The Springfield Police Academy class of 2016 veered off their regular course for their daily training run on Monday.

SPRINGFIELD- The Springfield Police Academy class 1116 veered off their regular course for their daily training run on Monday.

Starting from the parking lot of the Greek Cultural Center, 47 recruits donned yellow safety vests to run in formation from Springfield's North End and back during a 4-mile run.

After stretching and warming up in the center's parking lot, the class ran past the Jamie Ulloa Park on Morgan Street, back to Main Street, down to Springfield City Hall, up to the Springfield Police station and back again.

The run was a part of a campaign to let the public know about the recruits' nearing graduation on Nov. 10th at City Stage in Springfield.

For more information on the police academy, visit the official website.

Supporters of a charter school expansion ballot question upped their push Tuesday from both sides of the partisan aisle, releasing a new ad featuring Gov. Charlie Baker and announcing a $500,000 effort to mobilize Democratic voters. Watch video

By KATIE LANNAN

Supporters of a charter school expansion ballot question upped their push Tuesday from both sides of the partisan aisle, releasing a new ad featuring Gov. Charlie Baker and announcing a $500,000 effort to mobilize Democratic voters.

In the 30-second ad paid for by Great Schools Massachusetts, Baker asks viewers to join him in voting yes on Question 2, which would allow the state to license up to 12 new charter schools per year.

"Imagine if your kids were trapped in a failing school," Baker says in the new television ad. "Public charter schools give parents a choice and are a pathway to success for these kids. If you like your school, Question 2 won't affect you, but Question 2 will change the future for thousands of kids who need your help."

Baker began his day in New York delivering an address on education policy at the Manhattan Institute, and is scheduled to go door-to-door in Dorchester this afternoon after addressing parents at a house party for the pro-expansion campaign. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito canvassed in support of the ballot question Monday afternoon in her hometown of Shrewsbury.

Charter expansion opponents took aim at Baker's meeting with the New York think tank, saying that many of its funders are also backing Question 2 financially.

"While Governor Baker is in New York asking for more Wall Street money from the billionaires funding Question 2, he's showing up here in a TV ad that repeats the ludicrous idea that Question 2 won't affect any family who likes their school," the No on Question 2 campaign said in a statement. "There are hundreds of thousands of families who love their local public schools in every community in Massachusetts, and Question 2, by removing all limits on charter school expansion, will lead to even deeper budget cuts in urban, suburban, and rural school districts."

Along with the state's two top Republicans, Question 2 has the support of House Speaker Robert DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat. Senate President Stan Rosenberg, an Amherst Democrat, plans to vote against the question.

Massachusetts Democrats have been divided on the issue of charter school expansion. The pro-charter group Democrats for Education Reform on Tuesday announced it will dedicate $500,000 "to correct the record of Democratic Leaders and Increase turnout among base Democratic voters."

The pro-expansion side is trailing in the latest poll of Massachusetts voters, released Oct. 18 by WBUR and the MassINC Polling Group. Fifty-two percent of respondents said they would vote "no" on the question, with 41 percent in favor.

Question 2 remains behind in the polls

While expansion supporters say publicly funded and independently run charter schools provide educational opportunities to students who would otherwise lack them, critics say charters drain money away from district schools that serve the bulk of the state's students.

Eighteen city councils and 200 school committees across the state have now voted to oppose the expansion question, which the No on 2 campaign described as "overwhelming grassroots opposition." The Braintree and Hadley school boards joined that list Monday night with votes against the expansion proposal.

"This question isn't about choice, it's about Wall Street billionaires masked by their Super PACs trying to hijack local control of our schools," Marshfield School Committee chairman Sean Costello said in a statement. "Our kids and our communities deserve better."

In announcing their mobilization initiative, Democrats for Education Reform took aim at the opposition by school committees, saying the "overwhelming majority" of those who have taken a stance against the question "are not impacted by this question and represent mostly White communities."

"The campaign against expanding successful charter schools has attempted to scare White, suburban, Democratic voters into opposing Question 2," DFER state director Liam Kerr said in a statement. "What those special interests don't want Democratic voters to know is that the party's leadership, such as President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, strongly support the expansion of high-quality public charter schools."

The group announced four regional chairs who will lead efforts to reach Democratic voters in their respective areas of the state: Lawrence School Committee member Pavel Payano; former Springfield City Councilor Amaad Rivera; Gladys Vega of Chelsea; and Ewell Hopkins, president of the Democratic Council of Martha's Vineyard.

DFER also plans to run targeted advertisements in "heavily Democratic communities that would benefit from a charter school cap lift" and conduct an "aggressive mail and phone campaign," according to a release.

Dispute over funding heats up in Massachusetts charter school debate

The trooper was sitting in his cruiser at a work detail near mile marker 3 when he was struck from behind by an 83-year-old male driver at around 12 p.m.

LONGMEADOW - A Massachusetts State Police trooper, injured Tuesday in a crash on Interstate 91, has been released from the hospital.

The trooper was sitting in his cruiser at a work detail near mile marker 3 when he was struck from behind by an 83-year-old male driver at around 12 p.m. Both suffered apparently minor injuries, state police said.

State police are not yet releasing the names of the trooper or the driver, and it's unclear if the driver, who is from Connecticut, will face any charges.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Libertarian vice presidential nominee Bill Weld put out a call Tuesday to members of his old party, urging Republicans not to cast their ballot for Donald Trump.

By KATIE LANNAN

Libertarian vice presidential nominee Bill Weld put out a call Tuesday to members of his old party, urging Republicans not to cast their ballot for Donald Trump.

But Weld, a former Republican governor of Massachusetts, did not suggest an alternative presidential ticket for those voters to back, largely avoiding promotion of his own campaign with running mate Gary Johnson.

During a press conference at the Omni Parker House Hotel, Weld offered a scathing assessment of Trump, comparing the Republican candidate's behavior to that of a child and saying his campaign's main goal was "to stir up envy, resentment, and group hatred."

Weld refrained from criticizing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and in fact offered faint praise for the former secretary of state, calling her "qualified" to serve as president -- a notable contrast to his description of Trump, who he said would be unable to take pressure and criticism as president "without becoming unhinged and unable to perform competently the duties of his office."

"I've said what I've said about her in the past," Weld said of Clinton. "I think she's qualified, and you know, I'm not saying the same things as I'm saying about Donald Trump, put it that way."

As the other major-party candidate and frontrunner in several polls, Clinton is positioned as the most obvious alternative for voters not backing Trump, the New York businessman who won the party's nomination by running as a political outsider. The Johnson/Weld ticket is polling in the single digits.

Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican who worked in the Weld administration, has said he will not vote for Trump, Clinton or any other presidential candidate this year, citing concerns with Trump's temperament and Clinton's credibility.

Weld has bucked party lines to endorse a Democrat before, backing Barack Obama over Republican Sen. John McCain in the 2008 presidential election. He did not go so far Tuesday as to endorse Clinton over Trump or recommend that voters pull the lever for her, but also did not take the opportunity to lob any attacks her way as he denounced Trump.

Weld said Trump's bid for the Oval Office "presents a rather dire risk to the country." Asked if Clinton would make a good president, Weld said, "I don't know." He declined to say which of the two he would prefer to see as president.

Asked why he was not endorsing Clinton if he believed a Trump presidency would put the country at risk, Weld said, "That's just not what we're talking about here."

At Omni Parker House, where Libertarian VP nominee Bill Weld about to hold a pre-election presser. #mapoli pic.twitter.com/Z8k1Jm8crl

-- Katie Lannan (@katielannan) October 25, 2016

Weld said he was directing his remarks to voters who remained torn between the two major-party candidates with two weeks left until Election Day and to "those Republicans who are standing around not doing anything."

"This is not the time to cast a jocular or feel-good vote for a man whom you may have briefly found entertaining," Weld said. "Donald Trump should not, cannot, and must not be elected President of the United States."

He predicted that the Republican Party will face a "schism or outright division" after the election and said he hopes to play a role in discussions on the future of the GOP.

"I'll have on my big-L hat, but you know I'd like to see, of course, the surviving decent Republican Party have a libertarian bent to it," he said.

In addition to working with members of his one-time party, Weld suggested he could work with whoever is elected president.

"Whoever wins, even if it's Mr. Trump, I would advise the new administration if there's anything I can do to promote harmony, I would be happy to do it," he said.

The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission issued a customer safety warning after learning that two people tried entering a home after falsely claiming to be commission employees.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission issued a "customer safety reminder" on Tuesday after learning that two people had tried to gain entry into a customer's home by falsely claiming to be commission employees.

Springfield Water and Sewer Commission 

In a press release, the commission urged residents to not let anyone claiming to be a commission employee into their home without checking first for official Water and Sewer commission identification, among other precautions.

Joyce Mulvaney, commission spokeswoman, said police were contacted by the resident to investigate the incident.

The commission received a call Monday from a Springfield resident stating that two people attempted to go into his home by claiming they were commission employees.

"Based on a description of the circumstances and upon review of our work orders, we were able to determine that the people attempting to access the property were not Commission employees," Mulvaney said. " We advised the resident to call the police, who responded."

The commission gave the following customer safety reminder:

As a region, Greater Springfield added 4,800 jobs in September.

SPRINGFIELD -- Government and education and health services jobs grew the most in September here in Greater Springfield, according to data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

On Tuesday, the state reported that Greater Springfield added added 4,800 jobs in September, a 1.5 percent gain that bested what was basically a flat jobs picture statewide in all but one other region -- jobs grew by 1.7 percent in the Taunton-Middleborough-Norton area.

For the year, Springfield is up 5,700 jobs for a gain of 1.7 percent. That trails the statewide average of 2.2 percent job growth this year.

Here are how those job numbers break down by sector of the economy, with government and health and education services, which includes teachers, leading the gainers. Some gains were offset by losses elsewhere in the economy.

Jobs numbers are derived from a survey of employers. They compare job gains or losses with numbers from the same time last year in order to even out seasonal changes in the economy, like when schools open for the year. In the following list the notation (LY), for last year, denotes the gain or loss in September 2015 compared with August of 2015 for the monthly statistics or with September of 2014 for the year-over-year numbers. 

Three sectors that gained jobs last month were:

• Government: 5,000 or +8.8% (+4,800 LY)
• Education and Health Services: 2,400 or +3.1% (+600 LY)
• Trade, Transportation and Utilities: 100 or +0.2% (+500 LY)

Over the month, seven sectors that lost jobs were:

• Leisure and Hospitality: -1,300 or -4.2% (-400 LY)
• Other Services: -500 or -3.8% (-300 LY)
• Mining, Logging and Construction: -300 or -2.5% (-300 LY)
• Financial Activities: -200 or -1.1% (-200 LY)
• Professional, Scientific and Business Services: -200 or -0.7% (0 LY)
• Manufacturing: -100 or -0.3% (-200 LY)
• Information: -100 or -2.9% (0 LY)

Five sectors that gained jobs over the year were:

• Professional, Scientific, and Business Services: 3,700 or +13.9% (+200 LY)
• Education and Health Services: 2,700 or +3.6% (+2,800 LY)
• Trade, Transportation, and Utilities: 1,000 or +1.7% (+400 LY)
• Mining, Logging and Construction: 100 or +0.8% (+400 LY)
• Other Services: 100 or +0.8% (+100 LY)

Over the year, four sectors that lost jobs were:

• Leisure and Hospitality: -900 or -3.0% (-300 LY)
• Government: -600 or -1.0% (0 LY)
• Manufacturing: -300 or -1.0% (-300 LY)
• Information: -100 or -2.9% (-300 LY)

Financial Activities (+300 LY) remained unchanged over the last year.

Below is a Bureau of Labor Statistics report with national numbers showing big gains in business and professional services, a sector of the economy that includes architects, engineers and lawyers.

Bureau of Labor Statistics Highlights for September by Jim Kinney on Scribd

The dog, when found, weighed just 50 pounds. A dog of its size, breed and age would be expected to weigh at least 80 pounds.

PALMER - They have taken to calling the emaciated dog with the sad eyes that was found in the woods this weekend by the name Luna.

"Luna, like the moon," said Palmer Animal Control Officer Wendy LeSage. "It was the vet's idea."

Because the dog was found Saturday in the woods off Old Warren Road, LaSage said she and the veterinarian began going down a list of possible names with woodland connections. Names like Sprite and Fern.

"There must have been 30 names," LeSage said. "Luna was the first one it responded to."

She said it is unclear if Luna was a runaway or abandoned. But LeSage is trying to reach out via Facebook and the media in hopes of finding the owner. That is, if the owner wants to be found, she said.

Ordinarily, LeSage said she does not bother giving stray dogs names. If claimed by the rightful owner, the dog will already have a name. If adopted by a new owner, the dog will get a new name.

But circumstances made Luna a special case.

"It seemed so pathetic," she said. "It needed a name."

Luna, an adult pit bull-type dog, weight 50 pounds when examined Saturday. A healthy dog of that age, size and frame would be expected to weigh around 80 pounds, LeSage said.

"Just a bag of bones," she said.

In addition to being emaciated, Luna had abrasions on the face that could be mange, and also had very long toe nails. There were no scars that would be expected on a fighting dog. Luna also seems to get along with other dogs at the shelter but seems a little wary around people.

All of that could mean Luna was a victim of neglect or abuse. But it could also mean that maybe the dog escaped from its home and has spent an extended period surviving in the wild, she said.

"It's possible the dog escaped from someone's home three months ago and had been living in the woods," LeSage said.

Another option, she said, is that "the dog might have been neglected and then dumped."

Pet dumping is not uncommon. Some pet owners, either because they can no afford to care for the animal or simply no longer want to, will take the pet for a ride somewhere and then leave it behind, she said.

LeSage said an abandoned dog would likely be able survive by hunting for small game, and scavenging for food in garbage cans. A dog would be expected to lose some weight but it is unlikely it would grow as thin as Luna is, she said.

That is one of the reasons she is leaning toward the animal dumping theory.

Luna had no collar or any other identifying markers, and now LeSage is hoping that by publicizing the dog's photo, someone will come forward to either claim to be the owner or to at least point to where the owner may be found.

For now, Lesage said she does not what to disclose the dog's gender. If someone does come forward to claim it, knowing the right gender may be enough to weed out some pretenders. (That is why LeSage refers to Luna by the "it" pronoun, rather than by "he" or "she" during this interview.)

If no one comes forward, it is possible Luna could be put up for adoption, but that will not likely happen yet, and possibly not for as long as three months.

Before it can be determined if the dog is healthy enough to be adopted, they have to get its weight up, she said.

Since Saturday, Luna has shown a healthy appetite, which is likely a good sign, she said. It means it wasn't sickness or some underlying health condition that caused Luna to lose weight in the first place.

If anyone has information about the origins of Luna or knows the owner, LeSage asks that they call her at 413-283-5837.

#People wishing to stay anonymous may also share information by texting a message to "CRIMES," or "274637," and then beginning the body of the message with the word "#SOLVE."

People who are intested in contributing money for the care of Luna may also make donations to the Palmer Dog Gift Account, care of Palmer Animal Control, 4419 Main St., Palmer, MA 01069.

In the thousands of years before modern vaccinations, herbal medicine played a role in human healthcare and many people still swear by it today.

Modern medicine isn't as old as you think. Viruses were only discovered in 1890. In the thousands of years before modern vaccinations, herbal medicine played a role in human healthcare and many people still swear by it today. But herbalism doesn't rely on the scientific method and while compounds from plants are used in some modern medicine, the vast majority of herbal medicine is considered "alternative." Do you think herbal medicine is legit? Read more and vote below. [?]

PERSPECTIVES

It's called "alternative" medicine for a reason. It should be a backup plan, at best. Maybe it will help with minor aches or oils to help sunburns, but if you have a real sickness, get yourself to a doctor who has fancy machines that can literally look insider your body and give a diagnosis.

Science has predictive capabilities. That's what makes it powerful. Most alternative medicine is a shot in the dark.

We know your nana's best friend swears by it, but herbal medicine isn't something to just jump into. It can have seriously negative consequences.

The global market for herbal remedies is $60 billion and growing. The thing to consider is that herbal medicine is part of holistic medicine, where the entire person's life is taken into account. How else can you treat a patient unless you really understand a patient! Herbal medicine doesn't have to be some kind of backwoods ancient cultural practice. It can be as modern as hipster glasses.

This natural medicine doctor tries to put it in perspective.

"I can't tell you how many times I've been asked 'What is the best herb for headaches?' over the past 25 years since I first started in the natural health field. My answer is always the same: 'That depends on whether your headaches are a symptom of stress, neck tension or misalignment, anxiety, excessive radiation from computer work or television, liver problems, gallbladder problems, blood sugar fluctuations, neurotoxic chemicals in your food, head trauma, chemicals in your home or office, or other factor.'"

Few seats remain for the Herbal Saturday Workshop on 10/22. Explore herbal medicine, teas, and herbal preparations: https://t.co/kza7jRcBmK pic.twitter.com/AsesWZwAV1

-- NY Botanical Garden (@NYBG) October 18, 2016

Oh, you forgot about weed didn't you.

Now all the sudden your science-talk doesn't sound so tough. If you've ever supported medical marijuana, guess what - you have supported herbal medicine.

Pass This Along To Your Recreational & Especially, Medical Marijuana Friends. Monsanto-Bayer Want In The Industry.https://t.co/yJfFLJKTLd pic.twitter.com/OCD1nCF5dg

-- relombardo (@relombardo3) October 20, 2016

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.

The newest member to the Amherst School Committee was nominated as the chairman of the Amherst Regional School Committee Tuesday night without discussion.

AMHERST --  Eric Nakajima, the newest member of the Amherst School Committee, was elected chairman of the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee on Tuesday night without discussion.

In the first regional meeting since minutes from executive session meetings detailing the discussion of a controversial separation settlement with former Superintendent Maria Geryk were released, member Trevor Baptiste nominated Nakajima. A unanimous vote elected him chairman.

Baptiste then nominated Pelham member Emily Marriott as vice chairman, and she was elected.

Only resident Kathleen Anderson spoke during public comment. She asked the committee to "rededicate yourselves to the commitment and mission of Amherst schools."

Nakajima was appointed to the committee earlier this month to replace former chairwoman Laura Kent, who resigned in mid-September in the wake of the Geryk separation controversy.

Barbieri was asked about two ongoing investigations, both alleging officer misconduct.

SPRINGFIELD - Speaking to local TV news stations on Tuesday, the city's police commissioner said he understands residents' concerns about recent high-profile incidents involving his officers, and he is committed to conducting full and fair investigations.

"I do my best to understand what is proper, fair and sustainable and it's just critical that we get the decisions right," Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri told Western Mass News, media partner of The Republican/MassLive. "I am certainly not afraid to do my job and I am going to continue to make the best decisions that I can on the information I have available."

Barbieri was asked about two ongoing investigations, both alleging officer misconduct.

Detective Gregg Bigda received a 60-day suspension after he was caught on video threatening to kill two juvenile suspects and plant cocaine on them. Officer Luke Cournoyer was standing nearby at the time. The revelation of the Feb. 26 incident threatens to jeopardize drug cases in which Bigda and Cournoyer were involved, according to reporting by The Republican/MassLive.

Barbieri said "the behavior in the video (is) intolerable" and he will not defend Bigda's actions, which are now the subject of an FBI investigation.

WWLP-TV 22News pressed Barbieri on the lack of progress in a second investigation, this one from April 2015 involving off-duty officers accused of beating four men outside Nathan Bill's Bar and Restaurant. Twelve officers received disciplinary letters either for their involvement or their conduct when responding to the incident, but a criminal investigation has dragged on for more than 18 months with few official details released to the public.

"Certainly, if the behavior outlined in the complaint is accurate, then there's no tolerance for that type of behavior in the police department, and there's no room for that type of officers here," Barbieri told 22News I-Team reporter Tamara Sacharczyk.

He said that if the Hampden County District Attorney's office does not bring charges, the matter will be brought before the civilian Community Police Hearing Board. He added that he has always follows the board's decisions.

Barbieri also was asked to respond to comments made by Springfield City Councilor Justin Hurst, who said Barbieri's response to the Bigda case shows he should not be allowed to discipline officers. Hurst characterized the 60-day suspension as "a smack on the wrist."

Barbieri said he has personally arrested fellow officers in the past, and worked on internal affairs investigations.

"I wear my badge with integrity and honor," he said, dismissing suggestions that any officer may receive special treatment.

The Amherst Regional School Committee and Union 26 voted to appoint Acting Superintendent Michael Morris as the interim superintendent.

AMHERST -- The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee and Union 26 voted Tuesday night to appoint acting Superintendent Michael Morris as the interim superintendent.

Others were considered but were not named publicly.

Committee members expressed support for the appointment. Katherine Appy said, "We heard from a wide variety of people in the community supporting Dr. Morris in this interim role."

She praised his leadership. "He's doing a wonderful job. We have a lot on the table this year. Dr. Morris has been in the district for 16 years. Continuity is extremely important."

Morris said he considered whether becoming interim was good for the district and found support that it was.  

Also, he said since he became the acting superintendent, School Committee members have been "incredibly supportive ... e-mailing me, 'have you thought of this?' It's been incredibly helpful."

Morris said members are willing to take on larger roles. "All those things loom large in my decision-making (to accept the interim position)," he said.

Authorities said it appears a man was struck and killed by a freight train on a stretch of railroad tracks in Athol Tuesday morning.

ATHOL -- Authorities said it appears a man was struck and killed by a freight train on a stretch of railroad tracks in Athol Tuesday morning.

Pan Am Railroad dispatch called Winchendon dispatch around 10:50 a.m. and reported an adult male had apparently been hit by a freight train, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said in a news release.

Police officers and firefighters from Athol and Royalston along with State Police and railroad police responded to the scene.

The name of the victim was not released. The incident remains under investigation and the state's medical examiner will determine cause of death.

Some homeowners who meet certain criteria may not have to pay back loans.

WESTFIELD - City officials plan to revive the Westfield Housing Improvement Program to help some residents make and preserve improvements to their residential properties.

Community Development Director Peter Miller said this week he plans to bring back the program next month and offer as much as $20,000 in grants to homeowners who qualify.

WHIP expired in 2008 because of funding limitations and the loss of an agency, the Westfield Community Development Corp. which oversaw the program.

But, now Miller said his office can afford to bring back the program, on a limited basis, and the project will get assistance in administration from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

"We hope to help four owner-occupied residences with necessary improvements that are located within the downtown census track," Miller said.

He explained that $100,000 will be available through grants of up to $20,000. The program will be officially announced in November and funding should be available in January, Miller said.

Mayor Brian P. Sullivan praised efforts to bring back a program that helps Westfield homeowners.

"This program worked before and I expect it will work again. We should expect many applications," Sullivan said.

Miller said all applications will be reviewed and projects that qualify will be entered into a lottery which will determine which are awarded grants.

The grants will be subject to pay back but in some cases, such as retaining property ownership for 15 years after repairs are completed could result in no payback, officials said.

Holyoke officials and residents made presentations for and against statewide and local ballot questions on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016 about legalizing marijuana for recreational use, charter schools and the Community Preservation Act at a forum at Dean Technical High School.

Updated at 11:12 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016 to add a comment by Nelson Roman, the event organizer and Ward 2 city councilor.

HOLYOKE -- City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain Tuesday questioned the wisdom of supporting the statewide ballot question to legalize marijuana for recreational use when that is opposed by doctors, nurses, police and school officials.

"It is a bad idea," Jourdain said.

Mayor Alex B. Morse said at a forum that his support of the question to legalize pot for recreational use is based not on promoting its usage. It's based on the reality that the war on drugs when it comes to marijuana has failed and passage of the ballot referendum would allow for the regulation and taxation of an obviously already widely used drug, he said.

"We pretend that folks aren't using it when they are," Morse said.

The forum on ballot questions that voters will face on Election Day Nov. 8 was held at Dean Technical High School, 1045 Main St.

"Tonight is truly what makes Democracy work," said Nelson R. Roman, Ward 2 representative on the City Council.

Roman organized the forum with the neighborhood associations for South Holyoke, Churchill and the Ingelside-Springdale, along with Neighbor to Neighbor, a group that pushes for affordable housing, he said.

Daniel B. Bresnahan, a city councilor at large, and resident Keith Davis argued against passage of Question 5, which calls for the city to adopt the state Community Preservation Act (CPA). They belong to the group No on Question 5.

They said the CPA be another unnecessary tax at a time when the new revenue stream the city needs is available by collecting millions of dollars in overdue property taxes.

Jason P. Ferreira, a former councilor and spokesman for the pro-Question 5 group Yes for a Better Holyoke, and former mayor Elaine A. Plutua, argued for passage of the CPA.

They said that the CPA would impose a small surcharge on the tax bills of home and business property owners. That money, along with triggering availability of state funds, would let the city accomplish affordable housing, open space preservation and historic restoration projects, they said.

Former teacher Dorothy R. Albrecht of Save Our Public Schools argued against approval of a statewide ballot question to increase the number of permitted charter schools. Amaad Rivera of Great Schools Massachusetts presented in favor of the charter school increase.

Albrecht said charter schools already siphon funds from public schools and lack accountability. Rivera, of Springfield, said charter schools allow for innovation and ensuring all students get educated well at a time when public schools too often have failed to do that.

Stories with details about the ballot-questions presentations will be published later this week.

Police said Peter Terapulsky and Fluery had met at the bar that night to discuss a business opportunity that involved firearm safety.

NORTHAMPTON - A friend of former Pelham police chief Edward Fleury testified Tuesday that Fleury aimed a gun at his chest in August 2014, according to The Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Fleury, 58, was indicted on 23 charges. The first, assault with a dangerous weapon, is directly related to the incident outside the VFW post in Belchertown. The remaining charges are for improper storage of firearms, and came after police searched Fleury's home.

Fleury has denied all the charges.

Peter Terapulsky was the prosecution's first witness in the Hampshire Superior Court trial. According to the Gazette, he testified that he, Fleury and the bar's manager were smoking and socializing outside when Fleury drew his .40-caliber Glock handgun and pointed it at Terapulsky, the red laser sight trained on his chest.

"I didn't see my life pass before my eyes," Terapulsky testified, according to the Gazette, "but it's certainly the first time I've stared down the barrel of a large semi-automatic handgun."

He said Fleury aimed the gun away after less than two seconds.

Police said Terapulsky and Fluery had met at the bar that night to discuss a business opportunity that involved firearm safety.

Fleury was Pelham's police chief for 18 years. He resigned in 2009, shorty after an 8-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself with a machine gun at a gun show Fluery had organized in Westfield.

Christopher Bizilj's death led to manslaughter charges for Fleury. He was acquitted in 2011.

Frank Petrolati, 26, of Ludlow, admitted to robberies at TD Bank in Springfield and the Polish National Credit Union in Wilbraham.

SPRINGFIELD -- Frank Petrolati cased five banks on Dec. 11, 2015, picking up brochures and saying he was interested in opening an account.

He returned at about 2 p.m. that day to the Polish National Credit Union on Boston Road in Wilbraham, pulling a large hunting knife with a five-inch blade and taking stacks of money being counted by a teller.

On Dec. 7, Petrolati, 26, of Ludlow, had robbed the TD Bank on Boston Road in Springfield. That time he didn't use a weapon but snatched money from a teller's hand while she was counting it out.

Petrolati on Wednesday pleaded guilty to armed robbery, unarmed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon for the two robberies and pointing the knife at the teller.

Assistant District Attorney Nina A. Vivenzio asked Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara to sentence Petrolati to five to seven years in state prison. Defense lawyer Lawrence W. Madden asked the judge to sentence Petrolati to 21/2 years in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow with two years of that to be served.

Both Vivenzio and Madden asked that Petrolati get a period of probation after the sentence.

Ferrara sentenced Petrolati to three to five years in state prison followed by three years probation.

Madden said Petrolati was "deeply, deeply remorseful" and wanted to admit what he did. Madden said Petrolati has struggled with drug addiction for many years.

When Wilbraham police went to Petrolati's parents' home looking for him, he was hiding in a bathroom and had just done heroin, Vivenzio said.

There, police found the knife and sheath. Petrolati's father said he had allowed Petrolati to use his Chevy Tahoe, which had been used in the robberies.

After the Polish National Credit Union robbery, a surveillance video photo was circulated. Vivenzio said there were many tips identifying Petrolati. She said there were tips saying the photo was of other people, but all evidence led to Petrolati.

Petrolati had past convictions, including breaking and entering, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest, Vivenzio said.

Victims of the robberies were in court and Vivenzio read their victim impact statements to Ferrara.

The teller from TD Bank said she now tends to be on the lookout while at work, and is nervous when she is handling cash. She said he is nervous when home, wondering if any noise is an intruder.

The teller from the Polish National Credit Union said, "I now have fear living inside me that was never there before.

"He robbed me of my positive feelings for people in general," she said.

The branch manager, who was pregnant at the time, said Petrolati had first asked to see the manager. She said she thinks of what could have happened if Petrolati was alone with her in her office.

"What if he harmed my unborn child?" she said.

Commuters kicked out windows of an Orange Line train and hustled down the platform of the MBTA station in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood in a dramatic scene captured on video and posted to Twitter.

Commuters kicked out windows of an Orange Line train and hustled down the platform of the MBTA station in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood in a dramatic rush hour scene captured on video and posted to Twitter.

Smoke in Back Bay Station #mbta #boston #orangeline pic.twitter.com/ofB86GKmJP

-- Stuart Long (@StuartLong81) October 26, 2016

"After a train's motor overheated, it was removed from service," MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said in an email.

@fox25news had to evacuate the t via a smashed window pic.twitter.com/T7apeykYdv

-- Brie Shelley (@MuddleandMix) October 26, 2016

#MBTA Orange Line Service suspended between Jackson and Haymarket Stations. Passengers being bused.

-- WBZ NewsRadio (@wbznewsradio) October 26, 2016

FYI the current fleet of Orange Line trains were built between 1979-1981 #MBTA

-- Matt Fitzgerald (@MattF_News) October 26, 2016

MBTA pledges 'full investigation' of incident

What is the fiscal impact on cities, towns and school districts when more children attend charter schools?

Thirty city and town mayors -- including several in Western Massachusetts -- have come out in opposition to a ballot question that would expand the number of charter schools in Massachusetts.

"Here in Worcester we will spend $24.5 million dollars on charter schools in our city," said Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty in a statement. "That is money that could be used to hire more teachers, improve our facilities, and invest in our students."

Question 2 on the November ballot would allow the state to expand charter schools by up to 12 a year outside of an existing cap. The municipal officials' opposition to expansion highlights one of the central questions of the ballot campaign dispute: What is the fiscal impact on cities, towns and school districts when more children attend charter schools?

The answer is complicated. District schools will receive less money, since the money to educate a child follows the child. State taxpayers will be spending more money overall on education, counting money that goes to both district and charter schools. The big question is whether the district schools can make up for their lost money by lowering their costs, or whether they will have to cut school services or raise more local tax dollars to continue providing the same quality education.

Andrew Farnitano, a spokesman for the No on 2 effort, said in the long term, expanding access to charter schools could cost local property taxpayers more, since district schools will need more funding. "They have to raise money elsewhere or make deep budget cuts," Farnitano said.

But Dominic Slowey, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association, said district schools do not need as much money once students leave to attend charter schools. "They're no longer responsible for educating those students. Those students have left the school district," Slowey said. "Therefore, they should no longer be getting funds to educate them."

When a student moves from a district school to a charter school, the money to educate that student moves with them. The district school is reimbursed for several years to account for transition costs. (The reimbursement is supposed to cover a percentage of costs for six years, although a lack of state funding recently dropped that to three years.) Opponents of charter school expansion say, based on state data, that school districts will lose $450 million this year to charter school tuition, even after accounting for state reimbursements.

Because of that, local school committees and municipal officials generally oppose expanding charter schools. The mayors who came out against the ballot question are from some of Massachusetts' largest school districts, whose students account for around $300 million of charter school spending. The mayors include Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz, Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer, Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan and West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt. In Springfield, an estimated $35 million in tuition money is transferred from district schools to charter schools. Boston district schools lose by far the most money, $135 million.

The money that pays for education comes from state and local taxpayers. The state establishes a baseline budget and distributes state money through a formula referred to as Chapter 70, then expects some level of match from local taxpayers. Municipalities can choose to spend more than that. The ratio of state and local money varies by town.

The money diverted to charter schools comes entirely from the state-funded portion.

Geoff Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, said the current funding system is already difficult for cities and towns to deal with. For one, the formula transferring money from district to charter schools does not take into account the fact that many of a school's costs are fixed and do not vary by child.

"You have to a have a classroom, you have to heat the building, you still have principals," Beckwith said. "It's extremely hard for communities to actually cut costs ... The only thing they can do is cut back on the overall quality of the programming they're offering the vast majority of kids who stay behind in the regular public school system."

Beckwith added that the state already shortchanges school districts by underfunding the reimbursement formula.

When a school district is underfunded, it can cut things like extracurricular activities, shift money from other places in a city or raise more money from property taxes.

"Until the financing system is fixed, the ballot question providing for the expansion of charter schools would exacerbate and deepen the financial trouble that these local school systems are dealing with," Beckwith said. "And the communities that are most impacted by charter school expansion are in most cases the most financially challenged communities."

The Massachusetts Municipal Association board voted unanimously to oppose the ballot question.

But supporters of charter school expansion argue that school district budgets rise every year, even as the district schools lose money and students to charters. "They've got more money to spend and fewer kids to educate," Slowey said.

In fiscal 2017, the state spent $4.6 billion on education aid, an increase of $116 million or 2.6 percent over the previous year. (This money funds district and charter schools.)

"They're spending more money per pupil then they ever did, and they're spending more money than they ever did, in spite of the fact that they're losing the children to charters and the funds to charters," Slowey said.

"Every independent study -- including a report released this month by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, the gold standard of bipartisan fiscal watchdog agencies -- has categorically rejected the idea that charter schools take money from other public schools," said Eileen O'Connor, a spokeswoman for Yes on 2. "School districts receive the same funding per pupil as they've always gotten, but have also been reimbursed more than $230 million for students they no longer educate over the past five years."

Slowey said the state funds charter schools similar to the way it funds vocational technical schools. "The state sends money to whichever public school the child's attending, whether it's a district, vocational technical or charter school," he said.

Slowey argued that while there are some fixed costs, generally schools can do things like consolidate classrooms to save money as enrollment declines. He said there should be no reason for towns to raise taxes or cut unrelated services, since the money comes from the school budget, not the city budget.

Slowey said the opposition by municipal officials to charter school expansion is nothing new. "They would rather not deal with the competition that charters provide for students," he said.

William W. Ryder is accused of embezzling over $400,000 from 74 customers who thought they were paying ahead for funerals.

NORTHAMPTON -- Ryder Funeral Home customers who prepaid for services before the business imploded in a state-ordered shutdown may be getting closer to receiving restitution as a change of plea hearing is scheduled next month in the criminal case of former funeral director William W. Ryder.

Ryder, 55, of South Hadley, is scheduled to appear at the Nov. 18 hearing at Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton, First Assistant District Attorney Steven E. Gagne said in a statement Wednesday.

Responding to questions from The Republican, Gagne said restitution for customers who say they have been victimized by Ryder will be discussed at the change of plea hearing. 

Ryder -- charged with five counts of of improper disposition of a human body and 66 counts of larceny of more than $250 -- has pleaded not guilty at previous court appearances.

The criminal charges were filed after state officials shut the South Hadley funeral home down in May 2014 when an inspection found six bodies improperly stored and left in various states of decomposition. 

An ensuing investigation turned up financial irregularities, officials said.

Prosecutors allege that Ryder embezzled $432,000 from 74 customers who thought they were purchasing pre-need funeral arrangements from him. Instead, prosecutors say, Ryder deposited the funds directly into his own business account and used them for himself and for the business.

Last week, the jury in a separate civil suit awarded $150,000 in damages to three siblings after finding the funeral home mishandled their father's burial and lost his cremated ashes.

On Wednesday, Ryder's defense attorney in the criminal case, Alan M. Rubin, said the criminal case was delayed due to the civil suit. He declined further comment.

Money prepaid for funerals should, according to state law, be invested either with an insurance policy or in a trust account at a bank in the customer's name. Customers are supposed to receive statements on those accounts.  

But Rolande Emond of Granby didn't get any of those things when she prepaid $7,000 for funeral services with Ryder Funeral Home about about 15 years ago.

She thought she was doing the right thing -- buttoning down arrangements ahead of time to save her family the trouble when the time came.

"It's just that I have five children and I don't want them to be arguing about anything," she said Wednesday. 

Now, she fears the money and those plans are gone. At 79, she's back to worrying about her final arrangements again. She'd like to do away with the uncertainty. 

"I'm in good health," she said. "But I thought I had this taken care of."

In December 2014, a judge approved the sale of the Ryder Funeral Home property on Lamb Street to funeral directors Joseph Curran and Timothy O'Brien for $900,000.

The money was enough, according to court testimony at the time, to pay off all Ryder's debts and claims, including taxes, liens, mortgages and fees prepaid by the families for funeral services. 

Distribution of that money hinged on the outcome of the criminal case.

The people behind The Brew coffee shop on 56 Franklin St. are opening Techni Mediterranean Grill tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.

WORCESTER -- The people behind The Brew coffee shop on 56 Franklin St. are opening a new eatery right next door on 8 Portland St. tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.

The restauranteurs of Techni Mediterranean Grill will bring fresh gyros, falafel, kabobs and other Greek favorites to downtown Worcester. Some customers got an early taste of Techni Wednesday morning when the restaurant was secretly opened to test the 16 newly hired staff and work out new recipes. 

The eatery will be located in The Grid district of apartment buildings, making it the developer's second of six restaurants to be opened on the block.

Frank Peace, owner of The Brew, Techni and other restaurants opening on The Grid, said the new eatery will serve food in a fast casual style, similar to Chipotle or Five Guys.

Customers will be able to build to walk up to a counter and quickly build their own wraps, pitas, salads or bowls, stuffing them with rice, meat, tzatziki sauce and dozens of other authentic ingredients. 

Fast casual dining has become increasingly popular in recent years, and Peace's restaurant group wants to take advantage of the boom by monopolizing the block with fast casual concepts.

In addition to The Brew and Techni, Peace will also open up the Pie and Pints, a pizzeria that will serve craft brew and have several fast casual elements.

Next door to Pie and Pints, in the basement of the Bancroft building, will be the Craft Kitchen and Ale, featuring classic American cuisine and over 100 craft brews and spirits. In the backend of the building will be The End Eatery and Drinkery, a upper-casual, farm-to-table dining experience.

In the place of The Paris Cinema on 66-70 Franklin St., which will be torn down later this year, Peace wants to install a fast casual Asian restaurant.

Techni will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. tomorrow.