Flowers and vegetable plants were on display in downtown Holyoke Thursday.

HOLYOKE -- Flowers and vegetable plants were on display in downtown Holyoke Thursday. 

The Holyoke Farmer's Market opened for the season May 12. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday, vendors will sell plants, vegetables, fruits, baked goods and other wares. 

The market is held in front of City Hall, on High Street between Dwight and Suffolk Streets. 

The first day of the market featured limited goods, as McKinstry's Market Garden of Chicopee was the only vendor. An average of five vendors are expected in future weeks, said organizer Jordan Hart. 

"Presencia" is WGBY's first bilingual television show.

SPRINGFIELD A celebration of family, education and music will all be highlighted on tonight's episode of "Presencia," WGBY's first bilingual television show.

"I believe that besides parents, teachers are the most important people in society, because they educate the future," said guest Sonia Nieto in a short promo for the 30-minute show airing on WGBY at 7:30 p.m.

Nieto, Ph.D, a UMass Amherst School of Education Professor Emerita, is highly regarded as a leader in the field of multicultural and bilingual education. She is joined on this week's program by Judge Bethzaida Sanabria-Vega, First Justice, Chicopee District Court.

The women will speak with "Presencia" host Veronica Garcia about the importance of education and the experiences that led to their successful careers.

Zydalis Bauer, host of the Digital Story segment, will speak with Yasuo Council, a 2015 intern of the Latino Media Youth Institute. He will share his views on the impact parents have on their children's lives and his future goal of owning his own media company.

The show will culminate with a lively musical performance by Mariachi Mexico Antiguo.

"Mariachi Mexico Antiguo of Connecticut was formed in February of this year and includes musicians from Gualadajara, Mexico and Las Vegas, Nevada in order to bring high quality mariachi musicians to the New England region," said Berenice BriseA+-o, who plays guitarron, (a Mexican six-string acoustic bass)

Other members include Christian VAA!zquez on violin, Erik Castro on vihuela and Diego Robles on trumpet.

"We want to offer up authentic performances based on the traditional sounds of a Mexican Mariachi," she said.

The Springfield Zoning Board of Appeals has denied an appeal made by Mill Street area residents seeking to revoke the building permit issued for work on the planned Western Massachusetts Correctional Addiction Center at 149-151 Mill St.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Zoning Board of Appeals has denied an appeal made by Mill Street area residents seeking to revoke the building permit issued for work on the planned Western Massachusetts Correctional Addiction Center at 149-151 Mill St.

Although three out of five Zoning Board members supported the residents' appeal, a 4-1 vote was necessary to grant their request to revoke the permit, which was issued on Feb. 4.

"I feel the residents' frustration, but we are here to make a decision on the request made before us," said Daniel Morrissey, who along with Andrew Wall voted to deny the appeal.

Members Norman Roldan, George Bruce and Walter Gould voted in favor of the appeal.

Chairwoman Brenda Doherty recused herself from the hearing, but it was unclear why. She did not return calls from The Republican.

"It's difficult because most of us voted for the residents, but according to our bylaws they needed 4-1 for it to happen," said Roldan.

The three-hour public hearing on Wednesday night at City Hall brought up the same questions that have plagued the relocation of the correctional addiction center, which is operated by the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, for nearly a year now -- Is it a jail or an educational facility? Were residents properly informed of the relocation before a lease was signed?

Neither question was cleared up to the satisfaction of residents during the meeting, and zoning board members expressed concerns about what the residents, who are represented by Attorney Shawn Allyn, were asking for.

While Allyn filed a request to have the building permit revoked according to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A Section 8, which deals with zoning matters, Morrissey said it seemed that Allyn actually intended to challenge the building commissioner for not enforcing current zoning ordinances which classify the Mill Street area as a mixed-use residential and commercial zone.

Addiction center's planned relocation to Mill Street in Springfield draws mixed reaction

Under Section 8 of the law, Allyn had 30 days to appeal the permit, and that ended on March 4. Under Section 7 of the law, Allyn or any "aggrieved person" would have six years to file a complaint against the city's building commissioner for failing to enforce zoning ordinances.

Allyn did not file the permit appeal by March 4. ZBA members chose to vote on the matter anyway.

After hearing from lawyers for both sides and speakers in favor of and against the appeal to revoke the building permit, the board considered tabling the vote until they could get clarification from Allyn, who had to leave the hearing before it culminated, about what his exact request was.

Members asked Associate City Solicitor Lisa DeSousa to explain the difference between the sections of the law that would either grant Allyn a 30-day period to appeal, which expired in March, or a six-year statute of limitations to get the city's building commissioner to enforce zoning ordinances, and then the board decided to vote.

"If it is deemed later by another court or another party who chooses to contest this based on the statue of limitations issue, they are free to do so, but as a board tonight we are called to make a decision on whether or not to grant this appeal," Morrissey said.

Allyn's argument has always been that the addiction center is a jail and not an educational facility. The sheriff's department refers to the addiction center as an educational facility under the Dover Amendment, a state law that exempts some developers from local zoning restrictions if a building project will have specific uses, such as an educational component.

That law, Allyn contends, offers "no exemption to put a jail in between two residential homes."

The Dover Amendment's exemption for nonprofit organizations with an educational mission does not apply to jails, Allyn said, adding, "A jail is not a nonprofit organization or an educational institution."

Roldan said he wanted the sheriff's department and its lawyers to be honest about the facility really is.

"I'm not denying the benefits of the program, it is a great program, but let's be honest with people. The individuals housed in the facility do not have free will to come and go, so I question the primary use being educational," he said.

Steve O'Neil, community affairs officer for the sheriff's department, said the facility is primarily for education.

"There has been a lot of confusion about what this facility really is. We don't have any confusion," he said. " The American Correctional Association has termed this as a residential educational treatment facility ... This facility is not a jail."

Derek Lewis, who has been vocal in his opposition to the facility being placed down the street from his home, said the community was never properly informed of the relocation. He said community meetings were held only to tell residents the site had already been selected by the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance and then to inform them that a lease had been signed. He also contends that the facility is a jail and does not belong in a residential neighborhood.

"If you go on their website they refer to themselves as a correctional facility," Lewis said. "They employ correctional officers who go through training to keep the peace. ... In order to get into the program, just imagine you are looking at a flow chart. You have to be arrested, you have to be convicted and then you have to be sentenced to a correctional facility. Then they can put you in the program. ... This is not something that is open to anybody, and the primary function of a correctional facility is to house inmates, not education."

Attorney Thomas Day, who represents the sheriff's department, said while the addiction center is a minimum security facility, it does not lock people in.

"There isn't any slight of hand here. This is a minimum security correctional facility run by the sheriff's department, everybody knows that. Minimum security means that they are not locked in, there are no barbed wires or bars," he said. "The reason why they are here is because of the educational function of the program."

5 takeaways from lawsuit, complaints against sheriff's department, state

Gould questioned the difference between education and treatment.

"There is a fine line between the two," he said. "I''m hung up a bit, because I don't know that treatment really serves as education."

Resident Rhonda Stowell also spoke against the facility. She said after the June 2011 tornado, neighbors got together to plan a new vision for their community, and limiting, reducing or preventing any more group homes and treatment centers was a priority for the group.

"As a resident, as a property owner, as a parent and as a taxpayer, I believe that we already have too many similar types of programs in a small geographical location. Where else in the city or state do you have a methadone clinic, a homeless shelter, 10 to 12 group homes all on one street?" she said.

There are also those who welcome the facility.

Demetrios Panteleakis, who owns Mill Park Office Commons on Mill Street, has always been in favor of the program coming to the neighborhood.

"This vacant building, despite the enormous infusion of cash and development on the rest of the street, has remained an enormous blight. The amount of dumping because of how much of this space is unseen from the street is enormous, the amount of squatting on the property, and what comes along with squatting, has been detrimental to the street," he said. "In the short amount of time that there has been work on the facility, there has been a great reduction of the transient movement up and down the street. It has already had a tremendous impact."

With the board's decision not to revoke the building permit, work can continue on the facility. Developer Jeremy Lederer, of Mill Street Iconic, LLC, which owns the 149-151 Mill St. building, was present at the hearing.

Residents said they are still considering other avenues, including possibly a civil lawsuit. In March, Allyn dropped a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of Mill Street resident Patricia Taste-Ray.

 

City officials hope to work with the new owner of the property to redevelop the site, which is a "gateway" to Agawam, according to Mayor Richard Cohen. Watch video

AGAWAM — From bedbugs to drugs, the former Agawam Motor Lodge is gone.

Well, almost.

Demolition of the notorious Suffield Street motel began Thursday morning, and you'd think the Pope was in town. A crowd of onlookers watched from the nearby Rocky's Ace Hardware parking lot as a sharp-toothed excavator tore into the Kennedy administration-era structure, spitting out chunks of splintered wood and drywall before diving in for another bite.

The two-story motel near the corner of Suffield and Main streets managed to withstand more than 50 Agawam winters, but it was no match for the mechanical jaws of the hydraulic killing machine. "Good riddance," declared Agawam native Ronnie Rindels, watching the excavator cut through the building like a knife through butter.

"It was a haven for hookers and heroin," said Rindels, a business owner who now lives in East Longmeadow but still crosses the river daily to begin his day in Agawam. "I'm happy to see it come down, absolutely. It's an eyesore. And I'll tell ya, I'm not the only one in this town who's happy," he said.

Indeed, Rindels wasn't alone in celebrating the destruction of the old motor lodge, variously referred to as a crime magnet, fleabag motel, hot-sheets joint and den of iniquity.

"Very happy to see it go," said Cindy Fountain, who lives nearby and watched the demolition with her husband, Richard Fountain. For the Fountains, there was no love lost – the place was an eyesore, an embarrassment and bad for business.

"It was almost like a police substation," Richard Fountain said. "Every time you go by, you see the police here."

On Thursday, however, the only cops on hand were there to keep people away as crews dismantled the 54-year-old motel.

To give people a snapshot of how bad things were at the motor lodge, a longtime headache for the city of Agawam, police and firefighters responded to the motel more than 250 times over a five-month period last year, with calls ranging from drug activity to disturbances, domestics, deaths and more.

That's why Colvest Group Company, the group that bought the property and hopes to redevelop the site, have received a hero's welcome from Mayor Richard Cohen and other city officials. Cohen called the location, just over the bridge from West Springfield, a "gateway" site.

"It's a great day in that Colvest has invested in our community and they're demolishing what had become a public nuisance to this area of town," the mayor told The Republican on Thursday. "We look forward to working with Colvest for the redevelopment of this site and seeing the demolition of what has become ... an eyesore in our community."

The old motor lodge was an unwelcome mat, of sorts, and not the impression Agawam wanted to make on tourists streaming into town for the Big E. Colvest also owns a neighboring corner lot bordering Main Street, which makes the combined lots ripe for redevelopment, according to city officials.

In February, Frank Colaccino, president of Colvest, said the company hopes "to attract high quality tenants to this location."

Over the years, the Agawam Motor Lodge had gained negative attention for numerous code violations, drug activity, cockroaches, claims of bedbugs, unattended deaths, and more.

MAP showing approximate location of Agawam Motor Lodge:

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, D-Springfield, were wearing name-embroidered home uniforms (butcher's white coats) as took part in a meat cutting Thursday to officially mark the expansion of the store on Avocado Street.

SPRINGFIELD — Former National Football League quarterback Payton Manning was not yelling "Cut that Meat" at the grand re-opening of 90 Meat Outlet in Springfield.

But Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, D-Springfield, were wearing name-embroidered home uniforms (butcher's white coats) as took part in a meat cutting Thursday to officially mark the expansion of the store on Avocado Street.

90 Meat Outlet owner Jim Vallides took part in the cutting ceremony and gave Sarno and Gonzalez a tip or two on the proper way to handle the butcher's knife.

Vallides has also pledged to donate $1,000 to fund the ShotSpotter that covers the North End area of Springfield, all the way to the Chicopee line.

Mayor Sarno stated, "Some great quality products and prices down there. Deeply appreciate Mr. Vallides' continued belief and investment in our Springfield. Also, a big thank you for his generous donation toward our public safety ShotSpotter initiative."

The store's grand re-opening celebration started Thursday and will run till Saturday. It follows a large-scale renovation project that saw the store expand from 3,000 square feet of display space to more than 7,000 square feet. The new space opened around Thanksgiving time.

A forum on landlord and tenant issues is sponsored by the Hampden County Bar Association and the Springfield Public Library

The Republican file photo 

SPRINGFIELD - The Hampden County Bar Association in conjunction with the Springfield Public Library will hold a free public question and answer forum May 18 from 4 to 5 p.m.

The forum will be held at the Mason Square Branch Library, 765 State St.

The topic is: "Landlord and Tenant Law: What You Need to Know." A panel of lawyers will answer questions about apartment leases, evictions, rental disputes, and other matters concerning residential landlord and tenant issues.

Questions will be fielded one at a time and are limited to ten minutes.

Parties are asked to preregister so the staff can budget time accordingly. Persons wishing to attend should contact Caitlin Kelley at the Mason Square Branch Library at (413) 263-6853 or via e-mail at CKelley@SpringfieldLibrary.org.

Richard Almonte of Springfield pleaded guilty to heroin trafficking in the amount of 18 to 36 grams in a Springfield case.

SPRINGFIELD — Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara on Thursday sentenced 30-year-old Richard Almonte to five years in state prison followed by three years probation after Almonte pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking charge.

Almonte was arrested at his 16 Webster St. home on October 14, 2014 and charged with trafficking heroin in the amount of over 200 grams. The charge was reduced as part of the plea agreement to trafficking heroin in the amount of 18 to 36 grams.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

After Almonte's arrest that day, the same investigation resulted in the arrest of four other people in different locations. Over $100,000 worth of heroin was seized.

The arrests were part of a joint investigation by Springfield narcotics officers and members of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI.

Almonte has 576 days credit on his sentence for time spent in jail awaiting trial. He agreed to forfeit $496 seized by police, according to Assistant District Attorney Amy D. Wilson.

Defense lawyer Tracy E. Duncan said Almonte was "simply the middle man." She said the transaction was set up by someone working undercover with police.

Ferrara noted Almonte's record involved a previous assault that led to a state prison sentence. He said Almonte has been incarcerated a number of times and was in danger of becoming a person who serves "an interrupted life sentence," meaning a person who is in and out of prison all the time.

"From my perspective you're still a young man," Ferrara said, urging Almonte to do something productive with his life.

Orlando Genao, 52, of 78 Oak Grove Ave., and Wilkins Rivera, 39, of Philadelphia, are charged with heroin trafficking in the amount of more than 200 grams. They are awaiting trial.

Eric Barbot, 49, of Springfield, previously pleaded guilty to trafficking heroin in the amount of 18 to 36 grams and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. He got a 3½-year state prison sentence followed by two years probation.

Luis Pena of Springfield previously pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with the intent to distribute and was sentenced to two years in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow followed by two years probation.

Pope Francis has agreed to a commission to study the role of deaconesses in the New Testament.

News that Pope Francis agreed May 12 to set up a Vatican commission to study the role of women as deaconess in the early Church has, not surprisingly, made headlines beyond traditional religious news websites.

However, Francis' willingness to study the matter is no indication that someday women will be ordained to the priesthood in the Catholic Church, as many of the postings seem to suggest.

Francis ruled that out last fall when, returning home after his successful U.S. visit, he told inquiring journalists on his plane: "On women priests, that cannot be done."

What the establishment of such a commission might accomplish eventually is a path, not to ordination, but to wider ministry for women in the Church.

Francis seemed to hint at this in agreeing to the commission, in response to a question, during the meeting, in Rome, of the International Union of Superiors General. The 900 women religious in attendance head congregations that represent some half-million sisters around the world. He told the women dedicated to service in the Church that their questions for a greater role in ministry "make me think."

Francis noted that the deaconesses of the New Testament were believed to assist other women seeking to become members of the early Church, and said he would refer the matter for further research to the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. The congregation is headed by the conservative Cardinal Gerhard Muller, who took a tough stance during the doctrinal assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in recent years.

Still, the assessment concluded a year ago with a cordial meeting with Francis, who has championed women's role as evangelizers "always on the front lines" in the Church, and Muller issuing a statement of confidence that "LCWR has made clear its mission to support its member Institutes by fostering a vision of religious life that is centered on the Person of Jesus Christ and is rooted in the Tradition of the Church."

Francis also listened to the questions presented May 12 by the women religious which, in addition to a role in the permanent diaconate, addressed the need for a larger role for women in the Church's decision-making, better dialogue between congregations of women religious and the Church and greater support on all levels from the Church in how women religious serve in the world.

What is referred to as the "divinely instituted ecclesiastical ministry" of the Roman Catholic Church, that is, those who carry on the ministry Christ entrusted to his Apostles, is bestowed on priests and bishops, as well, as deacons, through the sacrament of Holy Orders. Candidates to the priesthood are ordained as transitional deacons during their last year of study in what is regarded as "a step toward priesthood." Any celibate male, who is baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church, can be ordained a priest.

For a man seeking ordained ministry, but not to the priesthood, there is the permanent diaconate. It is often an unpaid position, and involves assisting in marriages, baptisms and funerals. Only priests are allowed to celebrate the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and anointing the sick.

The request to allow the ordination of both celibate and married men to become permanent deacons was granted by the Vatican in 1968, and has helped the Church, particularly in the United States, address the declining number of vocations to the priesthood.

According to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), a research center affiliated with Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. there were some 58,632 diocesan priests in the United States in 1965, and some 39,600, in 2013.

A New Hampshire State Trooper seen on video punching a suspect who had led police in two states on a 60-mile high speed chase has been placed on paid leave, according to the Colonel Robert Quinn, director of the New Hampshire State Police. Watch video

A New Hampshire State Trooper seen on video punching a suspect who had led police in two states on a 60-mile high-speed chase has been placed on paid leave, according to the Colonel Robert Quinn, director of the New Hampshire State Police.

In a press conference held Thursday afternoon, Quinn called the beating of a subject who appeared to be on his hands and knees surrendering "disturbing."

Quinn said he wanted the public to know the matter is being "fully investigated."

"Unnecessary, unjustified use of force will not be tolerated by this department," he said.

Simone allegedly drove truck at police officer in Millbury days before multi-state chase

Fox25 Boston also reported Quinn as telling reporters the "public trust must never be compromised."

Director of #NewHampshire State Police says trooper involved in arresting chase suspect Wed 'relieved of duty'. He is off the job. #FOX25

-- Kerry Kavanaugh (@KerryKavanaugh) May 12, 2016

The news footage of troopers from Massachusetts and New Hampshire went viral late Wednesday afternoon after it was broadcast and put on social media.

Massachusetts authorities likewise announced Thursday that a Massachusetts state trooper seen in the video has also been relieved of duty. That trooper will undergo an internal hearing on Friday.

The male suspect in the video is Richard Simone Jr., 50, of Worcester. Simone was wanted on a warrant for an alleged assault with a deadly weapon -- a vehicle -- on a Millbury police officer on Wednesday. That assault came after Millbury police tried to stop Simone's vehicle on Sunday based on another arrest warrant. The officer reported Simone drove at him before swerving at the last second to avoid a collision.

Video shows police beating Worcester's Richard Simone after multi-state car chase that exceeded 100 mph

Wednesday's chase began in Holden at around 4 p.m. and ultimately ended in Nashua, New Hampshire, where Simone crashed his truck. The video shows Simone exit the vehicle and drop to his hands and knees before he is quickly swarmed by officers throwing punches.

 

The free class will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on June 7 at the 29 Center St. police station, according to Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper.

NORTHAMPTON -- For the first time, The Northampton Police Department is offering a class for the public that will delve into why, and how, officers use force.

The free class will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on June 7 at the 29 Center St. station, according to Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper.

The class is an opportunity for people to learn about appropriate police protocol amid national discussions surrounding aggression in law enforcement, Kasper explained.

"With so many visual images of police and citizen conflict appearing in the news and social media, it is critical that citizens understand how an officer decides to use force and what levels of force are appropriate," Kasper said.

The class will go over police equipment; the federal model of appropriate force; Northampton Police Department's injury and force reporting requirements; common myths; and incident assessments, which will allow participants to analyze actual police encounters.

The Northampton Police Department has come under criticism for its own use of force -- particularly in the case of Jonas Correia, who alleged that Northampton officers took him to the ground, maced and unlawfully arrested him in March 2013 outside of a Pleasant Street bar. Correia said that the was racially profiled.

But Kasper, who was sworn in as chief last summer, said she's trying to create a prejudice-free culture at Northampton police headquarters. Officers and sergeants are required to complete an 8-hour-long diversity training, which was written specifically for the department by two Vermont professors.

The department has also reformulated its recruiting strategy in an attempt to hire more officers who are women and people of color, Kasper said. And last year the chief appointed community outreach officers, including those for LGBTQ and multicultural communities.

"I think right now, the way the country is, we can all stand to benefit from learning about different perspectives, and that's what we're trying to do within the department, " Kasper said. "We hope members of the public will take us up on this class and take a moment to do the same."

Kasper said she understands that online videos of police using force are hard to watch, whether that force was "reasonable or excessive."

One such recording was that of a screaming Freddie Gray being dragged by Baltimore officers into a police van in 2015. Gray died from a spinal injury following his arrest.

"We're not here to dispute any specific cases of excessive force," Kasper said. "We know it happens. We simply want to give opportunities to the community to learn a little bit about what we know about force."

Kasper also founded the Northampton Citizen Police Academy in 2007, when she was the department's police captain. The seven-week program was built to improve community relations, and also includes instruction on the use of force. 

Those interested in attending the use-of-force class must register by contacting Northampton Police Captain John Cartledge at 413-587-1176 or jcartledge@northamptonma.gov. The number of participants will be capped at 25.

Democrats Mary Hurley and Jeff Morneau are vying for the Massachusetts Governor's Council 8th District seat vacated by Mike Albano.

GOSHEN -- Two candidates for 8th District Governor's Council, a position currently held by Mike Albano, fielded questions from the public at a Democratic forum Wednesday night in this small, Western Massachusetts hilltown.

Mary Hurley, a former Springfield mayor and retired judge, and Jeff Morneau, president of the Hampden County Bar Association, addressed a small crowd of local residents gathered at the Congregational Church here.

The Governor's Council provides advice and consent on gubernatorial appointments, including judges, clerk-magistrates and parole board members. Among other duties, the panel considers pardons and commutations for criminals.

"I know better than anyone what it takes to be a good judge," said Hurley. "You've got to have training, education, experience, and compassion. I've dealt with the opioid crisis. I've admitted kids. I've seen defendants released from jail and go out that day and end up dying. We've got to do something about it. And I want to work hard on those types of issues."

Morneau said he would fight against political favoritism.

"When it comes to appointing judges - long-term appointments - we have to get it right, and we we have to get the best," said Morneau. He said historically a lot of people believe such appointments have been political in nature. "And that has to end. It has to be based on merit. That's what's fair, that's what's just, that's what's right, and that's the way it should be."

Intellect, work ethic, experience, temperament and a sense of community are important qualities in a judge, he said. He said as a progressive, he is looking for judges who are willing to address problems and "have a different way of thinking" about community justice.

Hurley took a swipe at Albano, who she said had boasted of his support for actor Mark Wahlberg, who in 2014 sought a pardon for a 1988 assault and battery conviction so that he could procure a liquor license. "It will be a cold day in hell before I vote for something like that," said Hurley. "And I don't think that's right. I think pardons should be very carefully scrutinized." Wahlberg eventually withdrew his petition.

Each described themselves as a progressive, and touted their ability to "pick up the phone" and seek input on judicial nominations from those in the know, including court officials, lawyers, and elected officials.

In response to an audience question about reproductive rights, both Hurley and Morneau said they fully support a woman's right to choose. "Plus, it's the law of the land," said Hurley.

Morneau serves on the Joint Bar Committee, which advises the governor on individuals being considered for judicial nominations. He earned his undergraduate degree from Providence College and graduated cum laude from Western New England University School of Law. He also earned a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University.

Hurley served as a Springfield assistant city solicitor and a city councilor before serving two terms as the city's first female mayor, ending her term in January 1992. She returned to practice as a principal of the law firm Cooley Shrair prior to being appointed to the bench, where she served as associate district court justice in Chicopee from 1995 to 2014.

Morneau announced his candidacy in February, and Hurley announced her bid in September and kicked off her campaign at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Albano, who is running for for Hampden County sheriff, dropped out of the Governor's Council race.

Also participating in the forum were Patrick J. Cahillane and Kavern Lewis, candidates for Hampshire County Sheriff, and Andrea Harrington and Adam Hinds, who are are vying for the state Senate seat being vacated by Benjamin B. Downing of Pittsfield.

The Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance is presenting a lifetime achievement award to Jerry Ray, vice-president of homeless services for the Mental Health Association of Springfield, for his efforts to aid the homeless.

Jerry RaySubmitted photo 

SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA) a nonprofit advocacy group, is honoring Jerry Ray of the Mental Health Association, Inc., in Springfield, for his efforts and dedication to the homeless.

Ray, who serves as vice-president of homeless services for the nonprofit Springfield based association, was scheduled to receive the "William Lloyd Garrison Lifetime Achievement Award" during a ceremony Thursday night at the Hyatt Regency Boston.

Ray said that for him, the award represents "a culmination of over 30 years in Western Massachusetts focused on the plight of people experiencing homelessness."

"The collaboration and successes in that period were due in large part to the leadership and drive of MHSA," Roy added in the news release.

The Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Allicance is a nonprofit public policy advocacy organization with the mission of ending homelessness in the Commonwealth. MHSA membership includes nearly 100 community-based agencies statewide.

For Stanley the golder retriever, living a dog's life involves visiting libraries and schools and simply being loving and quiet. Of course, there are the reading glasses he has to wear, but he doesn't seem to mind. Watch video

CHICOPEE — For Stanley the golder retriever, living a dog's life involves visiting libraries and schools and simply being loving and quiet. Of course, there are the reading glasses he has to wear, but he doesn't seem to mind.

Stanley is a trained Kids Pediatric Therapy Unit dog. Trained at Sandy Meadow Farm in Westfield, he has passed an approved seven-week Pediatric Therapy Dog Unit Training Class and the K-9s for Kids Performance and Evaluation Test. Being great around kids was a prerequisite for all the courses.

Stanley and his owner, Robin Turgeon, were at the Chicopee Public Library's main branch recently for a program called "Read to Rover." Seven kids ages 4 to 10 showed up and gathered in a circle, each taking turns reading aloud to Stanley.

"It helps them speak in front of a group," says Turgeon. "Stanley doesn't judge. He relaxes them." She was quick to point out that Stanley isn't allowed to speak at the library, he has to use his indoor voice.

Turgeon has been coming to the Chicopee Library for the past five years, first with her golden retriever Charlie, who passed away, and now with Stanley. Charlie's photo now hangs in the library. "It's always amazing how comfortable (children) are with a dog." she added.

Ten-year-old Kaylee Guyotte of Chicopee wasn't quite sure what to make of it all. "It was kinda weird," she said when asked what it was like reading to Stanley. "He's a dog and I usually read to a teacher. But it was kinda good because he's a good dog. He's actually a smart dog."

Stanley comes equipped with a pair of reading glasses that Turgeon places on him whenever a child has trouble reading a word. He modeled a few pairs before the kids sat with him to read. Later falling asleep with his glasses on, it was obvious that he was as comfortable with the children as they were with him.

There will be another "Read to Rover" program on May 25 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Chicopee Public Library.

This past winter, 53 people between the ages of 18 and 24 sought services at Northampton homeless shelters.

NORTHAMPTON -- This past winter, 53 people between the ages of 18 and 24 sought services at Northampton homeless shelters.

That may not seem like a big number, said Phillip Ringwood, executive director of DIAL/SELF Youth & Community Services. But through his work, he's found that teens and young adults tend to avoid shelters at all costs, no matter unsafe the alternatives are: crashing on strangers' couches, living in cars and sleeping on the streets, among them.

"So the fact that 53 youths were in the shelters -- to me, there's a clear need right there," Ringwood said in an interview with MassLive Wednesday.

That's why DIAL/SELF hopped on the opportunity to operate Northampton's first housing project for young adults ages of 18 to 24, Ringwood said.

Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals Inc., a local volunteer organization, came up with the idea for the project about a year ago. The nonprofit was brainstorming its next housing venture; it has already helped start up two group residences for the homeless in Northampton, one in 2008 and another in 2011.

Northampton has the largest concentration of homeless people in Hampshire County, said Rick Hart, president of the Friends group.

"We looked at statistics, and what floated at the top was homeless youth," Hart said. "They're not the biggest population of homeless people, but they're really at risk."

By "at risk," Hart means that these youths are much more likely to become permanently homeless. Those living in family shelters and aging out of the foster system are particularly at risk, he explained.

"Many come out without the skills they need to live on their own," Hart said.

Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals is raising money for the mixed-gender supportive housing project, which is estimated to cost around $750,000. If the Northampton City Council approves $250,000 in Community Preservation Act funds -- which Hart said he expects will happen -- the nonprofit will have raised about half the cash needed. The rest will likely come from state grants and private donations, Hart said.

This is how it works: Friends raises money to buy the house, fixes it up and turns it over to a social service agency, which runs it and oversees tenants.

The house will be ready for move-in by the end of 2017 if all goes as planned, Hart said. The nonprofit is currently looking for a property that will need little work in the $700,000 to $800,000 range.

DIAL/SELF -- which provides advocacy and residential services to teens in Franklin County -- was chosen to operate the Northampton house because its case workers have a successful track record of finding and helping homeless young people, Hart said.

"We're really confident that they'll be helping the youths put their lives together again and rebuild," Hart said of DIAL/SELF. 

Ringwood said the project is part of DIAL/SELF's efforts to expand services in Hampshire County. Ideally, he said, Friends will find a home that can shelter at least eight young adults in one and two-bedroom apartments.

The tenants would each sign a one-year lease and pay a portion of the monthly rent for a subsidized unit, Ringwood explained. Most residents would meet with a DIAL/SELF caseworker for a couple hours a week.

Those workers could help the young people with any number of issues, including those related to mental health, jobs, education and substance abuse. 

This is part of what's called the "Housing First" model, Hart said. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, Housing First is a homeless assistance approach that focuses on getting people into stable housing as soon as possible, and then providing supportive services as needed.

"It's hard to get a job when you don't have an address," Hart said. "People that are homeless have to use a huge amount of their energy just to survive." 

Hart said the Friends' two Northampton homes -- Gandara-Friends House on Maple Avenue and Yvonne's House on Straw Avenue -- exemplify the Housing First model. Those houses aren't age-specific, however.

Ringwood said he would prefer for most of the rooms in DIAL/SELF's Northampton house to be single units. That way, residents can gain autonomy while still benefiting from a sense of community. 

"It allows them to see that they're not alone in what they're doing, even if their situations may not be the exact same as the person's next door," Ringwood said.

DIAL/SELF runs three housing projects for young adults in Greenfield, Orange and Turners Falls. It also provides specific services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer youths. 

Ringwood said average tenancy at the Franklin County homes is one to two years. After that time frame, most residents are ready to move into bigger apartments on their own or with friends, he added.

Hart said that the Northampton residences have followed a similar turnover trend.

To find out more about Friends of Hampshire County Homeless or to donate to the homeless youths housing project, visit www.hamphomeless.org.

A Massachusetts State Police trooper was relieved of his duties Thursday afternoon in connection to the arrest of a Worcester man who was beaten by law enforcement after he led police on a multi-state chase Wednesday. Watch video

A Massachusetts State Police trooper was relieved of his duties Thursday afternoon in connection to the arrest of a Worcester man who was beaten by law enforcement after he led police on a multi-state chase Wednesday.

Massachusetts State Police Colonel Richard D. McKeon said in a statement that his department has identified a trooper involved in the arrest of Richard Simone Jr., a 50-year-old Worcester resident.

"The actions taken by a trooper from our department and other officers involved in yesterday's apprehension of suspect Richard Simone in Nashua, N.H. - as those actions appear in news footage of the arrest - are, upon initial review, disturbing," McKeon said.

The trooper will undergo an internal hearing on Friday. The hearing will determine if the trooper will be placed on modified duty status during the investigation.

"His duty status hearing can result in several outcomes, up to and including suspension," McKeon said. "As the trooper is the subject of an internal personnel investigation, we are not releasing his name at this time."

Senior commanders at the State Police have been directed to conduct an internal affairs investigation into the case.

"The goal of that internal investigation is to determine whether relevant policies, procedures, rules and regulations of our department - including those governing the use of force - were followed by our personnel," McKeon said. "If that investigation determines that departmental violations occurred, we will take appropriate and commensurate disciplinary action."

State Police officials are reviewing the motor vehicle pursuit to determine if the department's pursuit policy was followed. Authorities will review video footage, witness statements, reports and audio transmissions.

The investigation conducted by the State Police is separate from the investigation being conducted by the New Hampshire Attorney General. The office is looking to see if criminal acts were committed during Simone's arrest.

McKeon said his office will provide whatever information requested by the New Hampshire Attorney General's office.

"The Massachusetts State Police expect and demand all department members to act at all times with integrity, honor, and adherence to the law. If it is determined that a department member has not lived up to those expectations, we will take appropriate action," McKeon said. "I also ask the public to recognize that the alleged actions of any one member do not reflect on the rest of the department, the vast majority of whom conduct themselves with honor and courage, and who routinely risk their own safety to protect the public they serve."

Video cameras captured the arrest of Simone when he ended up on a dead-end road in Nashua, New Hampshire. A Holden Police officer tried to stop Simone in Holden, but Simone allegedly led police on a high-speed chase through several towns and eventually into New Hampshire.

The video from new helicopters shows Simone get out of his truck and kneel Officers swarmed Simone and punched him.

Records show Simone was wanted on charges for allegedly driving his car at a police officer's cruiser in Millbury on Sunday. Simone was arraigned in a New Hampshire court Thursday, where he waived rendition on a fugitive from justice charge.

New Hampshire authorities said Thursday that a state trooper seen in the video has been placed on unpaid leave.

 

Tech Foundry, the Springfield-based workforce training nonprofit, has won a $123,808 grant from the Commonwealth Corporation's Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund.

SPRINGFIELD -- Tech Foundry, the Springfield-based workforce training nonprofit, has won a $123,808 grant from the Commonwealth Corporation's Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund.

"It will allow us to continue to expand our class size and it will allow us to increase the number of employer partners we can work to fill vacancies with," said Tech Foundry Director of Strategic Partnership Jonathan Edwards.

The grant will likely cover an 18-month contract with Commonwealth Corp., pending the signing of the contract in July, Edwards said. The grant is part of over $2 million in funds awarded by the trust fund in late April.

"The key to the success of Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund is active involvement between local businesses, community-based organizations, education and workforce development professionals," Governor Charlie Baker said in a press release. "These partnerships create opportunities for the citizens of the Commonwealth and work to strengthen regional economies."

Tech Foundry, a nonprofit that partners with organizations and corporations including Baystate Health, Crocker Communications, the Davis Foundation and the Beveridge Family Foundation, offers job skills training for Western Mass. residents trying to enter the information technology or coding fields. The program graduated its first class in June of 2015, and its second in October. 

Tech Foundry has refined its focus since its launch, targeting career-focused people and community college students rather than the high schoolers who made up its pilot class, Edwards said in a January interview.

Massachusetts Sec. of Labor and Workforce Development Ronald Walker, who chairs the Commonwealth Corporation, toured Tech Foundry's Main Street headquarters on April 27, two days before the grants were announced.

"I like the model. The model is collaborative. It includes the businesses and the training directly for the jobs available, and the hands on training really makes sense," Walker said at the time.

Edwards said that Tech Foundry's focus on providing students with specific skills needed by employers was what attracted the state to further support the program.

"It is working at what employers need to grow their company, and that grows the economy," Edwards said. "We're not training some and hoping we can match them. We're knowing what the demand is from employers and making sure we train specifically to those skills."

Julisa Diaz, 22, of Chicopee, was supposed to graduate from Springfield College Sunday and then begin her career at Baystate Medical Center, her mother said.

SPRINGFIELD -- Julisa Diaz, 22, of Chicopee, was going to graduate Sunday from Springfield College with a degree in rehabilitation and disability studies and a minor in psychology. She was hoping to keep working at Baystate Medical Center, where she had interned. She was looking forward to moving to Long Beach, Calif., in September.

Diaz was killed Thursday night, along with her friend, Kyle S. Chapdelaine, 23, in a motorcycle crash in Springfield.

Her mother, Iris Diaz, also of Chicopee, said the two had been friends since high school.

"They were just going for a ride," she said, adding that Chapdelaine loved his motorcycle and was a careful driver.

Police said a Springfield man driving a truck turned left in front of the motorcycle at the intersection of Parker Street and Gary Road. Steven Thompson, 24, has been charged with two counts of motor vehicle homicide while driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with the crash.

That's how Iris Diaz found herself in a room in the Springfield Courthouse Friday morning, waiting to watch the man police tell her is responsible for her daughter's death be arraigned in Springfield District Court. She said she doesn't know how it will be for her when she sees his face.

"I honestly don't even know, because right now I'm kind of in shock. I'm kind of numb," she said.

Her voice didn't shake, and she never broke down while describing her late daughter in a phone interview from the courthouse.

Julisa Diaz (Submitted photo)

"Wherever she was, she had everybody laughing," Iris Diaz said. Her daughter's laugh was always the loudest, she said.

Iris Diaz said her daughter was outgoing, loved the beach and enjoyed hiking with her shih tzu, Bruno. But that was when she wasn't studying or working.

"She was a go-getter ... a hard-worker," she said.

Julisa Diaz started cutting hair when she was at Chicopee Comprehensive High School, and still picked up hours at the salon sometimes.

She also worked at Samuel's Tavern at the Basketball Hall of Fame, but her real passion was working with people with disabilities, her mother said.

Iris Diaz said her daughter interned at Baystate Medical Center this year and was planning to work there as a mental health counselor. That would have meant she was following in her mother's footsteps, as Iris Diaz is a counselor in the hospital's psychiatric ward.

That's where she was working Thursday night when her daughter was rushed to the hospital's emergency room. Chapdelaine died at the scene of the accident, but Julisa Diaz was pronounced dead at the hospital, police said.

Iris Diaz said that police and staff at the hospital were looking through her daughter's cell phone to try to figure out who she was and who to call when they saw Iris Diaz's photo. They realized that Julisa was her daughter.

"They called my unit and told me to come down," Iris Diaz said. "I got that mother gut feeling. I knew something was wrong. I knew it wasn't just a scratch."

Also mourning Julisa are her brother, Norbert Rivera, and her father, David Diaz, also of Chicopee.

Iris Diaz said Julisa was more than a daughter to David Diaz. "She was his buddy. They did everything together. Wherever he was, she was," Iris Diaz said.

Springfield College sent the following statement to MassLive/The Republican from Michael P. Accordino, professor of rehabilitation and disability studies.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Julisa's family. I was Julisa's advisor for three years here at Springfield College and we had many recent conversations about graduation. She was always looking to help others. She wanted to eventually move out west and work in a psychiatric hospital. Julisa was working her way through college and wanted to make her parents proud and earn her college degree. She was always so hard-working and upbeat. She was just a pleasure to have around campus." 

MassLive is trying to reach out to Chapdelaine's family to see if they wish to talk about their son.

Subaru has recalled 52,000 Outback and Legacy vehicles from model year 2016 and 2017 and has asked owners not to drive them until they can be checked and, if necessary, replaced.

CHERRY HILL, N.J. -- Subaru has recalled 52,000 Outback and Legacy vehicles from model year 2016 and 2017 and has asked owners not to drive them until they can be checked and, if necessary, replaced.

The company said the use of a wrong tool could have resulted in the improper machining of one of the steering column shafts.

The government file makes no mention of any crashes involving the steering columns.

The recall applies to cars manufactured from February through May 2016, according to the documents.

Subaru said dealer technicians will inspect the steering columns. If the vehicle contains a steering column with one of the affected lot numbers, the steering column must be replaced, Subaru said. Until the vehicle has been inspected, owners are advised not to drive their vehicle.

The company told the federal government that the problem came to light May 3 when the owner of a 2016 Outback complained to a dealer. The dealer subsequently alerted the automaker.

The company investigated and started screening its inventory on May 6 following its own investigation.

Subaru Recall by MassLive2

The co-hosts were given the news at the conclusion of Friday morning's show.

Updated at 2:30 pm. to include iHeartMedia comments
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SPRINGFIELD - WHYN-AM 560 has axed "The Adam Wright Show with Bo Sullivan" from its weekday morning lineup.

The co-hosts were given the news at the conclusion of Friday morning's show by Sean Davey, Boston area president for iHeartMedia, owners of the 75-year-old Springfield station.

Although the ratings were good, Wright said, management opted to replace the Springfield-based talk show with programming that also airs on its sister station in Worcester.

"I have been incredibly privileged to do live local talk radio in Springfield," Wright said. "Unfortunately, the nature of the radio business has significantly changed and I understand that."

Wright has been with the morning show for two years and Sullivan with the station for two decades.

References to the hosts were removed from the station's website. John Baibak's 5 a.m. news hour is still listed on the schedule followed by "The Jim Polito Show" airing in the 6 to 9 a.m. slot.

Polito's show now originates from WTAG-AM 580 in Worcester, but Davey said there were plans for the new show to originate from Springfield on occasion. The number of Springfield-based broadcasts has not yet been determined.

The change reflects not only streamlining by iHearttMedia, but capitalizing on Polito's strength to create a regional morning show, Davey said.

"Bo and Adam had four straight (rating) books of growth," Davey said. "It was not about Adam and Bo.  It was about Jim and having a product that matched the market."

Polito is no stranger to Western Massachusetts having been an award-winning reporter and anchor at WGGB-TV, abc40, for eight years. He was fired by former station owner John J. Gormally Jr. in 2007.

At the time, Polito was steward-at-large in Local 19 of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians, which represented 70 WGGB employees. He declined then to say whether his dismissal was retaliatory since the union had filed five unfair labor practice complaints against Gormally Broadcasting.

A dozen charges were dropped against John Cowles of Westfield due to illegally seized evidence and an unreliable witness.

Patrick Johnson | pjohnson@repub.com 

SPRINGFIELD — A Hampden Superior Court judge's ruling excluding as evidence stolen items found at John Cowles' Westfield home has resulted in the dropping of multiple charges against him for breaking and entering and larceny in Westfield and Agawam.

With 12 charges no longer in play, Cowles pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of distribution of heroin and one count of distribution of heroin with intent to distribute.

He was sentenced by Judge John S. Ferrara to 2½ years in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow followed by three years probation. He has 505 days credit toward the sentence for days spent in jail awaiting trial.

Court records show that Cowles has been arraigned 135 times in Westfield District Court, 43 for breaking and entering and larceny-related charges, and 24 for violent crimes, including multiple charges for threatening to commit murder and assault and battery with dangerous weapons.

Ferrara, in his decision on the motion to suppress evidence, said 15 items seized at Cowles' 6 Grant St. home cannot be used as evidence because police did not list those items in the search warrant application.

The judge said Westfield Police detective Brian Freeman listed items stolen from a Colfax Street, Westfield, address, on the search warrant application.

Ferrara said police seized 15 items that "clearly were not stolen in the Colfax Street break." Therefore, they were improperly seized and could not be used as evidence, Ferrara said.

"The police seized those items because they suspected that they might have been taken in other breaks, including the breaks into automobiles in Agawam," Ferrara wrote. "Police were aware that a snowboard helmet and a Craftsman tool bag had been taken in the breaks."

The breaks into cars, as well as a stolen motor vehicle later recovered, occurred Dec. 10, 2014, on North Westfield Street in Agawam.

Heroin found by police at Cowles' home was appropriately seized because it was in plain sight, Ferrara said.

As for the charges from the Colfax Street break, Jim Leydon, public and media information director for Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, said, "Unfortunately the Commonwealth could not proceed with the charges regarding the Colfax Street house break. The prosecution's case involved testimony from a witness/co-defendant which was unreliable."