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Donald Trump orders construction of US-Mexico border wall

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President Donald Trump took the first step toward delivering on a major campaign promise Wednesday as he took executive action enabling construction of a wall along the United States' southern border with Mexico.

President Donald Trump took the first step toward delivering on a major campaign promise Wednesday as he took executive action enabling construction of a wall along the United States' southern border with Mexico.

The new president, who made the border wall and other immigration-related policies the primary focus of his White House run, signed the order during an afternoon visit at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Associated Press reported.

The action came in addition to another executive order focused on immigration policies that aim to enhance national security and crack down on the number of people who illegally enter the country.

Family members of those killed by undocumented immigrants were reportedly invited to participate in the executive order ceremony. 

Trump hinted at taking executive action on his border wall proposal during a news conference with reporters earlier this month, saying he didn't feel like waiting for a deal with Mexico to begin construction on the structure.

"We're going to build a wall, I could wait about a year-and-a-half until we finish our negotiations with Mexico, which will start immediately after we get into office, but I don't want to wait," he said at the time.

President-elect Donald Trump: 'Mexico in some form will reimburse' US for cost of border wall

The president, who said Vice President Mike Pence was leading the effort to get final approvals through various agencies and Congress for construction on the wall to begin, added that Mexico will in some form reimburse the U.S. for the cost of the wall.

Trump, in a Wednesday interview with ABC's David Muir, reiterated his claim that Mexico will ultimately pay for the border wall, but did not specify how that will occur.

"All it is, is we'll be reimbursed at a later date from whatever transaction we make from Mexico ... I'm telling you there will be a payment, it will be in a form -- perhaps a complicated form," he said, adding that the proposed wall will benefit both countries.

The new president added that construction will begin "as soon as we can" -- likely within months.


ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos

Trump is scheduled to meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Washington D.C. next week.


Welcome to farming career, Nuestras Raices in Holyoke says

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Farming careers for 100 applicants will be provided for free over the next two years by the nonprofit Nuestras Raices in Holyoke, Massachusetts with an $800,000 federal grant, officials said at a press conference at the facility at 329 Main St.

HOLYOKE -- Training for careers in farming were announced at the nonprofit Nuestras Raices at 329 Main St. Wednesday in a program funded with an $800,000 federal grant.

"It's an amazing program that I know a lot of people will benefit (from)," said Hilda Roque, executive director of Nuestras Raices.

Nuestras Raices is seeking applicants for the program, which is free and will be taught in English and Spanish, with 50 to be trained this year and 50 next year, officials said.

The first round of training will begin April 4 and the application deadline is March 15. Applicants don't have to be Holyoke residents.

The training is a 100-hour program on organic farming and agricultural business planning. Training will take place at the Nuestras Raices farm at 24 Jones Ferry Road and in classroom lessons at Dean Technical High School, 1045 Main St.

Nuestras Raices is working on the program with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That's the department that provided the grant, Margaret Sawyer of Nuestras Raices said.

Click here to obtain an application or visit nuestras-raices.org.

Nuestras Raices ("our roots") seeks to promote economic, human and community development in Holyoke through projects relating to food, agriculture and the environment. The organization began in 1992 in South Holyoke.

A story with additional detail will be published as reporting continues.

Top Mass. lawmaker defends effort to raise his own pay (video)

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As lawmakers were getting ready to slam through pay raises on Wednesday, Mass. House Speaker Robert DeLeo defended the effort and said he was confident lawmakers could override a veto from Gov. Charlie Baker. Watch video

BOSTON - As lawmakers were getting ready to slam through pay raises on Wednesday, Mass. House Speaker Robert DeLeo defended the effort and said he was confident lawmakers could override a veto from Gov. Charlie Baker.

"I'm confident it's going to be passed today," he told reporters.

DeLeo said two independent commissions recommended pay raises for the speaker and the state Senate president, among other top lawmakers. "The original proposal was $175,000, we felt that may be a little bit too high, so we've come down to [$142,000]," he said.

DeLeo, D-Winthrop, said he would accept the pay raise if approved and called the increases "fair."

"The only thing I can say is we haven't received a pay raise, this issue, I should say, hasn't been addressed since 1984, in excess of thirty-something years, and quite frankly we've had two independent reports," he said.

"There's never been a right time, a right place, in terms of taking up an issue of this - such as this. It's always been felt and that's why quite frankly it was decided upon to have an independent commission take a look at it," he added.

Commission members spoke to him, according to DeLeo, and they said they hoped their report didn't become "another book that's just going to gather dust on a bookcase somewhere."

"We think it's right," the speaker said.

Lawmakers have an annual base salary of $62,547.

The salary increased 4.19 percent this year through a mechanism in the state constitution, and lawmakers are pushing for additional pay through a proposal modifying their stipends.

The proposal also raises the pay of constitutional officers, judges and judicial clerks, while eliminating reimbursements state lawmakers receive for traveling to the State House. The reimbursements are known as "per diems." 

Cost of lawmakers raising their own pay could hit $18 million

Gov. Baker, R-Swampscott, has not said whether he will approve or disapprove the proposal if it reaches his desk. Baker recently made cuts to the state budget, arguing it's out of balance.

"He waits until it gets on his desk so he can see the final version of it, so [he] wouldn't give any commitment until he gets the final product on his desk," DeLeo said.

Asked if lawmakers have the votes to override a Baker veto, DeLeo said, "Going to find out today. But right now I feel fairly confident."

Massachusetts House to take up legislative pay raises Wednesday

Amherst Select Board weighing tax incentives for North Amherst housing project

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The developer of a 130-unit mixed retail and housing project at the Mill District in North Amherst is hoping the town will provide tax incentives, saying the project is not feasible without them.

AMHERST -- The developer of a 130-unit mixed retail and housing project at the Mill District in North Amherst is hoping the town will provide tax incentives, saying the project is not feasible without them.

Beacon Communities is proposing to build 26 affordable housing units as part of North Square. According to the proposal, Beacon would pay reduced taxes of $140,302 in the first year and full taxes of $499,000 in Year 11. The site is generating about $10,000 in taxes now, according to the developers.

The Select Board will review the request, said Town Manager Paul Bockelman. Beacon has asked the board make its determination by Feb. 15.

Some residents have asked that, in exchange for the tax incentives, the project be downsized.

Housing advocates are urging support for the project. Tim O'Brien, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, also supports it. "If this project does not go forward, we will be left with an existing blighted sawmill site that generates very little tax revenue today," he said.

North Square, meanwhile, is under Zoning Board of Appeals review, with the board set to discuss the project Thursday night. Neighbors of the project continue to send emails to the Zoning Board raising myriad concerns, including about density and traffic. Resident Valerie Cooley suggested that vehicle and pedestrian traffic move toward Sunderland, not Montague Road.

Others, including former U.S. Rep John Olver, have sent letters to the board in support. "Both the housing and the commercial development is needed especially in the North Amherst Village Center," Olver wrote.

W.D. Cowls Inc., which owns the land, signed a preliminary agreement with Beacon in the spring to build the project, the third phase of development in the Mill District.

Beacon is the same housing development company that purchased Rolling Green Apartments in 2014 with the agreement to preserve at least 41 affordable units.

6b Beacon Request for Tax Incentive 1.23.17 by ledermand on Scribd

Hampden DA Anthony Gulluni to talk opioids at Wilbraham Democratic Town Committee meeting

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The free talk, hosted by the Wilbraham Democratic Town Party, takes place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, in the Brooks Room of the Wilbraham Public Library, 25 Crane Park Drive.

WILBRAHAM -- Massachusetts, the epicenter of the heroin and fentanyl trade, is in the throes of an opioid epidemic stretching from Williamstown to Provincetown. 

Here in Hampden County, where 734 overdose deaths were reported between 2010 and 2015, officials have been working to address the legal and health ramifications of the crisis, whose killer clip shows no signs of slowing.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni will discuss the issue at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, in the Brooks Room of the Wilbraham Public Library, 25 Crane Park Drive.

The free event is sponsored by the Wilbraham Democratic Town Committee, which invites all interested citizens to attend.

Gulluni, a Springfield native who was elected district attorney in 2014, will address the impact of the crisis on local communities and the criminal justice system. Afterward, he's expected to take questions from the audience.

More Americans died from heroin-related causes than gunshots in 2015, marking the first time in many years that drug deaths outnumbered gun deaths.

In Massachusetts, 1,005 people died from opioids from January to September 2016 alone, outpacing the death rate for the previous year, when a record 1,574 people died.

In June 2016, Gulluni announced the formation of the Hampden County Addiction Task Force, a countywide initiative that brings together different agencies that work on issues related to opioid addiction.

Gullini earned undergraduate and law degrees from Western New England University. After that, he spent six years as an assistant county prosecutor before becoming district attorney.

Prior to working in the criminal justice system, Gulluni was an assistant city solicitor in Springfield and a program counselor and coordinator for The Salvation Army.

More information about the Wilbraham Democratic Town Committee is available at wilbrahamdemocrats.com.

UMass students pushing for Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day

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University of Massachusetts students are asking that the Student Government Association to support a campaign to rename and recognize Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day instead.

AMHERST -- University of Massachusetts students are asking the Student Government Association Senate to support a campaign to rename and recognize Columbus Day -- the first step toward recognizing the fall holiday as Indigenous Peoples' Day on campus.

The student Senate will consider a resolution supporting the proposal at its meeting Monday night. If the resolution passes, the Senate will bring the proposal to university adminstrators to see what, if anything, can be done.

Gaelle Rigaud, a member of the Student Government Association's Social Justice and Empowerment Committee, said the university's status as a land grant school means it follows federal laws, including laws on holidays.

Amherst Town Meeting last year voted to rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples' Day, becoming the first community in the state to do so.

Rigaud said the student government has been working on bringing the resolution forward since last semester.

According the to the resolution, the Student Government Association's responsibility is "to promote the general welfare of all university undergraduate students."

The resolution says the Social Justice and Empowerment Committee "has a responsibility to oppose the systematic racism towards Indigenous people at UMass Amherst, which perpetuates high rates of poverty and income inequality, exacerbating disproportionate health, education, and social crises."

The resolution asks the university -- "unless and until it expresses a contrary position" -- to stop recognizing the second Monday in October as "Columbus Day."

The resolution also asks the administration to "recommit, to addressing the needs and concerns of current and potential Indigenous students at UMass."

The resultion outlines how those needs should be addressed.

Indigenous Peoples Campaign and Resolution - Google Docs by ledermand on Scribd

Gov. Charlie Baker to propose $40.5 billion FY18 state budget

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The budget, which includes several tax changes, will represent a spending increase of $1.65 billion, or 4.3 percent, over projected spending in the current fiscal year.

BOSTON -- Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday will propose a $40.5 billion state budget for fiscal 2018 -- an increase of $1.65 billion, or 4.3 percent, over projected spending in the current fiscal year.

Baker wrote in a letter to the Legislature that the budget proposal "keeps the Commonwealth on a path of fiscal responsibility, essentially achieves our stated goal of bringing the state budget into structural balance, addresses long-term obligations, and funds important priorities."

The governor's budget proposal now goes the House, which will develop its own version, then to the Senate. The budget must be signed into law by the beginning of the next fiscal year, on July 1, 2017.

Baker's budget proposal assumes that tax revenue will grow by 3.9 percent next year, to $27 billion. He is then counting on getting another $187 million from other proposed tax changes.

The budget counts on an automatic reduction in the state income tax from 5.1 percent to 5.05 percent in January 2018.

The money will fund increased spending on local aid, MassHealth, education, substance abuse services, child protection, and homelessness prevention, among other programs.

One major tax change would gain the state an additional $30 million by requiring certain online retailers who do business in Massachusetts to collect sales taxes.

Currently, some retailers that sell online -- such as Amazon and Wal-Mart -- have a physical presence in Massachusetts and collect sales taxes. But other online retailers do not have offices or stores in Massachusetts. Consumers technically must still pay the sales tax on anything they buy, but most do not.

The new rule, which Baker can implement without legislative approval, would require that as of July 1, any company doing more than $500,000 in annual sales in Massachusetts would have to collect and pay sales taxes to the state.

The state anticipates getting $20 million from another tax change, which would require credit card companies to provide 1099 tax forms to any consumer who earns more than $600 from credit and debit card transactions.

Consumers already have to pay income taxes on these transactions, but they only receive tax forms once they earn $20,000 on 200 transactions. So, for example, a person who sells $10,000 worth of merchandise on eBay is required to pay taxes on that income -- but under the new rule, they would for the first time receive a tax form from their credit card company.

State officials anticipate that this would increase compliance with existing tax law.

Baker previously announced he will extend the state's hotel tax to room-sharing services and individuals who rent out rooms for more than 150 days a year.

He is also proposing requiring companies to transmit taxes to the state immediately, instead of current law that allows them to hold the money for 50 days. This timing change would bring in one-time revenue of $125 million.

In addition to the tax shifts, some of the biggest changes will come to MassHealth. The state's expensive Medicaid program is on track to cover 30 percent of the state's population by next year and comprise 40 percent of the state budget. MassHealth will see a spending increase of nearly $1 billion in fiscal year 2018, counting state and federal money.

Baker previously announced that he was reinstating and increasing a fee levied on employers who do not offer health insurance. He is also planning to cap the growth in rates paid to high-cost health care providers, implement a five-year moratorium on new coverage mandates and make other changes to slow cost growth.

Baker promised during his campaign that as revenues increase, he will increase local aid to cities and towns accordingly.

In line with that, he is proposing a $40 million increase, or 3.9 percent, in local government aid. He is proposing another $91 million increase to local education aid.

Higher education will see a $10.3 percent funding boost, or an increase of 1 percent, of which $5 million will go to the University of Massachusetts.

With opioid addiction a continuing concern, Baker is proposing an increase of $1.2 million for an anti-opioid drug trafficking program, to expand the program from nine to 20 communities. He will add 45 beds for men civilly committed for substance abuse problems, at a cost of $1.75 million.

He plans to use money that was saved by reducing the number of homeless people in hotels to add 1,000 new rental vouchers for families at risk of becoming homeless.

He plans to reform care at Bridgewater State Hospital, for individuals who are confined with mental illness. He will create a new $4 million fund to train people who are unemployed or underemployed with new skills.

The Department of Children and Families will get a $27 million increase in funding. The MBTA will get a $187 million subsidy, in addition to the $1 billion it gets in state sales tax money. The state anticipates spending $1 million on new $4,000 tax credits for businesses that hire unemployed veterans.

Baker is planning a 2:30 p.m. press conference on the budget. Watch MassLive.com for more details.

Caught on camera: Do you recognize this crime suspect?

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Anyone who recognizes this man, who was caught on video, is asked to call West Springfield police at 413-263-3210, ext. 229.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Do you recognize the man in this video posted to the West Springfield Police Department's Facebook page?

If so, police would like you to call Detective Michael Kennedy at 413-263-3210, ext. 229. The case reference number is 17-1149.

Police are looking to identify the man in connection with an incident that occurred Jan. 21 at the intersection of Union and Sprague streets in the Merrick section of the city.

Authorities did not provide specific details about the alleged crime.




State police continue to investigate Mass Pike crash in Ludlow that seriously injured 3

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The crash occurred Tuesday morning in the westbound lanes of the turnpike

LUDLOW -- State police continue to investigate a two-vehicle crash on the Massachusetts Turnpike Tuesday morning that sent three people to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield with serious injuries.

The crash occurred at about 10:10 a.m. in the westbound lanes of the turnpike, just east of Interchange 7.

It occurred as a 54-year-old Springfield woman, driving west in a 2013 Nissan van, attempted to change lanes, according to a release issued by state police.

The driver of a 2004 Honda Accord, traveling in the adjoining lane, maneuvered to avoid a collision and lost control of the car, causing it to hit the Nissan and then a tree in the median.

The adult female driver of the Accord and her 22-year-male passenger, both from Woonsocket R.I., were trapped inside the car and extricated by Ludlow firefighters. They were taken to Baystate for treatment of serious injuries.

A third passenger, also an adult female, also suffered serious injuries and was taken to Baystate.

Fire Capt Ryan Pease said firefighters stabilized the Honda, which was on its side, and then used the Jaws of Life to extricate the two victims.

Palmer Ambulance Services also responded to the scene and took one of the victims to Baystate.

The driver of the Nissan van was not injured, state police said.

State police have not released the names of those involved in the accident.

Lt. Thomas Ryan, spokesman for state police, did not have any updated information on the victims Wednesday.

Unemployment: Trade, transportation and utilities lead local job gains

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Manufacturing gained 100 jobs in December.

SPRINGFIELD -- Greater Springfield lost a net 400 jobs in December, according to figures released Tuesday by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

On the year, the region showed a robust gain of 7,400 jobs for a 2.2 percent gain on the year. That compares favorably with the statewide average of 2 percent.

The following is a rundown of job gains and losses by sector of the economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics figures job gains and losses based on interviews with employers. The data is then double checked against payroll tax data.

Four sectors that gained jobs in December:

  • Trade, Transportation and Utilities: 800 or +1.3% (the sector gained 800 jobs in the same time period last year)
  • Government: 600 or +0.9% (+300 LY)
  • Manufacturing: 100 or +0.3% (0 LY)
  • Other Services: 100 or +0.8% (+100 LY)

Two sectors in which jobs remain unchanged:

  • Information: (0 LY)
  • Financial Activities: (0 LY)

Four sectors that lost jobs:

  • Mining, Logging and Construction: -600 or -5.2% (-700 LY)
  • Professional, Scientific and Business Services: -500 or -1.6% (-900 LY)
  • Leisure and Hospitality -500 or -1.8% (-1,100 LY)
  • Education and Health Services -400 or -0.5% (-400 LY)

Seven sectors that gained jobs over the year:

  • Professional, Scientific and Business Services: 3,700 or +13.9% (+600 LY.  meaning in all of 2015)
  • Education and Health Services: 1,300 or +1.7% (+3,000 LY)
  • Trade, Transportation and Utilities: 1,000 or +1.6% (-500 LY)
  • Leisure and Hospitality: 700 or +2.6% (-2,500 LY)
  • Government: 700 or +1.1% (-100 LY)
  • Other Services: 200 or +1.6% (+200 LY)
  • Mining, Logging and Construction: 100 or +0.9% (+200 LY)

The sector that remained unchanged:

  • Financial Activities: (+200 LY)

Two sectors that lost jobs:

  • Manufacturing: -200 or -0.7% (-400 LY)
  • Information: -100 or -2.9% (-200 LY)

Northampton councilor pushes local minimum wage law for city workers

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Council Vice President Ryan O'Donnell said the measure would protect city employees.

NORTHAMPTON -- City Council Vice President Ryan O'Donnell said Wednesday he will file a measure to ensure that municipal workers are paid at least the state minimum wage.

The minimum wage was raised to $11 in Massachusetts, effective at the beginning of January. However, cities and towns are exempt from the requirement, according to O'Donnell.

O'Donnell said he will introduce a "Fair Minimum Wage Ordinance" which would require all city legislative and executive branch employees to be paid a wage equal to or greater than the state minimum.

"A lot of people are surprised when they hear the state minimum wage law doesn't apply to city employees," said O'Donnell in a press statement. "Every employee deserves to be paid fairly, and I think that should include employees of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth."

O'Donnell admits that Northampton already pays its legislative and executive branch employees at or above the state minimum wage, but said by passing the ordinance, "Northampton can lead way by codifying our policy of doing what's right."

He said the measure is supported by Mayor David Narkewicz.

The Northampton City Council meets the first and third Thursdays of the month at 7 p.m. in the city's 212 Main St. Puchalski Municipal Building. The next meeting is set for Feb. 2.

Did your state representative vote to raise pay for top lawmakers? Here's the roll call

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Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives on Wednesday quickly voted to increase the pay of their leaders, judges and other government officials. The vote was 115-44. Here is who voted for and against the raise.

BOSTON - Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives on Wednesday quickly voted to increase the pay of their leaders, judges and other government officials.

The vote was 115-44. The bill now goes to the Massachusetts Senate, which is expected to take up the proposal on Thursday.

The speaker of the Mass. House, Robert DeLeo, has defended the pay raises as "overdue." DeLeo, D-Winthrop, has pointed to two independent commissions in 2008 and 2014 issuing reports calling pay levels inadequate.

The annual cost of the pay increases ranges between $12 million and $18 million.

If implemented, the pay increases would come as Gov. Charlie Baker and legislators struggle with balancing the state budget. The overall state budget is expected to exceed $40 billion in fiscal year 2018.

Thanks to the State House News Service, an independent wire services covering politics and policy on Beacon Hill, the list of lawmakers is available below.

Massachusetts Republicans all voted against the package. Nine Democrats joined them: Reps. Thomas Calter of Kingston, Michael Connolly of Cambridge, Diana DiZoglio of Metheun, James Dwyer of Woburn, Colleen Garry of Dracut, Jonathan Hecht of Watertown, Paul Heroux of Attleboro, Denise Provost of Somerville, and Jonathan Zlotnik of Gardner.

Roll Call on Pay Hikes by Gintautas Dumcius on Scribd

Top Mass. lawmaker defends effort to raise his own pay (video)

Fire victims to get shares of $103,908 relief fund in 2-3 weeks, says Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse

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Families of three people killed and 49 tenants who lost their homes in a New Year's Day fire at 106 North East St. in Holyoke, Massachusetts should begin receiving shares of $103,908 collected in a relief fund in two to three weeks, Mayor Alex B. Morse said on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017.

HOLYOKE -- Families of three people killed and 49 tenants who lost their homes in a New Year's Day fire at 106 North East St. should begin receiving shares of money collected in a relief fund in about three weeks, Mayor Alex B. Morse said today.

"We are going to get this money out to the families as soon as we can. I am proud of what we as a city have accomplished through this relief fund, and I am blessed to be able to serve such a loving and compassionate community," Morse said in a press release.

In a text message, he added regarding the schedule for distribution of the money, "We hope within the next two to three weeks at most."

The Holyoke Mayor's Fire Relief Fund has collected $103,908, he said.

The Greater Holyoke Chamber Centennial Foundation Inc. will manage the disbursement of money collected to help victims at no cost to the city, he said. Announcement that Morse had chosen the chamber foundation to handle the disbursement was made Tuesday to the City Council Ordinance Committee at City Hall.

Money collected for victims of deadly Holyoke fire getting disbursed by Greater Holyoke Chamber Centennial Foundation

Three people were killed in the fire to which firefighters were called just before 9 a.m. on Jan. 1: Maria Cartagena, 48, and Jorge Munoz, 55, both of Holyoke, and Trevor R. Wadleigh, 34, of Easthampton.

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey said on Jan. 4 that investigators had determined the cause of the fire was an electrical problem in a wall outlet in the living room of a third-floor apartment.

The property that included the five-story building, now demolished, is owned by
Irshad Sideeka of Naviah Investments of Brookline, Massachusetts.

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

Morse said $65,810 of the relief fund was collected in an online effort he established the day of the fire on gofundme.com and $38,098 through in-person donations and the mail.

"Over 1,100 individuals, businesses, and organizations have made contributions to the Mayor's Fire Relief Fund," he said.

A fundraiser Jan. 12 in which five Friendly's restaurants in the region, including here at 1745 Northampton St., devoted 20 percent of the day's profits resulted in a donation of $2,595, he said.

Four days later, the Chipotle restaurant at 235 Whiting Farms Road held a fundraiser and donated 100 percent of proceeds to the fund for a total of $3,671, he said.

This account will continue to operate after assisting the North East Street families in order to help those affected by future events. Checks can still be made out to the Mayor's Fire Relief Fund and sent to the Mayor's Office at 536 Dwight St., Hoyoke, Mass. 01040, he said.

Indian Orchard man sought by Springfield police; targeted Craigslist dealers for motorcycle, ATV thefts

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Joseph Velez is said to have stolen multiple vehicles from sellers under the guise of going for a test ride, police said.

SPRINGFIELD - Police have obtained an arrest warrant for an 18-year-old Indian Orchard man suspected of stealing off-road vehicles from people who were attempting to sell them over Craigslist, police said.

Joseph Velez of 9 Montcalm St. is accused of stealing numerous dirt bikes and ATVs from people under the guise of taking them for test drives, said Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney.

Velez would see motorcycles or ATVs for sale on Craigslist, and he would arrange to meet the seller in parking lots in Indian Orchard, Delaney said.

He would ask the seller if he could take it for a test ride and would "flash money to keep the sellers on the hook," Delaney said.

Then he would then drive off, "never to be seen again," Delaney said.

Velez was identified as the suspect following an investigation by detectives Edward Cass and Darrin Edwards.

Velez remains at large and police are seeking information about where he can be found.

People with information are asked to call the Springfield Police Detective Bureau at 413-787-6355. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to "CRIMES," or "274637," and then beginning the body of the message with the word "SOLVE."

Delaney cautioned that anyone seeking to sell or purchase anything from someone on Craigslist or any other internet-based merchandise trading site should arrange to meet either in front of or in the parking lot of the Springfield police station at 130 Pearl Street.

Velez is a known character with the Springfield police. In May, he and another man were apprehended trying to break into a storage facility in Indian Orchard. 

Police arrested Velez following a short chase when they found him hiding in a garbage can, according to reports.

Ludlow man denies drunken driving charge, has four prior convictions for that crime

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Leif Wakefield, 47, was arrested Aug. 12, 2016, in Southwick and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Ludlow man on Tuesday denied a charge of operating under the influence of alcohol, fifth or subsequent offense.

Leif Wakefield, 47, also denied charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.

He was charged in Southwick on Aug. 12. Initially police were called to Tractor Supply Co., 673 College Highway, to investigate the complaint of a property damage car accident.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Constance M. Sweeney set bail at the $500 set at Wakefield's District Court arraignment. Wakefield had posted that bail.

As conditions of his release Wakefield must not drive, refrain from using alcohol and use a Sobrietor, an alcohol breath-testing device placed in the defendant's home.

The previous convictions listed on the indictment are June 1988, October 1989 and July 1992 in Westfield District Court and March 2000 in Orleans District Court.


Easthampton's 4th annual WinterFest set for Feb. 11

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Expect horse-drawn wagon rides, a historical ice harvest, a community bonfire, and more.

EASTHAMPTON -- A historical ice harvest on Nashawannuck Pond, horse-drawn wagon rides, an ice-carving demonstration, and community bonfire -- Easthampton's annual WinterFest offers an array of family-friendly events.

This year's festival is set for Saturday, February 11, with events scheduled all throughout the city. The schedule has not yet been published, but the event's Facebook page promises regular updates.

Not every event involves getting cold. The day traditionally starts with a pancake breakfast at Trinity Lutheran Church. A chili cook-off, craft and vendor fair, kids'  activities, and a screening of the Disney film "Frozen" are also on the menu.

Adults may want to check out "WinterFest on Tap" at Abandoned Building Brewery, featuring music by the Standing Bear Band.

The event, now in its fourth year, is hosted by the Nashawannuck Pond Steering Committee, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and sponsored by many local businesses.

Gov. Charlie Baker defends proposed $2,000-per-worker health insurance fee

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Baker said the charge is necessary to address a flaw in the Affordable Care Act and protect taxpayers from paying for insurance for people who are employed.

BOSTON -- Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday defended a controversial proposed assessment on employers who do not offer health insurance. Baker said the charge is necessary to address a flaw in the Affordable Care Act and protect taxpayers from having to pay for insurance for people who are employed.

"It was never intended under the original MassHealth law that hundreds of thousands of people who are working full time would end up having their insurance funded by the commonwealth of Massachusetts," Baker said.

Under the fiscal 2018 budget that Baker released Wednesday, spending on MassHealth would grow by 6.6 percent, to $16.2 billion. MassHealth accounts for close to 40 percent of the proposed $40.5 billion budget. That is down from double-digit increases three years ago, but still represents a huge sum of money for the state, and one the Baker administration has been trying to decrease.

A centerpiece of Baker's budget is his proposed changes to MassHealth, including the employer assessment.

When Massachusetts passed universal health care reform under then-Gov. Mitt Romney in 2006, it included a $295-per-employee assessment on companies that did not offer adequate health insurance to their workers. That assessment was repealed in 2013 to conform with the federal Affordable Care Act, since President Barack Obama's national health insurance reform included slightly different employer fees and requirements.

Under Romney's Massachusetts law, an employee who was offered health insurance by their employer would not be eligible for state-subsidized insurance. Under the ACA, those employees can enroll in state-subsidized care if they meet eligibility requirements by earning less than $16,000 a year.

Now, Baker is trying to use his fiscal 2018 budget to reinstate an employer fee -- this time, a $2,000-per-employee assessment on businesses with more than 10 employees that do not offer health insurance. The standards would be higher than in the 2006 law for the amount of the insurance costs that businesses must pay and the percentage of workers who must use the coverage. A business would have to pay $4,950 per full-time employee, which is similar to the cost of MassHealth, and 80 percent of its employees would have to use the coverage.

"What we're saying here is if you're not going to cover your employees, and they're going to end up on MassHealth, you need to be making a contribution to the cost of their health care," Baker said.

Business groups have voiced concerns about the proposal. They say it is unfair for small businesses to have to pay for a problem generated by the Affordable Care Act.

"It's not fair to scapegoat employers for a major deficiency in a public policy that was created in Washington, D.C.," Chris Geehern, a spokesman for Associated Industries of Massachusetts, a business trade group, recently told The Republican/MassLive.com.

Companies say the fees will hurt small businesses for whom health insurance is expensive, since in many cases employees will turn down that coverage -- which means the business will be hit with a fine.

Baker said he is "open to debating and discussing" details of the proposal. But he said the state "needs to wrestle with the fact that a huge portion of people working full time are either not taking coverage available through their employer and are going through MassHealth or are working for people not offering coverage."

According to state officials, there are at least 300,000 people working full time in Massachusetts who are enrolled in MassHealth. This could be because their employers do not offer coverage or because it is cheaper for them to enroll in MassHealth. This population has cost the state more than $1 billion, Baker said.

"That's $1 billion in taxpayer money that's being used to fund health insurance for people who are working, for the most part, full time," Baker said.

In addition to the employer assessment, Baker said he plans to ask the federal government for flexibility to run the Massachusetts program as the state sees fit, rather than having to conform with provisions of the Affordable Care Act, such as the national version of the employer mandate.

Baker is also proposing a cap in the growth of reimbursement rates paid to providers by commercial insurers. The most expensive hospitals and providers would not be allowed to increase their rates at all above the rates paid by Medicare. Medium-priced providers would be allowed to increase their rates by up to 1 percent, and the lowest-priced providers would not have any cap. The point is to limit the disparity in what different providers are paid for the same service.

Baker said Medicare rates still increase every year, and this is simply a way to base prices more closely on the costs of health care.

Under Baker's proposal, Massachusetts' Health Connector would craft new options so small businesses can access cheaper insurance. The state would eliminate some administrative facility fees and publish more reports showing provider prices for common procedures. Baker would eliminate vision benefits, like eyeglasses, for members of a particular MassHealth program.

The proposal comes as Congress considers repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, but state officials say they have to plan their budget based on the existing policy while insulating Massachusetts residents from changes in Washington that could hurt the state.

Noah Berger, president of the liberal-leaning Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, called Baker's approach to the employer assessment "a really smart, commonsense approach to try to address the cost shift from private employers onto the state Medicaid program."

Eileen McAnneny, president of the business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, said the focus on health care costs "is very necessary and long overdue." But McAnneny said she has reservations about the employer assessment. "Having a $300 million new assessment on employers is a big amount by any measure," McAnneny said.

McAnneny said the problem is with the ACA for letting someone who is offered employer-based coverage take MassHealth. "Essentially, employers are being held accountable for decisions made at a federal level," McAnneny said.

West Springfield warns of rabid skunk in Elm Street area

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An earlier skunk, which had contact with a dog on Jan. 8 in the Elm Street area, has tested positive for rabies, according to town health officials, who are urging people to make sure their pets are up to date with rabies vaccinations.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- The West Springfield Department of Public Health is warning that a skunk killed by a dog on Elm Street Monday, Jan. 23, has tested positive for rabies.

Health officials are urging people to make sure their pets are up to date with rabies vaccinations.

Another rabid skunk was found in the Elm Street area just over a year ago.

Town health officials also warn people to be wary of wildlife that is acting aggressively or out at odd times of the day. Skunks are active mostly at night, though sometimes they seek food during the day, according to the United States Humane Society.

People should also keep garbage and pet food secure, a health department release states.

The state's rabies prevention website is here.

Mass. Attorney General Maura Healey blasts President Trump's 'sanctuary cities' stance as 'irresponsible'

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Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey ripped into President Donald Trump's administration for saying they plan to kill federal funding for "sanctuary cities" across the country.

BOSTON - Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey ripped into President Donald Trump's administration for saying they plan to kill federal funding for "sanctuary cities" across the country.

"Strong, independently-governed communities are part of what makes Massachusetts great," Healey said in a statement.

"Sanctuary cities" are communities that offer protections to undocumented immigrants from federal authorities. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to block funding to such cities.

Cambridge, Somerville, Boston, Northampton and Springfield are considered to be among the "sanctuary cities" in Massachusetts.

maura healey.JPGMassachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey 

"The President's executive order is an irresponsible attempt to coerce our communities into conducting his mass deportations, and would impact all residents by stripping federal funding for roads, schools, police, health care, the elderly, and assistance for those in need," Healey said. "My office will be watching closely and I will be ready to stand with our cities and towns in the coming days."

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who like Healey opposed Trump as they campaigned for Hillary Clinton, said he was "deeply disturbed" by the administration's move and offered up Boston City Hall as a sanctuary.

"We will not back down from our values that make us who we are as a city," he said in his own statement.

"We will fight for our residents, whether immigrant or not, and provide the best quality of life for all Bostonians. I will use all of my power within lawful means to protect all Boston residents -- even if that means using City Hall itself as a last resort," he added.


Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone also sounded a defiant note, and referred to the Trump administration's move as "theater."

Will Gov. Charlie Baker veto the pay raises Massachusetts lawmakers are proposing for themselves?

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Could Gov. Charlie Baker veto the proposal lawmakers are pushing in an effort to raise their own pay? Here's what Baker told reporters. Watch video

BOSTON - Back in 2014, right before he became governor, reporters asked Charlie Baker what he thought about lawmakers considering an increase in their pay.

"I think if the Commonwealth was in great shape financially and everything was swimming, you know, going along beautifully fiscally and operationally you didn't have to spend half a day at the registry to conduct a relatively simple transaction, then yeah, maybe that would be the right time to have this conversation," Baker said, according to the State House News Service.

"I sure don't think that's now, and it's certainly not going to be today or tomorrow," he added.

Lawmakers are now at it again, quickly moving to place a proposal on the governor's desk. The Massachusetts House on Wednesday approved a pay raise package, and the Massachusetts Senate is expected to take it up later this week.

While the House was ramming through the pay raises, two floors down Baker unveiled his spending plan for fiscal year 2018.

Did your state representative vote to raise top legislators' pay? Here's the roll call

At the press conference, a reporter noted that Census Bureau numbers indicate more than half a million residents in Massachusetts are living in poverty as lawmakers seek to raise the pay for top legislators, judges and other government officials.

"I don't know what the proposal from the Legislature is going to look like," said Baker, who just the previous evening had thanked the Legislature for working with him the first two years of his term. "And we have a standard practice around here of not assuming we know what's gonna ultimately come out of the process and get to our desk."

Baker then reminded reporters what he said in 2014.

"But we said in 2014 we didn't think that a pay raise made sense at that point and time," he said. "And I don't see a lot that's changed with respect to that. But obviously we'll wait until we see what we get from the Legislature before we make a final decision."

Top Mass. lawmaker defends seeking to raise his own pay

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