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Crash at Boland Way and E. Columbus Ave. in Springfield sends woman to hospital

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The crash at the intersection of Boland Way and East Columbus Avenue caused some traffic tie-ups shortly after 6 p.m. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - A woman was taken to the hospital after a two-car crash Tuesday evening.

The crash at the intersection of Boland Way and East Columbus Avenue caused some traffic tie-ups shortly after 6 p.m. By 6:30 p.m., traffic was flowing smoothly as an officer directed vehicles around the scene.

The woman's injuries are described as minor.

The circumstances of the crash have not been confirmed, but the woman's car ended up hitting a streetlight, causing significant front-end damage.


Friendly's co-founder S. Prestley Blake's Monticello sold at auction for $2.1M

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Historians at the real Monticello in Virginia estimate that Jefferson spent about $100,461 to build Monticello over 28 years. That number doesn't count goods and services bartered and traded or grown and gathered on site, and does not count the cost of feeding and clothing Jefferson's slave labor, according to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.

SOMERS, Conn. -- S. Prestley Blake's faithful recreation of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello sold at auction Tuesday night, according to officials with the New York City-based auctioneers that handled the sale.

The sale price was $2.125 million and the buyer was a local doctor, said Sherri Milkie, a real estate agent with William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty in Old Lyme, Connecticut, who had been the listing agent. She declined to identify the buyer.

The auction, conducted live in the home, was private and open only to those invited as qualified purchasers, said Jack Hoyt, project sales manager for Concierge Auctions of New York City.

"It went to a wonderful buyer. It went to a family that is going to live in it," Hoyt said Tuesday night. "Pres was happy the home went into good hands."

Blake, the co-founder of what is now Friendly's Ice Cream LLC, built the home for $8 million and had planned to sell it for $6 million before dropping the price to $4.9 million.

He's been an admirer of Jefferson since his boyhood built the home as his "swan song" project, a final gift to Somers, where he has lived for decades. Blake, now 101 years old, had always planned to sell the home to a buyer he deemed worthy.

He's said over the years that he knew he would lose money on the project that became a labor of love -- he was just looking to minimize those losses.

Historians at the real Monticello in Virginia estimate that Jefferson spent about $100,461 to build Monticello over 28 years. That number doesn't count goods and services bartered and traded or grown and gathered on site, and does not count the cost of feeding and clothing Jefferson's slave labor, according to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.

Adjusted for inflation from 1800 dollars, that works out to about $1.3 million.

Blake and his wife, Helen, live adjacent to the 10-acre Monticello property. They have hosted charitable events in the home.

Inside, it's a modern luxury home with 10,000 square feet of living space complete with a three-car garage and nine bathrooms, most with walk-in showers done in custom tile.

On the outside, it's a faithful reproduction of Jefferson's Monticello right down to the handmade bricks from the same makers who supply Colonial Williamsburg.

Contractor Bill LaPlante had soffits under the eaves custom molded so they looked like the carved wooden soffits Jefferson used. The balustrades, decorative railings ringing the roof, are also designed to look like those at Monticello. The roof is a composite material made to look like slate.

The home garnered much interest from potential purchasers since the auction was announced. The whole idea of putting it on the block was to drum up publicity and buyer interest that had somehow eluded real estate agents for the nearly two years Blake's Monticello has been on the market.

Hoyt said the property's location in suburban Somers, instead of high-end Greenwich, Connecticut, hurt its prospects.

No disrespect intended in Westfield teacher retirement incentive

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The vice chairman of the School Committee calls for review of retirement incentive.

WESTFIELD - At least one teacher has taken exception to an early retirement offer claiming it was not offered to teachers who had already announced intentions to retire at the close of the current school year.

But, School Committee vice chairman Ramon Diaz Jr. said Tuesday there was no "disrespect intended" and he will ask for a review of the retirement offer sent out to teacher by Superintendent of School Suzanne Scallion date May 11.

A retiring North Middle School teacher sent letters to members of the School Committee, Mayor Brian P. Sullivan and City Councilors Brent B. Bean and David A. Flaherty last week announcing she feels "disrespected and discarded" because the early retirement offer does not include 14 teachers who had already announced retirement plans at the close of the current school year.

"We will review the offer and look into it," Diaz said Tuesday night. "But, there was no disrespect intended. The early retirement incentive was aimed at enticing teachers to consider early retirement so that we can avoid some of the teacher layoffs anticipated this year," said Diaz.

The early retirement incentive offers $15,000 for up to 10 teachers who retire in June. To be eligible, teachers must not have submitted a letter or resignation or retirement; have 10 or more years of service as a Westfield teacher, submit in writing their interest in retiring early and have a retirement date before July 1, 2016.

The School Committee has adopted a Fiscal 2017 budget that totals $58.9 million that is expected to lead to a reduction of at least 14 school employees before the start of the new fiscal year.

Toddler ingests opioid addiction medication in Arlington; police warn of dangers

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Police are warning parents and caretakers to be "extremely careful" with Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction, after a 2-year-old girl ingested a pill on Tuesday morning.

ARLINGTON — Police are warning parents and caretakers to be "extremely careful" with Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction, after a 2-year-old girl ingested a pill on Tuesday morning.

At around 10 a.m., police responded to a report of a toddler who had taken Suboxone and appeared to be drowsy. She was taken to Winchester Hospital for treatment.

Suboxone is a brand of buprenorphine, which is taken by some heroin or opioid addicts who are trying to quit. Other brand names include Bunavail and Zubsolv. Buprenorphine is the first medication to treat opioid dependency that is permitted to be prescribed or dispensed in physician offices, according to an Arlington Police press release.

"As more people turn to medication-assisted treatment, we applaud their efforts to recover, but as a public safety agency we want to urge everyone to treat these products like any other prescription drug in the home," Arlington Police Chief Frederick Ryan said. "That means keeping it stored high and away from where children could accidentally find and ingest it.

"The same basic rules should apply to all prescription drugs in the home, and the entire family needs to be invested and on the same page," the chief said.

 

Photos: STCC nursing pinning ceremony recognizes Class of 2016 graduates

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Students from the School of Nursing program at Springfield Technical Community College took the stage Tuesday evening as part of the Class of 2016 pinning ceremony.

SPRINGFIELD — Students from the School of Nursing program at Springfield Technical Community College took the stage Tuesday evening as part of the Class of 2016 pinning ceremony.

The 59 students are now eligible to take the National Council of State Boards of Nursing licensing exams. The 90-minute ceremony was held in Scibelli Hall with a simulcast broadcast of the event in the Scibelli Hall Theater.

Speakers included Michael Foss, dean of the School of Health & Patient Simulation; Christopher Scott, assistant dean; Lisa Fugiel, director of Nursing; STCC President Ira Rubenzhal; and class speaker Bryan Martins.


Fire Department 'brownouts' would continue, among discussion points in 1st Holyoke Council budget hearing

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The Holyoke City Council is in the midst of a 45-day period to review the mayor's proposed budget of $126.2 million and the council is authorized to cut, but not add to, the budget.

HOLYOKE -- Temporary shut-downs of some fire trucks would continue and the years-long issue of School Department headquarters could be settled in the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, Mayor Alex B. Morse told the City Council Tuesday.

Taking fire trucks out of service when firefighter staffing on a shift gets thin has been a step used to save money by avoiding paying overtime.

"I think it's an effective policy," Morse said, in response to a question from Councilor at Large Daniel B. Bresnahan.

The city for decades has leased 57 Suffolk St. for School Department offices. That has been to the irritation of councilors and others who chafe at the city paying over $300,000 a year when either the building should perhaps just be purchased or city-owned space used.

A representative of the owner, O'Connell Development Group, told The Republican in May 2014 the company was willing to discuss selling the building to the city.

Morse said an inspection of the building's structural features is being done. Buying it would cost about $1.2 million, he said.

Morse has proposed a spending plan of $126.2 million, which is an increase of less than 1 percent above the $125.5 million with which the city began the current fiscal year July 1, 2015 (see below).

The City Council is in a 45-day period in which it can review and cut, but not add to, the budget.
Other highlights from the City Council's first hearing on the proposed budget:


  • The Police Department budget would be level-funded, that is, funded at the same amount as in the current fiscal year, at $12.26 million, Morse said.

  • The city will mount a program to borrow against future receipt of federal Community Development Block Grants to pay for demolitions of abandoned buildings, he said.

  • The transportation account in the proposed budget for the School Department is short about $800,000, but Morse has urged school officials to find funding in the budget to cover that. School transportation in the current budget costs $7.1 million, but Morse allocated $6.3 million, meaning a similar $800,000 gap is projected in the budget for the year beginning July 1.

  • The free cash that the city expects to have use of later in the next fiscal year is $1 million to $2 million, Morse said. Free cash is a fund that the state Department of Revenue (DOR) certifies is available to a city or town based on money left unspent from accounts in the previous fiscal year. In the past, the city depended on getting a $4 million free cash certification. But free cash dropped to about $2 million when DOR submitted paperwork November for the current fiscal year, because expenses rose and less unspent money was available.

  • Morse said his budget is balanced, meaning that in the account known as the operating budget, projected revenues equal expenses. There is a projected deficit of $900,000 in the sewer fund along with the school transportation funding gap. Some councilors disagree the budget can be considered balanced.

  • "I see this budget being out balance by a minimum of $1 million," Ward 5 Councilor Linda L. Vacon said.

    "You're welcome to your opinoin, councilor ... but the budget is balanced," Morse said.

    "Your budget is balanced with the presumption" of a sewer-rate increase, Vacon said.

    "Yes, we do have a balanced budget in the general fund and we do have a deficit in the sewer fund," Morse said. "We have made progress."

    "I would agree with you there has been progress," Vacon said.

    "I finally got it out of you," Morse said, joking.

    "But balanced is balanced," Vacon said.

    Stories with additional details on City Council budget hearings will be published this week.

    Holyoke Fiscal Year 2017 budget: by Mike Plaisance

UMass retains AA- S&P Global bond rating

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UMass saved $48 million over two years because of refinancing debt.

S&P Global has maintained the University of Massachusetts system's AA- bond rating, citing the strong management team and operating performance, its conservative budgeting practices and other key factors, according to a UMass press release.

The rating agency, formerly known as Standard & Poor's, assessed the system's financial profile as "very strong," and cited the enrollment growth and freshmen demand as two metrics that outperform peer institutions.

"The report also highlighted the smooth transition of President Marty Meehan's administration, governance oversight, and comprehensive strategic initiatives, including an enhanced capital investment approval process, operational and educational efficiencies and cost control," the release states.

With strong bond ratings, borrowing is less costly. According to the release, UMass has saved $48 million by refinancing debt over the past two years.

"I'm pleased by this strong vote of confidence in our vision and policies," Meehan said. "We have put a lot of thought and care into every aspect of our growth, but specifically into the planning and modernizing of our campuses to accommodate the surge in demand for our world-class educational programs."

Chestnut Tower Apartments resident, 23, arrested and charged with back-to-back bank robberies in downtown Springfield

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When officers moved into arrest Travis Feliciano, he started tossing money from the 19th floor balcony, police said.

This is an update of a story posted at 2:25 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD -- A suspect arrested in connection with two bank robberies committed 90 minutes apart Wednesday morning in downtown Springfield has been identified, police said.

feliciano.jpgTravis Feliciano 

The suspect, Travis Feliciano of 10 Chestnut St., 19th floor, is charged with two counts of armed robbery in connection with two bank robberies, said Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney.

The first was reported at 10:30 a.m. at the Bank of American branch at 1414 Main St., while the second was reported just before noon at the TD Bank branch directly across the street at 1441 Main St.

Feliciano was arrested just before 1 p.m. at his apartment on the 19th floor of Chestnut Tower Apartments, but not before he tossed a bundle of cash off the balcony, Delaney said.
The cash was recovered down below by police, he said.

"Luckily there were several SPD officers on the street to recover the bank's stolen money," he said.

Police declined to say how much money was taken in the two robberies.

In each instance, police said Feliciano indicated to a bank teller that he had a gun, Delaney said. No weapon was shown in either robbery.

In the Bank of America robbery, the suspect was wearing a tan hooded sweatshirt, shorts, sunglasses and a Hawaiian-style baseball hat. He was reported to have left the bank on foot heading toward Chestnut Street, Delaney said.

bank 61.jpgSurveillance photo of a suspect in the Wednesday morning bank robbery at Bank of America. 

Police searched the area for suspects while detectives interviewed people in the back and processed the scene for evidence.

Ninety minutes later, the second report of a robbery came in from TD Bank. The suspect had the same physical description but was wearing a red East Longmeadow High School lacrosse jacket. He was wearing the same sunglasses and the same baseball hat.

Witnesses saw him leave on a black-and-white mountain bicycle, again toward Chestnut Street, Delaney said.

Detectives gathering witness statements were able to identify Feliciano as a suspect and learned his address was the tower at 10 Chestnut.

Detective Eric Podurski and K-9 officer Tommy Horne went to the 19th floor of the tower and found a bicycle in the hallway matching the description of the one used in the second robbery, Delaney said. It was also draped with the lacrosse jacket and Hawaiian-style hat, he said.

They heard an argument inside the apartment, and when they knocked on the door they were let inside by a woman, Delaney said. Once they entered the apartment, Feliciano ran to the balcony and started throwing the money, he said.

Feliciano is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Springfield District Court.


Lowell man sentenced to life in prison for 2011 homeless shelter stabbing

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A man from Lowell with a history of mental illness was sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to the 2011 slaying of a worker at a homeless shelter.

WOBURN, MA — A man from Lowell was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday for the fatal 2011 stabbing of a volunteer worker at the homeless shelter he was staying at, according to the Berkshire Eagle.

Pericles Clergeau, 24, pleaded guilty in Middlesex Superior Court on Tuesday to second-degree murder in the case of the stabbing of 34-year-old Jose Roldan.

Clergeau attacked Roldan at the Lowell Transitional Living Center in 2011, after becoming convinced that Roldan was talking about him to another staff member, according to the paper.

Clergeau's attack severed Roldan's carotid artery, and Roldan succumbed to his wounds at a Boston hospital later that day, according to the paper.

Clergeau allegedly apologized to the victim's family in court on Tuesday. "I'm not very good with words," he said according to The Boston Globe. "I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sorry for taking that loss. I will try to be a better person,"

He will be eligible for parole in 15 years. Clergeau allegedly has a history of mental illness and has been previously been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder and schizophrenia.

 

Boston Fed awards Springfield $475K grant to help low-income residents get work

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Haverhill, Lowell, Pittsfield and Worcester also received $475,000 grants.

SPRINGFIELD -- A partnership of Springfield business, civic and education groups received $475,000 in Working Cities Challenge grant money from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston for programs linking low-income residents to the in-demand training needed for jobs that often go unfilled.

"How do we as a community help low-income residents of Springfield who need good jobs?" said Ann Burke, vice president of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts. "How do we get them the training necessary to obtain and keep those jobs? How do we overcome the barriers between those people who need jobs and employers who need qualified workers?"

The answers the grant will fund over the next three years include reaching out into neighborhoods with mentoring and one-on-one encouragement, Burke said.

The consortium, called the Springfield Works Initiative, also plans a web portal, a dedicated internet link where prospective employers can post their needs and prospective job seekers can post a resume and learn what skills they need and where they can get them.

In later phases of the grant, the Springfield Works Initiative plans to address some of the structural issues that keep the poor out of the workforce, such as fear of losing housing, child care needs and a lack of transportation.

Springfield Works Initiative partners include: the EDC, Springfield Planning and Economic Development, the School Department Regional Employment Board of Hampden, MGM Springfield, Partners for Community Action, HAP Housing, Springfield Technical Community College, Western MA National Machine and Tooling Association, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Tech Foundry, United Personnel Services, United Way of Pioneer Valley and DevelopSpringfield, according the the news release from the Boston Fed.

The Fed previously gave Springfield Works Initiative a $15,000 planning grant in December, money matched locally with $45,000 in cash and in-kind services. The planning process included many brainstorming sessions and the creation of an extensive inventory of the city's job and training assets, Burke said.

The Working Cities Challenge is a competitive grant program administered by the Boston Fed and designed to get the public, private and nonprofit sectors in Massachusetts' postindustrial Gateway Cities working together to solve economic challenges.

Funding for the competition and the awards comes from a consortium of partners including the state, the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the Barr Foundation, the Smith Family Foundation and Living Cities. The winners of the competition were selected by an independent jury that does not include the Boston Fed.

The Boston Fed will host a celebration for awardees on July 18 in Boston.

This is the second round of Working Cities Challenge grants. In 2014, Holyoke received a $250,000 three-year award for its entrepreneurship mentoring and education program SPARK (Stimulating Potential, Accessing Resource Knowledge), which aims to link the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center and Holyoke's innovation economy strategy to its residents, specifically the city's Latino population. SPARK  is led by the Greater Holyoke Chamber Centennial Foundation, and is further supported by partners across multiple sectors within the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Other winners of a $475,000 award include:

Pittsfield: Pittsfield Bridges: Transformative Movement will support the journey from poverty to sustainability by collaboratively building community resources and removing barriers, according to the news release. The effort's vision is for all people in Pittsfield to experience a just, thriving and safe community. Pittsfield is following the Bridges model used in Schenectady, New York.

Lowell: The Acre Initiative will focus on three high-level factors that can alleviate the multi-generational poverty entrenched in the Acre, Lowell's poorest neighborhood, the Boston Fed said.

Worcester: Working Cities Worcester will bring together workers, employers, government, universities, nonprofits and communities to create equitable short- and long-term employment opportunities in the local food-service economy.

Haverhill: The Mt. Washington Alliance will work to close the social and economic "opportunity gap" between the Mt. Washington neighborhood and the rest of  Haverhill.

$625,000 loan provided for Holyoke affordable housing project 'Library Commons'

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HAPHousing will give an update about plans for its 47-unit, $13 million Library Commons project Tuesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Holyoke Public Library at 250 Chestnut St.

HOLYOKE -- The developer planning to build a 47-unit affordable housing complex across from the Holyoke Public Library has received a $625,000 loan from a state-established agency toward the $13 million project.

The Community Economic Development Assistance Corp. (CEDAC) said it had committed the financing for HAPHousing's Library Commons project in a press release Wednesday.

HAPHousing's plan is to renovate three vacant buildings and build a new one on Chestnut, Essex and Elm streets for the Library Commons project, diagonally across from the Holyoke Public Library at 250 Chestnut St.

The CEDAC funding is a loan that HAPHousing will use to complete the purchase of properties over the next few months for the $13 million project, HAPHousing Project Manager Peter Serafino said in an email.

HAPHousing will give an update about the project Tuesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Holyoke Public Library.

As for other financing for the project, HAPHousing has received a $400,000 pre-development loan from CEDAC to pay for architectural plans, environmental reports, surveys and appraisals, as well as federal historic rehabilitation tax credits that can be used for two of the three historic building, Serafino said.

Also, HAPHousing has applied to the state for tax credits and loans from a pool of money for low-income housing at the Department of Housing and Community Development, he said.

Of the project's planned 47 apartments, 39 will be rented to household's that earn at or below 60 percent of the area median income, which is about $52,000 for a four-person household. The other eight apartments will be available at market-rate rents, he said.

Two of the 47 apartments will be designed for people with mobility impairments, he said.

Besides renovating three existing buildings, HAPHousing plans to build Roque House, "a supportive services center," that will be available to Library Commons residents for career counseling and other services, the CEDAC press release said.

The state of Massachusetts established CEDAC in 1978 to help organizations with community development. CEDAC is now a "public-private, community development finance institution, that provides technical assistance, pre-development lending and consulting services...," according to its website.

Retailers Association of Massachusetts opposes Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol

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The Retailers Association of Massachusetts, a business group with 3,200 members, is opposing a proposed ballot measure legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Massachusetts, its president said Wednesday.

BOSTON - The Retailers Association of Massachusetts, a business group with 3,200 members across the state, is opposing a proposed ballot measure legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Massachusetts, its president said Wednesday.

The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is pushing to place the measure on the November 2016 ballot.

Jon Hurst, president of the retailers' group, said the ballot measure has "too many flaws."

"We think it could create a real litigious environment and a real can of worms for employee relations in hiring and firing situations," Hurst said.

Dispensaries could have an impact on main street businesses, which try to attract consumers with a "good shopping environment" and the "right mix" of businesses, Hurst added.

Two state senators who traveled to Colorado addressed the retailers' group on the issue, Hurst said.

The two senators were Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, and Vinny deMacedo, R-Plymouth, a retailer himself as the owner and operator of RWA Mobil on Route 3A. Lewis and deMacedo both oppose legalization.

The Retailers Association's board voted last week to oppose the question.

Is there a link between the opioid epidemic and legalizing marijuana?

The Retailers Association's stance was initially announced through a press release from the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts, a bipartisan ballot committee formed to defeat legalization.

The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) called the Retailers Association's concerns baseless and said there haven't been worker impairment issues in the four states where recreational marijuana is legal.

They also argued the Cannabis Control Commission, which the campaign is seeking to create through the ballot measure, would also regulate edibles and other aspects of a legal marijuana industry, incorporating lessons learned from the four states, which are Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon.

"Legalization is working in other states and will work in Massachusetts," Jim Borghesani, a spokesman for CRMLA, said in an email.

"These states are seeing hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenues along with thousands of new jobs," he wrote. "Legalizing and regulating marijuana will take the power away from gangs and cartels and place control with state and local authorities."

Asked if he had ever smoked marijuana, Hurst chuckled and said, "I have but it's been about three decades. It's been a long time."

"I don't judge anyone that does, we just feel like this is a flawed measure," and it carries tough implications for employers, Hurst said.

Massachusetts voters decriminalized small amounts of marijuana in 2008 and legalized marijuana for medical use in 2012.

Lawmakers on Beacon Hill have shown reluctance to deal with the issue through legislative means. Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, a former legislator, are pushing for the defeat of the ballot question.

Springfield City Council considers weighing in on biomass project again

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The Springfield City Council will consider taking a non-binding vote on Monday that, if approved, would urge the Public Health Council to conduct a site assignment hearing on a proposed biomass plant.


SPRINGFIELD — The City Council will consider a non-binding resolution on Monday night that, if approved, would urge the city's Public Health Council to conduct a hearing regarding a proposed biomass plant in East Springfield.

The resolution was initiated by Ward 8 Councilor Orlando Ramos and is also sponsored by Ward 7 Councilor Timothy Allen.

There have been past council objections to the biomass project including votes and legal action, but the council will consider weighing in again. The resolution urges the Public Health Council to have a site assignment hearing on the biomass proposal to evaluate the impacts of the project.

The resolution states that opposition to the wood-burning plant has been driven by serious concerns about the impact it would have on "the quality of life of Springfield residents, especially our children and seniors, that has been conveyed to us by the vast majority of our constituents."

Palmer Renewable Energy, the biomass developer, and supporters, say it is a state-of-the-art project that would not harm the health of residents and has been approved by the state and upheld by three court decisions.

The council meeting begins at 7 p.m., at City Hall.

"I think it should be very evident at this point, we don't want a biomass plant in the city of Springfield," Ramos said. "It (the hearing) is in the interest of public health and the well-being of our residents."

A press conference is planned Monday at 6 p.m., at City Hall, prior to the council meeting that will include comments by Ramos and representatives of Arise for Social Justice, the Conservation Law Foundation Massachusetts and Toxics Action Center.

Paul Bockelman hired as Amherst town manager following successful negotiations

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Paul Bockelman, the director of administration and finance for the Massachusetts Municipal Association and a Hampshire College graduate, will become the next town manager.

AMHERST - Paul Bockelman, the director of administration and finance for the Massachusetts Municipal Association and a Hampshire College graduate, will become the next town manager.

The Select Board and Bockelman, of Somerville, agreed to a three-year contract that will pay him a $155,000 base salary. He will become the town's sixth manager on Aug. 22.

During his interview for the job in April, Bockelman, who holds a master's degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said he fell in love with the town when he attended Hampshire and always wanted to come back.

According to Bockelman's resume posted on the Town of Amherst website [pdf], he has had his current position with the MMA in Boston since 2004; from 1999 to 2004, he was operations manager of the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association in Boston; he was town administrator in Manchester-by-the-Sea from 1986 to 1999; and was assistant director of the Cambridge Historical Commission from 1979 to 1984.

"I am honored to be selected as the next town manager of Amherst," Bockelman said in a press release. "As a professional manager, I am excited to work with the highly talented staff and volunteers who make the Town one of the best managed in the Commonwealth.

"And on a personal level, I am thrilled to return to Amherst and becoming an active member of such a progressive, caring community. It will be a true privilege to serve the people of Amherst," he said.

"(His) experiences working with a wide variety of municipalities and agencies across the Commonwealth, and as a long serving elected member of the Somerville School Committee, prove him the tools to help Amherst navigate our many challenges in providing all the services our community wants at a price our taxpayers can bear," Select Board chairwoman Alisa Brewer said in a statement.

The town has been without a permanent manager since John P. Musante died in September. Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek took over until February when Peter Hechenbleikner was hired on a temporary basis.

The board offered Bockelman the position on May 18 after Mansfield, Connecticut, Assistant Town Manager Maria Capriola ended negotiations. Negotiations with Bockelman have been ongoing since then.

Massachusetts Weather: Sunny Thursday with high in the 70s

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Another beautiful day is ahead for Massachusetts.

SPRINGFIELD -- Another beautiful day is ahead for Massachusetts. 

The National Weather Service reports it will be mostly clear across the state Wednesday evening, with a low around 55 degrees in Springfield and Boston, 53 in Worcester. 

Thursday will be mostly sunny across Massachusetts. The high will be near 79 degrees in Springfield, 72 in Worcester. 

Patchy fog is possible before 10 a.m. in Boston, followed by cloudy skies through mid-morning. It will be sunny by afternoon in Boston when temperature will rise to near 64 degrees. 


How did each representative vote on the Massachusetts transgender bill?

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The vote in the Massachusetts House of Representatives was 116 to 36 in favor of a bill extending anti-discrimination protection to transgender people in places of public accommodation, such as restaurants, buses and public bathrooms

BOSTON -- The Massachusetts House on Wednesday passed a bill extending anti-discrimination protection to transgender people in places of public accommodation, such as restaurants, buses and public bathrooms.

The vote was 116 to 36, with eight representatives not voting.

In general, Democrats supported the bill and Republicans opposed it. But several members from each party crossed party lines.

See how each representative voted in the vote total above.

House passes transgender anti-discrimination law

Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo on passage of transgender bill: 'Today is one of my proudest moments as speaker'

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Amid cheers and jeers, supporters and opponents react to the House passage of a transgender anti-discrimination bill. Watch video

BOSTON -- Massachusetts representatives exited the House chamber after voting on a transgender anti-discrimination bill on Wednesday to cheers of exuberant supporters and jeers of "shame on you!"

"Today is one of my proudest moments as speaker of the House," House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, said after the vote.

The House passed the bill extending anti-discrimination protection to transgender people in places of public accommodation such as restaurants, buses and public bathrooms by a vote of 116 to 36, with eight representatives not voting.

The vote capped an emotional day at the Statehouse, with hundreds of people - supporters and opponents - watching from the House gallery and on video screens set up in the State House hallways.

"We've been heard. The Legislature heard our stories, heard our pleas, heard our work," exclaimed Mason Dunn, co-chair of Freedom Massachusetts, a coalition of advocates, clergy, labor and others who pushed for the bill's passage.

transgender.JPGSupporters of a transgender anti-discrimination bill rejoice after the bill passed the House on June 1, 2016. 

The Senate already passed a version of the bill, with minor differences from the House bill. Both branches are led by Democrats. Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, has said he would sign the version that passed the House.

DeLeo said he hopes the Senate will pass the version that the House passed, to avoid a conference committee and get a bill on Baker's desk. "I come here as speaker to have real victories, and real victory is when someone signs a piece of legislation," DeLeo said.

Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, who has strongly supported the bill, said in a statement, "Today's passage of the public accommodations bill by the House puts Massachusetts one step closer to bringing equal protection under the law for transgender individuals and preventing discrimination based on gender identity for our residents.  The Senate looks forward to working with the House to send a bill to the governor's desk."

After the House vote, opponents and supporters of the bill tried to drown each other out as they cheered and jeered the representatives leaving the chamber. Some got into arguments with each other.

"This is wrong. It's a violation of Bible principles," said Ray Li, of Westborough. "The Bible defines man and woman, female and male."

Nan Li, a Wayland resident who is unrelated to Ray Li but traveled to the State House with the same church group, said she respects other people's lifestyles, but the bill poses a threat. "If the bill that passed becomes law, there will be so many people who feel uncomfortable, unsafe," Li said. "They'll lose their privacy."

Grace Stevens, of Lexington, was among those cheering the bill's passage. "It's been a long time coming. It proves rights belong to everyone," Stevens said. "It's not a bathroom bill. It's a civil rights bill.

"People get to choose whether they go down the path of fear or love," Stevens added. "The House has chosen the path of love."

Tyler Dyler, of Arlington, who is transgender, said he has been harassed in the past, and now he feels happy and excited that he will be able "to be safe in the bathroom."

The House bill was sponsored by State Rep. Byron Rushing, D-Boston, and State Rep. Denise Provost, D-Somerville.

"We, this Legislature, did not give trans people, the trans community their rights," Rushing told a group of transgender activists and supporters after the vote. "You had your rights like we all have our rights because they're human rights, and we are human beings."

Attorney General Maura Healey, a strong supporter of the bill, said in a statement, "We have a proud history in Massachusetts of paving the way on issues of civil rights and equality. Nearly 20 other states have already extended these protections to transgender people. It's time we do the same. I look forward to having a law on the books that makes clear that everyone is welcome in Massachusetts."

Pittsfield Fire Department captain being held on assault, firearm charges; alleged to have 'slammed' a woman's head into a boat

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A Pittsfield Fire Department Captain is being held without bail after accusations that he assaulted a woman while intoxicated on Tuesday night.

PITTSFIELD, MA — A Pittsfield Fire Department captain is accused of assaulting a woman while he was intoxicated on Tuesday night, according to the Berkshire Eagle.

Jeffrey Rawson, 56, of Hinsdale, is currently being held without bail after allegations that he "slammed" a woman's head into a boat and punched her several times while the two were boating on Onota Lake, according to the paper.

Police were called to the lake at approximately 9:33 p.m., on Tuesday, after a number of reports came in that a couple was fighting near the boat ramp, according to the paper. Police allegedly found Rawson in a white BWM as he was attempting to leave the lake parking lot.

After stopping the vehicle, police allegedly found Rawson behind the wheel and a woman with a swollen forehead and blood all over her face lying in the backseat of the car.

Police also allegedly reported that an "unsecured" Smith and Wesson Bodyguard 380 sub-compact pistol was lying on the floor of the vehicle behind the passenger seat. Police said the gun was loaded, according to the paper.

A "nearly empty" bottle of Fireball whiskey was also found under the passenger seat.

Though Rawson allegedly explained to police that the woman had "fallen in the parking lot" and that he was trying to "administer first aid," the woman told officers that Rawson had attacked her. She claimed that after she and Rawson had gotten into an argument on the lake, he "slammed" her head into the deck of the boat, and punched her a number of times. She was described as "clearly terrified" by officers, according to the paper.

Rawson pleaded not guilty to a number of charges in Berkshire County Court, including assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, being an intoxicated licensee carrying a firearm, and improper storage of a firearm.

Rawson has a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Friday in Central Berkshire District Court. The hearing will determine if bail should be set in the Fire captain's case.

 

Monson commemorates 2011 tornado with walk downtown

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About 50 gathered at the First Church of Monson Wednesday afternoon, sharing memories with a community walk to downtown and through neighborhoods hardest hit by the tornado of June 1, 2011.

MONSON -- About 50 people gathered at the First Church of Monson Wednesday afternoon, sharing memories with a community walk to downtown and through neighborhoods hardest hit by the tornado of June 1, 2011.

The lighthearted mood was in stark contrast to the destruction of five years ago. Good feelings were sprinkled with stories shared by those in the small parade, who reminisced candidly about their town's labor of love-type recovery.

Monson fifth anniversary tornado walk 

Jo Sauriol was handing out white T-shirts outside the church as walkers were about to take in the tour -- free to all who came, shirts from the day, that now recall that fateful period, embossed with the logo, "Monson Unites: Restoring Hope, 6-1-2011."

"In truth we were only able to accomplish what we did in aiding recovery efforts due to the thousands of individuals and businesses who donated their time, money and supplies to our town. Their generosity made Monson Strong," she said when the walk had completed before dusk.

"It was devastating; I don't feel we've made it all the way back yet," said resident Laurie Tyburski, who walked with her 2-year-old English cream retriever, Murphy.

Monson fifth anniversary tornado walk 

Walk organizer Karen King led the group past the rebuilt police station and town hall, recounting the resources expended.

She brought the tour to the home of Tony and Kim Slozak at 6 Bethany Drive. What is there now -- a new, 2,800-square-foot Victorian house with a trio of young trees taking root -- replaced the family's 19th century, 1,800-square-foot home and dozen trees the furious tornado destroyed. They moved into their new home May 23, 2012.

"We lived in a trailer for a year," Tony Slozak said.

"It's just wonderful to be back," said his wife.

Tony Slozak recalled the day after the tornado hit. He had stockpiled a lot of kielbasa -- their daughter had been scheduled to graduate from Monson High School the next day -- and was handing the still-frozen sausages out the window to friends who came to help him clean up.

One person he had passed a package to asked if he was having a party. "I said no, not right now," Slozak said. "He said, 'You will.'"

The "he" it turned out to be the governor, who was touring the devastation left after the storm.

"I never expected Gov. Deval Patrick to take the kielbasa from me, it was so funny," Slozak said.

Carolyn Burson recalled all the volunteer work at the First Church.

"It does not seem possible it's been five years," she said. "I volunteered every day when it happened. It was extremely well organized."

Holyoke Fire Chief John Pond 'Not fan' of brownouts, acting Police Chief Denise Duguay says more officers would cut overtime, up morale

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The Holyoke Police Department requested funding for 98 officers in the proposed budget but Mayor Alex Morse agreed to 90.

HOLYOKE -- Fire Chief John A. Pond disagrees with but enforces the policy of removing trucks from service occasionally to save overtime money, he told the City Council in a budget hearing Wednesday.

Acting Police Chief Denise Duguay said the Police Department could do its job even better with more officers, but only 90 officers are funded in the proposed budget while 98 were requested.

The City Council held the hearings on the public safety departments as it continues reviewing the $126.2 million budget that Mayor Alex B. Morse has submitted to run the city in the fiscal year beginning July 1 (see below).

The police budget is $12,264,882, which Morse said is about the same as the current budget.

The fire budget is $8,685,489, which is about $400,000 higher than the current budget because funding is needed to replace a federal grant that expired.

The removal of fire trucks from service -- known as "brownouts" -- occurs when firefighting staffing is thin. That happens when firefighters are out because of vacations, illness or other reasons. Each truck has a minimum of three firefighters, so if one is out, the truck is shut down for that shift and the other two firefighters are temporarily reassigned, to avoid ballooning overtime costs.

The proposed Fire Department budget includes $350,000 for overtime. The City Council approved $400,000 for Fire Department overtime in the budget approved for the current fiscal year.

But Pond said the department is on track to spend $600,000 on overtime this fiscal year, even with the brownouts, and he envisions about the same for the next fiscal year.

The fewer fire trucks that are available per shift, the less coverage is provided throughout the city, especially if more than one fire occurred at a time, he said.

"Every time you have a brownout, you roll the dice," Pond said.

Duguay was the lead officer representing the Police Department during its hearing while Police Chief James M. Neiswanger attends FBI training in Virginia. She was joined by Capt. Matthew F. Moriarty and Sgt. John Hart.

"If we don't have enough officers, then we have to pay officers overtime. I know that's a hot topic, but I'm just putting that out there," Duguay said.

Requiring that officers work overtime to ensure shifts are staffed exerts a toll on such officers if it separates them from their families, she said.

"And that's bad for morale," Duguay said.

"One of the big things we need is people," Moriarty said.

Morse said his proposed budget maintains services taxpayers depend on while recognizing the need to limit spending. The proposed budget is less than 1 percent higher than the $125.5 million budget with which the city began the fiscal year on July 1, 2015.

But after hearing from the fire and police officials, some councilors disagreed with Morse's assessment. They said it seemed clear that financial transfers would be needed during the next fiscal year to add funding for police and fire overtime.

"I've seen a lot of cuts that the mayor made and it just doesn't seem like it's going to work," Councilor at Large Peter R. Tallman said.

"We're looking at a proposed budget that's really 'pie-in the sky,'" Councilor at Large Michael J. Sullivan said. "It's not going to hold up."

Stories with additional details on City Council budget hearings will be published this week.

Holyoke Fiscal Year 2017 budget: by Mike Plaisance

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