The prosecutor and defense lawyer had tried to get a judge to accept an 8-month sentence for Orlando Soto, charged with heroin trafficking in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- A 59-year-old city man arrested in a February raid that police touted as a "HUGE Heroin Seizure" saw his drug trafficking case dropped this week as the legal fallout over videos showing a former narcotics detective threatening two teenage suspects continues.

The Dec. 6 document filed by prosecutors to end the case against Orlando Soto says the case was dropped because it is "not in the interest of justice" to pursue it. That is language prosecutors most often use in filings to end cases without a trial or plea deal. 

The prosecution's decision to abandon the case follows a failed bid in November to resolve it through a plea agreement.

The Soto case is one of dozens affected by the involvement of Officer Gregg Bigda, a former narcotics detective who played a key role in Soto's arrest and the investigation that led to the raid.

Bigda returned to work at the Springfield Police Department this week after a 60-day suspension over his February interrogation of the juvenile suspects. He is now assigned to the records bureau.

In the videos, recorded Feb. 27 in holding cells at the Palmer Police Department, Bigda and Detective Luke F. Cournoyer are seen questioning two of four teens accused of stealing an undercover police vehicle. Bigda threatens violence against both of the boys, and threatens to plant drugs on one of them.

Defense attorneys have used the videos to call Bigda's credibility as a witness into question in a number of unrelated cases, including Soto's. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have reported that Bigda may not be available to testify. 

In early November, Assistant District Attorney Amy D. Wilson and defense lawyer Stephen E. Shea asked Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara to accept a plea by Soto to a lesser charge and sentence him to the eight months he had served awaiting trial.

Soto had initially been charged with heroin trafficking in the amount of 36 to 100 grams and violation of a drug-free school zone. Under the plea agreement, Soto would have pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of possession of heroin with intent to distribute. The violation of a drug-free school zone charge would have been dropped.

One of the primary reasons given for the proposed plea agreement was Bigda's role in the case.

But Ferrara would not accept the sentencing recommendation, so the case went back in line for trial. 

Ferrara said his choice would have been to impose a sentence of three years in state prison. He cited Soto's past criminal record, as well as the amount of drugs police allegedly seized -- over 3,600 bags of heroin -- as a reason he would not accept time served as a sentence.

Shea filed a motion to dismiss the Soto case based on Bigda's involvement, but the motion was not heard because the case was dropped.

Wilson told Ferrara in November Bigda "may or may not be available to testify in the future." She said Bigda was the police contact of a confidential informant who made heroin buys from Soto.

Bigda was also part of the team that executed a search warrant in the case, and Bigda wrote the affidavit to get the search warrant, she said.

"I understand the problems with Detective Bigda," Ferrara said at the time, adding that he understood consideration was offered to Soto to prevent a situation that "may be embarrassing to the police department."

Before Ferrara rejected the plea agreement, he asked Wilson if the case could be made against Soto without Bigda's testimony. She said Bigda would be needed to testify about a number of issues in the investigation and arrest.

She said if the case went to trial there would be a risk of acquittal -- whereas the plea agreement would result in a conviction on Santos' record.

"The driving force behind this is Detective Bigda's involvement," Shea, the defense lawyer, said at the plea hearing.

He said Soto's case was heard by a Hampden County grand jury after Springfield police had the footage of Bigda's interrogation of the teens in Palmer. He said in a motion to dismiss that he would argue the tape -- which, echoing other attorneys, he said calls Bigda's credibility into question -- should have been presented to the grand jury.

When Soto and a co-defendant were arrested in February, the Springfield Police Department issued a press release with pictures of the drugs allegedly confiscated and the suspects' booking photos.

"Time for Heroin dealers to take a hint ... don't deal in Springfield," police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney wrote in the release. 

Police said Soto was arrested Feb. 24 when search warrants were executed at his home and that of a relative. Wilson said police had information about Soto selling heroin, and that a confidential informant made buys from Soto Feb. 14 and 21.

Police were told Soto kept small amounts of heroin at his home at 351 Oakland St. and kept larger amounts at his relative's home at 222 Orange St.

At Orange Street, police said they forced entry after knocking and found 3,649 bags of heroin as well as personal papers belonging to both Soto and his relative, Daisy Aviles, who was also charged with heroin trafficking, Wilson said.

At Oakland Street, where officers forced entry after knocking, police said Soto and another man fled out a window onto the roof. The other man came back in, but police had to go out on the roof to arrest Soto, Wilson said.

Aviles' case was also dropped by the prosecution. Soto has said all the drugs at both homes were his.

Soto has been held in lieu of $10,000 bail while awaiting trial.

Kory Behrens said he and his brother Nick are partnering with the charity Trees for the Future and have promised to pay to have the group plant 10 trees in sub-Saharan Africa for each Behrens Board sold. Watch video

NORTHAMPTON -- With their laminated stripes in contrasting hues of maple, walnut and cherry, Behrens Boards -- cutting boards made by brothers Nick and Kory Behrens in a basement wood shop -- are pleasing to the eye.

But they are also useful, which is important to Kory Behrens.

"What we like to do is create a functional product that has a nice place in your home," he said. "It looks cool. It's a something they are going to use every day."

Everyday use is why the brothers Behrens not only choose those contrasting stripes of hardwood, but they also use a router to carve out a long, L-shaped beveled notch along both ends of the cutting boards.

"We came up with that as a handhold," Kory Behrens said. "It's a place where you can grip the board easily and pick it up as a serving tray, and you can bring it onto your table. It's handy for bread or for an appetizer."

The Behrens brothers have been making and selling cutting boards for about a year and a half. Prices range from $50 up to $90 or $100 for a thick, heavy, butchers block style. They make grill planks for cooking fish or vegetables that sell for $10 to $20.

Their products are available online at Behrensboards.com and at arts and crafts shows.

Their grill planks are for sale at North Shore Seafood in Northampton. Maple and Main Realty in Northampton buys Behrens Boards emblazoned with the real estate company's logo and gives them as housewarming gifts to clients.

They make the boards in a basement shop in the home of their father, builder Mike Behrens, in the city's Florence section.

"We grew up around building," Nick Behrens said. "That really helps."

Kory Behrens started making the cutting boards with an eye toward giving them as gifts. The brothers started tinkering with the designs, and a business was born.

"To develop it from a hobby into a business," Nick Behrens said. "That is where a lot of the effort was."

Tasks to build the business included putting together the Beherns Boards website, creating the sales racks, getting a tent and tables for their crafts show display, putting together promotional materials and getting them printed, meeting supplies of wood and other materials and then systematically taking orders and fulfilling them.

They started off buying wood from local lumberyards. But now they buy wood from a wholesaler with contacts all over New England and fill racks in the basement with boards each time they get a shipment.

All the lumber is harvested in New England.

They use a chop saw to cut it to length then ripsaw it lengthwise into strips, arrange those strips into a pattern and then glue up the board. After setting overnight, they plane it down and then sand it smooth. Each board is soaked in food grade mineral oil and coated with beeswax.

They have a branding iron to apply their own logo. Recently, they invested in a laser printer so they etch custom logos or words into the boards. Their hope is to market the boards as gifts that can be customized, like the date of a wedding.

Kory Behrens said they are also partnering with the charity Trees for the Future and have promised to pay to have the group plant 10 trees in sub-Saharan Africa for each Behrens Board sold.

So far, they have seen to it that 19,500 trees have been planted.

They are busy enough these days that they now take bag after bag of fragrant sawdust to a horse farm to be recycled as bedding.

And that's not their only contact with local businesses.

Potter Isaac Jude, who has a studio in Florence's Arts + Industries Building, makes the ceramic bowls that fit snugly into some Behrens Boards serving boards. The bowl is for dip, dipping oil or other condiments.

They also use beeswax from Warm Colors Apiary in South Deerfield to condition the boards.

"It's great to work with local businesses," Kory Behrens said. "That way we are building our network. We are also reinforcing that this is a local product."

Each board is reversible, so customers can use one side for cutting and chopping and keep the other side nice for serving and presentation.

"My brother-in-law is a serious drug addict with a history of violent tendencies. I will do whatever it takes to protect my wife and daughters. Hopefully, he will get the help and treatment he needs," Sarno said in his only statement on the case.

SPRINGFIELD -- The trial of Anthony M. Stone was called off Thursday, seven months after he was charged with threatening his sister, the wife of Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.

Stone, 39, of Longmeadow, was scheduled for a jury trial in Springfield District Court on two counts of threatening to harm Carla Sarno.

Anthony M. Stone, 39, of Longmeadow(Springfield Police Department) 

But both charges were dropped Thursday morning at a prosecutor's request, and the case was dismissed. Details were not immediately available and the mayor had no comment.

Stone, who has an extensive criminal record and history of drug abuse, was hoping to call Sarno and his wife as witnesses, a prospect the mayor and his family might have wanted to avoid.

Stone was arrested after allegedly threatening Carla Sarno on May 4 after she called to ask about her mother's well-being, according to the arrest report.

The mayor's wife was concerned because one of her mother's neighbors in Longmeadow had called to report her "wheelchair was in the middle of the street," the report said. Stone, who lives with his mother, took the call, but refused to put her on the phone, the report said.

As the argument escalated, the defendant threatened to assault Carla Sarno and vandalize her home, according to the report, which said Stone had damaged his sister's home and vehicle in 2009.

Following his arrest, Stone was released on $2,000 bail, with orders to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, observe a curfew and stay away from the home of his sister and the mayor.

In June, Stone's first lawyer, Kelley Auer, withdrew from the case, citing a breakdown in communication and Stone's allegedly hostile behavior.

In July, his second lawyer, Dale Bass, asked a judge to eliminate a requirement that Stone wear the GPS monitoring bracelet as a condition of his pretrial release. The request was denied.

Sarno's refusal to comment Thursday came seven months after he issued his only statement, two days after Stone's arrest.

"Like many other families in society today faced with the burden of dealing with a drug-addicted family member, my family and I are not immune to it," he said. "My brother-in-law is a serious drug addict with a history of violent tendencies. I will do whatever it takes to protect my wife and daughters. Hopefully, he will get the help and treatment he needs.

"I will have no further comment on this matter," he said.

The Chicopee Soup Kitchen needs volunteers and donations to help make Christmas a festive holiday for poor families.

CHICOPEE - With the Christmas coming, staff at Lorraine's Soup Kitchen and Pantry is asking the public for help to provide a holiday celebration for families who cannot afford the extra expense of a celebration.

"We are looking for any help we can get this month so that we can put on a Christmas meal that is festive and filling, something we all have the right to experience," said Andrea Marion, executive director of Lorraine's Soup Kitchen.

Lorraine's has two programs for Christmas and staff need help with both, she said.

Every year volunteers for the kitchen cook a ham dinner for people who are homeless, hungry or alone. The organization also provides food baskets with the ingredients for a holiday dinner, including vegetables, potatoes and a ham, turkey or other meat, she said.

Lorraine's needs three things: Donations to put on the dinner and buy food baskets, volunteers who will give their time to help prepare and serve the dinner and decorate the dining room and new, unwrapped gifts that can be given to children who come for the dinner, Marion said.

Based on the need seen at Thanksgiving, Marion said she expects to give out as many as 300 food baskets for families who will eat at home. She also expects at least 125 people at Christmas dinner.

Last year more than 100 people attended the meal, which is served starting at 11:30 p.m. so the kitchen had to hold two seatings to accommodate the crowds, Marion said.

"We are always getting new clients. Last year I was shocked at how many children came in for Christmas dinner," said Marion, who is starting her second year as director of Lorraine's.

This year Marion said she hopes to be prepared to give out gifts to children from 1 to 18. A lot of people will buy toys and games for younger children but things like athletic equipment, movie tickets and even gift cards in small amounts are needed for teenagers, she said.

The Pantry gets the biggest value through cash donations because it can obtain food through the Western Massachusetts Food Bank which is deeply discounted. For the cost of a can of corn, for example, Marion said she can usually obtain 10 pounds of food, including fresh meats and vegetables from the Food Bank.

Still if people prefer to give food donations they are still welcome. Gift cards to supermarkets can also help the kitchen purchase things like turkeys which are often not available at the Food Bank, she said.

The pantry needs about 15 volunteers who will help put on the meal and clean up on Christmas Day. The meal will be served from 11:30 p.m. to about 1 p.m. Volunteers are needed any time between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

All are invited to the holiday meal that is held between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Lorraine's Soup Kitchen at 170 Pendexter Ave.

For those interested in donating or volunteering information is available on the website LorrainesSoupKitchen.com. People can also call 413-592-9528 or stop by Lorraine's in person.

A couple who were married at a castle in New Hampshire have not had the perfect fairy tale ending so far.

A couple who were married at a castle in New Hampshire have not had the perfect fairy tale ending so far.

The groom is facing a lawsuit filed by two guests who allege they were hit in the head by a drone during the reception.

The couple were married at Searles Castle in Windham, New Hampshire in August. A drone was employed during the reception to snap photos from a birds eye view.

Kneena Ellis, of Seabrook, and Kelly Eaton of Peabody, say the drone collided with them while they were dancing. They allege the groom was flying the drone at the time of the crash.

In a lawsuit filed this month, the pair claim they suffered permanent physical and emotional injury following the incident. The groom and Searles Castle Event Management Inc. are named in the suit.

The stabbing occurred about 6 a.m. on Friday. The victim was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

George Graham | ggraham@repub.com 

SPRINGFIELD -- Police are searching for a suspect who stabbed a man Friday morning while he was using an ATM in the Liberty Heights neighborhood.

Police told Western Mass News the victim was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

It occurred shortly before 6 a.m. at the victim used an ATM on Armory Street.

The suspect is approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt.

Western Mass News is television partner to The Republican and MassLive.com.

Hillary Clinton's campaign raised more than $1.2 billion ahead of Election Day.

Hillary Clinton's campaign raised more than $1.2 billion ahead of Election Day.

If these fundraising efforts helped Clinton, it wasn't enough to stop her stunning Nov. 8 electoral college loss, perhaps the biggest upset in the history of presidential elections. 

New reports filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission add insult to injury, showing President-elect Donald Trump beat her with half the money, Politico reports.

Trump and his campaign collected $600 million. Sixty-five percent of contributors to the New York real-estate mogul and former reality television star gave less than $200, versus just 24 percent for Clinton, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Disregarding advisor warnings about appearing too cozy with wealthy interests, Clinton's camp broke with President Obama's precedent of placing restrictions on fundraising and cautiously partnering with super PACs, according to The Washington Post.

The Clinton team bankrolled huge checks from technology firms, big banks, cable companies, the mega-rich and celebrities.

The candidate flew coast to coast for one after the next exclusive dinner party fundraiser -- like a $33,400-to-$100,000-per-plate Beverly Hills event on Oct. 13, featuring a performance by Elton John.

Her top five donors included two hedge fund managers, a venture capitalist, the chairman of Univision and the founder of SlimFast, according to The Washington Post.

Supporters of Clinton drew up lists of top Bush family donors, making "furious" rounds of calls to, as Politico's Ben White put it, "try to convince them that she represents their values better than Donald Trump."

Even as far back as March, a Clinton statement saying her campaign depended "on small donations for the majority of our support" earned a "mostly false" assessment from Politifact.

An MBTA commuter rail line is delayed Friday morning after a train struck a vehicle on the tracks.

An MBTA commuter rail line is delayed Friday morning after a train struck a vehicle on the tracks. 

Officials with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority say the vehicle was on the tracks of the Fitchburg Line. "Significant delays" are expected Friday as police and fire officials respond to the crash. 

As the crash scene is under investigation, MBTA shuttle buses will replace service from Belmont to Boston Friday morning. 

Michael Wilk, public information officer for the department, said police have no information regarding the charity that is reported making the telephone solicitations.

George Graham | ggraham@repub.com 

CHICOPEE -- Police warn about a potential scam involving telephone solicitations for disabled police officers.

Michael Wilk, public information officer for the department, said police have no information regarding the charity.

The number called from is 978-216-2346. Police attempts to get through to that number resulted in canned messages that indicated all agents were busy.

"While this sounds like a great cause, we cannot verify it's legitimate. So we would caution against giving any information," Wilk stated in a post on the department's Facebook page.

Amherst College received more than 2,000 suggestions for a mascot to replace the controversial Lord Jeff, from Hooloovoo (from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") to The Biddys, honoring current college president Carolyn "Biddy" Martin.

AMHERST -- Amherst College has received more than 2,000 suggestions for a mascot to replace the controversial Lord Jeff, from Hooloovoo (from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," a British science fiction comedy) to The Biddys, honoring current college president Carolyn "Biddy" Martin.

The college's board of trustees voted to drop Lord Jeff as a mascot last January at the request of the student body. Sports teams have been referred to as the "Purple and White" this fall.

Last November, 83 percent of 1,600 students said they believed Lord Jeff should be renounced as a representative of the school. A poll of alumni found a majority were against Lord Jeff.

The rationale for Hooloovoo? It's a "hyper-intelligent shade of the color blue, (which on occasion is) temprorarily refracted into a free-standing prism," the suggester states. "It's perfect: hyper-intelligent (Amherst students) shade of the color blue (i.e., purple, already in place), represented as a prism (the most visually pleasing shape), which works equally well for all sexes, ages, and races. It's a no-brainer."

As for The Biddys, the suggestion stated, "In such a divisive time over the last number of years at the College, the one unifying figure has been Biddy Martin. She has the respect of the students, faculty and alumni. Amherst should channel the Cleveland Browns (not their winning percentage though) and name their sports teams after a beloved figure."

Another suggestion offered "David Foster Walrus" to honor the late literary hero and Amherst College graduate David Foster Wallace. A variation also was suggested: the David Foster Wallabies.

Two suggested the Fighting Poets. "This represents the poetry and knowledge key to Amherst, and our willingness to fight to protect it," one suggester wrote.

More than 2,000 offered suggestions for an Amherst College mascot, including keeping Lord Jeff instead of replacing it. Dan Glaun / MassLive 

Another person suggested the Amherst Abolitionists: "It's a piece of Amherst history we can all be proud of, but it also retains the quirky, unique character that was one of the better features of the Lord Jeffs. The assonance makes it roll trippingly off the tongue. It comes with a series of ready-made cheers ('Abolish the Ephs!'). The visual representation can be a replica of the Henry Ward Beecher statue."

Then there were offerings of Amherst Ants, Amherst Amps, Amherst Asparagus and Amherst Apatasaurus ("It's alliterative and a dinosaur," the comment left for the latter suggestion stated). 

Some have suggested keeping Lord Jeff as the mascot.

The full list is available at the college website, which states there were 2,046 total suggestions (588 unique) made by 1,590 individuals. Alumni made 1,079 suggestions, 464 came from students and 47 were from faculty and staff. Class years for alumni and students range from 1942 to 2020.

The Mascot Committee this month will winnow the suggestions to 30. According to the college, the new mascot should:

• be unifying for the Amherst campus and larger Amherst community;
• represent positive qualities, ideals or associations around which people can rally;
• be broadly relevant across the Amherst community, the student body and generations of alumni;
• be representative of the Amherst experience or history, either generally or specifically;
• work equally well for women's and men's sports teams; and
• have the potential to translate in a visually pleasing manner.

In February, the committee will seek input from a representative group of alumni and student delegates who will be asked to rate the semifinalists according to the criteria and alumni feedback.

The Mascot Committee will use the ratings to identify the top five mascot ideas.

All Amherst alumni, students, faculty and staff will be able to vote on the five finalists from March 20 to 31. The winning mascot name will be announced in the spring.

The reconstruction of Interstate 91 though downtown Springfield is ahead of schedule. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation plans to shift southbound Interstate 91 traffic from the outer lanes into the newly rehabilitated center lanes of the highway at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

MassDOT made a similar lane shift on the northbound lanes last month as it switches to Stage 2 of the project.

The lane shifts are part of the ongoing $183.3 million reconstruction of I-91 and its 2-mile viaduct through downtown Springfield. Built in the 1960s, the highway is a major north-south artery through western New England. 

The project is running ahead of schedule, and all the lanes and ramps are expected to reopen for normal use about a a year from now.

MassDOT said Friday that construction will now take place in the low-speed travel lane and shoulder portions of the viaduct along with the I-91 northbound on-ramp to I-291 east. The ramps closed in earlier stages of construction will remain closed during this new phase.

MassDOT will close I-91 South at temporary Exit 7-6 from Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 10 p.m. to Thursday, Dec. 15 at 5 a.m. This closure will allow crews to conduct barrier work and paint pavement markings to prepare for Stage 2. Here are the detour routes:

Exit 1A from I-291 west to I-91 south will be closed for barrier and pavement markings work from Wednesday, Dec.  14 at 8 p.m. to Thursday, Dec.  15 at 5 a.m. Here is the detour route:

* Take Exit 2B on I-291 West and follow signs for Dwight Street: Turn left on Dwight Street, then turn right on State Street. Turn left on West Columbus Avenue/Hall of Fame Avenue, and bear left after crossing Union Street to merge onto I-91 South.

The bill must clear the House of Representatives and land on the governor's desk by Jan. 4.

BOSTON -- Artisanal beer and spirits could be available for purchase at Massachusetts farmers markets as soon as 2017, if all goes well with a bill that cleared the Senate on Thursday.

Farmer brewers and farmer distillers would be able to sell their wares -- for off-premise consumption only -- at farmers markets. They would, however, be able to serve five free samples per customer on site.

Local brewers and distillers would still need approval from their local licensing board to sell at any agricultural market or fair. 

The terms "farmer brewer" and "farmer distiller" are defined by the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, with requirements for locally-sourced ingredients and local production.

The bill was originally filed by Sen. Benjamin Downing, D-Pittsfield, and amended by the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Since the legislative session is wrapping up, the bill would need approval by the House of Representatives and Gov. Charlie Baker by January 4 to become law.

Farmer-winery products, including cider, have been allowed at farmers markets since 2010.

There are more than 80 licensed farmer-brewers in Massachusetts, state records show. Around 20 craft distillers produce locally-made bourbon, gin, liqueur, moonshine, rum, vodka and whiskey.

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

A Quincy woman won $1 million after purchasing her first ever lottery ticket.

BRAINTREE — Quincy resident Midoriko-Mariam Takeuchi won $1,000,000 after purchasing her first ever lottery ticket.

Takeuchi is the second person to win the $1 million prize after playing the Massachusetts State Lottery's new "$2,500,000 Holiday Magic" instant game.

Takeuchi's big win occurred after she went into Point Liquors in Quincy to use an ATM machine and decided to buy a holiday ticket after seeing them displayed in the store.

Takeuchi has said she would like to use a portion of her winnings to pay off her student loans, and chose to go with the annuity option--recently receiving the first of 20 annual payments of $50,000.

Five more $1 million prizes, as well as three $2,500,000 prizes remain in the "$2,500,000 Holiday Magic" $10 instant game.

 

Weather projections for the weekend see heavy snowfall in Western Massachusetts.

SPRINGFIELD — Communities across Western Massachusetts are expected to get heavy snowfall over the weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has projected an 100 percent chance of precipitation in Springfield on Sunday night--with snow likely after 8 p.m. The NWS has further projected a 90 percent chance of precipitation in the city on Monday morning.

Jacob Wycoff, meteorologist for Western Mass News, spoke with The Republican about predictions for a very wintry weekend.

Wycoff confirmed that snow is projected to start Sunday night with light accumulation. As the snowfall progresses into Monday morning, heavier snow is expected, Wycoff said.

Wycoff projected that the areas in Western Massachusetts that will likely be most affected are northwestern Hampden County and western Hampshire County, as well as some parts of western Franklin county.

Springfield should expect at least 3 to 5 inches of snow, but potentially more than that, Wycoff said. This will likely affect traffic patterns, he said.

For perspective, Wycoff compared Monday's snowfall to the projected snowfall for Sunday night, which will likely have a larger impact. "On Monday we had a little snow, and the speeds on the Masspike dropped, and we had a number of little accidents," Wycoff said. "That was a minor accumulation event. By contrast, this is a moderate accumulation event that will see larger impacts."

Wycoff said that some differentials might mean the weekend could be a little warmer or a little colder. "What we're watching for is the potential of a little warm air to mix in during the morning, which would certainly reduce some of the total snowfall. However, there's also the possibility that the weather could come in a little stronger, which would make the totals a little larger," said Wycoff.

Will the snowfall be so heavy that children in Western Massachusetts might start thinking about taking Monday off? "I will say that in some areas schools will not be operating on their usual schedules--whether that's in the form of delays or cancellations, I'll leave that up to the Superintendent," said Wycoff.

The snowfall is ultimately expected to stop sometime in the afternoon on Monday, Wycoff said.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Virgen Estrella 

Virgen Maria Estrella, 42, passed away on Monday. She was born in Springfield. She worked at the Law Offices of Terrence A. Low & Anthony J. Canata as a paralegal for 20 years. She was a graduate of Holyoke Catholic High School and attended Holyoke Community College and Brandford Hall, where she received a certification as medical assistant.

Full obituary and funeral arrangements for Virgen Estrella »

Activists protested the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline in front of TD Bank--one of the energy project's financiers--in Northampton on Friday evening. Watch video

NORTHAMPTON — The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) has become a national controversy, spawning protests across the country, and igniting a fraught, sometimes violent clash between activists and law enforcement at the site of the energy project's construction.

The protests have even spread to Western Massachusetts. Sporting shirts that said "Water Is Life," local activists turned out to a DAPL protest in front of a local branch of TD Bank in Northampton on Friday.

Roughly a dozen protesters stood in front of the bank--which is one of the many financiers of the controversial energy project--and handed out information to passerby, asking people, "Do you know if your bank is invested in the Dakota Access Pipeline?"

The DAPL is an oil pipeline being constructed by Dakota Access, a subsidiary of the natural gas company Energy Transfer Partners. The pipeline is projected to reach across four separate states and, once operational, would transport 470,000 barrels of crude oil per day from North Dakota to Illinois.

The pipeline gained notoriety in early 2016, however, after the Sioux tribe from the Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota filed a legal complaint against the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, protesting the government's grants allowing the project's construction.

The tribe has expressed myriad concerns with the pipeline--claiming that the pipeline threatens to destroy sacred Native burial grounds, and also poses an ecological risk, should there ever be a spill.

After protests catalyzed by the tribe began in January, the pipeline quickly became a rallying cry for many progressives who feel that the project should be halted for both ecological and cultural reasons.

James Frank, an activist and organizer with the student-led fossil fuel divestment group Divest UMass, said that part of the reason for the Northampton TD Bank protest is to raise awareness about who is financially backing the pipeline, and why,

"We're reaching out to folks who may not know about the pipeline, or about TD Bank's funding of the pipeline," said Frank, who was at the protest Friday, and could be seen handing out information to passerby.

Frank said that in addition to the disturbing ecological component of the pipeline, he sees a distinctly racial element. As a white person who has "benefited from systems of oppression," Frank said the protests over DAPL have really resonated with him, as they have called "national attention to the ways in which Native treaties and land agreements have continually been disregarded."

Frank further explains that he spent time at the site of the protest in North Dakota, and that his experiences with law enforcement were often harsh. "I was out there for several weeks and saw the ways in which the National Guard was out blasting us with water canons and tear gas," Frank said, discussing his experiences at the camp site.

For protesters like Frank, the Dakota Access Pipeline has certainly become an important call to action in terms of fighting for progressive values. "I really feel like the time to sit around and do nothing has passed," Frank said.

A 59-year-old Springfield man arrested in a February raid that police touted as a "HUGE Heroin Seizure" saw his drug trafficking case dropped this week as the legal fallout over videos showing a former narcotics detective threatening two teenage suspects continues.

Here are Friday's most-read local news stories on MassLive.com. If you missed any of them, click on the links to read them now.

1) Yet another drug trafficking case dropped because of Springfield Officer Gregg Bigda's involvement [Buffy Spencer]

2) Trial of Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno's brother-in-law called off; threat charges dropped [Jack Flynn]

3) Springfield youth, who made arrangement on Facebook to sell pair of Air Jordans, robbed at gunpoint [George Graham]

4) Hit & run 'epic fail' caught on camera: Truck backs through window of Springfield community TV studio (video) [Peter Goonan]

5) Students disrupt UMass trustees meeting with demands for sanctuary campus, divestment transparency [Diane Lederman] Photo gallery above

Pedestrian struck by car on Pittsfield sidewalk

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

Police told iBerkshires.com that the pedestrian, said to be an elderly male, was walking on the sidewalk along West Housatonic Street near Clapp Park at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday. A Toyota passenger car traveling eastbound on the street apparently went out of control, veered off the street, struck a road sign and a utility pole, then the older man.

Both men were transported to the hospital for treatment.

Police told the Berkshire Eagle that they do not believe that alcohol or drugs were a factor in the incident.

The street was closed for nearly two hours as officers of the Pittsfield Police Traffic Bureau gathered evidence and took measurements.

Two men were arrested after police chased them down from a burglary in the United Methodist Church on Sumner Avenue. Christian Gardillis and Carlos Principe were just after midnight arrested after a foot chase through Forest Park.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

Springfield Police Capt. Brian Keenan said Christian Gardillis,19 and 20-year-old Carlos Principe were found hiding near the tennis courts in Forest Park just after the 12:15 a.m. alarm.

A foot chase began when police saw the two fleeing the building. Keenan said the two had items that belonged to the church in their possession. Keenan said the two ransacked the offices and took some microphones used during services.

Gardillis is the subject of an outstanding a default warrant in Holyoke District Court. Holyoke Police Sgt. Richard Stuart said Gardillis is wanted in connection with a November 4 armed carjacking in Holyoke.

The defense lawyer for murder defendant Pedro Vasquez says the prosecution's case is weak, but a judge won't set bail for Vasquez.

SPRINGFIELD -- This week in Hampden Superior Court saw defendants admit to dealing drugs and stabbings, and some drug cases went awry because of the involvement of city police officer Gregg Bigda, who is under federal investigation.

Holyoke man admits heroin dealing, heads to state prison

Judge rejects agreement for drug defendant, despite involvement of Detective Gregg Bigda

Springfield man admits stabbing woman he wanted to date and her male friend

Lawyer for Springfield murder defendant Pedro Vasquez asks for bail, saying, 'This is not an ironclad case'

Judge says Springfield murder defendant must stay in jail awaiting trial; lawyer calls case weak

Springfield man who asked undercover cop if he wanted drugs pleads guilty

Lawyer asks why man shot 9 times waited 8 months to ID suspect

Springfield woman charged with heroin trafficking gets probation; prosecutor says police officer Gregg Bigda made case problematic

Yet another drug trafficking case dropped because of Springfield Officer Gregg Bigda's involvement