announces

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    No highway construction will go on during the Christmas break.

    SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced Tuesday night that real-time traffic information for Interstate 91, including live video, speeds, and roadside alerts, is now available online during the current viaduct reconstruction process.

    Detailed information about the status of the project is also availabale at www.mass.gov/massdot/I91ViaductRehab.

    Major lane and exit shutdowns began Sunday night for the $183.3-million reconstruction of 2.5 miles of viaduct carrying the busy interstate over downtown Springfield. The plan is to have the road fully returned to the public's use in the late fall of 2017.

    In a prepared statement issued Tuesday night, MassDOT encourages Springfield area commuters to check this website before selecting a route, especially during peak commuting hours.

    MassDOT also emphasizes that the Temporary Exit 7-6 on I-91 South is now open. MassDOT encourages drivers to use the temporary exit for easier access to West Columbus Avenue and the greater Springfield area destinations previously served by the closed exit ramps, including Boland Way-downtown, the Springfield Parking Authority I-91 garages, the Memorial Bridge and the Basketball Hall of Fame area.

    In a notice to drivers, MassDOT announced:

    "After the I-391 merge at the Chicopee Curve, keep right. The right lane on I-91 South connects traffic to temporary Exit 7-6. The second from the right lane provides access to I-291 East/Exit 8. For more details, view a diagram showing lanes on I-91 South."

    Christmas break:

    There will be no additional lane or ramp closures between noon on Thursday, Dec. 24, and 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 27, for the Christmas holiday.

    Anyone with questions or concerns should email I91viaduct@state.ma.us or call 617-454-1839.

    Many drivers have asked recently why construction couldn't have been delayed until after the holidays.

    MassDOT spokeswoman Amanda Skahan said warm weather makes this a perfect time to get work done. Also, the road had been prepped for work. Why delay?

    She wrote:

    "MassDOT has been ready for the next phase of the project, and pavement markings to accomplish the major shift in traffic patterns were made along the roadway at night. With the recent weather, we wanted to take advantage of the warm and dry conditions, knowing that the pavement marking materials have temperature constraints and must be applied to dry pavement.  A delay of a week, could have turned into one or two months with cold weather or wet and/or snowy conditions.  Additionally, the warm temperatures allowed for work to be done at night, instead of the day when traffic volumes are the heaviest."  

    Pedestrian struck by car in crosswalk near Smith College in Northampton

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    Officers responded to a scene at around 5:30 p.m., Northampton Police Sgt. Josef Barszcz said. The woman -- who appeared to be in her early 20s -- was struck in the crosswalk at Elm Street and Henshaw Avenue, near the college's Campus Center building.

    NORTHAMPTON -- A pedestrian hit by a car across from Smith College Tuesday night was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to police.

    Officers responded to a scene at around 5:30 p.m., Northampton Police Sgt. Josef Barszcz said. The woman -- who appeared to be in her early 20s -- was struck in the crosswalk at Elm Street and Henshaw Avenue, near the college's Campus Center building.

    The operator of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with authorities, Barszcz said.

    The victim was transported to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield for injuries that did not appear to be life threatening, police report.

    Elm Street was open to traffic as of 6:15 p.m.

    Information on the victim and the driver was not immediately available.


    This is a developing story. Check back with MassLive for further coverage.

    Gains made in education, health care sectors despite increase in Greater Springfield's unemployment rate last month

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    On the year, Springfield and its surrounding towns and cities have gained 6,400 jobs since November 2014. That's a 2 percent, nearly matching the statewide average of 2.2 percent.

    This story provides additional details to an earlier story headlined "Springfield unemployment rate rises to 8.4 percent, region drops 1,300 jobs."


    SPRINGFIELD - Greater Springfield lost 1,300 jobs last month, a decline of 0.4 percent making November a tough month in what had been a run of job gains in 2015.

    On the year, Springfield and its surrounding towns and cities have gained 6,400 jobs since November 2014. That's a 2 percent, nearly matching the statewide average of 2.2 percent.

    Here is how job changes in the local economy break down by sector of the economy. (Local jobs numbers are not adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy.)

    All data is from a release Tuesday by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    Monthly statistics

    Two sectors which gained jobs  were:

    • Education and Health Services: 1,100 or up 1.4 percent  (up 700 last year)
    • Government: 600 or up 0.9 percent  ( up 500 last year)

    The four sectors in which jobs remain unchanged were:

    • Manufacturing: (0 last year)
    • Information: (0 last year)
    • Financial activities: (0 last year)
    • Other Services: (up 100 last year)

    Four sectors that lost jobs were:

    •   Leisure and hospitality: down 2,500 or down 8.5 percent (down 2,000 last year)
    •    Mining, logging and construction: down 300 or down 2.25 percent (down 300 last year)
    •    Trade, transportation and utilities: down 100 or down 0.2 percent (plus 500 last year)
    •    Professional, scientific and business services: down 100 or down 0.3 percent  (down 300 last year)

    Over the year: 

    Six sectors which gained jobs were:

    •   Education and Health Services: 4,000 or up 5.3 percent (up 3,100 last year)
    •   Professional, scientific and business services: 2,400 or up 9.1 percent (up 1,200 last year)
    •  Government: 800 or up 1.2 percent (up 2,000 last year)
    •   Mining, logging and construction: 400 or up 3.6 percent (up 400 last year)
    •  Other Services: 300 or up 2.4 percent (up 500 last year)
    •   Trade, yransportation and utilities: 100 or up 0.2 percent  (down 300 last year)

    The two sectors in which jobs remain unchanged were:

    • Information (0 last year)
    • Financial activities (up 100 last year)
    Two sectors which lost jobs were:
    • Leisure and hospitality -1,100 or down 3.9 percent (down 1,400 last year)
    • Manufacturing:  Down 500 or 1.7 percent  (down 1,200 last year)

    Boston crime: 226 live rounds of ammo found in public trash barrel

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    In about six hours, Boston police seized two handguns, arrested two men, and recovered a bag containing hundreds of rounds of live ammunition.

    BOSTON — So far, it's been a good week for removing illegal guns and ammunition from the streets of Boston. And it's only Tuesday.

    In just six hours – from about 11:30 p.m. Monday to roughly 5:30 a.m. Tuesday – the Boston Police Department seized two handguns, arrested two men, and recovered a garbage bag containing hundreds of rounds of live ammunition in separate investigations this week.

    Late Monday night, a man showed up at the city police station in the Dorchester neighborhood with a trash bag containing 226 live rounds of ammo. The man told authorities he found the bag in a trash barrel near 17 Centervale Park. Officers investigated and entered the ammo into evidence, police said.

    Early Tuesday morning, police said, officers from the Roxbury drug unit found 2 grams of cocaine, about $1,300 cash, a loaded .22-caliber revolver, and drug-packaging material during a raid at a Burton Avenue home, police said.

    The investigation led to the arrest of 25-year-old Marcus Claiborne on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and cocaine possession with intent to distribute.

    Also on early Tuesday morning, members of the Police Department's citywide drug control unit arrested a suspect on gun charges in the Montague Street area of Dorchester. Officers conducting a drug investigation saw a man acting suspiciously after he exited a neighborhood home.

    The man was "frantically looking around in all directions, crossing the street numerous times, and inexplicably changing directions," police said. The nervous behavior prompted officers to approach the man, who allegedly clutched his side and tried to flee before police stopped him.

    Fearing he may be armed with a gun, officers frisked him and found a loaded .22-caliber Beretta pistol, police said. Arrested was 27-year-old Raymond Hawkins, who was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and carrying a loaded gun.

    Arraignment information for Claiborne and Hawkins was not immediately available.


    Wall Street: US stocks climb higher as price of crude oil stabilizes

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    Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill fell after new reports came out about the safety of its food.

    By KEN SWEET

    NEW YORK -- Stocks rose for a second day on Tuesday, helped by a stabilization in crude oil prices. Chipotle Mexican Grill fell on more worries about the safety of its food.

    The Dow Jones industrial average rose 165.65 points, or 1 percent, to 17,417.27. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 17.82 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,038.97 and the Nasdaq composite rose 32.19 points, or 0.7 percent, to 5,001.11.

    It was another light day of trading. Many investors have closed their portfolios for the year or are on vacation for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. However, a modest recovery in oil prices did help lift energy and materials stocks.

    "Investors are either done for the year or are setting up their portfolios for 2016, buying this year's winners or doing reallocation to their portfolios," said J.J. Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade.

    Chipotle Mexican Grill fell $27.40, or 5 percent, to $494.61 after the fast food chain disclosed additional cases of E. coli had occurred at its restaurants.

    U.S. crude oil futures closed up 33 cents to $36.14 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, was down 24 cents to $36.11 a barrel in London. Energy stocks were among the bigger gainers Tuesday, with the energy sector of the S&P 500 index up 1.2 percent. Mining and materials stocks were also up.

    Diamond Offshore rose $1.13, or 5.6 percent, to $21.43. Drilling rig operator Transocean rose 43 cents, or 4 percent, to $12.55.

    Markets are searching for direction as the flow of economic data slows dramatically until after the New Year. Investors have already had plenty of time to digest this month's major decisions by the Federal Reserve to raise rates and by the European Central Bank to increase its stimulus efforts.

    Most investors expect stocks and bonds to trade in a narrow range until January.

    "We need a catalyst, and look to the week of the employment report to be that catalyst, but that is still two weeks away," John Briggs, head of American fixed income strategy at RBS, wrote in a note to investors.

    In other energy trading, heating oil fell 1.3 cents to $1.088 a gallon, wholesale gasoline fell 3.5 cents to $1.175 a gallon and natural gas fell 1.3 cents to $1.888 per thousand cubic feet.

    The euro rose to $1.0952 from $1.0926 a day earlier. The dollar was unchanged against the Japanese yen at 121.04. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 2.24 percent from 2.19 percent the day before.

    In metals trading, gold fell $6.50 to $1,074.10 a troy ounce, silver was unchanged at $14.31 an ounce and copper fell three cents to $2.109 a pound.

    Chelsea official Cheryl Lussier Poppe named interim head of Holyoke Soldiers' Home: Gov. Charlie Baker

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    Leadership and labor issues will be among topics at a special meeting Wednesday of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home board of trustees.

    HOLYOKE -- Gov. Charlie Baker said he is appointing Cheryl Lussier Poppe, superintendent of the Chelsea Soldiers' Home, interim director of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home while a search committee is formed to find a permanent superintendent.

    "She has led the Chelsea Soldiers' Home with distinction, and I am grateful for her willingness to ensure that our veterans at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke continue to receive the excellent services they deserve during this period of transition," Baker said in a letter dated Monday to the Holyoke Soldiers' Home board of trustees (see below).

    Also, a union official said Tuesday that labor contract violations, lack of respect for workers and intimidation can be added to the leadership issues at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home.

    "Given the litany of issues our members have brought to our attention, it seems a change in management is long overdue," Mark DelloRusso, president of Service Employees International Union Local 888, said in an email.

    The union, which represents most Holyoke Soldiers' Home employees, will attend a special meeting of the facility's board of trustees Wednesday, he also said in a phone interview.

    The meeting at 10 a.m. in Conference Room A at the 110 Cherry St. facility has been called to discuss last week's leadership turnover: Superintendent Paul Barabani, Deputy Superintendent John Paradis and Steven E. Como, chairman of the board of trustees, all announced they were leaving.

    State Sen. Donald R. Humason, R-Westfield, and state Rep. Aaron M. Vega, D-Holyoke said their understanding is complaints have arisen about questionable state support of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home and problems with bureaucracy. Humason and Vega said they would attend Wednesday's meeting.

    The trustees' meeting could be followed by a "town hall" meeting in the canteen for officials to take questions from residents, their families and staff. The time of 11:30 a.m. has been discussed for such a session, officials said.

    State Department of Veterans Services representatives will attend the Wednesday trustees' meeting, a spokesman said.

    Overlooking Interstate 91, the Holyoke Soldiers' Home is a state-funded health care facility for veterans established in 1952. It employs more than 300 people, has 265 long-term care beds and 30 private rooms for veterans and serves 2,200 veterans a year with its in- and out-patient facilities.

    Barabani, Paradis and Como all declined to discuss whether state funding or other issues with state bureaucracy contributed to their exits.

    In the letter to trustees, Baker said he was confident that Poppe and Barabani, both of whom spent decades in the National Guard, will work together on a beneficial transition for the Holyoke Soldiers' Home.

    Baker thanked Barabani, Paradis and Como for their work. He said Como, who had said last week his resignation was effective immediately, had agreed to stay on until Baker appointed a new chairman.

    Finding a new superintendent will mirror the process that resulted in Barabani being appointed by former Gov. Deval L. Patrick in February 2011, Baker said. Como Wednesday will appoint a search committee, which will recommend candidates from whom the governor will choose a new superintendent.

    "This process reflects standard practice for boards operating under the supervision of the executive department, and I look forward to receiving the board's final recommendation," Baker said.

    In a tour of the region Friday, Baker said that the situation at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home had his administration's attention.

    DelloRusso said he had "mixed emotions" upon hearing that Barabani, Paradis and Como were leaving.

    Without providing specifics, DelloRusso said there have been contract violations, lack of respect for workers and intimidation of nurses, certified nursing assistants, janitors and kitchen workers, he said.

    "Long time workers have complained of low morale, the worst it has ever been, even though they love their work and the people they care for," he said. "Frankly, they are sick of arbitrary decisions made without regard to workers rights, and a penchant for blaming public service for the lack of proper application of earned sick time and personal days."

    The Holyoke Soldiers' Home's budget is $22.7 million, which Baker said is a 7 percent increase over a year ago, and consists of state and federal funding.

    "The Baker Administration now has a chance to change the tone and direction of the Home for the better, that meaning the best care for our veterans," DelloRusso said.

    The Veterans Services Department appreciates the union's concerns and will work with employees, spokesman Joe Truschelli said in an email.

    "The administration takes these concerns seriously, as it works with the board to appoint new leadership for the Home. We have reached out to the union and look forward to working with them to ensure the highest quality of care for the veterans at the Home," Truschelli said.

    Como said he resigned because it was time, having been chairman and a board member for eight years, and he felt it was proper to let Baker, a Republican, appoint his own board chairman. Como was appointed by Patrick, a Democrat.

    Barabani, who has been superintendent since February 2011, said he would leave after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does its annual evaluation of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home in January.

    Paradis said he resigned because he had no desire to work with a superintendent other than Barabani, whom he praised for devotion to the Holyoke Soldiers' Home.

    The trustees are Western Massachusetts residents appointed by the governor. Besides Como, who represented erkshire County, board members are Brian Q. Corridan, Margaret E. Oglesby Daniel J. Smith and John J. Fitzgerald, of Hampden County, Ben Cluff, of Franklin County and Spiros Hatiras, of Hampshire County.

    Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's letter to Holyoke Soldiers' Home board of trustees:


    Report: Alleged sex offender from Palmer guilty of molesting girl at Worcester County cancer event

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    Dudley District Court Judge Timothy Bibaud ordered 32-year-old Kyle Lamoureux of 1588 Main St., Palmer, to serve a three-year probation sentence, pay more than $2,300 in probation fees, and stay away from his victim, a girl under age 14.

    DUDLEY — An alleged sex offender from Hampden County has been found guilty in connection with a Worcester County case involving allegations he molested a girl at a cancer fundraiser in Southbridge, according to a published report.

    Dudley District Court Judge Timothy M. Bibaud ordered 32-year-old Kyle M. Lamoureux of 1588 Main St., Palmer, to serve a three-year probation sentence, pay more than $2,300 in probation fees, and stay away from his victim, a girl under the age of 14, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported Tuesday.

    Bibaud also ordered Lamoureux to wear a GPS monitoring device and to have no contact with kids under 16. Lamoureux also must provide a DNA sample and register as sex offender.

    According to police and prosecutors, Lamoureux inappropriately touched the girl at a Relay for Life cancer fundraiser in Southbridge back in June. That led to charges of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14 for the Palmer man, who was accused of placing his hand down the girl's shirt as she tried to sleep in a tent during the overnight fundraiser event, the Telegram & Gazette reported.

    Lamoureux was a friend of the victim's family and the girl had been left in his care, according to authorities.

    Lamoureux has a previous conviction for indecent assault and battery on a child, the Telegram and Gazette reported. The conviction stems from a mid-1990s case involving Lamouruex, then 14, and a 4-year-old boy he was babysitting in Wilbraham, according to the newspaper.


     

    Springfield men arrested in connection with Connecticut home invasion while kids present

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    When officers arrived on scene, they found the suspects – 27-year-old Michael Walters and 29-year-old Clinton Mitchell, both of Springfield – hiding in the basement with a .22-caliber handgun nearby, according to reports.

    MANCHESTER, Conn. — Two Springfield men were arrested on home-invasion charges after allegedly breaking into a house in Manchester, Connecticut, on Tuesday morning, scaring two kids who were home at the time.

    The kids, ages 11 and 12, hid in an upstairs room while the suspects broke into the Walnut Street home around 10:30 a.m., the Hartford Courant reported. The children were unharmed, and no adults were home at the time of the incident.

    When officers arrived on scene, they found the suspects – 27-year-old Michael Walters and 29-year-old Clinton Mitchell, both of Springfield – hiding in the basement with a .22-caliber handgun nearby. Police said they also found up to $25,000 worth of marijuana in duffel bags in the basement, but no drug charges had been filed as of Tuesday evening.

    Walter and Mitchell were expected to be arraigned in Manchester Superior Court on charges of home invasion, first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal mischief, criminal possession of a gun, and risk of injury to a minor. It was not immediately known if they have lawyers.


    Material from WFSB.com and CBSConnecticut was also used in this report.


     


    Springfield police respond to multiple armed robbery reports, including gunpoint robbery at State Food Mart

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    Two masked men with handguns entered State Food Mart, a convenience store at 910 State St., and made off with about $500 cash. Anyone with info is asked to call Springfield police detectives at 413-787-6355.

    SPRINGFIELD — Police were busy investigating multiple armed robbery reports Tuesday evening, including a gunpoint robbery at State Food Mart reported at 7:58 p.m.

    In that incident, two masked men with handguns entered the convenience store at 910 State St. and made off with about $500 cash. Springfield police are asking anyone with information to call detectives at 413-787-6355.

    At about 7:33 p.m., police responded to a report of an armed robbery involving a yellow cab driver. The cabbie picked up two male fares in the area of 2309 Main St. in the city's North End and dropped them of near 150 Leyfred Terrace in the Forest Park neighborhood. That's where the men robbed the driver of cash and other items, including the keys to his cab, according to preliminary police reports.

    Officers also investigated a 6:27 p.m. report of an attempted knifepoint robbery outside Winchester Liquors, 800 State St., where two men tried to rob a man, who claimed the culprits fled empty-handed down Catharine Street.




    MAP showing approximate location of armed robbery of taxi driver:


     

    Police seize over 100 guns from home of Worcester County man who allegedly made 'threats of a concerning nature'

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    It remains unclear why 45-year-old Daniel Peristere was allegedly illegally stockpiling weapons inside his Warren home. He is facing multiple felony charges.

    WARREN — Authorities confiscated more than 100 firearms in a Tuesday afternoon raid at a Reed Street home, where a resident who allegedly made threats was arrested on multiple gun charges.

    At about 1 p.m., Warren police and members of the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council Swat Team executed arrest and search warrants at 528 Reed St., where they took 45-year-old Daniel Peristere into custody.

    Peristere was under investigation for making "threats of a concerning nature," Warren police said in a statement without specific details.

    Authorities seized dozens of firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition after searching the Reed Street home. The property was scheduled for public auction in late September after a bank foreclosed on the mortgage, according to online records.

    Peristere wass expected to be arraigned in East Brookfield District Court on multiple charges of possession of firearms and ammunition without a license and having unsecured firearms in his residence. It remains unclear why Peristere was apparently stockpiling weapons at his home.

    Area residents took to social media to express their relief and gratitude.

    "So, uhhh ... Five houses away from me. Way to go Warren Police and the others who were there!" Kayla Hatch said on Facebook.

    Chris Pappas offered praise for Warren police. "As a resident of Reed Street, thanks for all you do. Keep up the good work, stay safe and Merry Christmas," he said on the department's Facebook page.


     

    Actress sues Bill Cosby for defamation; appeared on his 1971 TV show

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    The suit was filed Tuesday in federal court here in Springfield

    SPRINGFIELD - An actress who appeared on "The Bill Cosby Show" has sued the comedian for defamation after his representative denied she was "forcibly raped" by Cosby in 1974.

    Katherine Mae "Kathy" McKee of Las Vegas is the eight woman to sue Cosby for defamation in U.S. District Court in Springfield.

    McKee told her story in the New York Daily News in 2014. A lawyer for Cosby wrote a letter to the paper saying the rape McKee alleged did not happen. This indirectly and directly called McKee a liar causing her to lose business as a casting director. The economic loss is the basis for a defamation case filed Monday, according to court papers.

    McKee said she has been working in the entertainment industry for more than 50 years and today runs Kathy McKee Casting.

    She said she  met the "Fat Albert" creator in 1964, when she was working an aspiring actress and as a showgirl in Las Vegas.

    In 1971, McKee appeared as an actress on "The Bill Cosby Show."  The show, which aired from 1969 until 1971 featured Cosby as high school gym teacher Chet Kincaid.

    A search of the Internet Movie Database shows that McKee played "Margo" in one episode in 1971.

    McKee said in court papers that she meet up with Cosby in 1974 in Detroit.

    Cosby has a home in Shelburne.

    Cosby asked McKee to get some ribs from a local restaurant and then pick him up at his hotel. He promised that he would then take McKee to a party on a friend's boat docked in the Detroit River.

    But according to McKee's narrative, when she arrived at the hotel room, Cosby invited her in wearing wearing a bathrobe and a knit wool cap.

    To quote the court papers:

    "Ms. McKee stepped a few steps into the hotel room when she was immediately set upon and physically attacked by Cosby. Cosby snatched the ribs from her hands and tossed them aside. Cosby was wild and aggressive, and was acting nothing like the man Ms. McKee had known professionally. Cosby violently and forcefully grabbed Ms. McKee and then spun Ms. McKee around so that she was facing away from Cosby and toward the door. Cosby violently lifted her dress and pulled down her panties. Cosby intimidated, terrified, and terrorized Ms. McKee with pain and overwhelming physical force. Cosby proceeded to forcibly rape Ms. McKee while both were still standing very near the door. The rape was an unprovoked and violent attack. The rape was shocking, scary and horrible."

    The eight women suing Cosby for defamation in federal court are among approximately 50 women who have come forward over the last year alleging that he sexually assaulted or had unwanted sexual contact with them decades ago.

    The first seven are: Tamara Green, Therese Serignese, Linda Traitz, Louisa Moritz, Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis and Angela Leslie. All claim in their suit that Cosby allowed his representatives to portray them as liars after they went public with their allegations.

    Cosby attorneys  are also trying to prevent his wife, Camille Cosby, from having to answer questions about his conduct under oath.

    Camille Cosby  is slated to be deposed in a Springfield hotel on Jan. 6 in a defamation lawsuit filed by seven women who accuse the comedian of sexually assaulting them decades ago.

    Katherine Mae McKee lawsuit against Bill Cosby

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