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Massachusetts lawmakers consider regulating pesticides to stop bee die-offs

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Agricultural experts question whether banning or limiting the use of neonicotinoid insecticides is the most effective way to protect the bees.

Bees are dying, and some Massachusetts lawmakers hope to limit the use of pesticides in order to save them. But agricultural experts question whether banning or limiting the use of neonicotinoid insecticides is the most effective way to protect the bees.

"You can read 100 different studies and get 100 different answers, so the science is still kind of all over the place regarding neonics and pollinators," said Taryn Lascola, director of the crop and pest services division at the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

Over the last decade, beekeepers have been reporting high death rates among bees. The problem began in the winter of 2006-2007, when beekeepers reported unusually high losses of 30 to 90 percent of their hives, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Annual losses of honey bee hives since then have averaged around 30 percent, according the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The loss of bees is problematic because bees are necessary to pollinate crops, including berries, almonds, fruits and vegetables.

According to the USDA, there are multiple causes of bee death. Mites are the most serious problem. There are also viruses and poor nutrition.

Pesticides, including neonicotinoids, are another factor. Neonicotinoids are nicotine-based insecticides that were developed in the 1990s. They have become widely used in commercial agriculture and in tree and garden products sold to homeowners because they have less toxic effects on people and wildlife than other pesticides.

"One reason neonics became popular is because of lesser toxicity to birds and mammals," Lascola said, using the common nickname for the insecticides.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a preliminary study in January showing there is some threat to bees from a particular neonicotinoid insecticide. The EPA is still studying three other pesticides as part of a review to decide whether to prohibit the use of certain pesticides, including neonicotinoids, that are harmful to bees during the season when crops are in bloom and bees are pollinating them.

Europe banned some neonicotinoid pesticides in 2013 and is now reviewing the ban to decide whether to keep it.

Environment Massachusetts is part of a national campaign to get the EPA to ban neonicotinoids. "We're working on this campaign to protect our pollinators and our food supply," said Environment Massachusetts campaign director Emily Rogers. "Thirty to forty percent of our bees are lost every year, and this is a really unsustainable rate of bee loss."

State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, a member of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, has joined the call for a ban on neonicotinoids. "It's really destroying a lot of the honey bee colonies across the country and here in Massachusetts," Eldridge said. "Generally, that could harm our ecosystem, and then more specifically, it could have a real damaging effect on the growing of crops and fruits and vegetables in Massachusetts, because you're going to have fewer bees to pollinate the crops."

But Ed Davidian, president of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, called the science about the pesticides' impacts on bees "speculative," and said farmers use neonicotinoids because they are safer for people than other pesticides. "It's a safer product for me to use, it's a safer product for my customers, a safer product for my employees," Davidian said.

Davidian said rather than targeting agricultural pesticides, beekeepers should focus on treating their hives for mites and improving hive nutrition. He suggested the state look at requiring beekeepers to go through training on how to keep bees healthy.

"A lot of the backyard beekeepers are choosing not to treat their hives, therefore their hives are weak, and they want to point to the agricultural person as the reason why the hives are dying," Davidian said. "It's not true. There are tremendous amounts of other issues. Pesticides has an influence, but it's not the only factor."

Itzi Garcia, a beekeeper at Allandale Farm in Boston, said bee die-offs are already causing fewer crops to grow and are making it harder for beekeepers to stay in business. "I'm in a community garden in Lincoln, and we don't even have half the crop we used to have," Garcia said.

Garcia attributed the problem to a range of factors, from mites to climate change to construction to pesticides.

State Rep. Carolyn Dykema, D-Holliston, a member of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, sponsored a bill, H.655, that would require a license to use neonicotinoids, so the only people applying the pesticides would be those who are trained in how to use them properly. These products would no longer be sold to the general public in garden centers. The bill would also place some restrictions on how the pesticides could be used. For example, during the blooming season, they could only be used for agricultural or horticultural purposes.

Dykema stressed that her bill is not a ban. "It's an attempt to recognize that there is a need (for neonicotinoids) while balancing that and trying to mitigate the bee impact," Dykema said.

Dykema's bill would also require the labeling of plants that are pre-treated with neonicotinoids, so consumers planting gardens are able to choose to plant gardens that are bee-friendly.

"My bill is about labeling so that informed consumers can make smart choices about what they want to put in their yards," Dykema said.

The bill was given a favorable recommendation by the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture and is now pending before the House Ways and Means Committee.

Maryland recently banned the use of neonicotinoids by consumers, and Connecticut also passed a law restricting their use.

Peter Lorenz, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, declined to take a position on Dykema's legislation or proposals to ban neonicotinoids. "The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources recognizes the critical role of beekeepers in Massachusetts, and looks forward to continuing to work with the Massachusetts Farm Bureau, beekeeping groups, and stakeholders to ensure apiaries across the Commonwealth remain viable and successful while producing a safe, local, healthy product for generations to come," Lorenz said.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources announced the opening this month of the state's first apiary, at the UMass Agricultural Learning Center in Amherst. The apiary has 12 honey bee hives that will be used for education and research on issues related to honey bee health, pollination and hive management.


Jury hears murder defendant change his story about day victim was stabbed to death

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Amanda Plasse was found stabbed to death on Aug. 26, 2011, in her third-floor apartment at 73 School St.

SPRINGFIELD -- For the first 40 minutes or so of a police interview played for Hampden Superior Court jurors on Monday morning, Dennis Rosa-Roman, the man accused of stabbing 20-year-old Amanda Plasse to death in her Chicopee apartment five years ago, stuck to one story.

Rosa-Roman said he went to Plasse's apartment to give her marijuana. He contended he heard a man's argumentative voice, and the man opened the door and took the pot.

Rosa-Roman said he didn't see Plasse.

But after detectives told him they had DNA connecting him to the murder, the defendant said Plasse grabbed him and pulled him by the arm. Then he said the man tried to throw him down the stairs.

Jurors were shown the recording done before Rosa-Roman's arrest during testimony from State Police Sgt. Ronald Gibbons, one of the officers who interviewed Rosa-Roman at the Westfield Police Department on Nov. 5, 2013.

Assistant District Attorney Karen J. Bell had told jurors in her opening statement they would hear testimony that Rosa-Roman's DNA was under Plasse's fingernails. She also told the jury they will hear several changes in Rosa-Roman's story.

Rosa-Roman was arrested on Nov. 5, 2013, and charged with murder in Plasse's death. She was found stabbed to death on Aug. 26, 2011, in her third-floor apartment at 73 School St.

Rosa-Roman watched another man kill Plasse, defense lawyer Donald W. Frank said in his opening statement last week. He said the 24-year-old Rosa-Roman was afraid of the man who killed Plasse, so he did not tell police who it was.

Gibbons on Monday testified Rosa-Roman was arrested in the entrance to the interview room. He said there was a struggle when Rosa-Roman was taken into custody there.

Gibbons said toward the end of the interview that day he left the room and got information about the DNA evidence. Before he got the call about the DNA, Rosa-Roman was not under arrest, although he had been read his Miranda warning.

In the interview shown to jurors, Rosa-Roman kept insisting he was being as helpful as he could in trying to describe the man who opened Plasse's door and took the marijuana. "I'm trying to give you as much as I can," he said. But he also talk about fearing the man. "He's going to f---ing kill me," Rosa-Roman says.

Rosa-Roman insisted a certain friend went with him to Plasse's apartment the day she was murdered, when the man opened her door and took the marijuana. Despite police telling him the friend he said was with him was actually in jail that day, Rosa-Roman kept insisting the friend was with him.

"That kid was not in jail. He was with me," Rosa-Roman said in the recorded police interview.

Also on Monday morning, one juror sent a note to Judge Mark D. Mason via a court officer.

The juror was brought in to confer with Mason, Frank and Bell at the judge's bench, and then the juror was excused.

A total of 16 jurors were selected even though only 12 deliberate. The extra four were chosen for instances such as this, when a juror must be excused during trial or deliberations.

The alternate jurors who do not deliberate are chosen at random at the end of the trial.

In the recorded interview heard by the jury, Rosa-Roman uses profanity often, and also complains about the woman who was his girlfriend at the time of Plasse's killing. He particularly complained about the woman not letting him do what he wanted and being too possessive.

Public's help sought in locating missing 15-year-old

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Police are seeking the public's help in locating a Springfield 15-year-old who left her Mapledell Street home around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 26, and has not been since.

SPRINGFIELD -- Police are seeking the public's help in locating a Springfield 15-year-old who left her Mapledell Street home around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 26, and has not been since. 

Screen Shot 2016-06-27 at 2.26.48 PM.pngAliah Luna 

Aliah Luna is about 5-feet, 4-inches tall, 129 pounds, dark skin and wears black framed glasses with short black hair and brown eyes. Her guardian says she's currently being treated for depression and suffers from mental health issues.

She was last reported conversing with a man on Facebook who reportedly picked her up from Mapledell shortly after Luna told him she was going to leave the home out a window.

Anyone with information as to Luna's whereabouts should call the Springfield Police Department's Major Crimes Bureau/Juvenile Division at 413-787-6360 or her guardian, Miss Williams, at 413-883-1544. 

Westfield announces water restrictions through September

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Watering of lawns or washing vehicles prohibited.

WESTFIELD - The Water Commission ordered restrictions on non-essential water usage effective Monday through September 30.

The ban was issued Monday afternoon after the commission the need for conservation measures to ensure an adequate water supply for its costumers, according to a media release.

The commission noted the water shortage is the result of removal Wells # 7 and 8, located near Barnes Regional Airport from the water supply system. The two wells in question were shut down in May after testing indicated contamination from Perfluorooctanoic acid and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate.

Under the ban, all non-essential water use will be allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. at off numbered houses throughout Westfield.

All non-essential water use will be allowed on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. at even numbered homes.

No non-essential water use will be allowed on Mondays during the restriction period.

Examples of non-essenti9al water use includes irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems; washing vehicles, except in a commercial care wash or as necessary for safety; washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks except as necessary to apply surface treatments such as paint, preservatives or cement.

Questions concerning the restriction should be directed to the Water Department at 413-572-6269.

Ware selectmen promote police detective Scott Lawrence, patrolman Chris DeSantis to sergeant

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The Ware force is governed by Civil Service regulations; DeSantis and Lawrence were among three town police officers who passed the promotional exam, according to a list released by the state in March.

WARE -- Police detective Scott Lawrence was unanimously promoted to a full-time, permanent sergeant by the selectmen last month, and at the June 7 meeting, selectmen unanimously voted to name officer Christopher DeSantis an acting sergeant, with his appointment to take effect next month.

The Ware force is governed by Civil Service regulations; DeSantis and Lawrence were among three town police officers who passed the promotional exam, according to a list released by the state in March. Officer John Cacela also passed.

Chief Ken Kovitch told selectmen that the department is now seeking applicants to fill the detective position vacated by Lawrence.

The chief recently announced that he plans to retire July 31. Selectmen are expected to commence discussions soon on the appointment of a permanent or interim police chief.

UP Education Network seeks waiver on opening as a Horace Mann charter school

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The UP Education Network, which will take over a struggling city middle school this fall, has requested a change in plans on paper.

SPRINGFIELD -- The UP Education Network, which will take over a struggling city middle school this fall, has requested a change in plans on paper. 

In February of last year, the Massachusetts Board of Secondary Education approved UP Education's request to take over a Springfield middle school, later announcing the school would be Kennedy Middle School. 

After receiving board approval, the state gives charters 19 months to open. 

The UP Springfield board of trustees have requested an extension of this deadline. 

UP Springfield will operate Kennedy as a neighborhood school within the Springfield Empowerment Zone this fall rather than as a Horace Mann charter school, a decision made between local, state and UP Education officials in 2015. 

"We and the Springfield School Committee made this decision over a year ago because of our deep enthusiasm about operating UP Academy Kennedy as a neighborhood district school within the the Springfield Empowerment Zone, which did not yet exist when we initially applied to open the school as a Horace Mann charter school," said Tim Nicolette, the president of UP Education Network. "We believe the Springfield Empowerment Zone has great potential to bring significant improvements to middle schools in Springfield Public Schools."

As they pursue operating the school within the Springfield Empowerment Zone, UP Springfield has requested deferring the requirement to open as a Horace Mann charter by at least a year. 

When asked why seek a deferment of the charter instead of withdrawing the request to operate as one, Nicolette said school officials are keeping their options open.

"While we are enthusiastic about operating within the Springfield Empowerment Zone, we also recognize that it is a new and untested model within the commonwealth of Massachusetts," Nicolette said.

He added, "In the case that operating the school within the Springfield Empowerment Zone becomes more difficult than anticipated, and hinders our ability to deliver on our promises to students and families, we need to be able to transition the school into a governance model that has been proven effective in other cities and at other UP Academy schools."

If the school is not reopened as a Horace Mann charter school by the start of the 2021-2022 school year the charter will be null and void, though the school could continue operations within the district as a neighborhood school. 

The Massachusetts Board of Secondary Education will discuss UP Springfield's request during their monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 28. 

Cubit developers installed windows without Holyoke permit, face doubled fees

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The owners of The Cubit project in Holyoke confirmed they installed windows in the building before obtaining city permits, a violation that will trigger a doubling of permit fees.

HOLYOKE -- Failure to get city approval before installing windows means the permit fee will be doubled for brothers who have bought and are renovating a former factory at 181 Appleton St. into business space and residential lofts, an official said Monday.

"The '2x' fee is standard and is assessed to anyone anywhere who begins work without a permit first," Building Commissioner Damian J. Cote said.

Denis A. Luzuriaga, of Holyoke, who is doing the project with brother Marco L. Luzuriaga, confirmed in an email they made a mistake by neglecting to obtain a permit for the installation of 88 windows. They are renovating the former Cubit Wire & Cable Co. Inc. building at Appleton and Race streets into a mixed-use project they are calling The Cubit.

"We did indeed neglect to obtain a permit for the windows. We became aware of this recently and realized that it was our responsibility to apply for the permit. Most of the work currently being done has the subcontractors pulling permits. Such was the case for the roof, all of the asbestos abatement, excavation, etc. We thought that the windows fell into that category but clearly it was an error on our part. We've already reached out to the building commissioner to advise us as to how to proceed," Luzuriaga said.

The city would charge a window installation permit fee of $100 plus $5 for each additional window, so in the case of installation before receipt of a permit, the fee would be $200 plus $10 per window, Cote said.

That means the fee at The Cubit for the 88 windows would be $1,070 instead of $535 if the permit had been obtained before installation.

Cote said he would contact The Cubit developers. They have obtained an electrical permit for a temporary alarm system, a building permit for interior demolition and a building permit for a new roof, he said.

Flooring work also has been done in the building, but Cote said, "Installing of windows does require a building permit, non-structural flooring does not.

"The owners have been working with various departments within the city for about a year now. The architect hired by the owners and I have met a few times as the plans are being finalized. I will reach out to the owners to discuss any work that may be taking place without required approval," Cote said.

The Holyoke Community College (HCC) Center for Hospitality and Culinary Arts is set to occupy the first two floors of the 96-year-old Cubit building next year. The upper two floors will be devoted to living lofts and the basement to commercial offices.

The $3 million Cubit project will be helped with a six-year Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreement with the city that is worth $67,000. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced last week that the state's Economic Assistance Coordinating Council had approved The Cubit and 17 other projects statewide for participation in the Economic Development Incentive Program.

Former UConn student Luke Gatti reportedly fought with cops who were trying to take him into protective custody at rehab

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Luke Gatti, the 20-year-old who was ordered into substance abuse treatment program after he shoved a UConn cafeteria over jalapeño-bacon mac and cheese last fall, was arrested after he fought with officers at a rehab facility in Florida.

This story updates a previous story posted at 10 a.m.

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BOCA RATON, Fla, -- Luke Gatti, the 20-year-old who was ordered into substance abuse treatment program after he shoved a UConn cafeteria over Jalapeno-bacon mac and cheese last fall, was arrested after he fought with officers at a rehab facility in Florida.

Luke GattiLuke Gatti, 19, of Bayville, N.Y., in a booking photo provided by University of Connecticut Police Department to the AP. 

A report from the Boca Raton Police Department says that officers were trying to take Gatti into custody for his own safety after he fled the Wellness Resource Center shoeless hours after arriving.

Officer Gina Schuss wrote in the report that Gatti repeatedly made suicidal statements while being transported in the cruiser after his arrest.

Schuss said police were called to the rehabilitation facility May 27 at 4:14 p.m. because staff were concerned about Gatti. He had arrived at 11 a.m. from a detox center in Fort Lauderdale for treatment for addiction to alcohol and drugs.

Staff noted he had "elevated vitals" and was going through withdrawal. Around 3:30 p.m. he left the center on foot, allegedly because a doctor had denied him medication to cope with the pain from withdrawal, the report states.

Schuss wrote that she encountered Gatti when he returned to the facility at 5:45 p.m., angrily demanding the return of his belongings.

"I then began to speak to him about how he felt," Schuss wrote. He was agitated, sweaty and out of breath, she noted, and she told him she was concerned about him and for his safety.

He replied that he "did not care if he got hurt or if he hurt himself and wanted to be left alone," Schuss wrote.

She said that when he started to leave the building again she determined that she should take him into protective custody under the Baker Act, a statute that allows such custody when a person may be having mental health problems.

Gatti hit her hand away when she reached for him, she wrote, at which point a second officer grabbed him by the arm. Gatti backed up, causing both to fall into a closed door that then came off its hinges. They fell on the floor, the officer on top of Gatti.

Schuss wrote that Gatti continued to struggle until she told him he would be tased if he didn't stop resisting.

Gatti suffered abrasions on his back, but the report does not indicate if it was from the scuffle. He was taken to Boca Raton Hospital and after he was cleared, to the Boca Raton Police Department for the booking process.

The report does not make any mention of whether he was evaluated or treated for mental health issues.

A clerk in the Palm Beach clerk and comptroller's office confirmed that Gatti, of Bayville, New York, was arraigned on a charge of battery on a law enforcement officer. His case is scheduled for disposition on July 27.

Gatti's October case at UConn, where he shoved a cafeteria worker who denied him entrance to the dining facility because he had a beer, drew national attention because a video of his behavior went viral.

A judge gave him a year of probation in December as part of an accelerated rehabilitation program that would result in the dismissal of the charges, The Hartford Courant reported.

The newspaper reported that while on probation Gatti must undergo intensive substance abuse treatment and refrain from alcohol or illegal drugs, among other conditions.

Gatti posted a video apology on Youtube and flew to South America to apologize to the cafeteria worker, who had moved there, the Courant reported.

He was formerly a student at UMass Amherst, where he was arrested twice outside parties in 2014 on charges of assault and battery on police officer and disorderly conduct. The cases were resolved with pretrial programs, an attorney said at Gatti's December court date.

FACT CHECK: Some debatable Elizabeth Warren claims at Hillary Clinton stop in Ohio

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Hillary Clinton and liberal stalwart Elizabeth Warren campaigned together Monday in Ohio, symbolizing the coming together of the Democratic Party for Clinton's presidential campaign. A sampling of their statements and how they compare with the facts.

JOSH BOAK, Associated Press
CALVIN WOODWARD, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hillary Clinton and liberal stalwart Elizabeth Warren campaigned together Monday in Ohio, symbolizing the coming together of the Democratic Party for Clinton's presidential campaign. A sampling of their statements and how they compare with the facts:

WARREN: "A lot of America is worried -- worried and angry. Angry that too many times, Washington works for those at the top and leaves everyone else behind. That Washington ... lets giant oil companies guzzle down billions of dollars in tax subsidies, but then says there's no money to help kids refinance their student loans."

THE FACTS: It's not true Washington has empty pockets on the matter of student debt.

More borrowers are taking advantage of income-dependent repayment plans that make monthly expenses less burdensome and provide the possibility of debt forgiveness. Roughly $240 billion worth of loans are in repayment plans based on incomes, compared with just $72 billion in the middle of 2013, according to the Education Department.

Separately, the department erased $132 million in student loans for former students of the for-profit Corinthian Colleges, which collapsed last year amid evidence of fraud.

Interest rates are higher than what the senator from Massachusetts has advocated in the past, and today's debt relief is not as substantial as what Clinton has proposed, but claiming "no money" is available for college debt relief is a significant stretch.

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WARREN: "After my middle brother, John, got out of the Air Force, he got a good union job operating a crane. Today he has a pension because of that job. I learned from him that unions built America's middle class and unions will rebuild America's middle class."

THE FACTS: The U.S. economy would have to undergo an improbable structural shift for unions to have the numbers and clout to rebuild the middle class. Just 11.1 percent of workers belong to unions, down from 20.1 percent in 1983, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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WARREN: "Donald Trump ... wants to abolish the minimum wage. Hillary Clinton believes no one should work full time and live in poverty, and that means raising the minimum wage," paid family and medical leave, and more.

THE FACTS: Trump hasn't been a model of clarity on the minimum wage, sketching out positions that seem at odds with each other.

The presumptive Republican nominee has said he would not raise the federal minimum wage, implying he'd leave it as is. He's said at other times that he favors a higher base wage, but the matter should be left to the states -- meaning the federal minimum would essentially be abolished.

Recently he's said he favors an increase (and accused Warren of lying about his position). Warren has chosen to play up the Trump position that suits Democrats politically.

Clinton has supported a $12 federal minimum wage, but encouraged states and local communities to set the higher level of $15 sought by the liberal wing of the party personified by Warren and primary rival Bernie Sanders.

Hampden County sheriff candidates to square off in Greater Springfield NAACP-sponsored debate Tuesday

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Hampden County sheriff candidates will go head-to-head for the third time Tuesday, as they meet in Springfield for a debate hosted by the Greater Springfield NAACP.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ Hampden County sheriff candidates will go head-to-head for the third time Tuesday, as they meet in Springfield for a debate hosted by the Greater Springfield NAACP.

The evening event, set to begin at 6 p.m., will take place at the Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ on Alden Street. It is open to the public.

Bishop Talbert W. Swan, II will moderate the debate. Members of the Greater Springfield NAACP executive committee will join Swan in asking questions.

All four Democratic Hampden County sheriff candidates are expected to participate in the debate, including: Michael Albano, a governor's councilor and former Springfield mayor, Tom Ashe, a Springfield city councilor; Nick Cocchi, a Hampden County Sheriff's Department deputy superintendent; and Jack Griffin, a retired addiction specialist with the Connecticut Department of Corrections.

Non-party candidate James Gill, an assistant deputy superintendent with the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, is also slated to partake in the evening event.

It is unclear whether Republican John M. Comerford, director of the Eastern Hampden County Veterans' Service District, will join other Hampden County sheriff candidates for the debate.

Swan said he would extend the debate invitation to the GOP sheriff hopeful.

The debate, he added, will not be used for the basis of an endorsement, but rather to provide area voters the opportunity to hear directly from candidates vying to replace outgoing sheriff Michael J. Ashe Jr.

Five of the six candidates squared off in a National Correctional Employees Union-sponsored forum earlier this month, as well as in an early May debate hosted by Focus Springfield Community Television.

Swan is the nephew of State Rep. Ben Swan -- an early endorser of Albano. The governor's councilor announced his candidacy for Hampden County sheriff on Ben Swan's weekly radio show on WTCC, 90.7 FM.

Opening of Springfield Union Station platform delayed

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The planned-for new platform at Union Station in Springfield has to be delayed because it must be redesigned to meet with Federal Railroad Administration design requirements.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Redevelopment Authority is delaying the opening of a new train boarding platform at Union Station.

The station itself will open in January. Passengers will access trains from the new terminal by passing through the renovated portion of the tunnel into the current Amtrak lobby and using the existing boarding platform on the Lyman Street side as they do today, Springfield Redevelopment Authority Director Chris Moskal said in a news release.

The planned-for new platform will be built, but it has to be delayed because it must be redesigned to meet with Federal Railroad Administration design requirements, Moskal said.

The changes were made necessary by the unique configuration of the existing Union Station tracks. The SRA submitted the waiver request on March 10.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has committed to pay for the increased cost, Moskal said.

Up to 40 antique wooden benches valued at more than $100K stolen from Union Station

After the new boarding platform is completed, the Lyman Street end of the tunnel -- the current Amtrak lobby -- will be renovated and will reopen. This will result in a fully renovated passenger tunnel between the terminal and Lyman Street.

The $88.5 million rehabilitation of Union Station into an intermodal bus-rail-transit hub is the highest profile rail project in the region.

Agawam Crime Blotter: Springfield resident charged with assaulting cop and ambulance personnel, Agawam man busted on OUI charge, and more

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The names and charges appearing in this post are taken directly from the department's public log. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

AGAWAM — This is the latest installation of the Agawam Crime Blotter, an occasional look at alleged crimes committed in the city of Agawam.

The information comes directly from the Agawam Police Department's online Call Log, which the department updates on its own timetable.

The names and charges appearing in this post are taken directly from the department's public log. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Any questions should be directed to police at 413-786-4767.


Appearing below are some of the incidents reported from June 1-12:

June 1: Brian Todd Wysocki, 52, of 77 Reed St., Agawam, was charged with assault and battery and disorderly conduct. Police records list the arrest location as 50 Main St.

June 2: Rebecca Lynn Hale, 31, of 40 Sunnymeade Ave., 2nd floor, Chicopee, was charged with driving with a suspended license (subsequent offense), failure to stop for police, and driving an unregistered motor vehicle. She also was charged on a default warrant. The location of the arrest was Main and Suffield streets.

June 2: Erich H. Stulpin, 44, of 1176 Springfield St., Agawam, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a shod foot), assault and battery with serious bodily injury, and malicious destruction of property over $250. Police records list the arrest was 1176 Springfield St.

June 2: Richard Wise, 26, of 1259 N. Westfield St., Agawam, was charged with class C drug possession and class A drug possession to distribute. Police records list the arrest location as S. Westfield Street at Shoemaker Lane.

June 3: David F. Krause, 30, of 112 Harrow Road, Springfield, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and domestic assault and battery. Police records cite the arrest location as Six Flags New England, 1623 Main St.

June 4: Joseph Migliori, 28, a homeless man from Fall River, was charged with receiving stolen property over $250. Records list the arrest location as Six Flags New England, 1623 Main St.

June 5: Olivia P. Jordan, 27, of 21 Braywood Circle, Springfield, was charged with one count of assault and battery on a police officer and two counts of assault and battery on ambulance personnel. The arrest location was listed as 223 Meadow St., Agawam.

June 11: Nicholas A. Boucher, 23, of 1008 Main St., Agawam, was charged with OUI liquor, negligent operation, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. Police records list the arrest location as 1008 Main St.

June 12: Wilnelia Martinez-Machuca, 38, of 117 Marble St., Apt. #48B, Springfield, was charged with eight counts of receiving stolen property over $250, one count of receiving stolen property under $250, and two counts of receiving a stolen credit card. Police records cite the arrest location as "Six Flags Money Room," 1623 Main St., Agawam.


 

Dennis Rosa-Roman's lawyer quizzes investigator about another 'suspect' in Amanda Plasse murder

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Amanda Plasse was found stabbed to death on Aug. 26, 2011, in her third-floor apartment at 73 School St. in Chicopee. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD — The cross-examination Tuesday of the lead investigator in the Amanda Plasse murder case was more about Ryan Coggins than murder defendant Dennis Rosa-Roman.

Donald W. Frank, Rosa-Roman's lawyer, asked Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Ronald Gibbons repeatedly if he had questioned Coggins after another man said Coggins confessed he murdered Plasse.

Gibbons, testifying in the Hampden Superior Court murder trial of the 24-year-old Rosa-Roman, said he did not question or send anyone to question Coggins after Korey Los said Coggins confessed to the killing.

Rosa-Roman was arrested Nov. 5, 2013, and charged with murder in Plasse's death. She was found stabbed to death on Aug. 26, 2011, in her third-floor apartment at 73 School St. in Chicopee.

In his final interview with police on the day he was arrested, Rosa-Roman described seeing his drug dealer kill Plasse. He said the dealer had forced him to bring him to Plasse's apartment because Rosa-Roman had fronted her marijuana and she owed money.

Rosa-Roman told police he and his family would be hurt if he identified the drug dealer.

In November 2012, Los asked to speak to investigators about the Plasse murder, Gibbons acknowledged.

Much of Frank's cross-examination involved him stating something and asking Gibbons if it was correct.

Los told Chicopee police investigators he was in the Hampden County Correctional Center with Coggins. Los said Coggins said he killed Plasse, Gibbons acknowledged.

Gibbons agreed Los said Coggins went into details, saying he "forced his way into the apartment and went crazy." Los said Coggins said he stabbed Plasse 27 times and split her neck from her chin to her collarbone.

Frank went over the medical examiner's report with Gibbons and pointed out six stab wounds and eight "incised" sharp object wounds. The latter are not considered stab wounds but are cutting wounds.

Los was on the defense witness list, but before the trial began he was brought into court and told Judge Mark D. Mason he chose to assert his Fifth Amendment right and not testify. Frank asked Mason to allow him to question Los as to whether he felt pressured not to testify after a recent visit from Assistant District Attorney Karen J. Bell and Gibbons. Los said he was asserting his Fifth Amendment right because he wanted to do so, not because of pressure from the prosecutor and investigator.

In October 2011, Coggins, 26, told police he was at a party in Chicopee and a man named Gio confessed to killing Plasse. Police spoke with a number of people who had been at the party and found no such conversation took place, Gibbons said.

Coggins was then charged with misleading police. He later pleaded guilty to that charge and served a sentence of 208 days for it.

There will be coverage of the afternoon trial session later today on MassLive.com.

SJC approves ballot question allowing second Massachusetts slots parlor

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The Supreme Judicial Court on Tuesday rejected an attempt to block a ballot question that would allow a second slots parlor in Massachusetts.

The Supreme Judicial Court on Tuesday rejected an attempt to block a ballot question that would allow a second slots parlor in Massachusetts.

"Obviously, it's a good outcome. We're happy with it," said Jeffrey King, an attorney representing developer Eugene McCain, who filed the ballot question.

Celeste Myers, one of the anti-casino activists who brought the suit, said her group is disappointed, but will respect the court's decision and continue to campaign against the ballot question. "Obviously, we'll do what we can to oppose this initiative," Myers said. "We anticipate there will be a pretty robust campaign on behalf of the proponents, and we hope to meet that."

McCain submitted a ballot question for the November 2016 ballot, which would allow the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to award a second license for a slots parlor. The only slots parlor license awarded by the state gaming commission went to Penn National Gaming, which built a slots facility at the Plainridge Harness Race track in Plainville. That slots parlor opened in June 2015.

The new ballot question is written in a way that restricts the license to a facility of a certain size that has horse racing - in other words, a facility similar to Suffolk Downs racetrack, which straddles Boston and Revere. McCain reportedly has an agreement to buy a property near Suffolk Downs.

Suffolk DownsThis file photo shows the Suffolk Downs race track, which straddles Boston and Revere in eastern Massachusetts.  

Brian McNiff, a spokesman for Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, said McCain is in the process of submitting his final round of signatures to get the question on the ballot.

A group of ten anti-casino activists filed a lawsuit in December asking the SJC to block the question from going forward. They argued that the question is a local matter. Under state law, a statewide ballot question cannot apply only to one locality. The also said the question is substantially similar to a 2014 ballot question that would have prohibited casino gambling. State law prohibits the approval of a ballot question that is "substantially the same" as a measure that was voted on in the previous statewide election.

The justices of the Supreme Judicial Court, in a decision written by Chief Justice Ralph Gants, rejected the arguments of the anti-casino activists and said Attorney General Maura Healey was right in affirming that the ballot question was constitutional.

On the question of whether it is a local matter, the court found that gaming is regulated by the state, is an issue of statewide concern and has statewide economic impact. "The construction workers who would build such a slots parlor, the employees who would operate it, and the visitors who would play the slots would not be limited to those residing in the host community, and the tax revenues anticipated from its operation would benefit State coffers," the decision said.

The justices also noted that the ballot question could potentially allow a slots parlor in a location outside of Suffolk Downs. "It may well be true that this petition was motivated by one person's desire to profit from the Commonwealth's developing gaming industry...But our focus in deciding whether an initiative petition reaches the voters must be on the actual law proposed by the petition, not on the motives that may lie behind it," Gants wrote.

The justices also found that the ballot question is not substantially the same as the 2014 ballot question.

Myers said her group will continue trying to convince voters to vote against the ballot initiative. "This constant barrage of inquiries and initiatives trying to expand the gaming industry in the state before the first few approvals are even up and running is a lot to swallow," Myers said.

She noted that even if McCain does get approval on the ballot, he must still get approval from local voters in a referendum on the project and secure a license from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

"He has long road ahead of him, and it's not going to be unopposed," Myers said.

Read the full decision here.

Granby accountant facing up to 3 years in federal prison for tax fraud

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James W. Lowe, 53, of Granby, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to filing false tax returns between 2011 and 2013, shorting the IRS around $120,000.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Granby accountant pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court to filing false tax returns on his own behalf.

James W. Lowe, 53, admitted to three counts of filing false corporate tax returns for his accounting business and three counts of filing false personal income tax returns from 2011 to 2013.

His attorney, John Pucci, said Lowe under-reported approximately $120,000 and has since paid that amount plus a 40 percent "fraud penalty" and interest.

"He's now paid twice what he owed in restitution and interest ahead of sentencing," Pucci said.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said Lowe was the owner of an accounting and tax return preparation business in Chicopee and attempted to conceal certain business income by depositing checks in his personal account.

Lowe faces up to three years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. His sentencing is set for Oct. 17 before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman.


Crashes over 3 straight days in Ware send 5 to hospital, 1 under arrest

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The Saturday crash that occurred at about 4 p.m., according to police, resulted in the operator of the northbound vehicle, Danielle Houle, being criminally charged, police said.

WARE — Motor vehicle crashes on Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Ware resulted in injuries from two smash-ups that required emergency helicopter flights to local hospitals.

The two collisions requiring hospitalizations, on Saturday and Monday, occurred in the same spot — on Route 32, not far from the fire station and adjacent to Third Avenue.

In both instances, the northbound vehicle crossed the dividing line and crashed into the southbound automobile.

Danielle HouleDanielle Houle 

The Saturday crash that occurred at about 4 p.m., according to police, resulted in the operator of the northbound vehicle, Danielle Houle, being criminally charged, police said. Houle, 40, who resides in Hardwick, was charged with operating without a license, negligent driving and traveling in the wrong lane.

Police also charged her with being a fugitive from justice, related to a Florida case, after she was discharged from Baystate Mary Lane Hospital.

One of the two occupants in the vehicle that police said she crashed into was taken by helicopter to the hospital, suffering broken ribs and femur. The other was transported by ambulance because of injuries.

A two-vehicle crash Sunday night at 8 in front of Ware Town Hall on Main Street did not result in injuries, although the roadway was strewn with broken car parts.

The Monday collision, which occurred about 5:30 p.m. on Route 32 at Third Avenue, remains under investigation, police said Monday night.

The northbound vehicle crossed into the southbound lane, crashing into the oncoming automobile.

The driver of the northbound vehicle was transported by helicopter to the University of Massachusetts medical center in Worcester. The driver of the southbound vehicle was taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, police said.

Police did not have information on the extent of injuries.

Baystate Medical Center names Tejas R. Gandhi COO

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His appointment became effective June 13.

SPRINGFIELD -- Tejas R. Gandhi has been named chief operating officer at Baystate Medical Center, the organization said Tuesday.

Previously Gandhi was chief administrative officer at Navicent Health in Macon, Georgia, where he led the organization through an era of positive change and restructuring, contributing greatly to its financial recovery, Baystate said.

His appointment in Springfield became effective June 13.

Gandhi fills a position left vacant by nurse Nancy Shendell-Falik who was named in 2015 as the president of Baystate Medical Center and senior vice president of Hospital Operations for Baystate Health. Before that appointment, she worked for for two years in the dual position of chief operating officer and senior vice president/chief nursing officer for Baystate Medical Center.

Shendell-Falik said in a news release:

"Dr. Gandhi is a true change agent, whose culture-building skills and talents in the area of continuous process improvements will be an asset in leading Baystate Medical Center and supporting Baystate 2020, our health system's strategic plan. His adherence to core values and accountability in all actions, as well as his advocacy of transparency, especially in his own interactions, will make him a key member of the Baystate Health family."

Gandhi has 15 years of professional experience in health care administration. His last job was at a hospital similar to Baystate Medical Center, according to the news release.

Navicent Health is a 637-bed teaching hospital affiliated with Mercer University School of Medicine, a Level I trauma center and a three-time Magnet Designated hospital for nursing excellence nationwide.

Prior to joining Navicent Health in 2013, Gandhi was employed by Virtua Health, the largest comprehensive health care system in Southern New Jersey, where he helped change the overall culture to one of continuous process improvement, resulting in cost savings and key improvements for the organization, according to Baystate. 

Gandhi attended the University of Bombay, India, where he received his bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering. He later received a master of science degree in industrial engineering from State University of New York at Binghamton and a doctorate in health administration and leadership from Medical University of South Carolina.

He and his wife, Hemali, are the parents of two children.

Belchertown Animal Control Board to take up problem pit bulls again

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The town's Animal Control Advisory Board has scheduled another public meeting Thursday night to discuss the problematic behavior of two Pit Bulls, and the alleged failure of the owner, Christian Airoldi, to properly restrain them.

BELCHERTOWN -- The town's Animal Control Advisory Board has scheduled another public meeting Thursday night to discuss the alleged problematic behavior of two pit bulls, and the alleged failure of the owner, Christian Airoldi, to properly restrain them.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Lawrence Memorial Hall, located at 2 Jabish St.

The ACAB's meeting agenda says they will convene "Regarding Christian Airoldi for Violation of Leash Laws, Vicious Disposition & Vicious attack on another canine."

Belchertown government records show problems with Airoldi and his pair of dogs are not new. Minutes from a Sept. 29 ACAB meeting indicate that Airoldi, of 33 Mill Valley, was required to attend that session because of the actions his pit bulls, Gugnar, a male, and Ellie, a female.

The minutes allude to fines issued and contain numerous allegations against the dogs and owner, including:

  • the killing of a rooster by one of the pit bulls
  • the pair running around town without being leashed - once showing up at a public school
  • A letter from an anonymous complainant stating the dogs had jumped out of a second story window, and the female injured her paw in the fall.
  • Airoldi allegedly lying to the animal control officer

The minutes reflect these issues and others were discussed by board members with Airoldi, the animal control officer and a witness. One board member reprimanded Airoldi "for not constructing a solid kennel to contain his dogs when he could have done so if he had not spent so much money on fines.( over $1,000) ..."

The board ordered Gugnar to be neutered within 30 days and to be taken to a veterinarian within seven days to obtain anxiety medication. It ordered Airoldi to keep the dogs restrained in his bedroom while he's at work and to "look into a trainer for Gugnar to help with his separation anxiety issues."

Animal Control Officer Anna Fenton confirmed on Tuesday that Gugnar had been neutered and placed on anxiety medication. She was unsure if the dog had received any training.

Animal Control Advisory Board Minutes 9-29-2015 by MassLive2

Animal Control Advisory Board Agenda 6-30-2016 by MassLive2

There's a wizard school in the Berkshires, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling says

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"Harry Potter" author JK Rowling has identified Mount Greylock in Adams as the site of the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hiking trails. Scenic views. A wizard school?

"Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling, in a new piece of writing on the Pottermore website, has identified Mount Greylock in Adams as the site of the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry -- North America's answer to Hogwarts.

The new fiction comes before the November release of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," a film set in the Harry Potter universe but taking place in jazz-age America.

Rowling had teased information about the United States' wizard academy in January, but only announced Tuesday that the school is in Massachusetts -- which, given the past of Salem, has as good a claim on America's witching history as any state.

The new story says Ilvermorny was founded by an Irish witch who arrived in America on the Mayflower after escaping an abusive family.

After making friends with a couple of magical critters and settling in to the New World, Rowling's protagonist started a school for other wizards at the top of Mount Greylock.

Don't bother looking for it, though: "It is concealed from non-magic gaze by a variety of powerful enchantments, which sometimes manifest in a wreath of misty cloud," Rowling writes.

Explosions, gunfire reported at Istanbul airport

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Explosions and gunfire have been reported at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, according to multiple media reports.

Explosions and gunfire have been reported at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, according to multiple media reports.

Turkey's interior minister confirmed to CNN that two explosions and gunshots took place at the airport, which is the main international airport in Istanbul and the largest in the country.

CNN Turk, the cable network's Turkish offshoot, tweeted a photograph of damage at the airport:

There were multiple injuries, according to Reuters. Footage broadcast on CNN showed police armed with automatic weapons in a perimeter outside the airport.

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