Obituaries from The Republican.

The Randolph Police Department is currently a shooting that occurred late Tuesday night that injured one victim.

The Randolph Police Department is currently investigating a shooting that occurred late Tuesday night that injured one victim.

According to WCVB.com, the shooting happened in an apartment building in the Rosemont Square complex on W. Chestnut Street, sometime before 11:00 p.m.

Authorities told WCVB that a man was shot inside the apartment. Police do not believe the shooting was random.

The victim is still alive.

Police told WCVB that they are still looking for one suspect connected to the shooting. Authorities say there is no danger to the public.

A "Winter Festival" will be held from Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017 to Sunday at Gateway City Arts at 92 Race St. in Holyoke, Massachusetts with live music, a drag show, puppets and an artisan vendor market.

HOLYOKE -- A "Winter Festival" will be held from today to Sunday at Gateway City Arts at 92 Race St. with live music, a drag show, puppets and an artisan vendor market.

"Join us at Gateway City Arts for a festive week of activities for the whole family including live music, a puppet slam, community events such as board games and ping-pong, a drag show, an air guitar and lip-sync contest hosted by state Rep Aaron Vega, an artisan vendor market, delicious food and drink and much more still to be announced," said the event listing on the Gateway City Arts website.

Here's a schedule of events as posted on the website on Tuesday night:

Delays are expected on the Mass. Pike eastbound and westbound due to the crash.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has just sent out an alert that a truck has rolled over onto the median of Interstate 90, closing two lanes in both directions.

The crash occurred in Millbury, near exit 11. Delays are expected on the Mass. Pike eastbound and westbound due to the crash.

#MAtraffic Alert: Millbury, I-90 EB/WB at ex 11: Truck rollover in median. 2 lanes closed in both directions.

-- Mass. Transportation (@MassDOT) February 8, 2017

MassDOT did not say how long the four lanes will be closed.

To stay updated on traffic news, sign up for MassLive.com text alerts.

Sandy Hook Promise has educated nearly 1.5 million youths and adults with its "Know the Signs" programs on mental health and wellness. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- It can be a head nod, a wave, a nice note slipped in a locker -- there are many ways to reach out to someone who may be feeling lonely or sad.

Middle school students at Springfield Conservatory of The Arts have been discussing bullying and how to prevent it all year. On Tuesday they met with Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise, whose son Dylan, a first-grader, was killed in a Connecticut school shooting on Dec. 14, 2012.

Hockley's organization is hosting its second annual Start With Hello Call-to-Action Week and stopped in Springfield to share some tips students can use to spot the signs that someone may be suffering from isolation, depression or mental illness, as well as ways to engage with that person and make them feel noticed.

Presenter Billy Flash, a friend of one of the fathers who lost a child at Sandy Hook Elementary School, spoke with the students about things they can do to make sure no one in their school is bullied or feels alone.

Signs that someone may be struggling include sitting alone all the time and not engaging with other students, he said.

"There are three simple things you can do to reach out to a student who may be suffering from isolation: 1. See someone alone; 2. Reach out and help; 3. Start with hello," he said.

Samani Barnes, Kaliyah Wilder and Quana Carter are all seventh-graders in Olga Escalera's creative writing class.

All three are part of a student support group that meets at lunch and is open to any student who wants some company, may be feeling depressed or alone or is experiencing bullying. Each said they will use some of the tips they learned from Flash.

Eighth-grade students presented rocks painted with inspirational messages of hope and acceptance to Hockley after the presentation.

Dereck Valle is one of the school's "Kindness Kickstarters," a group of students who encourage each other and their classmates to perform acts of kindness throughout the school day. He said the rocks are meant to serve as a reminder that people should treat each other well.

"Like this one says life on it, and it just stands for never giving up and to keep trying, and if you see it when you may be having a bad day it will make you feel better," he said.

Hockley accepted the gifts and thanked the students for their willingness to listen and for being kind to one another. She shared with the students a little about her son Dylan, who was diagnosed with autism, about the day he died and the fact that the gunman, Adam Lanza, was a young man who suffered from isolation and mental illness.

"The kids are the future, so if we can unlock the power that's within them and teach them the tools to reach out to each other and how looking out for each other can really make a difference, that's what gives me hope," she said.

Sandy Hook Promise has educated nearly 1.5 million youths and adults with its "Know the Signs" programs on mental health and wellness, identification of at-risk behaviors and how to take action and get help before a situation escalates. For more information, call 203-304-9780.

A local group called Citizens Supporting Educational Excellence has accused the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee of attempting an "end-run" to close Thornton W. Burgess Middle School, even though Hampden voters rejected a plan to move TWB students to Wilbraham Middle School.

HAMPDEN -- A group called Citizens Supporting Educational Excellence (CSEE) has accused the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee of attempting an "end-run" to close Thornton W. Burgess Middle School, even though Hampden voters rejected a formal plan to move TWB students to Wilbraham Middle School.

The leader of the School Committee denied the accusation and explained the school board's role in recent controversial decisions that have further reduced enrollment at TWB, a struggling, 220-plus-student school that will have at least 90 fewer students by the start of the 2017-18 school year.

Recent School Committee actions -- allowing TWB students to transfer to WMS and moving TWB's fifth grade to Green Meadows Elementary School -- have contributed to the falloff in enrollment, according to CSEE, which is urging district residents to express their "strong concern and desire to see these changes reversed immediately."

For now, TWB's fifth-graders will be educated at Green Meadows, Hampden's only other school in the seven-school district. The move, which was supported by Superintendent Albert Ganem Jr. and the School Committee, brings the district in line with state educational standards.

The decision to allow TWB students to transfer to WMS, a larger, better-performing school, was the result of numerous transfer requests from concerned parents in Hampden, after voters in that town split with Wilbraham voters over a plan to temporarily merge TWB students with WMS students in Wilbraham.

At special town meetings in October, Hampden residents voted against sending TWB students to WMS for a five-year period beginning next fall, while Wilbraham voters approved the plan. The proposal needed approval from both towns to take effect.

CSEE, in a flier delivered last week to Hampden and Wilbraham residents, accused the School Committee of taking many "troubling steps" since Hampden voters rejected the middle school consolidation plan.

"You may think that the October vote rejecting the merger of the middle schools had settled the issue. Unfortunately, IT DID NOT! In fact, nothing could be further from the truth," the flier states. 

Consolidating the district's middle schools on a unified campus in Wilbraham was expected to save money and bolster academics and enrollment, according to proponents of the plan. Yet, the School Committee "has made no mention of any specific monetary savings from these measures or the negative impact the move will have on Hampden's children, schools and community," the flier states.

During the merger period, district officials said they would continue to monitor TWB's enrollment while devising a long-range plan for both middle schools that included working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), the quasi-independent government authority that partially reimburses school districts for building and renovation projects.

In late December, however, the MSBA rejected Hampden-Wilbraham's request for assistance, saying the district's middle schools were ineligible for funding at this time.

Prior to the October town meetings, Ganem made it clear that he intended to move TWB's fifth-graders back to Green Meadows regardless of the outcome of the merger vote. The School Committee voted to endorse the move, said Lisa Morace, chairwoman of the School Committee.

"It is his belief that it is more educationally appropriate for the fifth-graders to be in an elementary school setting," Morace said of Ganem, who based his decision on standards supported by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Neil Gile, director of curriculum and instruction for the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District, also supported the move.

Morace, in response to questions from The Republican about TWB's viability, said she needed to clear up "misunderstandings" about the nature of the merger articles that were presented to town meeting voters in Hampden and Wilbraham. The articles "were very specific," she said, and based on recommendations by the Middle School Task Force, the panel that was formed to study the issue for the district.

Hampden voters "turned down a very specific plan," Morace said, noting that the vote was never about saving TWB -- "a misconception created by the opposition groups," she added.

In 1993, Hampden fully joined the regional school district with Wilbraham. Prior to then, Hampden had maintained its own schools, with local students only crossing town lines to attend high school in Wilbraham. The regional agreement that established the two-town school district also established "the right of parents to request a transfer of their child to another school across town lines," Morace said.

Back when regionalization was first discussed, transfers were used as an incentive to get Hampden voters to support the idea, she said.

Following the split merger vote in October, Ganem and the School Committee received transfer requests "within seconds of the failed vote in Hampden," Morace said. The School Committee "simply created a process to manage the high volume of unsolicited transfer requests," she said.

CSEE alleges that parents of TWB students were encouraged to apply for transfers, even if they weren't committed to having their child attend WMS. "This is simply untrue," Morace said.

Recent actions by the School Committee will undermine TWB's enrollment by reducing the school's population from around 222 students to as few as 100 students, according to CSEE.

"In short, this is a clear attempt to make an end-run around the expressed will of the voters of the Town of Hampden," the group states in the flier.

Senate Republicans invoked an arcane rule to silence Sen. Elizabeth Warren from "impugning" Sen. Jeff Sessions during the debate over his nomination as the nation's attorney general.

Senate Republicans invoked an arcane rule to silence Sen. Elizabeth Warren from "impugning" Sen. Jeff Sessions during the debate over his nomination as the nation's attorney general.

Now the internet is fighting back against the Republican ruling, with #LetLizSpeak and Elizabeth Warren" trending on Twitter and Facebook.

After reading a Coretta Scott King letter on Jeff Sessions, senators decided @SenWarren was impugning. #LetLizSpeak. https://t.co/IbcoVjXxrT

-- Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) February 8, 2017

Warren's Facebook Live response to the incident has been watched over 4.3 million times.

According to Politico, the Republican-majority voted 49-43 to prevent Warren from talking on the chamber floor until Sessions' nomination is over.

Warren was railing against the Alabama senator in a lengthy speech that highlighted his poor treatment of black citizens in his district. Republicans silenced Warren even though the words she was using to condemn Sessions were read from a speech written by Coretta Scott King.

"Mr. Sessions has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens in the district he now seeks to serve as a federal judge," Warren read on the Senate floor Tuesday night. "This simply cannot be allowed to happen."

Scott's speech was written to the Senate in 1986 when legislators were considering appointing Sessions to a lifetime position as a federal judge.

Warren was warned twice by Republicans for violating the Senate rules against impugning another senator. Both presiding officer Sen. Steve Daines and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned Warren that she was overstepping her bounds.

"The senator has impugned the motives and conduct of our colleague from Alabama," McConnell said.

He specifically took issue with Warren's recitation of Scott's speech that implied Sessions would "chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens," Politico reported.

In her live video response to the incident, Warren said read Scott's letter in its entirety outside the Senate chamber. 

"Tonight, I wanted to read that letter, and Senator Mitch McConnell and Republicans came to the floor to shut me down for reading that letter... I just want to read the letter," Warren said.

The exhibit features a fake teenager's bedroom and is aimed at teaching parents about the hidden indicators of substance abuse.

HOLYOKE -- The West Springfield CARE Coalition and the Holyoke Mall will debut the "Hidden in Plain Sight" display at a kickoff event at 10:30 a.m. today at the mall.

The exhibit recreates a teenager's bedroom and is designed to raise awareness about the possibility of substance abuse. The mock bedroom is intended to teach parents about the indicators, which are often "hidden in plain sight," that their son or daughter might be using drugs.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni will join West Springfield School Superintendent Michael Richard, who's also a CARE Coalition representative, and Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger.

Also expected to attend are Holyoke Mall manager Bill Rogalski, and John Sjoberg, chairman of the board of directors of Mercy Behavioral Health.

Those planning to attend are asked to use the mall's red entrance, which is near Guest Services on the lower level in Sears Court.

A six-mile traffic backup in the eastbound lane of the Massachusetts Turnpike following a serious early morning crash prompted state police to call for commuters to avoid the highway around Millbury Wednesday.

A six-mile traffic backup in the eastbound lane of the Massachusetts Turnpike following a serious early morning crash prompted state police to ask commuters to avoid the highway near Millbury on Wednesday.

The accident occurred around 6:30 a.m. near Exit 11, when a pickup truck lost control due to icy conditions and collided with a tractor-trailer, according to Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Jonathan Swift.

"Both vehicles rolled over," Swift said. "There's debris in all lanes and traffic is backed up about six miles. Avoid that area. [Cleanup] is going to be about two or three more hours."

Debris littered the highway at the scene of the accident -- close to the intersection between I-90 and Route 122 and the border with Grafton. Witnesses recorded videos showing the tractor-trailer flipped over, straddling the median of the highway and leaking fluids.

Responders closed lanes on both sides of the highway in order to facilitate cleanup of the wreck.

Through traffic was moving at a crawl as of 8:15 a.m., according to Google Maps traffic data. The backup extended from Route 122 all the way to the intersection of I-90 and Route 56 in Rochdale.

Swift said nobody suffered serious injuries in the wreck. The driver of the pickup truck was transported to a nearby hospital as a precautionary measure, he added.

The multi-car crash caused major traffic delays for commuters traveling on icy roads Wednesday morning.

An enormous pile-up car crash on Interstate 95 northbound is causing major traffic delays Wednesday morning.

The crash occurred around 6 a.m. before Exit 39 in Wakefield. The large-scale collision involved more than 30 cars, according to Lieutenant Tom Ryan with the Massachusetts State Police. Ryan reported the collision caused minor injuries, but it is unclear at this time how many were hurt or the extent of their injuries.

Several miles of I-95 NB was closed, and could not be accessed from I-93 in both directions, according to MassDOT. Officials are redirecting traffic onto I-93.

National Weather Service warns of icy roads Wednesday morning

Gov. Baker declared a two-hour delay for non-essential state employees following reports of several multi-car crashes across the state:

The admin is implementing a 2 hour delay to allow road crews to treat dangerously icy roads & to respond to several multi-vehicle crashes. pic.twitter.com/wGQF3Lia0T

-- Charlie Baker (@MassGovernor) February 8, 2017

We will update this story as more information becomes available.

Police executed their search warrant at 15 Standish St. at about 7 p.m.Tuesday

SPRINGFIELD -- Narcotics detectives raided a Forest Park neighborhood home Tuesday night, seized 310 bags of heroin stamped with the logo of "Clean Money," and arrested a 55-year-old man.

Police executed their search warrant at 15 Standish St. at about 7 p.m., following a lengthy investigation into the sales of heroin and cocaine, Sgt. John Delaney said.

Police also seized 12 bags of cocaine and $400 in cash, Delany, public information officer for the department, said.

Jorge Vasquez, of that address, was charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

The raid was conducted under the supervision of Lt. Alberto Ayala.

Icy road conditions and highway closures after pile-ups prompted Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to tell non-emergency state workers they'll have an extra two hours to get into work today.

Icy road conditions and highway closures after pile-ups prompted Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to tell non-emergency state workers they'll have an extra two hours to get into work today.

"The administration is implementing a two hour delay to allow road crews to treat dangerously icy roadways and to respond to several, multi-vehicle crashes," Baker said in a statement.

"We urge all drivers to exercise extreme caution as driving is very difficult due to icy conditions and to be patient as public safety officials respond to multiple incidents impacting our highways."

Some cars that were not hit have been allowed to pass. But the highway is still closed in the area at exit 39 - 40. @OlessaStepanova #wcvb pic.twitter.com/NOgcirpq4u

-- Sera Congi (@seracongi) February 8, 2017

A school bus with students on board crashed in Melrose on Wednesday morning, according to social media reports.

A school bus heading to a Malden charter school with students on board crashed in Melrose on Wednesday morning, according to social media reports.

Two students on the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School bus were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, according to Interim School Director Alex Dan.

"I have communicated with the parents of these two children since the accident, and the school will remain in touch with the families as the day progresses," Dan said in a statement sent to parents. "At this point, all students have boarded a replacement bus and are currently in transit to school."

All other students on the bus were safe, Dan said.

#BREAKING First photo of bus crash in Melrose. Students were on board but no reported injuries. #7News pic.twitter.com/O6ssE6RSpF

-- Mike Fahey (@michaelefahey) February 8, 2017

The crash followed Police Chief Michael Lyle's request that residents stay off the city's slippery roads until sander trucks finished treating the streets.

"Sanders are currently making their way down roads to salt and sand," Lyle said in a statement. "Drivers who must be on the roads are reminded to proceed with caution, as the roads are icy and slippery."

The department has responded to at least two dozen other car crashes in the city on Wednesday morning, the statement said.

The city also released a statement urging drivers to use caution.

"Sanders have been out for some hours, but the region is covered with ice and driving is dangerous this morning," the city said. "Please be careful getting to your car, driving, and walking. Give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go today. Temperatures are expected to rise considerably today, with the potential for a major storm tomorrow. Please drive carefully."

Melrose - Vinton St near the Fellsway - MVA, School bus T-Boned another car. Units being freed up

-- Tim Gorman (@TMGormanPhotos) February 8, 2017

@CityofMelrose Awake since 4:45 AM-still no sanders. It is 8:16 - more than 3 hrs ltr. Now Melrose school bus acc on @7News #preventable

-- Linda Mae (@LindaMaeNot) February 8, 2017

Icy road conditions caused a pile-up crash on Route 128 southbound in Wakefield that led to major traffic delays Wednesday morning.

An enormous pile-up car crash on Interstate 95 northbound involved nearly 55 vehicles, police say.

The crash occurred around 6 a.m. before Exit 39 in Wakefield. The large-scale collision involved approximately 55 cars, according to Massachusetts State Police. Nearly 30 of those vehicles were towed away.

State Lieutenant Tom Ryan reported the collision caused minor injuries, but it is unclear at this time how many were hurt or the extent of their injuries. Ryan said they expect everyone to be OK. 

Several miles of I-95 north were closed for much of the early morning commute, and could not be accessed from I-93 in both directions, reported MassDOT. Drivers were re-routed to I-93, and traffic was backed up for several miles to exits at Woburn during peak commute hours.

National Weather Service warns of icy roads Wednesday morning

Gov. Baker declared a two-hour delay for non-essential state employees following reports of several multi-car crashes across the state: 

The admin is implementing a 2 hour delay to allow road crews to treat dangerously icy roads & to respond to several multi-vehicle crashes. pic.twitter.com/wGQF3Lia0T

-- Charlie Baker (@MassGovernor) February 8, 2017

Commuters stuck in the six-plus-mile traffic backup in the eastbound lane of the Massachusetts Turnpike posted photographs and video of the wreck causing it on social media.

UPDATE: Wreck clear, traffic flow resumed to normal as of 10:15 a.m.

***

Commuters stuck in the six-plus-mile traffic backup in the eastbound lane of the Massachusetts Turnpike posted photographs and video of the wreck causing it on social media Wednesday.

Twitter user Kris Carrington posted a video showing a flipped tractor-trailer straddling the median of the highway near Exit 11 in Millbury. 

@masslivenews pic.twitter.com/Il6c3bH8rU

-- Kris Carrington (@K_CarringTONE) February 8, 2017

Neither driver suffered serious injury in the wreck.

Massachusetts State Police advised commuters -- especially those headed east -- to avoid the area, with cleanup expected to continue until at least 10 a.m. The backup extended from the I-90-Route 122 intersection in Millbury to the I-90-Route 56 intersection in Rochdale as of 9 a.m.

Other posted images of the traffic backup and the wreck on Facebook.

Calling on Senate leaders to "let Liz speak," several members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation condemned chamber Republicans Tuesday for formally silencing U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren as she spoke out against U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions' attorney general confirmation.

Calling on Senate leaders to "let Liz speak," several members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation condemned chamber Republicans Tuesday for formally silencing U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren as she spoke out against U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions' attorney general nomination.

Warren, who has been a vocal opponent of several of President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, was stopped mid floor speech after reading past statements against Sessions from the late Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy and Coretta Scott King, the wife of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren's Facebook Live video goes viral after Republicans shut her down for impugning Jeff Sessions

Contending that the Massachusetts Democrat had violated Senate rules and "impugned the motives and conduct of" the Alabama senator, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell led votes to formally silence Warren -- a move which drew immediate criticism from Massachusetts lawmakers.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, who had said he would oppose Sessions' confirmation, called for chamber leaders to "#letlizspeak" before taking aim at the AG nominee's record in a series of late night tweets.

#letlizspeak https://t.co/YL9DMPUHme

-- Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) February 8, 2017

"Senator #Sessions record reflects hostility to Constitutional rights intended to protect people of color, women, #LGBTQ and immigrants. Senator #Sessions has fought against #CivilRights, protecting #votingrights, against #gunsafety measures and a woman's right to choose," he wrote over three posts on the social media website. "I've no confidence that Senator #Sessions shares a commitment to justice for all Americans or that he will defend vulnerable in our society."

Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, called Senate Republicans' move to silence Warren "unacceptable," arguing that "Americans deserve the truth about Trump's pick for attorney general."

"Tonight GOP stopped @SenWarren from reading a letter by Coretta Scott King on the Senate floor. This is unacceptable. #LetLizSpeak," he tweeted. "Senate GOP has now ruled that any Democrat who criticizes Sessions' record will be stripped of right to speak. It's outrageous."

Sharing an image of the letter Warren attempted to read on the Senate floor, McGovern urged social media followers to share it "to say we will not be silenced."

Here's the letter from MLK's widow on Sen. Sessions that Republicans don't want you to see. RT to say we will not be silenced. #LetLizSpeak pic.twitter.com/RDXnNOc8Tw

-- Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) February 8, 2017

U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, the nephew of Edward Kennedy, also offered support for Warren, contending that "failure to defend civil rights at the Department of Justice is a disgrace."

"It was true when my uncle said it & remains true when @SenWarren says it. Failure to defend civil rights at DOJ is a disgrace. #LetLizSpeak," he tweeted along with a video of McConnell's censure.

It was true when my uncle said it & remains true when @SenWarren says it. Failure to defend civil rights at DOJ is a disgrace. #LetLizSpeak https://t.co/WgFff0N39N

-- Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) February 8, 2017

Congresswoman Katherine Clark, D-Melrose, meanwhile, thanked Warren for "giving voice to Mrs. King and the millions of Americans worried about an AG who won't stand up for our rights."

Thank you @SenWarren for giving voice to Mrs. King & the millions of Americans worried about an AG who won't stand up for our rights https://t.co/nlCX0hD4va

-- Katherine Clark (@RepKClark) February 8, 2017

The bills would create a new class of dental practitioners that can perform some, but not all, dental procedures.

Two competing bills would expand access to dental care in places that are currently underserved -- such as portions of rural Western Massachusetts -- by creating a new class of dental practitioners.

The organizations involved, however, disagree on what that new job would look like: who the dental practitioners could serve and what kind of training they would need. It will be up to lawmakers to figure out whether they can develop a compromise bill this session.

State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, who has been pushing for the bill for years, said it will be his top priority this year. "Certainly in Western Massachusetts, there's a shortage of dentists and a shortage of dentists who accept MassHealth," Pignatelli said. "Some of our poorest families and kids don't have access to a dentist."

Versions of the bill have been introduced in the past but, in the face of opposition from the group representing the state's dentists, have never made it through the legislative process.

The idea is to create a mid-level dental practitioner, who has more training than a dental hygienist but less than a dentist. Under a bill being pushed by Pew Charitable Trusts with a coalition of local health-related and social service organizations, these practitioners would be allowed to do things like fill cavities, extract baby teeth and damaged adult teeth, and put in temporary crowns.

They would be able to practice in a dentist's office or off-site in places like schools or senior care centers, as long as they are under the general supervision of a dentist. The goal would be to provide care in underserved areas and to patients, such as those covered by MassHealth or those who are uninsured, who may have trouble finding a dentist for financial reasons. These new practitioners would be lower-paid -- so, more able to work in settings like community health centers in poor areas where the economics would otherwise make it difficult.

The first instance of mid-level practitioners in the U.S. was in 2004, when they began serving the native communities of Alaska. Since then, they were authorized in Minnesota in 2011 and Maine in 2014.

Pignatelli said the bill is necessary because last year in Massachusetts, more than 200,000 children never saw a dentist. "That's an alarming number," Pignatelli said.

Joan Lowbridge-Sisley, a licensed dental hygienist who works on oral health policy for the Springfield-based nonprofit Partners for a Healthier Community, said the bill is important because it will expand access to preventive dental treatment to people who often do not get it today, including those who are uninsured or underinsured. This includes adults on MassHealth, where reimbursement rates for dental care are low. It could also help individuals who cannot afford to pay out of pocket, since even for people with insurance, co-pays are often high for dental care.

Lowbridge-Sisley said many hygienists would likely be interested in getting the additional training. "It's really about improving access to care for people that have issues one way or another, and ensuring people get the care they need," Lowbridge-Sisley said.

The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission has found that low-income adults are much less likely to visit dentists than higher-income adults. Because fewer dentists accept Medicaid dental insurance than commercial insurance, adults with MassHealth were more likely to have untreated cavities.

This also results in a growing number of low-income adults visiting the emergency room due to untreated dental problems. In 2014, the Health Policy Commission estimated there were 36,000 emergency room visits for preventable oral health pain in Massachusetts, costing the health care system between $15 million and $36 million. Far more of these visits were from patients with MassHealth than with commercial insurance.

Massachusetts has 61 areas designated as having a dentist shortage, with the least served areas being on the North and South Shores.

Ray Martin, president of the Massachusetts Dental Society, said the state's dentists agree that there is an access problem, but believe the bill introduced by advocates does not provide proper training and standards. "We're admitting that yes, there could be a problem there, but we want a properly qualified person to be able to treat those people," Martin said.

The Dental Society filed its own bill this session to create a new job of "public health dental practitioners." The Dental Society bill would require more years of training than the advocates' bill and would require more direct supervision from a dentist. Under the Dental Society bill, a practitioner would have to be practicing in the same building as a dentist. Practitioners would not be allowed to treat patients in a setting like a school or nursing home.

The Dental Society bill would restrict the patients that can be treated by these practitioners to those on MassHealth or those in federally qualified health centers in areas that have dental shortages. The advocates' bill does not have these restrictions, so the practitioners could treat a wider range of patients, including those who are uninsured or have commercial insurance.

The Dental Society bill also includes several additional provisions, including instituting mandatory oral health screenings of every child prior to kindergarten and requiring the Department of Public Health to conduct annual seminars on water fluoridation.

Don Berwick, president emeritus and senior fellow at the nonprofit Institute for Health Care Improvement, said he hopes a version of the bill becomes law. "If we're interested in better care, it should pass," Berwick said. "If we're interested in more access and equity, it should pass. If we're interested in cost, it should pass."

Berwick said statistics show that children with Medicaid coverage and elders in nursing homes and long-term care facilities often do not have their dental needs met, and there are insufficient dentists to care for these patients.

Berwick said studies in the states that have dental practitioners, as well as other countries that use them, find their performance is just as good as that of dentists, although they perform fewer procedures. They also free up dentists to focus on patients who need the services of a fully qualified dentist.

The department, in a post on the Facebook page that it shares with the fire department, urges residents to lock their vehicles and homes,

George Graham | ggraham@repub.com 

WILLIAMSBURG -- Police urge residents to be vigilant following recent thefts from vehicles and buildings.

The department, in a post on the Facebook page that it shares with the fire department, urges residents to lock their vehicles and homes,

Police ask residents to call 911 immediately if they see anything suspicious.

The Williamsburg thefts follow recent residential break-ins in nearby communities, including Westhampton.

Responders have cleared a tractor-trailer from the median of Interstate 90 in Millbury and traffic flow on the state's main traffic artery returned to normal.

Responders have cleared a tractor-trailer from the median of Interstate 90 in Millbury and traffic flow on the state's main traffic artery returned to normal.

The development follows an early morning wreck near Exit 11. A pickup truck slid on the ice and slammed into the larger vehicle, causing both to flip, according to state police.

A six-mile traffic backup in the eastbound lane followed, persisting for hours as responders shut down lanes in both directions to facilitate clearing the highway of the tractor-trailer. The task required a crane.

Some commuters caught video of the cleanup in progress. 

A 63-year-old Needham man was fatally struck by a car on Wednesday morning while trying to help another motorist who was stuck on icy roads, police said.

A 63-year-old Needham man was fatally struck by a car on Wednesday morning while trying to help another motorist who was stuck on icy roads, police said.

The victim, who Needham police did not identify publicly, was helping a motorist on Brookline Street at 7 a.m. Roads across the state were covered in ice on Wednesday morning, as slippery conditions led to numerous crashes.

A car operated by a 40-year-old Needham man was driving on Brookline Street toward Greendale Avenue, police said.

"It appears as though the vehicle was sliding on the ice and was unable to stop before striking the victim pinning him between the two vehicles," police said in a statement.

The crash is under investigation by the Massachusetts State Police Accident reconstruction team and The Norfolk District Attorney's office.

No further information was immediately available.