The money appeared to have been stolen through multiple ATM cash transactions from November to January, police said.

Conor Berry | cberry@repub.com 

DEERFIELD -- A caregiver, suspected of stealing nearly $30,000 from an elderly victim's home, was arraigned on larceny charges in Greenfield Superior Court Wednesday, police said.

The suspect, who confessed after being interviewed by Officer Adam Sokolowski, was indicted by a Grand Jury after reports were compiled and turned over to the Northwestern District Attorney's office, according to a post on the department's Facebook page.

Police Chief John Paciorek Jr. said the theft was reported to him on Jan. 25. The money appeared to have been stolen through multiple ATM cash transactions from November to January.

Surveillance images from the ATM transactions and corresponding bank records were obtained. The total taken tallied to $27,874.

Paciorek and Sokoloski were able to identify a suspect based on caregivers that had access to the elderly victim's home.

The Facebook post did not name the suspect and police were not immediately available to comment Thursday morning.

Mountain View School's Parent Teacher Organization hosted their first-ever science night.

EAST LONGMEADOW — Standing behind a table on which about 25 bags filled with liquid Total cereal sat, Mountain View School Parent-Teacher Organization member Kim Martin instructed a boy to pick up a bag and hold a magnet to it.

After swooshing the liquid around in the bag with the magnet atop, she told him to put the magnet down. She pointed to the small amount of black residue iron showing from inside the bag.

"That's the same thing that's in nails!" Martin said to the boy who looked at her quizzically.

"That's in cereal?" the boy asked.

About 200 parents and students at the East Longmeadow elementary school attended a first-ever science night put on by the PTO last week.

At 18 stations, parents manned displays they put together of various interesting, odd and educational interactive science experiments.

Children and their parents walked through the stations, where they learned about optical illusions, how the body works and some aspects of electricity from a stand provided and run by the Springfield Science Museum.

"I just feel there's a huge benefit to introducing our children to the world of science and the different avenues of it," Heather Lehman, Mountain View PTO's co-president, said as she advised people walking into the auditorium where they should go.

Lehman organized the event and sought out parents to help, with the idea that a night of interesting science experiments could spark interest in scientific fields at a young age, she said.

Introducing children to science early could help reinforce the science, technology, engineering, math curriculum philosophy, Lehman reasoned, as children filed from one exhibit to another.

"This is probably one of the largest turnouts we've had at a family event in a while," Lehman said.

In a foyer down the hall from the auditorium, small remote control vehicles controlled by students on the school's Vex IQ Robotics team whirled around a miniature arena.

Deb Barry, who coaches the robotics team and teaches the school's gifted and talented program, said the team built the robots and recently placed third in a tournament in Worcester.

Since establishing the team in November after receiving a grant from Vex, a robotics company that facilitates competitions, about 25 children participated in building the mobile robots, including writing code to program them.

"They love it!" Barry said, wincing as students rushed to fix a robot that wheeled off a small landing, partially breaking apart. "They are my future engineers."

Seven Western Mass. lawmakers registered their strong opposition in a letter to the DPU.

GREENFIELD -- The state's Department of Public Utilities heard from a defiant crowd Wednesday as it aired a request from Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. to conduct "pre-condemnation surveys" on privately-owned parcels for its Northeast Energy Direct pipeline.

More than 400 landowners across Massachusetts have either refused to let Tennessee Gas survey their land, or ignored written requests for access. Tennessee, a subsidiary of the Texas-based Kinder Morgan, on Jan. 14 filed petitions with the DPU seeking an order that would let them conduct the surveys regardless of landowner wishes.

While the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is in charge of permitting interstate natural gas pipelines, the DPU asserts its independent right to grant survey access to pipeline companies on privately-held lands.

408 landowners resist pipeline surveys

Officials from small towns and affected landowners spoke passionately at the public hearing at Greenfield Middle School, calling the request "premature and rash," "immoral and illegal," "economically unsound," and "an affront to the heart and soul of New England democracy."

Tennessee, a Kinder Morgan subsidiary, says it needs the surveys to send data to federal regulators "to build the record upon which the environmental review of the project is based." The surveys would collect geotechnical, environmental, and archaeological information about parcels along the proposed pipeline route.

The company says the surveys would be a precursor to eminent domain proceedings, even though pipeline companies can not forcibly take property without a certificate from FERC. The 420-mile Northeast Energy Direct, which would traverse Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, is currently being reviewed by the commission.

Christopher Capucci, an aide to Rep. Paul Mark (D-Peru) drew applause when he read into the record a letter signed by a group of seven western Massachusetts lawmakers. 

"We feel that granting TGP's request would be an affront to private property ownership in Massachusetts and also an overreach of the DPU's authority," the letter said.

"...These same property owners are being asked to shoulder the entire burden, against their will, while monetary benefits flow to an out-of-state corporation looking to create new customers outside of our region. This is wrong and should not be allowed by our state DPU over the objections of the overwhelming majority of residents of our region."

The letter was signed by Mark, Sen. Ben Downing (D-Pittsfield), and Reps. Gailanne Cariddi (D-North Adams), Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield), Smitty Pignatelli (D-Lenox), Steve Kulik (D-Worthington), and Susannah Whips Lee (R-Athol).

The attempt to survey land ahead of any federal approval led to a charge from Warwick Planning Board Chairman Ted Cady that Tennessee wanted to "put the cart before the horse." Conway selectman Jim Moore said the pipeline "represents a moral issue" and that private property should not be sacrificed to serve corporate profits. Officials from Ashfield, Orange, Northfield, Deerfield, and other towns said they oppose survey access and oppose the pipeline.

Cady was one of several to say Northeast Energy Direct would serve the export market, thereby subjecting natural gas to international prices. The U.S. Department of Energy in February authorized domestic natural gas exports to Canada via pipeline for re-export as liquefied natural gas.

"Energy prices would go up, and the energy sector would make more money," he said.

Peggy Sloan, Director of Planning and Development for the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, said the survey requests are "premature" given uncertainty that the pipeline will be built. The project is not fully subscribed, and there is a factual dispute over its need, she said. FERC looks at whether a project is needed when it makes its permitting decisions.

Bud Driver of the Deerfield Historical Commission said under Massachusetts law, Native American burial grounds can not be taken without approval by the state Legislature. "You have no idea," he said. "The North Meadows of Deerfield, and areas in Northfield, are loaded with suspected burial sites."

Conway resident Andy Jaffe noted that Berkshire Gas, which would be a customer of the pipeline, is now owned by a publicly-traded corporation which is an investor in the Kinder Morgan project. Jaffe said Berkshire's claim that a gas shortage exists is "completely manufactured."

Ashfield Select Board vice chair Ron Coler invoked the spirit of Shays' Rebellion, the 18th-century farmers' uprising centered in western Massachusetts. "Believe me, these are the same farmers; the same hills and valleys," he said.

Ashfield town meeting moderator Stewart "Buz" Eisenberg said he and his wife were "back to the land" types in the 1960s, and that the spirit is alive and well in western Massachusetts. "I'm an attorney," he said. "I and many of my colleagues here in Franklin County are willing to represent (affected landowners) when they engage in non-violent, peaceful civil disobedience."

Electric utilities win DPU OK for gas pipeline capacity

Present from the Department of Public Utilities were Chairman Angela M. O'Connor; hearing officer Steve August; Andrew Greene, director of the department's siting division; and Ashley Carrere, a regional planner with the DPU. Other department officials were stationed in a secondary "overflow room" to take additional testimony.

The deadline for submitting written comment to the DPU on the survey petitions is Friday, May 6. The department is holding six such hearings across the state. O'Connor said she could not say when the department would rule on the petitions.

"I want to emphasize the following point," said August. "The hearing tonight is not about whether the pipeline should be approved or denied. This case addresses only whether the request for surveys are appropriate and meet the DPU's legal and regulatory requirements and established legal precedent."

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

After a long fight over jurisdiction, the chief justice of the trial court last week ordered the case moved to the Franklin County Superior Court in Greenfield.

GREENFIELD -- The long fight over a big box store in Greenfield will continue, this time in Franklin County Superior Court.

After a dispute over jurisdiction, Paula Carey, chief justice of the Massachusetts trial court, last week ordered the case moved to Franklin County Superior Court in Greenfield.

The case centers on a decision by the Greenfield Planning Board to give a permit to a developer to build a 135,000-square-foot big box store on a parcel between Gill Road and French King Highway, near those roadways' eastern junction. A group of neighbors challenged the permit in court, and the fight got mired in questions of which court had jurisdiction to hear the dispute.

The neighbors filed suit in Housing Court, which has a branch in Greenfield. Greenfield Investors, the developer, tried to transfer the case to the Land Court in Boston.

The jurisdictional fight went all the way to the Supreme Judicial Court. The SJC ruled in February that the case could continue in either Land Court or the Superior Court.

The neighbors wanted the case to be heard in western Massachusetts so it would be easier for local residents to attend court hearings. The decision by Carey keeps the case local.

No tenant has been named for the proposed store.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Beverly Ann Gouvin 

Beverly Ann (Bellerive) Gouvin, 58, of Wilbraham, died Saturday. She was born in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. Raised in East Springfield, she graduated from Notre Dame High School. She received a bachelor's degree from Our Lady of the Elms College and a master's degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She worked for many years as the director of Early Childhood Development at the Greater Springfield YMCA. She resided in Wilbraham for the past 30 years, and was a communicant of St. Cecilia's Church.

Full obituary and funeral arrangements for Beverly Ann Gouvin »

Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz took aim at rival Donald Trump, doubled down on his Muslim patrol proposal and discussed his love for "Star Wars" during a late-Wednesday appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Watch video

Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz took aim at rival Donald Trump, doubled down on his Muslim patrol proposal and discussed his love for "Star Wars" during a late-Wednesday appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

The Texas senator, who stopped by the show to promote his GOP White House run, highlighted his stance on issues like health care and foreign policy, as well as fielded more lighthearted questions about his personal life.

Cruz, who took jabs at Trump throughout the appearance, told host Jimmy Kimmel that while he hasn't had the best relationship with his colleagues in Washington D.C., many are beginning to come to support his Republican presidential campaign due to the businessman.

"Donald Trump has an amazing ability to clarify everything. We're seeing now Republicans coming together, unifying behind our campaign," he said. "Just a week ago Lindsey Graham hosted an event for me and I joked at the beginning, I said, 'Listen, this is a first: this is the first event that I've ever had hosted by someone who three weeks earlier publicly called for my murder.'"

Cruz, who referenced Graham's late-February remarks, added that compared to Trump, he comes off as "the quiet, shy soft-spoken one."

Although the senator told Kimmel that he dislikes President Barack Obama's policies more than Trump, he called the GOP front-runner "a unique individual," hinting at deeper resentment.

"If I were in my car and getting ready to reverse and saw Donald in the backup camera, I'm not confident which peddle I would push," he joked.

Aside from taking aim at Trump, Cruz defended his call for law enforcement to monitor Muslim communities in an effort to prevent terrorist attacks and radicalization.

The senator took issue with Obama and Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton's refusal to use the term "radical Islamic terrorism," saying if you're going to fight it, you must use its name.

"If we're going to keep America safe we can't engage in this politically correct game that Obama and Hillary Clinton engage in where they won't say the words radical Islamic terrorism, they won't engage in it," he said. "Instead we need law enforcement to work cooperatively with the community to prevent radicalization and to stop terror attacks before they occur."

The GOP presidential hopeful, meanwhile, told Kimmel that he has seen all of the "Star Wars" movies and that the most recent one made him cry.

"Listen, as someone who grew up - I stood in line for two hours to watch Empire Strikes Back -- Han Solo was my hero," he said. "I'm not going to spoil it, but there's an image in that movie that was traumatic."

Cruz also told Kimmel that he once considered dropping out of school and pursuing a career as an actor in Hollywood -- something which he said horrified his parents.

"They thought it was a disastrous plan and look, I think everything was great except that I didn't have good looks and I didn't have talent," he joked. "But, other than that I was completely set to do well."

Although he did not chase his acting dreams, Cruz did not dispel Internet rumors that he was once the lead singer of heavy metal band Stryper.

"Time will tell," he told Kimmel.

The senator also alluded to another Internet conspiracy theory about him when asked about his favorite cereal.

"Serial killer or cereal?" he joked before telling Kimmel that it's Mueslix.

The event will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton.

AMHERST - Organizers of the annual Extravaganja have run into some challenges with the move to Northampton this year but are working through them.

A spokesman who asked to be identified only as Ben said it took some time working with Northampton boards and public safety officials to work out the logistics of the event that for the first time in its history will held at the Three County Fairgrounds.

But he said, "Northampton has been cordial, very welcoming."

The 25^th annual Extravaganja will be held April 30 from noon until 6 p.m.

For most of its history, the event that features food, vendors, music and speeches had been held on the Amherst Town Common.

But town but officials declined to issues permits because the festival outgrew the space. More than 6,000 packed the common last year.

Officials told the University of Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, which organizes the event, that last year would be the last on the common and they searched for alternative venues.

The event is described as "an annual free pro-cannabis political rally."

According to the CRC website "Come show your support for ending the Drug War and legalizing marijuana!"

The coalition will hire private security within the grounds while city police will be outside making sure that people are getting into cars impaired, he said.

He expects the annual festival will be about the same size but with the grounds, it will be more spacious and there will be more breathing room for acts. Plus there will be parking.

He said they are working on confirming their speakers and will be posting the information soon.

The CRC, meanwhile, has launched a fund-raising campaign to offset additional costs associated with the move.

"The move has really been a struggle for us financially and the CRC needs YOUR HELP in order to make the 25th anniversary our best year yet!," according to its Facebook posting.

"We have set up a crowd-funding website for donations, and any contribution is highly valuable on the path to Extravaganja 2016!

The money raised will pay for the location, permits, fees, private security, parking fees, trash cleanup and restroom facilities, among other costs.

One organizer, meanwhile, raised concerns about the new location on Facebook.

He wrote that moving off the Town Common "will take it out of the spot light.

"Which is the whole point of having it there in the first place.. Also it's not in walking distance from campus so your crowds will be dramatically reduced. Especially in a voting year with cannabis legalization on the ballot we need to keep the presence up."

.

Police said speed was a factor in the crash. It occurred early Thursday in the area of 708 Chestnut Street.

George Graham | ggraham@repub.com 

Updates story posted at 9:38 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD -- A 26-year-old Connecticut man died early Thursday after he lost control of his car on Chestnut Street.

Police Sgt. John Delaney said speed was a factor in the single-vehicle crash. It was reported shortly after 1:45 a.m. in the area of 708 Chestnut St.

"Witnesses said he was traveling at a high rate of speed," Delaney, public information officer for the department, said.

The victim was in full cardiac arrest when he was removed from the vehicle by firefighters, Dennis Leger, aide to Commissioner Joseph Conant, said, adding that firefighters performed CPR on the victim.

Delaney said the driver, behind the wheel of a 2016 Toyota Scion, was traveling north on Chestnut Street when for some unknown reason it veered to the left side of the road, jumped the curb, hit a signpost and crashed into a tree.

The crash remains under investigation by the Officer Robert Kalin of the department's fatality unit, Delaney said.

Police have yet to release the victim's name.

As a region, Greater Springfield added employment on the month .

SPRINGFIELD -- Unemployment in the city of Springfield fell by seven tenths of a percentage point in February, according to statistical information released this week by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

AP File Photo 

Unemployment in the city was 8.3 percent last month, down from 9 percent a month earlier in January and 9.8 percent in February 2015, a year ago.

Data is culled from information supplied by employers and from a phone survey of households. Local numbers like these are not adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy such as construction workers being called back in spring or retailers hiring for Christmas.

Other Springfield data:

• Number of unemployed: Fell to 5,188 from 5,634 in January. There were 6,313 unemployed people in February 2015.
• The number of employed people: There were 57,532 employed in February 2016. that was up from 56,709 in January. There were 57,782 employed people in February 2015.
• The city's labor force: There were 62,720 people in the labor force in February 2016up from the 62,343 people in the labor pool in January. the labor force was 64,095 in February 2015.
• Springfield's unemployment rate was 17th highest in the state and the highest in Western Massachusetts. the city follows a number of Cape Cod and island communities where few people work in the off season.

Other area towns & cities:

• Ludlow: Unemployment was 7.6 percent in February, down from 7.9 percent in January and from 8.6 percent a year ago in February 2015.
• North Adams: Unemployment was 7.6 percent in February, down from 8.1 percent in January and from 8.7 percent a year ago in February 2015.
• Holyoke: Unemployment was 7.2 percent in February, down from 7.8 percent a month ago in January and from 8.4 percent a year ago in February 2015.
• Palmer: Unemployment was 6.6 percent in February, down from 7 percent in January and from 8 percent a year ago in February 2015.
• Chicopee: Unemployment was 6.3 percent in February, down from 6.6 percent in January and from 7.2 percent a year ago in February 2015.
• Pittsfield: Unemployment was 5.7 percent in February, down from 6 percent in January and from 6.8 percent a year ago in February 2015.
• Westfield: Unemployment was 5.4 percent in February, down from 6 percent in January and from 6.3 percent a year ago in February 2015.
• South Hadley: Unemployment was 4.3 percent, down from 4.4 percent in January and from 5 percent a year ago in February 2015.
• Amherst: Unemployment was 3.5 percent, down from 3.8 percent in January and from 3.6 percent a year ago in February 2015.

Statewide: The adjusted for seasonality unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in February, down from 4.9 percent in January and from 5.5 percent a year ago in February 2015.

Given up looking: When all those who have stopped looking for work and are working part-time but would rather work full-time are taken into account Massachusetts unemployment was 9.7 in the most recent quarter.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported earlier this month. That number is adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy. That was down  by 0.6 percentage point for the year.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, celebrated April Fool's Day by tricking his Twitter followers into thinking that Republican presidential rival Donald Trump had agreed to his requests for a one-on-one debate.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, celebrated April Fool's Day by tricking his Twitter followers into thinking that Republican presidential rival Donald Trump had agreed to his requests for a one-on-one debate.

After months of challenging Trump to square-off in a debate, Cruz's campaign tweeted early Friday that the GOP presidential front-runner had finally agreed to participate.

A video attached to the tweet showed Cruz calling on the billionaire businessman to go toe-to-toe and Trump contending that there have been enough debates, before turning to the music video for Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up."

The April Fool's prank played on the Internet meme known as "rickrolling," which involves an unexpected appearance of the 1987 music video.

It came just days after Cruz discussed other Internet memes that have been spawned by his presidential campaign during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

Happy to hear @realDonaldTrump accepted my challenge to debate one-on-one: https://t.co/mikc6fXZei

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 1, 2016

Beacon is working on concept plans and is expected to bring plans to Amherst officials in a few months.

AMHERST - A new mixed-use development project is being planned for the Mill District, the third such phase in development there.

The first phase was the building of the Trolley Barn, the second the opening of Atkins North last summer.

W.D. Cowls, Inc. announced its preliminary agreement with Beacon Communities for the Boston-based company to develop the site that would feature mixed-income, rental housing and first floor commercial/retail space for lease.

The project would be located on the south side of Cowls Road, across the street from the Trolley Barn.

The sawmill that was rebuilt in 2003 will be razed, said Mollye Lockwood, vice president for real estate & community development.

She said Beacon is working on a concept design now and expects to be bringing plans to town boards and committees within the next several months.

"We're thrilled to be working with Beacon," she said.

"I think they're a great partner."

Beacon Communities purchased Rolling Green Apartments in 2014 with the agreement to preserve at least 41 units as affordable.

Beacon owns Treehouse in Easthampton.

She is not sure yet how large the project will be or how many housing units would be provided.

But she said it is not intended as student housing.

"Our goal is to create a high quality community that serves a diverse income range and offers housing options that will appeal to young professionals, young families, and those who are down-sizing their homes," she said in a statement.

Beacon will own and manage the apartments with Cowls controlling the commercial real estate space on the first floor so it can offer a mix of restaurants and shops.

The four apartment units at the Trolley Barn are all rented, she said. Those apartments sit above Bread & Butter restaurant and the Lift salon.

Race day registration begins at 9:30 a.m. on April 3 at Greater Westfield Boys & Girls Club, 28 West Silver St., the location of the starting and finishing lines

WESTFIELD — The 23rd running of the Westfield Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K races, to benefit the Boys and Girls Club here, take place on Sunday morning, when a blast of cold air and possibly snow is forecast.

Race day registration begins at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday at Greater Westfield Boys & Girls Club, 28 West Silver St., the location of the starting and finishing lines.

Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe, who has helped organize the charity event for more than a dozen years, said the race is an important fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club.

More information is available on the race's Facebook page.

The public-private research partnership, called the Revolutionary Fiber and Textile Manufacturing Innovation Institute, will be based at MIT. The technology has applications for the military and for commercial sale.

CAMBRIDGE - U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter on Friday announced the launch of a Cambridge-based $317 million public-private research initiative in revolutionary fibers and textiles.

Carter, speaking at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, called the new institute "a pioneering field," which has military applications that include tents that can store power, sensors that catch tears in parachutes, and uniforms that detect chemical or radiological agents.

"We don't know all the advances this new technology is going to make possible," Carter said. "That's the remarkable thing about innovation and another reason why America and America's military must get there first."

The public-private research partnership, called the Revolutionary Fiber and Textile Manufacturing Innovation Institute, will be based at MIT and led by MIT Professor Yoel Fink, with participation from the University of Massachusetts, Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, and a total of 89 manufacturers, universities, and non-profits.

MIT President Rafael Reif said the new institute is a way to reinvigorate the textile industry, which has declined for decades in the United States. "Today, we announce the dawn of a fabric revolution," Reif said.

The institute will research new types of fibers made with integrated circuits, solar cells, LEDs or other technology, which have technical capabilities such as storing energy, enabling Internet connectivity, controlling temperature or monitoring a person's vital signs. Some fabrics could be exceptionally strong, lightweight or flame resistant. They could be used for defense purposes and commercial sale.

The five-year, $317 million commitment will include $75 million from the federal government, $40 million from the state of Massachusetts, and the rest from other states and industry.

The institute will bring together different parts of industry - uniting traditional textile manufacturers and users, such as New Balance, with technology companies like Intel and Bose. The Cambridge headquarters will have a facility where new products can be tested and scaled up to full production.

Speaking at MIT, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, noted that the first textile company in the U.S. started in Lowell, Mass., and other technological advances have taken place here. "It's a story of ongoing innovation based in Massachusetts," Markey said.

"The new institute will help ensure Massachusetts and the U.S. expand our technological edge in a new generation of fiber science," Markey said.

Gov. Charlie Baker also stressed Massachusetts' history of technological innovation. "The greatest asset in Massachusetts is the collective ingenuity and grit of our people, and our state's business is built on that continuing capability to innovate and change and think differently," Baker said. "The strength of our ecosystem here is, no matter what place or space you're in, in doing things nobody else in the world can do and making things nobody else in the world can make."

The Obama administration has funded eight similar institutes across the country, all of which involve research and development of particular kinds of advanced manufacturing.

The work done at UMass Amherst will draw on research expertise in polymer science and engineering, electrical and computer engineering and computer science. Specific projects will focus on fiber-integrated sensors, energy generation and storage systems, thermal camouflage and other areas, according to Mike Malone, vice chancellor for research and engagement at UMass Amherst. UMass Amherst is committing $1 million to the initiative.

U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, helped write the legislation that created the manufacturing institutes, and he led Massachusetts' bid for this initiative.

"Revolutionary fabrics and fibers are modernizing everything from battlefield communication to medical care," Kennedy said. "That the Commonwealth would be chosen to lead the way here is no surprise. From Lowell to Fall River, our ability to merge cutting-edge technology with age-old ingenuity has sparked a new day for the textile industry."

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf also attended the MIT event and talked about Drexel University's role in the initiative.

Following the release of a city report that shows downtown Northampton has more than a dozen vacant storefronts -- MassLive counted 16 -- and stagnant foot traffic, Narkewicz said he remains optimistic about the city's ability to thrive in a competitive business climate.

NORTHAMPTON -- While recently rustling through the city's archives, Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz found a Valley Advocate cover splashed with a headline that essentially asked, "Is this the end of downtown Northampton?"

"This is something that happens. People have been trying to write Northampton's obituary for a while," Narkewicz said in an interview with MassLive.

Following the release of a city report that shows downtown Northampton has more than a dozen vacant storefronts -- MassLive counted 16 -- and stagnant foot traffic, Narkewicz said he remains optimistic about the city's ability to thrive in a competitive business climate. 

"I still believe that the city is an attractive place to do business," he said. "I don't get the sense that, at least from the outside, that confidence in Northampton has changed."

In a series published by MassLive Monday, entrepreneurs and real estate brokers said they believed many factors have spurred the vacancies and flat foot traffic, including high retail rent costs, competition from the online marketplace, a wave of retirements and increased panhandling.

The mayor said he tends to take the "longer view" on these issues, and does believe the vacancies are, at least partially, a trend that occurs on a cyclical basis. He used Western Village Ski & Sports, which closed in January when Paul Tonelli decided to retire after 37 years on Main Street, as an example.

"Someone quickly bought his building in a private sale," Narkewicz said of Tonelli. "Every business that closes has its own story."

But he did say that Northampton businesses are victim to factors affecting communities across the U.S., namely a slowly recovering economy and online shopping.

"Internet retail has taken down Best Buy, and lot of other huge retail models," Narkewicz said. "So to expect that small retailers are somehow going to be immune from it is unrealistic."

Narkewicz said that many have pinned high retail rents -- some comparable to those on Boston's Newbury Street -- on high taxes. But he also noted that according to Boston Business Journal's annual ranking of statewide property taxes, the city sits at No. 221 out of all Massachusetts communities for commercial tax rates.

He also listed big investments made in downtown, such as the Pulaski Park renovation and expansion; the city's purchase of the Academy of Music; Northampton Community Arts Trust's performance, culture and education center on Hawley street; and plans for the closed St. John Cantius Church that include a restaurant, shops and senior living apartments.

Northampton Police Department's community policing efforts and the newly formed Downtown Northampton Association, which replaces the Business Improvement District, should have positive impacts on commerce, he said. 

"We are committed and putting our shoulder to the wheel to make sure downtown remains strong and moves forward," Narkewicz said.

The Suher factor

Holyoke businessman Eric Suher owns six of the vacant spots on Main Street and the core roads that connect to it, city assessor's records show, the most prominent of which is the former space of Spoleto at 15 Main St. that has sat empty for nearly four years.

A point of contention in the community has also been the First Baptist Church at 298 Main St., which Suher bought in 2006. He is transforming the church into an event space, but it remains unused. Suher said the venue should be up and running by fall 2016.

Narkewicz said city officials maintain a "good and close relationship" with Suher.

"I check in with him on the status of some of these properties, and in some cases I refer people to him that may be interested in renting," Narkewicz said.

The mayor said that ideally, "all properties downtown should be in service and doing well and contributing to the local economy." But, he added, he recognizes that finding the right tenants -- which Suher has cited as a reason for keeping properties vacant --  is also important. 

Narkewicz said he recently toured the First Baptist Church and that Suher has made "significant improvements" to the building's interior, including renovations to the plumbing, elevator and kitchen.

"People have to acknowledge the amount of investment he's made in the city," Narkewicz said of Suher. "I don't want to downplay that."

Residents have contacted Narkewicz to ask if the city could place a penalty tax on property owners who keep spaces vacant for too long. But in Massachusetts, a law that would allow the city to impose such a punishment could only be passed by the state legislature., he explained.

"I think that how he chooses to do business is one of those individualized situations," Narkewicz said of Suher. "You can't paint the entire downtown and vacancies with the same brush."

The nonprofit Music and Arts South Hadley (MASH), the FallsFest Music and Arts Festival organizer, is putting together their third annual "FestFoward" party taking place April 2, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at South Hadley Town Hall Auditorium

SOUTH HADLEY - The annual FallsFest, a musical and family-centered entertainment program that transformed the Beach Grounds to a concert and artist venue the past three summers, will not take place this year. But the organizers say it will return in 2017, and that other events of smaller scale are planned this year.

The nonprofit Music and Arts South Hadley (MASH), the FallsFest Music and Arts Festival organizer, is putting together their third annual "FestFoward" party taking place April 2, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at South Hadley Town Hall Auditorium.

"The party is a fundraiser to support future MASH programs, including FallsFest 2017, and will feature great live music and food," the organization said in a prepared statement.

Performers will include Moose and the High Tops, with Chris "Moose" Mongeau singing, Michael Stutz playing guitar and mandolin, Scott Cole on bass, Peter Brown playing keyboards and woodwinds, and Chris "CJ" Messier on drums.

Yarde Tavern, Log Rolling Catering, Elegancia, El Guanaco, and Olde Towne Caterers will provide food, and there will be a cash bar to purchase beer and wine.

Tickets are $25 at the door.

MASH is also planning a craft fair later this month at the Plains School - which is called "CraftFest."

The group is seeking artisan crafters for the event, scheduled for April 23. Contact MASH organizers Donna Roy at 883-3367, or Carol Constant, cpconstant@gmail.com, and at 222-1761.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., joined more than 200 current and former congressional lawmakers Friday in defending the Obama Administration's Clean Power Plan rule, which seeks to limit carbon emissions from existing power plants.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., joined more than 200 current and former congressional lawmakers Friday in defending the Obama Administration's so-called Clean Power Plan rule, which seeks to limit carbon emissions from existing power plants.

With the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit considering a challenge to the rule, 44 current and former senators and 164 current and former House members filed an amicus brief arguing that the plan is consistent with the Clean Air Act's text, structure and history, as well as it's goal.

Markey, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and chair of the Senate Climate Clearinghouse, contended that the Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to regulate air pollution, which he said the agency is doing through the Clean Power Plan.

The brief, he said, underscores this assertion, arguing that: the Clean Air Act gives the EPA the authority to regulate and set standards for pollution that are both known and unknown; and the Clean Power Plan is consistent with both the spirit and letter of the Clean Air Act.

The federal lawsuit challenging the administration's rule, West Virginia et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency, however, contends that the rule is "in excess of the agency's statutory authority and otherwise is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion and not in accordance with law."

Despite the legal challenge, Markey called the administration's rule "a flexible, common sense approach to reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants," arguing that it has received widespread support from voters across the country.

The newly filed, bipartisan brief, which was overwhelmingly backed by Democrats, he added, comes in contrast to Republican-backed arguments filed to block implementation of the administration's rule.

More than 170 House members and 34 senators filed an amicus brief in late-February supporting the petitions of 27 states seeking to overturn the EPA rule. It argued that "if Congress desired to give EPA sweeping authority to transform the nation's electricity sector, Congress would have provided for that unprecedented power in detailed legislation."

Markey, who previously served on the U.S House Energy and Commerce Committee, took issue with opponents' claims, telling reporters that Congress adopted amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1990 that were intended to strengthen the law's ability to protect public health from pollution "then and in the future."

He further questioned opponent's contention that Congress sought to limit the EPA's ability to regulate pollutants from a power plant just because a different pollutant was already regulated from that same power plant.

"There's no evidence that is what Congress intended," he said. "The opponents' interpretation would mean that Congress made a major policy change in 1990 and it was never mentioned in any committee hearing or document and no representative or senator spoke about it on the floor of either body."

U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, D-Springfield; Jim McGovern, D-Worcester; Bill Keating, D-Bourne; Seth Moulton, D-Salem; Stephen Lynch, D-South Boston; Niki Tsongas, D-Lowell; Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline; and Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, joined Markey in filing the brief.

The U.S Supreme Court ordered the Obama administration to delay implementation of the rule until legal challenges are resolved in the U.S. Court of Appeals, which will consider states' challenge on June 2.

The panel is April 8 and free and open to the public.

AMHERST - Senate President Stan Rosenberg will talk about the future of energy, particularly wind energy, as he introduces a panel April 8 at the University of Massachusetts looking at the future of offshore wind in the state.

UMass has hosted various forums on wind energy in the past, said Jody Lally, grants and contracts coordinator in the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, but this is focusing on the state.

Another purpose is to try to elicit support for legislation in support of wind energy, she said.

The panel meets at 2 p.m. in 504 Goodell Hall and is free and open to the public.

Panelists include key industry representatives Thomas Brostrom, general manager for North America Wind Power for the Danish energy business DONG Energy; Jeffrey Grybowski, chief executive officer of Deepwater Wind, Providence, R.I.; Erich Stephens, vice president of OffshoreMW, Princeton, N.J., and Matthew Morrissey, executive director of OffshoreWindMA, New Bedford, the statewide trade association.

UMass Amherst professor of mechanical and industrial engineering James Manwell will moderate the panel, according to a press release.

Following the discussion, doctoral students in the National Science Foundation's Offshore Wind integrative graduate education and research traineeship at UMass Amherst will present posters about their research on a range of topics in terrestrial and offshore wind power.

Site Redevelopment Technologies, a Foxborough company that cleans and redevelops contaminated brownfields, indicated its plans to buy the property at 346-350 Walnut Street Extension in the fall. The deal was made final this week, according to the city.

AGAWAM -- The contaminated former Games and Lanes site, a longtime town eyesore, has been sold to a company that plans to clean up and redevelop the property.

Site Redevelopment Technologies, a Foxborough company that remediates and makes use of contaminated brownfields, indicated its plans to buy the property at 346-350 Walnut Street Extension in the fall. The deal was made final this week, according to the city.

"This is a great day for Agawam," Mayor Richard Cohen said in a prepared statement. "We strive every day to improve the quality of life for Agawam residents and we are thrilled to be able to announce a tangible result of that commitment."

Representatives of Site Redevelopment Technologies have declined to give the purchase price, but did say the property was bought at a "deep discount." It has an assessed value of $147,500, according to town records.

The site is a integral part of the town's Walnut Street Extension revitalization project, as it's the most noticeably derelict property on the street. The town is working to fill vacant properties along the corridor and to encourage new development. Cohen has said his vision for the neighborhood is that of a "mini-Northampton."

The Games and Lanes building has been vacant since 2001, when a small fire and malfunctioning sprinkler system caused between $50,000 and $80,000 in damage to the property.

The site was owned by the uniform rental business Standard Uniform Corp. from 1969 through until late 1980s. Standard Uniform then moved its headquarters and leased the building to Games and Lanes and a few other indoor entertainment businesses.

The site's widespread groundwater contamination was discovered in 1989, records show, and spread off-site in a northeasterly direction. In partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the property's former owner spent more than $1 million on cleaning up the land.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Michael Pennell 

Michael J. Pennell, 21, of South Hadley, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday. He was born in Holyoke and educated in Holyoke schools. He was employed as a warehouse worker at Bay State Rug Co. in Chicopee.

Full obituary and funeral arrangements for Michael Pennell »

When keys go in the ignition, city police remind drivers to put their phones away.

HOLYOKE -- When keys go in the ignition, city police remind drivers to put their phones away. 

The Holyoke Police Department, in partnership with 203 other Massachusetts law enforcement agencies, will target motorists using their phone while driving. 

"Driving and texting is illegal and irresponsible," Holyoke Lt. James Albert said. 

He added, "It's not that complicated: if you text and drive, we will see you, pull you over, and fine you. We're serious about enforcing texting laws."

Motorists who use handheld mobile devices while operating a motor vehicle face a $100 fine for the first offense. Juvenile drivers face the fine and a 60-day license suspension for their first offense. 

The increased effort to target distracted drivers will begin on Friday, April 8 and continue through April 29. The effort is funded by a federal grant from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration