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Reputed Springfield gang member held on $10K bail after chase, gun arrest

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In addition to having a suspended driver's license and no license to carry a gun, Privette is listed in court records as a member of the Sycamore Street gang, also known as the Sycamore Street posse.

SPRINGFIELD - A reputed Springfield gang member is being held on $10,000 bail after police allegedly confiscated a loaded .38-caliber pistol from a car he was driving.

Mark Privette, 27, pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court Thursday to carrying a loaded firearm, driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, speeding and two related charges.

Springfield police arrested Privette following a chase that ended with him bailing out of a car and fleeing through an Andrews Street apartment complex, according to Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski.

The pursuit began when officers spotted a red BMW with Pennsylvania plates moving at high speed along Westford Avenue. After a records check showed the plates were registered to another vehicle, police pursued the car along Andrews Street, where the driver stopped, jumped out and began running, the prosecutor said.

Privette was arrested nearby and a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 special was found on the floor of the abandoned BMW, Szafranski said.

She asked for $100,000 bail, based on the new charges and Privette's criminal history. In addition to having a suspended driver's license and no license to carry a gun, he was wanted on warrants for failing to appear for jury duty and using a motor vehicle without authority, Szafranski said.

Privette is also described as a member of the Sycamore Street gang in the arrest report filed by Officer John Ruyffelaert.

Defense lawyer Michelle Dame asked for her client's release on $25,000 personal surety, claiming the chase ended with police arresting the wrong person. Privette was wearing a black jacket and black hat when arrested, whereas the driver of the fleeing vehicle was described over the police radio as wearing a gray sweatshirt, Dame said.

Judge John Payne set bail at $10,000 and continued the case for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 16.


Teen charged with fatally stabbing mother's ex-husband at Cape Cod motel

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A 16-year-old teen is facing a murder charge following the violent death of his former stepfather in a Cape Cod motel.

A 16-year-old teen is facing a murder charge following the violent death of his former stepfather in a Cape Cod motel.

South Yarmouth police were called to Beach 'N' Towne Motel by Cole Martin on Jan. 6. While on the phone with an operator, the teen reportedly said "stabbed his father and threw the knife into the snow," according to a police report reviewed by the Cape Cod Times. The teen went on to reportedly admitting to stabbing him, saying "I don't care. I'm sick of this (expletive)." 

His former stepfather, James Dean, was suffering multiple stab wounds to his chest, injuries he later died from. Dean had been at the motel with Martin's mother, lying in bed, at the time of his death. 

Martin told police that his mother's ex-husband was abusive to himself and his mother. 

Police records support such claims. The Cape Cod Times reports Yarmouth police were called in November after Dean allegedly struck the teen for declining to turn the volume of a video game. 

Martin pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges at his arraignment in Barnstable District Court this week. 

The 16-year-old will be tried as an adult. 

 

Springfield police closing down Union Street to rearrange memorial to to deadly crash

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Union Street, from Maple Street to Willow Street, will be closed for about an hour. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Police on Friday closed down a section of Union Street, the scene of the Tuesday night crash that claimed four lives, to rearrange a memorial that has been created there.

Police on the scene said they were doing to for safety reasons.

Union Street, from Maple Street to Willow Street, was closed for about an hour.

The crash took the lives of three Central High School seniors: Katrina Maisonet Jones, Adrianna Hernandez and Cassidy Spence. Also killed was Andrew Savage, 20, of Springfield.

A fifth occupant of the SUV, who police have not identified publicly, remained in critical condition Thursday night at Baystate Medical Center. Police believe he may have been the driver but the investigation continues.

Central cheerleaders 'hurting' after teammates killed in Springfield car crash

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Central's cheerleading team lost two of its members in a car crash earlier this week.

SPRINGFIELD -- Kiara Mickens will remember the eyebrows.

A senior captain on Central's cheerleading squad, Mickens and her teammates were devastated by the death of three Central senior classmates who were fatally injured in a car crash on Union Street earlier this week. Two of those classmates -- Katrina Maisonet Jones and Adrianna Hernandez -- were members of the Golden Eagles' cheerleading team.

The loss has been understandably difficult to deal with for a Central cheer team that, as Mickens put it, is left now with "just a bunch of memories." All they have left are memories like Jones' bubbly spirit - "She was always smiling, always laughing, always fun to be around," Mickens said - and how for for the cheer captain, Hernandez was her first friend at Central. "I'm not going to forget that." 

A favorite memory will be their excellent eyebrows.

"Both Kat and Adrianna," Mickens said on Thursday, as Central's boys basketball team took on Commerce. "They both had the best eyebrows around."

Young women killed in Springfield crash identified as seniors at Central High

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Chris Caldwell will remember that things could be contentious.

Another senior captain, Caldwell said he was doing okay -- "just trying to hold myself together."

When Caldwell looked back on the time he spent with Jones and Hernandez -- as well as Cassidy Spence, the other Central senior who passed away in the crash -- he said he remembered the jokes and the fights that quickly got resolved.

"Always being with them, no matter what," he said. "Sometimes we'd laugh. Sometimes we'd argue. Just being together in general. ... I'll remember all of it."

Cassidy Spence, killed in Springfield car crash, was athlete, friend, volunteer

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Jordan White will remember Hernandez in particular.

After all, Hernandez was her best friend -- her fellow cheerleader since they both started at age 11 in youth sports. They were supposed to finish their cheerleading careers together and graduate as fellow members of the class of 2017.

White said that Jones had "one of the best smiles, the best personalities" and that Spence was "the life of the party." But it was Hernandez who she met at age 11 at youth cheerleading, and it was Hernandez who she said had been her "best friend ever since."

"I could write a book about her," Jordan said. "I'll remember everything about her. She was just always there when you needed her. She was a great cheerleader, one of the best flyers I've ever met. One of the best people I've ever met."

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In cheerleading, a "flyer" is exactly what it sounds like -- the person at the top of the stunt who rises to the top of a pyramid with arms and a leg raised.

Hernandez and Jones, according to Sarah Williams, were the type of teammates who gave flyers confidence.

"Some of the (Central) cheerleaders talk about how they helped them build trust as a flyer," Williams said. "As a flyer, just talking about how Adrianna helped you build trust to go up in the air, that the people underneath you have you. That's not an easy task."

Williams coaches the Springfield CYO cheerleaders. She first met Hernandez when Hernandez joined CYO cheerleading as a six-year-old.

"She was definitely one of the best cheerleaders we had in the youth program," Williams said.

Years later, after joining the Central cheerleading team, Hernandez returned to her CYO roots as a coach and a mentor. The CYO season ran from May through October. During those months, Hernandez spent every Saturday helping prepare young girls who wanted to be cheerleaders in the future.

Last year, Jones -- who began cheerleading as a ninth grader -- joined her. The duo taught the junior program together, a team made up of girls in grades five and six who looked up to their older coaches. According to Williams, Hernandez and Jones found exactly the right balance between putting their cheerleaders to work in practice and "making them feel good about themselves" in mentoring sessions afterward.

"They were great role models for the girls in the program," Williams said. "The girls loved them. ... Our youth program is really hurting right now. We lost two of our coaches. We are really hurting. They just had infectious smiles. They were loved by really everybody."

What we know about fatal Springfield crash

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Central cheerleading coach Jenny MacKay will remember the haircut.

Last year, she guided the Golden Eagles -- including both Hernandez and Jones -- to the state cheer finals. But seven years ago, she was coaching CYO cheerleading when Hernandez joined the team.

"When you start working with 11-year-olds, they are kind of all the same spazzy little kids," MacKay said, smiling.

But Hernandez set herself apart one day when she came to practice sporting a very short haircut. It quickly became a hot topic among the 11 year olds.

"Getting them all to focus again after the haircut shock, that's what I was dealing with at age 11," MacKay said. "It's just so odd thinking about (Hernandez's) giddy little self at 11 versus the adult at 18. She had real-life things she was facing, and when she'd struggle or stress out about something, it was like 'Where did the 11-year-old I knew go?' It was like a blink of the eye that time went by. That was seven years ago."

As hard as this has been on the cheerleading team, it has been similarly difficult for the coaches -- "delicate," as MacKay put it. After all, they too are missing a part of their lives. They are experiencing the same sensations of loss and grief. Meanwhile, they are expected to be a steady presence for their cheerleaders, who need steadiness now more than ever.

"It's hard for us to be careful about having our moments of breaking down and sadness, because they are just watching everything we do, trying to figure out how to act," MacKay said. "It's a fine line between telling them that it's okay to be sad, but be strong for each other."

"We are okay," she added, then finished with emphasis: "It just sucks."

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The team is struggling, but that's to be expected.

"I'm trying to be okay," Mickens said. "It's tough."

After all, as MacKay noted, cheerleading is a team sport and an absence at any position has ripple effects everywhere else. If a flyer doesn't have a part of their base, they can't practice flying without falling to the ground.

"They are literally missing a piece of them," MacKay said. "It's not just a friend, it's an actual physical part of moving forward in cheerleading that has to be changed."

On Thursday, Central's cheerleading team took the court for the first time since the crash, since practice on Wednesday had understandably been cancelled. After the boys basketball team took on Commerce, the Golden Eagles gathered near center court.

"We are the Eagles and we fly high," they chanted. "Back on the field, and shooting for the sky."

Springfield community unites to honor Central High students killed in car crash

Eliann Lopez was the flyer, and as Central chanted, her teammates propelled her upward. But she couldn't quite hold her position, wavering for a second on one leg before falling backward into her teammates' arms.

Central kept chanting.

"Our fliers are awesome. Our bases can't be stopped. C'mon, yell it with us, help us soar to the top."

The girls re-grouped. Lopez, the flyer in the stunt, once again shot up into the air -- her arms and her left leg both in the air, full of confidence.

"We fly high."

Explosive reportedly thrown under Boston police cruiser

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The Boston Police Department is investigating a report of an explosive device being thrown at a city police cruiser.

Update: Propane tank thrown under Boston police cruiser in believed targeted attack

Boston police are investigating a report of an explosive device being thrown at a city police cruiser.

An officer was driving on West Broadway in South Boston Friday morning when someone allegedly threw an explosive device underneath the squad car.

The officer moved the vehicle and the device exploded shortly after, CBS Boston reports.

Boston police say the incident was reported at 8:22 a.m. and remains under investigation. No injuries have been reported. 

Presidential inauguration 2017: Watch Donald Trump deliver his Inaugural Address

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Republican Donald Trump was officially sworn-in as the 45th president of the United States Friday, signaling a new era for the Oval Office. Watch video

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Republican Donald Trump was officially sworn-in as the 45th president of the United States Friday, signaling a new era for the Oval Office.

Trump, who has continued to reshape American politics since his unexpected Election Night win, echoed his campaign trail pledge to "make America great again" after taking the oath of office before thousands who crowded the National Mall for his inauguration.

Trump is expected to pursue a vastly different policy path than his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, who focused on climate change and health care issues throughout his eight-year presidency.

The new president is expected to face little roadblocks in implementing his campaign trail promises, with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress.

Gallery preview 

Springfield man who fled after shots were fired and crashed on I-91 in Enfield, recuperating in Hartford Hospital

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Jose D. Olan, 29, of 205 Tyler St, faces numerous numerous traffic offenses and a charge of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

SPRINGFIELD -- A city man, who fled after shots were fired in the Pine Street area Thursday morning and then crashed on Interstate 91 in Enfield, continues to recuperate at Hartford Hospital, police said.

Jose D. Olan, 29, of 205 Tyler St, faces numerous traffic offenses and a charge of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, Sgt. John Delaney said.

The suspect is expected to be released from the hospital in about a week, Delaney, public information officer for the department, said.

The incident began about 9:30 a.m. when the city's ShotSpotter audio-surveillance system detected shots fired on Pine Street and then High Street. Callers reported shots fired as well.

Police saw a small white car leaving the High Street area at a high rate of speed, Delaney said.

Officers in cruisers and working extra-details saw the speeding car but were unable to get near it. The driver then got onto the southbound lanes of Interstate 91.

Officer J.B. Stern and Lt. Thomas Zarelli were given permission to follow and Connecticut State Police were notified.

One of the pursuing officers, reported over the police radio that the fleeing car was speeding in excess of 100 mph.

Delaney said the officers could not catch up to the fleeing car and it was out of sight at the Connecticut line.

Stern came on the accident scene near Exit 48 and Connecticut State Police were already on scene.

The car hit a guardrail and sustained extensive damages. Olan is being held in Connecticut as a fugitive from justice.

Delaney said police found no evidence of anybody or anything being hit by rounds in the Pine and High Street area.

Owner of Holyoke building cited; alarm system failed two days before fatal fire

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The building's owner was issued a non-criminal citation for failing to have the system inspected annually.

HOLYOKE -- The owner of a North East Street apartment block where three people were killed in a New Year's Day fire has been issued a non-criminal citation for failing to have the building's alarm system inspected annually, according to the state fire marshal's office.

A code compliance investigation found the system malfunctioned two days before the fatal blaze -- but a local property manager did not respond to warnings from the alarm system's monitoring company that the equipment was down, officials said.

Records list the owner of 106 North East St. as Naviah Investments, headed by Brookline resident Irshad Sideeka. The building's local management company is Springfield-based Works Management Services.

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey explained in a press release that while alarms sounded in the building to alert residents to the fire, the failure involved a second component of the system -- a transmission to the monitoring company that would have summoned the Holyoke Fire Department to the scene.

"The communications connection between the fire alarm system and the alarm monitoring company was broken at 11:47 p.m. on December 30, 2016 in the building at 106 North East Street and not restored before the fatal fire that took three lives occurred less than 48 hours later," Ostroskey said in the statement.

Investigators found that the alarm system's monitoring called the building's property management company "several times" regarding the lost connection. The company was only required to contact the property manager, and not the fire department, about the malfunction.

A review of city records by The Republican found the system was installed in 2011, prior to the last sale of the building. But the installer said the building's former management company cut him out of the monitoring and maintenance plan in 2012 as the company consolidated its service contracts.

Several attempts by The Republican to contact Works Management Services for comment on a previous story failed. Those efforts included phone calls and a visit to the Springfield home listed in state records as the company's place of business.

Killed in the fire were Maria Cartagena, 48, and Jorge Munoz, 55, both of Holyoke, and Trevor R. Wadleigh, 34, of Easthampton.


This is a developing story that will be updated after further reporting.


Seen@ Chicopee St. Patrick's Committee's annual Woods Reception

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Retired teacher Kathleen Ryan Balakier was named as Chicopee Parade Marshal this year.

CHICOPEE - People gathered Thursday to honor the three award winners who will lead the city's contingent in the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade in March.

The event, held at the Rumbleseat Bar & Grill, is the first of several the Chicopee St. Patrick's Parade Committee will hold in the weeks leading up to the March 19 parade.

During the event, participants recognized Kathleen Ryan-Balakier, who was named parade marshal for Chicopee. Ryan-Balakier had a long career as an elementary school teacher.

Now retired, she is still a member of the National Science Teachers' Association, the Massachusetts Teachers' Association and the president of Alpha Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international organization of women educators.

Ryan-Balakier and her husband George Balakier have been active members of the St. Patrick's Parade Committee for three decades, serving in a variety of functions.

John R. Beaulieu received the Jack Woods Award, which honors someone who has been active in the organization for more than a decade. Last year, Beaulieau served as parade committee president, and he has also been involved in the road race committee.

Beaulieu currently works as chief of staff for Chicopee Mayor Richard J. Kos. He has served as youth director for the Knights of Columbus Council 4404, a member of the Pioneer Valley USO and was president of the Chicopee Comprehensive High School Friends of Football Booster Club.

David White was awarded the George and Buddy Atkinson award, which is given to a person or business which is not a committee member but has supported parade activities.

White, of South Hadley, is the owner of Exclusive Car Service, of Holyoke. The company has been providing transportation to the Chicopee Colleen and its court for 10 years.

Presidential inauguration 2017: Watch Donald Trump's inauguration live in Spanish

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Noticias Telemundo is currently live-streaming the ceremony from their Youtube page, with commentary in Spanish. Watch video

At noon, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States, and there are several live stream options available for viewers.

Noticias Telemundo is currently live-streaming the ceremony from its Youtube page, with commentary in Spanish.

There is also a live chat sidebar feature.

Gallery preview 

Springfield man, deemed 'career offender,' sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for dealing crack

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Aaron Smith pleaded guilty to selling marjuana and crack to an undercover police officer.


SPRINGFIELD - A city man with a record of drug arrests was sentenced to more than 3 years in federal prison this week after pleading guilty to selling crack cocaine and marijuana.

Aaron Smith, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark Mastroianni to 37 months in federal prison. Mastroianni, citing Smith's string of previous convictions, declared him to be a "career offender."

According to federal sentencing guidelines, a career offender is someone who is older than age 18, is facing new charges, and has at least two prior felony convictions for either drug offences or violent crime.

He is also to serve on probation for three years after completing his sentence.

Smith's most recent arrest was in October 2013 when he sold drugs to an undercover police officer. In June, 2014, a federal grand jury indicted him for distributing crack cocaine.

Anti-Donald Trump protesters smash windows, tip over trash cans in Washington, D.C.

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Black-clad protesters smashed windows at a McDonalds and Bank of America during protests at Donald Trump's Presidential inauguration, according to Reuters.

Black-clad protesters smashed windows at a McDonalds and Bank of America during protests at Donald Trump's Presidential inauguration, according to Reuters.

Reuters reports that some protesters clashed with police, who appeared to deploy pepper spray.

Intercept reporter Alex Emmons also tweeted video of police tackling a Washington Post reporter.

The violence is linked to relatively small groups of protesters currently taking to the streets ahead of the inauguration. 200,000 protesters are expected to converge on Washington, D.C. tomorrow, organizers of the Woman's March on Washington told NPR.

Marijuana advocates hand out thousands of joints at Donald Trump's inauguration

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A marijuana legalization advocacy group is handing out thousands of joints in Washington, D.C., as Donald Trump prepares to take his oath of office.

A marijuana legalization advocacy group is handing out thousands of joints in Washington, D.C., as Donald Trump prepares to take his oath of office.

The group, DCMJ, announced plans to hand out 4,200 joints, with plans to light up four minutes and 20 seconds into Trump's inauguration speech.

Washington D.C. news station Fox 5 reported that lines for the marijuana giveaway stretched for over a block on Friday morning.

DCMJ Adam Eidinger told NBC News that the group was concerned by Trump's choice of Jeff Sessions, a strong marijuana legalization opponent, as Attorney General.

3 injured in Route 5 accident in Deerfield

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The collision occured at the intersection of Route 10 and Wapping Road.

DEERFIELD - Three people were injured in a two-car, head-on collision Friday morning on Route 5 in Deerfield, according to police.

Police said none of the injuries were considered life-threatening, but no other details were availble.

The collision occured at the intersection of Route 10, or Greenfield Road, and Wapping Road.

The Deerfield Fire Department and South County EMS responded to the scene.

Details of how the crash occured remain under investigation.

According to police, the scene has been cleared and traffic is proceeding normally.

Pittsfield bicyclist fatally injured by hit-and-run driver

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Sgt. John Soules told the Berkshire Eagle Friday morning that police continue to search for the driver.

PITTSFIELD - A bicyclist was fatally injured Thursday night by a hit-and-run driver on Linden Street.

Sgt. John Soules told the Berkshire Eagle Friday morning that police continue to search for the driver.

Police have yet to release the name of the man who was hit.

The accident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. near Robbins Avenue.

The Eagle reported that witnesses saw a brown or gold Toyota sedan hit the bicyclist.

The vehicle did not stop and was reportedly last seen heading west towards Onota Street.

Police said the vehicle will likely have damage to its front end and windshield.

Anyone with information may call the Pittsfield Police Accident Investigation unit at 413-448-9700, ext. 339.



Presidential inauguration 2017: Donald Trump sworn-in as 45th president of the United States, calls for unity

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Acknowledging the deep divides among Americans following the 2016 election, Donald Trump made another push for unity Friday as he delivered his first speech as the newly sworn-in president of the United States. Watch video

WASHINGTON D.C. -- Acknowledging the deep divides among Americans following the 2016 election, Donald Trump made another push for unity Friday as he delivered his first speech as the newly sworn-in president of the United States.   

The Republican, in his Inaugural Address from the steps of the U.S. Capitol, reiterated his election night pledge to be be a president for all Americans as he laid out his vision for country in the next four years.

The new president's call for unity came despite various protests that popped up around the nation's capital in opposition to Trump and his campaign trail rhetoric.

"The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans," Trump said. 


Trump and running mate Mike Pence officially took over for outgoing President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden at noon on Friday. The 20th Amendment to the Constitution requires that the terms of the sitting president and vice president end at noon on the 20th day of January.

Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court John Roberts administered the oath of office to Trump, who used his personal Bible, as well as the one used by President Abraham Lincoln at his first inauguration.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, meanwhile, swore Mike Pence in as the new vice president of the United States. The former Indiana governor took his oath of office with the Reagan family Bible.

Hundreds of thousands of people traveled from across the country and braved chilly and wet weather to witness Trump take the oath of office.

Americans turn out to support Donald Trump, be part of history at 2017 inaugural events

Although thousands made the trip for the Republican's inaugural events, thousands more also flooded the nation's capital ahead of Saturday's planned "Women's March on Washington," a grass roots protest that grew in response to Trump's surprising win over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Protesters, however, did not wait until after the inauguration to voice their concerns about the new president. 

Activists planned protests focused on racial justice, immigration, LGBT rights and other issues at eight inauguration security checkpoints. 

Women's March to draw 1,000-plus Western Mass. residents to Washington, sister events

This is a developing story which will be updated. 

'Celebration of Life' for Springfield crash victims to be held Saturday at YMCA

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There will be a "Celebration of Life" event on Saturday for all four of the victims involved in the Union Street crash.

SPRINGFIELD -- There will be a "Celebration of Life" event on Saturday for all four of the victims involved in the Union Street crash. 

The crash on Union Street took the lives of three Central High seniors: Katrina Maisonet Jones, Adrianna Hernandez and Cassidy Spence, as well as Andrew Savage, 20, of Springfield. 

Thursday night, Central High cheerleaders performed a postgame tribute in memorial to their classmates. 

The celebration event and community gathering will take place at the YMCA on 275 Chestnut Street in Springfield on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 2 to 5 p.m.

 Donations are being sought for funeral expenses for all four victims. 

Berkshire County mother given 8-12 year sentence for beating newborn

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The child suffered a fractured skull, remains paralyzed on one side, and may be deaf and blind.

PITTSFIELD - A Hinsdale mother was sentenced to up to 12 years in state prison after pleading guilty to brutally beating her 2-month-old baby more than a year ago and causing lasting injuries.

Tonia L. O'Brien, 19, admitted to charges of assault and battery on a child causing substantial bodily injury, reckless endangerment of a child, assault and battery and misleading a police office.

Judge John Agostini ordered her to sever 8 to 12 years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institute at Framingham.

According to the office of Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless, O'Brien beat her 2 1/2 month old child on Dec. 15, 2015.

The Berkshire Eagle reports the child, a boy, suffered a severe skull injury, and remains paralyzed on the right side, may be either deaf, blind or both, and may be susceptible to cerebral palsy and other neurological illnesses.

Agostini from the bench, according to the Eagle, noted the child's health problems and said "he will suffer longer than she will suffer."

O'Brien was also charged with assaulting a 57-year-old woman in Hinsdale in the weeks before assaulting her baby.

O'Brien's boyfriend, Bryce Ciepiela, is also awaiting trial for reckless endangerment of a child.

According to the Eagle, O'Brien initially lied to police about how her son was injured, and then admitted that she felt overwhelmed by the stress of being a new mother and took it out on him.

I-91: MassDOT shuts down southbound lane for dynamic merge installation

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The dynamic merge system is supposed to aid drivers in navigating the construction zone.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is closing the left lane of Interstate 91 South from the Interstate 391 South merge to the I-91/I-291 interchange today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MassDOT advises drivers to plan for additional travel time through this area.
Those traveling through the area should follow the reduced speed limits and use caution.

The lane is closed to accommodate workers preparing for MassDOT's dynamic merge test.

The idea is tell drivers whether it is better to merge lanes sooner, well before the construction zone, or later, nearer the lane's actual merge point. It turns out the answer is dependent on traffic speed and volume. Dynamic merge will use computer sensors to monitor traffic and will tell drivers via electronic signs what the best merge strategy is.

These systems are increasingly common elsewhere, but this is the first dynamic merge system in Massachusetts. It's a pilot project, and the state hopes to deploy more dynamic merge systems if this one is successful.

Dynamic merge will go live Feb. 1.

It is part of the $183.3 million I-91 project. The rehab is ahead of schedule and under budget. The work will rehabilitate about 2 miles of elevated highway that opened in 1970.

President Donald Trump's complete Inaugural Address (Video, transcript)

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Donald Trump took the oath of office from the steps of the U.S. Capitol Friday, officially becoming the 45th president of the United States.

Donald Trump took the oath of office from the steps of the U.S. Capitol Friday, officially becoming the 45th president of the United States.

The Republican, who is expected to take a much different policy approach than predecessor Barack Obama, laid out his vision for the next four years before hundreds of thousands who braved the rain for his inauguration.

Acknowledging the deep divisions that were highlighted in the 2016 presidential election, Trump further pledged to represent all Americans as he made yet another push for unity.

Read Trump's inauguration speech, as prepared for delivery here:

Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world: Thank you.

We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people.

Together, we will determine the course of America and the world for years to come.
We will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.

Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.

Today's ceremony, however, has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another -- but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American People.

For too long, a small group in our nation's Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished -- but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered -- but the jobs left, and the factories closed.
The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation's capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.

That all changes -- starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you.

It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America. This is your day. This is your celebration. And this, the United States of America, is your country.

What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people. January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

Everyone is listening to you now.

You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement the likes of which the world has never seen before. At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens.

Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are the just and reasonable demands of a righteous public.

But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge; and the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.

This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

We are one nation -- and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.
The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.

For many decades, we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military; we've defended other nation's borders while refusing to defend our own; and spent trillions of dollars overseas while America's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.

We've made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon.

One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions upon millions of American workers left behind.

The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed across the entire world.

But that is the past. And now we are looking only to the future. We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power.

From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.

From this moment on, it's going to be America First.

Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

I will fight for you with every breath in my body -- and I will never, ever let you down.
America will start winning again, winning like never before.

We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.

We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation.

We will get our people off of welfare and back to work -- rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor.

We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and hire American.

We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world -- but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first.
We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to follow.

We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones -- and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.
At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.
When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice. The Bible tells us, "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity."
We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.

When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.

There should be no fear -- we are protected, and we will always be protected.
We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God.

Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger.

In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving.
We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action -- constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.

The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action.
Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America.

We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.

We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the Earth from the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow.

A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions.

It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag.

And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator.

So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, and from ocean to ocean, hear these words:
You will never be ignored again.
Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams will define our American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.

Together, We will make America strong again.
We will make wealthy again.
We will make America proud again.
We will make America safe again.

And yes, together, we will make America great again. Thank you. God bless you. And God bless America.

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