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Boston's first New Year's baby arrives one minute into 2017

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The first babies born in Boston, Worcester and Springfield hospitals in 2017 all appeared at different times during the day, but it was little Kennedy Lynn Schmitt who first said "Hello" to the world one minute into 2017.

The first babies born in Boston, Worcester and Springfield hospitals in 2017 all appeared at different times during the day, but it was little Kennedy Lynn Schmitt who first said "Hello" to the world one minute into 2017.

Kennedy, a baby from Brookline, was born at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston at 12:01 a.m. on New Year's Day. Her parents are Will and Julia Schmitt.

Kennedy weighed 6 pounds and 15 ounces. She is just over 19 inches in length.

Worcester's first baby arrived at 1:36 a.m. Ayden Jose Martinez Hernandez was born at the UMass Memorial Medical Center--Memorial Campus.

Ayden's parents are Ashlie Hernandez and Jose Martinez, both from Worcester. Ayden weighed 7 pounds and 15 ounces.

Baystate Medical Center in Springfield said their first baby arrived later in the afternoon. Details on the child were not released as of 4:30 p.m.

 


Mayor Sarno will not renew Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant's contract

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Sarno did not immediately provide a reason for his decision.

SPRINGFIELD - Mayor Domenic Sarno will not renew the contract of Springfield Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant after it expires next year, the mayor's office announced on Sunday.

Sarno did not immediately provide a reason for his decision. The Republican asked a spokesperson if it is related to an ongoing dispute over residency requirements for the fire department, but the mayor "has no further comment at this time."

Conant's contract expires on Jan. 23, 2018. Sarno said he will look for qualified candidates for the job with the department, but "this does not preclude him from also reviewing outside candidates."

Sarno said Conant has received written notice of the decision.

"Mayor Sarno thanks Commissioner Conant for his past continued service to our city," said the mayor's office.

Holyoke steps up to help fire victims, hopes to raise $100,000

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One person was killed in the fire and authorities are still trying to locate two other residents. At least 49 people were displaced. Watch video

HOLYOKE - While victims of the New Year's Day fire gathered at Dr. Marcella Kelly School to get warm after their homes were destroyed, residents kept stopping in and dropped off diapers and clothing, and some just gave money.

In fact, donations came so quickly that Mayor Alex B. Morse announced by about 4:30 p.m. there was no longer a need for clothing. Residents, however, still need toiletries and city officials have set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for the victims.

"We are hoping to raise $100,000 or so over the next week or so," Morse said. All donations will go directly to the residents who were displaced.

The fire, which started at about 8:50 a.m. Sunday in a five-story apartment building at the corner of North East and East Dwight streets. Officials confirmed one person is dead and at least two others have not been located. All 25 apartments in the block were occupied and preliminary estimates show at least 49 people, including children, were displaced.

About an hour after the blaze started, city officials opened the cafeteria of the nearby school and invited people to get warm and otherwise help them.

"Families are without clothing, without socks and without shoes. They lost everything," said Justin Chavez, a local artist and resident who was helping to coordinate the efforts to get people help as quickly as possible.

The fire was still smoldering when people began stopping at the school to drop off donations. Immediately the group needed basics to help people, some of whom escaped the inferno in pajamas and bare feet.

The group was initially asking for jackets, baby formula, diapers, socks and shoes. Now money is needed to help families get back on their feet, Morse said.

The temporary shelter was set up in the school because it was so close to the fire scene. The plan was to move people to the Holyoke Veterans War Memorial on Appleton Street later but that became unnecessary, said Ron Dietrich, the chief of the Auxiliary Police Division.

About 30 Auxiliary officers were working with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross to try to make sure everyone who was displaced had somewhere to sleep Sunday night and basic necessities, he said.

"We just had an emergency preparedness drill and so far everything is working like a charm," Dietrich said.

The apartment building is a complete loss and so unstable that firefighters could not enter it to start searching for the missing people. The building is now being partially demolished, so residents escaped with nothing or next to nothing.

The Fire Department towed cars parked in front of East Dwight and North East streets so they could get demolition equipment to the scene safely. Even if the owners could be found, few had their keys with them, Fire Capt. Anthony Cerruti said.

Some families will be able to move into new apartments immediately, said Raquel Rodriguez, property manager for Navih Investments, which owns the apartment block.

The company owns other apartment buildings and had seven vacancies and were trying to place the homeless families immediately. With tears in her eyes, Rodriguez continued to make calls to other landlords in the city hoping some could put up other residents.

By 4 p.m. Morse said homes have been found for 10 to 15 families. The remaining will be put up in hotels through Tuesday and the city will work with the American Red Cross and others to find permanent homes for them.

"We want to make sure we have a place for everyone to sleep," he said.

Still, around 5 p.m., families were milling around the cafeteria at Kelly School as volunteers from the Red Cross continued to fill out forms for them and try to find them help.

Time and time again residents repeated the same story. They escaped with their lives and nothing else. A few managed to save pets but some did not.

Wilson Lopez said his wife managed to get his children dressed in warm clothing before they escaped from their second-floor apartment, but they took nothing else with them. While his wife was ushering the children out of the building, he and another neighbor rescued two teenage girls who were trapped on the third floor.

"We moved in a month and a half ago," he said. "We lost everything."

Michael Arroyo lived on the second floor. He was sleeping and saw black smoke was coming in the apartment. He woke up his stepbrother Wilfredo Lopez, who ran out of the apartment in bare feet.

"I just ran out and I lost everything," Arroyo said.

City Councilor Gladys Lebron-Martinez, who represents the ward where the apartment complex is located, spent the day at Kelly School trying to help the fire victims. Several other councilors, including Joseph McGiverin and Jossie Valentin also pitched in to help.

"As a resident of the neighborhood and the ward councilor I want to help everyone," she said.

As soon as she heard word of the fire, she started talking with Morse to try to coordinate ways to help the victims.

Demolition begins on Holyoke building destroyed by fire, 1 killed, 2 missing

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At least 25 families and an estimated 49 people were displaced in the blaze. Homes have been found for about half the families. Watch video

HOLYOKE - Demolition crews brought in heavy equipment and began removing the top floors of a five-story building that was ravaged by fire Sunday morning, leaving one resident dead and displacing 49 others.

At least two other people cannot be located. In a press conference Sunday evening, Massachusetts Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey said investigators said the two people are unaccounted for, which means they simply may be away for the holidays.

The fire began at about 8:50 a.m. in an apartment block at the corner of North East and Dwight streets.

One woman died when she jumped from the fourth or fifth floor to escape the flames. Her name has not been released yet, Fire Capt. Anthony Cerruti said.

Several other people were injured and transported to area hospitals. Officials could not say how many people needed treatment or if any suffered serious injuries. One firefighter also received a minor injury to his hand, Fire Chief John Pond said.

"Upon arrival there was fire showing on the third, fourth and fifth floors. The fire department quickly began operations, we had several rescues with our fire ladders and the Holyoke Police Department assisted with those rescues," Pond said.

Before firefighters arrived, residents also tried to help neighbors were trapped. Some even held blankets and a mattress to catch people who jumped from upper floors.

While some firefighters focused on rescuing people, others started to extinguish the fire in part to buy people time to escape, he said.

All Holyoke firefighters, including those who were off duty, were called to assist. Chicopee and South Hadley Fire Departments also responded to the fire, he said.

Between 40 and 50 firefighters battled the fire until it was extinguished late Sunday morning, Cerruti said.

Currently the Holyoke Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of the blaze, Pond said.

Also assisting at the fire scene was the Holyoke Police Department and the Holyoke Auxiliary Police helped set up shelters. The Pioneer Valley of the American Red Cross, and city officials all pitched in to help the 25 families displaced by the blaze.

Mayor Alex Morse announced the city has set up a gofundme page and hopes to raise $100,000 to help the families. Before 8 p.m. about $6,000 had already been pledged to the fund. So many residents came out to drop off clothing, diapers, money and other items that Morse announced clothing was no longer needed and thanked the community for their generosity. Toiletries are still needed.

"This is such a heartbreaking day," Morse said and thanked people for their generosity.

After the fire stopped smoldering, the city's building inspector determined it was in danger of collapse and demolition crews were brought in to tear down the upper floors.

During the demolition, one wall did collapse, damaging the roof of the neighboring home on North East Street. The residents had been evacuated from the home as a precaution before the demolition began so no one was injured, Pond said.

"We had to demolish the building. It was a chance we took," he said.

The problem is the fire destroyed the roof and trusses so the brick walls were freestanding and in danger of collapse. They were further weakened by the water that was poured on them by firefighters, Cerruti said.

The Fire Department towed cars parked in front of East Dwight and North East streets so they could get demolition equipment to the scene and work safely. Even if the owners could be found, most had left their keys behind in a rush to escape the flames, Fire Capt. Anthony Cerruti said.

Once the upper floors are removed, fire investigators will likely be able to enter the building and begin gathering evidence to try to pinpoint a cause of the blaze, he said.

Investigators have also begun interviewing residents who witnessed the fire to get better information about what they saw. Even if inspectors cannot enter the building, they will likely be able to find a cause from talking to witnesses and through firefighters observations, Cerruti said.

At the same time police officials walked through the Dr. Marcella Kelly School and showed people, including the property manager, at least one photo of a missing person and asked them if they knew of the person's whereabouts.

Officials opened the nearby school to give residents a warm place to stay. There employees from the property company which manages the building, the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross and a number of local volunteers including City Councilors worked to find housing, clothing and other necessities for the large number of victims.

The building is owned by Navih Investments, which also has other apartment complexes in the city. The company and some cooperating landlords were able to find new homes for between 10 to 15 families. The remaining people will be housed in hotels until Tuesday when the city can again start searching for permanent housing for them, Morse said.

Some residents were able to escape with their pets but some were not. Cerruti said firefighters were able to rescue one cat while extinguishing the fire.

Firefighters saw the cat in a second-floor window and climbed an extension ladder to reach the window. When they broke the glass with an axe, the cat jumped through the window, landed on the sidewalk unharmed and ran away.

New Year's resolutions: What people are Tweeting

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The tradition of New Year's resolutions is thousands of years old.

Every year thousands of people make resolutions on New Year's Day while they are counting down the last seconds of the year or sipping champagne to celebrate the start of a new year.

The tradition of New Year's resolutions is thousands of years old. The ancient Babylonians are believed to have made the first New Year's resolutions about 4,000 years ago to start a new year. The ancient Romans did so as well, according to History.com.

In more modern times the most common resolution is to live healthier, according to NBC News.

That is followed by people who vow to get organized, and then those who pledge to live life to the fullest. Other common ones are to learn new hobbies, spend less and save more, travel and read more.

Many already Tweeted that they broke their resolution before Jan. 1 was finished. Here are some of the things people were Tweeting about New Year's Resolutions:

Humanitarian hub for Holyoke fire victims staged at Kelly School

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Principal Jackie Glasheen unlocked the doors at 9 a.m. after seeing families standing in the cold watching their apartment building burn.

HOLYOKE -- Kelly Elementary School served as a disaster relief and communications hub Sunday as donations poured in for around 25 families displaced by a deadly New Year's Day fire.

Dozens of volunteers rolled up their sleeves and pitched in. Some sorted through piles of clothing and personal care items, others lugged cases of bottled water, and food service workers opened the cafeteria to feed a line of hungry, exhausted fire victims and relief workers.

Mayor Alex Morse, top police and fire officials, and American Red Cross officials were on the scene, seen speaking with each other intently, as was the owner of the burned building, Irshad Sideeka.

"My focus is to make sure everyone has a roof over their head by tonight," Sideeka told The Republican. "We've placed some families in apartments that I have, and other property owners are also providing apartments," he said. "It still looks like we'll have to put some people up in motels tonight."

Morse said a meeting was planned Tuesday morning to coordinate a more detailed response. He said those who wish to help may contribute to the Mayor's Fire Relief Fund, administered by the city treasurer's office.

By 5 p.m., coordinators were awash in clothing, and calling instead for cash donations to meet the needs of 49 people -- including about 10 children -- made homeless by the fire that destroyed a five-story brick apartment building only blocks away from the school.

Kelly School principal Jackie Glasheen said she unlocked the school's doors around 9 a.m. after heading to the fire scene "and seeing our families standing out on the street, watching their building burn."

Word soon spread on social media, and hundreds showed up to either donate or work. The mood was bittersweet -- several blocks away, firefighters continued to search the burned building for two missing people. One woman had already been confirmed dead.

Hundreds of sandwiches arrived from the Holyoke McDonald's, courtesy of restaurant owners Jorge and Eleni Gomez. Grateful parents and children sat down with McChickens, cheeseburgers, and cartons of milk.

Earlier, food had arrived from Domino's Pizza, C-Town grocery, and other establishments. The local Sears and J.C. Penny stores donated quilts, sheets, and pillows, said high school senior Kiara Feliciano, the day's donations coordinator.

"So many local businesses have helped," she said. "And the people of Holyoke. We came together today as one big family. What's amazing is that people who don't have much to give donated whatever they could."

Holyoke Schools Receiver Steve Zrike said parents, children, and educators in the city rallied upon hearing the news of the fire. "There are so many teachers here today. So many school committee members. So many parents. Our families lost everything. The first order of business is providing them with basic needs."

Eighth grade teacher Rosie Caracciolo was found sitting on the gymnasium floor, sorting shoes by size. "There's a woman in the cafeteria right now who's eight months pregnant, and having contractions," she said. "We had a man here desperate to get to work, looking for a pair of steel-toed boots."

Local resident Olga Rivera folded and sorted clothing. "I couldn't stay home," she said. "This is my neighborhood."

Ward 1 City Councilor Gladys Lebron-Martinez said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support for the fire victims. "This is nothing that anybody ever wants to see," she said.

Three young men -- Justin Chavez, Israel Rivera, and Reynaldo Rivera -- said they had been working at the Kelly School all day long. Chavez, a hip-hop artist, said when he put out a call for help on Facebook, the response was one of "overwhelming love and support."

"The people in that building lost everything," he said. "But we are strong. Our community is strong."

Glasheen, the school principal, echoed his remarks. "The beauty of this community is that it doesn't matter who you are, or what color you are," she said. "We are here for each other."

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

30-year-old man dies after crash on I-495 in Hopkinton

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A 30-year-old man died Sunday after a one-car crash on Interstate 495 in Hopkinton.

A 30-year-old man died Sunday morning after a one-car crash on Interstate 495 in Hopkinton. The man was trapped inside the front section of his car after the accident.

State Police troopers were called to the northbound side of I-495 near Exit 21 around 9 a.m. and found that a 2008 Chrysler Sebring had "crashed and broken apart into numerous pieces," according to State Police.

The driver was trapped inside and had life-threatening injuries. Firefighters from Hopkinton and Milton extricated the driver from the wreck. State Police did not release the driver's name or hometown.

A medical helicopter landed on the highway, but medical personnel could not stabilize the injured driver. He was taken by ambulance to Milford Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities said excessive speed appears to be a factor in the crash. The fatal accident remains under investigation.

 

Bag, debris found along Lake Erie in Ohio where plane vanished with 6 aboard

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Authorities received multiple reports of debris washing ashore east of Burke Lakefront Airport, where a plane carrying a family of four and their two neighbors departed late Thursday.

CLEVELAND -- Debris washed ashore near an airport where a small plane carrying six people took off shortly before it vanished over Lake Erie near Cleveland, the city said Sunday.

Authorities received multiple reports of debris washing ashore east of Burke Lakefront Airport, where a plane carrying a family of four and their two neighbors departed late Thursday. Police also continued to investigate the contents of a bag found earlier Sunday near a private harbor in Bratenahl, a small lakeside community near Cleveland.

The debris had not yet been verified as coming from the missing plane, authorities said.

"We want to remind everyone that this is an active investigation," Police Chief Calvin Williams said. "If you see something that could be debris from the plane, we are asking people to avoid touching it, and to call the Division of Police immediately."

Bag found along Lake Erie coast possibly connected to missing plane

John T. Fleming, chief executive of a Columbus-based beverage distribution company, was piloting the plane. His wife, Sue, their two teenage sons, Jack and Andrew, and two neighbors were also aboard.

The aircraft was headed to Ohio State University Airport, northwest of downtown Columbus. The plane suddenly lost altitude about 2 miles out during a scheduled return trip to Columbus, according to a flight-tracking service.

Fleming's father has said the family and friends were attending a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game.

The Coast Guard began searching the air after being notified soon after the plane's disappearance. High waves and blustery conditions prevented smaller Coast Guard boats from the Cleveland area from deploying Thursday night. A 140-foot Coast Guard cutter joined a search that covered 128 square miles of the lake on Friday.


Weather and water conditions didn't allow for recovery efforts to begin Saturday, but crews searched for the plane until darkness Sunday and planned to return Monday morning, weather permitting.

John T. FlemingIn this Aug. 1, 2008, photo, Ohio beverage chief executive officer John T. Fleming proposes a toast following the tapping of the first Dublin Stout Keg at Brazenhead in Dublin, Ohio. The parents of  Fleming confirmed he was piloting a Columbus-bound plane when it vanished late Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016, over Lake Erie.  

The Cleveland Division of Fire, the U.S. Coast Guard and Underwater Marine Contractors launched boats, and dive teams are ready to search the lake once the plane is located.

The mayor's office says four boats are equipped with sonar that can track underwater images and are searching a grid near the plane's last known location. A fifth boat is surveying the shoreline for debris that may have washed ashore.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board continue to investigate.


Liberty Heights 'shoot out' and apparent victim under investigation

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One person showed up at the Baystate Medical Center with what appears to be a gunshot wound or wounds, just minutes after residents in the Liberty Heights neighborhood called police to report gunfire near the intersection of Hamburg and Gold streets. Detectives collected ballistic evidence at the scene of the 11:00 p.m. shooting, while still others questioned the wounded person.

SPRINGFIELD— Witnesses described for police a "shoot out" near the intersection of Hamburg and Gold streets at 11:00 p.m. Sunday night. Shots were fired from a vehicle, callers told police. That car tried to escape the area but apparently struck a parked car before fleeing, witnesses said.

Just minutes later an individual with an apparent gunshot wound or wounds showed up at the Baystate Medical Center emergency room. Police have not confirmed a connection between the two events.

Police found a car not far from the shooting scene fitting the description given by witnesses.

Springfield Police uniformed officers and detectives scoured the area on Gold Street near its intersection with Hamburg Street just after the 11:00 p.m. shooting and found spent shell casings. Police also found a vehicle on Hamburg Street that appeared to have ben parked when it was struck by the fleeing car. The car sustained damage to the left front quarter from a collision, but also an apparent bullet hole just behind the left front tire.

Hamburg and Gold II.jpgA car witnesses said was hit by a vehicle fleeing from the shooting scene at Hamburg and Gold streets appears to have damage from the collision and a bullet hole just behind the front tire.  

Liberty Heights shooting victim hit by paintball

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While real shots were fired during a shooting incident in Liberty Heights Sunday night, a victim brought to the Baystate Medical Center emergency room just minutes after was struck by a paintball, not gunfire, Springfield Police Capt. Brian Keenan said. Investigators found spent shell casings and possible ballistic damage to a parked car in and around the Gold and Hamburg streets intersection where shots rang out at about 11 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD— Neighbors in and around the Gold and Hamburg streets intersection in Liberty Heights reported shots fired Sunday night and a fleeing car. That car apparently struck a parked vehicle leaving it damaged and perhaps with a bullet hole in its fender.

Minutes after police arrived at the shooting scene an apparent victim showed up at the Baystate Medical Center emergency room with what he said was a gunshot wound.

Not so, it turns out. Springfield Police Capt. Brian Keenan said the victim was struck by a paintball, not a firearm projectile. How and where he was injured remained a mystery as the male victim was not cooperating with police.

The gunfire in the crowded but quiet neighborhood was real. Luckily it did not hit any people, Keenan said.

Detectives and uniformed officers searched the area for evidence and bagged up several spent shell casings A vehicle showing collision damage and an apparent bullet hole sat on Hamburg Street near the shooting scene.


Second person found dead in Holyoke apartment fire

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A second person has been confirmed dead in the fire that tore through a five-story apartment building in Holyoke Sunday morning.

A second person has been confirmed dead in the fire that tore through a five-story apartment building in Holyoke Sunday morning.

By Sunday evening authorities had reported that one person was dead, two were missing and 49 were displaced in the blaze, which consumed much of an apartment block at the corner of North East and East Dwight streets.

One woman died when she jumped from the upper floors of the building in an effort to escape the fire. And now the Holyoke Police Department has confirmed that a second person has died.

The Holyoke Fire Department did not immediately return a request for comment, and it is not clear whether the two people reported missing last night are still unfound.

The New Year's Day fire drew response from every Holyoke firefighter, including those who were off duty. Firefighters from Chicopee and South Hadley were also called in to assist.

Residents and neighbors told harrowing stories of near escapes and life-saving aid, including helping catch children dropped from windows by their parents.

"We were working together. We caught two kids in a blanket," building resident Wilson Lopez told The Republican.

Holyoke Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal's Office are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse has set up an online fundraising campaign to help people displaced by the blaze. By 7 a.m. on Monday it had raised $10,800 of Morse's $100,000 goal.

Dog attacks Florida family trying to dress it in sweater, 3 hurt

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Police in Florida say an angry dog sent three people to the hospital after one tried to put a sweater on it.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Police in Florida say an angry dog sent three people to the hospital after one tried to put a sweater on it.

Tampa police say the pit bull mix named Scarface bit a 52-year-old woman who was trying to dress him on Friday and her husband was attacked while trying to pull the dog off of her. Police say the couple's 22-year-old son was attacked while trying to stop the dog by stabbing it in the neck and head.

The three people escaped the house and left the dog in the backyard.

Police say animal control officers shot it with a tranquilizer gun, but it managed to get back into the house where there were two children present. Police used a bean bag gun and stun gun on the animal before catching it.

Police recover car allegedly stolen by James Morales, escaped suspect in theft of Worcester armory weapons

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Authorities have recovered a car allegedly stolen by James Morales, the suspect in the 2015 theft of weapons from the U.S. Army Reserve armory in Worcester, after he escaped from prison in Rhode Island.

Authorities have recovered a car allegedly stolen by James Morales, the suspect in the 2015 theft of weapons from the U.S. Army Reserve armory in Worcester, after he escaped from prison in Rhode Island.

Morales, a former Army Reservist who alleged broke into the gun vault of the armory while out on bail for a sexual assault charge, was being held in the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility when he escaped Saturday night.

Morales1.jpgJames Morales 

Investigators believed that Morales had fled to Massachusetts, and a State Police K9 unit tracked Morales to a Route 95 overpass near the Rhode Island border, State Police said.

"At that location police found what appears to be discarded prison clothing," State Police said. "The clothing had blood on it."

Morales may have been injured during his escape, according to State Police. The Boston Globe reported that Morales climbed over razor-wire fencing during his break-out.

Authorities also reported that Morales was believed to have stolen a green Chevrolet Lumina from a BK Mart parking lot in Attleboro. Last night, the car was recovered, though Morales remains at large and is believed to be dangerous.

"If anyone sees him, they should not approach, but rather contact police immediately by calling 911," State Police said. "Likewise, anyone with information about his whereabouts should call police."

Morales served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 2008 until 2013; he returned to the armory to pick up his discharge papers just three days before the 2015 weapons theft.

Authorities allege that Morales entered the facility through a kitchen window and used a power saw and pry bar to cut a hole in the weapons vault roof.

Morales was out on bail for a child rape charge with a GPS monitoring bracelet when the theft took place.

He has an eagle tattoo on the left side of his neck and was bald when he escaped on Saturday night, police said.

Springfield police make drug bust after car chase; Springfield man, East Longmeadow woman arrested

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Springfield police arrested two people on narcotics charges after the suspects allegedly led officers on a late-night car chase.

Springfield police arrested two people on narcotics charges after the suspects allegedly led officers on a late-night car chase.

Officers Angel Monserrate and Sean Sullivan were patrolling in the area of Carew Street at 2 a.m. on Monday when they saw a Nissan Altima speeding toward Osborne Terrace, Springfield Police Sgt. John Delaney wrote in a Facebook post.

"The driver of the Nissan became aware that the police were attempting to catch up to them and he attempted to elude the officers by cutting down side streets and shutting off his lights," Delaney wrote.

The officers found the car, running but with its headlights turned off, in a Gladsworth Street driveway. The driver, identified as Sean Thompson, 28, of Springfield, and his passenger, Terrilee Piepul, 49, of East Longmeadow, were allegedly attempting to hide themselves by ducking into their seats.

"The driver was arrested and the officers found two bags of heroin on his person," Delaney wrote. "The officers also determined that he had outstanding warrants for burglary. Officers Monserrate and Sullivan could observe that the female passenger was attempting to hide items in a nursing jacket she was wearing."

The officers found an alleged 100 strips of suboxone, 21 methadone pills, a plastic bag of cocaine and two oxycodone pills.

Piepul, the passenger, was arrested on charges of possession of heroin, oxycodone, cocaine, and methadone, and one count of suboxone possession with intent to distribute,

Thompson was arrested on an open burglary warrant and charges of heroin possession and driving with a suspended license.

Both suspects are scheduled for arraignment Tuesday in Springfield District Court.

2nd death from Holyoke fire confirmed as investigation into cause continues, but not criminal probe: officials

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A second person was confirmed on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017 to have died in a New Year's Day fire at a five-story apartment building at 106 Northeast St. in Holyoke, Massachusetts and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, officials said at a press conference at the site. Watch video

HOLYOKE -- A second fatality from the New Year's Day fire at 106 Northeast St. was confirmed by officials today who said the investigation into the cause of the blaze continues but that it is not considered a criminal investigation.

"We found another fatal last night," Holyoke Fire Chief John A. Pond said at a press conference at Northeast and East Dwight streets.

The first person known to have died from the fire was a woman who jumped from the five-story building. The gender of the second victim was unclear, as were the names and other details about both victims.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said, "The facts as we know now, this is not a criminal investigation."

He declined to say where in the building the second victim was found.

It was also unclear from officials at the press conference whether another person, of whose known to have been living in the building, remains missing. Officials had said Sunday two people were unaccounted for.

One cat was known to have been rescued from the fire but it was unclear if other pets were saved or are unaccounted for, Pond said.

Holyoke Mayor Alex B. Morse said over $15,000 has been raised in a campaign to help the 49 people displaced by the fire. All of those displaced were housed in temporary quarters last night such as vacant apartments or hotels, he said.

Efforts to help the fire victims continue, including a need for vans and pickup trucks to help them move belongings to new dwellings, he said.

This is a developing story and details will be published as reporting continues.


Chicopee police seek to ID Christmas Eve vehicle break-in suspects

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The suspects entered the vehicle, parked in a driveway in the Chicopee Falls area, at about 2:30 a.m. and stole numerous items. Watch video

CHICOPEE -- Police are working to identify two males suspected of breaking into a vehicle on Christmas Eve in the Chicopee Falls area.

The suspects entered the vehicle, parked in a driveway, at about 2:30 a.m. and stole numerous items. Police posted video of the break-in on the department's Facebook page.

Those with information are asked to call detectives at 413-594-1730.

Police identify Hopkinton fatal crash victim as Todd Reed of Southbridge

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State Police have released the identity of the 30-year-old man who died in a one-car crash Sunday on Interstate 495 in Hopkinton.

State Police have released the identity of the 31-year-old man who died in a one-car crash Sunday on Interstate 495 in Hopkinton.

Todd Reed, of Southbridge, became trapped in the front section of a Chrysler Sebring that had "crashed and broken apart into numerous pieces" around 9 a.m. on Sunday, state police said.

The Hopkinton and Milton fire departments responded to free Reed from the wreck. A medical helicopter was called, but paramedics were unable to stabilize Reed for flight. Instead, he was taken by ambulance to Milford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Preliminary investigation suggests that "excessive speed" played a role in the crash, state police said.

The investigation is still ongoing.

 

New Springfield Council President Orlando Ramos seeks to improve police-community relations

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Springfield City Councilor Orlando Ramos was sworn in as the new council president for 2017, saying his top priority in 2017 is working to improve police-community relations.


SPRINGFIELD -- City Councilor Orlando Ramos was elected by his colleagues Monday as the new council president, saying that his top priority in 2017 is to do everything possible to improve relations between the police and community.

"We, as legislators, as elected leaders of this great city, must do everything we can within our authority - including using our legislative authority - to help repair and strengthen the relationship between the Springfield Police Department and the communities within the city of Springfield," Ramos said in prepared comments during the annual organizational meeting.

In addition, Ramos pledged to work with Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and his administration in the New Year 'to find ways to strengthen" the city's residency ordinance. The ordinance calls for city employees to live in Springfield but has been subject to decades of debate, controversy, challenges, and partial enforcement.

Ramos' call for improved police/community relations occurs as there has been some allegations of police misconduct, coupled with council votes last year to re-establish a citizen Police Commission to oversee the Police Department, including an override of a veto by Sarno.

Ramos said the Police Department is made up of "many brave men and women; honorable individuals who put their lives at risk in order to fulfill their oath to serve and protect" and who deserve to be called heroes.

Despite that knowledge and positive interactions, "we must avoid becoming prisoners of our own biography, and acknowledge and understand that our own experiences are not necessarily identical to everyone else's," Ramos said.

"And we must listen to the clamor of those who feel that they have been treated unjustly; because particularly to us, as elected leaders, denial and/or indifference towards injustice is just as harmful, and just as dangerous as the injustice itself," Ramos said.

Councilors elected Ramos, the Ward 8 councilor by unanimous vote, replacing Councilor Michael Fenton who held the leadership position for three years. Councilors also elected Justin Hurst as the vice-president by unanimous vote, who is replacing Ramos in that position.

Orlando Ramos Inaugural Speech 2017uploaded by Peter Goonan on Scribd

The council president presides over meetings of the 13-member council, sets the agenda, and appoints council committees.

"To my colleagues, I cannot express how humbled and how grateful I am to each one of you for having the confidence in me, and electing me as your president," Ramos said.

Ramos, who works as district director for state Sen. James Welch, D-West Springfield, chose Welch to administer the oath of office, calling Welch a friend and mentor.

Ramos chose his daughter, who he referred to as "the amazing Ariana Ramos, to lead the pledge of allegiance.

Vanessa Hill sang "God Bless America," including a stanza "God Bless Springfield."

2 corrections officers on leave after inmate James Morales escapes prison

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Two corrections officers have been placed on paid leave as authorities investigate an inmate's escape from a Rhode Island detention center.

CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. (AP) -- Two corrections officers have been placed on paid leave as authorities investigate an inmate's escape from a Rhode Island detention center.

Former Army reservist James Morales was reported missing Saturday night and remains at large.

Wyatt Correctional Center warden Daniel Martin tells WBZ-TV that two officers were placed on leave. He says Morales escaped around 7 p.m. but wasn't discovered missing until three hours later.

Who is James Morales? Closer look at suspect in Worcester armory gun theft, and former Army reservist facing child rape charge

The prison in Central Falls remains locked down as officials review procedures.

The 35-year-old Morales is charged with stealing 16 guns from a U.S. Army Reserve Center and faces child rape charges.

Police say they believe Morales fled to Attleboro, Massachusetts, and stole a car that was found Sunday. They believe he is bleeding from razor wire that he climbed through to escape.

Police recover car allegedly stolen by escaped suspect in theft of Worcester armory weapons

Baby in Methuen stopped breathing twice after fentanyl exposure, was rescued by police

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A 10-month-old baby in Methuen was rushed to the hospital by police after she was exposed to the synthetic opioid fentanyl on New Year's Eve.

A 10-month-old baby in Methuen was rushed to the hospital by police after she was exposed to the synthetic opioid fentanyl on New Year's Eve.

Methuen police officers responded to a home around 12:28 p.m. on December 31 for a report on a child not breathing, police said.

First responders began immediate treatment and transported the baby to Lawrence General Hospital, where she stopped breathing twice and had to be resuscitated by hospital staff. The child was then flown by medical helicopter to Tufts Medical Center for further treatment.

Medical tests showed that the baby had fentanyl in her system -- a reminder of the long reach of the opioid epidemic, and of the increasingly deadly role that fentanyl is playing in Massachusetts' addiction crisis.

"The opioid epidemic knows no boundaries," Methuen Mayor Stephen Zanni said in a statement. "We must continue to be vigilant in ensuring that children do not have access to harmful substances and to do everything we can to fight the disease of addiction."

The baby is now in state custody, officials announced during a press conference Monday afternoon. The case is under investigation by Methuen Police and State Police detectives.

"This is an extremely unfortunate situation in which a dangerous drug has ended up in the wrong hands and placed a baby's life in danger," Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon said in a statement. "Our main goal now is to find out how this substance ended up in the child's system."

One-thousand and five people died from opioids from January to September 2016, excluding suicides, according to figures released by the state's Department of Public Health in November. That rate exceeds the first nine months of 2015, in which a record 1,574 people died from opioid overdoses.

And fentanyl, which is 50 times stronger than heroin, is playing a larger role in the crisis. Deaths attributable to heroin have dropped, while 74 percent of overdose deaths with completed toxicology screens in the year's third quarter showing the detection of fentanyl -- up from 66 percent in the second quarter of this year.

While fentanyl was originally designed as a medical drug when it was developed in the 1950s, it has since become a popular additive to street heroin due to its cheapness and potency. It is often manufactured in China and smuggled into the United States through Mexican drug cartels, law enforcement officials have said.

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