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Veteran firefighter David Bourcier named chief of Wilbraham Fire Department

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The Wilbraham Board of Selectmen unanimously appointed Bourcier, a 30-plus-year veteran of the Fire Department, as permanent fire chief.

bourcier mugshot.jpgDavid Bourcier (Facebook) 
WILBRAHAM -- Veteran firefighter David A. Bourcier has been named chief of the Wilbraham Fire Department.

At Monday's meeting, the Board of Selectmen unanimously chose Bourcier to lead the department. He succeeds Francis W. Nothe, Wilbraham's longtime chief, who retired on Jan. 20 after a 40-year career.

Selectmen in December appointed Bourcier, Wilbraham's deputy chief, as acting chief of the department.

He took over the reins when Nothe retired and was expected to run the department until a permanent chief was hired.

His stint as acting chief lasted less than two weeks, however, with selectmen moving quickly to appoint him to the permanent position.

"I just hope I can fill those big shoes," Bourcier said, referring to Nothe, praising his longtime colleague for his efforts on behalf of the community and the Fire Department.

Town officials are expecting a smooth transition with Bourcier, who has been on the job for over 30 years. Bourcier, the son of a retired Wilbraham firefighter, was joined at Monday's meeting by his father and fellow firefighters.

Wilbraham had previously announced it would conduct an internal search for chief, rather than a broader external search, which is why the decision came so quickly.

Bourcier's former deputy chief position is now vacant, prompting selectmen to appoint Capt. Peter Nothe as acting deputy chief until a permanent deputy chief is appointed through an internal department search.


Donald Trump calls Roger Goodell 'a stupid guy' over New England Patriots Tom Brady's Deflategate suspension

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Early in his first political campaign, President Donald Trump took a break from speaking of politics to discuss his friendship with the owner, coach and star player on the New England Patriots and his thoughts on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

Early in his first political campaign, President Donald Trump took a break from politics to discuss his friendship with the owner, coach and star player on the New England Patriots and his thoughts on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

Trump said he was "disgusted" by the N.F.L's four-game suspension of quarterback Tom Brady, in a 2015 interview with writer Mark Leibovich. The comments were published for the first time in the New York Times Magazine Wednesday. 

"The commissioner is a weak guy," Trump said during the interview. "When he made the Ray Rice deal, everybody said: You're stupid. You're weak. And it was such a weak deal. So now he's going overboard with their star, Brady."

He added: "The commissioner is a dope. He's a stupid guy."

Trump criticized Kraft for not fighting Brady's suspension, saying, "He choked, just like Romney choked."

The President spoke often of his friendship with Brady, Patriots' owner, Robert Kraft, and Coach Bill Belichick on the campaign trail. Kraft attended a pre-inaugural dinner last month, at which Trump thanked him for his support and wished the Patriots luck ahead of the AFC Championship.

Santander foreclosing on Berkshires' Crowne Plaza hotel; owners owe Pittsfield $250,000 in taxes

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The biggest hotel complex in all the Berkshires -- Pittsfield's Crowne Plaza -- faces foreclosure, as the owner owes the city more than a quarter of a million dollars in tax revenue for the current fiscal year, The Berkshire Eagle reports.

CrowneCrowne Plaza Hotel complex in downtown Pittsfield. 

The biggest hotel complex in all the Berkshires -- Pittsfield's Crowne Plaza -- faces foreclosure, as the owner owes the city more than a quarter of a million dollars in tax revenue for the current fiscal year, The Berkshire Eagle reports.

The 14-story hotel at 1 West St. looms as the tallest building in downtown Pittsfield, includes 179 rooms, two restaurants, a ballroom, an indoor pool, a four-level, 325-space parking garage in need of repairs and 12,000 square feet of meeting and function space.

City, school, healthcare and business functions regularly host events in the main building. 

According to The Eagle, city tax records show the two ownership entities, Shireberk Realty Trust and Shireberk Corp. Trust, owed Pittsfield $253,900 in property and utility taxes for fiscal 2017.

Mortgage holder Santander Bank initiated foreclosure procedures against the two trusts last month. The mortgage totals $16.5 million. If the mortgage is sold, the buyer will be responsible for tax obligations to the city, The Eagle reports. 

Documents filed in Secretary of State William F. Galvin's office show the state "involuntarily dissolved" the two trusts on Jan. 30.

Now, the hotel will be sold on public auction at 11 a.m. on Feb. 22 at 1 West St.

Built in 1970, the complex has fallen far behind on regular maintenance, attorney Emil George told The Eagle. 

"There are three elevators in the building and one has been out for six years," George said. "That says everything."


Here's where some attempted to fraudulently spend their Massachusetts welfare benefits

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Spending of welfare benefits at prohibited locations, like a bar or pub, fell over the last three years, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance.

Spending of welfare benefits at prohibited locations, like a liquor store or a bar, fell over the last three years, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance.

The fraudulent spending at the prohibited locations was identified as totaling $222,000 in February 2013.

As of June 2016, the number had fallen to $16,000. That same month, the department, which serves one out of every eight people in Massachusetts, administered $15 million in cash assistance, meaning the attempts to spend the money at prohibited locations was relatively small.

Most places, out of 1,805 prohibited locations, were establishments that primarily or exclusively sell alcohol, according to data compiled by the department since 2013.

Liquor stores made up 45.7 percent, while bars, pubs and taverns came to 35.2 percent. Gambling establishments represented 5 percent, while tobacco shops made up 4.8 percent of the list. Manicure or aesthetic shops came in to 1.8 percent, according to a report filed by the department (DTA).

"DTA is committed to ensuring benefits are not spent at locations prohibited by state or federal law, and undertook an initiative in February 2013 to stop cash assistance spending before it occurs at the ATM and Point of Sale systems at prohibited locations," spokesman Thomas Mills said in an email.

The initiative was a result of the state Legislature pushing the department to act on prohibited spending.

The law doesn't require the department to block access at the locations. But blocking ATMs and transactions at points of sale (POS) like the checkout counter is how they're stopping the spending before it can go through.

"DTA has reviewed more than 18 million transactions at over 12,000 locations, and as a result, more than 1,800 ATM/POS systems at prohibited locations have been blocked," Mills added. Staffers have also made on-site visits to double-check that a location is a prohibited one.

The department's report also noted that in February 2015, DTA started blocking banned establishments that are located out of state.

"Most recently, DTA has initiated an effort to exchange lists of potentially prohibited locations with other states to ensure a more efficient out of state blocking process," the report said.

The department has also reached out to retailers and sought to educate them on their responsibilities under the law.

"After potential prohibited purchases are identified, retailers are contacted and reminded of Massachusetts General Laws that prohibit the use of cash assistance funds to purchase certain goods and services," the report said. "Retailers are also informed about the penalties they face for violating the law by knowingly allowing a prohibited transaction."

Welfare and Medicaid fraud pegged at $15.45 million in FY 2016, Massachusetts auditor

Officials: 1 hostage dead after inmates take over Delaware prison, cite concerns over treatment and leadership of United States

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Police breached a building at Delaware's largest prison early Thursday, ending a nearly 24-hour hostage standoff that left one staffer dead.

By RANDALL CHASE ,  Associated Press

SMYRNA, Del. (AP) -- Police breached a building at Delaware's largest prison early Thursday, ending a nearly 24-hour hostage standoff that left one staffer dead.

Inmates took over the building at the James T. Vaughn Correction Center on Wednesday, taking four employees hostage. The inmates told a local newspaper that concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States had prompted their actions.

Authorities did not immediately explain how the officer died. They said Delaware State Police entered the building about 5:05 a.m. Thursday and found the man unresponsive. He was pronounced dead about 25 minutes later.

A second Department of Correction employee who had been held hostage was rescued. She is being examined at a hospital.

The prison is in Smyrna, about 15 miles north of the state capital of Dover.

Delaware Gov. John Carney said the priority now is to determine what happened and why.

In a statement released Thursday, the new Democratic governor said officials will "hold accountable anyone who was responsible" for taking the hostages. He said officials will "make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again."

A news release from the Delaware Department of Correction said 14 more inmates were released about 12:30 a.m. Thursday from the building where the hostages had been held and were being held elsewhere at the prison. The news release said a total of 46 inmates had been released from the building since the hostage situation began.

The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later.

A preliminary investigation suggests the disturbance began about 10:30 a.m. when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses more than 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said.

Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said authorities don't know "the dynamics of the takeover" or whether inmates had been held against their will.

One of the freed employees was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, authorities said. The condition of the second wasn't immediately available.

Earlier in the day, inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmate's fiancee and another person's mother. The mother told the paper that her son was among the hostages.

In that call, an inmate said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse."

That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons.

According to the department's website, the prison is Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, with about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial.

It employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware.

In 2004, an inmate at the Smyrna prison raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff.

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Associated Press writers Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia, David Dishneau in Hagerstown, Maryland, and Sarah Brumfield in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

Springfield police seek missing 77-year-old man

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Robert Ward, 77, is a white male, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, 190 pounds with gray hair, He was reported missing from his Spring Street home Wednesday afternoon and may be downtown.

SPRINGFIELD - Police are seeking the public's help as they search for an elderly man who has been missing from his Spring Street home since Wednesday afternoon.

Robert Ward, 77, is a white male, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, 190 pounds with gray hair, Sgt. John Delaney said.

It's possible that he may be in the downtown area, Delaney, public information officer for the department, said. Detectives have checked city hospitals, the bus terminal and the train station.

Detective Greg McCain of the Major Crimes Unit is conducting the investigation. Those who spot Ward are asked to call police at 413-787-6355 or dial 911.

Springfield community leaders deliver letter to Mayor Sarno requesting meeting regarding Trump executive orders

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Community and faith leaders in Springfield delivered a letter to Mayor Domenic Sarno on Thursday morning, urging him not to heed President Donald Trump's order that local police collaborate with federal police law enforcement agencies.

SPRINGFIELD -- Community and faith leaders in Springfield delivered a letter to Mayor Domenic Sarno on Thursday morning requesting a meeting to discuss the city's policies regarding President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration.

Trump's recent executive order, "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States," asks that state authorities in cities across the country collaborate with federal law enforcement agencies as a means "to ensure the removal of aliens," or illegal immigrants.

Many communities have spoken out against Trump's recent order, with some declaring themselves sanctuary cities--despite the President's recent threat to withdraw federal funding from those communities that do so.

The letter that Springfield religious and community leaders delivered to the Mayor on Thursday requested a meeting with him to discuss Trump's recent order, but also encouraged Sarno to sign a Mayoral Executive Order that would take steps towards a position of non-compliance with Trump's recent order.

The Mayoral Executive Order would ask that Springfield police officers not investigate the immigration status of individuals in the city and would ask that the Police Department not comply with federal requests by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to detain non-citizens. It also asks that the Springfield Police Department avoid entering into any contractual agreements with the Department of Homeland Security, its sub-agencies, or any other federal organization that would deputize "local law enforcement agents to perform immigration enforcement functions," as Trump's recent order demands.

"We believe that the unnecessary cooperation with federal immigration officials in the City of Springfield would lead to further unnecessary demands on an already over-extended police force, and would compromise - rather than strengthen - the City's efforts to reducing local crime," the letter reads.

"Unnecessary collaboration with federal immigration enforcement authorities will strain the relationship between the city's immigrant community, both documented and undocumented, with the Police Department. This will undoubtedly create an environment of fear that will discourage the immigrant community from cooperating with local authorities. Many city residents will be too scared to call 911 when they need help, and will be less likely to assist police with investigations," the letter continues.

Those who have signed the letter include 14 individuals from various local activist organizations and agencies, including Jesse Lederman of Arise for Social Justice, Tara Parrish of the Pioneer Valley Project, Springfield City Councilor Adam Gomez, and a number of other religious, labor, and community leaders.

The letter comes on the heels of a recent rally on the steps of Springfield's City Hall where hundreds of people turned out to protest Trump's perceived punitive policies aimed at immigrants and refugees.

 

Mass. delegation urges Logan Airport Customs and Border Protection to follow court order blocking President Donald Trump's travel ban

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Massachusetts' congressional delegation continued to stand strong this week against President Donald Trump's immigration executive order, urging Customs and Border Protection at Boston's Logan International Airport to comply with a court order blocking the so-called travel ban.

Massachusetts' congressional delegation continued to stand strong this week against President Donald Trump's immigration executive order, urging Customs and Border Protection at Boston's Logan International Airport to comply with a court order blocking the so-called travel ban.

In a Wednesday letter to Clint Lamm, the Boston Area Port Director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Massachusetts' two senators and nine congressmen called for officers to immediately and fully comply with the temporary restraining order.

Boston federal judges also block President Donald Trump's immigration order

Pointing to reports that students, academics and others looking to enter the country through Logan Airport have been detained under the president's executive order, lawmakers stressed that such actions are prohibited under the court order.

The temporary restraining order, which will remain in effect through Feb. 5, states that CBP and others shall not detain or remove individuals with refugee applications approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as part of the U.S. Refugee Admissions program, as well as those with valid immigrant and non-immigrant visas, lawful permanent residents and others who, absent the executive order, would be legally authorized to enter the U.S., the lawmakers wrote.

The court order further directs CBP to notify airlines with flights arriving at Logan Airport of the order and that individuals on them will not be detained or turned away solely based on the president's executive action, the letter stated.

"It is a bedrock principle of our democracy that it is the province of the courts to say what the law is. Court orders must be respected and followed," delegation members wrote. "Under the terms of the temporary restraining order, it is clear that, through Feb. 5, and perhaps longer if the temporary restraining order is extended, no international travelers arriving at Logan Airport may be detained or removed based on the executive order's provisions, and that CBP must so notify airlines carrying those passengers."

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts; and U.S. Reps. Richard Neal, D-Springfield; Jim McGovern, D-Worcester; Bill Keating, D-Bourne; Michael Capuano, D-Somerville; Stephen Lynch, D-South Boston; Niki Tsongas, D-Lowell; Katherine Clark, D-Melrose; Joseph Kennedy III, D-Brookline; and Seth Moulton, D-Salem, signed the letter.

The Massachusetts delegation's call for compliance with the temporary restraining order came days after Trump signed an executive order that barred Syrian refugees from entering the U.S., suspended all refugee admissions for 120 days and blocked citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days.

The executive action sparked weekend protests at airports across the country, including Logan Airport, where Warren decried Trump's order as illegal and unconstitutional.

Members of the state's congressional delegation also took aim at the president earlier this week, following reports that Trump fired the acting attorney general for refusing to back his contentious executive order.

Massachusetts delegation blasts Donald Trump's firing of acting AG Sally Yates, travel ban


President Trump puts Iran 'on notice' after country conducts ballistic missile test

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President Trump is putting Iran "on notice" in retaliation to the country's recent ballistic missile testing and continued support of Houthi rebels in Yemen.

President Trump is putting Iran "on notice" in retaliation to the country's recent ballistic missile testing and continued support of Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Trump administration did not elaborate on what specific actions the United States will take against Iran, the Associate Press reported. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn made the official announcement during a White House briefing.

Iran's missile test, which took place last week, could violate a Security Council resolution it signed in 2015, but according to the New York Times, the country denied that accusation. The ballistic missile that was tested could've theoretically been carrying a nuclear warhead.

The ballistic missile testing doesn't explicitly go against the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the Security Council, but Iran did agree to an eight-year ban on missile development, the Associated Press reports.

Trump also made a jab at the nuclear agreement brokered by the Obama administration, saying that the deal the United States made was "terrible."

The United States has called for an urgent meeting with the Security Council earlier this week, The New York Times reported.

The council agreed to have its Iran committee do an investigation. 

Nikki Haley, the new United States ambassador to the United Nations, said the Trump administration is going to "act accordingly" on the matter.

Methuen man drunk, speeding when he flipped car in New Hampshire, killing young passenger, police say

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A Methuen man flipped his car several times on Interstate 93 in New Hampshire on Wednesday night, killing a young woman passenger, The Boston Globe reports.

 

A Methuen man flipped his car several times on Interstate 93 in New Hampshire on Wednesday night, killing a young woman passenger, according to New Hampshire State Police.

A NHSP statement on the accident said they believe the man, 31-year-old Frankie Rodriguez, was drunk and speeding when the accident occurred, around 8:30 p.m.

The only other occupant in the vehicle, a 22-year-old woman, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, Londonberry, N.H.

Rodriguez suffered "serious" injuries in the wreck, which left his Acura 32TL in the center median of the highway. 

Police accompanied Rodriguez to the hospital, where they arrested him on a charge of felony drunk driving, according to NHSP. 

Seen@ SPARK's Holyoke Soup crowdfunding event at The Waterfront Tavern

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Hot soup and hot ideas were on the menu Wednesday in Holyoke as SPARK hosted its popular "Hot Soup" crowdfunding event.

HOLYOKE - Hot soup and hot ideas were on the menu Wednesday in Holyoke as SPARK hosted its popular "Hot Soup" crowdfunding event.

SPARK, which is a mentor program based out of the Greater Holyoke Chamber Centennial Foundation, held the event that raises funds for entrepreneurial projects.

Three local entrepreneurs showcased their business and each had four minutes to speak about their idea and answer four questions from the audience. Each entrepreneur showcasing their business has completed the SPARK Holyoke entrepreneurship program.

Erin Cauley, who was the winner of a special edition of Holyoke Soup held last month in collaboration with the Holyoke Public Schools, spoke to the crowd to report on the progress of her robotics project.

The menu of Cream of Tomato, Chicken Gumbo, and Corn and Sweet Potato Chowder with Bacon was prepared by the students and staff of Dean Tech's Culinary Arts program. They also baked rolls from scratch and served salad for the event.

Those in attendance voted for the project they felt would be most beneficial to the
Holyoke community . At the end of the night the winner was the William J. Dean Technical High School Culinary Program. Their project dubbed the "Icicle Tricycle" would be a pedal powered mobile unit serving the popular frozen Puerto Rican coconut dessert Limber De Coco.

The event was held at The Waterfront Tavern on Main Street in Holyoke. Those interested in presenting an idea at Holyoke Soup should visit www.holyokesoup.com for more information.

US Rep. Jim McGovern blasts President Donald Trump's reported call with Australian prime minister

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Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, criticized President Donald Trump's foreign policy approach this week following reports that he abruptly ended a call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, criticized President Donald Trump's foreign policy approach this week following reports that he abruptly ended a call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

McGovern, who has been an outspoken critic of the new president, raised concerns about his comments involving foreign allies, particularly Australia and Mexico, in a series of late-Wednesday tweets.

"Trump is @POTUS less than 2 weeks & already insulted #Australia and #Mexico, 2 of our closest allies. Unbelievable," he wrote, pointing to reports that the president ended a call with Turnbull and told Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto he was ready to send U.S. troops to Mexico to stop "bad hombres down there."

Questioning how the president could "screw up" a call with Australia -- one of the country's top allies, the Worcester Democrat urged Trump to remember how Australia "bravely stood with American soldiers in Afghanistan after 9/11."

"A true ally who deserves respect," he tweeted Thursday.

Senior U.S. officials briefed on Trump's Saturday exchange with Turnbull told the Washington Post that the president blasted his Australian counterpart over a refugee agreement and bragged about the size of his electoral college win.

Just 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended the conversation, the newspaper reported.

The president later blasted the Obama Administration's refugee agreement with Australia as a "dumb deal" in a late-Wednesday tweet. 

Turnbull, however, told a radio station that he has a "clear commitment from the president" regarding the agreement. He further rejected reports of a contentious phone conversation.

"Firstly, let me say I am very disappointed about the leak in Washington of what purports to be details about the call. But I can confirm to you that the report that the president hung up on me is not correct," he said, adding that the alliance between the two countries "is absolutely rock solid."

The Associated Press, meanwhile, reported that Trump told Pena Nieto he was ready to send U.S. troops into the country to stop bad actors unless the Mexican military did more to control them. 

Eduardo Sanchez, spokesman for Mexico's presidential office, however, told AP that the conversation was respectful and denied that Trump threatened to send troops into Mexico.

An excerpt from a transcript of the alleged conversation suggested that Trump told the Mexican president that he has "a bunch of bad hombres down there."

"You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it," he reportedly said, according to the excerpt obtained by AP.

Discovery of 'sophisticated' meth lab inside Plymouth home leads to several arrests, police say

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The discovery of a "sophisticated" methamphetamine laboratory inside a Plymouth home Wednesday afternoon has led to the arrest of seven people, according to authorities.

The discovery of a "sophisticated" methamphetamine laboratory inside a Plymouth home Wednesday afternoon has led to the arrest of seven people, according to authorities.

Plymouth police drug investigators, members of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Clandestine Lab Unit, State Police and area task force agents swarmed 55 Spooner St. in Plymouth after a lengthy investigation into the manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine out of the home, Plymouth police said.

"During the search of the home a sophisticated laboratory, along with many items and materials were located throughout the residence that were being used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine," police said. "Also located was a quantity of methamphetamine along with quantities of methamphetamine packed for sale."

Investigators said other drugs, including Psilocybin mushrooms, were found inside the home.

Six people were charged with methamphetamine manufacturing and possession along with conspiracy to violation drug laws after authorities executed the search warrant.

Those six people are: Richard Pearson, 41, of Plymouth; David Hill, 20, of Marshfield; Casey Hamilton, 38, of Ocala, Florida; Stephanie Dubis, 39, of Plymouth; an 18-year-old woman listed by police as a juvenile; and Kianna Pearson, 19, of Plymouth.

A juvenile male was arrested on a drug possession charge, but police said he is not directly connected to the methamphetamine lab.

 

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno rejects activist plea to support illegal immigrants in face of President Donald Trump's executive order

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The community activists called on Mayor Sarno to enact a Police Department policy that ends "unnecessary cooperation" with federal immigration officials. Sarno said the department will continue to cooperate.

SPRINGFIELD -- Community activists gathered at City Hall on Thursday, delivering a letter that urges Mayor Domenic J. Sarno to establish a Police Department policy that avoids "unnecessary cooperation with federal immigration officials," but Sarno said he "won't kowtow to these demands."

Sarno said he and Police Commissioner John Barbieri will continue to work with federal authorities and he has no intention of confronting an executive order issued by President Donald Trump against so-called sanctuary cities. Sarno has said Springfield is not a sanctuary city and has no intention of becoming one.

The activists delivered a letter to Sarno's office, requesting a meeting with him to hear their objections to Trump's order that calls for a moratorium and subsequent stronger vetting of immigrants and refugees entering the United States in the name of national security. Trump has threatened to cut federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities who do not cooperate with immigration officials.

Trump's orders have triggered demonstrations around the country and at many airports.

Eight local advocates gathered on the steps of City Hall, and then delivered the letter. Sarno was away from the office but he was asked by the media for his comments just beforehand as he walked to a meeting in the downtown.

"I'm not going to kowtow to these demands," Sarno said in part.

The Republican previously requested and remains waiting for responses from Sarno and Barbieri to clarify the current Police Department policies related to immigrants and illegal immigrants.

Sarno said he thinks people know his reputation of being willing to help out with newcomers to Springfield, such as refugees, as long as it is done in a proper way, and does not continue to put burdens on the city's finances or public safety.

"I would like to see some other communities step up to the plate as Springfield has stepped up to the plate whether it has to do with homelessness, subsidized housing and refugees," Sarno said. "We have done more than our fair share. We are going to follow the letter of the law here and Commissioner Barbieri and I will continue to work with federal authorities if federal authorities reach down and are looking for violent repeat type  criminal offenders they need to get off the streets for the protection of residents."

An executive order in Northampton in 2014 by Mayor David J. Narkewicz, refers to police relations with non-criminal offenders.

The Northampton order specifically states in part that its local police will not enforce any detainer request from U.S. Immigration and Enforcement "that is non-criminal and not subject to a judicially issued warrant."

The letter from the activists in Springfield called on Sarno to issue a Mayoral Executive Order to formalize the following policies:

(1) that the Springfield Police Department will not inquire into the immigration status of individuals and will not indicate the suspected immigration status of witnesses, perpetrators, or victims in SPD incident reports or other police documents,

(2) that the Springfield Police Department will not detain noncitizens at the request of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (using ICE forms I-247, I-247N, I-247X, or I-247D) except in the limited situations where an undocumented immigrant has been charged and convicted of a serious felony offense under Massachusetts law;

(3) that the City of Springfield and the Springfield Police Department will not enter into a contractual agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or its sub-agencies under the provisions of Section 287(g) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1357(g)) or any other agreement that "deputizes" local law enforcement agents to perform immigration enforcement functions. We ask that you enact this provision for a period of at least four (4) years from the date of the Mayoral Executive Order.

The letter was signed by 14 individuals and organizations, most of whom are based in Springfield. Signers include the Tara Parrish of the Pioneer Valley Project, Springfield City Councilor Adam Gomez, Jesse Lederman from Arise for Social Justice, Bishop Talbert Swan, President of the Springfield NAACP, Bishop Douglas Fisher of the Episcopal Diocese of Western MA, Dr. Zubair Kareem of the Islamic Society of Western MA, Jafet Robles of Neighbor to Neighbor, Katheryn Buckley-Brawner of the Catholic Charities Agency, Aleandro Mirabal, co-owner of the Food Zone Superrmaket, Fiore Grassetti of the Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council, Attorney Billy Peard of the Pioneer Valley Workers Center, Attorney Harris Freeman of Western New England University Law School, Rose Bookbinder of MA Jobs with Justice, and Amber Cano Martin of 11999 SEIU.

Springfield students learn about newspaper business during Junior Achievement Day at The Republican

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The program, sponsored by Junior Achievement, allowed twenty students from the M. Marcus Kiley Middle School to tour and follow employees at The Republican, learning about the newspaper and media business.

SPRINGFIELD- The groundhog was not the only one to see its shadow on Thursday, as it was also job shadow day at The Republican.

The program, sponsored by Junior Achievement of Western Mass., allowed twenty students from the M. Marcus Kiley Middle School to tour and follow employees at The Republican, learning about the newspaper and media business.

The group was met by Publisher George Arwady, who talked about his career at various publications and at The Republican. He discussed how the paper operates and what different employment positions are held at the paper from top to bottom.

The students then toured the building with Packaging Manager Johan Velez, showing the students the printing operation including the company's large Regioman press.

Assistant Managing Editor of Digital and Multimedia Robert Rizzuto then fielded questions about the news operation and explained how news becomes a post on MassLive and then a finished story in the pages of The Republican.

Human Resources Director Julie Fregeau explained the newspaper's internship opportunities, and talked about how sometimes a solid experience can lead to full-time employment.

At the end of the journey, Advertising Director Mark French presented the advertising and marketing aspects of the paper's operation.


'Warmer than Hell' clothing drive by Boston's Satanic Temple chapter promotes religious diversity

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The Boston Chapter of the Satanic Temple worked with Second Chances to bring warmth to those in need in Cambridge and Somerville, titling their clothing drive 'Warmer than Hell.'

The Boston Chapter of the Satanic Temple worked with Second Chances to bring warmth to those in need in Cambridge and Somerville, titling their clothing drive "Warmer than Hell."

The clothing drive brought in 191 coats, jackets and sweatshirts, two large bags of socks, hats, gloves and scarves and more than 900 dollars, according to a press release.

The Satanic Temple is most famous for its fights to establish satanic sculpture alongside Christian displays on public property. The group also recently opened their first national headquarters in Salem.

It is commonly misunderstood that the group worships Satan but the organization "advocates for free will, critical thinking, and the use of science to understand the world," a press release said, and the group uses Satan "as a literary figure representing an ancient struggle against authoritarianism."

"Warmer than Hell was our latest attempt to prove that religious diversity is not to be feared, but to be seen as an asset to the metro area," said Patrick Fay, spokesperson for the Boston chapter of the Satanic Temple.

Previously the group collected feminine hygiene products for area women's shelters, according to the press release. That drive was called "Menstruatin' with Satan."

Satanic Temple's first international headquarters opens in Salem

Poll: Voters split over support for President Donald Trump's immigration order; most oppose idea of Muslim ban

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Despite weekend protests at airports across the country, voters are largely split over President Donald Trump's executive order that bars refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries, according to a new poll.

Despite weekend protests at airports across the country, voters are largely split over President Donald Trump's executive order that bars refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries, according to a new poll.

The Public Policy Polling survey released Thursday found that 47 percent of American voters support the president's executive action, compared to 49 percent who oppose it -- a virtual tie given the poll's 3.6 percent margin of error.

Although Americans were largely divided over the order as a whole, they were slightly more unified in their opposition to certain portions of it, the poll found.

Just over a third of voters surveyed, or 39 percent, for example, said they support barring people from certain countries from entering the United States, including those who have already secured visas, compared to 53 percent who oppose such efforts.

Respondents, by a 48 to 43 percent margin, further said they oppose indefinitely suspending acceptance of Syrian refugees, the survey found.

More than half, or 52 percent of voters polled, meanwhile, said they thought the order was intended to be a Muslim ban -- something which 65 percent of respondents said they oppose.

Seven in 10 Trump voters, however, said they didn't perceive the executive action to have such an intent. More than 90 percent of those who cast ballots for the president further said they support the order.

Despite support among Trump voters, the president's handling of the executive order drew pushback from a majority of survey respondents, with 55 percent saying they believe it was poorly executed, according to poll results.

Trump's immigration ban leads to confusion, condemnation

"Americans think last week's executive order is a Muslim ban and they don't like
it," said Dean Debnam, the Public Policy Polling president. "And beyond that, they
think the order was executed in an incompetent fashion."

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, recently questioned the White House's handling of the executive order, saying he believed "the decision was made to go forward by the political people in the White House, as opposed to the policy people at the Justice Department."

The congressman contended that the so-called travel ban, which barred Syrian refugees from entering the U.S., suspended all refugee admissions for 120 days and blocked citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days, "clearly was not thought out."

The poll surveyed 725 registered voters via telephone and the Internet from Jan. 30 to 31.

Chicopee Parks Dept. offering February vacation art program

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The cost is $23 per class for residents and $26 per class for non residents.

CHICOPEE - The Parks and Recreation Department is offering a four-day art program during school vacation week in February.

The program, for children in kindergarten through grade five, will be conducted by Let's Gogh Art, and run from Feb. 21 through 24. There are different themes for each class and people can register for one day or all four days.

The classes will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Parks and Recreation Office. The fee per day is $23 for residents and $26 for non-residents. People can register online at www.GoghArtWestMA.com or in person at the Chicopee Parks Office 687 Front St.

2 Westfield deputy fire chiefs graduate from Massachusetts Firefighting Academy management training course

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The training course prepares fire department ranking officers with such duties as human resources and labor issues, public relations and strategic planning.

Two Westfield Fire Department deputy chiefs were among 31 fire service leaders to complete successfully the Fire Officer Management Training Program offered by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.

Deputy Chiefs Eric Bishop and Patrick Kane were the lone Western Massachusetts representatives in the class. Other departments included Revere, Worcester, Cambridge, Burlington and Andover. Graduation ceremonies were conducted Thursday at the firefighting academy in Stow.

The 14-week program was developed in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Standards for chief fire officers.

It is conducted jointly by the firefighting academy and the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management. It is designed to be a comprehensive course that provides training in aspects of managing a fire department outside of fire suppression.

State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey said "These fire service leaders are committed to continually developing their management and leadership skills in order to provide the highest level of service to the communities they protect."

Topics covered in the course include human-resources management, ethics, executive management, government and organizational structures, strategic planning, finances, community awareness, and public and labor relations.


Massachusetts House and Senate lawmakers expected to override Gov. Charlie Baker's veto of their pay raises today

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Massachusetts lawmakers on Thursday plan to override Gov. Charlie Baker's veto of their pay raise package. Baker vetoed the package on Friday, calling it "fiscally irresponsible."

Massachusetts lawmakers on Thursday plan to override Gov. Charlie Baker's veto of their pay raise package.

Baker vetoed the package on Friday, calling it "fiscally irresponsible." The proposal could cost as much as $18 million on an annualized basis.

But top lawmakers who will be in line for big pay bumps, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg, have pointed to independent commissions in 2008 and 2014 determining the pay levels are outdated and inadequate. They say the raises are overdue.

The proposal hikes the pay levels of top lawmakers, judges and other government officials.

Republican members of the Massachusetts House and Senate have voted against the pay raise, joined by a dozen Democrats.

Lawmakers who support the pay raise have come under fire not just from Baker and the Massachusetts Republican Party, but from other Democrats as well, like Newton Mayor Setti Warren, who is eyeing a run for governor in 2018.

"If only five Democratic Senators or 10 Democratic Representatives change their vote, this badly-handled legislation will be stopped for now," Warren said in a statement last week, referring to the number of lawmakers necessary to flip their votes and sustain Baker's veto.

Cost of pay raise could end up hitting $18 million

Here's what the pay raise proposal does

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

Did your state rep vote to raise top Mass. lawmakers' pay? Here's the roll call

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