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Springfield man arrested after trying to sell stolen motorcycle to back to owner

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19-year-old Wilfredo Rosario of 148 Abbe Ave, who was arrested Friday evening after trying to sell a dirt bike he allegedly stole to the original owner, was arraigned today in Springfield District Court.

SPRINGFIELD -- It goes without saying that having something stolen genuinely stinks, but what are the odds that a thief would sell you back your stolen item? For one Holyoke resident, the odds were in their favor.

Wilfredo RosarioWilfredo Rosario 

19-year-old Wilfredo Rosario, of 148 Abbe Ave., who was arrested Friday evening after trying to sell a stolen dirt bike to the original owner, was arraigned today in Springfield District Court.

Rosario was charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle and operating without a license.

According to the Springfield Police Department's Facebook page, the victim's Husqvarna 125 WXC dirt bike was stolen the morning of October 8 from his backyard barn in Holyoke.

Police say the owner then found the dirt bike advertised for sale while looking through Facebook. After alerting police, Detectives Matt Longo and Denny Denault instructed the victim to contact the thief and set up a meeting to purchase the motorcycle.

The thief agreed and arranged to meet with the victim on Friday at 6 p.m. near Abbe Avenue in the North End.

According to police, Lt. Alberto Ayala and detectives set up surveillance on the meeting location and sent Longo and Denault undercover to the meeting spot.

Police say Rosario arrived on the location on the stolen motorcycle and was arrested.


Head of International Association of Police Chiefs issues apology for 'historical mistreatment' of minorities by law enforcement

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Cunningham acknowledged "the history of policing has had darker periods" that have led to the current climate of mistrust for police by minority groups.


A Massachusetts police chief who is head of the country's largest police chiefs association on Monday issued an apology for the "historical mistreatment" of minority groups at the hands of police.

Terrance M. Cunningham, the police chief of Wellesley, a suburban community just west of Boston, delivered his remarks in San Diego at the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Cunningham, president of the association since 2012, said he felt an apology for past actions is necessary in order for relations between police and the public to move forward.

"Clearly this is a challenging time for policing. Events over the past several years have caused many to question the actions of our officers and has tragically undermined the trust the public must and should have in their police departments," Cunningham said, according to a statement posted on the association web site.

The statement praise countless acts of heroism by police officers, both those killed in the line of duty and those injured, while protecting their communities.

At the same time "it is also clear that the history of policing has also had darker periods," Cunningham said.

"There have been times when law enforcement officers, because of laws enacted by federal, state, and local governments, have been the face of oppression for far too many of our fellow citizens," he said.

It is the police who were charged with enforcing what are now considered unjust laws that ensured "legal discrimination, or even denying the basic rights of citizenship to many of our fellow Americans," he said.

The continuing fallout from this "dark side of our shared history" has been a multigenerational mistrust between communities of color and law enforcement, Cunningham said.

"While it is obvious we cannot change the past, it is clear we must change the future," he said.

"The first step in this process is for law enforcement and the IACP to acknowledge and apologize for the actions if the past and the role that our profession has played in society's mistreatment of communities of color."

In issuing the apology, Cunningham made it clear that modern-day officers are not responsible for "injustices of the past," and critics of the police must recognize that.

"If either side in this debate fails to acknowledge these fundamental truths, we will be unlikely to move past them," he said.

In order to overcome generations of mistrust, police and community members need to work to create an atmosphere of mutual respect, he said.

"All members of our society must realize that we have a mutual obligation to work together to ensure fairness, dignity, security and justice," Cunningham said. "It is my hope that, by working together, we can break this historic cycle of mistrust and build a better and safer future for us all."

Cunningham's statement was met with praise from the American Civil Liberties Union, according to the Washington Post.

The Post quoted Jeffery Robinson, ACLU deputy legal director, saying "It seems to me that this is a very significant admission and a very significant acknowledgement of what much of America has known for some time about the historical relationship between police and communities of color."

Such a statement from someone of Cunningham's standing "is long overdue" and a "necessary first step" in any attempt to improve relations between the police and members of the public.

The Post also reached out to Cunningham via email, and quoted his reply in which he said he felt his apology was necessary as a way to begin address mistrust.

"Communities and law enforcement need to begin a healing process and this is a bridge to begin that dialogue. If we are brave enough to collectively deliver this message, we will build a better and safer future for our communities and our law enforcement officers," he wrote.

"Too many lives have been lost already, and this must end. It is my hope that many other law enforcement executives will deliver this same message to their local communities, particularly those segments of their communities that lack trust and feel disenfranchised."

Cunningham's entire statement:

I would like to take a moment to address a significant and fundamental issue confronting our profession, particularly within the United States. Clearly, this is a challenging time for policing. Events over the past several years have caused many to question the actions of our officers and has tragically undermined the trust that the public must and should have in their police departments. At times such as this, it is our role as leaders to assess the situation and take the steps necessary to move forward.

This morning, I would like to address one issue that I believe will help both our profession and our communities. The history of the law enforcement profession is replete with examples of bravery, self-sacrifice, and service to the community. At its core, policing is a noble profession made up of women and men who have sworn to place themselves between the innocent and those who seek to do them harm.

Over the years, thousands of police officers have laid down their lives for their fellow citizens while hundreds of thousands more have been injured while protecting their communities. The nation owes all of those officers, as well as those who are still on patrol today, an enormous debt of gratitude.

At the same time, it is also clear that the history of policing has also had darker periods.

There have been times when law enforcement officers, because of the laws enacted by federal, state, and local governments, have been the face of oppression for far too many of our fellow citizens. In the past, the laws adopted by our society have required police officers to perform many unpalatable tasks, such as ensuring legalized discrimination or even denying the basic rights of citizenship to many of our fellow Americans.

While this is no longer the case, this dark side of our shared history has created a multigenerational--almost inherited--mistrust between many communities of color and their law enforcement agencies.

Many officers who do not share this common heritage often struggle to comprehend the reasons behind this historic mistrust. As a result, they are often unable to bridge this gap and connect with some segments of their communities.

While we obviously cannot change the past, it is clear that we must change the future. We must move forward together to build a shared understanding. We must forge a path that allows us to move beyond our history and identify common solutions to better protect our communities.

For our part, the first step in this process is for law enforcement and the IACP to acknowledge and apologize for the actions of the past and the role that our profession has played in society's historical mistreatment of communities of color.

At the same time, those who denounce the police must also acknowledge that today's officers are not to blame for the injustices of the past. If either side in this debate fails to acknowledge these fundamental truths, we will be unlikely to move past them.

Overcoming this historic mistrust requires that we must move forward together in an atmosphere of mutual respect. All members of our society must realize that we have a mutual obligation to work together to ensure fairness, dignity, security, and justice.

It is my hope that, by working together, we can break this historic cycle of mistrust and build a better and safer future for us all.

Free lecture on prostate health offered by Holyoke Medical Center

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Dr. Alexander Berry will provide a free lecture on prostate health and explain a type of blood test related to that on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. at Holyoke Medical Center at 575 Beech St. in the Auxiliary Conference Center.

HOLYOKE -- Holyoke Medical Centerwill provide a free lecture Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on prostate health in the hospital's Auxiliary Conference Center, 575 Beech St.

Dr. Alexander Berry of the hospital's urology center will discuss prostate health and explain prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood testing. The PSA test checks for high levels of a protein produced by the prostate gland, a press release said.

"Some experts recommend that most men be offered the tests starting at age 50, while others don't feel it offers enough benefit to recommend to anyone except those at highest risk. Dr. Berry will cover this and more, as well as answer any questions attendees may have," the press release said.,

The lecture is part of the hospital's community education programming of dozens of free workshops held on health issues, prevention and treatment, the press release said.

To register to attend the prostate health lecture, for this event, visit HolyokeHealth.com/Events or call 413-534-2789.

'Yes on 4' marijuana legalization campaign launches new ad, featuring internist

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"Yes on 4," the group behind a ballot question seeking to legalize marijuana for recreational use, plans to start airing its second television ad on Tuesday. Dr. Susan Lucas, an internist, pitches voting for Question 4 in the new ad. Watch video

BOSTON - "Yes on 4," the group behind a ballot question seeking to legalize marijuana for recreational use, plans to start airing its second television ad on Tuesday.

The first ad released weeks ago focused on a retired cop, Tom Nolan, pitching the benefits of legalizing, taxing and regulating the controversial substance.

Dr. Susan Lucas, an internist, pitches voting for Question 4 in the new ad.

Lucas criticizes the state's medical marijuana program, which was first approved by voters through a 2012 ballot initiative. The state moved slowly to implement the program under Gov. Deval Patrick, and his successor, Gov. Charlie Baker, moved to overhaul it.

In the 30-second ad, Lucas argued the program remains broken.

"Right now, doctors and patients are afraid to bring up all treatment options for fear of breaking the law," Lucas said. "Yes on 4 means we can regulate, tax and legalize marijuana to help people with pain avoid opiates, and for other true medical needs. The current system isn't working. It's why doctors and patients agree it's time to vote 'yes' on 4."

But many physician groups oppose Question 4. The Massachusetts Medical Society, joined by ten similar groups, outlined their opposition to the ballot question earlier this month. The Mass. Medical Society weighed in on the ad Monday, accusing it of "attempting to confuse" recreational marijuana with medical marijuana.

"Question 4 lacks any public health oversight of recreational marijuana and has no provision for health education, prevention, or treatment programs," James Gessner, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, said in a statement, adding that the ballot question would lead to "the risk of addiction, impaired cognition, and damage to the developing brains of adolescents."

Opponents have formed a group, Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts, which includes a bipartisan coalition of elected officials like Gov. Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who say the ballot initiative would create a massive marijuana industry inside the Bay State.

"Again the commercial interests behind the for profit big-marijuana industry continue to mislead voters, this time with an outrageous claim that somehow thousands of pot shops and marijuana operators across our communities could lead to a reduction in opioid use - when the truth is that states with commercial marijuana industries have seen upticks in opioid addiction, as well as increases in teen marijuana use and drugged driving," Nick Bayer, campaign manager for the "No on 4" campaign, said in an emailed statement.

"This is why addiction advocates and health care professionals across Massachusetts strongly oppose question 4," he said.

Supporters of Question 4 have pushed back on claims by opponents, saying the Cannabis Control Commission proposed under the ballot initiative would create strict regulations heavily influenced by how other states have handled legalization.

Marijuana, which remains illegal at the federal level, has been legalized for recreational use in Colorado, Alaska, Oregon and Washington state, as well as Washington, D.C.

Massachusetts voters passed a ballot initiative decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana in 2008 before legalizing marijuana for medical use in 2012.

Polls have shown likely voters slightly leaning towards legalization of recreational marijuana.

Massachusetts Medical Society, 10 other statewide groups say they oppose Question 4 legalizing recreational marijuana

The "Yes on 4" group, which at the outset raised significantly more money than its opponents, includes lawmakers like state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, and David Rogers, D-Cambridge.

The "Yes on 4" lawmakers on Monday blasted the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts for taking a $1 million donation from Sheldon Adelson, a native of Boston's Dorchester neighborhood and a casino mogul who has expressed support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

'Yes on 4' marijuana legalization campaign's first TV ad with retired cop

This post was updated at 6:47 p.m. with a statement from the "No on 4" campaign. This post was updated again at 7:25 p.m. with a new statement from the Mass. Medical Society.

Take a look: Holyoke Soup schedules another creativity event (photos)

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The next Holyoke Soup event is Oct. 26 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Waterfront Tavern at 920 Main St. in Holyoke, Massachusetts in which entrepreneurs present ideas for projects on technology, art, social justice or another topic and patrons who have donated $5 each vote on which presenter goes home with the donation money to get going on the project, all while eating a simple meal of soup, bread and salad.

HOLYOKE -- Encouragement, creativity, money and even soup will be ladled out at the next "Holyoke Soup" event to encourage creative projects Oct. 26 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Waterfront Tavern, 920 Main St.

"This is a great opportunity to meet local entrepreneurs, have a bite to eat prepared by the culinary art students from Dean Technical High, network and vote on the project that would be most beneficial to the city of Holyoke," said a press release from the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce.

Holyoke Soup is a dinner in which, for $5, participants and patrons get soup, salad and bread while listening to presentations on ideas related to business, art, urban agriculture, social justice, education, technology and other topics.

"At the end of the night the ballots are counted and the winner goes home with all of the money raised to help fund their project. Winners come back to a future Holyoke Soup dinner to report their project's progress," the press release said.

Anna Rigali, a guidance counselor at Holyoke High School, will give a follow up report at this event. She won $460 at the last Holyoke Soup and used the money to provide scholarships for Holyoke High students who are taking dual-enrollment courses at area colleges to help them buy books, the press release said.

The business-catalyst group known as SPARK, a program of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce Centennial Foundation, organizes the Holyoke Soup events. SPARK stands for Stimulating Potential, Accessing Resource Knowledge. The program helps prospective owners establish business plans and figure out how to get operating.

No admission is required at Holyoke Soup but a donation of $5 is requested. All proceeds go to the presenter who gets the most votes.

Those interested in making presentations at Holyoke Soup can apply at Holyokesoup.com. For information call Jona Ruiz of SPARK Holyoke at 413-534-3376.

'Today' show host Billy Bush fired in wake of lewd Donald Trump tape

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NBC News has fired "Today" show host Billy Bush, who was caught on tape in a vulgar conversation about women with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump before an "Access Hollywood" appearance.

NEW YORK (AP) -- NBC News has fired "Today" show host Billy Bush, who was caught on tape in a vulgar conversation about women with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump before an "Access Hollywood" appearance.

Bush was suspended at the morning show two days after contents of the 2005 tape were reported on Oct. 7. NBC and Bush's representatives had been negotiating terms of his exit before Monday's announcement.

On the tape, Bush is heard laughing as Trump talks about fame enabling him to grope and try to have sex with women not his wife.


Bush later said he was "embarrassed and ashamed." Trump has since denied groping women.

Bush, who had been at "Today" for two months, is the nephew of Republican former President George H.W. Bush.

NBC made the announcement of his firing in a note from "Today" show top executive Noah Oppenheim to his staff. Oppenheim called Bush, who spent 15 years at "Access Hollywood," ''a valued colleague and longtime member of the broader NBC family. We wish him success as he goes forward."

Bush, a 44-year-old father of three, said that he was "deeply grateful for the conversations I've had with my daughters, and for all of the support from family, friends and colleagues. I look forward to what lies ahead."

The separation agreement with NBC includes no non-compete clause, meaning Bush is free to seek work elsewhere right away, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who was not authorized to speak publicly about terms of the deal and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. There were no other details about the terms immediately available.

Official sought FBI help in trying to lower classification level of Clinton emails

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It was not immediately clear whether the State Department official or someone at the FBI first raised the prospect of a bargain over the email's classification.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A senior State Department official asked the FBI last year to help reduce the classification of an email from Hillary Clinton's private server, according to FBI investigative files made public Monday. It was to be part of a bargain that would have allowed the FBI to deploy more agents in foreign countries, according to the files.

It was not immediately clear whether the State Department official or someone at the FBI first raised the prospect of a bargain over the email's classification.

The bureau records, citing an FBI official whose name was censored, said Undersecretary for Management Patrick F. Kennedy sought assistance in exchange for a "quid pro quo."


But the FBI said Monday it was the now-retired FBI official who first asked Kennedy about deploying more agents overseas. The State Department said the same.

The FBI ultimately rejected the idea, which would have allowed the State Department to archive a message related to the 2012 attacks on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, in the basement of its Washington headquarters "never to be seen again," according to the FBI files.

The email described reports in November 2012 that Libyan police were arresting suspects in the attack. It had been forwarded to Clinton's private email address by Jake Sullivan, one of her top aides and the department's director of policy planning, who was using his government email account.

Republicans seized on the report as collusion within the Obama administration to protect Clinton, now the Democratic presidential nominee.

"CORRUPTION CONFIRMED: FBI confirms State Dept. offered 'quid pro quo' to cover up classified emails," read a tweet from Team Trump, retweeted by the candidate.


Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said the campaign had never been part of any such discussion about email classifications.

Kennedy was a close aide to Clinton during her tenure as the nation's top diplomat between 2009 and early 2013. He had served in his position since November 2007 under President George W. Bush.

According to the FBI records, a bureau official said Kennedy "asked his assistance in altering the email's classification in exchange for a 'quid pro quo,'" and that in exchange, "State would reciprocate by allowing the FBI to place more agents in countries where they are presently forbidden."

"Although there was never a quid pro quo, these allegations were nonetheless referred to the appropriate officials for review," the FBI said in a statement Monday.

The State Department said Kennedy had been trying to understand the FBI's classification decisions.

"This allegation is inaccurate and does not align with the facts," department spokesman Mark Toner said. He added that there was never an increase in the number of FBI agents assigned to Iraq as a result of the conversations.

The disclosure was included in 100 pages the FBI released from its now-closed investigation into whether the former secretary of state and her aides mishandled sensitive government information that flowed through the private mail server located in her New York home.

The FBI official who spoke with Kennedy was not involved in the investigation of Clinton's email use, the bureau said.

According to the account in the FBI records, Kennedy proposed using an obscure provision under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act to keep the existence of the classified document from becoming public. By labeling the email unclassified but exempt under the federal records law, the State Department would have avoided criticism that its employees had mishandled classified files but still would have prevented the email's public release.

The provision cited in the FBI files, known as "B9," is intended to protect geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells and is the most rarely used FOIA exemption.

"Kennedy told (redacted) that the FBI's classification of the email in question caused problems for Kennedy and Kennedy wanted to classify the document as 'B9,'" The FBI report says. "Kennedy further stated that the 'B9' classification would allow him to archive the document in the basement of DoS (Department of State) never to be seen again."

The FBI official said that after learning later that the information in question concerned the Benghazi attacks, he contacted Kennedy and told him there was "no way he could assist" with declassifying.

Toner suggested that Kennedy may not have raised the "B9" exemption at all, but rather "B7" -- a separate exemption protecting confidential communications with law enforcement. Toner said that exemption could have still allowed parts of the document to be released.

Toner also denied there was any proposed deal, saying the FBI official first raised the number of bureau personnel approved to be in Iraq at the end of the phone call as a separate issue.

As for the FBI official's account, he said, "I can't speak to what this person's intent, whether they misunderstood the atmosphere of that conversation, I have no idea. All I can say is that there was no quid pro quo."

The Associated Press reported the existence of the secret Benghazi-related email in May 2015, though the classified content of the document has never been made public.

At the time, administration officials acknowledged interagency disagreements about whether certain information in the emails was classified.

House Republicans said Monday the reports of behind-the scenes maneuvering with the FBI were "extremely disturbing."

"Those who receive classified intelligence should not barter in it -- that is reckless behavior with our nation's secrets," said House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., in a joint statement.

Chaffetz first disclosed the alleged quid pro quo in an interview with Fox News on Saturday.

Finck & Perras announce Saturday transponder giveaway at Eastworks in Easthampton

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The event is planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Suite 160 on the first floor of Eastworks.


EASTHAMPTON - Finck and Perras Insurance is hosting a giveaway event on Saturday at Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St., to hand out electronic transponders for use on the Massachusetts Turnpike

The event is planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Suite 160 on the first floor of Eastworks. Representatives of the state Department of Transportation will be on hand to distribute the devices and to explain how they work.

transponder from massdot.png 

The transponders are free but there is an initial $20 deposit needed to create a starting balance on the account from which payments for driving on the turnpike will be drawn.

The devices will be available to any state resident. People are required to bring their vehicle registration and a photo ID.

The transponders have been around for years as part of the turnpike's Fast Lane program. With the turnpike removing toll booths, transponders are gaining a larger role in the processing of tolls. The All Electronic Tolling program is expected to go live on Oct. 28.

The transponders are available through the Department of Transportation by filling out the form at the ezpass.com web page. The weekend event is planned to assist anyone who may not have access to a computer or the internet.


Wife of jailed former Speaker Sal DiMasi says she's 'cautiously optimistic' about early release

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Debbie DiMasi, the wife of the former Massachusetts House speaker who is serving a prison sentence in North Carolina, said on WGBH's "Greater Boston" show that she is "cautiously optimistic" he'll get released early. Sal DiMasi developed cancer while in federal prison.

BOSTON - Debbie DiMasi, the wife of the former Massachusetts House speaker who is serving a prison sentence in North Carolina, said on WGBH's "Greater Boston" show that she is "cautiously optimistic" he'll get released early.

Sal DiMasi, who is battling cancer, was convicted of taking a kickback on a state contract. He was sentenced in 2011 to serve eight years, and he is 56 months, or 58 percent, into his sentence.

Debbie DiMasi, former colleagues on Beacon Hill and others have pushed for compassionate release for DiMasi, who represented Boston's North End while on Beacon Hill.

Debbie DiMasi said six or seven weeks ago, prison officials allowed her husband, who is 71, to take a test he requested four years ago. She said he can't swallow and he has to be on a pureed diet after treatment for cancer.

"There's no way he can survive" serving out the rest of his term, Debbie DiMasi told Jim Braude, the host of "Greater Boston." "He's not getting the nutrition that he needs."

Prosecutors last week filed a motion on behalf of the Bureau of Prisons to reduce DiMasi's sentence to time served. The motion states that the former speaker "developed tongue cancer while in prison and received radiation and chemotherapy that constricted his esophagus, necessitating his use of a feeding tube for one year." The motion adds: "He continues to suffer from choking episodes and requires regular esophageal dilations, among other treatments."

But the federal judge in the case, Mark Wolf, wants prosecutors to provide more details on former Speaker DiMasi's decline in health.

Wolf also noted that successful compassionate releases appear to be rare.

"If accurate, these statistics raise the question - which is only a question - of whether the...decision to file the Motion was influenced by DiMasi's former status as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the stature of some who may be advocating for his release."

While adding that he could not have foreseen DiMasi developing cancer while in prison, Wolfe said that he considered DiMasi's medical conditions at the time, including heart problems, in 2011 and recommended that DiMasi serve out his sentence close to home, at the Devens federal medical center. But the Bureau of Prisons decided against doing so.

Wolf set Nov. 1 as the hearing date on the motion to release the former speaker.

Emergency bridge repair causes major traffic jam at I-290 and Mass Pike in Auburn

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The ramp was closed for emergency repairs at about 5:30 p.m. Nearly three hours later, rush hour traffic was still a mess, according to police.


AUBURN - A decision by the Department of Transportation to perform an emergency bridge repair is leading to major traffic tie-ups on Interstate 290, according to state police.

The ramp connecting the Auburn / Worcester exit on the Massachusetts Turnpike and I-290 has been closed, and state police are detouring traffic to Route 12, according to state police.

The work involves a deck repair, and there is no indication when it will be completed, according to police.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation issued a tweet at 5:30 p.m. that said the Exit 10 ramp was being closed. Drivers on the Mass Pike were expected to see delays.

Netflix tests limits of price increases for original shows

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Netflix is testing the financial limits of its streaming video service as the rising cost of producing original programming pushes up subscription prices.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Netflix is testing the financial limits of its streaming video service as the rising cost of producing original programming pushes up subscription prices.

The latest reminder came Monday with the company's third-quarter earnings report, which revealed that Netflix added 370,000 U.S. subscribers. That marks its second consecutive quarter of slowing U.S. growth since lifting a two-year rate freeze and increasing prices by as much as 20 percent for more than 20 million existing subscribers.

While the latest quarterly subscriber gain exceeded management's modest projections, it fell far below the 880,000 U.S. customers that Netflix picked up at the same time last year. The deceleration occurred even though the latest period included the July debut of "Stranger Things," which turned into one of the summer's surprise hits.


Netflix is now faring far better overseas as it tries to diversify its video library to suit the tastes of 189 other countries. The company added 3.2 million international subscribers in the third quarter, surpassing the 2.7 million it gained at the same time last year when it was operating in about 130 fewer countries.

Investors were thrilled with the international progress and the better-than-expected showing in the U.S. Netflix's stock surged nearly 20 percent to $119.91 in extended trading.

The drop-off in U.S. subscriber gains underscores the delicate balancing act the company is trying to pull off as it seeks to retain and attract customers while also financing its ambitious expansion overseas amid fierce competition from Amazon and HBO.

It's an expensive challenge, which is why Netflix raised the price for its most popular U.S. plan from $8 to $10 per month. And the pressure to continue increasing rates every few years seems likely to continue, though Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said Monday that that there are no plans to raise prices again anytime soon.

On average, Netflix said, it is collecting 10 percent more for its subscribers worldwide than a year ago. About 25 percent of the U.S. subscribers still covered by the rate freeze imposed in 2014 will have their prices raised by year's end.

"With more revenue, we can reinvest to further improve Netflix to attract new members from around the world, while continuing to delight our existing customers," Hastings wrote in a letter reviewing the third-quarter results.

After spending $5 billion on original programing and licensing rights to other shows this year, Netflix has earmarked another $6 billion for next year. Only Walt Disney Co. and NBC are spending more on programming, based on an analysis of 2015 data, according to the research firm IHS Markit. Netflix expects to offer 1,000 hours of original shows and movies next year, up from 600 hours this year.

But the price increases that help finance new shows threaten to become counter-productive if they drive away too many of the existing 47.5 million U.S. subscribers or discourage potential new customers from signing up.

Netflix does not disclose how many of its subscribers cancel each quarter, but Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter estimates that about 1 million U.S. households opened new accounts from July through September. That means about 600,000 subscribers abandoned the service during the third quarter, if Pachter's calculations are accurate.

Even at $10 per month, RBS analyst Mark Mahaney contends that Netflix remains a bargain for the average U.S. subscriber, who watches about 60 hours of programming each month, more time spent viewing other popular cable TV channels. By Mahaney's calculations, the average Netflix subscriber in the U.S. is paying the equivalent of 17 cents per hour of programming watched versus a range of 25 cents to 38 cents per hour for every hour of programming watching on AMC, FX, CNN, CBS, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.


For that reason, Mahaney believes Netflix will still be able to raise its monthly prices by a few more dollars during the next four years and still reach 160 million worldwide subscribers in 2020. Netflix ended September with nearly 87 million worldwide customers.

For now, Netflix is leaning on its streaming and DVD-by-mail business in the U.S. to subsidize unprofitable overseas operations. The company is promising to make money internationally next year. Overall, Netflix's third-quarter earnings nearly doubled from the same time last year to $51.5 million, or 12 cents per share.

Netflix had hoped to expand into China on its own, but said Monday that it will instead license some of its content to other providers that already have cleared the country's regulatory hurdles governing the kind of video that can be shown there.

City Council approves MGM Springfield signs for parking garage to promote casino, downtown entertainment venues

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The Springfield City Council approved six signs for the MGM Springfield parking garage that will promote the $950 million casino project and other downtown entertainment venues.

SPRINGFIELD -- The City Council on Monday approved plans submitted by MGM Springfield to locate six signs on its parking garage that will serve to showcase its casino project and advertise related venues such as the MassMutual Center and CityStage.

The signs were approved by unanimous vote following a hearing at City Hall. There was no public opposition.

The marquee sign at the top of the parking garage was previously approved by the city, with the additional signs submitted for approval once the site plans were finalized, officials said. Additional signs for other buildings will be considered separately when the plans are ready.

"We're really excited to get unanimous approval for our sign package," MGM Springfield President Mike Mathis said following the vote. "It's really an important part of the project. This really is a major architectural element."

With 100,000 vehicles passing the site daily on Interstate 91, the signs will help with promoting the casino to customers and potential customers, Mathis said.

Five illuminated signs will face East Columbus Avenue on the seven-story parking garage including one animated digital sign to promote the casino and events at the MassMutual Center, CityStage and Symphony Hall, said Seth Stratton, vice president and general counsel for MGM Springfield. The other standard signs will also promote the casino and some related events, but there will be no outside advertising, MGM officials said.

MGM Springfield is working with the downtown entertainment venues, such as MassMutual Center, as part of its stated mission and formal agreements approved by the city and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, officials said.

The internally illuminated "changing image" sign will be located below the marquee sign and will be about 25 by 45 feet in size, according to the Planning Department's review and analysis. Two standard signs will be approximately 29 by 49 feet, another will be 52 by 90 feet, and another will be 30 by 139 feet, according to the analysis.

A sixth sign will be installed on the Union Street side of the parking garage. It will measure 30 feet by 130 feet and have standard lighting.

At-large Councilor Kateri Walsh praised the signs as "well thought out," and as being essential to the success of the casino project.

MGM officials also provided the council with an update on the $950 million casino project, saying it is well on its way to a September 2018 opening as scheduled.

Stratton said Springfield is counting on MGM to attract visitors to the city and the signs serve as "a great tool."

The council attached several conditions to Monday's vote, including that MGM must conduct an independent study to review "any possible adverse impacts to highway traffic flow and safety" prior to the issuance of the a sign permit. MGM Springfield agreed to all conditions and sign permits must be obtained before installation can occur.

Gov. Charlie Baker hopes for faster work on generic drugs from FDA, talks Affordable Care Act

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Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday criticized the Food and Drug Administration for allegedly taking too long to approve new generic drugs and said progress is being made with the Obama administration on a MassHealth waiver extension he'd hoped to have wrapped up in September.

By ANDY METZGER

Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday criticized the Food and Drug Administration for allegedly taking too long to approve new generic drugs and said progress is being made with the Obama administration on a MassHealth waiver extension he'd hoped to have wrapped up in September.

At the start of annual state hearings to examine health care cost trends, Baker also repeated one of his longstanding criticisms of the health care marketplace- it fails to provide consumers with usable information about costs.

"I wouldn't have brought it up as an issue if I thought anybody was doing it well. I think we have a lot of work to do on this issue," Baker told reporters after his remarks, when asked who was doing price transparency well in Massachusetts. "I think a lot of people around the Commonwealth do a lot of really interesting work, but I think a lot of it is more focused on serving what I would call sort of the policy and the research community and not so much the individual who's dealing with the health care system themselves."

The Republican governor who previously headed up the insurance company Harvard Pilgrim Health Care said he hoped for a discussion with the federal government in early 2017 about making changes to the Affordable Care Act.

The signature law of President Barack Obama's presidency aimed at increasing access to care, the ACA is controversial, blamed for rising costs around the country, and many on the Republican side of the aisle hope to repeal it. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president, supports making changes to it.

"It's my hope that states will be permitted to engage the federal government in an honest conversation about what's working and what needs to be worked on with respect to the ACA sometime early next year," Baker said Monday. He said aspects of the law have "increased the price of the offerings" available through health care exchanges set up by the government to connect individuals and businesses with health insurers.

The Health Connector last month reported premium costs of its offerings of unsubsidized plans will increase an average of 19 percent, though there is a wide variety in prices depending on the plan. Open enrollment begins Nov. 1.

Health care costs overall in Massachusetts increased by 4.1 percent last year, exceeding the benchmark of 3.6 percent set forth in a 2012 law. That same law established the Health Policy Commission, which is hosting the two-day cost trends hearing at Suffolk University Law School.

David Seltz, executive director of the commission, said more people planned to attend this year's cost trends hearing than any prior year.

Baker said that while the cost growth exceeded the benchmark it is "lower than the 2014 trend," and could be attributed to trends outside of inflation, such as shifts in coverage, an aging population, advances in medicine and the opioid crisis.

The Center for Health Information and Analysis last year reported health costs grew 4.8 percent in 2014.

Baker on Monday called out the Food and Drug Administration for what he said was a median of 47 months to approve generic drugs, which offer a cheaper alternative to better-known brands.

"A generic is a chemical equivalent of bio-similarity to something that's already been on the market for 17 years in most cases. How could it possibly take four years to decide whether or not somebody's generic application is the same chemical composition as something that's been in the market for more than a decade?" Baker asked. He said, "The FDA needs to reduce its backlog and recognize the important role the dynamic, competitive generic market has on the overall cost of drugs."

A spokesperson for the agency said the FDA is attempting to lessen the time taken for generic drug approvals and said the average time for approval in fiscal 2015 was 48 months and the median time was 42 months.

According to the FDA, at the beginning of this month the agency began a 10-month review goal for new generic drug applications and there is an expedited review policy for certain generic applications. The agency said the 700 generic drug approvals and tentative approvals made last year was the highest ever in one year.

The Baker administration has for months sought to renegotiate the state's Medicaid waiver with the federal government, hoping to avoid losing $1 billion in annual federal funding starting next July.

Baker said he is "pretty confident" a deal will be reached soon and said discussions in the nation's capital have been "very positive and constructive."

The original deal was made by the Patrick administration and Baker said it is a five-year deal with three years of funding. The discussions could result in a new waiver or an extension of the existing waiver, Baker said.

In addition to providing funding, the new agreement could alter the approach of MassHealth, moving it toward a more holistic model.

"The framework around this is going to incorporate mental health services, behavioral health services and substance use services in a way that we have never been able to do before in Massachusetts, and raises the distinct possibility of coming up with a much more comprehensive way of serving the folks who are on MassHealth, so I'm actually pretty bullish about getting the thing done and having it approved before the end of the year," Baker said.

Asked what was left to be done, Baker said, "We're down to a pretty small number of items that people are going back and forth on."

The governor also said he supports the conditional approval recommended by Department of Public Health staff of a $1 billion expansion of Boston Children's Hospital, saying he does not believe it will contribute to cost growth within the state's health market.

Calling the recommendations "appropriate," Baker said the hospital has made clear that the proposed 71 new beds are "designed to meet a need from out of state and out of country," and they were "not going to have an impact on the local market here."

The Public Health Council plans to take up the expansion proposal on Thursday.

Westfield School Committee increases daily pay for substitute school nurses

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School officials Monday night could not remember the last time an increase was approved for nurses.

WESTFIELD - The School Committee Monday approved a $30 increase in the daily stipend paid to substitute school nurses.

It was the first increase in several years and is designed to make it easier to attract substitute nurses when needed in city schools.

Superintendent of Schools Stephan Czaporowski and school Human Resourced Director Paula Ceglowski said currently the School Department has only two substitute nurses that are "regularly" available.

Also, if Westfield is unable to locate a substitute nurses on any given school day officials must contract with an (employment) agency for coverage. The stipend paid in those cases is considerably higher than the new $150 approved salary.

Ceglowski said the current $120 per day salary for substitute nurses is lower than many other school districts in the area. The new $150 per day salary will at least make Westfield "competitive," she said.

Officials said substitute nurses have been needed about 10 days so far in the current school year.

Ceglowski and Czaporowski said the School Department is mandated to provide at least one school nurse in each city school daily. The city has one pre-school; seven elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools.

Westfield State University's Musical Theatre Guild to perform Friday

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The Musical Theatre Guild is one of the oldest student-run clubs on campus.

WESTFIELD - The Musicaul Theatre Guild at Westfield State University will perform a dinner mystery production "DINNER AT EIGHT, DEAD BY NINE" Friday in Scanlon Banquet Hall.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the production will begin at 6 p.m.. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance at www.westfield.ma.edu/tickets under SGA Programs. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 each for general public.

The play was written by Michael Druce and features a group of guests who are attending a dinner and anticipating a theatre show when the guest of fhonor, Eleanor Van Heusen, drops dead.

The play is directed by Rachel Cofsky, WSU Class of 2017. Andrew Morin, Class of 2017, is production manager. The production features 16 student actors and they will interact with audience members.

Dinner includes salad, garlic bread sticks, spaghetti and meatballs, brownies and coffee.

The Musical Theatre Guild is one of the oldest student-run clubs on campus and was founded in 1972.


Amherst College soccer player takes on Donald Trump's definition of 'locker room talk'

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The oped has been praised by many on Twitter.

AMHERST - Amherst College senior and soccer player David Lander has challenged Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump's remarks about what men talk about in the locker room.

Lander has written an opinion piece for Huntington Post that has received all kinds of Internet attention, retweeting and praise.

Trump was heard bragging about kissing and groping women on an Access Hollywood tape, comments he later dismissed as locker room talk.

What Lander wrote, an excerpt of which is shown below, speaks for his team.

"We play for the Amherst College men's soccer team, the defending NCAA Division III National Champions.

"Our locker room consists of 31 guys, ages 18 to 23. We come from 13 different states and five different countries.

"We grew up with different religions, ethnicities, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds. We study political science, economics, computer science, biology, history, physics and black studies.

"We grew up playing on countless different clubs, traveling teams, and high-school soccer teams - each with its own distinct culture.

"Here is what we talk about in our locker room: We talk about the impossible chemistry midterm exam we had that morning, the new idea for our senior thesis, the buffalo chicken wraps for lunch, and how the other teams in the league did that weekend. We also talk about our Saturday nights, our personal relationships and, of course, the girls in our lives.

"But, despite our diverse backgrounds, upbringings and interests, we cannot imagine one of our 30 guys ever making or condoning, in our private locker room, comments similar to Donald Trump's disgusting statements about sexually assaulting women."

The post has been picked up by the Boston Globe, retweeted by New York Times columnist Frank Bruni among others. 

Lawyer for jailed reputed mobster Ralph Santaniello appeals pretrial detention, seeks release

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In her Aug. 16 detention order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson also noted that based on video recordings made by "Victim One," a tow company operator Ralph Santaniello was allegedly shaking down, Santaniello appeared the leader of the crew.

SPRINGFIELD -- Ralph Santaniello, a Longmeadow man with reputed mob ties facing charges of extortion and other crimes in federal court, is vying for pretrial freedom after a judge ordered him held behind bars in August.

Santaniello was among five alleged organized crime associates arrested on Aug. 4 in connection with extortion, loansharking and illegal gaming schemes, according to investigators. He also was the only defendant who did not win pretrial release, primarily because a witness against him told police Santaniello slapped him in the face while demanding kickbacks.

In her Aug. 16 detention order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson also noted that based on video recordings made by "Victim One" -- a tow company operator Santaniello was allegedly shaking down -- Santaniello appeared to be the leader of the crew.

Arrested along with Santaniello, 49, were Giovanni "John" Calabrese, 53; and Gerald Daniele, 51, both of Longmeadow; Francesco "Frank" Depergola, 60, of Springfield; and Richard Valentini, 51, of East Longmeadow.

All pleaded not guilty to gambling, loansharking and extortion charges in a six-count federal indictment. They were among 40 alleged mobsters from various Mafia crime families taken into custody in connection with a Massachusetts to Florida conspiracy, according to an indictment out of federal court in New York City.

Santaniello is being held in a federal pretrial detention center in Brooklyn.

His attorney, Daniel D. Kelly, on Oct. 17 filed an appeal of Robertson's ruling to another federal judge. He argues Santaniello does not pose the "risk of safety to the community" as the judge concluded in her ruling, and that he is not even a "made member" of the Mafia, per an FBI agent's testimony at the August detention hearing.

FBI Agent Robert Zanolli testified that Santaniello and Depergola had "sponsors" higher up in the Genovese crime family but that the organization was "closed" and not accepting new members at the time.

Victim One told investigators Santantiello and Calabrese showed up at his property in 2013 and demanded he resume kickbacks he had paid to late mob boss Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno before Bruno's murder in 2003. Santaniello insisted Victim One pay $20,000 followed by $2,000 each month, and punctuated his demand with a slap in the face, the witness told state police.

Santaniello was later shown on video tearing open the witness' shirt to see whether he was "wearing a wire," but didn't discover the recording device.

However, Kelly argued his client was indicted nearly three years after "the purported slap" and that no harm had come to Victim One in the interim.

Prosecutors argue, however, that none of the defendants were aware the tow company operator had gone to police before their arrests.

Kelly also compares Santaniello's case to others in Massachusetts involving organized crime leaders who had committed or ordered crimes of violence and were released pending trial with tight restrictions.

A second victim (Victim Two) in the six-count indictment told investigators he fell into debt to Daniele and he made aggressive attempts to collect along with Calabrese and Santaniello. There were no allegations of violence with respect to Victim 2.

Kelly is asking U.S. District Judge Timothy Hillman to release Santaniello on a GPS monitor and essentially place him under house arrest. Kelly also has requested a hearing.

That hearing has not yet been scheduled.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren to campaign with Hillary Clinton in N.H. on Monday

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With polls predicting a tight race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., will visit the important battleground state next week to make the case for her party's presidential nominee.

With polls predicting a tight race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., will visit the important battleground state next week to make the case for her party's presidential nominee.

The Massachusetts senator, who has become an important campaign surrogate for the former first lady, will join Clinton on the campaign trail in New Hampshire Monday, Oct. 24.

Warren and the Democratic nominee are expected to discuss Clinton's plans to build an economy that works for all Americans, as well as the importance of supporting Democrats up and down the ballot at the to-be-announced event.

Having Warren at her side in the Granite State could help Clinton's efforts to tap into support among more progressive members of the party, who have been slow to get behind her White House bid.

The Massachusetts senator, who reportedly had been named as a possible Clinton vice presidential running mate, has become an important surrogate and outspoken critic of Trump for the Democrat's campaign.

The event will come exactly a month after Warren campaigned for Clinton in the important battleground state and weeks after Clinton held a joint campaign rally with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT at the University of New Hampshire.

Sanders, who beat Clinton in the state's first-in-the-nation Democratic primary, urged New Hampshire voters to throw their support behind the former secretary of state during the event.

Clinton also campaigned alongside Sanders in the Granite State ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

The Democratic nominee is not the only one focusing campaign efforts on New Hampshire, Trump has also returned the state several times in final weeks before the November election. 

The businessman took swipes at his Democratic rival and made his case to Granite State voters Saturday during an afternoon rally at a Portsmouth Toyota dealership.

Donald Trump unleashes on Hillary Clinton, calls for pre-debate drug test at New Hampshire rally

Polls give Clinton a nearly 4-point edge over Trump in the important battleground state, according to RealClearPolitics' averages -- down from the 6-point lead she enjoyed earlier this month.

Spanky's Tree Service of Orange fined $7,590 for not reporting diesel fuel spill

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The owner of the company failed to report the spill, which is required by state law for amounts of more than 10 gallons.

ORANGE - The state Department of Environmental Protection announced an Orange tree removal company has been fined $7,590 for not reporting a 20-gallon diesel fuel spill at an East Main Street gas station that resulted in a state and local environmental cleanup response.

The fine was issued Spanky's Tree Service and its owner Tracy Gleason in connection with a Dec. 3 incident at the Cumberland Farms service station at 25 East Main St. Approximately 20 gallons of fuel spilled in the parking lot and ran off into the street.

The town fire department responded to the scene, and DEP official were called in to oversee the cleanup. An independent environmental cleanup firm was hired and a day cleaning the spill, said Michael Gorski, director of DEP's Western Regional Office in Springfield

At the time, it was not known who was responsible for the spill. But Gorski said a review of
surveillance footage from the gas station showed the spill originated from a pickup truck operated by Gleason. The footage also showed that he was aware of the spill but did not notify police or fire officials, nor anyone from the DEP.

Under state law, the state agency is to be notified within two hours of any fuel spill of more than 10 gallons.

Gorski said DEP officials made several unsuccessful attempts to reach out to Gleason to negotiate a settlement.

"Mr. Gleason did not provide notification to the appropriate agencies, including MassDEP, and left the scene of the spill," Gorski said. "Furthermore, he failed to respond to numerous attempts to resolve this matter, resulting in the issuance of this penalty."

The Republican attempted to contact Gleason Tuesday afternoon but was unsuccessful.

Gov. Charlie Baker gets crash course in Aviation Technology from students at Westfield Technical Academy

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The governor stopped at Westfield Technical Academy during a swing through Western Massachusettts Tuesday.

WESTFIELD - Gov. Charlie Baker got a crash course in aviation technology from students and staff at Westfield Technical Academy during a visit to the high school late Tuesday afternoon.

It was Baker's first visit to the technical high school and it follows the award last month of a $500,000 Massachusetts Workforce Training grant awarded to Westfield Technical Academy to enhance its new aviation technology program as well as its veteran manufacturing technology program.

During his tour Baker met with five students in the aviation program that was launched last December, received a overview of the aviation curriculum from instructor Galen Wilson and learned that aviation and manufacturing are the top choices of students enrolling at WTA.

Superintendent of Schools Stefan Czaporowski told the governor that while all programs taught at the school are popular, aviation and manufacturing currently attract the most students.

"I am aware of the employment opportunities in aviation especially here in Western Massachusetts," Baker said following his tour.

"I am interested in the skills gap that exists and there is potential here to make a big difference in that especially with programs like this that have corporate sponsors," Baker said.

Baker noted the $500,000 awarded to Westfield last month, $250,000 for aviation and $250,000 for manufacturing technology came from a state commitment to provide $45 million over the next three years in support of workforce training.

The aviation program received its Federal Aviation Administration certification in August and the corporate sponsor that Baker referred to here in Westfield involves support from Gulfstream Inc. which has a facility at Barnes Regional Airport.

Gulfstream committed $200,000 to WTA's aviation program last year to be spread out over four years. Last month, as a result of FAA certification of the program, Gulfstream committed another $100,000 to the program.

Accompanying Baker on tour were state Rep. John Vellis, D-Westfield; representatives from Gulfstream, Mayor Brian P. Sullivan, School Committee Finance Chairman Kevin J. Sullivan, Czaporowski and Westfield Advancement Officer Joseph Mitchell.

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