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State OKs broadband expansion in 'partially served' Comcast cable towns

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The towns are Buckland, Chester, Conway, Huntington, Northfield, Pelham and Shelburne.

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute will negotiate a public-private partnership with Comcast to expand broadband infrastructure in seven towns where the cable company now provides only partial service.

The institute's board of directors met Friday and voted unanimously to approve the expansion, which will benefit from $5 million in state dollars. Comcast had previously not provided service to sparsely-populated rural areas because it was deemed unprofitable.

Comcast was the only company to respond to a request for proposals to extend service to more than 95 percent of households in the towns of Buckland, Chester, Conway, Huntington, Northfield, Pelham and Shelburne.

Mass Broadband, a branch of the the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, is charged with investing $50 million in state dollars to expand high-speed Internet service to unserved and partially-served towns in the western part of the state.

While a solution for dozens of unserved towns remains stalled -- with $40 million in state dollars and about twice that much in local tax dollars on the line -- residents of towns now partially served by Comcast could see expanded broadband deployment by the end of the year.

Christine Hatch of Mass Broadband said in a letter to town officials that the state agency "will be doing everything we can to start the negotiations as quickly as possible."


Springfield Police: Man shot to death in North End was 20-year-old Ludlow resident

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Police continue to investigate the shooting death of a man in Springfield's North End neighborhood. Watch video

This updates a story published at 12:45 a.m. Sunday.


SPRINGFIELD —A man shot to death in Springfield's North End neighborhood Saturday night was a 20-year-old Ludlow resident, police said Sunday morning.

Police responded to the shooting scene in front of 2702 Main St. at 11:15 p.m., said Sgt. John Delaney, public information officer for the Springfield Police Department.

"The crime was not random in nature. Detectives are trying to determine the motive for the crime and believe that the murder is possibly drug-related in nature," Delaney said.

Police Commissioner John Barbieri expressed condolences to the family and friends of the 20-year-old victim and his family. The name of the victim will not be released until all of his family has been notified.

Barbieri said officers "are working around the clock to make an arrest for this violent act."

Delaney said District Attorney Anthony Gulluni has been notified of the murder and is being updated regularly on the investigation.

No arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to call the Springfield Police Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to "CRIMES," or "274637," and then beginning the body of the message with the word "SOLVE."


One man dead after Sunday morning shooting in Mattapan

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One man was fatally shot and a second man was stabbed Sunday morning in Mattapan.

BOSTON - One man was fatally shot and a second man was stabbed Sunday morning in Mattapan.

Detectives are investigating the killing that took place in the area of 227 River St. in Mattapan, according to Boston Police.

Officers were called to the area around 2:10 a.m. Sunday and found one man with gunshot wounds. The man, who appeared to be in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers found a second male victim who had been stabbed. The man, who also appeared to be in his 20s, was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Anyone with information is strongly urged to contact Boston Police Homicide Detectives at (617) 343-4470.

 

Easter 2016: Pope Francis recalls victims, denounces 'blind, brutal terrorism'

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Pope Francis tempered his Easter Sunday message of Christian hope with a denunciation of "blind" terrorism, recalling victims of attacks in Europe, Africa and elsewhere, as well as expressing dismay that people fleeing war or poverty are being denied welcome as European countries squabble over the refugee crisis.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis tempered his Easter Sunday message of Christian hope with a denunciation of "blind" terrorism, recalling victims of attacks in Europe, Africa and elsewhere, as well as expressing dismay that people fleeing war or poverty are being denied welcome as European countries squabble over the refugee crisis.

Tens of thousands of people patiently endured long lines, backpack inspections and metal-detecting checks Sunday to enter St. Peter's Square. Under a brilliant sun, they listened to Francis deliver the traditional noon Easter speech from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

To their delight, Francis completed a whirl through the square, made colorful with sprays of tulips and other spring flowers, in his open-topped pope-mobile after celebrating Mass on the steps of the basilica. He leaned over barriers to shake hands, as the vehicle ventured past the Vatican's confines, with his bodyguards jogging alongside on the boulevard.

In Jerusalem, the cavernous Holy Sepulcher church -- where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected -- was packed with worshippers commemorating the day they believe Jesus was resurrected in Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago.

For years, Islamist extremists in social media have listed the Vatican and Rome as potential targets due to hosting the headquarters of the Roman Catholic church and several basilicas. Despite the threats, Francis has kept to his habit of trying to be in close physical contact with ordinary people.

Francis said, for the faithful, Jesus who rose after death by crucifixion "triumphed over evil and sin." He expressed hope that "will draw us closer to the victims of terrorism, that blind and brutal form of violence."

At the end of Mass, he chatted briefly with the former king and queen of Belgium, Albert II and Paola, who attended the ceremony.

In his speech, Francis cited recent attacks in Belgium, Turkey, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Iraq.

Separately, in a condolences telegram, the pope said he was saddened by "the great loss of life caused by the terrorist attack" during a match in an Iraqi soccer stadium Friday. That attack, claimed by Islamic State group, killed more than 40 people.

Francis said he prayed that the Iraqi people would, in response to the attack, "be strengthened in their resolve to reject the ways of hatred and conflict to work together" for a future of mutual respect and freedom.

In his balcony speech, Francis said Easter "invites us not to forget those men and women seeking a better future, an ever more numerous throng of migrants and refugees -- including many children -- fleeing from war, hunger, poverty and social injustice," he said.

As he has done repeatedly, Francis lamented that "all too often, these brothers and sisters of ours meet along the way with death or, in any event, rejection by those who could offer them welcome and assistance."

Some European countries have erected barbed-wire fences and other barriers to keep out those who continue to arrive on Greek and Italian shores after risky sea voyages on smugglers' boats. Another strategy has been for some European countries to express a preference for accepting Christian refugees over Muslim ones -- which would effectively rule out the vast majority of Syrian refugees.

Most recently, a host of countries along Europe's main migrant route north of Greece to central Europe have simply closed their borders to refugees, stranding thousands of refugee families at different border points.

Francis also decried the destruction and "contempt for humanitarian law" in Syria, millions of whose people have fled to Europe or to refugee camps closer to their homeland.

Death toll from Easter bombing in Pakistan reaches 70

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The death toll from a massive suicide bombing targeting Christians gathered on Easter in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore rose to 70 on Monday.

ZARAR KHAN, Associated Press
KATHY GANNON, Associated Press

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) -- The death toll from a massive suicide bombing targeting Christians gathered on Easter in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore rose to 70 on Monday, underscoring the ability of the militants to stage large-scale attacks despite a months-long military offensive targeting their hideouts.

Meanwhile, in the capital of Islamabad, extremists protested for a second day outside Pakistan's Parliament and other key buildings in the city center. The demonstrators set cars on fire, demanding that the authorities impose Islamic law or Sharia. The army, which was deployed Sunday to contain the rioters, remained out on the streets around the Parliament and key buildings on Monday.

The Lahore bombing, which was claimed by a breakaway Taliban faction that has publicly supported the Islamic State group, took place in a park that was crowded with families, with many women and children among the victims. At least 300 people were wounded in the bombing.

Also Monday, Pakistan started observing a three-day mourning period that was declared after the Lahore attack.

Even though a breakaway Taliban group, known as Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, said it specifically targeted Pakistan's Christian community, most of those killed in Lahore were Muslims, who were also gathered in the park for the Sunday weekend holiday. The park is a popular spot in the heart of Lahore.

Of the dead, 14 have been identified as Christians, according to Lahore Police Superintendent Mohammed Iqbal. Another 12 bodies have not yet been identified, he said.

The attack underscored both the precarious position of Pakistan's minorities and the fact that the militants are still capable of staging wide-scale assaults despite a months-long military offensive targeting their hideouts and safe havens in remote tribal areas.

Ahsanullah Ahsan, a spokesman for the breakaway Taliban faction, told The Associated Press late Sunday that along with deliberately targeting Christians celebrating Easter, the attack also meant to protest Pakistan's military operation in the tribal regions. The same militant group also took responsibility for the twin bombings of a Christian Church in Lahore last year.

In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the Lahore bombing, saying that in targeting a park filled with children, the attack "revealed the face of terror, which knows no limits and values."

France expressed its "solidarity in these difficult moments" to the authorities and the people of Pakistan and underlined "the inflexible will of our country to continue to battle terrorism everywhere."

In Islamabad, extremists had marched into the city on Sunday in protest of the hanging of policeman Mumtaz Qadri in February. Qadri was convicted for the 2011 murder of governor Salman Taseer, who was defending a Christian woman jailed on blasphemy charges. Taseer had also criticized Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws and campaigned against them.

As the protesters reached an avenue leading to the Parliament, the march turned violent, with Qadri's supporters smashing windows and damaging bus stations. Police fired tear gas but could not subdue the crowds, which remained in the capital.

On Monday, they rallied anew, demanding that the Christian woman also be hanged and that authorities impose Islamic law or Sharia. The woman, Aasia Bibi, is still in jail facing blasphemy charges.

The army deployed Pakistan paramilitary Rangers as well as about 800 additional soldiers from neighboring Rawalpindi to Islamabad, to protect the center, which houses main government buildings and diplomatic missions.

In recent weeks, Pakistan's Islamist parties have been threatening widespread demonstration to protest what they say is Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's pro-Western stance. They have also denounced provincial draft legislation in Punjab outlawing violence against women.

Sharif had also this month recognized holidays celebrated by the country's minority religions, the Hindu festival of Holi and the Christian holiday of Easter.

In Lahore, dozens of families were bidding final farewell to their slain kin on Monday.

Shama Pervez, widowed mother of 11-year-old Sahil Pervez who died in the blast, was inconsolable during funeral prayers. Her son, a fifth grader at a local Catholic school, had pleaded with her to go to the park rather than stay home on Sunday, and she said she finally gave in.

Forensic experts sifted through the debris in the park on Monday. The suicide bomb had been a crude devise loaded with ball bearings, designed to rip through the bodies of its victims to cause maximum damage, said counter-terrorism official Rana Tufail. He identified the suicide bomber as Mohammed Yusuf, saying he was known as a militant recruiter.

Analyst and prominent author of books on militants in Pakistan, Zahid Hussain, said Sunday's violence was a coordinated show of strength by the country's religious extremists, angered over what they see as efforts to undermine their influence.

The military launched an all-out offensive against militants in the North Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan in June 2014. The operation, called Zarb-e-Azb, has seen over 3,000 militants killed, according to the army. In December 2014 , the Taliban retaliated with one of the worst terror assaults in Pakistan, attacking a school in northwestern city of Peshawar and killing 150 people, mainly children.

Hussain said the government has been sending mixed signals to Islamic extremists -- on the one hand allowing banned radical groups to operate unhindered under new names and radical leaders to openly give inciting speeches, while on the other hanging convicts like Qadri and promising to tackle honor killings and attacks against women.

"It is one step forward and two steps backward," says Hussain. "The political leadership has to assert itself and say 'no' to extremism once and for all."

Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif promised Pakistan "will never allow these savage non-humans to over run our life and liberty."

Prime Minister Sharif, meanwhile, cancelled a planned trip to Great Britain on Monday and held a high-level security meeting.

In Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, the Press Club was ransacked by pro-Qadri supporters on Sunday. Several Pakistani journalists were roughed up and some equipment was damaged.

On Monday, extremists were regrouping in Karachi ahead of rallies in the country's financial center.

___

Gannon reported from Islamabad. Associated Press Writers Asif Shahzad and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Asim Tanveer in Multan, Pakistan, also contributed to this report.

Voting today in Ludlow town election

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Voting is from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in today's town election. There are races for two selectmen positions, for a Planning Board term and for two seats on the Board of Public Works.

LUDLOW - Voting is from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in today's town election.

Town Clerk Laurie Gibbons predicted a 28 percent turnout.

In the selectmen's race, there are four candidates running for two open positions: incumbent Brian Mannix; Darlene "Dolly" Cincone, a former selectman; Derek DeBarge, a retiring police officer and Joshua Carpenter.

There are also two candidates running for a five-year term on the Planning Board: incumbent Raymond Phoenix and Pedro Almeida, owner of the Open Door Cafe.

There are five candidates for two seats on the Board of Public Works: Rafael Quiterio, Alexander Simao, a former selectman, Stephen Santos, Richard Zucco and Guilhere Rodrigues.

There are no candidates for either a five-year term on the Housing Authority or for a two-year unexpired position on the Housing Authority, Town Clerk Laurie Gibbons said.

All other positions on the ballot, including for School Committee, library trustee, Board of Health, Recreation Commission and assessor are unopposed.

Amherst police arrest 2 men early Saturday morning for drunk driving

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Both are scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court.

AMHERST - Police arrested two men for drunk driving early Saturday morning including one who crashed into a curb and left his car in the island in the center of the roundabout on North Pleasant Street.

Police arrested Charles J. Allard, 20, of South Hadley, after University of Massachusetts Police found the car.

He was charged with operating under the influence, operating a motor vehicle to endanger-negligent and marked lanes violations.

He allegedly crashed into a curb on North Pleasant Street before landing in the island near UMass.

Earlier, police arrested 22-year-old Jason P. Moriarty of Bourne at 1:25 a.m. after he was stopped for allegedly speeding on East Pleasant Street and Eastman Lane, according to the police report.

The driver showed signs of impairment, according to the report.

He was charged with operating under the influence, operating a motor vehicle to endanger-negligent and speeding.

Both are scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown.

Moriarty is listed as a student at UMass.

Greenfield police charge Turners Falls woman with OUI drugs (3rd offense)

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The incident began early Sunday when police saw the woman's vehicle on Chapman Street with "extremely dark-tinted windows," police said.

GREENFIELD -- Police charged a 32-year-old Turners Falls woman with operating under the influence of drugs (third offense) and other charges early Sunday after she allegedly twice attempted to elude officers by pulling into driveways.

The incident began shortly before 1:30 a.m. when Officer Jay Butynski saw a blue BMW traveling in the area of 162 Chapman St. with "extremely dark-tinted windows," according to a post on the department's Facebook page.

The driver appeared to attempt to elude the officer by ducking into a driveway, shutting off the vehicle lights, turning around in the opposite direction and quickly turning onto Pleasant Street, according to the post.

Officer Felix Ramos then saw the vehicle pull into another driveway on Davis Street and then pull out again after a period of time. Butynski pulled the vehicle over on that street.

Along with OUI drugs, Jennifer Prue, of 130 4th St. Turners Falls, was arrested and charged with possession of an open container of alcohol, possession of heroin, possession of cocaine, operation on a public way without an ignition lock device when required to and non-transparent window tint (25 percent).



National Priorities Project welcomes new leader in Norah Ranney

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Ranney was selected after a national search, said board chairman Dennis Bidwell.

NORTHAMPTON -- A woman with two decades of experience in politics, policy, organizing and advocacy has been named executive director of the National Priorities Project.

Norah Ranney was selected to lead the Northampton-based nonprofit after a national search, said Dennis Bidwell, president of the group's board of directors.

"We believe that Nora will be an outstanding leader," Bidwell said. "We are particularly impressed with her considerable experience leading advocacy campaigns, her focus on economic justice issues, and her non-profit management experience."

National Priorities Project is a nonprofit research organization founded in 1983 by the late Springfield-based community organizer Greg Speeter. The project, nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, strives to make the federal budget accessible to the American public.

Ranney holds a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Public Finance from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Ranney previously held positions with the Progressive States Network and the American Civil Liberties Union. She led campaigns with the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center and the group United for a Fair Economy, and worked on the campaign of the late Senator Paul Wellstone.

In Minnesota, Ranney's work helped pass legislation linking corporate tax subsidies with accountability and a living wage, said Bidwell.

"I am eager to help get NPP's outstanding research and analysis into the hands, hearts and minds of those who care about a federal budget that reflects the priorities of the people it is meant to represent," said Ranney.

Ranney replaces Douglas J. Hall, who took the reigns in May of 2014 after former director Jo Comerford stepped down.

The organization provides a wealth of online data about federal spending and revenues, including the fact that Massachusetts taxpayers contributed $93.4 billion to the federal budget in 2014.

Exit 7 Players in Ludlow holding auditions for 'Beauty and the Beast'

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Auditions will be held April 2nd and 3rd, with callbacks on April 7th. Actors must be no younger than 8, and no older than 18.

LUDLOW - Exit 7 Players will hold auditions for Beauty and the Beast April 2 and 3rd, with callbacks on April 7th.

Performances will be Aug. 5 and 12, Aug. 6 and 13 and Aug. 7 and 14. All roles are open in this production.

Actors must be no younger than 8, and no older than 18, by April 7 (teens may be asked to provide proof of age). Please bring a resume and headshot if you have them, and be prepared to fill out an availability calendar. The ensemble will rehearse three times a week beginning the week of May 15th, with the possibility of increasing to four rehearsals per week during summer vacation.

Open auditions will be held at the Exit 7 Players Theatre, 37 Chestnut Street, Ludlow MA. Open auditions will consist of a vocal audition and a dance audition (please dress for movement). Actors should prepare 32 bars, memorized, of a song of their choice, and provide sheet music in the key they plan to sing in. Accompaniment will be provided; no singing to recorded tracks or a capella singing. Choose a piece that best highlights your capabilities--it can be from the show, but does not have to be.

Callbacks will be held at the Union Church of Christ, 51 Center Street, Ludlow MA. Callbacks will consist of readings from the play, and an additional vocal segment. Actors called back for the specific roles listed below should look at the corresponding pieces we will use in the callbacks:

Belle--"A Change In Me" and "Home"
Mrs. Potts--"Beauty and the Beast"
Lumiere--"Be Our Guest"
Maurice--"No Matter What"
Gaston--"Me"
Beast--"If I Can't Love Her"
Silly Girls--will be given coaching to sing harmonies

Due to anticipated interest, we ask actors to register for an audition slot. Do this by writing the director at jflooddirector@gmail.com with the subject "Beauty and the Beast Audition Slot", and indicate which of the 3 open auditions you are interested in. We will register 30 actors per open audition. Arrangements will be made for actors who contact the director after these slots are filled--anyone who wants to audition will be given the opportunity.

Open auditions are:
Saturday, April 2nd, 1:30-4pm
Saturday, April 2nd, 4:30-7pm
Sunday, April 3rd, 5-8pm

Callbacks are:
Thursday, April 7th, beginning at 7pm

Please email the director, Jeffrey Flood, at jflooddirector@gmail.com with any further questions.

Springfield traffic advisory: Water and Sewer Commission projects continue week of May 28

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The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission is warning of traffic detours and delays as roadway projects continue the week of May 28

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SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission is continuing roadway projects during the week of May 28, that will trigger some traffic detours and delays.

The following is a list of scheduled projects.

Long Term Projects

Main Interceptor Rehabilitation Project

  • Total scope of project area: Intersection of Mill Street and Main Street to intersection of Rifle Street and Chester Street

  • This work requires the opening of sewer lines which increases the potential for sewer odors in the area. Odor issues may be reported to the Odor Hotline at 413-537-6429.

  • There will be lane shifts and lane closures at the intersection of Mill Street, Locust Street, Fort Pleasant Avenue, and Belmont Avenue, on Mill Street from Main Street to Locust Street, and on Locust Street from Main Street to Mill Street. Lane shifts and lane closures will be intermittent depending upon the work that is underway at a particular time.

  • Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway - Work to repair three Combined Sewer Outfalls along the Connecticut River. For the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists, the Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway will be closed from Liberty Street to Riverfront Park until April 15, while this work is ongoing.
  • Short Term Projects

    Pipe Repair/Replacement Work - Worthington Street between Spring Street and Sackett Place. Worthington Street from Spring Street to Kibbe Avenue will be closed to through traffic.

    Sewer Rehabilitation Project, Main Street and Union Street - Union Street from East Columbus Avenue to Main Street will be closed to through traffic intermittently throughout the project depending upon the work that is underway. When road closure is required, eastbound traffic will be detoured to East Columbus Avenue and State Street, and westbound traffic will be detoured to Main Street and Fremont Street.


    Dean Tech in Holyoke evacuated Monday morning for report of gas odor

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    Students and staff were evacuated from Dean Technical High School Monday morning after the odor of natural gas was smelled by some in the building.

    HOLYOKE -- Students and staff have returned to classrooms following an evacuation at Dean Technical High School Monday morning. 

    Stephanie Davolos, chief of staff at Holyoke Public Schools, said fire alarms were set off "as a result of fumes from a vehicle entering into an open bay in the diesel shop."

    The Main Street campus was evacuated as the Holyoke Fire Department was called to inspect the building. After the carbon monoxide levels were determined to be safe, Davolos said students went back into the building. 

    Updated at 10:33 a.m. with comments from a school official. 

    Why so many empty storefronts? Northampton businesses say there's no simple answer to vacancy woes

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    When a few businesses left Northampton's core in late 2015 and early this year, residents and visitors alike began to question the financial well-being of this 28,000-person community that has made a name for itself as a pillar of arts, culture and food. Watch video

    NORTHAMPTON -- In the first four months of 2016, Main Street has felt like a pretty, New England smile with a few teeth knocked out.

    Out of downtown Northampton's 204 storefronts, 14 were vacant as of March 23, according to city data. Five of those were on Main Street, the city's major artery of commerce.

    Periodic vacancies shouldn't raise alarm, those familiar with historical Northampton business trends say. But when a few retailers left the city's core in late 2015 and early this year, residents and visitors alike began to question the financial well-being of this 28,000-person community that has made a name for itself as the Pioneer Valley's pillar of arts, culture and food.

    Cathy Cross, who has owned the Main Street clothing boutique named after her since 1983, said customers often ask the same question regarding the empty storefronts: "What's going on?"

    "I tell them, there's an ebb and flow to retail," Cross told MassLive at Haymarket Cafe one morning in February. "Downtown goes through this every decade, probably."

    But Cross and others concede that there are many factors at play here, and that the vacancies can't solely be pegged on cyclical business patterns.

    Business owners, as well as those who work in Northampton real estate, have cited a cocktail of reasons for the vacancies, among them high retail rent costs, banks' hesitancy to lend to independent retailers, competition from the online marketplace and a wave of retirements.

    Flat foot traffic, flat revenue

    Anecdotally, downtown Northampton restaurant and store owners report varying business trends.

    Molly and Alex Feinstein own GoBerry, a frozen yogurt store, and Provisions, a wine, beer, and specialty foods store in Northampton. In an interview with MassLive in January, Molly Feinstein said sales have been down at GoBerry over the past year, but up 30 percent at Provisions.

    Adam Dunetz, co-owner of Green Bean and the Roost, said his revenues have waned recently at the Green Bean. Claudio Guerra said of his local Italian restaurant, Spoleto, "Profits are nothing like they used to be."

    "I'm making a living and keeping a roof over my family's head," said Guerra, who also owns Pizzeria Paradiso and Mama Iguana's.

    Numbers collected by the city and the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce point to plateaued foot traffic and sales revenues between 2012 and present day.

    Meal tax and parking revenues have remained relatively flat over the past few years, the city report said, and so has attendance of city attractions such as the Academy of Music, hotels, museums, the summer concert series.


    An internal survey by the Chamber of Commerce, which has not been released to the public, showed that on average, sales revenue was flat for Northampton businesses between 2010 and 2013.

    A select Northampton City Council committee was recently created to look into what may be driving these trends and vacancies, according to council president Bill Dwight. The committee will hold periodic hearings with business owners and employees, he said.

    "Everyone has got their theories -- greedy landlords, mortgage pressures. Are our taxes and fees too high? I really don't know," Dwight said.

    Much of this trend is a reflection of a post-recession, rebounding economy, said Robert A. Nakosteen, a professor of economics and finance at the Isenberg School of Finance at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

    "There is no doubt that the labor market has taken a long time to come back, as much in Western Mass. as in the state as in the country," he said.

    Dunetz echoed the sentiment.

    "It's just an interesting time economically and culturally, and I'm not sure where Northampton ends and the rest of the country begins," he said.

    Cross said her sales are "bumpy" now, but on an upward trend.

    "I started to take a dip at the end of '08, and that continued in '09, '10, '11. From there I slowly built up," she explained. "But sales never went back to what they were in '07."

    Dwight said he doesn't believe the city's traffic numbers indicate a degradation of Northampton's commercial viability.

    "They show that through the course of the recession and after, Northampton maintained a system that worked, for better or for worse," he said.

    Many business owners said they've also taken a hit from increases in minimum wage, as well as mandated paid-time-off and healthcare benefits for their employees.


    High rent

    The high cost of renting retail space in downtown Northampton may be shutting out potential downtown tenants, entrepreneurs say.

    Terry Masterson, Northampton's economic development director, said the amount some downtown business owners are paying for rent rival rates seen on Boston's Newbury Street.

    A new report from the city shows that Northampton's rental cost averages are similar to those in Amherst, but starkly higher than nearby communities such as Chicopee and Holyoke. A sample of retail rents for Northampton show an average of $27 per square foot in "downtown center," and by the same metric $37.50 on Main Street.

    But some renters pay much more than that. Take the Feinsteins, who pay $45 per square foot -- or around $5,000 a month, Molly Feinstein said -- for their Northampton GoBerry space at 80 Main St.

    "If our rent continues to go up, and our sales keep going down, there will be a point where it's not sustainable," Molly Feinstein said of the frozen yogurt business.

    Guerra said landlords still seem to be thinking in the "old paradigm," that retail shops are "wonderfully profitable" and can pay the sizable rents.

    "That doesn't exist anymore, and it's going to take some time for people to realize that," he said. "Unfortunately this adjustment period is long, and detrimental to the vibrancy of our town."

    Guerra went on to say that Northampton retail rents seem to be set at "arbitrary prices," intended for much larger markets like Cambridge and Brooklyn.

    "Northampton doesn't have the kind of critical mass," he said.

    Pat Goggins of Goggins Real Estate -- which represents many downtown spaces -- publicly stated in the fall that he would not work with property owners who charge more than $25 per square foot.

    "I feel that's a number that is workable," Goggins said in an interview with MassLive. "The expectation that some property owners have -- that they can continue to generate high rents -- adds to the problem of turnover."

    "I don't think that landlords can endlessly go up in rent without considering reality," he later added.

    Richard Madowitz, co-owner of Thornes Marketplace and Hampshire Property Management Group, as well as owner of Cedar Chest, said "high rent is certainly a factor" in Northampton's current vacancy rate, but not a dominating one in terms of how retail tenants consider sites.

    "Their first and foremost priority is how can they grow their business and develop the sales volume required to have a profitable enterprise," he said.

    Main Street -- and Thornes in particular, he said -- are high sales-volume areas, so they're worth the high rent. Madowitz noted that for the first time in decades, Thornes is 100-percent leased, with the exception of newly constructed office spaces completed in December.

    Holyoke businessman Eric Suher owns several Northampton music venues and vacant downtown properties, including former location of Spoleto at 15 Main Street, which has been empty for nearly four years.

    Contrary to rumor, Suher said, the space isn't vacant because the rent is too high. He's just waiting for the right tenant, he explained.

    "If I feel like someone is going to be great for the town, rent is secondary," Suher said, adding that two "fairly substantial restaurant groups" are currently considering the property.

    But Guerra said Spoleto's former home should have been be filled by now.

    "If I were a landlord of a nice piece of property downtown that's empty, I would lower my price to a point where I would get somebody in there," he said. "If the price isn't something I can live with in the long run, I'd give a short-term lease."

    Cross said there's always been talk of high rents in the city , and she believes that it's all relative.

    "They called me the 'rent queen,' because I paid the highest price in town in 1983," Cross recalled, laughing.

    A wave of retirements

    Some Northampton stores have closed simply because their owners wanted to retire, including Western Village Ski & Sports early this year and Iris Photo in Feb. 2015.

    Another anchor business, The Mercantile, closed in February. All three shops opened in the late '70s and '80s.

    Goggins said that people who "energized change" in downtown Northampton, transformed it from a shabby little town into an arts destination, are now at retirement age.

    "A lot of people of my generation -- I'm 68 -- played an integral part in the resurgence of downtown in the '80s," Goggins said. "They're facing a phase of life where they have to decide what's next for them."

    Goggins and others say Northampton is in a "transitional period," and that people are drawing conclusions from the city's vacancies "based on a very small frame of reference."

    Madowitz reflected Goggins' feelings on the retirements and vacancies, saying, "Each storefront vacancy is its own individual circumstance."

    Molly Feinstein said supporters of the Northampton business community should celebrate the retirements of people who have contributed so much to the city.

    It's often painted as, ' Oh, look, theyr'e closing after all these years,'" she said. "it's such an unfortunate lense to look at it through."

    Ideally, Madowitz said, young, energetic entrepreneurs with fresh ideas will replace the older generation of businesses. But banks are much less likely to lend to those in their 20s and 30s than they were in the past, economic experts maintain.

    "Tightened credit rules are impacting mom and pop retail stores," said Masterson, the economics development director. "In the past, banks would just have faith and trust the potential success of that business."

    Cross said it was easier in the '80s for a young person to start a business in Northampton. She said eb began with just a small chunk of money, and kept investing and investing.


    "Now you have to have so much money to keep up," Cross said.

    On the flip side, Dunetz said he's found local lenders to be "very friendly."

    Madowitz noted that some businesses are re-framing this conversation, such as 25 Central and Jackson & Connor in Thornes. In those cases, ownership transferred from the original proprietors to younger employees.

    "Those transactions were self-financed by the established owners and didn't require a third-party lender," Madowitz said. "That was one way of bridging that lender gap."

    Online competition

    Northampton store owners say that among all the forces that make it hard to sustain a business, competition from online shopping is perhaps the fiercest.

    In 2013, The Mountain Goat, a downtown fixture since 1989, closed when owners A.J. Lafleur and Mary Colwell said they could no longer compete with online distributors of outdoors goods. 

    Nakosteen said he shops along Main Street with his wife, and while she peruses the racks he talks to the owners. He said they often complain of e-commerce affecting their ability to thrive.

    "If someone buys clothing from the Internet rather than Cathy Cross, then they may not stroll down Main Street and be tempted to go into another store," Nakosteen said. "There is a cascading effect."

    Ted's Boot Shop, which opened in 1964, is now downtown Northampton's longest-standing business. But hanging on hasn't come without struggle.

    Kathy Hudson, who runs the store with her father and brother, said they've been able to sustain business because they offer a special service - in their case, shoe-fitting. But more often than ever before, she said, patrons will take advantage of that service and walk away empty-handed.

    "We'll spend three-quarters of an hour on them, they'll leave with the name of the sneaker and go online and save $8," said John Dumas, Hudson's brother.

    Cross said she has seen much of the same. She explained that her biggest competitors are the clothing companies she buys from, as they all have online stores.

    "Anyone can come into my store, and if I don't have a size 10, they can go on the Internet and buy the product," Cross said. She said she's fortunate to have built a loyal customer base over three decades that has helped sustain her sales.

    Cross said as a result of e-commerce, she's had to make shopping more of an experience for customers.

    "It's just really hard to get new people in," she explained. "So you do Facebook, Instagram. Then you study the boomers, gen Xers, millennials. It's a new shopping pattern."

    Dunetz said many people in the Pioneer Valley talk "big game" about supporting local businesses. But at the end of the day, people will opt to buy less expensive goods online.

    "People's hearts are in the right place, but in practice we're all feeling pinched economically," Dunetz said, later adding, "I'm lucky you can't buy a latte or a salad online."

    Easthampton man shoots bear in his backyard -- with a camera

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    When his wife spotted a bear in the yard, Patrick Brough, an avid amateur photographer, grabbed his camera and sprang into action.


    EASTHAMPTON - Easthampton resident Patrick Brough had an unexpected visitor at his Briggs Street home on Easter Sunday.

    At around 6 p.m., Brough's wife, Gen Brough looked out a window and saw a bear strolling through the backyard.

    Patrick Brough, an avid amateur photographer, sprung into action. He grabbed his camera with a zoom lens and headed for a window.

    "We have not seen a bear in a yard during the day for at least a few years but know they have been in the area from reports of neighbors' feeders being taken apart," he said.

    This bear made a bid for the Brough bird feeder, but at 6 1/2 feet off the ground it hung just out of reach. Barely.

    One of the photos shows the bear standing straight up on its hind legs, on its bear tippy-toes, desperately trying to reach the feeder - - but coming up just short.

    The bear then briefly checked out a yeti statue that Brough has attached to a tree in the yard, before leaving the yard. Brough said he has spent years trying to get a good shot of a bird sitting the head of the yeti statue.

    "This is better," he said.

    The photos look up close and personal but Brough cautions that he was using a 200mm zoom lens and they are cropped, which makes them look as if he was closer to the bear than he realy was.

    "Bears are not squirrels, and I know better as should everyone that you should never get too close to get a photo," he said.

    Wildlife officials caution people to take down their bird feeders this time of year because they attract bears.

    Brough said he plans to take his feeder down immediately.

    Chicopee police: Springfield woman arrested after she throws ashtray at Motel 6 manager

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    Police said the woman threw the ashtray at the Motel 6 manager after she refused to leave at checkout time.

    CHICOPEE -- Police said they arrested a 25-year-old Springfield woman on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon Friday afternoon after she threw an ashtray at the manager of Motel 6 at Johnny Cake Hollow Road.

    The woman threw the ashtray at the manager, hitting him in the leg, after she refused to leave at checkout time, Michael Wilk, public information officer for the department, said. "She became extremely disruptive and was threatening the staff," he said.

    Arrested was: Asia Guest, 179 Commonwealth Ave., 2nd floor.

    Police were summoned to the motel, located at 36 Johnny Cake Hollow Road shortly after 1:45 p.m. Wilk said the manager had a minor visible bruise on his leg but declined medical treatment at the scene.


    Amherst police to review complaint that 17-year-old was served alcohol at Panda East

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    The resturaunt lost its license for two days in January.

    AMHERST - Police are again investigating a report that Panda East served alcohol to a minor after a parent of an intoxicated 17-year-old girl filed a complaint Sunday.

    According to the report, the woman's daughter "consumed a large amount of alcohol" Saturday night at the restaurant and was later taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton by Amherst rescue just before midnight after "she was discovered to be passed out on a PVTA bus."

    In January, The Select Board, which serves as the town's liquor commission, voted to suspend the restaurant's license for seven days, five of which were held in abeyance for two years, provided no further violations occurred.

    The board held the public hearing to address liquor law violations that allegedly occurred at Panda East Nov. 14 when at least 17 minors were consuming or had been served alcohol.

    Staff received eight days of training after the incident.

    Interim manager Amy Wu aid she had not heard about the complaint and they do check and double check identification.

    She said that fake identifications have become very good.

    Police also said that the fakes can be convincing as well.

    Police said the latest complaint is under administrative review.

    Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan seeks closure from trial after death of brother Kevin Regan (video)

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    The trial of Paul Dennehy began Monday in Barnstable District Court. Regan, in a courthouse interview, told MassLive that her family is seeking closure. Watch video

    It has been a long wait for Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan and her family following the death of her brother, Westfield firefighter Kevin Regan, in an alleged motor vehicle homicide in Dec. 2014.

    The trial of Paul Dennehy began Monday in Barnstable District Court. Regan, in a courthouse interview, told MassLive that her family is seeking closure, even as her brother's death still casts a shadow over their lives.

    Watch the interview above, and follow MassLive's live coverage of the trial here:

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    Proponents of Amherst charter commission spent more than $2,300, opponents $100

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    Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

    AMHERST - Those hoping voters will support the creation of a Charter Commission at Tuesdays town election have spent more than $2,300 on lawn signs, advertising and other expenses while a group opposed to the commission has spent just about $100.

    Amherst for Change, a political action committee formed in support of the charter commission creation and nine of the 19 candidates, has raised more than $2,200. Developer Barry Roberts contributed $500, the largest single contribution.

    Amherst for All, which led the signature driver to bring the commission proposal to voters, has raised about $455, according to campaign finance reports.

    Town Meeting Works, which opposes the ballot question saying that town meeting works, has raised $765 but spent $100 for printing and signs.

    The lone question asks "Shall a Commission be elected to frame a charter for Amherst?"

    Voters are also asked to elect nine to that commission should voters support it.

    Supporting the creation of a commission does not mean the form of government would change but allow the commission to consider options that organizers believe would be better for the town.

    Amherst has a five member Select Board, town manager and 240-member representative town government.

    It last voted on changing its government in 2005.

    The proposal to replace the Select Board with a nine-member town council and a mayor was defeated by 253 votes - 2,950 against to 2,697 in favor of the change.

    In 2003, there was a 14-vote margin of defeat.

    Organizers believe that the current form of government can't keep up with the challenges as the town has grown.

    Issues have to wait for a town meeting to be considered. Organizers believe a government has to be able to respond to issues more quickly.

    Members of Town Meeting Works, which opposes the commission creation,  wrote on its website "two previous charter commissions have shown us that the process is divisive, costly, and focuses attention away from useful dialogue that could actually help improve Amherst's government.

    "Further, forming a charter commission now will negatively impact the search for a new town manager.  

    "Substantive improvements can be made to town governance without the radical overhaul of a charter commission. Let's not repeat past mistakes."

    The town currently is searching for a new manager and consultant Bernie Lynch has said the proposal could affect the search.

    But in January, he said, it's not unusual for a search to be conducted while a community reviews its government.

    But he said, "People are going to be watching."

    Still more than 70 applied for the position currently held by Temporary Manager Peter I. Hechenbleikner.

    Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

    Westfield man, charged with hammer attack, ordered held without right to bail pending dangerousness hearing

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    Police said the suspect attacked 2 neighbors and a dog last Wednesday morning.

    WESTFIELD -- A Southwick Road man, arrested and charged last week in connection with what police described as an unprovoked hammer attack on two neighbors and a dog, was ordered held without right to bail Friday pending a dangerousness hearing in District Court.

    Police Capt. Michael McCabe said the attack occurred about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Southwood Acres apartment complex at 342 Southwick Road.

    The suspect, who lives at the complex, came up from behind and began hitting a female with a hammer. McCabe said. When her male roommate came to her aid, the suspect attacked him as well.

    Both were treated at Noble Hospital and released, he said

    A dog belonging to one of the victims, was also hit with the hammer, McCabe said. He did not know the extent of the dog's injuries.

    The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle which was recovered before his arrest Friday afternoon in Springfield.

    Adrian B. Hinds, 25, of Apt. 63 at the apartment complex, denied two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, two counts of assault while armed with intent to commit murder and one count of cruelty to animals.

    The dangerousness hearing was set for Wednesday. If Hinds is deemed to be a danger to the public, he can be held for up to 120 days without bail, according to Massachusetts General Laws.


    Live coverage: Trial of Paul Dennehy, charged with motor vehicle homicide in death of Westfield firefighter Kevin Regan

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    MassLive is providing live coverage of the trial of Paul Dennehy, the driver charged with motor vehicle homicide for striking and killing Westfield firefighter Kevin Regan on Dec. 27, 2014.

    MassLive is providing live coverage of the trial of Paul Dennehy, the driver charged with motor vehicle homicide for striking and killing Westfield firefighter Kevin Regan on Dec. 27, 2014.

    The case so far has stretched on for over a year in part due to missing evidence. The police station video of Denney's booking after his arrest disappeared and no backup was kept, leading to months of legal back-and-forth as Dennehy's defense lawyer attempted to have the case dismissed due to the irregularity.

    But Judge Kathryn Hand has allowed the motor vehicle homicide charge to move forward, and Regan's family, who have a long history of service in the Westfield Fire Department, are hoping at long last to have the case resolved.

    "There's quite a few of us are going down," said Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan, Kevin Regan's sister. "A number of us are planning on staying for the whole trial."

    Dennehy, a partner in a Nantucket real estate firm, struck Regan and his girlfriend Lynda Cavanaugh the night of Dec, 27, 2014. Cavanaugh survived with serious injuries, Regan died and Dennehy was charged with motor vehicle homicide.

    Follow the live coverage from Barnstable District Court here:


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