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Massachusetts Senate to consider limiting credit checks by employers

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The bill is causing concern among businesses, who say they have valid reasons for wanting to know whether someone working for them has had financial problems.

BOSTON -- The Massachusetts Senate will consider a bill on Thursday that would prohibit employers from doing credit checks on potential employees. The bill is causing concern among employers, who say they have valid reasons for wanting to know whether someone working for them has had financial problems.

"Banks want to ensure their customers' funds and information is kept safe, and they don't want to end up in a situation where they have an employee who does something that could compromise that," said Jon Skarin, senior vice president of the Massachusetts Bankers Association.

The bill, S.2394, was sponsored by State Sen. Michael Barrett, D-Lexington, vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. It would prohibit employers from requesting a credit report for a job applicant or employee in order to make decisions related to employment, such as hiring, firing or promotions.

There are exceptions in cases where the credit report is required by federal or state law; when an employee is applying for or holding an executive or managerial position at a financial institution; or is applying for a job that requires national security clearance. There would also be an exception for jobs that involve significant financial responsibility, including authority over funds worth more than $10,000 or authority to enter into financial agreements valued at $10,000 or more. To request a credit report in those cases, the employer would have to get a job applicant's written consent and let the person dispute the report's accuracy.

Currently, at least 10 states have laws limiting an employer's ability to request an employee or job applicant's credit score. Most laws have some kind of carve out, generally for jobs that involve control over large sums of money. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, has introduced a similar bill nationally.

Barrett said in Massachusetts, the main reasons people have debt are student loans and medical bills. Other common reasons are loss of a job and divorce. "You're not talking about people who are long-term bad actors," Barrett said. "You're really talking about human beings who are hit with one bit of bad luck that lingers and lingers forever."

In Massachusetts, the average graduate of a four-year college has $29,300 in debt, according to the Institute for College Access and Success. Nearly one in five insured adults in Massachusetts reported problems paying medical bills over the past year, according to a 2015 survey by Blue Cross Blue Shield.

National surveys show that around 47 percent of employment interviews involve credit checks. One study by the Federal Trade Commission found that 25 percent of consumers identified errors in their own credit reports. Barrett said there is often no relationship between someone's credit history and their ability to do a job.

Barrett said he is open to discussing exemptions. "The question of how much of a loophole to create for particularly sensitive jobs is one we can continue to talk about," Barrett said. "The principle is that people should be able to get back on their feet, people should not encounter one bit of very bad luck and find themselves unable to recover. That wouldn't be the American dream. That would be a nightmare."

State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, a bill co-sponsor, said the bill is about employee rights. Eldridge said today, if a person lost a loved one or had a health care emergency and fell behind on their bills, that could impact their ability to pass a credit check and get a job - even though their credit problems may not affect their ability to do that job. "I don't think there's a connection, and I think it could potentially discriminate against those who are less well off," Eldridge said.

Margot Saunders, counsel at the National Consumer Law Center in Washington, which opposes the use of credit checks for employment, said there are a tremendous number of mistakes in credit reports, and it is difficult for consumers to get mistakes corrected. For example, someone with a common name may end up with someone else's credit information on their report. Particularly for jobs like grocery or drug store clerks, Saunders said, "A credit report has little to do with how trustworthy or how good an employee is."

But business groups say there are reasons for employers to do credit checks. Skarin said credit checks are common in the banking and financial services industries, where most jobs involve access to other people's money and personal information. "You want to make sure the people who are in those jobs are both qualified to do them but also aren't at risk for potentially doing something with that information or with those transactions," Skarin said.

Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said few retailers use credit checks. But for those who do, it is a tool they can use to combat theft. "We really don't like the idea of taking tools away from any employer," Hurst said. "Is it a slam dunk indicator of a good employee or a bad employee? No. But it at least is an indicator of somebody that might be responsible, might be good with money, or vice versa."

Hurst said for Massachusetts to limit the use of credit checks puts local employers at a disadvantage compared to retailers in other states.

If the bill passes the Senate, it must still pass the House before the legislative session ends July 31 in order to become law.


Annual water report shows Holyoke's water supply is safe to drink

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The city released findings of an annual water quality report and the results are good.

HOLYOKE -- The city released findings of an annual water quality report and the results are good.

Holyoke's water supply met all federal and state drinking water standards in 2015.

Last year, city residents used 1.783 billion gallons of water. The majority of the city's drinking water is drawn from the Tighe-Carmody Reservoir in Southampton via a 6.6-mile concrete pipe constructed in the late 1990s. About 7 percent of the water used last year -- approximately 124 million gallons - was pumped from the McLean Reservoir in Holyoke.

The city is one of a handful of communities in the state that has an unfiltered water supply. Holyoke received a filtration waiver from the state "because the water quality is that good," said Holyoke Water Works Manager David M. Conti.

"Even if we were to filter the supply, you would not notice difference in quality," he said.

The water quality report shows several additives and contaminants were found in the water, none in violation of safe drinking levels.

Chlorine and fluoride is added to the drinking water -- the former to control bacterium causing disease and the latter to prevent tooth decay and cavities.

The city has received several awards in recent years from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for maintaining optimum fluoride levels.

Water testing also found low levels of nitrate and turbidity in the water supply. Nitrate can occur naturally in water and does not generally cause health problems. Possible sources include runoff from fertilizer use and leaching from septic tanks. Turbidity is cloudiness in water caused often by sediment - especially clay and silt - suspended or dissolved in water. Soil runoff is the believed cause of turbidity found in Holyoke's water samples.

The water was not tested for copper or lead last year. State regulations require the city test for these heavy metals every three years and Holyoke passed in 2014, as it has for many years.

Prolonged exposure to high levels of lead can cause serious health problems -- especially for children and pregnant women -- including gastrointestinal distress and brain damage.

Federal mandates require there be no more than 20 parts per billion of lead in a school's water source, while Massachusetts standards are higher. The state requires corrective action be taken if a school tests at 15 parts per billion or higher.

Lead primarily enters drinking water through corrosion plumbing materials, MassDEP says. While 15 ppb is the level at which action is required, no amount of lead is safe, experts say.

In 2014, Holyoke Water Works collected water samples from 30 customer taps. One tested above the level at which actions must be taken, with the cause believed to be corrosion of the household's plumbing system.

Holyoke will test again for lead and copper next year. 

New UMass Amherst admission director hopes to inspire, attract diversity

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Hendricks said he would like UMass to become "a destination" school for all "underrepresented" students. Students don't need to just consider the Ivy League, but should think of UMass and all that it offers, he said.

AMHERST -- Dale Hendricks hopes his story inspires success.

He was born in Jamaica, came to Brooklyn during the crack epidemic in New York when he was 8, lived with relatives who took him in and realized with the help of teachers that education "was the vehicle to change my life." (crack was so prevelant in the 1980s, according to the New York Times, that there were "more open-air crack markets than grocery stores" and "children grew up dodging crack vials and gunfire.")

Now the new director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Massachusetts, Hendricks hopes to help others find success at UMass.

Hendricks, who had been senior associate dean of admission at Amherst College, has been in the UMass job since May.

The university in a press release said as part of his job, Hendricks will "play a critical role in helping to define the university's undergraduate recruitment and enrollment goals and ensure that those goals are met."

Hendricks said he would like UMass to become "a destination" school for all "underrepresented" students. Students don't need to just consider the Ivy League, but should think of UMass and all that it offers, he said.

Underrepresented students, he said, refers to racial, social, economic and geographical diversity. He would like to reach out to gay, lesbian and transgender students and see UMass admit more students from abroad.

He said it's important that UMass "capture a student body that reflects the world you live in. ... We're living in a global economy. We're doings students a disservice if we don't expose them to that."

He knows bringing students to UMass is only part of the process to ensuring diversity. Helping them navigate their way through once they are here is another. He said students need help "adjusting to a community (where) there are not many faces (like them)."

He said students might need help developing ways to study, to pay for college and just to adapt.

"I could be an asset for them," he said, noting he could share his background, which might inspire hope.

He said a high school teacher in Brooklyn was very helpful to him, and that led him to Williamstown, where he attended A Better Chance, a national program for academically talented and highly motivated African-American, Latino, Asian and Native American students from educationally underserved school districts to prepare them for college and future leadership roles.

Students live in a house together and attend Mount Greylock Regional High School. Amherst also has such a program.

"Living in the college community for three years literally changed my life," he said. "(I could) see what it (college) looked like up close. It made me realize this is a goal I could meet."

After high school, he went Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and worked four jobs to help pay for college.

After gradating from Wesleyan, he worked at the TEAK Fellowship, a New York City-based program that helps talented students in economic need get into top high schools. At TEAK, he was a liaison for families and helped support students with the transition.

"(Being in) the trenches was a powerful experience," he said.

He said it was hard to leave Amherst College, but he believes here he can have a greater reach on a larger campus.

He doesn't see his job at UMass as purely administrative but one where he can work with students and their families. "I feel so excited," he said.

He said he senses an excitement from faculty and administrators to reach more students as well.

UMass has taken a number of steps to make the campus more diverse and address issues and concerns about the racial climate on campus. Last year, Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy created the first provost for diversity in response concerns raised in 2015 about issues of racial inequality on campus. Leykia Brill, the former Amherst College associate director of Student Activities, was hired for the job.

Hendricks knew Brill and spoke to her about the job here, and she let him know UMass was committed to its goals, he said.

When asked what success in his new job would look like, Hendricks said he's not looking at numbers and that success will be measured one student at a time.

Hendricks, 40, lives in Holyoke with his wife Nicole Hendricks, who teaches at Holyoke Community College, and their two children.

Ibiza Tapas in Northampton closes, to be filled with restaurant, bar with intense focus on locally sourced cuisine

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The space's interior is undergoing major renovations. Ibiza's colorful but dark interior will be replaced with white, black and natural-wood walls, and filled with antique furniture bought at the Brimfield Flea Market.

NORTHAMPTON -- Ibiza Tapas and Wine Bar closed its doors for good Thursday after six years of business.

But a new restaurant that specializes in cuisine made from only locally sourced ingredients will soon open at Ibiza's former location at 7 Strong Ave., according to the venture's owners.

The restaurant, cafe, full-service bar and dance club will be named "Sevenstrong" in a nod to its address.

Sevenstrong is owned by Sebastien Piekutowski, a Montreal native and former head sommelier and beverage manager at ConVino Wine Bar; Jon Adler, who has been a chef at Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City and San Francisco and will run the kitchen; and Benson Hyde, co-owner of local establishments Provisions and Goberry.

IMG_9031.JPGA sign in the window of 7 Strong Ave. in Northampton, the former location of Ibiza Tapas and Wine Bar. 

Ibiza Tapas announced its closing on Facebook last Wednesday.

Attempts to reach Ibiza owner Juan Suarez for comment were unsuccessful.

Piekutowski, who worked at Ibiza for two weeks in 2015, said Suarez decided to step away from the business to "concentrate on his personal life and other business ventures."

Piekutowski said he has offered positions to Ibiza's former employees.

Sevenstrong is expected to open its daytime cafe -- which will offer coffee, Chinese-style pork buns and pastries made in-house -- by the end of July, Piekutowski said.

A few weeks after that, Sevenstrong will extend its hours and also offer dinner fare, as well as beer, wine and cocktails. Prices will range from a few bucks for small bites to $20-$25 for entrees, Adler said. Two entrees -- a vegetarian meal and a meat-based meal -- will be on the menu each night.

Most beer -- the majority of which will come from area breweries -- will cost $4 a pint, Piekutowski said, while some wine will be priced as low as $5 a glass.

Piekutowski stressed that Sevenstrong management is serious about buying all of its ingredients locally and seasonally. Kitchen staff will work only with whole animals, and all butchery will happen in-house.

And about 20 percent of ingredients will be wild; Sevenstrong already has a contract with a local forager, Piekutowski said.

"We're adamant about not using anything that can't be grown in this region -- pineapples, peanuts, lemons, limes, black pepper," Adler said. Those ingredients will be replaced with things that can be found locally, such as using spruce tips for citric elements.

Sevenstrong's bread will be made by Northampton's Hungry Ghost Bread. Charcuterie meats will be smoked and dry-cured on the premises.

Adler said Sevenstrong's menu won't be "bound by any ethnic or cultural background.

"What we're doing is exploring and developing and researching so we can create a cuisine that is indicative of the region and specific to the region," he explained.

The space's interior is undergoing major renovations, Piekutowski said. Ibiza's colorful but dark interior will be replaced with white, black and natural-wood walls, and filled with antique furniture bought at the Brimfield Flea Market. Unlike Abiza,

Sevenstrong's kitchen will be open, meaning patrons can watch chefs making their food.

Sevenstrong will also have a patio that can seat about 30 people and an herb garden that customers can peruse, Piekutowski said.

Sevenstrong will be open until 2 a.m. a few times a week for dance nights, featuring an eclectic variety of music -- anything from soul to Hip Hop to punk. And, appropriately, music by local bands, Adler said. Cover fees will not be charged.

Sevenstrong's goal is not just to sell food and drink, Piekutowski explained -- it's about making the community better. For example, full-time employees will be offered salaries, paid vacation days and healthcare benefits. Management will also waive the right to "arbitrarily let go of people," Piekutowski said.

Sevenstrong is also working with the Hampden County Sheriff's Department to hire ex-convicts as part of a work reintegration program, and plans to hold free foraging classes at local educational institutions. <hr>

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Man breaks leg in fall into empty Deerfield Academy pool

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In order to get the man out of the pool, members of the Western Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team were called in.


DEERFIELD - A man working on a scaffolding at the Deerfield Academy pool suffered a broken leg Friday when he fell into the drained pool, officials said.

The man, whose name was not disclosed, was taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield for treatment, according to Deerfield police.

In order to get the man out of the pool, members of the Western Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team, which includes members of the Greenfield and Turners Falls fire departments, were called in.

The team used harnesses and a gurney to lift the injured man to the deck.

The accident was reported just before 9 a.m.

According to first responders site Fireground360, the fall was approximately 14 feet.

Seen@ Photos from the Independence Day new citizen Naturalization Ceremony in Northampton

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As American citizens celebrated the nation's independence this weekend with picnics, barbecues and fireworks, they were be joined by 51 who took their citizenship oath on the Fourth of July.

NORTHAMPTON - As American citizens celebrated the nation's independence this weekend with picnics, barbecues and fireworks, they were be joined by 51 who took their citizenship oath on the Fourth of July.

Immigrants from 32 countries living in 13 Western Massachusetts communities took the oath outside the Old Courthouse at the 8th annual Center for New Americans sponsored ceremony.

U.S. Magistrate Katherine Robertson, a Northampton native, presided for the second time.

Several hundred locals turned out to watch the swearing in.

The new citizens come from countries including Bhutan, Bulgaria, Canada, People's Republic of China, Colombia, Cote D'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Moldova, Nepal, Pakistan and Poland, according to the Center for New Americans.

For more information, visit the Center for New Americans website here. The center has sites in Amherst, Northampton and Greenfield.

Prosecution rests in Dennis Rosa-Roman murder trial, medical examiner describes cause of Amanda Plasse's death

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Amanda Plasse, 20, was found stabbed to death on Aug. 26, 2011, in her third-floor apartment at 73 School St. in Chicopee.

SPRINGFIELD — The prosecution rested its case Tuesday afternoon in the murder trial of Dennis Rosa-Roman, accused in the killing of Amanda Plasse in Chicopee in 2011.

The last prosecution witness was state medical examiner Dr. William Zane, who said Plasse bled to death from a combination of stab wounds and cutting wounds. He said the bleeding sent her into shock, and said she would have been conscious "minutes" before going into shock and would have felt pain.

Zane said Plasse's injuries were consistent with a struggle.

Rosa-Roman was arrested Nov. 5, 2013, and charged with murder in Plasse's death. Plasse, 20, was found stabbed to death on Aug. 26, 2011, in her third-floor apartment at 73 School St. in Chicopee.

Donald W. Frank, Rosa-Roman's lawyer, said in his opening statement the 24-year-old defendant saw Plasse being killed. In video-recorded police interviews that have been played for the jury, Rosa-Roman told investigators he was afraid to give police the killer's name because he or his family might be hurt.

Frank told Hampden Superior Court Judge Mark D. Mason he expects his witnesses to finish in the morning Wednesday or at least by the end of the day. Mason said he will spend what's left of the day Wednesday talking with lawyers in preparing his jury instructions.

In addition to stabs and cuts, Plasse also suffered abrasions and blunt force trauma, including large bruises on her scalp, Zane said Tuesday.

The medical examiner said he couldn't tell if there was one fatal stab or slash wound. He said the stab wound to her heart would have been fatal, but in this case he listed blood loss from a combination of wounds as cause of death.

Prospective jurors had been warned during jury selection they would see graphic and disturbing photos. Those selected said they could see the photos and still remain impartial jurors.

The first such photos seen by jurors were of the crime scene, with Plasse lying on her kitchen floor in large quantities of blood. But Tuesday's session was also difficult, with Zane pointing out to the jury pictures of the wounds that were shown on monitors in the courtroom.

Rosa-Roman had admitted to being at Plasse's apartment at least once before the day of her murder. He told a number of differing stories to police during the investigation that included varied versions of how many times he had been at her apartment.

The prosecution is seeking a first degree murder conviction under the theories of premeditation, extreme atrocity and cruelty and killing during the commission of a felony.

Assistant District Attorney Karen J. Bell has said the felony is armed robbery. Plasse's boyfriend Seth Green had testified marijuana and his knife were missing from the apartment when he returned there and found Plasse dead. Bell said Plasse's cellphone also was missing.

MGM Springfield: We have no interest in running Symphony Hall

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Potential operators — a list that will include the Springfield Performing Arts Development Corp. which now runs the Symphony Hall as well as CityStage — have until 2 p.m. Tuesday to get their proposals in to City Hall. The winner will operate Symphony Hall until the end of 2018, months after the opening of a $950-million casino in downtown Springfield in fall 2018, according to documents on file with the city and reproduced below. The process doesn't obligate the city to take a the high bidder but to evaluate each proposal on its own merit.

SPRINGFIELD - MGM Springfield says it has no plans to submit a proposal to manage and book acts at Symphony Hall.

Springfield officials have put out a request for proposals on Symphony Hall and offers are due at City Hall at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

MGM will not put in a proposal, according to MGM spokeswoman Alicia Malone.

Springfield Performing Arts Development Corp., which manages Symphony Hall and CityStaqe now, has said it will bid to continue its stewardship of Symphony Hall.

The winner of the bid will operate Symphony Hall until the end of 2018, months after the opening of the $950-million MGM Springfield casino in downtown Springfield in fall 2018.

The request for proposals says a winning bidder will work with MGM Springfield on co-producing entertainment at Symphony Hall, an arrangement laid out in the casino's host community agreement with the city. 

MGM Springfield is working with Spectra by Comcast Spectacor on a joint proposal to operate the MassMutual Center Arena two blocks away from Symphony Hall. But they have competition from another bidder or bidders, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority said last week. The Convention Center Authority expects to name a new operator for the MassMutual Center in a few weeks.

MGM has already let pass an opportunity to bid on CityStage, a smaller arts venue located in the Columbus Center Garage. Springfield Performing Arts Development Corp. was  the only bidder for CityStage and will continue operations there. The Springfield Parking Authority owns the Columbus Center Garage Building where CityStage is located.

Symphony Hall was built in 1912 and has 2,600 seats. The winning bidder will be expected to continue to host the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and city celebrations like mayoral inaugurations and high school commencement ceremonies.

The city doesn't collect rent on Symphony Hall, rather it  expects that money earned is plowed back into cultural and entertainment  offerings.

Financial statements included in the bid documents show Symphony Hall is basically a break-even enterprise for Springfield Performing Arts Development Corp.

The group had a net loss of $7,800 at Symphony Hall in its 2014-15 fiscal year. That followed net incomes of $9,719 in 2013-14 and $17,353 in 2012-13.


Donald Trump reports $51 Million fundraising haul for June

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Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign announced Wednesday that it collected $51 million in June despite previously low fundraising totals.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign announced Wednesday that it collected $51 million in June despite previously low fundraising totals.

The billionaire businessman's campaign attributed the fundraising haul, in part, to its new digital and small dollar operation, personal contributions from Trump and nearly two dozen fundraising events across the country.

Steven Mnuchin, Trump's finance chairman, praised the campaign's ability to raise such funds in a short period of time.

"We just started our fundraising efforts in the last week of May and we are extremely pleased with the broad-based support in the last five weeks for the Trump Campaign and Trump Victory," he said in a statement. "We want to thank our many volunteers and contributors that are committed to electing Donald J. Trump as President in November."

The bulk of the contributions -- more than $26 million -- came through fundraising emails, campaign officials announced. Nearly $20 million of that came from the Donald J. Trump for President efforts and the remainder came from the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, which benefits the the GOP candidate and Republican National Committee.

According to Trump's campaign, more than 400,000 supporters contributed during the month -- the majority of whom gave less than $200.

The businessman, who largely self-funded his GOP primary campaign, meanwhile, contributed a $2 million match for the first email solicitation and a total of $3.8 million to the campaign, officials said.

In addition to the fundraising emails and contributions, the campaign, in conjunction with the RNC, reported raising more than $25 million to benefit the joint Trump Victory fund over 22 events held across the country from the last week of May through June.

Trump ended May with less than $1.3 million in the bank -- far behind the $42 million in cash Democratic rival Hillary Clinton had at the end of the same period.

The GOP White House hopeful contended that his campaign "is leaner and more efficient, like our government should be," adding that there could be "unlimited 'cash on hand'" if he put up his own money like he did in the primaries.

'Big Marijuana' doesn't exist, says spokesman for Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Mass. (video)

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Opponents of legalizing marijuana in Massachusetts have decried a 2016 initiative as a proposal crafted by "Big Marijuana" and an effort to create an industry on par with "Big Tobacco." But the spokesman for Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, says there's no such thing. Watch video

BOSTON - Opponents of legalizing marijuana in Massachusetts have decried an initiative on track for the November 2016 ballot as a proposal crafted by "Big Marijuana" and an effort to create an industry on par with "Big Tobacco."

But the spokesman for the bid to legalize the substance, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, says there's no such thing as "Big Marijuana."

"The fact is, Big Marijuana doesn't even exist," said the spokesman, Jim Borghesani. "It just does not exist. There's not a big industry that's dominating this. There's a lot of different organizations. They have one, two, maybe three stores."

Borghesani spoke to reporters on Wednesday as his campaign turned in the final round of voter signatures for getting on the ballot. State officials must certify the signatures.

Through a similar ballot question process, Massachusetts voters passed decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana in 2008, and backed medical marijuana in 2012.

"In Massachusetts, if our initiative moves forward, you're not going to see importation from other states," Borghesani said. "It has to be grown in Massachusetts. If you look at the list of people that have applied for medical marijuana, for the most part, it's venture capitalists, it's some people who are getting together, opening one or two stores. So we think that's a scare tactic that voters just are not going to fall for."

Borghesani said the campaign plans a "substantial" media buy sometime after Labor Day. It will be "well over" $1.5 million, and the campaign won't know until the fall how much opponents are spending, according to Borghesani.

Recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado, Alaska, Washington state Oregon and the District of Columbia.

"Let there be no doubt, today's marijuana is big business, and this ballot question was written by and for the Marijuana Industry that has a huge financial stake in coming to Massachusetts," said Corey Welford, spokesman for the Safe and Healthy Massachusetts Campaign, which opposes the ballot effort.

"In Colorado, the recreational and edible marijuana industry has grown to a billion dollars - all while seeing an increase in teen use and marijuana-involved traffic fatalities, and hosting more 'pot shops' than Starbucks and 7-11's combined," he added in a statement.

Colorado's Denver Post reported in May that they found "10 people control nearly 20 percent of Denver's 1,046 active medical and recreational licenses."

The Tax Foundation, a research group, recently stated that between September 2015 and Feb. 2016, the state of Colorado "collected $64 million in retail marijuana tax revenue, up 64 percent from the same period a year earlier."

Supporters of legalization say the Massachusetts ballot proposal sets up a Cannabis Control Commission and regulators will look to incorporate best practices from other states, as well as learn from their mistakes.

While a number of policymakers have treated Massachusetts passage of marijuana legalization as a fait accompli, polling has shown the ballot fight might be a steeper climb for legalization supporters than initially anticipated.

And unlike Colorado, where according to law enforcement officials the governor declined to get heavily involved in the legalization fight, Gov. Charlie Baker is actively seeking to defeat legalization in Massachusetts and helping fellow opponents raise funds.

"If we want to see it changed, we have to have the adequate funding to counter whatever messages our opponents are giving," Borghesani told reporters.

Springfield launches new season for GoFresh Mobile Farmer's Market reaching out to neighborhoods

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The city of Springfield has launched and expanded the GoFresh Springfield Mobile Farmers Market, which has grown from 3 stops weekly to 13 stops each week in various neighborhoods.


SPRINGFIELD -- The city launched the GoFresh Springfield Mobile Farmer's Market this week, aimed af providing affordable, healthy vegetables and fruits at various neighborhood locations,continuing now through Oct. 30.

The program has grown from three stops originally to 13 stops around the city. It occurs every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the summer and fall, ending Oct. 30

The program is part of the "LiveWell Springfield" initiative to promote healthy living and activity.

GoFresh Springfield Mobile Farmer's Market is a project of the city's Department of Elder Affairs, Partners for a Healthier Community, Inc., Gardening the Community, and other organizations, according to a flyer and press release from the city.

The Mobile Farmer's Market accepts payment in the forms of cash, credit/debit, SNAP, WIC and farmer's market coupons.

The following list is the weekly schedule for GoFresh Springfield farmer's market locations and times.

The stops are as follows:

  • Wednesdays - Linden Towers, 310 Stafford St., 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.; Saab Court, 25 Saab Court, 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.; and Springfield Technical Community College (starting Aug. 17) STCC Campus Green, 12 to 3 p.m.
  • Thursdays -- Clodo Concepcion Community Center, 1188 Parker St., 10 to 11 a.m.; Caring Health Center Forest Park, 532 Sumner Ave., 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Gentile Apartments, 85 Williams St., 1:15 to 2:15 p.m.; and Riverside Apartments, 122 Clyde St., 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
  • Fridays -- East Springfield Library, 21 Osborne Terrace, 10 to 11 a.m.; Colonial Estate, 1 Beacon Circle, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; and Caring Health Center, 1039 Main St., in the South End, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
  • Saturdays -- Robinson Garden, 34 Robert Dyer Circle, 10 to 11 a.m.; Independence House, 1474 Roosevelt St., 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; and Baystate Place, 414 Chestnut St., 1 to 2 p.m.

  • Chicopee bank robbery: 'No weapon was shown' when man slipped teller note

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    The robbery happened at about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday in the TD Bank at the corner of Meadow and Grattan streets.

    This updates a story posted at 2:18 p.m.

    CHICOPEE - A man wearing a hooded sweatshirt robbed a Willimansett bank Wednesday afternoon.

    The man entered the bank, located at the corner of Meadow and Grattan streets, at about 1:50 p.m. and slipped the teller a note demanding money, said Michael Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer.

    The teller complied. Police did not say how much money was taken in the robbery.

    "No weapon was shown," he said, adding he did not know if the robber said he had one in the note.

    The man then fled on foot up Grattan Street with the money, he said.

    He is described as a Hispanic man wearing shorts and a black hooded sweatshirt. Police are asking anyone with any information to call the station at 594-1730.

    There was at least one customer in the bank at the time of the robbery. Neither the customer or employees were injured, he said.

    "We are investigating and reviewing video along with following other leads," Wilk said.

    Along with reviewing the bank video, police are trying to review footage from video cameras from nearby businesses, Wilk said.

    At least five cruisers and dozens of officers responded to the robbery to collect evidence and interview employees.

    K9 officer Ryan Ramano also searched the outside of the bank with the Police Department's newest dog Kane.

    The bank is currently closed and is not expected to reopen until at least 4 p.m. The ATM machine remains open, bank employees said.

    FBI Director James Comey to testify before House panel on Hillary Clinton email investigation

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    FBI Director James Comey will testify before congressional lawmakers this week on the agency's recent decision to not recommend criminal prosecution against Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server as secretary of state.

    FBI Director James Comey will testify before congressional lawmakers this week on the agency's recent decision to not recommend criminal prosecution against Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server as secretary of state.

    Comey, who blasted the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's use of the email server despite not pursuing criminal charges, will address the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Thursday morning, Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, announced.

    Calling the Federal Bureau of Investigation's recommendation "surprising and confusing," Chaffetz contended that the fact pattern Comey presented "makes clear Secretary Clinton violated the law."

    "Individuals who intentionally skirt the law must be held accountable," he said in a statement. "Congress and the American people have a right to understand the depth and breadth of the FBI's investigation. I thank Director Comey for accepting the invitation to publicly answer these important questions."

    Comey, in announcing the FBI's decision on Tuesday, called Clinton "extremely careless" in her use of a personal email system as secretary of state.

    He noted that Investigators found no intentional misconduct by the Democratic presidential candidate, but argued that "any reasonable person" should have known better than proceeding in the manner she did.

    Despite Clinton's careless handling of sensitive emails, Comey said "no reasonable prosecutor would bring a case."

    FBI finds Hillary Clinton 'extremely careless' about emails but does not recommend criminal charges

    In addition to Comey, State Department Inspector General Steve Linick and I. Charles McCullough III, the inspector general of the Intelligence Community, will also testify before the committee.

    The State Department's IG issued a critical review of Clinton's private email server use in May, concluding that agency staff would not have supported it "because of the security risks in doing so."

    The IG further found that the former secretary of state's use of private email for public work was an inappropriate method of preserving documents and her practices did not comply with department policies regarding federal record laws.

    Area Muslims extend invitation to end of Ramadan celebration on Amherst Town Common

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    Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and is called the holy month. Muslims fast during daylight hours during the month.

    AMHERST -- Area Muslims will celebrate the end of Ramadan on Thursday with a community gathering on the Amherst Town Common beginning at 6 p.m.

    The public is invited.

    Muslims of the United States have organized the event, according to an email from volunteer Ramin Soltani. According to the organization's website, the event is intended to "show everybody that true Islam is only about spreading health and peace in all aspects."  

    Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and is called the holy month. Muslims fast during daylight hours throughout the month.

    They held a similar celebration on the common for the first time last year.

    In an email, Soltani explained that at the event with " books, brochures, explanations, and video clips we will condemn and reject any kind of disaster which is occurred in the name of Islam (and other religions) in the world. "Because, we believe and prove that Islam in reality is religion of health and peace.

    He wrote that a Muslim is only someone who is "calm and happy, peaceful and peacemaker, and seeks health in all aspects of personal, familial and social life. "Thus, any disaster occurred in the name of Islam is a product of abusing, perverting, and distorting Islam."

    How to keep seeing MassLive updates on your Facebook news feed

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    A new algorithm might prevent you from getting news on your Facebook news feed. Here's how to prevent that.

    A new Facebook algorithm, released earlier this summer, put a high priority on shares from family and friends.

    This means content posted by publishers might show up less prominently in news feeds, like ours. Here's how to prevent that.

    First, make sure you've "Liked" MassLive's Facebook page.

    Once you've done that you can hover over the downward facing arrow on the "Like" button. A drop down option will appear. If you are on your phone, just tap the "Following" button for a similar menu.

    In the dropdown menu, "default" is likely to be checked. Click the "see first" option so it is checked, instead.

    Facebook pageScreen shot of MassLive's Facebook page. 

    This should provide you with MassLive's coverage on your news feed. While Facebook has been notoriously quiet about how the news feed algorithm actually works, the algorithm does respond to its users. This means the more liking, sharing and commenting, the more likely you are to see more of that type of content.

    Be sure to follow MassLive on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, too.


    Partnership between MGM Springfield and Holyoke Community College paves way for free tuition for 50 Holyoke residents

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    Fifty Holyoke residents will be admitted at no charge to a new culinary program Holyoke Community College is establishing at the Cubit Building in a three-way agreement among the city, the college and MGM Springfield.

    HOLYOKE - Fifty Holyoke residents will be admitted at no charge to a new culinary program Holyoke Community College is establishing at the Cubit Building in a three-way agreement among the city, the college and MGM Springfield.

    Holyoke is getting $500,000 upfront from the $1.28 million in neighboring community impact payments Mayor Alex Morse negotiated to receive from MGM over the course of 15 years. Rory Casey, Morse's chief of staff, said Wednesday that the city has an agreement to turn over the $500,000 to HCC to help fund the culinary arts program so long as 50 Holyoke students get to go for free. 

    The MGM money will be paid to Holyoke Community College in stages as the students are trained.

    Holyoke was the only community in the state to negotiate casino impact payments without sharing a border with a casino host community.

    The program addresses MGM's needs for workers and Holyoke's need to train people for careers. HCC will also create a pathway programs students at William J.Dean Technical High School can easily matriculate into programs at the Cubit and then transition to bachelor's degree programs at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Casey said.

    "We're really excited," Casey said.

    MGM Springfield, which needs 750 to 900 trained hospitality service staff for its $950 million casino resort scheduled to open in Springfield's South End in 2018, is looking to Holyoke Community College's new Culinary Arts Center in the Cubit building as a source of future employees.

    MGM Springfield and Holyoke Community College officials next week will announce a partnership where MGM will have its name attached to the kitchen and classroom facility Holyoke Community College hopes to open in the Cubit Building at 164 Race St.

    The media announcement, set for 10 a.m. Monday, will feature cooking demonstrations by James Coughlin, assistant executive chef at MGM's Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and HCC Culinary Arts Professors and Chefs Warren Leigh and Mark Antsel, along with HCC Culinary Arts students. 

    Holyoke Community College had already announced that announced it's been awarded a $1.55 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development and $1.75 million from the state government for its project at the Cubit building.

    The center will house HCC's associate degree and certificate programs in hospitality management and culinary arts, as well as expanded non-credit workforce training programs in hospitality and culinary arts and specialized courses in those areas administered by Training and Workforce Options, or TWO, a joint program between HCC and Springfield Technical Community College, Holyoke Community College wrote Wednesday in a news release.

    In 2015, TWO  used a $75,000 state grant to train 228 culinary students at HCC's existing facility on its main campus. That group included 85 new job seekers and 143 students who were already working in food service but who wanted to upgrade their skills.

    TWO is taking the lead in training Pioneer Valley hopefuls for new casino jobs even looking to Atlantic Cape Community College in New Jersey for expertise in training dealers for table games, something Atlantic Cape specializes in.

    New owners Denis and Marco Luzuriaga are converting the former Cubit Wire & Cable Co. Inc. building at Appleton and Race streets into commercial spaces and residential lofts. The building fronts Holyoke's famous canals.

    Legislature will vote Thursday on final transgender anti-discrimination bill

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    If signed into law, the protections will become effective Oct. 1, 2016. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and Attorney General Maura Healey will be instructed to begin writing regulations immediately.

    BOSTON -- A bill that would extend anti-discrimination protections to transgender people in public places emerged from a committee of House-Senate negotiators on Wednesday, paving the way for final votes on Thursday.

    "It's been a very long road, and we're seeing the end of the road and at last seeing this come to fruition," said Matthew Wilder, a spokesman for Freedom Massachusetts, the coalition that spearheaded the campaign for the bill. "This will mean that we have legal rights in public spaces ... that discrimination against gender identity will be prohibited in public spaces."

    The Massachusetts House and Senate plan to vote Thursday, which would send the bill, S.2407, to Gov. Charlie Baker's desk. Baker, a Republican, has voiced general support for the bill.

    "Governor Baker believes no one should be discriminated against based on gender identity and looks forward to carefully reviewing the final bill," said Baker spokeswoman Lizzy Guyton.

    If it is signed into law, the protections will become effective Oct. 1, 2016. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and Attorney General Maura Healey will be instructed to begin writing regulations immediately, with those guidelines due by Sept. 1.

    "The bill will be 100 percent effective by October 1," said State Sen. William Brownsberger, D-Belmont, Senate chairman of the Judiciary Committee and a member of the negotiating committee.

    Gov. Charlie Baker would sign transgender anti-discrimination bill

    The bill would ensure that transgender people cannot be discriminated against in places of public accommodation, such as restaurants or on public transit. Someone who is transgender would be allowed to use the bathroom or locker room of the gender with which they identify, rather than their biological sex.

    "It's the civil rights issue of our time, and it's about basic human decency, respect and compassion," said Deborah Shields, executive director of MassEquality, a gay rights group.

    The bill garnered opposition from religious and conservative groups. Opponents cited concerns related to privacy and public safety if, for example, a transgender woman who is biologically male can use a women's bathroom.

    Supporters of the bill said it is a civil rights issue and will help transgender people avoid discrimination, such as being denied service in a restaurant because of their gender identity.

    Andrew Beckwith, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, which led the opposition, said he is disappointed in the bill. "It continues to compromise the privacy and safety of the commonwealth's women and children," Beckwith said.

    Given Healey's support for the bill, tasking Healey with writing regulations is "nothing more than a legislative placebo," Beckwith said. "There's no reason to believe she'll put meaningful protections in place for our most vulnerable citizens."

    The Senate passed its version of the bill in May, and the House followed June 1. Since then, the conference committee has been negotiating details of the bill, including the time frame for implementation and the role of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the attorney general.

    Under the bill, someone must have a sincerely held gender identity in order to take advantage of the protections, and someone cannot assert their gender identity for an improper purpose.

    MCAD will develop guidelines to determine what evidence can be used to show the sincerity of someone's gender identify, and under what conditions evidence will be shown. "We're asking MCAD to clarify when and how is it appropriate for evidence to be shown if someone feels they need to show it, or request it if in good faith someone feels they should have it," said State Rep. John Fernandes, D-Milford, House chairman of the Judiciary Committee and a member of the negotiating committee.

    Healey will be tasked with defining what an improper purpose is and under what circumstances a complaint can be made to law enforcement or to a state agency, without a business owners having to worry that they will be accused of discrimination.

    "It may be obvious in some cases that a particular circumstance requires immediate action, but there are other circumstances where it may not be so," Fernandes said.

    Some cities and towns and some businesses have already implemented anti-discrimination protections for transgender people. Fernandes said this bill would help businesses by setting a statewide policy. "What businesses want is to know what the rules of the game are that they are playing, and they want to know that all of their competitors are playing by the same rules," Fernandes said.

    Seventeen other states have similar laws.

    Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, said the provisions requiring guidance from Healey and MCAD "go a long way toward preventing discrimination, while recognizing significant concerns about this legislation."

    If the bill is signed into law, opponents could potentially try to organize a referendum, which would allow voters to repeal the law. But it is too late for them to get a question on the 2016 ballot. Because lawmakers adopted an "emergency preamble," language that makes parts of the law go into effect immediately, opponents will not be able to suspend implementation of the law if they try to organize a referendum for the 2018 election.

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

    State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, D-Boston, who was on the conference committee that negotiated the final bill, said she is pleased to see it moving forward. The bill's final passage could come less than a month after a terrorist murdered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

    "When you look at the national landscape and consider the anti-LGBT events that have recently taken place across the country in the public arena, it's really critical that Massachusetts stand on the right side of history and make a strong recognition that public accommodations are fundamental to equal rights in America," Chang-Diaz said.

    Healey, a strong supporter of the bill, cited the "very proud history in Massachusetts of protecting the civil rights and equality of all residents and visitors."

    "For transgender people and their families that want and deserve to feel safe from discrimination in public places, this simple law will mean the world," Healey said.

    Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, said in a statement, "This is a great victory for the transgender community, who asked only that they be given equal protection under the law. This is also a great victory for all of Massachusetts, as we are now on the eve of a new day, where the law will no longer be silent in the face of discrimination against transgender people."

    Northampton mayor appoints Linda Desmond as senior services director

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    Desmond is a Northampton Native with a 40-year background in elder and social services, most recently serving as the regional program director for a social support agency in North Dublin, Ireland.

    NORTHAMPTON -- Mayor David Narkewicz appointed a new director of the city's senior services Wednesday.

    The mayor's choice, Linda Desmond, is a Northampton native with a 40-year background in elder and social services, most recently serving as the regional program director for a social support agency in North Dublin, Ireland, the city said.

    If approved by Northampton City Council, Desmond will replace Patricia Shaughnessy, who held the position for 15 years and retired in June.

    Screen Shot 2016-07-06 at 4.20.48 PM.pngLinda Desmond, who was appointed Northampton's new director of senior services. 

    "Linda Desmond brings an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience to this position," Narkewicz said of his appointment, adding that Desmond is "a compassionate and dynamic leader" with the skills and vision to move the department forward.

    Desmond was also the CEO for Care Local, a Dublin-based charity that helps care for older people. There, she was responsible for all areas of management, include finances and grants, and implemented a program that trained volunteers to assist in nursing homes during meal times. She also worked for Age Action Ireland, the country's largest national aging program.

    In Northampton, Desmond was vice president of community investment for United Way of Hampshire County, and served 18 years as director of senior volunteer programs of Hampshire and Franklin counties for the former Hampshire Community Action Commission.

    Desmond also represented Ward 5 on the Northampton City Council for five years and was a member of the Northampton Council on Aging for 17 years.

    Narkewicz has referred Desmond's appointment to the Northampton City Council for approval. Desmond will begin work as the interim director of senior services on July 11, the city said.

    Funky dance moves at Connecticut party trigger self-inflicted gunshot wound

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    Police said the man suffered a leg injury when the gun in his hip pocket went off as he danced at a party.


    The band Men Without Hats scored a big hit in 1982 with their single "Safety Dance."

    There's a 32-year-old man in Connecticut hobbling around on crutches who probably wishes he had heard it.


    According to the Connecticut Post
    , Kiel Helenese of Stratford accidentally shot himself in the leg at a weekend Fourth of July party. The gun, a Glock 26 handgun, was in his hip pocket when it discharged as he danced with friends.

    He had apparently been drinking. Police reported he had a heavy smell of alcohol when they responded to the scene.

    The injury was not serious; police told the newspaper he was treated for a minor gunshot wound at Bridgeport Hospital and then released.

    Helenese was charged by police with unlawful discharge of a firearm, reckless endangerment, and possession of a loaded gun while under the influence of alcohol.

    He was released from custody after posting a $1,000 bond.


    Gov. Charlie Baker's Supreme Judicial Court nominees are pro-abortion, but NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts is still unhappy

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    All three of Gov. Charlie Baker's picks for soon-to-be vacant seats on the Supreme Judicial Court are pro-choice, but NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts says that's not enough.

    BOSTON - While all three of Gov. Charlie Baker's picks for soon-to-be vacant seats on the Supreme Judicial Court back abortion rights, NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts says that's not enough.

    "Governor Baker is pro-choice and does not believe in single-issue litmus tests for judicial appointments," Baker spokeswoman Lizzy Guyton said in a statement.

    "He anticipates that his nominees will follow the settled law on this, and all issues, as a woman's right to choose is well established under the United States and Massachusetts Constitutions," she said. "Additionally, these three SJC appointments are personally pro-choice."

    The three nominees are Superior Court judges Kimberly Budd, Frank Gaziano and David Lowy. If approved by the independently elected Governor's Council, they will replace Justices Robert Cordy, Francis Spina and Fernande "Nan" Duffly, who are all leaving the court later this year.

    But Christian Miron, deputy director for NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, said his group wants a guarantee from Baker that his nominees will uphold the constitutional right to abortion.

    "Gov. Baker only anticipates that his nominees will follow settled law," he said in an email. "There is just too much at stake for Massachusetts women to settle for anything less than an unambiguous assurance that every justice Governor Baker nominates to the Supreme Judicial Court will uphold a woman's right to full reproductive freedom and ensure women's access to safe, legal abortion in the Commonwealth."

    In addition to the three slots due to open up on the high court this year, two more vacancies are expected next year when Margot Botsford and Geraldine Hines hit the mandatory judicial retirement age of 70 in 2017.

    That means Baker will have a chance to appoint five justices on the seven-member body before his term as governor is over.

    Elected to the governor's office in 2014, Baker is a moderate Republican whose campaign included videos highlighting his pro-choice stance and support for gay marriage.

    Asked by a reporter at a State House press conference whether the same request for a guarantee was put to Gov. Deval Patrick, Baker's Democratic predecessor, NARAL Pro-Choice's Miron said "threats" to abortion access have evolved and "we're here to talk about Governor Baker's nominees."

    After a follow-up question from the reporter, Miron said, "So I'm not aware that the question was put to Governor Patrick. Governor Baker has said on many occasions that he's a pro-choice governor. So what we're asking the governor to do is to connect his public statements with the values of what we have expected [from] pro-choice elected officials."

    State Sen. Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, joined Miron at the NARAL press conference. While the organization largely goes by the acronym, the letters once stood for National Abortion Rights Action League.

    "We've come a long way as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in terms of abortion rights," said Chandler, who has been on Beacon Hill since 1995. "We've come a very long way in terms of the time that I've been in the Legislature, and I would hate to think that we may even have a slight chance of moving backward at this point and time, and I think this is really one way to assure that doesn't happen."

    The Governor's Council, which is elected independently of the governor, is tasked with vetting Baker's judicial nominees. It is chaired by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

    The council's nomination hearing for Frank Gaziano, a Scituate resident and former prosecutor, got underway on Wednesday with Hines the first person to testify in support of Gaziano's nomination.

    Hines, who was appointed to the Supreme Judicial Court by Gov. Patrick in 2014, called Gaziano a "fair-minded jurist" and "gifted student of the law."

    "He would be a welcome addition to the court," she said.

    Governor's Councilor Michael Albano asked Hines about Gaziano's judicial philosophy.

    "You're not getting Alito, I can tell you that," she said, referring to Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who was nominated by President George W. Bush.

    The council hearings on Lowy and Budd are scheduled for later this summer.

    Gov. Baker nominates three to Mass. high court

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