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Aaron Saunders says he will seek ways to stay involved in Ludlow, but not seeking reelection to the Board of Selectmen

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Aaron Saunders of Ludlow will not be seeking reelection in the March 28 town election. He said he made the announcement to give other potential candidates a chance to consider running for the job.

LUDLOW - Selectman Aaron Saunders said that although he will not seek reelection to the Board of Selectmen, he will look for ways to stay involved in the community.

Saunders, 35, who announced on Tuesday that he will not be seeking reelection in the March 28 town election, said local politics is extremely rewarding.

He said day to day issues such as tax rates, public safety issues and potholes in the roads are extremely important to people.

"I enjoy the interaction in the community," Saunders

The three-term selectman said he has a new job with Benchmark Strategies which which aids overseas companies seeking Boston business opportunities.

He said he is working in economic development and governmental relations.

"I'm enjoying the job," he said.

Saunders said he made the announcement now that he will not be seeking reelection to give other potential candidates time to make a decision.

In 2014 Saunders ran unsuccessfully for the First Hampden-Hampshire District state Senate seat formerly held by Gale Candaras.

The seat was won by Democrat Eric Lesser of Longmeadow. Saunders said he is pleased to say that Lesser "is doing a fine job and doing right by the community."

Saunders said his terms on the Board of Selectmen have not been without challenge. "Whether it was the October snow storm which required the transformation of our high school into a shelter and warming center for hundreds of residents or mid year cuts to state funding that required cuts in local services and difficult increases in local taxes, our town repeatedly showed its resilience and overcame whatever obstacles were in our way."

Saunders said one of his proudest accomplishments on the board is helping to gain increased access and parking at the Springfield Reservoir in Ludlow.

It is rewarding to drive by and see the cars and know we have improved the quality of life for those who enjoy going to the reservoir to "take a good walk," Saunders said.

Saunders said others have speculated that he might someday run for state Rep. Thomas Petrolati's job.

"I have no plans to run for selectman or any other office in 2016," he said.


Wilbraham Senior Center to begin program of telephone wellness checks

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The program will contact Wilbraham seniors who are homebound to help reassure their well being and to give them a feeling of security.

WILBRAHAM — The Senior Center is beginning a program through its Social Service Department of "Telephone Wellness Checks."

The phone wellness check program will contact Wilbraham seniors who are homebound by calling them two days a week to help reassure their well being and give them a feeling of security.

The telephone reassurance system eases the concerns of friends and family who may find it difficult to maintain consistent, reliable contact for the individual.

Anyone who is homebound or knows of someone who would benefit from the program should contact Barbara Harrington at 596-8379.

An application form will be completed prior to participation in the program. All information is kept confidential.

The Senior Center hopes to expand the program with volunteers in the near future.



Friends of Wilbraham Public Library offers music workshop

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The Friends of the Wilbraham Public Library are sponsoring a free workshop for up to 20 participants, ages 12 and up, Sunday, Jan. 10 from 2 to 4 p.m.

WILBRAHAM — Have you always wanted to learn to play a musical instrument?

The Friends of the Wilbraham Public Library are sponsoring a free workshop for up to 20 participants, ages 12 and up, Sunday, Jan. 10 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Musician Julie Stepanek will lead the workshop and provide instruments.

Participants will learn the basics of the instrument and even enough chords to sing a few songs.

Register through the library's event calendar at www.wilbrahamlibrary.org or call 596-6141.


3-week Art Show at Wilbraham & Monson Academy features work of Jiyoung Chung

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The show features the work of Jiyoung Chung. There will be an opening reception for Chung Jan. 10 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Binney Gallery.

WILBRAHAM - A three-week exhibit in Binney Gallery at Wilbraham & Monson Academy features the work of Jiyoung Chung.

There will be an opening reception for Ms. Chung Jan. 10 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Binney Gallery. Her show runs through Feb. 3.

Jiyoung Chung is an artist, painter and freelance writer who lectures and shows her work internationally. She has developed an innovative method for utilizing a traditional Korean method or papermaking called "Joomchi."

This method is the unique way of making textured and painterly imagery handmade paper just by using water. As time goes by, the surface becomes more and more elegant like leather. It can be applied to make self-standing or suspended sculpture, painting, surface design, collage making and drawing.

Ms. Chung has had numerous solo shows in Korea, the U.S., Australia, France, Finland, Romania and the U.K. In 2010, she curated the International Korean/American Joomchi show for the European Patchwork Meeting in Marie Aux Mine, France and later toured in Korea and the U.S.

Most recently, she curated "Traditional & Transformational," an international Joomchi Exhibition at the New Bedford Art Museum in New Bedford. In 2012, she was honored with an Award of Excellence by the American Craft Council/Baltimore show and won the Adrianna Farelli Prize Excellence in Fiber Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.

Haywire Group helps give children at Rick's Place in Wilbraham plush toy to ease their worries

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The Haywire Group, located in the Indian Orchard section of Springfield and owned by Michael and Barbara Fisher of Wilbraham, donated their award winning plush characters, Worry Eaters, to Rick's Place.

WILBRAHAM — Rick's Place, located in Wilbraham's Post Office Park, hosted its annual Memory Meal and Holiday Ritual Dec. 22 and with the support of local toy and game company, The Haywire Group, was able to give every child at the dinner a huggable, plush friend to help ease their worries.

The Haywire Group, located in the Indian Orchard section of Springfield and owned by Michael and Barbara Fisher of Wilbraham, donated their award winning plush characters, Worry Eaters, to Rick's Place.

The Worry Eaters originated in Germany and were brought to North America in 2015 by The Haywire Group. Children, or adults, simply write or draw their worries on a piece of paper, feed them to their Worry Eeater, and zip its mouth.

The Worry Eater provides a safe way for children to share their fears and worries while providing a tool for caregivers to find out what is troubling their child.

Rick's Place provides bereavement support to children, ages 5 through 18, and their parents or caregivers.

Children and families from all over Western Massachusetts are referred to Rick's Place for bereavement support.

The on-site program offers biweekly meetings throughout the school year. Children, who are grouped by age, take part in activities that are designed to promote hope and healing.

At the same time, their parent or caregivers are meeting with Rick's Place staff to acquire the support needed to parent while grieving.

Last year 423 children were served by the staff and volunteer facilitators.

In 2015, the Haywire Group's Worry Eaters have won 11 awards including Parent Magazine Best of 2015 Toys and have been nominated for the prestigious Toy of the Year Award by the Toy Industry Association. The winners of the Toy Industry Association award will be announced at the annual American International Toy Fair in New York in February, 2016.

Westover officials warn drones causing problems with military planes

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Drone owners are now required to register with the Federal Aviation Administration.

CHICOPEE - A bird strike can cause millions of dollars of damage or even crash a plane, now officials are concerned that the increase in the use of drones may cause a bigger problem.

This year more than 700,000 drones have been sold and an estimated 700 near-misses with military aircraft have been reported across the country, said Lt. Col. James Bishop, director of public affairs for Westover.

Wednesday he and other officials announced a list of regulations precautions people should take before flying a drone near Westover, or any other air space.

One of the key ones is to avoid flying within five miles of airspace. Those who do should contact the Westover Airfield Operations or the flight control tower at 413-557-2951 before they do, he said.

The issue is especially important because there are many homes and businesses as well as the Chicopee State Park and two golf courses within that five-mile range, said Maj. Emily Koziol, chief of safety for Westover.

Owners should also fly below 400 feet and keep their done in their sight, Bishop said.

As of Dec. 21, owners are also required to register with the Federal Aviation Administration at http://www.faa.gov/uas/registration/ at a cost of $5.

"A drone can have 10 pounds of metal and batteries," Koziol said. "Add heavy, harder under parts they can cause a lot more damage than a two-pound bird."

Because of their size, C-5 jets are less vulnerable than many but can still be damaged or even crash if they hit something. Each engine has multiple blades that spin very quickly, if one or more of the blades are damaged it can send the whole off balance and fail, she said.

Recently a C-17 jet at another base struck a two-pound red tailed hawk and it caused $2.5 million in damage. A bird, in comparison, has hollow bones and flesh, not hard parts like a drone, she said.

Drones are also a problem because they are difficult for air traffic controllers to pick up on radar and visually.

At Westover and the nearby Bradley International airport, air traffic controllers can pick up flocks of birds on radar and they will share that information with pilots and each other, she said.

Turkey Vultures and Canada Geese are the biggest problem at Westover and they usually flock at dusk and dawn. They are relatively easy to spot and if an air traffic controller sees a vulture or hawk circling around the runway when planes are taking off and landing, they will send someone out to run sirens or even blast an air cannon to scare them away, she said.

Drones are harder to spot and of course are unpredictable, Koziol said.

It is hard for pilots to see birds when they are flying and is even harder for them to spot a drone, and the C-5 jets at Westover have better visibility than many. It can even be difficult for pilots to see small single-engine planes while in the air, she said.

"We hit birds all the time and we don't even know it," said Koziol, who is also a pilot and instructor pilot. "If it is so hard to see an airplane, seeing a drone is harder and it will be near impossible for us to avoid."

Pilots at Westover also do a lot of low altitude training missions where they are flying as low as 1,000 feet above the ground, which is an altitude some more sophisticated drones can reach, adding to the problem, she said.

The biggest recommendation she has is to talk to the air traffic controllers before flying a drone within the five mile radius of the runway, she said.

In some cases people may be asked to take their drone elsewhere. But Westover does not fly daily and the volume of flights from the neighboring Westover Metropolitan Airport is low so drone owners may be told that it is safe to fly within the five mile radius.

"The tower watch supervisor will work with individuals to make sure they are flying in an air traffic friendly area," Airfield Operations officials said.

Massachusetts schools ranked best in nation

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First we were named the smartest state in America. Now Massachusetts schools have been ranked best in the nation.

SPRINGFIELD -- First we were named the smartest state in America. Now Massachusetts schools have been ranked best in the nation. 

Education Week released its annual report card Thursday scoring the quality of schools across the nation. Massachusetts earned the top score score of 86.8, the only "B+" awarded. 

"Consistently a strong performer, the state improved on the B it earned in 2015," the report states. This is the ninth consecutive year Massachusetts has topped the charts. 

The nation overall received a "C" grade this year with a score of 74.4. 

The report drives to answer the question of, "Are American children learning what should they should know by the time they graduate high school?"

Each state's schools are measured by 18 performance indicators, including: current student achievement levels, year-to-year achievement improvements, funding given to schools and the chance of success for a student who is more probable to fail. 

Education Week is published by the nonprofit organization Editorial Projects in Education. 

Former Westfield State maintainer Roy Santos charged with stealing dorm furniture

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Roy Santos, 44, was arraigned in Westfield District Court after police launched an investigation in December regarding allegations that he took home surplus furniture for personal use.

A former Westfield State University maintainer has been charged with larceny after allegedly stealing furniture from a dormitory while it was under construction.

Roy Santos, 44, was arraigned in Westfield District Court after police launched an investigation in December regarding allegations that he took home surplus furniture for personal use.

Santos' ex-wife told police that furniture from the university had begun appearing at her home and she believed it may have been stolen. Santos allegedly told her the property was being surplused and thrown away, according to a police statement of fact.

According to the police statement, Westfield State does not throw out furniture unless authorized by university officials and employees are prohibited from taking dorm property for personal use.

Officers searched her house and found bureaus, book cases, an armoire, a vacuum cleaner, a bed frame and a mattress identified by Westfield State staff as belonging to the university. The total value was more than $3,000, according to court filings.

Police interviewed Santos, who cooperated and allegedly told officers he took the property while employed by the university during construction work on Davis Hall.

Westfield State University confirmed that Santon is no longer employed by the university. Santos' attorney did not immediately return a request for comment.

Santos is facing charges of larceny over $250 by a single scheme and larceny from a building.

 

Ski Notes: Blandford to open, learn-to-ski/snowboard deals offered

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Catamount Mountain will be offering $20 lift tickets and $20 rentals for college students starting Jan. 11.

GREAT BARRINGTON - Ski Butternut is one of 120 resorts across the country that will host a Guinness Book of World Records event in hopes of setting a joint record for the largest ski or snowboard lesson. Lessons will happen at 10 a.m., Jan. 8

The event will serve as the kick-off for the national Learn to Ski and Snowboard month in January. Dozens of other ski areas in New England are also participating.

The beginners' package will cost $10 and include rental equipment, a 90-minute lesson and a beginner's area lift ticket. Anyone aged 4 and older is welcome to attend but those under 18 must have a parent or guardian to sign a permission form.

People are recommended to arrive at the Ski Butternut rental building by 9 a.m. to be outfitted with boots and skis or snowboards. Beginners should dress warmly with a base layer for pants and a top and a warm winter jacket, pants, mittens or gloves and goggles or sunglasses. A helmet, if desired, can be rented for the day at the mountain.

Participants should also have a pair of medium weight wool socks. Cotton socks are not recommended.

Reservations are not required, but those with questions can call 413-528-2000 x150.


BLANDFORD - The constant cold temperatures this week will allow Blandford Ski Area to open on Saturday for the first time.

"They have been making snow all week," said Dave Fraser, spokesman for Blandford. "It has been cold enough that we have even been making snow during the day."

The ski area will not be completely open on Saturday but there will be plenty of top-to-bottom trails and snow continues to be made at every opportunity, he said.

Members of the Springfield Ski Club, which own and operate the area, will meet Thursday night to determine the lift ticket price for Saturday. The cost for a full-day weekend ticket is $44 but that may be discounted because some of the terrain will not be open, Fraser said.

The area hopes to be able to open continually after that. It is open for day skiing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and night skiing on Monday, Wednesday Friday and Saturday.

Blandford is also celebrating its 80th anniversary. It is the oldest club-owned ski and snowboarding area in the country, Fraser said.


January is National Learn to Ski and Snowboard month and a wide variety of resorts will offer lesson and rental deals, especially for first-time skiers or riders. Here are a few New England programs, others can be found on resort websites.

Loon Mountain Resort, in New Hampshire, is offering First Class Beginner's Weekends, or two-day classes that will equip people with all the skills and gear they need to get started. As part of the program, those participating will receive their own free pair of boots, skis and bindings. The weekends are scheduled for Jan. 9-10; Jan. 30-31; March 5-6 and March 19-20. More information can be found on the LoonMtn website or by calling 800-229-LOON.

As part of the national Learn To Ski Day on Jan. 8, Vermont Adaptive is offering free adaptive lessons at 10 a.m. at each of their locations: Pico Mountain, Sugarbush Resort and Bolton Valley. For more information visit www.vermontadaptive.org On Jan. 10, the Northeast Disabled Athletic Association with support from the Vermont Governor's Council of Physical Fitness and Sports will host an adaptive cross country sit-ski clinic at Rikert Nordic Center, in Ripton, Vermont.

Stratton Mountain, in Vermont, will offer $49 morning lessons for skiers and snowboarders for the entire month of January. People who book in advance will have no more than five people in a lesson, based on availability. The package includes rental equipment, a lift ticket to the beginner area and a 1 3/4 hour lesson.


SOUTH EGREMONT - Catamount Ski Area will celebrate College Week starting Jan. 11.

Students with a Facebook coupon and a college identification can purchase $20 lift tickets, $20 rentals and $20 group lessons.

The area also offers free lift tickets with a private lesson midweek for non-holiday periods.

Poll: Donald Trump still on top in New Hampshire

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With New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary election one month away, Donald Trump remains the Republican White House hopeful to beat in the Granite State, a new poll has found.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ With New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary election one month away, Donald Trump remains the Republican White House hopeful to beat in the Granite State, a new poll has found.

While other 2016 presidential candidates' campaigns have risen and fallen in New Hampshire in recent months, the businessman has seen his front-runner status remain steady with support from more than a quarter of voters, according to a Public Policy Polling survey released this week.

Twenty-nine percent of New Hampshire Republican voters surveyed said they would support Trump in the primary election - up from the 27 percent who said they'd back him in early December and 28 percent who said they'd vote for him in mid-October, PPP found.

The businessman led the field of GOP 2016 contenders by a 14-point margin, with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., trailing Trump with 15 percent of the vote, followed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who held a respective 11 percent of the vote, according to survey results.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, received a respective 10 percent of the vote.

"If the Republican establishment really wants to stop Donald Trump in New Hampshire it might require some more people dropping out of the race," said PPP President Dean Debnam in a statement. "Four different establishment candidates all polling in double digits is what's allowing Trump to have such a big lead in the state."

Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who received 11 percent of the vote in October and 9 percent in December, meanwhile, saw support fall to just 4 percent, PPP found.

Like Carson, Cruz, who pulled in 13 percent of the vote in early December, also saw support drop in the new PPP survey. Christie, Bush and Rubio's campaigns, meanwhile, received a boost from the respective 10 percent, 5 percent and 11 percent they saw last month.

Although Trump has nearly doubled his lead over other GOP candidates, the businessman has a lower net favorability among Republican voters, the poll noted. Despite this, his campaign enjoys the greatest intensity among top-level candidates, with more than two-thirds of supporters saying they're firmly committed to him, compared to 63 percent for Cruz and 58 percent for Bush.

"If the Donald Trump collapse that's been expected for six months but has yet to materialize ever does become a reality Ted Cruz is going to be in a very good position in New Hampshire," Debnam said. "He's next in line for Trump voters and it's not even close."

The poll, which surveyed 515 likely Republican primary voters from Jan. 4 to 6 via telephone and the Internet, has a margin of error of plus of minus 4.3 percent.

Turners Falls duplex heavily damaged in fire; 3 displaced, 1 injured

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Eight neighboring fire departments as far away as Brattleboro aided Turners Falls fire at the scene, and two others provided station coverage.

MONTAGUE - It took firefighters from nine departments more than 2 1/2 hours on Wednesday to bring under control a fire inside a two-story duplex on Third Street in the Turners Falls section, according to an official with the Turners Falls Fire Department.

The building at 23-25 Third Street sustained heavy damage in the three-alarm fire, three residents were displaced and one was injured, said Deputy Fire Chief John Zellmann.

The injured resident was taken by ambulance to Franklin Medical Center where she was treated for smoke inhalation and then released, he said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Turners Falls Fire Department and state police assigned to the state fire marshal, he said.

Zellmann said when the first firefighters arrived on scene, the building was fully engulfed in flames in the rear. Fire could be seen on the exterior extending from the first floor to the roof.

Firefighter initially entered the building but at the flames and smoke continued growing, they were all ordered out and firefighters concentrated on an exterior attack. No one reentered until the flames could be knocked down, he said.

Assisting Turners Falls firefighters at the scene under mutual aid were firefighters from eight other departments: Greenfield, Gill, Montague Center, Northfield, South Deerfield, Orange, and Conway, and from Brattleboro, Vermont. Bernardston and Deerfield fire departments also provided station coverage while other units were at the scene.

The state Department of Fire Services also sent a rehabilitation bus to provide firefighters the chance to rest and recover from the cold temperatures, he said.

The American Red Cross was called to the scene to provide aid to the three displaced residents.

The fire was reported at 9:20 a.m. Zellman said. The fire was not under control until about noon, and departments from other communities were not released from the scene until about 1:30 p.m. Turners Falls firefighters remained on scene for hours afterward, and one engine company remained there overnight, he said.

Holyoke crossing guard, hit by vehicle, suffers fractured skull but expected to recover, police say

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Police said the driver was cited for failing to stop for a red light and failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Updates story posted at 8:25 a.m.

HOLYOKE -- A crossing guard, hit by a vehicle at Beech and West Franklin streets Thursday morning, suffered a fractured skull and other injuries but is expected to recover, police said.

Lt. Michael McCoy said the driver was cited for failing to stop for a red light and failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

The driver was heading east on West Franklin at the time of the accident. McCoy said glare from the sun was a factor in the accident. It was reported shortly before 8 a.m.

The crossing guard also suffered fractures in his neck, McCoy said. He was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield

Police have not released the name of the victim and the driver. McCoy said he believes the crossing guard is in his 60s.


Your comments: Readers react to Macy's decision to close stores at Eastfield Mall, Berkshire Mall and Enfield Square

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All told, Macy's will shed $400 million in operating expenses in 2016, the company said. Macy's also announced Wednesday that its November and December sales declined 4.7 percent compared with holiday sales a year earlier.

SPRINGFIELD - Macy's announcement Wednesday that it will close stores in the Eastfield Mall on Boston Road in Springfield, at the Enfield Square Mall in Enfield and in the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough, north of Pittsfield. 

The Eastfield Mall store has 71 employees who will lose their jobs. All told, Macy's will eliminate the jobs of 233 employees at the area stores as part of a national cutback involving the closure of 40 stores.

Closing sales at the local Macy's begin Monday and are expected to last as long as 12 weeks, the company said.

Macy's blamed the need to cut back after poor holiday sales. Macy's also announced Wednesday that its November and December sales declined 4.7 percent compared with holiday sales a year earlier.

The news sparked a lot of reader comments on MassLive.com, whether to criticize Macy's and its business practices or long for the days when the Eastfield Mall, built in 1968 as the region's first enclosed mall, boasted a Steiger's and a Forbes & Wallace.

The following is a sampling of reader opinions.

Papa Bobby wrote:

Welcome to the age of the computer and online shopping; free shipping and returns, order two sizes and send one back.  Why walk the mall when you can shop at twice the speed, at home or on your handheld, and get what you want?  The exercise factor was also an important part of shopping.  Now your fingers do the walking.

spfldr99 wrote:

I was in the Enfield Macy's today in the housewares department. I happened to see a display for Lodge cast iron skillets. The 9-inch one had a price sticker of $53.99 on it. The same thing on Amazon.com is selling for $13.78. Enough said. 

boston352 wrote:

Eastfield Mall has turned into a "DEAD MALL". It now ties Hampshire Mall in Hadley with very little business.

Interestingly, the Deadmalls.com Website has no entry for the Eastfeild Mall. But it does have pretty extensive entries on Chicopee's Fairfield Mall, on Tower Square which was once called Baystate West as well as at Hampshire Mall and Mountain Farms Mall which was also in Hadley and other locations in the state.

revsfan wrote:

The only way a mall can really survive is if it's in the middle of nowhere or if it's really big (Holyoke). Casual shopping is passe. Sure clothing might be an exception but still the ability to go online and read reviews and see videos is pretty big.
It would be sad to see it demolished but from what I hear malls can have some pretty high rents. One friend even told me that the rent where he worked (a music chain) actually went UP according to their sales?!? Sounds shady to me. Rent should be a flat agreement not something that goes up with revenue.

Hopefully something can go there...

heidilee wrote: 

 They could bring the RMV Express back - Eastfield Mall offered them free rent but  geniuses at (Registry of Motor Vehicels) decided we were not worthy of a rent free RMV in this neck of the woods I guess. That would bring in some customers who might shop - so many stores gone now -sad.  
A Target would be awesome but I highly doubt they would go there . Really miss the JC Penney outlet -they had some good deals.
I have fond memories of that Mall from the days it first opened  and when it was in its heyday .

Here is a link to Dan Ring's coverage of the Registry of Motor Vehicles office in the Eastfeild Mall: No reprieve for Springfield's Eastfield Mall registry of motor vehicles branch.

aubrie5 wrote:

So sad. You can't try anything on if purchasing online without having to return through the mail and waiting. I have tried on and purchased many suits at Macy's, Filenes, Steigers and G Fox, when located at Eastfield mall. So sad to see the mall dying. I hate going to Holyoke Mall. 

Northampton's Forbes Library debuts 'steampunk' elevator after year of no access for physically disabled

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The elevator — after a few construction delays — debuted on New Year's Eve, just in time for First Night festivities. Watch video

NORTHAMPTON -- Suzanne Farrington, a local home health aide, brought her 90-year-old patient to Forbes Library in early December for the first time.

"It's a go-to place in winter months so she can walk around and not have limitations," Farrington said of her client.

But she was disappointed when she found out the only way to access the library's main floor was to climb a flight of seven stairs inside the front entry. Farrington said on many days, the woman wouldn't have been able to make the climb. But on that afternoon, they were lucky. Farrigton stood behind her, guiding her up the steps.

Farrington's client wasn't alone. Anyone unable to climb stairs simply couldn't enjoy Forbes from Feb. 2015 until New Year's Eve, said library director Janet Moulding.

Forbes had two lifts, she explained, but both broke down last winter.

"It was just a nightmare," Moulding said. "To turn people away ... it's just not what we do."

Before the lifts went out of commission, the library had decided to install an elevator in the front entryway. The elevator -- after a few construction delays -- debuted on New Year's Eve, just in time for First Night festivities.

Moulding describes the $400,000 elevator as steampunk-style, inspired by Victorian aesthetics and 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. The library raised $200,000 for the project, the Friends of Forbes nonprofit contributed $25,000 and the city put up about $180,000.

The director said she knows that the cost seems high. But all other alternatives were much more expensive, she said. Ramps that would have had to circle the entire building, which meant moving the driveway.

Library employees did what they could to inform those with physical limitations of the situation after the lifts broke,, Moulding said.

"We asked them what they wanted and got things for them, delivered books to people through our home-bound program ... but they mostly had to go someplace else," Moulding said. "That was very hard for us."

So needless to say, she said, it's a relief to have the new elevator. And it doesn't hurt that it's beautiful.

Thomas Douglas, a Northampton architect, designed the elevator. He said he veered from the traditional elevator -- a concrete block shaft with drywall slapped on it -- because he wanted the mechanism to mesh well with the architecture of the library itself.

Forbes was dedicated in 1984, and was built in a style known as Richardsonian Romanesque, known for its light and dark stones, massive arches resting on squat columns and complex roof systems.

"We just had to go searching for other ideas," Douglas said.

He settled on what's called a birdcage elevator, known for its ornate metal frame. Douglas was particularly inspired by the three-story elevator in Boston's Restoration Hardware store on Newbury Street, formerly a women's department store.

Building the elevator was difficult build, Douglas said, because it had to fit into such a tight space -- like building a custom car in your closet, he explained.

"A number of people who saw my plans for it said it just couldn't be done, including one other architecture firm," Douglas said. "And then some people saw our renderings and thought it looked like a jail cell."

But it got done, despite a series of construction roadblocks. When workers dug the pit for the elevator, they discovered 6-foot tall boulders that had been there since the library was built. Moulding said that the rocks couldn't be blasted, because they were indoors. So the workers broke them down with drills.

And because the elevator was custom-built, it required coordination with various metal works, glass workers and electricians.

Patrons who use the elevator may be unaware of what went into its making. But within an hour on Wednesday afternoon, at least four people used the elevator, which ascends a mere 62 inches.

One of them was Marlene Terwilliger. She wouldn't give her age, saying she was "old enough to know better than to answer such questions."

It was her first time at the library. She said she didn't really notice the magnificence of the elevator. But without it, Terwilliger added, she wouldn't be browsing books on the building's main floor.

"If there was no elevator, I wouldn't be here," she said.

Holyoke police: Crossing guard injured in accident at Beech and West Franklin streets

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The accident at Beech and West Franklin streets was reported shortly before 8 a.m.


HOLYOKE -- A crossing guard was injured Thursday morning in an accident at Beech and West Franklin streets, police said.

The accident was reported shortly before 8 a.m. Lt. Michael McCoy, speaking about fifteen minutes later, had no preliminary information on the man's injuries or the nature of the accident.

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


Alleged pimp charged with human trafficking in Springfield, to be held pending trial

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Tiana Lewis and her husband, Milford Lewis, of Springfield, were arrested on Dec. 17 in the parking lot of a local strip bar. They have been charged with human trafficking and prostitution-related charges in connection with what prosecutors describe as an abusive sex worker ring.

lewises.jpgTiana and Milford Lewis have been charged in U.S. District Court with human trafficking and other charges related to an alleged Internet-based sex worker ring.  
SPRINGFIELD - Tiana Lewis - one half of the "Sinful Innocence" alleged human trafficking ring busted by federal investigators last month - will continue to be held behind bars pending trial after one federal judge overturned another's decision to free her.

Lewis and her husband, Milford Lewis, were arrested on Dec. 17 in the parking lot of a local strip bar. They were charged with human trafficking and federal prostitution-related charges in connection with a business they advertised as an "exotic dancer, escort, stage show performer and model" platform, according to investigators. The couple billed themselves the "CEO's" of the venture to various employees and undercover officers who posed as prospects, court records state.

In reality, it was a seedy prostitution ring that primarily sent its workers to motels for sex acts and devolved into "virtual slavery" for some employees, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant has said during court hearings. Furthermore, women were threatened, beaten and made to stand in a tub of ice water if they tried to buck their "employment contracts" or resist the Lewises, a Department of Homeland Security investigator wrote in a criminal complaint.

Eight women have come forward to tell investigators they worked for the Lewises as prostitutes, according to court filings; none had pretty stories to tell. Some were recruited across state lines, which tripped the federal trafficking charge.

The Lewises each face mandatory minimum prison sentences of 15 years if convicted of the most serious charges. Milford Lewis conceded to remaining behind bars if it offered his wife an opportunity at pre-trial freedom. It seemed Tiana Lewis, 30, a Springfield native, had a fleeting chance.

U.S. District Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson on Monday agreed to release Tiana Lewis on house arrest and other conditions. The government appealed the decision, however, and the matter went forward before U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni on Thursday.

A central issue in her potential release was the aggression and harassment she allegedly rained on her employees - particularly those who wanted to break free of their contracts at a cost of $350. In prior court hearings, prosecutors have played recorded phone conversations during which Tiana Lewis threatened to "f*** up" one woman if she didn't pay the balance of the $350. Lewis also allegedly threatened the woman's family.

Grant hammered away at this point during the hearing before Mastroianni.

"She's screaming '48 hours! You better get my money in 48 hours!' These people were making threatening, incessant demands for payment. (One witness) had been working for about a month, month and a half without any pay. This was virtual slavery. If we don't detain them, we may as well not even have our detention statute," Grant said.

Some women said that although they were promised a cut of $200 hourly rates, they ended up working for cigarettes and beer for extended periods.

In addition to the federal charges, Tiana Lewis has an outstanding warrant on a state case stemming from a drunken fight she got in with her step-sister, during which she brandished a knife and was subdued by pepper spray when the police came to arrest her. This was according to a version offered by Tiana Lewis' attorney in court.

Her defense lawyer, Frank Flannery, has argued that she was a diagnosed bipolar who opted to stop taking her medication, and met Milford Lewis around the same time. Flannery also argued the alleged threats made over the telephone were empty ones since there was no evidence that the couple ever followed through with them.

"I don't even know if she weighs 110 pounds," Flannery told Mastroianni.

The judge decided to keep Tiana Lewis in prison for a combination of reasons including her outstanding state case, the fact that she voluntarily went off her medication and the troubling allegations in the federal case.

"It creates a situation of instability where I'm not sure how Ms. Lewis would react to things and what she would do, certainly under the stress of being charged with a case of this nature," Mastroianni said before ruling that the defendant be held behind bars while awaiting trial.

Tiana Lewis began weeping uncontrollably after the judge rendered his decision and U.S. Marshals led her from the courtroom.

"No! It's not fair! I can't do this!" she wailed, as her family members in the courtroom murmured encouragement.

Another pretrial hearing in the case has not yet been scheduled.

Two cars deliberately set on fire in Hartford, police say

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Two cars parked in the South End neighborhood of Hartford were severely damaged due to a early morning fire on Friday.

Two cars parked in the South End neighborhood of Hartford were severely damaged due to a early morning fire on Friday.

The Hartford Courant reports city police were called to Franklin Avenue around 3 a.m. on Friday for the report of a fire. Officers say the pair of vehicles were deliberately set ablaze.

The investigation into the believed arson is ongoing.

Candidates lining up to run for Ludlow selectman

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So far there are five possible candidates for two Ludlow selectman positions since Aaron Saunders said he will not seek reelection.

LUDLOW - There are two openings on the Board of Selectmen and since incumbent Selectman Aaron Saunders announced that he will not seek reelection, there are a host of candidates for the two positions.

Town Clerk Laurie Gibbons said incumbent Brian Mannix, a retired police sergeant, has returned his nomination papers for selectman and is running for reelection.

Darlene "Dolly" Cincone, a former selectman, also has nomination papers out to run for a position on the Board of Selectmen.

Derek DeBarge, a town police officer, also is running for a position on the board.

Other candidates for a selectman seat are precinct members Joshua Carpenter and Mark Imbody, who ran unsuccessfully for selectman in 2014 against incumbent William Rooney.

The town election is March 28.

The deadline to return nomination papers is Feb. 8, Gibbons said. To be a candidate, a candidate must submit a petition with 50 signatures of registered voters in town.

So far there are two candidates with nomination papers out for one assessor position: incumbent Beverly Barry and challenger Miguel Goncalves.

For a three-year term on the Board of Health, incumbent Dr. Bruce Dziura has nomination papers out.

For library trustee, incumbent Elaine Karelekas has returned nomination papers.

There are two openings on the Housing Authority: a five-year term and a two-year unexpired term. No candidates have taken out nomination papers, Gibbons said.

For two seats on the Board of Public Works, precinct member Stephen Santos has taken out nomination papers so far, Gibbons said.

For a five-year term on the Planning Board, incumbent Raymond Phoenix has nomination papers out, Gibbons said.

There is one position open on the Recreation Commission.

For two three-year positions on the School Committee, incumbents Michael Kelliher and Charles Mullin have taken out nomination papers.

Two months after post-election shake up, Mayor Domenic Sarno nominates three to Springfield Historical Commission

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Mayor Domenic Sarno has nominated three new members to the Springfield Historical Commission, two months after announcing plans to dismiss three veteran commissioners.

Mayor Domenic Sarno has nominated three new members to the Springfield Historical Commission, two months after announcing plans to dismiss three veteran commissioners.

Pending confirmation from the city council, Commission Chairman Ralph Slate and commissioners Robert McCarroll and Marjorie Guess will be replaced by Victoria Rowe, Alfonso Nardi and Shannon Walsh.

"I'm very appreciative of the service of the departing members," Sarno said. "[The new nominees] are qualified and eager to serve."

The move brings near an end a process that has been dogged by false starts and allegations of political gamesmanship.

Sarno announced plans to replace Slate, McCarroll and Guess the day after claiming a decisive re-election victory on Nov. 3. As Slate and McCarroll quickly noted, they were the three commissioners who had voted in March against allowing MGM Springfield to demolish the former YWCA building on Howard Street.

"I guess I forgot the classic lesson about casinos: The house always wins," Slate said at the time.

Whether the switch was a bold piece of municipal realpolitik or a benign personnel change depends on who you ask. Then-mayoral spokesman James Leydon said the move had nothing to do with MGM. In a recent interview, Springfield Chief Economic Development Officer Kevin Kennedy said the decision was an overdue effort to have Sarno install his own team, rather than relying on commissioners inherited from previous administrations.

On Nov. 9, the city clerk sent out letters from Sarno indicating plans to nominate Nardi, Rowe and Mulberry Street resident William Duquette. Sarno quickly said those nominations had been released in error, as they failed to meet requirements to have outside preservation groups submit nominations for commissioner.

Under city code, two of the positions had to be filled by nominees recommended by the Springfield Preservation Trust and the group Historic New England, with the third a free choice for Sarno. McCarroll is a member of the Trusts's board and their long-time nominee; in his place, they submitted Walsh and another choice who Sarno passed over. Historic New England failed to submit nominations within 30 days, giving Sarno control over a second nomination as well.

Springfield Preservation Trust President Don Courtemanche said his group recommended Walsh for the position on Dec. 4 -- just under the 30 day deadline.

"Bob [McCarroll]'s been the preservation trust's nomination for ever, so the mayor let us know that there was a vacancy," Courtemanche said. "The preservation trust board had a special meeting to deal with it."

Rowe, of Catharine Street, who earned a master's degree in public administration from American International College in 2011, is a math fellow in the Springfield Public Schools and a former communications intern in Sarno's office. Nardi, of Longhill Street, an architect, is the past-vice president of the historical commission. And Walsh, also of Longhill Street, has a master's degree in historic preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design and is currently a volunteer for the Trustees of Reservations.

Slate, McCarroll and Guess are still on the commission, as their terms do not end until their replacements are confirmed by the city council. Sarno said he expected confirmation proceedings to be held soon.

Montague police reopen Millers Falls Road after crash

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The roadway has since reopened to traffic.No injuries were reported.

MONTAGUE-- No injuries were reported Friday morning in a motor vehicle crash that prompted police to close a section of Millers Falls Road.

Police posted an account of the crash on the department's Facebook page at approximately 8:30 a.m. The roadway was reopened a short time later.

Additional information on the crash was not immediately available.

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