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Boston man arrested in Danvers carjacking

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Guillermo J. Torres was arrested after a brief struggle with state troopers.

PEABODY - A 37-year-old Boston man suspected of breaking and entering and carjacking a vehicle was arrested on multiple charges after a state police trooper spotted him speeding in the stolen car in a breakdown lane.

Guillermo J. Torres, of Boston, was arrested on Saturday after a brief struggle with state troopers. He was charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle, using a motor vehicle without authority, resisting arrest, operating on a suspended license, speeding and on a breakdown lane violation, Massachusetts State Police officials said.

Danvers Police initially reported that a man had carjacked a 2004 Ford Explorer. Shortly after the 3:15 p.m. carjacking, Trooper James Maloney spotted the vehicle speeding down the breakdown lane on Route 1 in Peabody, police said.

When Maloney stopped the car, Torres jumped out and "made an aggressive advance towards the trooper." After a brief struggle he was placed under arrest, police said.

He was booked at the State Police Barracks in Danvers and then transferred to the Danvers Police Department. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Salem District Court on Monday, police said.


Chicopee Police warn people of spate of car break-ins

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All the cars that have been broken into have been unlocked.

CHICOPEE - A number of cars have been broken into over the past few days in the Fairview area.

All the motor vehicles that have broken into have been unlocked so police are warning people to lock their car doors, even if they are parked in private driveways, Michael Wilk, public information officer for Chicopee Police, said.

"Bad people check cars and if its locked, they move on. Unlocked? They treat themselves to what you left in your car," Wilk said.

Anyone with any information about the break-ins in asked to call the Police Department at 592-6341 or send a private message to the Police Department Facebook page, Wilk said.

Here's how to help families of the victims of Springfield fatal crash

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The accident on Union Street , which happened on Jan. 17, has left four dead and one in critical condition. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- It's been five days since a tragic accident on Union Street took the life of four Springfield youth.

Friends of the four victims of the crash are seeking donations to pay for the unexpected funeral costs.

The accident took the lives of Springfield Central High School seniors Katrina Maisonet Jones, Cassidy Spence and Adrianna Hernandez as well as 20-year-old Andrew Savage. One victim remains in critical condition.

hernandez-jones-savage-spence.jpgClockwise from top left: Adrianna Hernandez, Katrina Maisonet Jones, Cassidy Spence and Andrew Savage. 

While Jones GoFundMe account, created by her stepmother, Myra Cebrian Figueroa, has surpassed its $8,000 goal by $3,000, Spence and Savage's families are still in need of donations to give proper memorial services and burials for the pair, who were cousins.

To make a donation to Spence's family for funeral arrangements click here.

The page was created by family friend and neighbor Chelan Brown. She described Spence as "brilliant, caring, and full of life." The family has received $3,865 of a $6,000 goal.

A page for Savage was created by family friend Jane Allen. The page gas received $3,435 of its $10,000 goal.

Anyone wishing to donate money to Hernandez's fund should contact Springfield City Councilor Adam Gomez through his Facebook page, a private bank account has been set up for the family.

Deerfield Police asking for help to ID man

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Police want to talk to the man about an ongoing criminal harassment investigation.

DEERFIELD - Police are asking for help to identify a man seen in the above photos.

Officers said they want to talk to him in relation to an ongoing criminal harassment investigation. They did not give details about the case.

Anyone who knows the man is asked to contact the Deerfield Police Department at 413-665-2606.

42-year-old Asim Kieta accused of trying to blow up Boston Police cruiser

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Boston Police arrested 42-year-old Asim Kieta on charges that he tried to blow up a Boston Police cruiser Friday. Police are working on possible motive.

Police have arrested a 42-year-old man on charges he tried to blow up a Boston Police cruiser Friday morning.

Boston Police Commissioner William Evans announced Sunday that police arrested Asim Kieta on arson, assault with intent to murder and other charges Saturday night in Charlestown.

Police said Kieta is homeless but is from the Dorchester area.

Investigators are now working on a possible motive.

"We're not clear on the motive," Evans said. "He has a lengthy criminal past. He's been in and out of jail.

The commissioner said police are trying to determine "whether there is a hatred for police because of his past behavior or whether this is some nexus to what is going on in the world as far as terrorism."

An officer was driving by the Boston Police substation on West Broadway in South Boston and saw a fire near a police cruiser Friday around 8:15 a.m., police said.

Police moved the cruiser and a device exploded. The device appeared to be a propane tank, but authorities are still working to determine the specific type of device used, Evans said.

There was some type of firework or explosive device on the tank, the commissioner said. There were two explosions. Evans said there were minor injuries, but no serious injuries.

Evans said investigators worked with the FBI and Daniel Bennett, the state Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, in order to find Kieta.

Through surveillance images and witness accounts, police were able to place a car at the scene. Police said Kieta was seen leaving the car with a grocery bag and then heading back to the car.

Investigators then began searching for the vehicle. They found Kieta in his car in Charlestown.

"I'm glad we got this dangerous guy off the streets," Evans said.

Kieta was charge with possession of an explosive device, assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a police officer and arson of personal property."

 

Vermont Police investigating homicide of 33-year-old man

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The victim is identified as Markus Austin, of Montpelier.

MONTPELIER - A 33-year-old man was shot to death in the parking lot of his apartment early Sunday morning.

The victim is identified as Markus Austin. He was shot at least once at about 4:35 a.m. outside 191 Barre St., Vermont State Police officials said.

Montpelier Police initially responded to a call of a shooting in the parking lot. When they arrived they found a man dead near a car. Witnesses said another man fled the scene in a motor vehicle, police said.

The Vermont State Police Major Crime Unit with Montpelier Police and the Washington County State's Attorney's Office is investigating the homicide. Police continue to process the crime scene and will then transport the victim to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine cause and manner of death, police said.

Detectives are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or who may have information about the crime to contact the Vermont State Police at 802-229-9191 or the Montpelier Police Department at 802-223-3445.

Dental hygienist advises daily brushings of 2 minutes to avoid letting 'bacteria, sugar sit on your teeth'

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Gina Rosati of Pioneer Valley Dental Arts offers advice on proper brushing and flossing.

Why is it not a good idea to snack before bedtime and skip brushing your teeth until morning? How often should you brush and floss? Is there a right way to do this home care to cut down on tooth decay?

Yes, says, Gina Rosati, a dental hygienist with Pioneer Valley Dental Arts in Longmeadow, who recommends her patients brush twice daily, including before bed, floss once every 24 hours and drink lots of water, particularly during cold weather when the tendency is to drink warm, sugary beverages.

"The main reason we stress brushing right before bed is that because throughout the night we are not chewing or talking and our salivary glands are not working as much and our saliva is what we use to flush the teeth of a lot of the bacteria that gathers naturally," said Rosati, who grew up in East Longmeadow and is a graduate of Boston's Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

"So, having a snack and going right to bed is letting the bacteria and sugar sit on your teeth. This is the main reason we stress brushing before bed, and it is important in the morning as well."

Rosati said the purpose of brushing is to remove "anything that has touched the tooth's surface throughout the day," including plaque bacteria that can cause gum disease and food whose acids can cause tooth decay.

ginateeth2.jpgDental hygienist Gina Rosati demonstrates brushing teeth in "small circular motions where you are at a 45-degree angle toward the gum, and brushing up." 
ginateeth3.jpgDental hygienist Gina Rosati said a back and forth motion can be employed when brushing the occlusal, or chewing surface, of the teeth. 
ginafloss.jpgDental hygienist Gina Rosati said getting floss about a millimeter under the gum line and hugging it along the tooth helps remove plaque and bacteria not reached by the bristles of a toothbrush. 

Rosati said "the ideal way to brush is small circular motions where you are at a 45- degree angle toward the gum and brushing up."

"We call this the Bass technique. You want the toothbrush angled 45 degrees facing the gum and then small circles and then every once in a while scrapping up and this is removing the bacteria away from the gum and the circles are breaking apart the plaque particles. We recommend that on the cheek side of the teeth and also on the tongue side the same thing," Rosati said.

"When we are brushing the occlusal - we call it the chewing surface - it is OK to go back and forth because we are not touching the gum surface."

She added that using the toothbrush in a "back and forth motion" near the gum tissue can cause recession.

"This means the gum tissue that normally meets the crown of the tooth starts to recede away similar to a hairline," said Rosati who has been with Pioneer Valley Dental Arts six years and is studying for her master's degree at the University of Bridgeport.

"Unfortunately, gum tissue cannot regrow so then you are left with exposed root which does not have enamel protecting it. So, you are more prone to cavities, you are more prone to sensitivity and there is less structure holding the teeth in."

Rosati added, "We like to see the small circles and then away from the gum tissue."

"Any motion toward the gum tissue is pushing and damaging," she said.

In terms of how much time it should take to brush both lower and upper teeth, Rosati said, "What we recommend is 30 seconds per quadrant, but a better way to remember that is two minutes total."

"This is a good amount of time to break up the plaque and give you a nice clean surface either at the start of your day or end of your day," Rosati said.

She said many of her patients prefer mechanical, that is battery-operated, toothbrushes, because "they do the motions for you." Some are timed to work for two minutes, she said.

"You don't have to think about it as much when you are using the mechanical brushes and it gives you a little extra power," Rosati said.

"For the manual toothbrush we recommend a soft bristle brush doing small circles along the gum line and then brushing away from the gums."

She added manual toothbrush owners might want to get a timer, or use their cellphones, so they ensure they do their two-minutes of brushing each time.

In terms of pressure, she added, "you shouldn't be seeing the bristles spreading apart, but you should definitely be feeling the contact."

Rosati said, "Flossing is important because with the "contact area where two teeth meet, you can't get there with your bristles and there are a couple millimeters under the gum line that your tooth brush also doesn't reach."

"As you are getting your floss between two teeth you want to hug each tooth surface so I hug this tooth, and it is actually bringing the floss about a millimeter under the gum line, and I am going to hug this one as well," said Rosati, demonstrating how to floss on a model of upper and lower teeth.

"We call it a C-curve technique because you are making the floss in a C-shape as it hugs each tooth. We recommend this just because your toothbrush is not reaching every area. It just can't."

Rosati said her practice recommends flossing "once a day because plaque colonizes every 24 hours, so as long as you are breaking it up in the morning, afternoon or at night every 24 hours you are really going to help avoid plaque buildup and tartar (mineral) buildup."

She said the practice also recommends a "fluoridated mouth rinse to be used once a day to help recalcify the teeth."

Rosati says she brushes her teeth "three times a day because after lunch I do want to remove that plaque," and she drinks "water throughout the day."

"I talk to my patients a lot about that," Rosati said.

"That is really important for your overall health, but also every time you take a sip of water you are flushing your mouth of any plaque that is hanging out, any bacteria that is not wanted. I always stress making sure you are drinking water throughout the day. It is such an important thing for all aspects of your health, but it is also beneficial to your oral health," Rosati said.

With flu season, she said her practice recommends "replacing your toothbrush or your toothbrush head after getting over a sickness. On top of that every three months."

"Another thing I am finding with my patients is that they are getting in the habit during the cold weather of drinking lattes, hot chocolate - just drinking those sugary drinks throughout the day - which puts you at a higher risk for cavities. So, we recommend if you are drinking a hot beverage, taking sips of water in-between or," Rosati said, "brushing your teeth (when finished). There is a lot of sugar in those drinks."

Rosati said she was "fascinated by the tooth fairy" growing up, and "always loved going to the dentist" even as a five year old.

She said parents can encourage good tooth care with their young children by practicing it themselves.

"My advice to parents is that we only see their young children twice a year so the parents have to be advocates. If the parents are practicing proper home care and the children are watching their parents brush and floss their teeth, they are more likely to pick up their habits," Rosati said.


More than one million people joined Women's Marches across the country and world

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More than one million protesters joined Women's Marches across the world as they rallied against President Donald J. Trump and vowed to protect human rights.

More than one million protesters joined Women's Marches across the world as they rallied against President Donald J. Trump and vowed to protect human rights.

Boston, New York, Chicago and Washington D.C. were among the cities in the United States that had the women's marches, but cities across the world joined in the protests.

There were rallies in Paris, Rome, Madrid and London as people protested against Trump's policies.

The protests drew crowds much higher than many of the venues expected Saturday. The rally in Boston saw roughly 175,000 people flood Boston Common.

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Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren told the Boston crowd that it is time for people to fight back.

"We can whimper. We can whine. Or we can fight back. Me, I'm here to fight back," Warren said during the rally. "We come together here today to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to make clear: We are here. We will not be silent. We will not play dead. We will fight for what we believe in."

Organizers of the Women's March on Washington told The Washington Post they originally sought a permit for 200,000 people, but discovered roughly a half a million people took part in the Washington D.C. protest.

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"Today, millions of people gathered in cities and towns across the world, to stand together for human rights," the Women's March on Washington wrote on Facebook. "This is more than just a single day of action, this is the beginning of a movement to protect, defend and advance human rights, even in the face of adversity."

Celebrities joined many of the demonstrators across the country. Madonna performed in Washington D.C. while Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson, Katy Perry and Amy Schumer also joined the crowd.

Whoopi Goldberg was in New York as protesters headed to Trump Tower. Chelsea Handler was in Utah with Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart, according to the Associated Press.

Organizers in Chicago expected 75,000 people but the number of marchers tripled in size forcing coordinators to cancel the march portion of the event, according to NBC Chicago.

"The incoming administration and president have promised an assault on women's rights, we are prepared to fight back," organizer Ann Scholhamer told NBC Chicago.

There were over 600 sister marches held worldwide. The rally in Paris drew thousands to the Eiffel Tower. People there chanted that they have their eyes on Trump.


Winter storm to bring mix of ice, snow, rain to Western Mass. & heavy rain strong wind to Eastern Mass.

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Less than six inches of snow is expected in the northern parts of Western Massachusetts. The rest of the state should see mostly rain.

A winter storm is predicted to bring a combination of rain, ice and snow to Western Massachusetts while it is expected to pour in the eastern part of the state, bringing nearly three inches of rain and wind gusts of as high as 60 miles an hour.

The storm is a coastal one and expected to be the worst along Cape Cod and the islands and severe around Boston and the north and south shores. It is expected to begin Monday and last into Tuesday morning, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency officials said.

Boston residents could about 2.4 inches of rain and Taunton residents are predicted to see the most precipitation with 2.5 inches. Worcester is expected to see about 1.6 inches of rain and Springfield could see 1.5 inches of precipitation, agency officials said.

Localized flooding is expected in urban areas where drainage is poor. There are flood watches for Essex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Bristol and Middlesex counties, officials said.

Depending on temperatures, Western Massachusetts could see a combination of rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow. Greenfield is expected to see about 1.3 inches of precipitation. But the types of and amounts of precipitation may vary depending on the final track of the storm, officials said.

Snowfall totals likely will be less than 6 inches but could cause some serious problems with traveling, Agency officials said.

The National Weather Service is predicting a chance of snow and sleet before 9 a.m. on Monday in Springfield, followed by rain and sleet with little or no snow sleet accumulation expected.

In Greenfield, snow and sleet is expected to begin in the early hours of Monday morning and a combination of snow, freezing drizzle, and sleet is predicted until 3 p.m. and then it could switch over to rain and sleet, the National Weather Service said.

"Travel in areas that receive snow, sleet and or freezing rain may be difficult, particularly on untreated roads. Snow may be wet and heavy which, in combination with strong winds, may cause tree damage and power outages," Agency officials said.

In eastern Massachusetts, especially in Essex, Dukes, Barnstable and Plymouth counties, there is a high wind watch predicted from about 10 a.m. Monday through Tuesday afternoon. Western Massachusetts will also see wind but it will not be as severe.

Gusts will be strongest on the Outer Cape and the islands, where they could reach 60 to 70 miles an hour. In Boston wind could be as strong as 44 miles an hour and in the Worcester area it will top out at about 40 miles an hour. In the Springfield area wind gusts are estimated to reach about 35 miles an hour, agency officials said.

"The strong winds may cause tree damage and power outages," agency officials said.

Gov. Baker outlines plans for local aid increases

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In next week's annual budget proposal, Gov. Charlie Baker will call for a $91 million increase in education local aid and a $40 million boost in unrestricted local aid to cities and towns.

By Michael P. Norton
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

JAN. 21, 2017....In next week's annual budget proposal, Gov. Charlie Baker will call for a $91 million increase in education local aid and a $40 million boost in unrestricted local aid to cities and towns.

The combined $131 million increase in the two main local aid accounts compares to a more than $158 million increase in the two accounts in this year's state budget.

Baker announced his plans at an annual meeting in Boston hosted by mayors, selectmen and other municipal officials. Baker on Wednesday is due to reveal all the details of his budget plan, which may be the first in state history to top $40 billion.

With unemployment at a 16-year low and job creation continuing, Baker and Democratic legislative leaders are counting on state tax collections to pick up and deliver a 3.9 percent increase in fiscal 2018, which begins on July 1, 2017.

According to the administration, Baker's proposed increase in unrestricted aid, which pays for non-education local services such as public safety, matches the 3.9 percent rate of growth projected for state tax revenues.

The $91 million increase in Chapter 70 education aid would raise that account to more than $4.7 billion and deliver an increase of at least $20 per pupil to all of the state's 322 school districts.

Chapter 70 aid and local property taxes are the chief sources of funding for K-12 education in Massachusetts.

"We are committed to investing in our cities and towns to support their efforts to drive our Commonwealth's economic growth and prepare our children for a successful future," Baker said in a statement.

While the administration described its recommended Chapter 70 funding level as "historic," others added context for an account that grows to new highs each year but is the subject of constant debate over its sufficiency.

According to Mike LeBrasseur, a Northbridge School Committee member, the Chapter 70 increase is the lowest since fiscal 2011. He tweeted Saturday that the Legislature "will need to do some work here!" Tweeting "need your help," LeBrasseur immediately contacted Sens. Michael Moore and Ryan Fattman and Rep. David Muradian.

In this year's state budget, Chapter 70 aid rose by more than $116 million, or 2.6 percent, and unrestricted aid by $42 million, or 4.3 percent, according to the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

The foundation predicted in December that funding in the two accounts combined would rise by between $100 million and $150 million in next year's budget, which will likely be wrapped up this summer after the House and Senate reconcile versions of the budget based on the bill to be filed by Baker.

On Twitter Saturday, Gov. Baker used the Massachusetts Municipal Association's annual meeting hashtag #MassMuni17 and wrote, "We'll continue to work across the aisle with local & legislative partners to ensure the access, trust & reliability you deserve."

In November 2015, the Foundation Budget Review Commission issued a report calling for updates to how the state calculates the per pupil cost of delivering education, saying the current system's starting point -- known as the foundation budget -- underestimates the cost of educating students by at least $1 billion per year.

The state Senate last year passed legislation calling for major new investments in public education, citing the work of the commission. The bill died without a vote in the House, but the debate will be rekindled this year.

After announcing an $8.8 million municipal grant package on Friday, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito tweeted, "Local officials, you'll always have a responsive state government & seat at the table - our resources are yours to be shared."

The education debate will be accentuated this year by a new bill from Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, who wants to use existing tourism taxes collected in Boston to pay for free pre-kindergarten to all four-year-olds in the city.

The governor's full budget will include price caps aimed at slowing health care cost increases in the commercial market and a new assessment to generate $300 million from employers with 11 or more workers who do not offer health insurance, the News Service reported this week.
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The annual assessment of $2,000 per full-time worker would help the state to meeting the rising costs of MassHealth, a nearly $16 billion a year insurance program that provides coverage to nearly 2 million people in Massachusetts.

The Baker administration is preparing to deal with a $600 million increase in required spending on MassHealth in fiscal 2018 due to enrollment growth as the percentage of residents receiving MassHealth as their primary coverage has grown from 16 percent to 21 percent, or more than 523,000 enrollees, since 2011.

Crash in Methuen leaves one woman dead, three others injured

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A Connecticut woman was killed and three other women were injured during a crash in Methuen Sunday.

One woman was killed and three other people were injured after a car crashed into a telephone pole in Methuen Sunday morning.

Police were called to Milk Street around 3:05 a.m. for a report of a single-car crash. The driver, Jacleyn Leclerc of Peabody, was driving north on Milk Street when the vehicle went off of the road and into a telephone pole, police said.

Investigators believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.

Jennifer Montanez, 23, of Waterbury, Connecticut was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead. She was sitting in the back of the car.

The front seat passenger in the car, 28-year-old Jessenia Ramos of Peabody, was flown by helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston with life-threatening injuries.

Leclerc and a third woman riding in the car, 29-year-old Jessenia Montanez of Methuen, were taken to Lawrence General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The accident remains under investigation by Methuen Police and the Massachusetts State Police.

Women's Marches drew crowds in Greenfield, Northampton, Vermont: What People are Tweeting

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Protests were peaceful and problem free in Greenfield and Northampton.

Women's Marches held Saturday to promote social justice and human rights and protest President Donald J. Trump's regressive policy proposals attracted millions of people across the country and the world.

Women marched in Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Chicago and Paris, Rome, Madrid and London. Locally rallies were held in Northampton, Greenfield and one farther north in Montpelier, Vermont drew so many people it caused traffic jams on Interstate 89 because the volume of people trying to get to the small city on Exit 8.

Women rallied for many issues but focused most on basic human rights. Many talked about boosting the political clout of woman by having more females run for office, women protested any plan to turn back the clock on reproductive rights and many held signs calling for basic human rights.

The Greenfield protest went smoothly, according to police. Officers thanked volunteers who assisted.

"It's is an honor to be a party to the Constitutional Rights of the people to peacefully assemble as they practice their free speech. We thank the volunteers who assisted to make this a successful day," Police posted on the department Facebook page.

Northampton Police said they expected crowds of no more than 200 and that grew over the day to an estimated 2,500 people. Still there were no problems, officers said on Facebook.

Here are some of the things people were Tweeting and posting on Facebook about the Women's Marches.

<div class="storify"><iframe src="//storify.com/JeanetteDeForge/women-s-march-draws-millions-what-people-are-tweet/embed?border=false" width="100%" height="750" frameborder="no" allowtransparency="true"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/JeanetteDeForge/women-s-march-draws-millions-what-people-are-tweet.js?border=false"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/JeanetteDeForge/women-s-march-draws-millions-what-people-are-tweet" target="_blank">View the story "Women's March draws millions: What people are Tweeting" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div>

Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebrated in Springfield

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A typical lion dance, Vietnamese prayers and more were part of this year's celebration. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Wearing bright, detailed costumes the dancers of the Hong Tinh Duong Kung Fu and Lion Dance Team got applause and monetary gifts from the hundreds of families gathered in Springfield to celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.

For the past 21 years the Vietnamese Organization of Tradition Tet of Springfield has organized the Traditional Tet Festival for the community to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

On Sunday night people crowded into the Holy Name Social Center on Alderman Street in Springfield for food, entertainment and prayer.

"Wherever there are Vietnamese people we gather at this time of year to celebrate," said the Rev. Ha Dang, of St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church on Dwight Road. "We gather to share our culture and our traditions and to pass it on to the next generation so that they can grow to a high level in their education and in life."

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Springfield City Councilor Kateri Walsh attended the festivities.

"You are all a tremendous addition to our community," Sarno said. " You are very industrious, you take education very seriously and your are entrepreneurs. I love your new year's celebration."

The actual Lunar New Year will be Jan. 28. This is the year of the Rooster.

Death count rises after violent storms in southeastern US wreak havoc on region

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Emergency responders rushed to answer new reports of deaths and injuries Sunday evening in southern Georgia as violent storms already blamed for killing 16 people in the Southeast continued to inflict destruction.

DEL, Ga. -- Emergency responders rushed to answer new reports of deaths and injuries Sunday evening in southern Georgia as violent storms already blamed for killing 16 people in the Southeast continued to inflict destruction.

An apparent tornado blew through a mobile home park early Sunday in southern Georgia's rural Cook County -- sheering off siding, upending homes and killing seven people, local authorities said. An eighth death was reported in Cook County by state officials, although it was unclear whether that victim lived in the park.

Two people apiece were confirmed dead in neighboring Georgia counties, bringing the state's toll to 12 a day after a reported tornado killed four in Mississippi. And the deadly weather wasn't over as night fell Sunday.

Search and rescue operations were underway Sunday night in Dougherty County, where a reported tornado carved a long path of destruction at about 3 p.m., said Sedon Burns, the county's chief deputy emergency manager. The county is home to Albany, southwest Georgia's largest city with about 76,000 residents.

"We know we have fatalities and a lot of injuries," said Burns, who declined to estimate how many were dead or hurt. "And there is substantive damage to one of our trailer parks."

An Associated Press reporter arriving in Albany saw several police and State Patrol cars heading to one area with lights flashing, as well as three ambulances. There were downed trees along the road and traffic signals were without power. A helicopter hovered overhead not far away.

About 12 hours earlier -- and 60 miles to the southeast -- an apparent tornado "leveled" a Cook County mobile home park before dawn Sunday and emergency responders searched for survivors for hours after the twister struck, said Coroner Tim Purvis. Purvis said the park had about 40 mobile homes, and roughly half were destroyed. The area was cordoned off by police.

Not far from the mobile home park, 19-year-old Jenny Bullard wore a sling on her injured arm as she combed through the rubble of her family's brick house. All that remained standing Sunday afternoon was the master bedroom and parts of the kitchen.

"It's a horrible tragedy," Bullard said. "But all this stuff can be replaced. We can't replace each other. We're extremely lucky."

Bullard said she awoke before dawn Sunday to the sound of hail pounding the roof. When she went outside her bedroom door, she was knocked down by a collapsing wall in the hallway. She managed to get up and found her father calling for her, trapped under debris.

She pulled him free, and they found her mother in the master bedroom. They escaped by climbing over piles of furniture and debris where the wall to their home office once stood.

President Donald Trump said Sunday he had spoken with Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and "expressed our sincere condolences for the lives taken."

"Tornadoes were vicious and powerful and strong, and they suffered greatly," Trump said during a White House ceremony where he was swearing in aides. "So we'll be helping out the state of Georgia."

Several homes appeared to be destroyed along on a road within about 2 miles of the mobile home park, with cinderblocks scattered on the ground, and pine trees uprooted and snapped in half. The tops of broken utility poles lay alongside the road.

The South Georgia Motorsports Park in Cecil was heavy damaged; a grandstand was ripped apart. Barrels, signs, insulation and garbage were strewn over the speedway and parking lot.

Georgia's governor declared a state of emergency in seven southern Georgia counties, freeing up state resources to assist with recovery efforts. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Georgians suffering from the storm's impact," Deal said in a statement.

Two of Sunday's deaths occurred when a mobile home was struck by an apparent tornado in Brooks County, which moved the home roughly 100 yards before dawn Sunday.

"A tornado hit a mobile home, picked it up and put it in the middle of Highway 122," Brooks County Coroner Michael Miller said. "I don't know if it rolled or was lifted, but it blocked the entire highway."

Catherine Howden of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency said earlier Sunday that the deaths occurred in Cook, Brooks and Berrien counties in southern Georgia near the Georgia-Florida line. She said another 23 people were injured.

The sheriff's office and coroner in Berrien County could not immediately be reached for comment Sunday, their phones met repeatedly with busy signals.

While the central part of the U.S. has a fairly defined tornado season -- the spring -- the risk of tornadoes "never really goes to zero" for most of the year in the southeast, said Patrick Marsh of the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

January tornado outbreaks are rare but not unprecedented, particularly in the South. Data from the Storm Prediction Center shows that, over the past decade, the nation has seen an average 38 tornadoes in January, ranging from a high of 84 in 2008 to just four in 2014.

The last time the prediction center issued a high-risk weather outlook -- where forecasters are very confident of a tornado outbreak -- was in 2014. Sunday marked only the third time since 2000 that any part of Florida had been at a high-risk for severe weather, Marsh said.

"This is a pretty rare event in this location," Marsh said.

If the storm fatalities reported so far this year -- four each in Alabama and Mississippi and the 11 in Georgia -- are all attributed to twisters, this January's death toll would be worse than 1999. That year, 18 people died in series of storms in Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee.

'Brownout' effort of Councilor Diosdado Lopez fails as Holyoke Council rejects pay cut for Mayor Alex Morse

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The Holyoke City Council didn't even entertain a committee referral on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017 for a councilor's bid to "brownout" the mayor's office by cutting his salary by 75 percent in relation to a controversy about brownouts of Fire Department trucks.

HOLYOKE -- His plan to hit the mayor with a 75 percent pay cut failed, but City Councilor Diosdado Lopez said he succeeded in drawing attention to Mayor Alex B. Morse's Fire Department decisions.

Lopez, a councilor at large, had filed an order at the City Council meeting Tuesday that called for chopping three-quarters of the mayor's salary as a way to "brownout" the mayor's office in relation to Morse's support of brownouts of Fire Department vehicles.

Brownouts are a temporary removal from service of fire trucks on certain shifts to save spending on employee overtime. That occurs when off-duty firefighters are called to work when personnel is thin on a particular shift because of vacations, illnesses, etc. The firefighters who work a truck that is browned out are temporarily reassigned.

The issue of brownouts in relation to firefighters' response capabilities was underscored when a fire on Jan. 1 at 106 North East St. killed three people and destroyed 49 tenants' homes. Engine 2 out of Fire Department headquarters at 600 Main St. was browned out at the time.

'Stop brownouts' demonstration urges Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Fire Chief John Pond to restore all fire trucks to service

The majority of the 15-member City Council rejected Lopez' bid to refer his order to committee for discussion, instead opting for the parliamentary step of giving it leave to withdraw.

"Yes, the order was given leave to withdraw, but I made my point that this brown out situation of Engine 2 is completely unfair to South Holyoke, (the) Flats and Springdale" neighborhoods, Lopez said in a text message Thursday. "We can't afford another Morse brown out tragedy in this city ..."

The mayor's yearly salary is $85,000. The City Council conceivably could change the ordinance that determines the mayor's salary.

A 75 percent cut would drop the mayor's salary to $21,250.

Morse said the issue was more complicated than Lopez' argument would suggest. For example, he said, the state fire marshal's office said on Friday that the owner of 106 North East St. had been fined $100 after a code compliance investigation found there had been no annual tests on the building's fire alarm system.

State investigation of fatal Holyoke fire finds no annual tests of alarm system, failure to fix malfunction

Alarms within the building sounded as fire consumed the structure the morning of New Year's Day, but no signal went out to the monitoring company, which would have been required to summon the Holyoke Fire Department.

Investigators found that the alarm system at 106 North East St. lost the connection to its monitoring company about 32 hours before the Jan. 1 fire, according to state officials.

"I appreciate Councilor Lopez's advocacy for public safety, and I'm confident we both agree in our concerns of making sure all neighborhoods have adequate fire protection," Morse said in a text message Friday. "I look forward to identifying real solutions to prevent another tragedy in the future, and I hope Councilor Lopez stands ready to support those efforts."

The property at 106 North East St. is owned by Brookline resident Irshad Sideeka, who has not responded to requests for comment.

Sideeka, who owns the building and a number of other Holyoke properties through an entity called Naviah Investments, was issued a non-criminal citation for failing to have the building's alarm system inspected annually, as required by law. Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for the fire marshal's office, said the offense was Sideeka's first.


Norwich police fire upon armed robber

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Norwich police officers fired at an armed robber who pointed his gun at them Saturday. No one was apparently injured in the incident, The robber escaped.

NORWICH, Conn— Police officers fired on an armed robber who pointed his gun at them as he tried to escape, Fox 61 reported.

Norwich Police said the officers happened upon an armed robbery in progress at Harry's Market on Bridge Street in Norwich Saturday. The suspect fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash.

As the officers chased the robber they called for him to drop his gun, but instead, he turned and pointed the weapon at them. That's when they opened fire.

Authorities believe the suspect was not hit by the gunfire.

The suspect is described as a white male, standing approximately 5-feet,9-inches tall and wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. He also wore a dark mask.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Harrison Formiglio at 860-886-3137 or by email at hformiglio@cityofnorwich.org.

Tips can also be given anonymously by using the Norwich Police tip line at 860-886-5561, Ext. 4.

Obituaries from The Republican, Jan. 23, 2017

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Obituaries from The Republican.

New WBUR poll shows 51 percent of Mass. voters want to see Gov. Charlie Baker re-elected

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Gov. Charlie Baker deserves reelection, 51 percent of Massachusetts registered voters say in a new WBUR/MassINC Polling Group survey.

Gov. Charlie Baker deserves reelection, 51 percent of Massachusetts registered voters say in a new WBUR/MassINC Polling Group survey.

Twenty-nine percent of poll respondents said someone else should get a chance, and 21 percent said they didn't know or they were undecided.

Baker has a higher favorability rating than the state's senior senator, Elizabeth Warren, receiving 59 percent to her 51 percent. Eighteen percent said they had an unfavorable view of Baker, while 20 percent said they were undecided.

The same poll gave President Donald Trump a 28 percent favorability rating.

The survey included 508 registered Massachusetts voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percent. The poll took place Jan. 15-17.

Baker, a moderate Republican, is up for re-election in 2018. Warren, a Democrat, will be on the same ballot.

Baker has sought to forge close ties with Beacon Hill lawmakers and pointed to a bipartisan administration as Democrats are attempting to retake the Corner Office, and the roster of Baker opponents could include a mayor and a former top aide to Gov. Deval Patrick. Newton Mayor Setti Warren and former Patrick budget chief Jay Gonzalez have expressed interest in challenging Baker.

The WBUR/MassINC Polling Group poll comes as Baker is scheduled to provide his "State of the Commonwealth" address on Tuesday night.

The poll asked for people's opinions on overall state tax levels, the state's transportation system, health care costs and housing.

Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they were "somewhat satisfied" with overall state tax levels, while 28 percent said they were "somewhat dissatisfied" and 20 percent said they were "very dissatisfied."

Twenty-eight percent said they were "somewhat satisfied" with the transportation system, and 26 percent said "somewhat dissatisfied." Twenty one percent said they're "very dissatisfied."

The cost of healthcare and housing appears to remain a frustration, the poll indicates. Forty-one percent said they're "very dissatisfied" with healthcare costs, and 25 percent said they were "somewhat dissatisfied." On housing costs, 31 percent said they were "very dissatisfied" and 30 percent said they were "somewhat dissatisfied."

Gov. Baker outlines plans for local aid increases

Sierra Nevada beer Massachusetts recall: Broken glass could be in bottles

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Massachusetts is one of the states where beer retailers will be pulling Sierra Nevada pale ales off the shelves after the California-based craft brewery said a packaging flaw that could cause a piece of glass to break off into the bottle, the Associated Press reports.

Massachusetts beer retailers will be pulling eight different Sierra Nevada craft brews off the shelves after the California-based company said a packaging flaw could cause a piece of glass to break off into the bottle, The Associated Press reports.

The concern "impacts roughly 1 in every 10,000 (0.01 percent) of our bottles packaged" between Dec. 5 and Jan. 13, according to the company.  

The flaw "may result in loss of carbonation and a small piece of glass to break off and possibly fall into the bottle, causing a risk for injury," the company added.

"Sierra Nevada has set the standard for quality in the craft brewing industry since 1980 and we have decided to take this precaution to ensure the safety of our consumers," the company wrote on its website.

The company is working with suppliers on the issue and with retailers on pulling the products.

Aside from its Pale Ale, the Sierra Nevada recall includes 12-ounce bottles of its Beer Camp Golden IPA, Sidecar Orange Pale Ale, Torpedo Extra IPA, Tropical Torpedo, Nooner, Hop Hunter and Otra Vez. Beverages in 36 total states will be pulled off the shelves as a result of the recall. 


Most popular elective dental procedure? Teeth whitening

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Area dentist Mark Evans highlights some trends he sees in his profession.

What trends are dentists seeing today in terms of patients who need their restorative services as well as patients who elect to have what is known as cosmetic or aesthetic dentistry?

"The most requested procedure - elective procedure - in this office and in America today would be: 'I want my teeth whiter,'" said Dr. Mark Evans of Pioneer Valley Dental Arts in Longmeadow.

"It is a very conservative process and it is not destructive and really enhances self- esteem and as patients keep their teeth longer, the teeth tend to get darker. One shade every decade. It erases the age on the tooth. Patients look a little bit younger and they feel better."

Evans said "the original method was a take-home, night-time vital bleaching and that is still available" for patients.

"We can customize trays for their teeth and they can get a whitening gel and wear it every night or they can wear it 45 minutes everyday and after a two-week period they will notice their teeth gradually lightening, or there is a more comprehensive jump-start procedure which we can do in the office," Evans said.

Evans said he has also seen "a surge in adult orthodontics."

"My oldest female patient was 80," Evans said.

"She came in and said I am here because my teeth are crooked and I want to have them straightened. Her other dentist that she left had said you are too old for that and she did not want to hear that. I told her that you can have them straightened at any age, but it is going to take a couple of years and we are going to need to do braces and she said OK, and in two years she had a beautiful smile."

Evans said younger patients have benefited from the use of dental sealants, a plastic material used on the chewing surface.

"Kids over the past three decades have had the advantage of tooth sealants for the grooves of the back teeth. This has reduced the cavity rate in those pits and fissures and is the advantage for a younger individual being seen on a regular basis," Evans.

What other trends does he see in dentistry?

"We are seeing a lot of patients come in with wear on their teeth as a result of sleep disorders," Evans said.

With obstructive sleep apnea, a person's airway becomes blocked through the relaxation of muscles and position of the jaw during sleep and grinding may be a response to counter that.

He added his practice can make removalable protective guards that fit over teeth to help such patients, depending on the severity of their situation.

"We have a lot of patients who may or may not have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, but who show the destructive effects of the grinding on their teeth that we make occlusal guards for," Evans said.

"You can replace plastic on an occlusal guard, but not enamel on their teeth without restoring multiple teeth."

While head and neck screenings are generally done during well visits with primary care providers, Evans said that some patients are more apt "to see a dentist then they are to see a physician," and that dentists check for malignancies during dental exams that include an oral cancer screening.

"We specifically look for any discoloration, change in texture in tissue. We can also identify patients who might be in a higher risk category and if we see anything we can refer them to an oral surgeon for a second look and possibly a biopsy of that tissue," Evans said.

He added, "Historically the oral cancer was in the patient who was a heavy drinker or a heavy smoker or both."

"But we are seeing patients with no high risk factors at all - non-smoker, moderate drinkers. The oral cancer rate is increasing in males in the U.S. so they are looking at human papillomavirus as possibly significant in the manifestation of this disease. It is very important for these screenings to occur twice a year," Evans.

"Ten years ago, we picked up three oral cancers in one year in this office. I was really stunned. Two had no risk factors whatsoever. You have to be vigilant."

He added that he felt "in the past two or three decades the dental IQ of the average American public has increased dramatically."

"I attribute this to the internet which disseminates information. Some of it might be confusing to patients and that is where we come in to help them delineate what is best for them," Evans said.

"Some patients need more information and that is why seeing your dental health professional on a regular basis is definitely recommended as part of overall health."


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