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Springfield man's dream of upscale socks sparks new Western Mass. business venture

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Funky, colorful, vibrant, and memorable are just a few of the words that Leonard Underwood uses to describe his new dress sock clothing line Upscale Socks.

Funky, colorful, vibrant, and memorable are just a few of the words that Leonard Underwood uses to describe his new dress sock clothing line Upscale Socks.

With a mission to "suit as many soles as possible," Underwood launched his sock line on December 18.

While the entrepreneur said he would like to appeal to millennials and Generation X, Upscale Socks ultimately offers a variety of choices that appeal to all ages, genders, and backgrounds.

"I think I have something for everyone," Underwood said. "I have more traditional styles and patterns for the corporate person. Then, I noticed some politicians and sports commentators are getting more colorful and having more fun with their accessories, so I have those styles as a well. Each season I would like to have a Christian collection also with some scriptures, crosses and other things that represent my faith."

Although he did not have prior experience within the clothing industry, the Upscale Socks founder said he attended workshops and seminars until he had the confidences to move forward with his business plan.

According to Underwood, his idea for a sock business came to him in a dream two years ago.

"It was very specific, that I owned a sock line. It wasn't that I owned a pocket square or lapel pin company or anything like that. It was very focused, and I rarely remember dreams," he said.

The business has already received a strong and positive reception, starting with his launch party at the Springfield Country Club at 1375 Elm St., which had about 200 people show up.

Following the initial launch of Upscale Socks, Underwood said that he has received countless calls from people looking to make purchases, including one person who called to order 48 pairs.

"It's been pretty overwhelming actually," Underwood said. "My phone has been exploding with positive feedback and love."

He added that much of the support and his customer base has come from the clientele that he has built over the past 12 years through his photography business, Underwood Photos.

EPL1225_UpScale2.JPGLeonard Underwood, founder of Upscale Socks (Damaris Perez-Pizarro | El Pueblo Latino) 

"People liked the product that I provided in the past, so they know and trust that something else will be of good quality in this new venture," Underwood said.

Aside from his faith, Underwood has drawn inspiration for his sock designs from his work in photography, featuring a sock he calls "Brownstone" which came from one of his favorite spots to hold photo shoots, Mattoon Street in Springfield.

Some of his sock designs have also come from a sock-designing contest that he runs at Putnam Vocational-Technical High School where he teaches.

"I had an idea and said 'well I'd like to get a perspective of a younger individual--teens--to see what they like and what their flare's like,' so I went to Putnam Academy," he said. "I went to graphic design and design and visual shops and proposed the idea to the teachers if they could ask their students to design some socks."

According to Underwood, he received over 100 different designs from the student contest. He then picked his favorite designs and had them manufactured and added to his sock line.

Underwood said that he presented the winning student with a pair of their finished project, titled "Paintball Party," during his launch party.

While Upscale Socks is in its infancy, Underwood feels that this is only the beginning of something he feels will grow.

"I really want to get to know and be confident in the sock industry, because there are so many ways I can go about it," he said. "Eventually, I would like to look into other accessories, so maybe matching underwear, maybe ties as well or pocket squares. I'd like to stay in the accessory family."

For more information, visit the official Upscale Socks website at http://www.upscalesocks.com/.


West Springfield celebrates joining AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities

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Mayor Will Reichelt acknowledged the city's support for "designing an age-friendly community" in West Side.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Mike Festa, state director of AARP Massachusetts, traveled from Boston to West Springfield on Thursday to welcome the Hampden County city into the organization's Network of Age-friendly Communities.

However, it was Mayor Will Reichelt who formally declared West Springfield an "age-friendly community," after reading a proclamation that adopted the AARP and World Health Organization's principles on aging.

"West Springfield recognizes the importance of designing an age-friendly community," said Reichelt, a former town attorney who just finished his first year as mayor.

More than 21 percent of West Side's population is age 60 or older, according to Reichelt, who said the city is committed to "adapting to the needs of our changing demographics."

Laurie Cassidy, executive director of the West Springfield Council on Aging/Senior Center, and her staff championed the effort to join the network, which will ensure that West Springfield's aging population is "really taken care of for generations to come," Reichelt said.

Age-friendly communities "treat everyone with dignity and respect regardless of age, income or physical ability," Cassidy said. "They support diversity, older adults, family caregivers, the disabled, and the LGBT community."

With that, Cassidy passed the mic to Festa, who thanked her for organizing Thursday's event. Festa also praised Reichelt, Town Councilor George Kelly, and other town officials for embracing the idea of age-friendly communities. 

"Ultimately, when you have a mayor like this mayor, who sees the opportunity to ... really change how we look at community from that age-friendly lens, it really makes it likely to happen. That leadership is so critical," said Festa, a former Middlesex County prosecutor, five-term state representative, and secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

The Melrose attorney now leads AARP Massachusetts, an organization that's dedicated to serving over 800,000 Bay State residents who are age 50 and older.

"When we think about age-friendly, you start with an understanding that it's not about aging. But it is about acknowledging that we, as communities, need to look at all ages and ask the question from that age-friendly lens," Festa said.

"Are we doing things, all those necessary things, to ensure that this community remains a friendly place to work and to grow and to live as long as possible, in an environment which encourages and respects all people as they age," he said.

Becoming an age-friendly community is a multiyear process that begins with examining a community's housing, transportation and recreational opportunities, among other things, to see if older residents have easy access to such services.

West Springfield is the 133rd city to join the World Health Organization and AARP's Network of Age-Friendly Communities, a global effort to help cities prepare for rapid population aging and the parallel trend of urbanization.

The AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities is an affiliate of the World Health Organization's Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Program. WHO is the specialized United Nations health agency that sets internationally accepted guidelines for treating diseases and coordinates responses to disease outbreaks globally.

At the conclusion of Thursday's ceremony, the mayor joined Cassidy, Festa and others as they celebrated with a cake to mark occasion.




Dad accused of shaking infant, causing severe brain injuries

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The father of an infant girl has been arrested by Lowell police for allegedly shaking the 3-month-old, causing severe brain injuries.

The father of an infant girl has been arrested by Lowell police for allegedly shaking the 3-month-old, causing severe brain injuries. 

Anthony MansolilliAnthony Mansolilli. 

Emergency responders were called to the home of Anthony J. Mansolilli in early November where they reported finding the child unresponsive. 

The baby was rushed to Tufts Medical Center where doctors determined she was bleeding into her brain, the Lowell Sun reports, as her brain had been forced to the side of her skull. The infant survived and has been hospitalized since she was found in critical condition by emergency medical responders. 

While speaking with police in early November, Mansolilli reportedly told police he was watching his daughter while her mother was at work and "lost control" when she cries grew loud. 

The day after his daughter was hospitalized, Mansolilli wrote on Facebook that he "royally [expletive] up. I didn't mean to do it. I hope I can be forgiven for what I have done. I hope all my friends and family can forgive me."

He was indicted this month on the charges of one count of assault and battery on a child causing substantial injury and was arraigned Thursday in Middlesex Superior Court. 

$120,000 approved for 3 new Holyoke police cars

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The Holyoke Police Department will have to wait six to eight months to get the six new police cars that the City Council and Mayor Alex Morse have approved for $240,000 to hit the road here because they must be acquired through the public bidding process and then painted and equipped to be Holyoke police cruisers.

HOLYOKE -- The City Council approved a $120,000 transfer to buy three new police cars.

With the council's unanimous vote on Tuesday, the Police Department will be getting a total of six new cars in the next six to eight months as the council also agreed on Dec. 20 to a $120,000 transfer for three vehicles.

Mayor Alex B. Morse recommended the transfer to buy three cruisers from the free cash account, a funding source that has been agreeable to most councilors for such purchases.

The council on Dec. 20 rejected an accompanying transfer request from Morse to buy three additional police vehicles by using $120,000 from the municipal stabilization, or rainy day, fund.

The council said no by a vote of 8-6, arguing the stabilization fund should be saved for emergencies and not operating expenses, which should be funded from within the agreed-upon municipal budget.

Morse resubmitted the transfer request, saying before Tuesday's meeting, "I have always supported six cars. I thought that (the City Council) would approve three from free cash and three from stabilization fund. They only approved three from free cash. In order to make sure we get six I submitted another three from free cash as a way to get it done."

Having debated the issue at length last month, councilors approved the $120,000 for police cars with little discussion.

Police getting 3 new cars in Holyoke but funding dispute blocks purchase of 3 more

Police Chief James M. Neiswanger has said the department "desperately" needed new vehicles. In the past several years, the city had ceased the practice of swapping several new cruisers a year for those taxed by near round-the-clock patrols to keep the fleet fresh.

It will take six to eight months before the six new police cars hit the road here because they must be acquired through the public bidding process and then painted and equipped to be Holyoke police cruisers, officials said.

Health, housing contacts listed for families after devastating Holyoke fire

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Contact information for housing, health and other agencies was provided by the office of Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse to help families and individuals whose homes were destroyed in the New Year's Day fire at 106 North East St. that killed three people.

HOLYOKE -- The city provided a list of agencies and contact information for families and individuals whose homes were destroyed by a Year Year's Day fire that killed three people at 106 North East St.

"We're in this for the long haul and we want to continue helping them get their life back together," Mayor Alex B. Morse said Wednesday.

Morse organized a disaster recovery center held at the War Memorial at 310 Appleton St. this week. Those who lost homes in the fire could get help from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), the American Red Cross, city agencies, insurance companies, property managers and the state Department of Transitional Assistance.

The 112-year-old, 95-room building was mostly demolished as of Thursday. The cause of the fire was an electrical problem at a wall outlet in a third-floor apartment living room, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey said Wednesday.

Faulty alarm system, lack of sprinkler added to deadly Holyoke fire caused by electrical problem: officials

Maria Cartagena, 48, and Jorge Munoz, 55, both of Holyoke, and Trevor R. Wadleigh, 34, of Easthampton, were killed as a result of the fire at 106 North East St. Forty-nine people lost their homes.

Here's a list of agencies and contact information from the mayor's office:

  • MEMA, Patrick Canevale, 413-250-1927.
  • MEMA, Judy Whitcher, 508-395-1518.
  • State Department of Transitional Assistance, Kelly Lacey, 413-552-5449.
  • Holyoke Health Center, Carrie Matusko, 413-420-2889.
  • Salvation Army Holyoke, Denise Rodriguez, 413-657-7232.
  • Holyoke Office of Community Development, Alicia M. Zoeller, 413-322-5610.
  • Massachusetts Division of Insurance, David Dowd, 413-262-2679.
  • HAPHousing, Janette Vigo, 413-233-1635.
  • State Department of Housing and Community Development, Bonnie Caldwell, 413-276-5562.
  • Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, Myra DeJesus, 413-210-3103.
  • Holyoke Board of Health, Debbie Schauer, 413-322-5598.
  • Holyoke Housing Authority, Rosemary Thompson, 413-539-2220, Ext. 237.
  • American Red Cross, Mary Nathan, 413-737-4306.

Car chase through Holyoke, West Springfield and Agawam ends in driver ramming police cruiser

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A man is facing charges in multiple states following a early morning car chase that ended in Agawam.

A man is facing charges in multiple states following a early morning car chase that ended in Agawam.

A Holyoke Police Department squad car signaled for a driver to pull over on Northampton Street around 12:30 a.m. Friday for reportedly driving with no headlights on. The driver declined the request and led the officer on a chase that was terminated after he drove into West Springfield.

While in West Springfield, the driver is accused of hitting another vehicle and leaving the scene of the crash before heading into Agawam, where the pursuit began again for the vehicle.

Agawam police followed the vehicle until he pulled into a driveway on River Road. Officers parked their vehicles in front of the driveway and the driver repeatedly reversed into one of the cruisers, Agawam police say.

The officer inside the cruiser was not injured though the vehicle sustained significant damage.

The vehicle driven during the chase matches the description of a car stolen in Connecticut and he is expected to face charges both in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The man was arrested by Agawam police and will be arraigned in Westfield District Court. Agawam police, Holyoke police, West Springfield police, Massachusetts State Police and Connecticut State Police are working together Friday morning to determine what charges the driver will face.

 

Drive for Uber or Lyft in Massachusetts? Get ready for background checks starting today

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Uber and Lyft drivers will have to undergo background checks starting Friday as part of an agreement settled in response to numerous convicted criminals signing up as drivers for the ride-hailing companies.

Uber and Lyft drivers will have to undergo background checks starting Friday as part of an agreement settled in response to numerous convicted criminals signing up as drivers for the ride-hailing companies.

The newly-created Department of Public Utilities will oversee the new background check process. Driver information will be sent to the department, who will run their information through criminal records, traffic records and sex-offender registries. 

With the new law, any driver that fails to pass the Massachusetts background check will be disqualified from participating as an Uber or Lyft driver. 

Gov. Charlie Baker said the process should be completed by April 3, 2017. 

"With the signing of these agreements, consumers who take advantage of the innovative technology services provided by Transportation Network Companies can have confidence that the driver has undergone a thorough background check that includes both criminal and driving records," Baker said in a statement in November. 

The companies already put drivers through a national-level background check biannually, but the state-level background checks are expected to bring more safety and certainty to the system.

Lawmakers targeted the ride-hailing companies last year after several Massachusetts drivers were arrested.

An Uber driver was charged with raping a teenage girl in August. 

And in September, another Uber driver was arrested after allegedly assaulting a UMass Amherst student. 

 

Chicopee Police arrest city man on cocaine, heroin charges

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Police allegedly found 10 bundles of heroin, 17 whole pills and crushed pills during a search of his vehicle.

CHICOPEE - Police stopped a city man for driving on a suspended license and allegedly found cocaine, heroin and drug paraphernalia in his car.

Angelo Abair, 32, of 42 Yvonne St., was arrested in December and charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin; possession of cocaine, subsequent offense; possession of a Class B substance (pipe), subsequent offense; possession of Clonazepam, subsequent offense and operating with a revoked license, subsequent offense, said Michael Wilk, public information officer for Chicopee Police.

Detectives from the department's Narcotics Bureau initially stopped Abair in the area of Grattan Street on the motor vehicle violation. "As detectives approached, they observed the driver making furtive movements with his hands," Wilk said.

Police then allegedly found a crack pipe with drug residue and white chunks, which field tested positive as heroin. Abair was then placed under arrest and detectives subsequently searched the car he was driving, Wilk said.

"Further investigation by our detectives yielded 10 bundles of heroin hidden in the vehicle as well a 17 whole pills and crushed pills," he said.

Abair was held overnight on $1,040 bond and later arraigned in Chicopee District Court, he said.


US Sen. Ed Markey, FDR grandson James Roosevelt to speak at '4 Freedoms' rally in Pittsfield

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U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and James Roosevelt, the grandson of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, will headline a Pittsfield rally and march Saturday commemorating the 76th anniversary of the former president's famous "Four Freedoms" speech.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and James Roosevelt, the grandson of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, will headline a Pittsfield rally and march Saturday commemorating the 76th anniversary of the former president's famous "Four Freedoms" speech.

The event, sponsored by the newly formed nonpartisan 4 Freedoms Coalition, aims to bring Berkshire County residents together against hate and bigotry, as well as inspire them to re-connect with the values included in Franklin Delano Roosevelt's speech: Freedom from fear; freedom from want; freedom of speech; and freedom of religion.

Megan Whilden, a 4 Freedoms Coalition volunteer organizer, said the group formed about month ago and began planning the rally in response to recent incidents of bigotry and discrimination across the country and in the Berkshires.

"Bringing people together is empowering," she said in an interview. "Especially for people who may be part of a group that's been threatened to know there's people there to support them."

Sherwood Guernsey, a Pittsfield attorney and former state representative, added that the coalition formed as part of an effort to encourage unity in wake of the 2016 presidential election.

"After the election there was this feeling of people wanting to know what to do and how to go about it, so three organizations in the Berkshires decided to come up with a march and rally to begin with," he said in an interview. "We decided to get people together and formed the 4 Freedoms Coalition, which we chose very specifically because the four freedoms enunciated by Roosevelt in 1941 ... are real American values."

Guernsey, a founding member of the Berkshire Brigades -- the county's official organization of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, however, stressed that the coalition and rally are nonpartisan.

"It doesn't matter whom one voted for in the last election, there are these values that permeate and should permeate all of the America and all Americans," he said. "You can support whomever you, but that doesn't mean there's a place for bigotry."

The rally will kick off with a 1 p.m. march from St. Joseph's Church on North Street to the First Church of Christ on Park Square, where former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt once spoke.

It will then move indoors where Markey, James Roosevelt, Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women member Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, Berkshire County NAACP President Dennis Powell and others are expected to speak.

Although several elected officials have endorsed the coalition and the rally, Whilden said the group wanted to limit the number who spoke in order to ensure community voices are heard.

"A lot of elected officials will be there, but they will have an opportunity to listen to the community about their concerns and their hopes and fears," she said.

Whilden, who said the coalition hopes to inspire the creation of similar groups across the state, added that the rally will encourage attendees to get involved with local organizations that are already working on various issues in Berkshire County.

"After the rally we're going to have an open house with action tables by over 30 partner organizations and will encourage people to sign up for one kind of action -- to volunteer in an area they're interested in," she said. "We don't want to reinvent the wheel when there are so many organizations out there doing good work."

Attendees who support immigrants, for example, will be encouraged to volunteer at the Berkshire Immigrant Center. Or, those who are concerned about LGBTQ rights can sign up with the Berkshire Stonewall Community Coalition, Whilden said.

Members of the Berkshires' state legislative delegation and Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer are among those expected to attend the event, which will be presented by the Berkshire County branch of the NAACP, Berkshire Central Labor Council, Berkshire Brigades and dozens of other community organizations.

Man accused in Amherst killing to be arraigned in Hampshire Superior Court

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Soknang Chham was previously arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown after his arrest in Flagstaff, Arizona.

NORTHAMPTON -- Soknang Chham, the man charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Jose "Joselito" Rodriguez at an Amherst apartment complex in October, is scheduled to be arraigned in Hampshire Superior Court Friday afternoon.

The New Salem man was indicted by Hampshire Superior Court grand jury in December on charges including murder, armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a firearm, assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm), illegal possession of a firearm (subsequent offense) and illegal possession of a firearm with two prior convictions for violent crimes.

His brother Soksot Chham, 35, faces a charge in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown of being an accessory after the fact to the killing. He is due back in court Jan. 25.

Soknang Chham was held without the right to bail while Soksot Chham was ordered held in lieu of $250,000 cash or $500,000 surety.

Soknang Chham was one of several people charged in connection with the pistol-whipping of a man in Lowell in March 2010 and he spent five years in state prison before being released in June of 2015.

No motive has been provided in the killing of Rodriguez. According to friends of Rodriguez, the Chhams used to hang out with Rodriguez and his friends.

Video: ADA Jeremy Bucci discusses deadly Orange home invasion

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Joshua Hart and Brittany Smith staged housebreaks and stole a car days before attacking an elderly Orange couple in their home, Bucci said. Watch video

GREENFIELD -- A young Athol couple allegedly broke into two local homes and stole a car days before launching a violent Oct. 5 home invasion that left an elderly Orange man dead and his wheelchair-bound wife, who later died, critically injured.

Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Bucci distributed a statement of alleged facts and spoke with reporters moments after defendants Joshua Hart, 24, and Brittany Smith, 27, denied murder and other charges in Franklin Superior Court Thursday.

"I characterize this as a savage murder -- it's the only adjective that seems to capture just how brutal this was," Bucci said.

Hart and Smith are charged with murder in the death of 95-year-old Thomas Harty, and attempted murder in the beating and slashing of 77-year-old Joanna Fisher, allegedly left for dead before Hart and Smith fled the state with the older couple's car and credit cards. The two were arrested Oct. 7 in Virginia. 

The Oct. 5 incident was allegedly preceded by a week-long petty crime spree. 

Hart and Smith, aided by Jarmoul Corbin of Athol, broke into two separate homes in Athol on or before Sept. 29, making off with items including power tools, antique spoons, suitcases, dolls, pottery, "Conair clippers," prescription drugs, and a laptop computer, according to the Northwestern District Attorney's Office.

On Oct. 2, Hart and Smith allegedly stole a car belonging to Smith's great-grandmother and drove to Gardner to buy heroin for Smith. They were arrested Oct. 3 along with Corbin, an Athol resident who allegedly used his own car to help with the break-ins.

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Having apparently been released, Smith went to the Athol police station on Oct. 4 in an unsuccessful attempt to claim one of the stolen suitcases as her own, Bucci's statement reads. The suitcase, containing women's clothing, had been recovered from Corbin's home.

Fewer than 24 hours later, the two allegedly targeted Harty and Fisher in their home, taking the elderly couple by surprise as they sat watching television in the evening. 

Smith was a heroin user, but Hart was not, according to Bucci. "Throughout the entire investigation, there is absolutely no indication that Joshua Hart ever consumed any drugs," Bucci said.

The motivation for the home invasion was twofold, said Bucci: Hart, with a previous criminal record, wanted to avoid possible jail time for the car theft and break-ins. Smith, facing an intervention by family members, hoped to skip being committed to a residential drug treatment program.

The duo sought an older model car without GPS tracking technology, and victims who might have some money, said Bucci. The two were arrested Oct. 14 at a Walmart parking lot in Virginia after a store employee called police.

Hart and Smith Thursday denied charges of murder, attempted murder, home invasion, armed robbery, conspiracy, larceny over $250, larceny of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and unauthorized use of a credit card. The two were ordered held without bail by Judge Mary-Lou Rup.

The details of the case, as described in Bucci's affidavit, are harrowing.

Harty was allegedly beaten and stabbed to death, and Fisher was beaten, nearly suffocated and survived a knife wound to the throat. Hart and Smith fled to Virginia in the older couple's 2003 Toyota Matrix, using the couple's credit and debit cards along the way.

Home health workers arrived at Harty and Fisher's home the next morning and called for help. Before being airlifted to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, Fisher provided police with a description of the attackers. Five weeks later, she died in the hospital.

The state medical examiner has not yet determined Fisher's cause of death, Bucci said. Bucci declined to comment on whether additional charges could be filed.

If convicted of murder in the first degree, the defendants face a mandatory sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. The duo will be back in court for a pre-trial conference on June 29. 

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

GNC moving from Hampshire Mall across Route 9 to Hadley Corner

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GNC, the vitamin, supplement shop, will be moving across the street from the Hampshire Mall to become the new neighbor of Starbucks's at Hadley Corner.

HADLEY - GNC, the vitamin supplement shop, will be moving across the street from the Hampshire Mall to become the new neighbor of Starbucks's at Hadley Corner.

That strip of stores, which includes Hot Table, Aspen Dental, Men's Wearhouse, Supercuts, SweetFrog Yogurt, and Sprint began opening in November of 2014.

Natick developer Eugene Crowley said he expects the new GNC store to open later this winter or early spring.

He said in an email he's also close to signing a lease for a tenant to take over the space previously occupied by the California-based Pizza Studio.

That restaurant closed less than a year after its 2015 opening.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she's running for re-election in 2018

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Days into 2017, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said in an email to supporters she's running for re-election in 2018.

Days into 2017, Sen. Elizabeth Warren is already talking about 2018. She said in an email to supporters she's running for another six-year term.

Warren, a Cambridge Democrat, kicked off the email by taking aim at President-elect Donald Trump, saying "the people of Massachusetts didn't send me to Washington to roll over and play dead while Donald Trump and his team of billionaires, bigots, and Wall Street bankers crush the working people of our Commonwealth and this country."

The Trump administration means this is "no time to quit," she added.

"I will fight today, tomorrow, next week, this year, next year and as long as I'm standing to build a future - not just for some of our kids, but for all of our kids," Warren wrote. "That's why I wanted to let you know that I am running for re-election in Massachusetts in 2018."

She predicted the next two years to include fights "likely to be uglier and nastier than anything we've ever imagined" and a "bigger, more expensive" campaign than the one she won in 2012.

Warren listed items on her agenda, including debt-free college, minimum wage hikes, and protecting Social Security from cuts, among other issues.

"The big banks and giant corporations aren't lining up to give money for my re-election. In fact, a lot of them would rather see me pack my bags and go home," she wrote, asking for small dollar donations.

"In the weeks and months ahead, we will stand up to the Trump Administration's racism, sexism, bigotry and hate," she said. "We will fight back against attacks on Latinos, African-Americans, Muslims, immigrants, women, and LGBT Americans. Our diversity is what makes our country strong - and on this, there will be NO compromise."

Firefighter accused of stealing hundreds of gallons of gas from Dudley Highway Department

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A member of the Dudley Fire Department has been accused of stealing more than a thousand dollars worth of gasoline from a highway fuel pump.

A member of the Dudley Fire Department has been accused of stealing more than a thousand dollars worth of gasoline from a highway fuel pump.

An officer in town arrived at the Dudley Highway Department fuel pumps this week to refuel his squad car when he reported seeing Nicholas Rivera parked at a pump in his personal vehicle, WCVB reports.

The 27-year-old call firefighter reportedly told the officer he was looking for an item he lost at the pumps. Still suspicious, the Dudley officer opened an investigation into suspected theft of town resources and reviewed fuel logs and video recorded at the pumps.

Police allege Rivera has been using the highway fuel pumps for personal use for several months and is believed to have misappropriated hundreds of gallons of fuel. 

Rivera was arrested Thursday on the charges of larceny of property over $250 by single scheme, breaking and entering in the nighttime, attempting to commit a crime and receiving stolen property under $250.

WCVB reports he is no longer employed by the town and fuel pump access keys found in his possession at the time of his arrest have been taken away.  

 

Connecticut State Police charge women with Killingworth bank robbery

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Fewer than 1 in 10 bank robberies nationwide are committed by women, according to the FBI.


A West Haven, Connecticut woman is being held on $100,000 bail after she was charged with robbing a bank in Killingworth, according to Connecticut State Police.

Courtney M. Worthington, 29, was arrested Thursday night at a hotel in East Haven a few hours after the 5 p.m. robbery at the TD Bank branch in Killington.

She was charged with second-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, and larceny.

According to police, Worthington walked into the bank with a hoodie, scarf and sunglasses concealing her face. She handed the teller a note that demanded money.

No weapon was shown.

After being handed an undisclosed amount of cash, she left the bank and was seen driving off in dark-colored sedan.

According to police, evidence recovered at the scene led police to the Quality Inn in East Haven, roughly 20 miles west.

Police did not disclose what that evidence was.

She is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Superior Court in Middletown.

According to FBI statistics, bank robberies are a male-dominated crime with fewer than 1 in 10 robberies known to involve women.

In 2015, 359 of more than 4,000 bank robberies committed in the United States were committed by women, which works out to 8.7 percent.

The same data for 2006 shows the number of bank robberies with female suspects to be just over 6 percent.

Nearly 60 percent of robberies are committed without out a weapon being shown.


US Rep. Katherine Clark to skip Donald Trump's inauguration in protest of his 'divisive rhetoric'

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Although more than a million people are expected to gather in Washington D.C. later this month for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, one member of Massachusetts' congressional delegation announced this week that she will not be in attendance.

Although more than a million people are expected to gather in Washington D.C. later this month for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, one member of Massachusetts' congressional delegation announced this week that she will not be in attendance.

U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, an outspoken critic of Trump, said Thursday that while she respects and supports a peaceful transition of power, she will not condone the incoming president's "divisive rhetoric" by participating in the 2017 inaugural ceremonies.

Contending that constituents in her district are fearful of the president-elect's "divisive promises," the Melrose Democrat added that she had hoped Trump would've used his transition period to show he will be a "president for all Americans."

"I respect the Office of the President and support the peaceful transfer of power. Families in my district are fearful that the anti-woman, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim and divisive promises that drove the Trump campaign will become the policies affecting the health and safety of every American," she said in a Thursday evening statement. "I had hoped that the president-elect would use the transition period and his appointments to change course and fulfill his promise to be a president for all Americans, however, this has not been the case.

"After discussions with hundreds of my constituents, I do not feel that I can contribute to the normalization of the president-elect's divisive rhetoric by participating in the inauguration," she concluded.

Clark, who has raised concerns about Trump's businesses benefitting from his presidency, introduced a bill at the end of 2016 that would require presidents to resolve any conflicts of interest between their financial interests and government responsibilities.

The congresswoman has also accused the incoming president of inciting online harassment -- an issue on which she has focused in recent months.

Trump will be sworn-in as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, Jan. 20, before participating in the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.

The president-elect will kick off his official inaugural events on Thursday, Jan. 19 with a wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery followed by a "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration" concert at the Lincoln Memorial.

Bill and Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush to attend President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration

Despite a bitter campaign, Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, are expected to attend the president-elect's inauguration later this month.

Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush are also slated to attend the event.

The three dozen agencies charged with providing security for the Jan. 20 inauguration ceremony and related events, meanwhile, are preparing for nearly a million Trump supporters, as well as a possible high number of protesters, the New York Times reported late last month.

US unemployment steady at 4.7%; economy gains 156,000 jobs

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With the national unemployment rate, at 4.7 percent, and the number of unemployed persons, at 7.5 million, changed little in December.

WASHINGTON -- The national unemployment rate was little changed in December at 4.7 percent, but the economy added 156,000 jobs that month, the federal government said Friday.

The number of unemployed persons, at 7.5 million, changed little in December.

The numbers are adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy, like holiday hiring by delivery and warehouse companies.

The number of long-term unemployed -- those jobless for 27 weeks or more -- was
unchanged at 1.8 million in December. Those people make up 4.2 percent of the unemployed. In 2016, the number of long-term unemployed declined by 263,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Other data from the report
  • Earnings: Average hourly earnings for all employees on private payrolls increased by 10 cents to $26, after edging down by 2 cents in November.
  • Workweek: The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged at 34.3 hours in December.
  • Manufacturing: In manufacturing, the workweek edged up by one-tenth of an hour to 40.7 hours, and overtime edged up by one-tenth of an hour to 3.3 hours.
  • Underemployment: The number of workers employed part time but who would like a full-time job was unchanged for the month at 5.6 million. That figure was down by 459,000 over the year.

What it might mean

Tony Bedikian, managing director and head of global markets at Citizens Bank, wrote:

"This is a fairly solid jobs number to cap off a good year of employment growth. Last year wasn't as strong as the post-recession jobs peak in 2014 -- and May's jobs number was shockingly low -- but the economy has added more than 2 million jobs for the sixth straight year and wage growth is accelerating. The new administration has talked about some policies that could fuel business growth. We'll have to wait and see, but we're starting the new year on very solid economic footing."

Locally

Year-end unemployment numbers for the Springfield area won't be available for a few more weeks. Unemployment in the city of Springfield fell in November to 4.8 percent, its lowest point since October 2001, prior to the two economic downturns of the last two decades.

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Formosa Chinese Food in Amherst applying for alcohol license

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Formosa Chinese Food, which opened quietly in late October, has applied to the Amherst Select Board for an alcohol license.

AMHERST -- Formosa Chinese Restaurant, which opened quietly in late October at 62 Main St., has applied to the Select Board for an alcohol license.

A public hearing on the request is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in Town Hall.

The restaurant, formerly Amherst Chinese, underwent extensive renovations over the summer. The new owner, Jenny Huang, worked for Amherst Chinese for 14 years.  

The former owner, Tso-Cheng Chang, owned the restaurant for 40 years and sold it to Huang last spring because he said he was ready to retire.

Huang said she has brought in chefs who worked at the restaurant five years ago, and with a stable of employees from Taiwan the restaurant is serving more Taiwanese food, such as Formosa beef noodle soup.

The restaurant will still buy organic vegetables from the Chang family farm, said Huang, who said she plans to serve as much locally grown produce as possible.

Donations continue to flow to Hampden family displaced by fire

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The Michel family were forced from their Stony Hill Road home after an apparent electrical fire on Tuesday, Jan. 3. The community is raising money for the family, who lost a pet and their belongings in the blaze.

HAMPDEN -- Donations continue to flow to a Hampden family whose Stony Hill Road was heavily damaged in a fire earlier this week.

As of early Friday afternoon, a GoFundMe account had raised over $7,700 for the Michel family, who lost a pet and their belongings in an electrical fire reported just after 3 p.m. Tuesday at 62 Stony Hill Road.

No family members were hurt, but a kitten was killed in the blaze.

"Please keep ... (the Michel) family in mind at the start of this new year," said Nicolette Barcomb, who established the GoFundMe account for the family.

Clothes, toiletries and other donations may be left on the front porch of 192 Stony Hill Road, Wilbraham, according to Barcomb.

Hampden's Bethlehem Church at 123 Allen St. made a $200 donation to the Michel family.

Hampden firefighters quickly contained Tuesday's blaze, which temporarily closed a stretch of Stony Hill Road between roughly Allen Street and the Wilbraham line.

AMR, the Red Cross, National Grid, and firefighters from East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Monson and Somers were also dispatched to the call.

Tuesday's fire was the town's second major even in recent weeks.

On Dec. 12, a large fire broke out at a local mansion known as "the Castle," a gated home on rural Stafford Road. The blaze caused extensive damage to the historic house, whose owners plan to rebuild.

The recent fires have sparked discussions about Hampden's fire-coverage needs, with growing support for adding full-time firefighters to the volunteer department's ranks.


Case dropped against Springfield man accused of shooting victim 9 times

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Charges from a shooting at a North End gas station were dropped against Omar Rojas, 27, of Springfield, because the victim can't be found.

SPRINGFIELD -- Omar Rojas faced some very serious charges in a city shooting, but the case was dropped Thursday because the victim is not available.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew W. Green, in the document dropping the charges, said the action was because of "the unavailability of the Commonwealth's necessary victim/witness" who is currently in default warrant status on his own pending unrelated criminal matter.

The shooting was May 23, 2015, at about 1:15 a.m. in the parking lot of J&J Mobil at 3111 Main St. in the North End.

The first officer on scene reported seeing a large number of cars leaving the parking lot of the gas station and convenience store as he arrived.

Officers and detectives searched for evidence at the crime scene, setting out about 10 marker cones to indicate where shell casings and other evidence was found.

The charges dropped against Rojas, 27, are armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, carrying a firearm without a license, illegal possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm and intimidation of a witness.

In early December, Jared Olanoff, Rojas' lawyer, told a judge he deserved to know why the victim didn't identify his client until eight months after the fact. Olanoff argued before Hampden Superior Court Judge Edward J. McDonough that he should be granted a hearing in which he could ask about the circumstances of the identification of his client.

McDonough initially took the matter under advisement, but then ruled Olanoff could have the hearing. He said his decision was based not on any police error but because of the time between the shooting and when the victim identified Rojas.

Olanoff said the victim walked into the city Police Department in January, eight months after being shot nine times. He said the victim told police he knew who his assailant was, but gave no explanation why he didn't say who it was earlier.

Investigators never asked the victim why it took eight months to come in and say who shot him, Olanoff said. The victim later testified before a grand jury and was not asked why he took eight months to say who shot him, Olanoff said.

He said after the victim gave police a name of the shooter, police put together a photo array containing that person's photo and the victim picked out the photo of the man he had named.

Green told McDonough the identification process used by police is on video provided to Olanoff. He said the identification process was not suggestive at all.

Green said the victim had known Rojas since they were children, although they weren't friends.

"How does a person decide to pick someone out eight months later?" Olanoff asked.

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