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Trump campaign invents nickname for Clinton's VP pick: 'Corrupt Kaine'

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The Trump campaign is calling Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine "ethically challenged," citing a Politico report that he accepted $160,000 in gifts from 2001 to 2009, when he was Virginia's lieutenant governor and governor.

WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump's campaign already has a nickname for Hillary Clinton's new running mate: "Corrupt Kaine."

The Trump campaign is calling Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine "ethically challenged," citing a Politico report that he accepted $160,000 in gifts from 2001 to 2009, when he was Virginia's lieutenant governor and governor.

According to Trump's senior communications adviser Jason Miller, "the Status Quo ticket of Clinton-Kaine wants us to believe in a rigged system that enriches them at your expense."

Earlier Friday, Trump sent supporters a text calling Clinton, Kaine and President Barack Obama "the ultimate insiders."

Clinton announced Friday night that Kaine would join her ticket. The running mates will campaign together in Miami on Saturday.

5 things you need to know about Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton's running mate


Calif. governor rejects parole for Manson follower, calls her 'risk to society'

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Brown overturned the recommendation of a parole board that found Van Houten was no-longer the violent young woman who committed a gruesome murder and was now fit for release.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Jerry Brown denied parole Friday for Leslie Van Houten, the youngest follower of murderous cult leader Charles Manson who is serving a life sentence for killing a wealthy grocer and his wife more than 40 years ago.

Brown overturned the recommendation of a parole board that found Van Houten was no-longer the violent young woman who committed a gruesome murder and was now fit for release. She has completed college degrees and been a model inmate.

The Democratic governor acknowledged her success in prison and her youth at the time of the murders, but he wrote in his decision that she failed to explain how she transformed from an upstanding teen to a killer.

"Both her role in these extraordinarily brutal crimes and her inability to explain her willing participation in such horrific violence cannot be overlooked and lead me to believe she remains an unacceptable risk to society if released," Brown wrote.

Van Houten, 66, participated in the killings of Leno La Bianca and his wife, Rosemary, a day after other so-called "Manson family" members murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in 1969. Van Houten did not participate in the Tate killings. The crimes and the trials that followed fascinated the world and became tabloid fodder.

Leslie Van Houten, participant in Manson family killings, recommended for parole

Photos: Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy Take The Stage at Foxwoods Resort Casino

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LEDYARD, CT - Blues guitar legends and Hall of Famer's Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy took the stage in the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Friday July 22nd.

LEDYARD, CT.-- Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jeff Beck took to the stage at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Friday, just days after releasing his new album "Loud Hailer."

Beck's latest addition to his collection of grammy-adorned albums, will be his first release in six years after his last album "Emotion & Commotion" was released in 2010.

Buddy Guy, also a Hall of Fame inductee, joined the tour this year after winning the 2016 grammy award for Best Blues Album with his latest release "Born to Play Guitar," which came out in 2015.

Check out photos from the show above and for more information about Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy visit their official websites.

DEA sweep grabs 9 in Burlington-Winooski heroin and crack rings

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DEA agents grabbed nine people, many associated with drug-king-pin Michael Villanueva, for selling drugs along Winooski's Mallets Bay Avenue.

BURLINGTON— A Drug Enforcement Administration sweep has caught eight people associated with drug kingpin Michael Villanueva, known as "Unc."

U.S.Attorney Eric Miller said Friday that DEA agents arrested eight people associated with Villanueva and one other associated with alleged drug dealer Arden Cadle. A tenth suspect, Cory Barnier of Winooski, remains at large.

The Burlington Free Press reported the suspects have been charged with facilitating drug dealing by allowing their residences to be used for drug sales, mostly heroin and crack cocaine distribution.

In a press release, Miller said the following were indicted:

* Aja Trieb, age 33, for controlling an apartment at 12 Malletts Bay Avenue in Winooski, VT, and making it available for drug activity.

* Cory Barnier, age 27, and Takorian Hackney, age 31, for controlling an apartment at 33 Malletts Bay Avenue in Winooski, VT, and making it available for drug activity.

* Kerry Rivard, age 36, for controlling an apartment at 37 1/2 Malletts Bay Avenue in Winooski, VT, and making it available for drug activity.

* Rachel Gentes, age 37, and Sarah Little, age 47, for controlling an apartment at 74 Malletts Bay Avenue in Winooski, VT, and making it available for drug activity.

* Anne Weber, age 32, for controlling an apartment at 94 Malletts Bay Avenue in Winooski, VT, and making it available for drug activity.

* Tracy Korf, age 53, for controlling an apartment at 98 Malletts Bay Avenue in Winooski, VT, and making it available for drug activity.

Miller called the indictments are part of a multi-layered approach to drug law enforcement.

"People who allow their homes to be used for drug sales offer drug dealers safe haven," Miller said in a written statement.

Villanueva was arrested last fall, and in June entered a guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy to distribute a kilogram of heroin and 280 grams of crack cocaine.

Miller said the DEA is continuing its investigations into Villanueva's drug ring in the Burlington-Winooski area.

Defendant named Eternity wastes no time settling her assault case

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The defendant and another woman were trading punches and pulling each other's hair in a Worthington Street parking lot, according to the arrest report.

SPRINGFIELD - Eternity D. Thomas didn't waste time fighting that assault charge from last weekend.

Thomas, 23, of Chicopee, walked into Springfield District Court Monday and agreed to pay a $100 fine; in return, the case was dismissed on the recommendation of a prosecutor.

eternity.JPGEternity Thomas, 23, of Chicopee 
Thirty-three hours earlier, Thomas and Tamarah Chinn, 24, of Springfield, were trading punches and pulling each other's hair in a Worthington Street parking lot, according to the arrest report.

A large crowd gathered before police broke up the fight, handcuffed the combatants and transported them in separate cruisers to police headquarters, the report said.

Neither woman was injured in the fight, one of several that kept Springfield police busy early Sunday morning in the downtown entertainment district.

Two other women -- Natalyia Green, 23, and Keonda Bradley, 22, both of Springfield -- were also arrested after brawling on the sidewalk outside Fat Cat's Bar and Grill just before closing time, according to the arrest report.

Green continued the fight at police headquarters, spitting several times on Bradley during the booking process, the report said.

Neither Thomas nor Chinn continued their hostilities at the station, and both were released for arraignment Monday.

In a separate appearance Monday, Chinn also opted to pay a $100 fine to settle her case.

Springfield police find 15k bags of heroin

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It was described as a large-scale heroin distribution ring.

SPRINGFIELD -- Springfield police narcotics officers found -15,268 bags of heroin, two pounds of marijuana and more than $10,000 in cash Friday in a search of 117 Oakland St.

Four people were arrested.   David Gomez,35, of 117 Oakland St. and Carlos Pagan, 45, also of 117 Oakland St., were both charged with trafficking in heroin, distribution of heroin, possession of heroin with intent to sell and possession of marijuana With intent to sell, according to police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney.

Eddie Carrasquillo,45,  of Springfield and Jose Antonio Lopez,26, of Springfield were charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute,  Delaney said.

The four men are in police lockup awaiting Monday court appearances. 

Narcotics officers under  Lt. Steven Kent conducted a lengthy investigation which result din the seizures and the four arrests, Delaney said.

Besides drugs and cash, police also discovered many implements used to distribute controlled substances, according to the release.

Dog gone? Amherst firefighters flush trapped dachshund, raccoons it was chasing, from storm drain

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The dachshund had gone underground chasing raccoons.

AMHERST -- A dachshund took off Saturday morning chasing raccoons down a storm drain on Dennis Drive only to get trapped in an underground pipe with her quarry.


The dog, who survived the ordeal without a scratch, chased two raccoons down the drain only to have a third raccoon give chase down into the subterranean network. This left her trapped, two raccoons  in front and one in the back.

"So you had this little menagerie in there," Amherst fire chief Tim Nelson said. "My guess is all four had no clue as to what to do." 

The dog's pleading barks could be heard when firefighters arrived on scene just before 7 a.m.

Nelson said the firefighters went down  into the drains. They stationed the owner with dog treats at one end of the pipe and used a hose to pump water in the other.

All four animals,  dog and three raccoons, came out swimming, Nelson said.

The dog, firefighters didn't catch her name, is part of a pedigree bred in Germany to chase animals into their burrows.

The dachshund stuck with her owner then went around to firefighters thanking them for their help. The raccoons took off 


"Every time you think you've seen it all," Nelson said.

Munich mall shooting: Gunman was obsessed with mass shootings

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The 18-year-old gunman who opened fire at a crowded Munich shopping mall and fast-food restaurant, killing nine people and wounding more than two dozen others before killing himself, was obsessed with mass shootings, authorities said Saturday.

MUNICH -- The 18-year-old gunman who opened fire at a crowded Munich shopping mall and fast-food restaurant, killing nine people and wounding more than two dozen others before killing himself, was obsessed with mass shootings, authorities said Saturday.

Investigators searched the German-Iranian man's home overnight and found a considerable amount of literature about mass killings, including a book titled "Rampage in Head: Why Students Kill," but no evidence that he was linked to extremist groups such as the Islamic State. They believe he acted alone.

All of the people killed were Munich residents, including seven teenagers, authorities said.

Germany's top security official Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said other information showed the shooter, whom he identified only as David, had researched a 2009 school shooting in Germany, and the bomb and gun attacks in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people exactly five years ago Friday.

"There was material found in the apartment of the suspect that showed a particular interest in shooting sprees, (but) there is so far no indication of any connection to international terrorism," de Maiziere said.

Initial investigations suggest the Munich-born suspect had been treated for psychological problem, but details were still being confirmed, said Munich prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch.

Authorities have not been able to talk with the parents of the shooter. De Maiziere said they were asylum seekers from Iran who came to Germany in the late 1990s.

Robert Heimberger, the head of Bavaria's criminal police, said it appeared the shooter had hacked a Facebook account and sent a message inviting people to come to the mall for a free giveaway.

The posting, sent from a young woman's account, urged people to come to the mall at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT), saying: "I'll give you something if you want, but not too expensive."

"It appears it was prepared by the suspect and then sent out," Heimberger said. The woman shortly after reported that her account had been hacked.

De Maiziere said the information about the hack is still being checked out, but "if it's true then it's a particularly perfidious act."

The attack in the Bavarian capital sparked a massive security operation as authorities -- already on edge after the recent attacks in Wuerzburg and Nice, France -- received witness reports of multiple shooters carrying rifles shortly before 6 p.m. (1600 GMT). Eight hours later police declared a "cautious all clear," saying the suspect was among the 10 dead and had likely acted alone.

Authorities are still trying to determine a motive, and de Maiziere said they were investigating reports that the shooter had been bullied by his peers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called a special meeting of her government's security Cabinet, meeting Saturday with de Maziere, other ministers and the head of the country's security agencies.

After the meeting, she pledged that Germany would "do everything possible to protect the security and freedom of all people," saying that in the wake of an attack earlier in the week near Wuerzburg and the deadly attack in Nice, she understood Germans are wondering "where is safe?"

"Such an evening and such a night is difficult to bear," she said of the Munich attack. "And it's even more difficult to bear because we have had so much terrible news in so few days."

An address on Munich's Dachauer Strasse where the shooter lived was searched by police early Saturday.

A neighbor described the suspect as "very quiet."

"He only ever said 'hi'. His whole body language was of somebody who was very shy," said Stephan, a coffee shop owner who would only give his first name.

Some 2,300 police from across Germany and neighboring Austria were scrambled in response to the attack, which happened less than a week after a 17-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker wounded five people in an ax-and-knife rampage that started on a regional train near the Bavarian city of Wuerzburg. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the train attack, but authorities have said the teen -- who was shot and killed by police -- likely acted alone.

The Munich suspect's body was found about 2 1/2 hours after the attack, which started shortly before 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) at a McDonald's restaurant across the street from the mall. He was found with a 9mm Glock pistol and at least 300 rounds of ammunition, police said.

A cell-phone video posted online showed the person filming from a balcony engaging verbally with the suspect dressed in black standing on the rooftop of the mall parking structure. The shooter at one point yells, "I'm German," to which the filmer responds, "You are a jerk," and demands to know what is going on. The shooter yells at him to stop filming, and shortly after opens fire. Munich's police chief, Hubertus Andrae, said police believe the video is genuine.

Police have asked anyone with video and photos to upload them directly to their website to aid the investigation.

David Akhavan, a 37-year-old who from Tehran, Iran, who works at the Shandiz Persian restaurant, described his anguish as he learned of the shooting.

"I started to get texts from friends asking if I was safe," he said. "Then, my thoughts were: please, don't be a Muslim. Please don't be Middle Eastern. Please don't be Afghan. I don't accept any of this violence."

Witnesses had reported seeing three men with firearms near the Olympia Einkaufszentrum mall, but Andrae said two other people who fled the area were investigated but had "nothing to do with the incident."

Local residents described the scene as the shooting unfolded.

"I was standing on the balcony smoking a cigarette. Suddenly I heard shots," said Ferdinand Bozorgzad, who lives in a high-rise building next to Olympic Shopping Center. "First I thought someone had thrown some firecrackers. I looked down at the McDonald*s and saw someone shooting into the crowd. Then I saw two people lying there. "

Franco Augustini, another local resident, said his daughter hid in the shopping center during the attack.

"Next to our flat was a woman who was full of blood," Augustini said. "My wife had a bottle of water. Then we helped to wash her. It was horrible and made me speechless."

Andrae, the police chief, said seven of the victims were teenagers; a 20-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman were also killed. All were residents of Munich, he said. Twenty-seven people were hospitalized, including four with gunshot wounds, said Andrae.

He said the city was safe to visit and that the attack wasn't linked in any way to the recent influx of asylum-seekers that has stirred a debate about immigration in Germany,

Munich's mayor, Dieter Reiter, declared a day of mourning for the victims of "this terrible act."

"These are difficult hours for Munich," he said, adding that the city's citizens had shown great solidarity toward each other. "Our city stands united," he said.


At least 154 dead, over 120 missing as floods sweep China

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Torrential rains that have swept through China have killed at least 154 people and left 124 missing, officials said Saturday, with most of the casualties reported from a northern province where villagers complained about lack of warning before a deadly flash flood.

BEIJING -- Torrential rains that have swept through China have killed at least 154 people and left 124 missing, officials said Saturday, with most of the casualties reported from a northern province where villagers complained about lack of warning before a deadly flash flood.

The rains, which began on Monday, have flooded streams, triggered landslides and destroyed homes across the country. Most of the fatalities were reported in the northern province of Hebei, where the provincial Department of Civil Affairs said 114 people were killed and 111 others were missing.

More than 300,000 people were evacuated in Hebei, and the province made another round of appropriations of tents, blankets, rain boots and generators, the department said.

In the Hebei city of Xingtai alone, 25 people were killed and another 13 were missing.

The Xingtai village of Daxian was swamped by a flash flood early Wednesday as residents were asleep. Eight people, including three children, were killed and another was missing in the flood, according to the Xingtai government.

But the tragedy did not surface until Friday, when accounts, purportedly by local residents, began surfacing on Chinese social media of angry villagers blocking roads, accusing the local authorities of failing to notify them in time for evacuation when an upstream reservoir discharged the floodwaters.

The online posts -- accompanied by photos of drowned victims -- also accused local officials of covering up the tragedy by lying about having no deaths in the area. State media later confirmed that a local official had said Wednesday afternoon that the flash flood caused no fatalities.

Some of the accompanying photos showed images of apparently drowned children lying in mud, their bodies swollen and their skin pale. In another photo, local villagers and an official knelt before each other, with state media reporting that the official was trying to console the grieving family members.

Although removed from social media by Saturday morning -- apparently by censors -- the postings had already caused a national uproar, with members of the public demanding accountability from local authorities. Chinese journalists rushed to the village Friday night and reported on the disaster.

In response, local authorities started to release casualty figures and offered explanations late Friday.

Authorities blamed extraordinary rainfall and a failure of a river levee near the village for the sudden water surge. Local media reported that the river channel is particularly narrow near the village of Daxian and has been blocked by pipes from a heating utility, as well as mud.

Qiu Wenshuang, a vice mayor of Xingtai, said Saturday that the flood was sudden and that the village was already flooded when officials arrived there to evacuate residents on Wednesday morning, according to state media reports.

Islamic State kills at least 61, wounds over 200 in Afghanistan

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At least 61 people were killed and another 207 wounded in the Afghan capital on Saturday, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators, officials and witnesses said.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- At least 61 people were killed and another 207 wounded in the Afghan capital on Saturday, when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed clothing among a large crowd of demonstrators, officials and witnesses said.

In a statement issued by its news agency, Aamaq, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on a protest march by Afghanistan's ethnic Hazaras. The marchers were demanding that a major regional electric power line be routed through their impoverished home province. Most Hazaras are Shiite Muslims, while most Afghans are Sunni.

Waheed Majroeh, the head of international relations for the Ministry of Public Health, confirmed the death toll and said it was likely to rise "as the condition of many of the injured is very serious."

Footage on Afghan television and photographs posted on social media showed a scene of horror and carnage, with numerous bodies and body parts spread across the square.

Other witnesses said that after the blast, security personnel shot their weapons in the air to disperse the crowd. Secondary attacks have been known to target people who come to the aid of those wounded in a first explosion.

Road blocks that had been set up overnight to prevent the marchers accessing the center of the city or the presidential palace hampered efforts to transfer some of the wounded to hospital, witnesses said. People took to social media to call for blood donations.

Angry demonstrations sealed some of the area around the square, and prevented police and other security forces from entering. Some threw stones at security forces.

The government had received intelligence that an attack on the march could take place, and had warned the organizers, a spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani told The Associated Press.

"We had intelligence over recent days and it was shared with the demonstration organizers, we shared our concerns because we knew that terrorists wanted to bring sectarianism to our community," presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said.

Two suicide bombers had attempted to target the demonstrators, who were gathering in Demazang Square as their four-hour protest march wound down, Haroon Chakhansuri said. One of the suicide bombers was shot by the police, he told AP. He said that three district police chiefs on duty at the square were injured and another three security personnel were killed.

He said Ghani planned to meet with the organizers later on Saturday, and would make a live television appearance after that.

None of the organizers could be immediately reached for comment.

Earlier, one of the march organizers, Laila Mohammadi, said she arrived at the scene soon after the blast and saw "many dead and wounded people."

Ghani released a statement condemning the blast. "Peaceful demonstrations are the right of every citizen of Afghanistan and the government will do everything it can to provide them with security," Ghani said, blaming the blasts on what he called "terrorists."

The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson condemned the attack. He said in a statement that "our condolences go out to those who are affected by today's attack. We strongly condemn the actions of Afghanistan's enemies of peace and remain firmly committed to supporting our Afghan partners and the National Unity Government."

The U.S embassy in Kabul also issued a condemnation, saying: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the deceased, and we wish all of those who were wounded a full recovery."

The rights group Amnesty International said the "horrific attack ... demonstrates the utter disregard that armed groups have for human life."

"Such attacks are a reminder that the conflict in Afghanistan is not winding down, as some believe, but escalating, with consequences for the human rights situation in the country that should alarm us all," it quoted Champa Patel, Amnesty's South Asia director, as saying.

Violence had been widely feared at what was the second demonstration by Hazaras over the power line issue. The last one in May attracted tens of thousands of people, also shutting down the central business district.

The May march was attended by Hazara political leaders, who were notable by their absence on Saturday.

At the height of the march, demonstrators chanted slogans against the president and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, shouting "death to discrimination" and "all Afghans are equal."

The so-called TUTAP power line is backed by the Asian Development Bank with involvement of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The original plan routed the line through Bamiyan province, in the central highlands, where most of the country's Hazaras live.

That route was changed in 2013 by the previous Afghan government. Leaders of the marches have said that the rerouting was evidence of bias against the Hazara community, which accounts for up to 15 percent of Afghanistan's estimated 30 million-strong population. They are considered the poorest of the country's ethnic groups, and often complain of discrimination. Bamiyan province, where most Hazara people live in the central highlands, is poverty stricken, though it is largely peaceful and has potential as a tourist destination.

Hazaras, most of whom are Shiite Muslims, were especially persecuted during the extremist Sunni Taliban 1996-2001 regime.

The Taliban's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in an earlier email that his insurgent group was not responsible for the blast. The Taliban have been waging a vicious insurgency against the Kabul government for 15 years, since their regime was overthrown by the U.S. invasion in 2001. They rarely issue such statements denying involvement in suicide attacks.

This week in Springfield District Court: Murder defendant hit husband with frying pan; strip club patron lectures police officer; and more.

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Powerball winning numbers for Saturday's $391.1 million jackpot

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Here are the winning numbers drawn Saturday for Powerball.

The Powerball lottery jackpot keeps getting bigger and bigger as drawing after drawing go by without someone having all the right numbers.

powerballlogo.jpg

Here are Saturday's winning numbers:

05-07-23-35-39, Powerball: 11, PowerPlay: 2X

The estimated jackpot is $391.1 million. The lump sum payment before taxes will be about $270 million.

Powerball is held in 44 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

A $2 ticket gives you a one in 292.2 million chance at joining the hall of Powerball champions.

The jackpot has been creeping up since May, when there was one winning ticket for the $429 million jackpot. In January, Powerball gave away a $1.58 billion jackpot, the largest lottery prize ever.

The drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. Deadline to purchase tickets is 9:45 p.m.

Cape Cod brush fire burns over 100 acres at Joint Base; containment efforts to continue Sunday

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The fire at Joint Base on Cape Cod has burned over 100 acres, according to The Boston Globe.

CAPE COD — A fire that State Police and National Guard forces battled at Joint Base on Cape Cod on Saturday burned over 100 acres of land, according to The Boston Globe.

Dave Celino, the chief fire marshal for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, said he expected that the fire would "grow a little bit overnight and into the morning," according to the paper.

The fire also apparently reached an area being used as storage space for old explosives, according to Celino.

Massachusetts State Police and National Guard forces deployed helicopters to the scene of the blaze to assist with water drops throughout the day.

At least twelve fire engines from a number of different towns in Barnstable and Plymouth counties reported the site to assist with firefighting.

However, Celino that, as of 8 p.m, the fire was "zero percent contained."

Firefighting and waterdrops will resume at 8 a.m. in the morning on Sunday.

Fire drives residents from Morgan Street apartment complex

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All 52 units in the Morgan Manor Apartment complex on Morgan Street were evacuated early Sunday morning when fire gutted one apartment.

SPRINGFIELD— All 52 apartments in the Morgan Manor apartment complex were evacuated early Sunday morning when a fire in one unit set off alarms throughout the complex.

Morgan St. Fire- cat.jpgFire-month-old Teddy seems to be taking the evacuation from his apartment in stride. The cat belongs to tenant Kimberleigh Dalessi. 

More than a dozen police units converged on the scene at about 3 a.m. to aid firefighters evacuate residents. Springfield Police Lt. David Kane said the Springfield Housing Authority complex has units specifically designed to accommodate people with mobility issues and well as elderly tenants who use medical devices.

As firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, people with wheelchairs and walkers, as well as people using portable oxygen units sat across the street from the complex watching as firefighters did their work.

Dennis Leger, executive aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, said the fire started in the living room of a first-floor apartment.

That unit was completely gutted, Leger said. He estimated damages at approximately $40,000. Three other units closest to the fire also suffered smoke damage but were otherwise undamaged.

A fire investigator from the Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad is investigating to determine the exact cause of the fire.

Residents began returning to their apartments about an hour after they were woken by alarms. Leger said the one tenant in the apartment where the fire started would receive help from the American Red Cross.

This was the second fire call for the department in 24 hours.

Leger said a kitchen fire in a second-floor apartment at 324 Union Street forced one family out.

The fire damaged the kitchen area, causing less than $10,000 in damage, and that mostly water damage.

Leger said no one was injured in either fire.

Pilot critically injured as small plane crashes into Haddam house

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The pilot of a small plane was critically injured when the plane he was flying crashed into a house in Haddam, Conn., Saturday. Benjamin Taylor, 46, of East Rockaway, NY, was airlifted to Hartford Hospital after the 4 p.m. crash.

HADDAM, Conn.— A 46-year-old East Rockaway pilot was critically injured Saturday afternoon when the small airplane he was flying crashed into a house in Haddam.

According to the Hartford Courant, the Connecticut State Police said Benjamin Taylor was at the controls of the plane when it went into a spiralling descent and struck a house not far from the Connecticut River. The plane crashed at about 4 p.m. just across the river from the Goodspeed Airport.

The plane came to rest nose-first on the roof of the house, witnesses said. People at the scene were able to get the pilot out of the wreckage and stabilize him. Witnesses said there was a great deal of fuel spilled on the house, and Eversource was contacted to shut off power to the home.

Taylor was airlifted by LifeStar helicopter to Hartford Hospital where he was admitted in critical condition.

The State Police said Tayor was alone in the plane at the time of the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration was contacted to start its investigation along with the Connecticut State Police, the state aviation inspector and the state department of Environmental Protection. A building inspector was called to inspect the structural integrity of the house.


Carousel Guild Gift Shop closes after a 50-year legacy of serving patients, visitors at former Springfield Municipal Hospital site

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The Carousel Guild Gift Shop recently closed after serving patients and visitors for more than 50 years at the current site of Vibra Hospital of Western Massachusetts.

SPRINGFIELD -- After serving patients and visitors for approximately 50 years, the Carousel Guild Gift Shop at Vibra Hospital on State Street has closed, leaving behind fond members of the organization donating gifts, games, entertainment, gardening, field trips and fish tanks to the sick and infirm.

"I will miss the patients," said Grayce-lynda Sypteras, long-term shop manager and president of the Carousel Guild Inc. "My main thing is I'm very proud of the work that the ladies (of the guild) did that we were able to be in existence for over 50 years."

The Carousel Guild is a nonprofit organization that operated the shop, with all proceeds going back into the shop and service to the patients, Sypteras said. While being a gift shop, the guild was especially focused on providing recreation and diverse activities to the patients, made possible by volunteers and shop proceeds, she said.

Vibra Hospital of Western Massachusetts chose to terminate the gift shop tenancy effective July 31 at the hospital located at 1400 State St. The facility was previously the Kindred Hospital Park View, and once housed Springfield Municipal Hospital before being sold by the city in 1996 to Olympus Healthcare Group.

Sypteras had managed the gift shop since 1975. The shop was built in an alcove of the former Municipal Hospital, with funds raised by the guild, and the guild was self-sustaining, she said.

"I feel for the patients who come here and loved to come here," Sypteras said "You don't have to buy something. Some them just came here to chitchat. They just want to get out of their room, or want information. A lot of people helped us out."

She listed the array of volunteer services provided to patients over the years as including: entertainment for the patients, gifts and clothing; field trips including the beach, picnics, the Big E and Bright Nights; bazaars; music and dances; bingo; ice cream socials; gardening outside the hospital; large fish tanks for many years; and fundraisers.

One of the long-term volunteers, Jerrilynn Weller, said the guild has done "a lot of good here."

"And we are really happy with the good work we did," Weller said. "We're a little sad they are closed now."

One of the patients, asking that his name not be publicized, called the gift shop "a wonderful place," and said he will miss it.

He said Sypteras is "so kind to patients and a great person."

"It's a beautiful little place," the patient said. "It goes above and beyond the normal gift shop of hospitals."

The guild is working to remove all the gifts from the shop, and to clean up, but the windows were still lined with gifts and there was much cleanup and sorting to accomplish. Sypteras said the guild is looking for more time to move out.

Hospital Chief Operating Officer Donna Feinstein gave them a 60-day notice to vacate on May 26.

"I want to thank you for your years of service with operating the Carousel Guild Gift Shop at Vibra Hospital of Western Mass.," Feinstein said in the notice letter. "The support that the program has offered to patients over the years was appreciated."

Feinstein said the hospital is undergoing many changes to its programs and operations, and that the current area of the gift shop will be reconstructed for another hospital use. The hospital provides long-term acute care among its services.

The guild is believed to have operated since around 1966, initially as the Springfield Municipal Hospital Guild and then the Carousel Guild. Volunteers have been in the hospital building for 64 years.

The guild has given much of its merchandise to other nonprofit organizations, but is hoping to find temporary storage space for its remaining inventory, Sypteras said. The inventory includes a 52-inch projection TV with over 200 video tapes, she said.

Grayce-lynda Sypteras can be reached at 413-364-4317.

Seen@ Photos from Southwick Days 2016

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Hundreds of spectators lined portions of Feeding Hills Road and Powder Mill Road to watch the annual Firemen's Parade as part of Southwick Days Saturday.

SOUTHWICK - Hundreds of spectators lined portions of Feeding Hills Road and Powder Mill Road to watch the annual Firemen's Parade as part of Southwick Days Saturday.

The annual event features fire departments and civic organizations from the Western Mass. and Northern Connecticut area. Spectators along the parade route flocked into the Southwick Recreation Center where the festivities continued with entertainment provided by the Charlie Galvin Band and DJ Kris Sanders.

The hot temperatures didn't discourage the hundreds of visitors from enjoying plenty of food, rides, games, and the beer garden.

Sunday's closing events will feature the Jaime S. Rivera Benefit Car Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., a vintage style baseball competition exhibit game from the Westfield Wheelmen at 1 p.m., helicopter rides, and the annual Grill'n Daze BBQ Competition at noon.

Sponsors of the four-day Southwick Days festival include the Southwick Rotary Club in conjunction with the Southwick Recreation Center, the Southwick Park and Recreation Commission, and the Southwick Cultural Council.

The Cat in the Hat will toss his hat into 2016 presidential race

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The announcement will include comments by the Cat in the Hat himself as well as his vice presidential running mates, Thing 1 and Thing 2.

SPRINGFIELD — Add another third party candidate to the mix of 2016 presidential contenders: The Cat in the Hat will announce his candidacy on Tuesday on the steps of the childhood home of his creator, Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, The Republican has learned.

The Cat in the Hat's entry into the presidential race "will have a major impact on an already tumultuous election season," a Springfield Museums official said. A banner spanning the front of the Geisel house in the Forest Park neighborhood as well as lawn signs urge voters to cast their ballot for the high-hatted feline.

The public is encouraged to attend The Cat in the Hat's first campaign rally with running mates Things 1 and 2 at a "Celebrate Seuss" party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Springfield Museums, site of the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden and future home of the world's first museum to honor Geisel, the museum official said.

In honor of The Cat's visit, the free event will feature music, performances by acrobats from the Boston Circus Guild, balloon sculpting and face painting. The candidate will test out his first stump speech, and local dignitaries are expected to show support, if not outright endorsements, for his campaign.

The Cat in the Hat and Things 1 and 2 will make an initial official announcement prior to the rally on Tuesday morning at the Geisel house at 74 Fairfield St. The house was recently purchased for the Springfield Museums by The Dr. Seuss Foundation. Susan Brandt, president of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Springfield Museums President Kay Simpson and other guests will gather at the house for the campaign kickoff.

Immediately following the announcement, The Cat and his two sidekicks will be joined by local children and families aboard a double-decker bus donated by Peter Pan Bus Lines for a tour of key sites around the city before heading to the big rally at the Springfield Museums.

Freedom of Information Act turns 50 thanks to 'LBJ' in same month as Democratic, Republican parties choose nominees for next president

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The Westborough-based New England First Amendment Coalition applauded recent open-government decisions in Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island as July 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the federal Freedom of Information Act.

HOLYOKE -- Fifty years ago this month, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the Freedom of Information Act "to provide guidelines for the public availability of the records of Federal departments and agencies."

"No one should be able to pull curtains of secrecy around decisions which can be revealed without injury to the public interest," said Johnson, known popularly by his initials LBJ.

The 36th president, Johnson (1908-1973) signed into law on July 4, 1966 a revision to section 3 of the Administrative Procedure Act, while qualifying the decision by noting that the welfare of the nation occasionally will require that government agencies withhold some documents.

"As long as threats to peace exist, for example, there must be military secrets," Johnson said.

And historians have noted that Johnson established the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) with reluctance.

It is perhaps worth noting that the FOIA's 50th anniversary comes as the country's two major political parties this month hold conventions to choose nominees to be the next president and the New England First Amendment Coalition in its emailed newsletter has applauded recent decisions that helped public access in Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island.

According to the National Security Archive at The George Washington University:

"The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which can be found in Title 5 of the United States Code, section 552, was signed into law in 1966 and provides that any person has the right of access to federal agency records or information. The law carries a presumption of disclosure; the burden is on the government--not the public--to substantiate why information may not be released. Upon written request, agencies of the United States government are required to disclose those records, unless they can be lawfully withheld from disclosure under one of nine specific exemptions in the FOIA. This right of access is ultimately enforceable by filing a complaint in federal court.

"The federal FOIA does not, however, provide access to records held by the US Congress, nor that of the federal judiciary. Nor does it provide access to records of state or local government agencies, or those held by private businesses or individuals. Each state and the District of Columbia have statutes governing public access to their records."

"Victory for transparency" is how the New England First Amendment Coalition described Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's signing into law last month the first revamp of the state's public records law in more than four decades.

The new law sets concrete timelines for public agencies to comply with records requests, as well as limits on how much public agencies can charge for copies of documents. The law also allows judges to award attorneys' fees to plaintiffs who take public agencies to court for failing to comply with requests, The Republican reported.

Carol Rose, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, told The Republican the provision permitting the awarding of attorneys' fees was key because it means that, for the first time, government has an incentive to comply with the law and public officials can be penalized for failure to comply.

According to its website, the Westborough-based New England First Amendment Coalition defends, promotes and expands public access to government and the work it does.

"The coalition is a broad-based organization of people who believe in the power of transparency in a democratic society. Its members include lawyers, journalists, historians, librarians and academicians, as well as private citizens and organizations whose core beliefs include the principles of the First Amendment," the coalition's website said.

LBJ3.JPGFormer President Lyndon B. Johnson shown Nov. 17, 1967. 

Also in June, the state of Maine, after protests filed by the New England First Amendment Coalition and other open-government groups, suspended a new policy that had prohibited public access to closed criminal cases. The judicial branch policy had required that all records of dismissed criminal cases, except those involving a plea deal, become automatically confidential 30 days after dismissal, the coalition said.

"The policy seriously undermined the First Amendment and the public's right to know," the coalition said.

"Under this policy (in Maine), a person may be charged, indicted, jailed, and go to trial, but then have all charges dismissed. All of these proceedings would happen in open court, and records of them would be contemporaneously available to the public. The proceeding may be reported by the news media. Then, 30 days after charges are dismissed, the court's files are permanently coded as 'sealed' by judicial branch administrative offices and become off limits to the public. This administrative seal happens without any court order or notice to the public. Even defendants in closed cases are apparently barred from accessing their own court files if they ask for them 30 days after charges are dismissed," the coalition said.

In Rhode Island, Gov. Gina Raimondo last month vetoed a so-called "revenge porn" bill that the coalition said would have had a chilling effect on free speech rights.

The bill was so broadly worded, the coalition said, "it could make criminals of people involved in neither revenge nor porn, and would have a direct impact on the First Amendment rights of the media."

"The bill could have limited the distribution of a wide array of mainstream, constitutionally protected material, including items of legitimate news, commentary, and historical interest. For example, use of images of Holocaust victims or prisoners at Abu Ghraib or, to take a more recent example, some of the infamous Anthony Weiner photos, would have likely been prohibited under the terms of this legislation," the coalition said.

According to the Providence Journal on June 21, Raimondo wrote in vetoing the bill, "The breadth and lack of clarity may have a chilling effect on free speech. The right course of action is to follow the example of other states, and craft a more carefully worded law that specifically addresses the problem of revenge porn, without implicating other types of constitutionally protected speech."

Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition, said that the Rhode Island "revenge porn" bill was "well-intended though unconstitutionally broad" and that the coalition was pleased Raimondo vetoed it.

"By doing so, she helped protect the First Amendment rights of Rhode Island residents and prevented a chilling effect on public interest journalism," Silverman said.

Johnson concluded, according to the White House press release issued 50 years ago about the Freedom of Information Act, "I signed this measure with a deep sense of pride that the United States is an open society in which the people's right to know is cherished and guarded."

DNC 2016: When does the Democratic National Convention start? And where can I watch it live?

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With Republicans having officially nominated Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence to serve as the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates, it's now time for Democrats to do the same.

With Republicans having officially nominated Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence to serve as the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates, it's now time for Democrats to do the same.

Thousands of Democratic leaders and delegates will descend on Philadelphia this week for the 2016 Democratic National Convention, where they will officially select the party's presidential nominee and rally their base ahead of the November general election.

The four-day event, hosted at the city's Wells Fargo Center, will feature a series of speakers that include high-profile politicians and activists.

The convention is expected to culminate in the official crowning of Hillary Clinton as the Democratic presidential nominee and Tim Kaine as her vice presidential running mate, kicking off their general election bid against Trump.

Here's what you need to know to follow along with the 2016 Democratic National Convention:

WHEN DOES IT START?

The 2016 convention will begin Monday afternoon and run through Thursday evening, according to DNC officials.

Sessions for the event will start at:

3 p.m. EST on Monday, July 25

4 p.m. EST on Tuesday, July 26

4:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, July 27

4:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, July 28

WHERE CAN I WATCH THE CONVENTION?

Several news networks will carry round-the-clock 2016 DNC coverage, including CNN, Fox News, C-SPAN, MSNBC and others.

CNN: The network will deliver 24-hour reporting live from Philadelphia via television, the CNN Politics mobile app, Snapchat, Facebook Live and other platforms.

It will also provide a virtual reality experience that brings users onto the convention floor through CNNVR.

FOX NEWS: In addition to special TV programming, Fox News will provide continuing live coverage of the convention from Monday to Thursday on FoxNews.com and on its mobile app.

MSNBC: The television network will provide 20 hours of live reporting from Philadelphia each day, with NBCNews.com and all network social media platforms providing round-the-clock coverage.

NBC, meanwhile, will provide prime time coverage from 10 to 11 p.m. EST all four nights of the convention. NBCNews.com will also live stream the network prime time specials each night.

C-SPAN: The network will broadcast the convention live on television, C-SPAN.org and C-SPAN Radio.

In addition to its live coverage, the network will air official events at the convention, offer a "delegates' eye view" of Philadelphia and broadcast other programming specials. C-SPAN will further offer shareable video clips on social media.

WHO WILL SPEAK AT THE CONVENTION?

Democratic Party leaders and activists will deliver keynotes speeches on each night of the convention, including:

Monday: First Lady Michelle Obama, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Dreamer activist Astrid Silva.

Tuesday: Former President Bill Clinton and "Mothers of the Movement" activists.

Wednesday: President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

Thursday: Chelsea Clinton and Hillary Clinton.

Several members of Congress are also slated to address convention-goers, including:

- Presumptive vice presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia

- Boston Mayor Marty Walsh

- U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts

- U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey

- U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California

- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio

- U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas

- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo

- Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean

- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio

- Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords & Captain Mark Kelly

- U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut

- Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley

- House Minority Leader Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi

- Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid

- U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire

WHO'S GOING TO THE CONVENTION?

Several Massachusetts Democratic leaders will be in Philadelphia for the party's 2016 convention.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Treasurer Deb Goldberg, Auditor Suzanne Bump, Senate President Stan Rosenberg, House Speaker Bob DeLeo and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will serve as Party Leader and Elected Official delegates for Clinton.

State Sen. Dan Wolf, D-Harwich; State Rep. Chris Walsh, D-Framingham; State Committee member Mel Poindexter; State Rep. Mary Keefe, D-Worcester; Bernie 2016 Central Massachusetts field organizer Lisa Mosczynski and State Committee member Tina Poindexter will serve as PLEO delegates for Sanders.

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Springfield School Committee Member Reverend Calvin McFadden and former Democratic State Committee Treasurer Nicole LaChappelle will represent the 1st Congressional district as delegates for Clinton at the national convention.

Holyoke City Councilor Jossie Valentin, Democratic State Committee member Karen Hansmann and Community Against Hate founder Maurice Taylor will represent the 1st Congressional district as delegates for Sanders.

Dorothy Albrecht, of Holyoke, meanwhile, will serve as an alternate delegate for Sanders.

A list of other delegates who will be at the Democratic National Convention can be found here.

Follow along with The Republican and MassLive throughout the week for coverage and updates from the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

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