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New Hampshire woman dies when thrown from crashing car into river

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A New Hampshire woman died when she was ejected from a car that flipped into its roof. She was thrown from the car into the Sugar River. The driver has been charged with negligent homicide.

CLAREMONT, NH— A 32-year-old New Hampshire woman was killed when she was thrown from a crashing car into the Sugar River in Claremont Saturday. Three others were seriously injured in the crash.

Claremont police said the four were in a Jeep which went out of control near Main and North streets in Claremont Saturday afternoon, WCVB-TV reported. The SUV flipped onto its roof, ejecting the woman from the vehicle. She landed in the Sugar River.

The woman was pulled from the river and taken to the Valley Regional Hospital in Claremont where she died from her injuries.

Firefighters had to extricate the three other passengers from the wreckage of the Jeep, police said. The driver, along with a 37-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man were taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover. All three suffered serious injuries.

The driver, 36-year-old Amber King of Claremont, has been charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated and negligent homicide.

The passengers in the vehicle were not identified by police.


Springfield police probe shots-fired incidents

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Springfield police investigated two Shotspotter activations Monday morning. Police found several spent shells casings following a Midnight activation on Narragansett Street, indicating three rounds were fired. No supporting evidence was found for an activation on Hancock street an hour or so later.

SPRINGFIELD— Springfield police investigated two ShotSpotter activations Sunday night and Monday morning. Springfield Police Lt. Scott Richard confirmed that investigating officers discovered several shell casings in the vicinity of 57 Narragansett Street, after an 11:57 p.m. activation.

Richard said there no reported injuries, and officers found no apparent gunfire damage.

Police also received several resident reports of the gunfire.

ShotSpotter indicated one round fired on Hancock Street approximately an hour later. This time, however, Richard said no supporting evidence was found by investigating police.

Behind the Scenes: A look inside Springfield's Union Station redevelopment project

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The station is scheduled to open seven months from now in December 2016. Watch video

Editor's noteThis is the second in a series of multimedia reports where we will take you behind the scenes of interesting places around the region. To suggest a future location, leave a comment below or email rrizzuto@repub.com.


SPRINGFIELD -- Springfield's Union Station was once where "one entered the city like a god" to borrow the memorable phrase written of New York City's vanished Pennsylvania Station.

Dormant since the 1970s, Union Station in Springfield is nearing the moment of its rebirth following an $88.5 million rehabilitation that took decades to get moving but is expected to be completed after just about two years of work.

Built in 1926, Union Station saw generations of Pioneer Valley servicemen leave to go fight in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. It once bustled with travelers.

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, who has advocated for the station since his days on the city council and as Springfield mayor, is fond of describing boyhood trips to station's ice cream fountain.

The station closed in the 1970s and most of it was vacant for years with the exception of the Lyman Street offices and waiting rooms Amtrak uses.

In December, the station is expected to reopen as the Springfield Union Station Intermodal Transportation Center with rail and both long-distance intercity and intracity PVTA bus service and ticketing in the same location.

The completed center is expected to draw 5 million rail and bus passengers a year in its first year of operation, a number that could swell to 8 million or more if additional passenger train service is added.

At this moment, Union Station construction is on schedule, according to Springfield Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Christopher Moskal.

At the 377-space parking garage, workers are grouting joints between pre-cast concrete parts and installing windows and railings.

In the bus berthing area, workers are installing lighting, curbs and finishing work on the canopy roofs.

On the interior of the station, Springfield Chief Development Officer Kevin Kennedy said this stage of work involves mechanical systems like electricity, plumbing and heating.

Workers are framing interior walls prepping space for waiting, retail, restaurants and ticketing offices on the first floor and for upstairs offices on the mezzanine and top two full floors.

Kennedy said the city is in discussions with office tenants for the upstairs space as well as retailers and eateries on the first-floor.

He expects to be able to announce first floor tenants -- food service and retailers -- in a few weeks.

Moskal said the city is also negotiating leases with bus companies, including Peter Pan, with hopes of getting those bus operators in the building in September so they can start building out their ticketing offices.

Workers are also at this time rearing and waterproofing the pedestrian tunnel linking the main depot with Lyman Street. The tunnel will one day get an elevator for handicapped access to trackside platforms, Moskal said.


With 1,300 amendments, House to start budget debate Monday

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Many amendments could help organizations in Western Massachusetts.

BOSTON — Holyoke has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in Massachusetts. So State Rep. Aaron Vega, D-Holyoke, wants to add another $150,000 into the House budget for teen pregnancy prevention.

The Berkshires has among the state's highest rates of acceptance of marijuana use. So State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, wants $50,000 for a county-wide pilot program aimed at educating youth about marijuana to ensure that, even if Massachusetts legalizes the drug, minors stay away from it.

There is only one homeless shelter in Western Massachusetts that accepts people who are under the influence of alcohol — Craig's Doors in Amherst. State Rep. Ellen Story, D-Amherst, wants $100,000 for it.

"I always look at budget time as a time for legislators to be parochial about our districts," Pignatelli said. "While we have a statewide view of things ... we have to bring money back to our districts."

The Massachusetts House will begin debate on Monday on its version of a $39.48 billion state budget. The debate is likely to last several days, and lawmakers will consider 1,300 budget amendments.

Typically, only a small number of the amendments are actually debated on the House floor. Most are the subject of private discussions between legislators and House leaders, and amendments are then withdrawn, rejected or passed. Sometimes, the House will bundle together a group of amendments and consider them all together.

The amendments are mostly a way for lawmakers to push for earmarks for projects in their districts. State Rep. Paul Mark, D-Peru, wants $300,000 for a Franklin County opioid task force; State Rep. John Scibak, D-South Hadley, wants $75,000 for an intervention and prevention program for juvenile fire-setters in Hampshire and Franklin counties; and State Rep. Peter Kocot, D-Northampton, wants $50,000 for a Northampton pilot program that teaches elementary school students about organic food production and preparation and healthy diets. Hundreds of other similar line items would benefit programs around the state, in areas ranging from elder care to domestic violence prevention to shellfish propagation.

State Rep. Angelo Puppolo, D-Springfield, said local earmarks are ways to help worthy organizations.

"We have our own individual districts, we know what's going on out there," Puppolo said. "We know what the organizations need, we know the programs that need some assistance that benefit the residents."

Puppolo sponsored earmarks for New England Public Radio; the Wilbraham Cultural Council; Rick's Place, which supports grieving children and families; and other Springfield-area organizations.

Some amendments have widespread appeal. Close to 100 lawmakers signed onto an amendment that would boost funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Council from $10 million to $17 million. Particularly for legislators around the Berkshires, amendments to boost the arts are vital.

Story said she recently watched her fourth-grade granddaughter perform in "Macbeth," part of a program run by Shakespeare and Company for the Williamstown Elementary School, with funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Story supports adding money for the Cultural Council.

"We've cut it so severely over the past 15 years," Story said, adding that "everybody benefits" from the arts.

Other amendments would study high-speed rail between Worcester and Boston and make sure that toll money collected on the Western Turnpike stays in Western Massachusetts. There is money to boost "buy local" efforts, money for a Holyoke organization that lends money to small businesses, and money for a program that connects youth offenders with services to lower rates of street violence.

Efforts to increase funding for regional school transportation and transportation to out-of-district vocational schools are likely to attract Western Massachusetts support, since rural areas are more likely to have regional schools and send students out of district.

Vega introduced an amendment to increase the reimbursements paid for mental health services to hospitals with high percentages of Medicaid payers, which includes several in Western Massachusetts.

State Rep. Stephen Kulik, D-Worthington, vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said the budget will be a strong one for Western Massachusetts because of its focus on increasing education aid and local government aid.

"I think it's a very good budget for local aid," Kulik said.

Kulik said the budget puts money toward combating opioid addiction, which affects every community. Greenfield is expected to get a new substance abuse treatment center this year, and some of the budget amendments would boost funding even further for opioid-related services.

Watch: Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse discusses Innovation District benefits

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The Holyoke Innovation District is a geographic area and a plan established in 2011 to maximize city benefits from the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center between Cabot and Appleton streets. Watch video

88HOLYOKE -- The Holyoke Innovation District annual report for 2015 is what officials use to argue that Holyoke is making its way back from the grip of poverty and unemployment.

"We've seen great results," Mayor Alex B. Morse said last week in a video (see above).

The Innovation District is both a geographic area and a concept. The Innovation District consists of the downtown blocks around the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, a $165 million academic research facility between Cabot and Appleton streets overlooking the first-level canal.

The idea is to maximize city benefits from the computing center such as by attracting and helping business owners, and holding workshops like a recent one on the region's broadband cable assets and needs.

The six-page annual report discussed the role in the Innovation District of the computing center, referring to it by its initials MGHPCC, new housing, rail and other developments, as well as some attention from China.

"Since its inception (in 2011), the Holyoke Innovation District has pursued its mission of encouraging and facilitating new and innovative economic development in Holyoke and the region,'' according to the annual report (see below).

"In 2015, MGHPCC welcomed 10,450 visitors and has led over a dozen facility tours. By far, the majority of the meetings held at the center are community related, thus fulfilling the intent to have MGHPCC become a vital hub for community and economic development, the report said.

Housing developments in the area include $34 million in planned renovations to the Lyman Terrace public housing complex bordered by Lyman, Front and John streets; a $3.4 million conversion of the Canal Gallery at 380 Dwight St., a former paper mill, into 26 condominiums; and 100 rental units WinnDevelopment of Boston is planning to build in a $38 million conversion of 216 Appleton St. The company plans to fund that with government historic preservation and housing tax credits.

Holyoke Community College (HCC) will open the Center for Hospitality and Culinary Excellence at the former Cubit Wire & Cable Co. Inc. building at Appleton and Race streets. Brothers Marco L. and Denis A. Luzuriaga are renovating the building to include work and home lofts and are calling the former factory The Cubit. The culinary program move should happen by late 2016 or early 2017, Morse said.

In July, China Central Television 13 (CCTV), which the New York Times said has an estimated 700 million Chinese viewers, came here for a story that aired shortly after about how this struggling former paper mill center is establishing itself as "a world-class city" largely thanks to the high performance computing center.

CCTV13 came away impressed that Holyoke is " infused (with) new hope" and "energized."

The English translation of the Chinese broadcast's transcript was provided by Miles Liu, a professor at HCC. Liu is a native speaker of Mandarin and has a doctorate in American literature.

Gateway City Arts on Race Street draws thousands of visitors a year to events like the Alchemy Artisan Fair and the "creative economy" part of the Innovation District includes events like the three-day "Celebrate Holyoke" festival in August, Morse and the annual report said.

"Celebrate Holyoke and Next Stop: Holyoke attracted over 18,000 visitors and over 90 vendors including local artisans and food vendors," the annual report said.

Holyoke Innovation District 2015 annual report:

After Wisconsin prom shooting, Gov. Walker shifts discussion to bullying, mental health

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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Monday called for a discussion on how to deal with bullying in schools after friends of a gunman who wounded two people outside a high school prom said the 18-year-old had been bullied.

ANTIGO, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Monday called for a discussion on how to deal with bullying in schools after friends of a gunman who wounded two people outside a high school prom said the 18-year-old had been bullied.

Authorities have not revealed a motive for the shooting outside Antigo High School in northern Wisconsin and declined to comment Monday on whether bullying may have been a factor. Police fatally shot former student Jakob E. Wagner after he opened fire on students outside the school Saturday night, authorities say.


Wagner's mother, Lorrie Wagner, told The Associated Press that her son "wasn't a monster."

"If anything, I hope it shines light on bullying and how deeply it affects people," she said, before ending the interview.

Former classmate Dakotta Mills, who said he had known Wagner since sixth grade, told The Associated Press that he had "some rough spots now and then" and that he had witnessed him being bullied. Another former classmate, Emily Fisher, told the Wausau Daily Herald that students ganged up on Wagner and called him names, in part because of poor hygiene. The bullying started in middle school, Fisher said, and continued through high school.

Walker, a Republican, said authorities should address bullying and mental health, as well as teaching students how to resolve disagreements peacefully rather than impose new limits on firearms. He said that if there were a ban on rifles in Wisconsin, "you wouldn't have hunting here."

At a news conference Monday, authorities said they couldn't confirm that Wagner had been taunted by fellow students or say whether it was a possible motive in the shooting.

"I can't get into the specifics on that," Antioch Police Chief Eric Roller. He added, "That's still part of the investigation."

However, Roller said it didn't appear that the victims had been specifically targeted.

The state Department of Justice has taken over the case because it involves a police shooting. Agency spokesman Johnny Koremenos said in an email that it was too early to offer a motive or provide other details of the investigation.

Roller said the officers' response "saved lives by stopping the threat" in that the suspect "didn't end up inside a building that was full of prom-goers."

Wagner arrived on a bicycle armed with a rifle and opened fire as two couples were leaving the dance, Roller said. One 18-year-old male student was struck in the leg and a bullet grazed his date's thigh. The other couple wasn't struck. Two officers were stationed in front of the school and one quickly shot the gunman.

The couple who wasn't shot helped the 18-year-old male victim by wrapping a necktie around his leg as a tourniquet to stanch the bleeding, Roller said.

The victim's family requested privacy, but said in a statement that their son was doing well after a long surgery. They thanked everyone who helped and asked that people "pray for the family of Jakob Wagner.

"As much as we are struggling through this event, we cannot imagine the grief they are experiencing at this time," the statement read.

Roller said no weapons were recovered aside from the rifle. He declined to describe the weapon further or say how many rounds of ammunition Wagner was carrying.

Zamzow, wearing a burgundy T-Shirt that read "Antioch Pride" in bold white letters, said that classes were back in session Monday and that attendance was normal. Counsellors were on campus to help students.

A school official told AP on Sunday that Wagner had not graduated as scheduled last May, but Principal Tom Zamzow said Monday that he was a graduate.

2 arrests during hazmat situation in Westfield

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Multiple agencies including the Massachusetts State Police bomb squad responded to Woodmont Street at around 5 p.m.

Click here for an updated story with the names of the two suspects.



WESTFIELD - Police say they have made two arrests in connection to a hazardous materials situation on Monday afternoon.

Multiple agencies including the Massachusetts State Police bomb squad responded to Woodmont Street at around 5 p.m.

Details of the arrests and the reason for the hazmat response have not been released yet.

This is a developing story. Stay with The Republican/MassLive for more information as it becomes available.

 

Springfield City Council OKs taking strip of park land

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The City Council approved the taking of a strip of land from Ruth Elizabeth Park as part of a $3 million corridor improvement project that includes Hickory Street.

SPRINGFIELD — A proposed $3 million Central Street corridor improvement project took another step forward Monday night when the City Council granted its approval to convert a strip of land from Ruth Elizabeth Park to assist plans to widen a section of Hickory Street in that area.

The use of the park land, approved by unanimous vote, will also need approval from the state Legislature and governor. The council vote, however, was needed first and allows the city to advance the roadway improvement plans in the Maple High-Six Corners area, officials said.

The park land taking will assist plans to widen that section of Hickory Street from one-lane traffic to two lane traffic and to add sidewalks, city officials said.

City Public Works Director Christopher Cignoli and Parks Director Patrick J. Sullivan had urged passage of the park land taking, saying it will allow the city to improve traffic flow and safety in that area. The city plans to add land to the park in place of the lost strip, to create a new entrance and parking, Cignoli said.

There have been some concerns and opposition raised about a proposal for the city to take ownership of two neighborhood business properties and one residential property by eminent domain in connection with the neighborhood roadway improvements.

Ward 3 Councilor Melvin Edwards, who represents the neighborhood, urged the council to show "sensitivity" when it considers the eminent domain requests in the future.

"I beg sensitivity," Edwards said. "It (property taking) is one of the most controversial things government can do."

Councilor Kateri Walsh, chairwoman of the Maintenance and Development Committee, said that is an issue for another day. The vote on Monday night was needed to allow the planning process and property appraisals to move forward, she said.

The strip of land at Ruth Elizabeth Park being converted for the roadway improvements is approximately six feet wide along Hickory Street.

Councilor Bud Williams said there is need for more neighborhood input regarding the taking of private property related to the Central Street corridor project.

The properties proposed for eminent domain taking by the Department of Public Works are Kevin's Towing, 462 Central St.; Impoco's Poultry Market, 468 Walnut St.; and a brick house at 46-48 Hickory St., owned by Wesley James.


State retirement official appointed city auditor by Holyoke Council

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The Holyoke City Council appointed Harry Chadwick of Hadley as city auditor with eight votes to six votes for Carolyn Thomas-Davis of Springfield.

HOLYOKE -- Harry Chadwick, chief auditor with the state Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission, was appointed city auditor by the City Council Monday at City Hall.

"Thank you," said Chadwick, of Hadley, as he stood when council President Kevin A. Jourdain announced his name.

The council elected Chadwick on the first round of roll-call balloting. He received the minimum necessary to win, eight votes, or the majority of the 15-member City Council as a whole.

Carolyn Thomas-Davis of Springfield, consultant with Reliable Bookkeeping and Consulting, received six votes.

The speed with which the council filled the city auditor position was in contrast to the last attempt on April 5 when councilors deadlocked through five roll-call ballots without a candidate securing a majority.

The council has a vacancy with the April 5 resignation of Jennifer E. Chateauneuf as a councilor at large.

Brian G. Smith, who had been city auditor for 25 years, retired in 2014. Bellamy H. Schmidt has been acting auditor.

The city auditor salary was advertised as "commensurate with experience," Personnel Director Robert Judge said. The yearly salary for city auditor as listed in the city budget is $71,746.

In an interview with the City Council Public Service Committee last month, Chadwick said he would bring 26 years of experience in Massachusetts government to the job of city auditor. That has consisted of being chief auditor with PERAC since January 2008 and being Hampshire County treasurer and chairman of the county retirement board from 1990 to1997, he said.

Jourdain asked Chadwick at that meeting to expand on his PERAC duties.

When offered the job in 2008, Chadwick said he knew it would be a challenge going from a staff member to the staff manager. But the office had quality staff, he said.

"I think I've been a very good supervisor ..." Chadwick said.

The year 2015 was a challenging one for his PERAC division as it lost most of its workforce and had to rebuild, he said.

"It was a challenge....certainly we got behind," Chadwick said.

Jourdain asked how familiar Chadwick was with Holyoke's financial situation and its unfunded liability.

(That's the liability facing the city -- $365 million -- if all pension costs for retirees and existing employees had to be paid today. That figure is as of two years ago. Existing assets in the system reduce that liability to about $153 million. The funding schedule calls for that to be paid off at the current yearly rate of payment, which has been about $17 million a year including city and employee contributions, by 2032. That's according to Cheryl Dugre, executive director of the Holyoke Retirement Board.)

Chadwick said he was familiar with the Holyoke financial details and praised Dugre.

Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin asked, regarding Holyoke's unfunded pension liability, whether the city should join the state retirement system.

Chadwick said, "I think Holyoke is doing fine. They're meeting their obligations for their funding schedule....I think Holyoke is doing a good job with that."

Jourdain noted the residency requirement and asked about Chadwick's willingness to move here.

Chadwick said he would move here if appointed city auditor.

School Department seeks $59.6 million to operate Westfield public schools in Fiscal 2017

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The requested budget represents an increase of $1.7 million over current school spending.

WESTFIELD - School officials are asking for $59.6 million to maintain all current programs, services and personnel for Fiscal 2017 which begins July 1.

Superintendent of Schools Suzanne Scallion presented the final budget of her tenure to the School Committee Monday night explaining that the requested financial package for the new fiscal year is a "level service budget request."

But, while she said the only increases in the FY2017 school budget, $1.75 million, represent fixed costs there is another budget amount that the School Committee will not see. That is the amount school principals believe they need to meet school and student needs next year.

"The principals presented what they need at their schools but that is not being presented tonight. These are things very important for the future but we would not be able to afford them without an (Proposition 2 1/2) override," Scallion said.

School Business Manager Ronald R. Rix provided a summary of the budget proposal, reminding School Committee members that the budget represents a continuation of what is currently provided for Westfield school population. The budget represents no new programs or personnel, he said.

"There are no new initiatives but we are able to maintain and reinforce what we currently have," Rix said.

School Committee member Kevin J. Sullivan said the committee's Finance Committee will meet to review the budget in depth Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Once the School Committee completes its review and approves a new school budget the package will be sent to Mayor Brian P. Sullivan for review and submission to the City Council for approval.

The proposed budget allocates slightly more than $47.7 million for personnel expenditures and another $11.9 million for expenses such as supplies and utilities.

School officials have built slightly more than $2.5 million in offsets in the new budget, using funds from School Choice, various programs and grants. They also plan to use as much as $300,000 in current Special Education accounts to pre-pay some special education tuition next year for students who attend special programs outside of Westfield.

They also anticipate an increase in Chapter 70, state education aid, ranging form $110,000 to $302,000 depending on the amount the state Legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker agree on.

Rix and Scallion said budget priorities for Fiscal 2017 are continued academic growth at all levels; professional development for all staff; maintain class sizes at 20 students per teacher at grades Kindergarten to grade 3 and 24 for grades 4 through 12; positive school and district climates; technology intergrated learning; project/problem based learning and continued support of social and emotional needs of students.

Scallion will retire at the close of the current school year. The School Committee has already selected Westfield Technical Academy principal Stefan Czaporowski as new superintendent effective July 1.

2 charged with placing explosive devices in Westfield yards; hazmat scene clear

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Sean Barrett, 18, and Patrick Baker, 19, were arrested after police found four plastic bottles that were foaming and appeared to contain pieces of metal.

This updates a story posted at 7:40 p.m.



WESTFIELD - Two men are charged with placing explosive devices in yards on Woodmont Street, prompting a multi-agency hazmat and bomb squad response Monday evening.

Sean Barrett, 18, and Patrick Baker, 19, were arrested after police found four plastic bottles that were foaming and appeared to contain pieces of metal, according to Westfield police Lt. Jerome Pitoniak.

At around 5 p.m., a woman reported finding one of the devices in the front yard of 83 Woodmont St. Authorities found three more in the yard of number 88, where Barrett and Baker live.

Pitoniak said the substances in the bottles have not been identified yet, but he said they were comparable to Drano bombs that can be seen in numerous YouTube videos. The devices will be sent for testing. Massachusetts State Police is assisting in the investigation.

"It's pretty serious," said Pitoniak. "Someone could get hurt."

Woodmont Street was blocked for several hours as police investigated. The scene is now clear.

 

3 injured after small plane crashes into Florida home

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Officials say three people were injured when their small plane crashed into a Florida home.

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Officials say three people were injured when their small plane crashed into a Florida home.

Pompano Beach Fire Rescue spokeswoman Sandra King was quoted by the Sun Sentinel that no one inside the house was injured when the plane hit it Monday afternoon. King said one woman and two men were inside the Hawker Beechcraft 76, and they were all in critical condition.


Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said in an email that the pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings from nearby Pompano Beach Airpark when the crash occurred.

The Sun Sentinel reports that the plane is registered to Florida Aviation Academy, which runs a flight school at the airpark.

The National Transportation Safety Board will determine the crash's cause.

Yesterday's top stories: Springfield Patriot dies, heroin charges, and more

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The owners of SIP Cafe on Crafts Avenue in Northampton will host an open house event Saturday as a final "thank you" to customers.

These were the most read stories on MassLive.com Monday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now.

1) Springfield native and former New England Patriots DT Ron Brace dies at age 29 [Kevin Duffy] Photo gallery above

2) Chicopee Police arrest man on heroin distribution charge [Jeanette DeForge]

3) SIP Cafe in Northampton set to close Saturday; owner says 'space isn't enough to support our family' [Laura Newberry]

4) Tom Brady Deflategate appeal: What are the options for the suspended New England Patriots QB? [Kevin Duffy]

5) Worcester man to serve 4 to 6 years in single punch death [Lindsay Corcoran]

Kasich-Jeter?: 10 possible 2016 presidential tickets

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Although the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees have yet to be crowned, the ultimate outcome in the November general election will rest, in part, on whomever is chosen as the party's respective vice presidential running mates.

Jerry Bradley's death in Springfield Police lockup leaves 2 officers suspended and a family with few answers

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Springfield's Jerry Bradley died of an aneurysm in police custody. For seven months, no one told his family exactly what happened.

SPRINGFIELD -- For seven months, Olethia Bradley has not known precisely how her brother died.

Jerry Bradley, a Tennessee native turned decade-long resident of Springfield's Old Hill neighborhood, was picked up by Springfield police on a warrant the evening of Sept. 11, 2015. It was for an old charge, his sister said; an unpaid fine out of Dudley Court, for writing a bad check.

The 57-year-old handyman and odd-job painter was supposed to spend the weekend in a police station holding area, with a trip to Dudley for his arraignment planned for Monday. He never left.

Bradley died of an aneurysm inside Springfield Police Headquarters in the early morning hours of Sunday, Sept. 13. Police told his family his cause of death, and said there would be an investigation.

Since then, authorities have told the Bradleys and their lawyer almost nothing else of what happened that night, they said in interviews. But a MassLive review of an internal police investigation shows that while officers described Bradley as calm throughout the weekend, other prisoners said he was in visible pain and crying out for an ambulance the night before his death.

The family's requests for information went unheeded in the months following Bradley's death. The city denied attorney John Thompson's request for physical evidence in September, saying the investigation was ongoing.

"I just want to see the video, if they have a video of that night," Olethia Bradley said. "It's not that I'm trying to press charges against the police department. I just want the information of how long it took them to get an ambulance for my brother."

The department's internal investigation has since ended, but because Thompson did not file another request, the family was not provided with any additional information. Thompson did not receive a response from the Hampden County District Attorney's Office when he asked them for information in January; that is because the District Attorney's investigation is ongoing, a spokesman for the DA said.

"Mr. Bradley's case remains open," said James Leydon, spokesman for Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, in a statement. "Unfortunately, Attorney Thompson's inquiry requires a response to a pending investigation."

And, prior to this story's publication, the sum total of public record on Bradley's death could be found in an appendix of last month's city report on Springfield's Community Police Hearing Board, in a group of entries on a spreadsheet, marked "investigate death of prisoner in his cell." Of the seven officers investigated, two were suspended and five cleared, according to the report and statements from the city's law department

[enhanced link]

The city and the police department would not say what specific actions led to the officers' suspensions, nor are their identities public record. The city's law office said the officers were suspended for 30 days without pay for violating the rules and regulations of the police department. When asked for comment, Police Commissioner John Barbieri said he could not comment on internal disciplinary matters

But earlier this month MassLive obtained the internal affairs file on the case through a public records request, including statements from the officers and fellow prisoners who were the last company Bradley kept in his final hours.

What the records show is a man spent 29 hours in police custody before an officer, during regular rounds after midnight on Sept. 13, found Bradley unconscious and began futile attempts to save his life.

But there are also inconsistencies in the accounts given throughout the investigation.

According to the department's internal report, officers said they had no knowledge of any serious medical issues plaguing Bradley, but a prisoner one cell over told internal affairs investigators he heard Bradley yelling and asking for an ambulance that night. And an officer's account of an interview with Angela Williams -- Bradley's long-time girlfriend -- does not match Williams' recollection of their conversation, she told MassLive.

In Williams' apartment, which she shared with Bradley for a decade, boxes of his possessions -- clothes, paint, brushes, hardware -- still sit in her dining room, largely untouched since his death. She has not found the resolve to part with them, she said.

"I just walk past them, I can't do it," Williams said. "I keep thinking that man's going to turn his keys and come through that door."

Springfield Police HeadquartersThe Springfield police station at 130 Pearl St.

The Arrest

At 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 11, Bradley was in the passenger seat of a car pulled over on State Street in Springfield after an officer noticed a missing inspection sticker, according to an arrest report. The driver was arrested for operating with a suspended license, and Bradley was booked as well for a default warrant out of Dudley Court.

Bradley was taken to police headquarters at 130 Pearl Street, where he called Williams to say he would not be home that weekend, she said. It was the last time she would hear his voice.

"I said, 'I'd been waiting for you.' We said we loved each other. We hung up the phone," Williams said.

At booking, Bradley told a sergeant he had high blood pressure and gall bladder issues, according to the department's internal report. Bradley's first opportunity to make bail would be in Dudley on Monday, so he was taken to the station's holding area and placed in cell number 9.

The man in the cell across from him and the officer making rounds gave different accounts of Bradley's health that night, according to the investigation report.

The other prisoner, whose name is redacted in the report, was placed in lockup around 2:10 a.m. on Saturday. He and Bradley lived in the same neighborhood and were acquaintances, he told investigators. The two greeted each other, and then Bradley began to loudly demand medical treatment, he said.

bradley 2

"[The prisoner] stated that as a police officer walked by doing his 'rounds' Mr. Bradley would shout to the officer, 'I can't breathe, I need my treatment,' " the report said

"You need to hold on, I need to do my round," the officer allegedly said, and never addressed Bradley's complaints, according to the other prisoner's account.

But the three officers assigned to booking that night did not report any complaints or requests for help from Bradley. Officer Brian Phillips -- who conducted all the cell checks that night, according to station records -- told investigators that nothing seemed amiss.

"I completed all the rings throughout the night with no issue," Phillips said, according to the report. "At no point during any of my rings was I asked, or notified of an issue regarding a Mr. Jerry Bradley housed in cell #9."

bradley 3

Another prisoner -- who happened to be Bradley and Williams' neighbor-- arrived in the holding cells at about 5 a.m. on Saturday. He was bailed out that afternoon and as he was leaving his cell Bradley asked him for help, according to the prisoner's testimony.

"Can you call my wife, I need my medication, I need to get out of here," Bradley said, according to his neighbor. His neighbor said he told Ramon Santana, the officer releasing him from his cell, that Bradley was a "sickly person." He did not know of any specific ailments but said he had seen Bradley taking medication outside his home.

Santana told investigators that the neighbor's account was inaccurate.

"While I was conducting these duties no prisoner or prisoners ever informed me of any medical problems," Santana wrote. "[Bradley's neighbor] never informed me [of] any medical problems pertaining to Mr. Bradley."

Saturday passed largely without incident until that evening, according to the investigation report. Bradley told an officer that evening that he was suffering from back pain, according to both prisoner interviews and police statements; the officer then told his sergeant.

The officers working that evening told investigators that other than reporting back pain, Bradley showed no signs of distress until after midnight, when he was found unconscious. The officers monitored him after he said he was in pain, they said.

"Sgt. Bortolussi stated that officers Reyes and Dowd told him that [Bradley] was checked every 15 minutes and he appeared fine throughout the rest of the night," the internal report said.

A prisoner across the cell block from Bradley on Saturday night described a different chain of events.

The prisoner confirmed that Bradley had told an officer of back pain -- but he also said Bradley asked for an ambulance, and was told that one was on its way. No ambulance came until after midnight, when Bradley was unconscious.

"[The other prisoner] stated that later in the night Mr. Bradley woke up and started to bang on the glass for two hours, while screaming 'This ain't right, call the ambulance,' " the report said.

At 11:30 p.m., officer Michael Rodriguez began his shift as the night's cell guard. His first two "rings" -- trips through the cells to check that prisoners are alive and breathing -- passed without incident.

On the third, things went wrong.

At about 12:12 a.m., Rodriguez noticed Bradley sitting on the floor of his cell. The prisoner across from him said that Bradley did not appear to be moving or breathing; he would later tell investigators that Bradley had begun to sweat, take off his shirt and drag himself along the cell floor before he started gasping for breath.

Rodriguez entered the cell and immediately notified his sergeant and began trying to save Bradley's life, he told investigators. That account was confirmed by the other prisoner, who said he heard Rodriguez yell for his sergeant and saw Rodriguez begin CPR and hook Bradley up to a defibrillator.

Paramedics soon arrived and took over resuscitation efforts. Bradley was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, where doctors continued treatment until he was pronounced dead at 1:10 a.m.

According to Bradley's death certificate, he died of a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm. A medical examination and subsequent blood test found aneurysms in both his abdomen and heart, as well as severe hypertension and evidence of cocaine in his system.

HendersonsHenderson's Funeral Home, where services for Jerry Bradley were held in September.

Seven months of doubt

Later that night, Angela Williams heard a knock at her door and saw the bobbing glow of flashlights. It was two Springfield police detectives, and they said her boyfriend was dead.

"They said we're sorry to tell you that he passed away," Williams said. 'I was like, can you say that again?"

They had already spoken with Bradley's sister, Olethia, who told them she was not aware of any medical issues he may have had. But Williams was, she said. Bradley had a tumor on his torso, near his heart, and she said she told the detectives of his diagnosis.

report excerpt.png

But in their report, the detectives said otherwise.

"Ms. Williams stated that she and [Bradley] have been in a relationship for over 13 years and is not aware of any medical conditions that [Bradley] may have," the report said.

Williams had previously not seen the police account of her statements, but after reviewing the officers' report during her interview with MassLive, she said it was false.

"He had a tumor. We knew this. That's why I told them," Williams said. "That is inaccurate."

Bradley was memorialized at Henderson's Funeral Home, less than a quarter mile from the apartment he shared with Williams. Attorney John Thompson attended the service; he had known Bradley for more than a dozen years, and had hired him for yard work and home maintenance projects.

"He was a guy I had a kind of casual friendship with," Thompson said. "He was a nice guy."

At the funeral, Thompson learned Bradley had died at police headquarters and that his family did not know exactly what had happened. He offered his services and began making inquiries, he said. He sent a letter to the city, asking for the preservation of all investigation records and for access to any video or audio recordings of Bradley's cell.

His request was rejected, with the city citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. He did receive a letter from Mayor Domenic Sarno, expressing condolences, he said.

"I certainly don't have the [internal investigation unit] report," Thompson said. "I've asked for it and have not been able to get it."

City Solicitor Ed Pikula told MassLive last week that no videos existed of Bradley during his time in lockup.

"Due to concerns over privacy, security cameras are not used to monitor individual cells," Pikula wrote in an email.

There is no longer an ongoing investigation, but the city has not given the report to the family because Thompson did not file a follow-up request once the investigation was finished, he wrote.

"A records custodian is not required to create a record in response, and requests for public records are not considered 'continuing' under the public records law," Pikula wrote. "However, Attorney Thompson was informed that such records would be retained in accord with applicable records retention requirements."

Neither Thompson or the family were told that the investigation had been completed, or that two officers were suspended, until MassLive reached them for interviews. The inquiry was initiated by the police department, not by an external complaint, Pikula wrote.

Thompson has not filed a lawsuit; he does not have cause to do so yet. He, and Bradley's family, would need to be let out of the dark first, he said.

"The first question is, what happened to this man? It's been six months and nobody that's close to him has been given the basic courtesy," Thompson said. "This has been pretty much a stone wall we've been dealing with for the past six months."

Bradley and his sister Olethia were born in Tennessee. They moved to Springfield in the 1970s, following their older sister, Olethia said; they made lives for themselves and stayed ever since.

"When he first got here, he worked in a foundry," she said. "Then he worked on a garbage truck for a while. He started doing odds and ends jobs."

Williams met him in 2003 after seeing him around the neighborhood -- at the store, or while he was working on nearby houses. "There was something about him," she said. They began dating, and moved in together 10 years ago.

"They just need to come forth and tell us something," Williams said. "We have the right to know that. We need to know."


Read the Springfield Police Department's internal investigation into Jerry Bradley's death in custody

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The report details interviews with officers who oversaw the station's lockup that weekend, prisoners who spend time in neighboring cells to Bradley and members of Bradley's family after his death.

Today, MassLive published a report on the death of Jerry Bradley, a man who died of an aneurysm in a Springfield police station holding cell while awaiting arraignment on the weekend of Sept. 13, 2015.

Much of that story is based on a Springfield Police Department internal investigation unit report authored after the department launched an inquiry into Bradley's death. MassLive obtained a redacted version of the internal investigation through a public records request with the city of Springfield, and is publishing it here.


The report details interviews with officers who oversaw the station's lockup that weekend, prisoners who spend time in neighboring cells to Bradley and members of Bradley's family after his death.

Read the full report below:

Valley Gives hosts video contest for e-philanthropy event May 3

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The regional fundraising event returns May 3.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts has an assignment for you.

The foundation is hosting a social media video contest to promote the return of Valley Gives, a one-day e-philanthropy event on May 3, after an absence of 17 months. Big Y Foods Inc. is sponsoring the contest, according to a news release.

Videos up to 30 seconds in length can be posted via Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #CheersToTheValley, via
Facebook or the Valley Gives website at https://valleygives.wordpress.com/. More information
about the contest can be found at premium.easypromosapp.com and
valleygives.wordpress.com/videocontest/.

Valley Gives coordinator Michael DeChiara said in a news release:

"Leading up to May 3, we are asking people throughout the region to share a video about something -- large or small -- that makes this a special place to live. There is much to celebrate in our Valley."

The contests ends at  midnight on Friday. Winners will be determined based on how many "likes" entries receive. Winners will have the opportunity to direct a prize to any organization participating in Valley Gives. First prize will be $500, second prize is $300 and third prize is $200.

Valley Gives brought in a record $2.7 million in donations on Dec. 10, 2014, with the help of 14,000 donors making more than 28,000 individual gifts. There were 436 participating charities in Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire counties.

Since Valley Gives began in 2012, $5.8 million has been raised from more than 24,000 donors in support of a total of 559 nonprofits.

The idea is that Valley Gives allows smaller charities to access potential donors through the Internet and social media. Charities will also host in-person events to raise money and awareness, including cooking demonstrations and -- at a separate location -- the annual compost sale at Blue Star Equiculture in Palmer.

More than 500 organizations have signed up for Valley Gives this year.

Donors can go  to the fundraising page is valleygives.razoo.com.

West Springfield police chief changes address after losing federal lawsuit to keep twin daughters in neighborhood school

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A lawyer for West Springfield Police Chief Ronald Campurciani said his family is renting an apartment to keep his twin 10-year-olds in a neighborhood school after losing a motion in federal court to try to block a mandate by the School Department.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Oh, what parents will do for their little ones.

For West Springfield Police Chief Ronald Campurciani, this includes maintaining a second home.

After losing an emergency motion in federal court to keep his twin 10-year-old daughters in their elementary school, Campurciani rented an apartment in the neighborhood to avoid having the girls transfer schools in the middle of the year.

That's according to Campurciani's lawyer, Thomas J. Rooke. He said Campurciani and his family are actually living at the apartment near Tatham School as opposed to the $500,000 home they purchased in another part of town.

"He said, Tom, it's not worth it for a police chief to have a dummy apartment. So, anyone can plant themselves outside the apartment any morning of the week and they'll see us taking the kids to school. They'll get bored quick," Rooke recounted.

The Republican typically does not publish the street addresses of police officers and other law enforcement officials.

After losing his bid in U.S. District Court, Campurciani dropped his lawsuit and went another route: change of address.

ob.jpgWest Springfield Town Councilor and former police captain Daniel O'Brien has been locked in a long-running feud with Police Chief Ronald Campurciani.

Campurciani sued former police captain and current West Springfield Town Councilor Daniel O'Brien along with the School Department. He argued a long-running feud between the two prompted rival O'Brien to report the Campurciani fourth-graders to the School Department after Campurciani purchased another home.

The move to another school district within the town typically mandates that children attend that district's elementary school; that would have been Fausey Street School for the Campurciani children.

O'Brien ran unopposed for the Ward 4 seat on West Springfield's Town Council and now serves as school department liaison. This followed a rocky late tenure on the police force, when he was fired for taping an unruly Big E patron's face to a restraint chair after the woman spat at him. The incident was caught on video.

The woman sued the town and settled for an undisclosed amount. O'Brien sued the town after being fired and prevailed. He was restored to the payroll, allowed to retire in good standing and received back pay. He also recently withdrew from a race for the top police post in East Longmeadow, until that process imploded politically.

O'Brien declined to comment for this story.

Campurciani -- on sick leave for six months and a recent applicant for a disability retirement -- balked when he received a letter ordering his daughters to switch schools in February. He argued in the lawsuit that he had informally cleared a temporary stay for his daughters until the next academic year with Schools Superintendent Michael Richard. The schools head said the two had a discussion but no promises were made.

Campurciani filed his lawsuit in Hampden Superior Court in February and later filed the complaint in federal court.

U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor denied Campurciani's emergency motion to keep the children in the same school. The judge ordered that they comply with the school department's order in roughly a week after a hearing in early March.

"Many children move schools.... It's a little disruptive but children are good at making new friends, and settling in," Ponsor said, as the girls sat in pretty dresses in the court gallery.

Rooke vowed to fight the battle to the bitter end. But Campurciani voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit 19 days later.

"It's simple. The sole purpose of the lawsuit was to keep the kids in their school. When the judge denied it, there was no point in putting good money after bad," Rooke said.

West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt confirmed Campurciani applied for a disability retirement in early April. That application is pending. Campurciani, 53, has said previously that he suffered a heart attack in October. He has been out sick since then, but for an appearance at a press conference on April 5 after a West Springfield man stabbed his wife to death and police fatally shot him.

Reichelt said the town will hold off on a search for a new chief. The department's senior officer, Capt. Mark Sypek, has been serving as acting chief but said he is not interested in the job permanently.

"We plan to wait to launch a search for a new police chief until Chief Campurciani is officially retired," Reichelt said.

Blue Cross Blue Shield honors West Side for healthy public workforce, lowering health costs

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West Springfield was among the winners of the nonprofit health insurance company's eighth annual Municipal Blue Innovation Awards, which comes with a $5,000 grant.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The town has received a wellness grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts for helping to improve the health of its public workforce and lowering health care costs.

West Springfield was among the winners of the nonprofit health insurance company's eighth annual Municipal Blue Innovation Awards. The honor, along with a $5,000 grant, was presented Monday to Mayor Will Reichelt and other officials at Town Hall.

"We are honored to partner with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, as they offer a wellness program unequalled in the marketplace," Reichelt said in a statement. "Our town cares deeply about the health and wellness of our employees and our residents. The grant will allow us to continue to create new and innovative wellness initiatives which work best for our lifestyles."

The Municipal Blue Innovation Awards highlight new and inventive cost containment measures, collaborative and customized worksite wellness programs, and innovative health plan designs used by municipalities across the state.

West Springfield earned its award because of a collaboration between unions, Reichelt and the Town Council to design a plan that "satisfies both the need for cost savings and rich benefits," Blue Cross said in a statement.

Town officials also launched a novel employee walking program, in which town workers cover the same walking distance as if they had scaled the "Seven Summits" of the world – or the highest mountain peaks on all seven continents.

Larry Croes, vice president of commercial and municipal markets at Blue Cross, said the rising cost of health care is an "increasing burden" for cities and towns across the commonwealth. "By crafting inventive cost containment measures, customizing worksite wellness programs, and creating innovative health plan designs, significant savings can be achieved," he said. "West Springfield should be lauded for (its) efforts to advance the health of (its) workforce."

State Sen. James T. Welch, D-West Springfield, praised the partnership between the town and Blue Cross, noting that West Side has "worked diligently over the past year to improve the well-being and health of its employees."

About 79 percent of the state's municipalities are customers of Blue Cross. More information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' Municipal Blue health plans and wellness options is available by logging onto www.bluecrossma.com/muni.


Photos: Seen@ Dakin Humane Society's volunteer appreciation night in Springfield

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Since moving into the former Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) building at 171 Union St. in Springfield in 2009, the Dakin Humane Society has relied heavily on its volunteer workforce.

SPRINGFIELD - Since moving into the former Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) building at 171 Union St. in Springfield in 2009, the Dakin Humane Society has relied heavily on its volunteer workforce.

The annual volunteer appreciation night on Monday featured a dessert reception followed by a tour of the spay and neuter clinic. Activities included various Shelter Olympic Games as part of the entertainment portion and ending the night with a program honoring the 100 volunteers who attended the event.

The 42,000-square-foot Springfield location features a spay and neuter clinic, dog training classes, a weekly vaccination clinic, and a surgical unit for medical emergencies. Lee Chambers, director of marketing and communications for Dakin, noted that the center is in need of canned cat food, dry and canned dog food, gently used or new bedding blankets and supplies, including cleaning materials.

The Ruff Thrift Shoppe is located in the building and features gently used donated items which are sold to help take care of the homeless animals. Chambers said the thrift shoppe has generated more than $50,000 since opening in 2009.

An Amazon wish list of needed items has been set up as well.

"We couldn't run this at the current level of service without the volunteers," Chambers said. "Tonight we have about 100 volunteers here and we wanted to show our gratitude."

An estimated 800 volunteers contribute their time between the Leverett and Springfield locations.

For more information, log into the organization's website or call the Springfield location at 413-781-4000 or contact their Leverett location at 413-548-9898.

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