The Mass Latino Chamber of Commerce Parrandon Navideno 2017 took place at the Greek Cultural Center in Springfield recently.

The Mass. Latino Chamber of Commerce recently held its annual Parrandon Navideno at the Greek Cultural Center in Springfield.

The event, sponsored by the Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce, drew more than 200 community members to the Greek Cultural Center in Springfield.

The Christmas Parrandon was not only a celebration of the new year but also an opportunity to celebrate the Day of the Kings and the Latino culture.

The annual holiday celebration also recognizes the community's unsung heroes, collects nonperishable items for the homeless, toys for children and resources to feed the elderly.

For more information, visit the Mass. Latino Chamber of Commerce website.

Two people were displaced after their apartment caught on fire on Friday night.

SPRINGFIELD — Two people have been displaced after an apartment fire that occurred near downtown Springfield on Friday night.

Firefighters were called to 19 Maple Street at approximately 6:15 p.m., after reports came in for smoke and flames coming out of one of the building's windows, said Dennis Leger of the Springfield Fire Department.

The two residents escaped unscathed and the fire was put out quickly, but a firefighter suffered a minor injury while fighting the blaze and had to be taken for medical treatment, Leger said.

Leger also said it looks like the cause of the fire was a malfunctioning wall light fixture in the building's first floor front hallway. The fixture started the blaze, which then spread to the couple's apartment, located on the second floor of the building.

As a result, the building suffered at least $20,000 in damages, Leger said.

The building's owner has arranged to provide lodging for the two residents while more permanent accommodations can be worked out.

The St. Patrick's Committee of Holyoke hosted a reception on Friday in honor of its 66th Grand Marshal, Sr. Jane F. Morrissey.

HOLYOKE- The St. Patrick's Committee of Holyoke hosted a reception on Friday in honor of its 66th Grand Marshal, Sr. Jane F. Morrissey.

The grand marshal is the highest local honor given to a person of Irish ancestry who has distinguished themselves to their family, their career and their Irish ancestry.

The former president of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, Sister Jane is an educator, social justice activist and humanitarian, as described by the committee. She helped to start the Gray House in Springfield and Homework House in Holyoke.

The committee held its annual Colleen Pageant at the Holyoke High School a week ago, where the two-hour event attracted several hundred visitors despite a snowstorm.

A field of 15 contestants was narrowed down to five who will compete for the title of 2017 Holyoke Grand Colleen at the Grand Coronation Ball February 18 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.

The 66th St. Patrick's Parade will be held on Sunday, March 19 and the 42nd St. Patrick's Road Race will be held on March 18. For more information visit www.holyokestpatricksparade.com.

One man was wounded when he was shot outside a home at 36 Orchard St in the city's North End just after 12:30 a.m. Saturday. The victim was transported to the Baystate Medical Center.

SPRINGFIELD— One man was wounded when he was shot outside a home at 36 Orchard St. in the North End of Springfield just after 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

Springfield Police Capt. Brian Keenan said was found bleeding outside the Orchard Street home, and was transported to the Baystate Medical Center. Keenan said the victim was under treatment and his condition was not immediately known.

Police received a call reporting the shooting at about 12:35 a.m. Detectives and uniformed officers scoured the area in front of the home searching for evidence.

Keenan said police are still trying to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting.

This is a breaking story and information will be posted as it becomes available.

The opioid crisis has led to a surge in child welfare authorities seeking the removal of children from the parents.

The opioid crisis has led to a surge in child welfare authorities seeking the removal of children from their parents, according to statistics reviewed by MassLive and an interview with a juvenile court judge.

Overall, care and protection cases -- used by the Department of Children and Families to remove children from allegedly dangerous living conditions -- have increased 56 percent since fiscal 2012.

And a major part of that spike is due to opioid addiction, Franklin-Hampshire Juvenile Court Judge James Collins told MassLive. Between 30 and 40 percent of care and protection cases are driven by parental opioid abuse, he said.

While all of Massachusetts has been affected, some counties have been hit harder than others. See the statistics for your county in the graphic below:

The opioid crisis has helped spark a 56 percent increase in child protection cases since 2012 in Massachusetts.

Part of a MassLive special report on the the impact of the opioid crisis on children in Massachusetts.

_____________

Franklin-Hampshire Juvenile Court Judge James Collins has seen the ugly, heart-breaking impact of the state's opioid crisis first-hand from the bench. And he's seen how it has ravaged families and hurt the smallest and most vulnerable among us. 

There was the child who found the body of their parent after a fatal overdose. The case in Greenfield, where state troopers found a mother passed out in her car with her toddler in the back seat, a used syringe in the child's French fry carton. The babies transferred from the birth ward to detox, born with heroin or cocaine in their systems.

The juvenile court system is on the front lines of Massachusetts' opioid crisis. And according to statistics provided by court officials, addiction is increasingly wreaking havoc with Massachusetts families, helping spark a 56 percent increase in child protection cases since 2012.

Those cases, the last legal resort of the state Department of Children and Families, can lead to the permanent loss of parental rights if parents fail to create safe living conditions for their children.

Collins says addiction is the cause of 30 to 40 percent of child protection orders - and has increased strain on an already overburdened system. Cases have also increased due to more aggressive enforcement by DCF, following a series of tragic cases that led to questions about the agency's effectiveness.

'The devastating effects of substance abuse are really hitting our families and communities and children hard," Collins said.

Collins himself is an example of how juvenile courts are struggling to cope with waves of cases linked to opioid addition.

Collins is 70 years old, past the state's mandatory retirement age for judges, and formally left his position on Aug. 1. But he was immediately brought back to work full time to help the court cope with its growing caseload.

'We're trying to fight the effects of the opioid epidemic with the same resources we had several years ago," Collins said.

The effects of the opioid epidemic can also be seen in the growing numbers of children in foster care across the state. Thirty percent of neglect and abuse cases across the state were linked to substance abuse, according to DCF.

When DCF files a care and protection case, a judge makes an ex-parte decision - without the parents' input - as to whether the child should be placed in emergency state custody.

Parents then have the right to a hearing within 72 hours, and are denied guardianship if the state proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the child would be at immediate risk of harm or neglect if returned to parental custody.

The state then has between 15 and 18 months to establish a permanent living situation for the child. That can mean a return to the parents, if conditions improve; an agreement with parents to give up the child to adoption or alternative guardianship; or a trial to revoke parental rights.

Statistics provided by the Hampshire Franklin Juvenile Court show a stark increase in such cases, as the opioid epidemic spread across Massachusetts.

In fiscal 2012, there were 2,459 care and protection cases. That number rose to 3,855 in fiscal 2016.

Every county in the state has seen an increase, though some ares have been hit particularly hard. In Essex County, cases increases 73 percent. In Barnstable, that figure was 92 percent.

The highest numbers of cases, as might be expected, were filed in the counties with the state's three most populous cities - Boston, Worcester and Springfield. Worcester county had the highest number in 2016, with 695 care and protection cases. Hampden County had 552, and Suffolk had 518; none of the three counties had more than 425 cases in 2012.

Some of the rise is attributable to an increased focus on enforcement, after a series of tragedies - the deaths of 5-year-old Jeremiah Oliver, 4-week-old Aliana Lavigne, and 2-week-old Bailey Irish - placed DCF under tough scrutiny in 2014.

But opioids have also had a major impact, Collins said - both in the number of cases and how they are resolved.

Before the opioid epidemic, about two-thirds of care and protection orders ended with the reunification of families after parents addressed the state's concerns, Collins said.

Now, that number is about 50 percent. Only four in 10 cases involving opioid use now end in reunification, which has led to more families being kept apart, according to Collins.

"I think that the heroin, opioid, and opiate prescription drug epidemic and the suffering that accompanies it is reducing markedly that success rate," Collins said.

These cases can unveil the grim costs that addiction is leveling on children. Collins said he has reviewed reports of children born dependent on opioids due to maternal drug abuse.

"The child is born positive for heroin, cocaine, whatever the substance," Collins said. "The child has to go into a detox for weeks or longer and anybody who says that heavy substance abuse doesn't have an impact, they should listen to what we judges and clerks and staff listen to, which is the screams of a newborn trying to detox from cocaine or heroin."

(The prognosis for infants born dependent is positive with proper care and treatment, Dr. Rachana Singh of Baystate Medical Center's neonatal ICU told MassLive. And children can be born dependent even if their mother is in treatment.)

But Collins also said there were reasons for optimism. While many addicts relapse, Collins said he has seen numerous successes among parents he has ordered into treatment. And he has been heartened by cases of grandparents stepping up to raise children when parents are unable to do so.

"There's a lot of good news in terms of what's happening," Collins said. "I always tell people that there's light at the end of the tunnel. There's hope. I want them to be successful."

See how much child removal cases have spiked in your county

A Rocky Hill man faces charges of manslaughter and DUI in connection with an October crash that killed a Newington woman. Jake Caccaglione, 26, will be arraigned January 27.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

Newington Police announced Friday that they had arrested 26-year-old Jake Caggagilione and charged him with second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, second-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and failure to maintain a proper lane. He was released on $100,000 bail pending arraignment in New Britain Superior Court January 27.

On October 19 of 2016, police allege that Ciggaglione's car crossed the center line of Webster Street in Newington and crashed head-on into another car driven by 76-year-old Theresa Castagna. Castagna was taken to Hartford Hospital where she later died.

Helene Florio of the Holyoke Taxpayers' Association will receive the William G. Dwight Distinguished Service to Holyoke Award at a dinner on Feb. 8, 2017 in an honor also previously bestowed on her aunt Hortense Alderman Cooke and father Wayne Alderman

HOLYOKE -- Helene A. Florio of the Holyoke Taxpayers Association is the 2016 recipient of the William G. Dwight Distinguished Service to Holyoke Award.

"There is something about Holyoke that just gets under your skin," Florio said Friday. "This is a wonderful community and I am proud, but totally humbled, to have been asked to accept the award which is synonymous with a love of Holyoke." (see below).

Florio's "lengthy history of community involvement" includes volunteer efforts through the Holyoke Rotary Club, including having served as president, and work with the former Junior League of Holyoke, Area Mental Health Center, the Holyoke HospitalAid Association and the former Holyoke YWCA, Holyoke Rotary President Venus Robinson said in a press release.

The award -- bestowed for outstanding community service -- was established in 1940 in memory of William G. Dwight, who founded the now-defunct Transcript-Telegram daily newspaper in 1882. The Holyoke Rotary Club took over presentation of the award after the Dwight family ceased being involved in the newspaper business, the press release said.

Florio and her husband of over 52 years Jon Florio live in Holyoke. Their children Lisa Riewe and Mark Florio and their families will attend the award dinner at 5:30 pm. on Feb. 8 at the Delaney House, 1 Country Club Road, which is off Route 5, the press release said.

Florio, president of the Holyoke Taxpayers Association, also has been on the boards of the United Way, the Holyoke Chapter of the American Red Cross and Loomis Communities, the press release said.

"The mission of the Holyoke Taxpayers Association is to foster and promote non-partisan interest in government, particularly at the local level, as such activities directly affect the citizens and taxpayers of Holyoke, through work with local officials to assist in effecting honesty, efficiency and economy in governmentm," Florio said in an email.

Holyoke Rotary Club to present Dwight Award to Carl Eger Jr.

Carl Eger Jr., who received the Dwight Award last year, was chairman of this year's selection board, the press release said.

The first award was presented in 1940 by the Transcript-Telegram to the late Joseph B. Weis.

Other recipients of the Dwight Award include Florio's aunt, Hortense Alderman Cooke, and her father, Wayne Alderman, the press release said.

A native of Holyoke, Helene Alderman Florio attended schools in Torrington and Goshen, Connecticut and graduated from Wamogo Regional High School in Litchfield, Connecticut before returning to Western Massachusetts, the press release said.

She attended the University of Miami followed by Katharine Gibbs School in Boston, the press release said.

To get tickets to the dinner call 413-534-7355 or 413-478-5984.

Here is Helene A. Florio's statement about receiving the William G. Dwight Distinguished Service to Holyoke Award:

I've "always" known of the Dwight Award but it certainly isn't anything I ever would have expected to receive! I would have to say I was totally surprised and very humbled to be asked to accept it. I never started off volunteering in the community looking for awards. I did grow up in a home where if discussion led to concern about an issue, any issue, the retort at the dining room table was "what are you going to do about it?" Awards were not considered....ever.

Although born in Holyoke, I did not grow up here. My parents moved back to the area just as I graduated from high school. Simultaneously to leaving for college I was looking for things to do while in the area. I found Holyoke to be welcoming to my efforts to become involved. I wanted to learn all about the community, and the community welcomed volunteers with open arms. I became interested in my now husband when I found out he too had Holyoke roots. Once married and settled we settled here. Between babies, working, and getting involved, I know I learned the most from the moment I was asked to help with the United Way, which I decided at the time was an umbrella covering a wide variety of agencies, needs and services in the community. I was eventually asked to join their Board of Directors and had the opportunity to listen to the discussions and be part of the group learning about so much in Holyoke, South Hadley and Granby at the time. From that point on any time I met a "new comer" to Holyoke, I suggested the best place to start was to volunteer with the United Way.

The volunteers who have received this recognition since its inception are the true heros of this community. I'm just a little tiny cog in the wheel of what has continued in Holyoke to make things "tick". Nothing I ever did was in a vacuum....it was always with others...just as committed to the community as I have been. There is something about Holyoke that just gets under your skin! This is a wonderful community and I am proud, but totally humbled to have been asked to accept the award which is synonymous with a love of Holyoke.

St. George School was closed in 1995 and the parish was merged with Holy Name in 2009.

CHICOPEE -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield is preparing to sell the long-shuttered St. George School and adjacent convent building in Chicopee.

The Planning Board last week voted 7-0 to subdivide into two lots the church property between East Main and Maple streets.

Colebrook Realty, the real estate consultant for the diocese, has been in talks with a developer interested in buying a portion of the church property, said diocese spokesman Mark E. Dupont.

"Those conversations do not include the former church or rectory which currently house a healing and prayer ministry," Dupont said.

As a policy the diocese only provides limited information about any real estate transactions until a sale is complete, he said, declining to give more details about the potential sale.

St. George was one of at least 70 churches across the Springfield diocese that have been closed or merged with other parishes. Some of those church buildings remained open to house new parishes while others were shuttered.

The St. George parish was closed in November 2009 and merged with the nearby Holy Name of Jesus in Chicopee. An appeal of the closing brought a split decision from the Congregation of the Clergy in Rome that allowed then Springfield Bishop Timothy McDonnell to merge the parishes but banned him from selling or otherwise using the church for nonreligious purposes.

Appeals on the closing of two other two other churches, St. Patrick's, also in Chicopee, and St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Adams, received similar decisions.

St. George School has been shuttered for more than 20 years. Because of declining enrollment the school closed in the summer of 1995 and merged with St. Joan of Arc School, which remains open on Grattan Street.

"The plan is it will become housing if it is sold," City Planner Lee Pouliot told Planning Board members during the meeting.

The Planning Board agreed to divide the property into two parts. One includes the two-story school and the convent, and the second part has the church and the rectory.

The biggest problem with subdividing the property is it creates a property with zoning violations. The new lines will mean the existing buildings will not meet setback requirements, Pouliot said.

Diocesan officials were aware of the issue but understood there was no other way to divide the property to ensure there were no violations, Pouliot said.

"They will have to get a zoning variance" if the property is converted, said James Dawson, project manager for the Planning Department.

Currently the property is assessed as commercial land and the diocese has been paying about $26,891 a year in taxes on the buildings and the land, which are assessed at a total of $827,700, said Laura McCarthy, chairwoman of the Board of Assessors.

The city has been taxing the property since fiscal 2011. By that time most of the buildings were unused and no longer qualified for tax exemptions allowed for buildings used for religious or educational purposes. The diocese has applied for an abatement this year on some of the taxes, McCarthy said.

The two-story school measures about 28,128 square feet and the convent measures about 6,600 square feet. The other parcel contains the 14,400-square-foot church and the rectory, which measures about 6,700 square feet, she said.

The diocese also owns a parking lot off Maple Street that was not part of the discussions. That land is valued at about $26,400 and the diocese pays annual taxes on it of about $857, she said.

As police approached the car, they noticed that Aponte was undressed from the waist down and had a bottle of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire whiskey in the center consul, the report said.

SPRINGFIELD — Princeza Aponte was back in court last week, charged with kicking a police officer who found her with an open bottle of whiskey in an illegally parked car, according to a police report included in court documents.

The 25-year-old exotic dancer denied five charges, including assault and battery on a police officer, during her appearance Jan. 6 in Springfield District Court.

The arraignment came 15 months after Aponte, her then-boyfriend and his parents were arrested when police seized 1,584 bags of heroin, five illegal firearms and $12,816 in cash during two raids in Springfield. By last January, the only charge against Aponte, possession of heroin, was dropped by prosecutors.

The new case began Jan. 6 around 4 a.m. when police spotted a Toyota Corolla idling in the parking lot outside the Family Dollar store at 644 State St., according to the arrest report.

Nearby businesses have suffered repeated break-ins and parking is prohibited in the lot overnight, the report said. As police approached the vehicle, they noticed that Aponte was undressed from the waist down and had a bottle of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire whiskey in the center consul, the report said.

The officers instructed Aponte to turn off the engine, hand over her license and registration and step out of the car, the report said.

[enhanced link]

"Ms. Aponte did not follow the commands and was observed putting her feet up on the dashboard and rolling up the window," the report said.

More commands followed, with no response from the driver. When the officers eventually opened the door and pulled Aponte from the car, she responded "in a violent manner by screaming and kicking Officer Jonathan Turner multiple times in the chest and left shoulder," the report said.

Turner responded with a three second burst from his Taser, applying it to her left thigh "in drive stun mode...to gain compliance," the report said.

Compliance was gained, and Aponte was handcuffed and placed in a cruiser. After sweatpants and other "suitable clothing" was gathered from her car, she was transported to police headquarters for booking, the report said.

Princeza Aponte (2017)Springfield Police

Later that day, she pleaded not guilty to assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, trespassing, refusing to provide her license to police and having an open container of alcohol in her car. She was released on personal recognizance and ordered to return on Feb. 15.

In court records, the defendant is described as a native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, who is single and employed as a dancer at the Magic Lantern strip club in Monson.

Citing her income, Judge William Boyle ruled that Aponte did not qualify for a court-appointed lawyer.

Her former boyfriend, James Galanis, 24, of Springfield, was sentenced to four to five years in state prison in March after pleading guilty to 20 drug and gun offenses. Charges against his parents — Peter Galanis, 61, and Susan Galanis, 55 — were dropped a month later.

It's one of 300 local 'sister events' to the Women's March on Washington.

GREENFIELD -- Organizers in all 50 states and around the world plan sister events to coincide with the Jan. 21 Women's March on Washington. One of those events -- the Women Standing Our Ground Rally -- will be held on the Greenfield Town Common.

The rally is billed as a way for women, and their allies, to stand together for women's rights and human rights. The event starts at 12:30 p.m., and will feature local speakers, songs, signs, and personal testimony.

At 1 p.m., Greenfield participants will join groups across the country in observing a single minute of silence for equality. The "1@1" action is described as a call for women's equality, women's rights, and human rights.

The rally is intended as a call to action, and information will be available about concrete things people can do to protect their rights, safety, health, and families, said rally co-organizer Mary McClintock.

"Many women I know will travel to Washington, but many of us can't be there that day," McClintock said. "I am helping create this local rally so we can show solidarity with the national march, and add our voices to the call for women's rights.

All are invited to attend, and are encouraged to dress warmly and bring signs that express their vision for women's rights and human rights -- locally, nationally, and globally.

"I encourage all women and our allies to stand up for women's rights and human rights on January 21 and every day," said McClintock.

The event in Washington will be held the day after president-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. Thousands of women, including dozens of celebrities, are expected to attend. In order to keep warm, people are knitting bright pink hats with cat ears -- or "pussyhats" -- for the occasion.

In Massachusetts, sister events will also be held in Boston, Falmouth, and Pittsfield.

If you go:

What: Women Standing Our Ground Rally
Where: Greenfield Town Common
When: Sat., Jan. 21, 12:30 p.m.

The program will include field trips for roller skating, bowling and to the movies.

CHICOPEE - The Parks and Recreation Department will offer its annual Fun in February program during school vacation this year.

The program, held at Anna E. Barry School, will run from Feb. 21 through Feb. 23. It provides a variety of activities including gym time, arts and crafts and field trips to Rave Cinemas, AMF Bowling and Interskate 91 South.

The program is for children in kindergarten through the age of 13. It will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and parents can sign up their children for one, two or all three days. The cost ranges from $30 to $45 a day depending on the field trip and if the child is a city resident.

Registration is being taken now. Enrollment is limited and children will be accepted on a first-come, first-paid basis. People must sign up children in person at the Parks and Recreation Department office on Front Street. For more information contact Dan Woodill at the Parks Department at 594-3481 ext. 105 or via email at dwoodill@chicopeema.gov.

Lewis added that he won't attend Trump's inauguration.

By AARON BLAKE

The Washington Post

For the first time, a leading Democrat has called into question Donald Trump's legitimacy as president.

Rep. John Lewis, a Democratic congressman from Georgia and civil-rights icon, told NBC's Chuck Todd in an interview for Sunday's "Meet the Press" that he believes Russia's alleged hacking aimed at helping Trump in the 2016 race makes Trump an illegitimate president.

Asked whether he would forge a relationship with President-elect Trump, Lewis said, "It's going to be very difficult. I don't see this president-elect as a legitimate president."

He added: "I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected, and they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton." Lewis called it a "conspiracy" and added: "That's not right. That's not fair. That's not the open democratic process."

Lewis added that he won't attend Trump's inauguration, which he said is unprecedented in his 30-year congressional career.

Trump hit back at Lewis on Saturday morning, saying Lewis should instead focus on his Atlanta district, in a tweet:

"Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to...... "mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad!"

Lewis's comments come from a particularly powerful source: A black member of Congress and major civil-rights figure. While Lewis didn't cite allegations of bigotry and racism made against Trump, the whole thing can't help but hearken back to Trump's own questioning of the legitimacy of his predecessor, Barack Obama. For years, Trump raised questions about whether Obama was born in the United States and thus could serve legitimately as president. Obama eventually produced a birth certificate in 2012, but Trump only acknowledged Obama was born in the United States a few months ago.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus were particularly incensed by Trump's long-running questioning of the legitimacy of the first black president, saying it amounted to bigotry and a racial dog-whistle. After Trump finally admitted Obama was born in the United States in September 2016, members of the CBC held a press conference to denounce Trump.

At the time, Lewis urged Trump to seek forgiveness.

Lewis's words are sure to reverberate in Washington. The intelligence community has said Russia did indeed attempt to assist Trump in the 2016 election. But there's no real way of knowing whether it was decisive when it comes to putting Trump over the top.

Most prominent Democrats have been reluctant to push the idea that Russia won the race for Trump and directly call into question his legitimacy, though Clinton and President Obama have suggested it made a difference -- if not the difference.

Clinton last month named Russia's hacking alongside FBI Director James Comey's late announcements about her email server investigation as the "unprecedented factors that I don't think we can ignore" when it came to her loss.

Obama has said he thought Russia had some impact, though he couldn't be sure whether it tipped the scales. "Elections can always turn out differently," he told NPR. "You never know which factors are going to make a difference. But I have no doubt that it had some impact, just based on the coverage."

About the only other major political figure prior to Lewis who has outright questioned Trump's legitimacy is former Mexican president Vicente Fox, who tangled with Trump over latter's stated plan to have Mexico pay for his U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to......

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2017

mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad!

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2017

Four people were taken into custody Friday evening after narcotics detectives witnessed an alleged drug deal at Van Horn Park, Springfield Police reported.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ Four people were taken into custody Friday evening after narcotics detectives witnessed an alleged drug deal at Van Horn Park, Springfield Police reported.

Detectives Eddie Kalish and Matthew Rief were near the park on an investigation around 8 p.m. when they reportedly witnessed a drug deal, according to Springfield Police.

The officers moved in and arrested 42-year-old Frank Marshall and 56-year-old Nancy Barree, on charges of possession of crack cocaine, police said.

Officers also arrested 22-year-old Nathaniel Vazquez, of Springfield, and 25-year-old Shawn Delagdo, of Springfield, on an array of drug-related charges, including: Possession to distribute Class B crack, possession to distribute Class B cocaine, possession to distribute Class B Suboxone, distribution of Class B crack, possession to distribute Class A heroin with intent.

The two were also charged with possession of a large capacity firearm in a felony, possession of a firearm without a LTC/FID and possession of ammunition without an FID, according to Springfield police.

Kalish and Rief reportedly recovered 10 bags of heroin, three Suboxone strips, $740 in cash, two scales, six grams of cocaine and 17 grams of crack cocaine, police said.

A 9 mm high capacity 92FS firearm and 10 rounds of ammunition were also recovered at the scene, Springfield Police reported.

All four suspects will be arraigned in Springfield District Court on Tuesday.

A 24-year-old Pelham, New Hampshire man will be summoned to Boston Municipal Court on gun-related charges after he attempted to enter a night club with a firearm, city police reported.

BOSTON ‒ A 24-year-old Pelham, New Hampshire man will be summoned to Boston Municipal Court on gun-related charges after city police say he attempted to enter a night club with a firearm.

The unidentified man was stopped from entering ICON Night Club early Saturday after security reportedly found a firearm in the small of his back during a pat frisk, Boston Police said.

The bouncer removed the firearm from the patron, who reportedly said he had a license to carry. The bounder secured the weapon at the club and notified police after the man failed to produce evidence of a license, according to police.

Night club security told responding officers that the patron had remained at the front door for several minutes before walking away, leaving his driver's license and firearm, Boston Police reported.

Officers seized and secured the loaded Glock 19.

The patron faces charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawfully carrying a loaded firearm and unlawful possession of a large capacity feeding device.

Members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation stood with U.S. Rep. John Lewis Saturday after President-elect Donald Trump blasted the civil-rights icon for questioning his legitimacy.

Members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation stood with U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, Saturday after President-elect Donald Trump blasted the civil-rights icon for questioning his legitimacy.

U.S. Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, and Stephen Lynch, D-South Boston, joined House Democrats in offering their support to the Lewis, who told NBC's Chuck Todd this week that he will not attend the inauguration and believes Russia's alleged hacking to help Trump in the 2016 election makes him an illegitimate president.

Democrats' support came shortly after the incoming president took aim at Lewis on social media, tweeting that the congressman "should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results."

"All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad!" he added.

Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to......

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2017

mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad!

-- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2017

McGovern, who has been an outspoken critic of the president-elect, blasted Trump for going after Lewis in his own series of tweets.

"Here's a tip: Instead of attacking civil rights icons like John Lewis, reach out to all the Americans feeling threatened by your presidency," the Worcester Democrat wrote to the incoming president on Saturday.

Here's a tip: Instead of attacking civil rights icons like John Lewis, reach out to all the Americans feeling threatened by your presidency. https://t.co/BjRfOAUIgX

-- Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) January 14, 2017

McGovern further said he proud to call the congressman his friend in the fight for progress, adding that "America is stronger because of civil rights heroes like John Lewis."

America is stronger because of civil rights heroes like John Lewis. Proud to call him a friend in fight for progress. #IStandWithJohnLewis pic.twitter.com/y1cavRN7pY

-- Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) January 14, 2017

Pointing to Lewis' history as a civil rights leader, Kennedy argued that if stones and batons couldn't stop the congressman's fight for justice, "petty tweets certainly won't."

Stones and batons couldn't stop @RepJohnLewis's fight for justice. Petty tweets certainly won't.

-- Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) January 14, 2017

Clark called Lewis "an American hero who was willing to sacrifice his life for our democracy."

.@repjohnlewis is an American hero who was willing to sacrifice his life for our democracy pic.twitter.com/slK2SVB0Lz

-- Katherine Clark (@RepKClark) January 14, 2017

The Melrose Democrat further accused Trump of being "willing to sacrifice our democracy for his personal enrichment."

Lynch also came to the defense of the Georgia Democrat, whom he called "a great American."

"@repjohnlewis has dedicated his life to the civil rights movement. He sets a powerful example for us all to fight for what is right & just," the congressman tweeted.

.@repjohnlewis has dedicated his life to the civil rights movement. He sets a powerful example for us all to fight for what is right & just. pic.twitter.com/K6q4sniTCB

-- Rep. Stephen Lynch (@RepStephenLynch) January 14, 2017

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, said it's important to remember Lewis' civil rights background -- particularly ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

"Ahead of #MLKday2017, let us remember that many have tried to silence @repjohnlewis over the years. All have failed," she tweeted Saturday.

Ahead of #MLKday2017, let us remember that many have tried to silence @repjohnlewis over the years. All have failed.

-- Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) January 14, 2017

House Democrats also tweeted out their support for the Georgia congressman.

"We stand with @repjohnlewis," the caucus tweeted.

We stand with @repjohnlewis. pic.twitter.com/M4MUQi7HtF

-- House Democrats (@HouseDemocrats) January 14, 2017

Lewis told Todd that although he believes in forgiveness, forging a relationship with Trump would be very difficult, as he does not see the president-elect "as a legitimate president."

"I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected and they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton," he said in the interview. "I don't plan to attend the inauguration -- it will be the first one that I miss since I've been in the Congress. You cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong."

Rosenberg's sons continue to push for an 11th-hour proclamation from the White House.

EASTHAMPTON -- With days left before Donald Trump is sworn into office, four Massachusetts Democrats on Capitol Hill are pushing President Obama to exonerate -- or consider exonerating -- convicted Cold War spy Ethel Rosenberg.

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey in recent days wrote to Obama on behalf of the Meeropol family, joining earlier efforts by U.S. Reps. Richard Neal and James McGovern.

Robert and Michael Meeropol, two men with local ties, seek a presidential exoneration for their mother, who they say was framed by prosecutors in order to convict her husband, Julius Rosenberg, during the McCarthy era.

Grand jury testimony unsealed in 2015 backs their argument, the two men say. Some 60,000 have signed petitions asking Obama to act, according to the Rosenberg Fund for Children, which has organized support for the campaign.

"Evidence that has surfaced since Ethel Rosenberg's conviction and execution raises doubt that she received a fair trial," wrote Markey to Obama on Jan. 10.

Warren on Jan. 13 asked that the president "provide a thorough review of (the Meeropol family's) request that you issue a proclamation exonerating their mother, Ethel Rosenberg."

Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were electrocuted at Sing Sing prison in 1953. The two were convicted of passing secrets about the atomic bomb to the Russians in what was known as "the trial of the century."

U.S. Reps. Richard Neal and James McGovern in recent months also petitioned the president concerning Ethel Rosenberg. 

Neal's Dec. 26 letter says Rosenberg "was not the actor in concert that was portrayed by the U.S. government" and that "to let stand a conviction based on perjury, improper judicial ex-parte communication, and witness tampering is fundamentally antagonistic to the principals of our justice system."

McGovern on Nov. 30 asked Obama for a proclamation that Ethel Rosenberg's conviction was unjust and her execution wrongful. He said such a statement "would be a powerful repudiation of the scapegoating and witch-hunting that took place in the McCarthy Era and threatens our nation and its citizens again."

Robert and Michael, who took their adopted family's surname, were six and ten at the time of their parents' death. As adults, they waged a legal battle to release all government records in the case. They eventually assembled a trove of documents, including the grand jury testimony, KGB files, and witness statements.

The unsealed documents show that witnesses lied on the stand, and that credible evidence against their mother was lacking, according to the Meeropols, who now point to an report issued in December by researchers at Seton Hall School of Law.

The report concluded that Ethel Rosenberg's trial and execution were "the tragic result of a prosecution determined to follow through with a failed gambit designed to pressure Julius Rosenberg into implicating others." The legal scholars say they unearthed a 1950 FBI memo where agents spoke about their strategy.

Robert and Michael, now 69 and 73, last year made their case on "60 Minutes" in an interview with Anderson Cooper. Their campaign has been covered by the Boston Globe, the New York Times, and other major media outlets. The two traveled to Washington in December to deliver a packet of documents to the White House.

"The fear of the McCarthy era led to Ethel Rosenberg's unjust conviction and execution," Robert Meeropol told The Republican. "We're not asking for a pardon, because she was not guilty. We're asking for a proclamation that she was wrongly convicted, and wrongly executed."

Such an exoneration would be modeled after a proclamation Gov. Michael Dukakis issued in 1977 regarding Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, executed in 1927 on murder charges. The Italian immigrants and avowed anarchists did not receive a fair trial, Dukakis said at the time.

Dukakis in December issued a public statement asking Obama to proclaim Ethel Rosenberg's innocence.

The Meeropols acknowledge that their father was a spy, yet maintain he did not convey nuclear secrets. They do claim he was denied equal justice, saying other Cold War spies who did pass secrets about the bomb received modest jail sentences after naming names.

Robert Meeropol, a local resident, founded the non-profit Rosenberg Fund for Children, located in Easthampton. Michael Meeropol, a former professor at Western New England University, lived in Wilbraham and moved from the Pioneer Valley upon retirement.

Tony award-winning singer Jennifer Holliday said Saturday that she will no longer sing at President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration concert due to pushback she faced following the performance's announcement.

Tony award-winning singer Jennifer Holliday said Saturday that she will no longer sing at President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration concert due to pushback she faced following the performance's announcement.

Holliday, in an open letter provided to The Wrap, apologized to the LGBT community for agreeing to sing at the inaugural event, contending that she was "uneducated on the issues that affect every American at this crucial time in history and for causing such dismay and heartbreak to my fans."

The singer, who is considered a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ally, came under fire from some fans after news broke Friday that she would perform at Trump's "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration" inauguration concert.

Holliday said she changed her mind after reading a Daily Beast story, which argued that her announced participation in the event defied what her supporters stand for, The Wrap reported.

"My only choice must now be to stand with the LGBT Community and to state unequivocally that I will not perform for the welcome concert or for any of the inauguration festivities!" she reportedly wrote in the letter.

Holliday further told fans that she has heard and understands them.

"Please know that I hear you and I feel your pain. The LGBT Community was mostly responsible for birthing my career and I am deeply indebted to you ... You have loved me faithfully and unconditionally and for so many years you provided me with work even though my star had long since faded," she wrote, according to The Wrap.

Holliday's spokesman William Carpenter confirmed she would not participate in the event, the New York Times reported.

The singer said earlier this week that she had agreed to perform at the concert because she viewed it as being an event for the people, according to the newspaper.

Holliday noted in her reported letter that she has sang for previous presidents regardless of their political affiliation.

"I was honestly just thinking that I wanted my voice to be a healing and unifying force for hope through music to help our deeply polarized country... Regretfully, I did not take into consideration that my performing for the concert would actually instead be taken as a political act against my own personal beliefs and be mistaken for support of Donald Trump and Mike Pence," she wrote.

Toby Keith, 3 Doors Down to play President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration concert

The welcome concert, which will take place Jan. 19 at the Lincoln Memorial, will feature remarks from Trump and an array of musicians, actors and military bands to celebrate the incoming president in the final hours before he takes the oath of office.

Toby Keith, Jon Voight, The Piano Guys, Lee Greenwood, RaviDrums, 3 Doors Down and The Frontmen of Country, featuring Tim Rushlow, the former lead singer of "Little Texas;" Larry Stewart of "Restless Heart;" and Richie McDonald of "Lonestar" are among those slated to make special appearances at the event, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced.

Military bands are also scheduled to play at the welcome celebration, which will be capped by a fireworks show, officials said.

State Rep. Bud Williams, who took over from Swan after the 2016 election, said his predecessor and friend was a "linchpin" in the nonviolent battle for equality. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - Wesley United Methodist Church hosted its 35th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Breakfast on Saturday at the Sheraton Hotel, featuring a lineup of speakers who urged young people to keep up the fight for civil rights.

The breakfast honored retired state Rep. Ben Swan, a Springfield Democrat famed for his civil rights leadership on the local and national stage. State Rep. Bud Williams, who took over from Swan after the 2016 election, said his predecessor and friend was a "linchpin" in the nonviolent battle for equality.

"Springfield has honored me more than I could have ever expected in my life from anybody, anywhere, and I am eternally grateful for that," said Swan.

The 83-year-old politician represented the 11th Hampden District at the statehouse for 22 years. He chose not to seek a new term, clearing the way for his son to succeed him, but Williams was the victor on election day.

A U.S. Army veteran and lifelong activist, Swan was arrested several times in the 1960s for his protest work with the Springfield chapter of the Congress on Racial Equality. That work brought him to Montgomery, Ala., in March 1965, where he spent three weeks helping black Americans register to vote and advocating on their behalf.

On March 21, 1965, he was one of thousands who marched with Dr. King in Selma.

State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez presented Swan with a citation on Saturday morning, thanking him for his work on behalf of all Americans; not just minorities, but everyone whose voice has gone unheard.

 

Without addressing the new presidential administration directly, several speakers expressed concern that Donald Trump would toss civil rights matters aside, or even make things harder on millions of already marginalized Americans.

Bishop Talbert Swan, president of the Greater Springfield NAACP, gave the keynote remarks, delivering an impassioned sermon about the need to help all of our neighbors, not just those who look like us.

He summarized the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, the story of a man beset by bandits and left for dead on the side of the road. Two people, including a priest, saw the injured man and did not stop, while a third passerby, a man from Samaria, cared for the stranger and asked for nothing in return.

Jesus told his disciples to "go and do likewise," said Swan. "Each one of us must take the initiative. We must treat people like we want to be treated. We must love people the way we want to be loved."

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno criticized Republican-led efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, stripping health insurance from tens of millions of people rather than working on a compromise to fix the law's numerous problems. He said that kind of action is not in line with Dr. King's ideals.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal spoke about voter ID laws, controversial measures crafted for political reasons rather than to fight what Neal said was mythical voter fraud. Opponents of the laws, including many social justice and civil rights organizations, say they are designed to place an extra burden on minorities, young people and the elderly in order to discourage them from voting.

"The idea that you have to display an ID at the polling place, that's being done to keep turnout low," said Neal. "There is not a shred of evidence anywhere that there's voter fraud. But it's being done to intimidate people."

Speaking to the recipients of this year's memorial scholarships, state Sen. Eric Lesser said Western Massachusetts needs intelligent and motivated young people to go out and learn about the world, then return to help their hometowns grow stronger.

"We are so proud of you and so hopeful and optimistic for what each of you means to our own future," said Lesser. "I'll be there to support you and help you and cheer you on."

The event emcee was Alysia Cutting of WEIB 106.3 Smooth FM.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born Jan. 15, 1929. His birthday is recognized as a federal holiday, this year falling on Monday.

A man from Orange is facing charges after allegedly breaking into various cars.

ORANGE — A man from Orange has been charged with breaking and entering and larceny after allegedly stealing from multiple cars, according to The Recorder.

On January 10, police responded to a report of a person attempting to break into various vehicles in the area of Riverbend Woods.

Police say that 25-year-old Brandon J. Bezio admitted to them that he stole a number of things from people's cars, including an Amazon Kindle Fire, binoculars, a flashlight, and a winning $5 lottery ticket.

However, at his recent court appearance Bezio pleaded innocent to one count of breaking and entering a vehicle at nighttime with intent to commit a felony, as well as one count of larceny over $250.