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Do police officers belong in public schools?

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Some say officers play an important role in education and student safety. Others point to troubling statistics.

A recent investigation found school resource officers in Chicago operate essentially without supervision or real training. High-profile incidents (like the student who was thrown on the ground in South Carolina) and troubling statistics have parents wondering if police officers should be stationed in schools at all. Critics say having law enforcement in schools is ultimately harmful for students. Proponents say officers play an important role in education and student safety. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

Police officers are trained to combat crime and arrest criminals. They are not trained to counsel and teach students, yet that's how they're being used at schools. When police officers are brought into a situation at a school, they're bringing the full force of criminal justice system, whether the situation warrants it or not. 

"The reality is, cops are blunt instruments," says education reform advocate and editor of Dropout Nation RiShawn Biddle. "Cops are there to arrest people. It's what they do. Putting a cop in a school means you are subjecting your students, your children, to the possibility of being arrested and all the things that come with law enforcement."

Before police were common on school campuses, administrators largely had the discretion to choose how a student would be punished. Matters were often handled internally rather than by the criminal justice system because administrators recognized that minors had to be taught--not punished. 

"If the police intervene and have to get involved, there's a good probability that there's going to be an arrest," explains Chet Epperson, a retired Rockford, Illinois, police chief who is critical of the notion that law enforcement should handle school discipline. "We think that juveniles should be treated from a rehabilitation standpoint. Well, that sort of runs counter to having cops in schools."

Studies have found students who attend schools where officers are on campus are more likely to be arrested. Those who have been arrested are more likely to drop out. Those who drop out are more likely to have run-ins with the law. You see where this is going. Police officers on campus have a direct impact on the school-to-prison pipeline.

Changing the rules of the game requires federal, state, and local reforms. With little evidence that police in schools make students safer and plenty that they facilitate harm to students' liberty and well-being, the Department of Justice should end the cops program's SRO grants to districts. Taxpayers should not be on the hook for billions that promote unjust school conditions and put kids at greater risk of future involvement with the criminal justice system. And students should feel like they can talk to school officials when they have problems without forfeiting their constitutional rights and winding up in the back of police cars.

READ MOREWhy are cops putting kids in cuffs?

However, not all resource officers operate the same way. Police officers in schools can be good and beneficial for more than just safety concerns with the proper training and situation. 

Understanding that I am interacting with a teenager, not an adult, dictates my demeanor. Also, during these situations, the rapport already developed with the students positively affects the outcome as well. Furthermore, when I can build trust as a school resource officer, it makes the school safer. Students are more comfortable talking to me about an array of things that may prevent a potential future situation from occurring.

One of the most important distinctions is to clearly delineate who the officer reports to and what the officer is responsible for. There are legitimate roles a police officer can play in a school.

It's important to point out that I am an employee of the district as opposed to being employed by a local municipality. As a district employee, I am not only law enforcement at the school, but I also handle truancy, provide protection at school events, traffic control, and even give law-enforcement related presentations in classrooms.

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERIn my school, I'm part of the fabric

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Poets Prentice Powell, Michael 'Chief' Peterson to perform at STCC

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Springfield Technical Community College is looking to make an impact this Black History Month with a spoken-word performance Thursday. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Springfield Technical Community College is looking to make an impact this Black History Month with a spoken-word performance Thursday featuring poets and educators Prentice Powell and Michael "Chief" Peterson.

The event, which is a part of the school's Diversity Speaker series, will begin at 11 a.m. in the Scibelli Hall gymnasium and is free and open to the public.

Powell and Peterson's work as poets and with youth makes them great role models for students and the community as a whole, said Vonetta Lightfoot, multicultural affairs operation manager for STCC's Diversity Council.

"I feel that this is a perfect mix of education and entertainment, and what a great thing to bring to the campus for Black History Month. It's different and it's young," she said. "This year it was really important given everything that's been going on with black men in general with shootings, police and the everyday things that these young men have to go through."

Peterson and Powell have delivered insightful and powerful messages about life through their spoken-word pieces, which have been featured on TV One's hit series "Verses and Flow," earning them national acclaim.

While the event is a part of the speaker series, it will also double as a moment of outreach for STCC, as the school will also host its Young Men's Mentoring and Leadership Summit.

The summit will include local high school students who are a part of the 100 Males to College Initiative, a program implemented by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education to increase college access, enrollment and retention in young and low-income men of color.

According to Lightfoot, this will be the fifth year that STCC has hosted the summit and the second year the school is working with the 100 Males to College Initiative.

"We are always looking for speakers who can speak to Black History Month but can also make an impact on these young men's lives," said Lightfoot. "How great would it be for them to see two guys who not only know and live their struggle and have turned it into an art form that is becoming recognized nationally and internationally in some cases?"

Powell and Peterson will hold a workshop for the students before and after their performance in connection with the summit's theme, "Lift up your voice in action."

Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne Bump stresses learning from positive and negative experiences at YPS Leadership Luncheon

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Suzanne Bump was the speaker at the Young Professionals of Greater Springfield's (YPS) monthly Leadership Luncheon. Watch video

Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne Bump doesn't just remember the good times, she also looks for important lessons when she's failed. 

Bump was the speaker at the Young Professionals of Greater Springfield's (YPS) monthly Leadership Luncheon. 

Bump recalls when she was running for reelection as a state representative in 1992 and lost.

"I lost because I had decided that there were people that I didn't have to work with," Bump said. "I didn't make enough of an effort to outreach to people who had different points of view." 

Although, she said she "paid a price for it" then, she learned from it and said it's an important part of how she does her work now. 

Bump shared the advice to about 20 YPS Leadership Luncheon attendees, noting that she wants young professionals to know those in leadership positions don't get where they are in life without a few setbacks. 

"I probably got that idea because that's how my father presented himself," Bump said. "He considered himself a self made man." 

But, she said, "that's not the way life works." 

Attendees had the opportunity to ask a few questions, many wanting to know who her mentors were and what's next for the State Auditor. 

She admitted she never had a formal mentor but there were many women in her life that were great role models. 

"You're never too old to need advice," Bump said. 

As for what's next, Bump said she still has a lot of work she wants to do in the Office of the State Auditor and is likely to run for reelection. 

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno names Jan. 18 'YPS Day' in honor of Springfield YPS 10th anniversary

Family of Jose Flores, Springfield man killed in tractor-trailor collision, seeks help with burial costs

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The family is seeking to raise donations of $10,000 to pay for the funeral for Flores, killed early Monday in an accident on Cottage Street in Springfield.

28 flores.jpgJose Flores 

SPRINGFIELD - The family of Jose Flores, the 31-year-old Springfield man killed early Monday in a collision with a tractor trailer, is appeal for help with paying costs of his funeral.

The family launched a campaign on the GoFundMe.com social crowd-sourcing website. It is seeking to raise $10,000. Through Wednesday afternoon, it had collected less than $1,000 in pledges.

It was started by Springfield resident Tatiana Gonzalez, who identifies herself as Flores' niece.

"Our family is suffering and we need help to put him to rest properly," she wrote.

"He was such a happy person, full of energy all the time. Always working hard. He had a whole life in front of him. He was loved by all his family. 
No one would've figured that this would be the last day. It's very hard for all of us. And we ask for help from everyone. Any donation would be appreciated."

Flores died just before 4 a.m. Monday when his Mercedes sedan slammed into the side of a tractor trailer that was pulling out of a driveway near 649 Cottage St.

The impact peeled back the car's roof and the car was pinned under the trailer.

Flores was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident remains under investigation, but police have said speed appears to have been a factor.

Replaced by 'West Mass,' 'Pioneer Valley' name was once center of region's tourism brand

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The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts have discarded "Pioneer Valley" in favor of a new regional brand, "West Mass." Watch video

"After you've seen the World of Tomorrow at the World's Fair, come up and see the world of yesterday at Old Deerfield and Old Hadley."

The Pioneer Valley Association in 1939 used enticements like that in magazine advertisements to lure visitors to Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties -- a region we now call the Pioneer Valley.

Or at least we used to. This week the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, a successor to the Pioneer Valley Association, and the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts debuted a new tourism and industrial development brand for the region -- "West Mass."

The term Pioneer Valley came from travel writers of the 1920s and 1930s, writing to motorists who were the first generation to take a driving vacation.

The new campaign comes with a video created by Steve Porter of Porterhouse Media in Holyoke. Look for it on YouTube and social media soon.

The visitors bureau and the EDC are both encouraging members to use the new West Mass name and logo, along with a Twitter hashtag, #WestMass.


Of course, there is no enforcement clause and people are free to continue using the phrase Pioneer Valley if they like.

Not everyone is enthusiastic about the change.

But the people behind West Mass are out there on social media and willing to argue back.

Mary Kay Wydra, president of the visitors bureau, said West Mass is more descriptive of the region's physical location in Western Massachusetts.

Even though Pioneer Valley may be a fond term for locals, it means nothing to anyone outside the region. And outsiders are obviously the primary audience for a tourism and business marketing campaign.

She said the word "maverick" will be a major part of the new campaign, a way of emphasizing the pioneering spirit without using the word pioneer. The new campaign uses the phrase, "Find your first," as in first job or first trip to the Basketball Hall of Fame. It's a play on City of Firsts, one of Springfield's nicknames.

West Mass is also a newer and more modern-sounding term. Even the W and M in the logo appear to move forward, Wydra said. Pioneer Valley, on the other hand, makes people in focus groups think of covered wagons and gingham dresses.

But once upon a time, nostalgia was the selling point. An ad from a $20,000 campaign in 1941 told magazine readers, especially those with family roots in the region, "Come back to the land of your ancestors. Your old home could still be here. Why not come and see?"

In 1957, the Pioneer Valley Association celebrated the opening of the Massachusetts Turnpike with references to landmarks of the early American period and antiques of colonial beauty.

The EDC and visitors bureau spent $80,000 on the effort, money collected from member businesses. The visitors bureau receives state grant money as well.

Gallery preview 

Hillary Clinton praises US Sen. Elizabeth Warren for reading Coretta Scott King letter

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Despite remaining largely out of the public eye since her 2016 presidential loss, former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton came out in support of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren Wednesday after the Massachusetts Democrat was formally silenced during a chamber floor speech.

Despite remaining largely out of the public eye since her 2016 presidential loss, former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton came out in support of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren Wednesday after the Massachusetts Democrat was formally silenced during a chamber floor speech.

Clinton, who had won Warren's coveted endorsement in the Democratic presidential primary, tweeted a video of the senator reading a 1986 letter in which Coretta Scott King voiced her opposition to Jeff Sessions' federal judge nomination.

The former secretary of state accompanied the video with a quotation from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said the Massachusetts Democrat had "impugned the motives and conduct of" Sessions, an Alabama senator, and invoked a rare and arcane chamber rule to end her floor remarks.

"'She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted,'" Clinton wrote, directly quoting the majority leader's reported defense for using Rule 19 to silence Warren.

Below the quotation, Clinton added: "So must we all."

Warren on Wednesday defended her decision to read from the Coretta Scott King letter, contending that the civil rights activist's 1986 opposition to Jeff Sessions' federal judge nomination is vital to the current debate on his attorney general confirmation.

US Sen. Elizabeth Warren defends reading from Coretta Scott King letter, says it's vital to debate on Jeff Sessions' confirmation

Judge jails Springfield mother charged with assault at son's school

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On Jan. 6, Melissa Murphy allegedly appeared at her ex-boyfriend's home and smashed the windows of his car with a baseball bat, according to a police report.

SPRINGFIELD -- A judge has revoked the bail of a woman accused of assaulting three people at her son's school after she allegedly used a baseball bat to smash the windows of her ex-boyfriend's car.

melissa murphy.jpgMelissa Murphy

Melissa Murphy, 36, of Springfield, was ordered held without right to bail Friday after pleading not guilty in Springfield District Court to malicious damage to an automobile and violating a restraining order.

The new charges were filed 10 weeks after Murphy was arrested at the Talmadage Elementary School for allegedly spitting on a teacher, biting one police officer and kicking another. The school was placed on lockdown as more officers were called to the scene, according to the arrest report.

Later that day, Murphy pleaded not guilty to disrupting school, disorderly conduct and three assault charges. She was released on personal recognizance, with orders to stay away from the school, report weekly to a probation officer, and seek a mental health evaluation.

Last month, prosecutors submitted a motion to have Murphy's bail revoked, citing her failure to obtain an evaluation or cooperate with probation officials. The motion was withdrawn after a judge ordered Murphy to undergo mental health counseling.

The custody of Murphy's 6-year-old son, meanwhile, was transferred to his father, Murphy's ex-boyfriend, court records show. On Jan. 6, Murphy allegedly appeared at his home and smashed the windows of his car with a baseball bat, according to a police report.

The man obtained a restraining order barring Murphy from having contact with him and their son, the report said.

She returned on Jan. 10, demanding to see her son, but left before police arrived, the report said.

The boy's father told police that Murphy "has emotional issues and needs to address them," the report said. "He states that Ms. Murphy has problems with authority figures and does not like to be told what to do."

The father also expressed concern for his son, saying his mother "shows up at the schools he attends, causing (him) to be thrown out," the report said.

Responding to a summons, Murphy appeared in court Friday to answer the new charges.

At the request of Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski, Judge Matthew Shea revoked her bail on the earlier charges and continued the new case for a pretrial hearing March 2.

UMass climate science series offers support, guidance to those seeking future in field

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Seven from UMass Amherst have created a series called Talking Truth: Finding Your Voice Around the Climate Crisis. Events run all semester.

AMHERST -- Madeleine Charney remembers talking to a doctoral student about her dissertation, and the discussion turned to activism and spirituality and the weightiness of climate change.

That conversation led them to put together a three-part series and drew about 100 people to the first panel.

They realized "we struck a chord," said Charney, the sustainability studies librarian at UMass. When it was finished, colleagues told her "please don't stop." And more people offered their help.

Now, seven organizers are involved in the series, called Talking Truth: Finding Your Voice Around the Climate Crisis, and events are running all semester.

"Rooted in and complementary to many efforts that have been going on for years at UMass, the project intentionally supports and builds on understanding of climate disruption," according to the Talking Truth website.

The series offers "emotional support and community around this," Charney said. It offers help on job hunting, for example. She said people love the field but are anxious about how to find meaningful work.

A panel scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. in W.E.B. Du Bois Library Room 2601 is called "Finding Work with Meaning in the Anthropocene." Anthropocene refers to the current geological age, during which humans are seen as being the dominant force.

The panel is intended to offer insight into "your personal journey toward forward-thinking work in sustainable living and community building within the fields of education, entrepreneurialism and green building."

The panel includes assistant UMass sociology professor Ofer Sharone; Sara Schley, co-founder of the sustainable consulting firm Seed Systems; Ezra Small, UMass Amherst sustainability manager; Trinity Solar employee Sarah Hebert; and John Fabel, a building and construction technology adjunct faculty member at UMass.

Other panels include "Beyond Doom and Gloom: Including Solutions to Climate Change in Teaching" and "Finding Your Life Purpose: A Career Workshop."

The series is free and co-sponsored by the Office of Civic Engagement and Service-Learning, UMass Amherst Libraries, Department of Environmental Conservation and Psychology of Peace and Violence Program.


Governor blames rain, quick temperature drop for difficult Wednesday commute

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The weather led to numerous car crashes and road closures Wednesday morning.

BOSTON -- Gov. Charlie Baker blamed rain and a quick temperature drop for conditions that led to numerous car crashes and road closures during Wednesday morning's commute.

Baker said the Massachusetts Department of Transportation pretreated the roads Tuesday night. But after a night of rain, a lot of the pretreating washed away. So when the temperatures dropped below freezing between 5:30 and 7 a.m., roads that had been wet turned into sheets of ice.

"I left my house at 5:30 a.m., and it was fine," Baker said. "By 7 a.m., everything around me was a skating rink."

Baker said meteorologists at the Department of Transportation did warn the agency at 5 a.m. to get equipment out to treat the roads, but by that point, "It was too late to get ahead of it."

State government opened two hours late Wednesday morning so that non-emergency state employees would not have to drive to work on the icy roads.

Baker said he ordered the delay as a message to anyone stuck in traffic or who had not left yet: "Don't race around, take your time, be careful."

Baker acknowledged that by the time he coordinated with all his staff, it was 7 a.m. "I wish we'd been talking about it at 5," Baker said.

Baker said he will update the public later Wednesday afternoon about preparations for Thursday's snowstorm.

UMass Faculty Senate to consider resolution condemning President Donald Trump's immigration ban

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The University of Massachusetts Amherst Faculty Senate Feb. 16 will consider passing a resolution condemning the Trump administration for its immigrant travel ban.

AMHERST -- The University of Massachusetts Amherst Faculty Senate Feb. 16 will consider passing a resolution condemning the Trump administration for its immigrant travel ban.

The resolution was proposed by the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday and states that faculty are outraged by Trump's actions "imposing additional and severe restrictions on the ability of individual nationals of certain countries and religious backgrounds to enter or return to the United States."

The resolution also in part states that "though explained as an effort to advance the shared desire of all Americans to have secure borders, the Trump administration actions also attacked the core values of this country by their explicit and open discrimination among nations and religions."

It continues, "Those discriminations directly contradict the American tradition of welcoming those cast out of their native land by terror and oppression, a tradition that has allowed gathering talent from all corners of the world, a tradition that has helped make this country great."

Trump on Jan. 27 signed an order barring nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the U.S. for 90 days. The order also banned refugees from entering the country for 120 days, and halted the entry of Syrian refugees indefinitely.

UMass Amherst has 2,862 international students under university immigration sponsorship, and is sponsoring an additional 500 international scholars and employees. Among the international students are 77 Iranian nationals, two graduate students from Syria and one graduate student from Sudan.

A federal appeals court Tuesday heard arguments about whether to restore the controversial immigration order after a federal judge in Seattle froze it. The court has not yet ruled.

According to the proposed Faculty Senate resolution, those at UMass "are directly affected by these measures because, as is true at colleges and universities across the country, faculty and students on our campus benefit greatly from being able to study, teach and conduct research with students and scholars from all parts of the world."

The proposed resolution also states, "We affirm our commitment to support all members of the UMass Amherst community who are affected by the recent executive actions, we applaud the campus administration's efforts, and we reaffirm our commitment to supporting the values of freedom and democracy expressed in the Constitution of the United States of America."

UMass has joined in a lawsuit with the ACLU and the commonwealth of Massachusetts challenging the constitutionality of the president's executive order, which Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey described as "un-American, discriminatory and reckless decision-making."

The Faculty Senate meets at 3:30 p.m.

UMass Faculty Senate resolution by ledermand on Scribd

Water testing in Springfield schools show 'good' results

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Springfield officials said 2.56 percent of the results exceeded state levels for lead or copper.

SPRINGFIELD -- City officials said Wednesday that more than 7,000 water tests in Springfield schools in recent months under a state program are showing good results, with just 2.56 percent of the results exceeding state levels for lead or copper.

City and school officials including Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the data from the tests will be publicized and posted on the School Department's website over the next week, along with letters being sent home to parents for the individual schools. The notification outlines the school district's actions in response to any exceedances, officials said.

The voluntary comprehensive water sampling program, announced in November, was organized by the state Department of Public Health and the state Department of Environmental Protection.

"We appreciate the DEP's assistance in testing our water and school buildings and we will continue to address any exceedances," Sarno said. "There is good news with these results as out of 7,148 tests conducted to date, only 2.56 percent had an exceedance."

The sampling is 99 percent complete.

Patrick Sullivan, the city's director of buildings and facilities management, said none of the exceeded levels are of health concern, with custodians told to start the day with flushing of certain water fountains, where needed, with follow-up monitoring.

Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick said the School Department worked with city and state departments over the past three months including the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission and Parks and Buildings office to "ensure that the water in our schools is safe to drink."

"All city schools will be maintained to ensure all standards for safe drinking water are met," Warwick said. "The good news is we have the best water source from Cobble Mountain for our water supply."

Sullivan said the state Department of Public Health has reported that "the levels they are seeing in Massachusetts is not a major health concern."

This program enables the city to expand past sampling efforts to cover almost all fixtures (except for bathrooms, custodial sinks and science and art rooms) in school buildings as well as every fixture that could possibly be used for drinking water and/or food preparation, according to the program summary.

Sarno added, "We decided to take this proactive opportunity, along with 179 of the 351 cities and towns in the commonwealth, because we believed it was in the best interest of our students and staff to ensure there is a comprehensive approach in monitoring the quality of the water in our school buildings."

Elms College names Harry Dumay to succeed Sister Mary Reap as president

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Dumay, senior vice president for finance and chief financial officer at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, will take over for Sister Mary Reap.

CHICOPEE -- Harry E. Dumay, senior vice president for finance and chief financial officer at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, has been named 11th president of Elms College, the board of trustees announced Wednesday.

Dumay will take over July 1 for Sister Mary Reap when she retires.

2017-harry-dumay.jpgHarry Dumay 

"Dr. Dumay is a multifaceted leader who understands Elms College and the importance of a liberal arts education based in the Catholic intellectual tradition," said Cynthia A. Lyons, chair of the board of trustees. "He has a collaborative style and a demonstrated record of strengthening organizational and academic effectiveness, and he is enthusiastic about the future of Elms College."

Dumay was appointed to his position at St. Anselm College in 2012. Previously, he was at Harvard University, where he served as chief financial officer and associate dean for finance and information technology in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences from 2006 to 2012. He has also held positions at Boston College and Boston University.

"Elms College is committed to serve a diverse group of women and men and to combine an excellent liberal arts education with strong professional preparation," Dumay, a resident of Framingham, said in a college press release announcing his selection. "That resonated strongly with my belief in education that prepares individuals holistically for leadership, service, and citizenship.

"My campus visit reinforced my sense that Elms College is a special community in which the Sisters of St. Joseph's spirit of Catholic solidarity pervades the campus. The students whom I met were all quite impressive, fully engaged with their campus community and ready to contribute to the world. The faculty and staff are welcoming, and enthusiastically dedicated to the teaching and learning that happens in and out of the classroom. The board is engaged and extremely supportive. I am honored and excited to lead Elms College as, together, we write the next chapter in the institution's history," Dumay said.

Dumay was one of three finalists for the Elms presidency with Mary K. Boyd, the former vice president for academic affairs at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, and Sean J. Ryan, vice president for enrollment management at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.

Dumay holds a bachelor of science from Lincoln University, a master of arts in public administration from Framingham State University, an MBA from Boston University and a doctorate in higher education administration from Boston College.

The search committee enlisted the help of national search firm R.H. Perry and Associates.

"Since its founding by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1928, the College of Our Lady of the Elms has served those for whom Catholic higher education would be essential to a life rich in faith, learning, and economic opportunity," said Sister Maxyne Schneider, president of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and a member of the presidential search committee and board of trustees.

"Dr. Dumay brings the professional and lived personal experience to continue this mission. We sense in him a spirit truly compatible with the charism of our sisters, and will support him in his leadership with our prayer and good will," Schneider said.

In an article on the Boston College website, Dumay, a native of Ouanaminthe, Haiti, said, "I'm very much interested in higher education as a tool for people to get out of poverty."

Last summer, Reap announced she would retire as president at the end of the 2017 academic year.

Reap, the president since 2009, "made a profound impact on both the academic programs and the campus itself," a statement announcing her retirement read.

An inauguration ceremony for Dumay will be scheduled in the fall, the college said.

Rollover crash on UMass Amherst campus sends one to hospital for evaluation

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First responders worked to free a trapped driver following a rollover crash on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus.

First responders worked to free a trapped driver following a rollover crash on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus this afternoon.

The two-car crash took place at 2:21 p.m., when one vehicle exiting a parking lot struck another traveling on Commonwealth Ave., UMass Amherst spokesman Larry Rivais said.

The car traveling on Commonwealth Ave. rolled over, prompting a temporary closure of a section of the street as ambulances responded to the scene.

The driver of the car that rolled over was taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for evaluation, and the driver of the other vehicle was not injured, Rivais said.

"It turned out to be not serious, which is good news," Rivais said.

The Amherst Fire Department responded to the scene and broke the car's windshield to free the driver, who was communicating with firefighters, the Massachusetts Daily Collegian reported.

A light pole was also struck and the workers with the UMass Physical Plant are checking the pole for damage, Rivais said.

Historical Commission will set public hearing on bid to raze Mater Dolorosa Church in Holyoke

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Two former sparring partners will be clashing again as the Holyoke, Massachusetts Historical Commission will consider a request from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield to demolish the closed Mater Dolorosa Church on Monday, Feb. 13 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall Annex.

HOLYOKE -- The Historical Commission will establish a date for a public hearing on a request to demolish the closed Mater Dolorosa Church and nearby rectory at 6:30 p.m. on Monday at City Hall Annex, fourth-floor conference room.

The issue brings together two sparring partners in recent political battles in the Historical Commission and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield which owns the 116-year-old church at Maple and Lyman streets.

The public hearing probably will be held later this month or in early March. The commission then will decide whether to imposes a demolition delay of up to six months based on the historical significance of the structures, commission Chairwoman Olivia L. Mausel said Wednesday.

"We can make a determination after that, to delay or not delay," Mausel said.

The Diocese requested permission from the city to demolish them on Jan. 27. The Diocese cited an engineer's report that said pieces of the steeple have been breaking off and falling to the ground.

Diocese violating building codes by failing to maintain Mater Dolorosa Church in Holyoke, emergency demolition denied: inspector

But Building Commissioner Damian J. Cote denied the demolition requests and referred them to the Historical Commission.

Cote said that the separation of bricks and rotting on the building was due to the Diocese's failure to maintain the building and that the Diocese's neglect of such maintenance could prompt enforcement action from his office unless repairs are made.

Diocese spokesman Mark E. Dupont declined to comment about the upcoming Historical Commission deliberations.

The nonprofit Mater Dolorosa Church Preservation Society of Holyoke Inc. formed in October to try to buy the church from the Diocese. But Dupont said a sale at this point was unlikely given that the Diocese has publicly asserted the church was unsafe.

Nonprofit wants to buy closed Mater Dolorosa Church in Holyoke, but Diocese says sale unlikely

The Diocese closed Mater Dolorosa Church in June 2011 because parishioner numbers had declined and out of concerns about the stability of the structure's steeple.

But an engineer for Friends of Mater Dolorosa, a group that has fought the closing, said the steeple's stability would hold up for years.

The Diocese combined Mater Dolorosa with the former Holy Cross Church to form Our Lady of the Cross at 23 Sycamore St.

Parishioners considered the church a centerpiece, built and paid for by Polish immigrants in 1901. They staged a round-the-clock occupation of the church for a solid year after the Diocese ended church services there.

Parishioners filed appeals to rescue the church from closure to the Vatican's highest court, which said in a ruling issued in May 2015 that the church could close.

Once the Diocese closed the church, parishioners, Historical Commission members and others said the Diocese's plan all along was to demolish the church despite its significance to the community. Diocese officials said that was untrue.

Dupont said demolition became the necessity only after the Jan. 24 report by Barry Engineers and Constructors Inc. of Pittsfield cited structural problems that made the building unsafe.

The Historical Commission tried to protect Mater Dolorosa Church by including it in a proposed Polish Heritage Historic District on Lyman Street. But the City Council rejected establishment of such a district by an 8-7 vote on April 7, 2015.

Wilbraham Police Officer Joseph Brewer says goodbye to K-9 Charon in tear-jerking Facebook post

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A Wilbraham police officer had to say goodbye to his partner in crime on Wednesday after K-9 Charon suddenly became sick over the weekend.

 

A Wilbraham police officer had to say goodbye to his partner in fighting crime on Wednesday after K-9 Charon became sick over the weekend.

"As I sit here writing through teared eyes, I am reflecting on the life of my partner Charon," Officer Joseph Brewer wrote in a post shared on the department Facebook page. "He was transitioning toward retirement, and I was looking forward to him getting to be a pet. But sadly fate had a different plan."

K-9 Charon.jpgK-9 Charon's end of watch was on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017. 

Charon started to get sick over the weekend, Brewer said, and his condition worsened as the days went on.

"I brought him in to the vet and was given some devastating news. I had to make the heart wrenching decision to not let my partner, my friend, and best buddy suffer," Brewer wrote.

Charon was the department's second K-9, according to the police department website. He was a German Shepherd imported from the Czech Republic, trained in tracking, building searches, area searches, article recovery and criminal apprehension. Charon was able to detect narcotics including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy).

"Charon was an amazing partner and loved and lived to work," Brewer said. "I was and will continue to be proud of all that he did."

In May 2012, Brewer and Charon were recognized by the Postal Inspection Service for their drug interdiction efforts. They were members of the Massachusetts Police Work Dog Association and the North American Police Work Dog Association.

Brewer said Charon was skilled at finding missing and wanted persons, but he was best at drug interdiction. Charon "put a big dent in" narcotics being trafficked in the area.

But Charon had his soft side, too.

"He always had a knack for knowing when I needed extra attention and would nuzzle up, or swat me with a paw, and give the biggest and wettest kisses ever," Brewer wrote.

Brewer thanked the veterinarians and staff at the Eastfield Hospital for Animals.

"Their care and compassion mean more to me than I can ever express," he wrote. "To the community and businesses that have supported the K9 unit and Charon I say thank you as well."

One the Wilbraham police Facebook page, Brewer shared the poem "Grieve Not For Me." 

Brewer was also the handler for Wilbraham's first K-9, Ben, a yellow lab. Ben was a single-purpose trailing dog who searched for missing and wanted persons. He retired in 2008 because of a medical condition, the police website said.


North Adams police searching for vehicle that struck pedestrian

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North Adams police are searching for a vehicle that struck a pedestrian in the area of West Main Street on Wednesday afternoon.

NORTH ADAMS - Authorities in North Adams are searching for a suspect who is believed to have struck a pedestrian with their car on Wednesday afternoon. 

Officers with the North Adams Police Department responded to the vicinity of West Main Street at roughly 1:30 p.m., after a call came in for a car-versus-pedestrian.

Police say that before any law enforcement arrived, the vehicle involved--a black Ford Explorer Limited--left the scene of the incident. The vehicle is believed to be a 2016/17 model.  

Now police are asking for the public's help in locating the vehicle. 

The Explorer is described as missing its passenger side mirror. It also would have other signs of "significant damage" to the passenger side of the vehicle. 

Police have not stated whether the pedestrian suffered any injuries as a result of the incident. 

Anyone with any information has been asked to contact the North Adams Police Department. 

Up to 18 inches expected in Greater Boston, stay off the road, Mayor Marty Walsh says

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Boston Mayor Marty Walsh urged travelers to stay off the city's roads on Thursday as the area braced for a winter storm that could bring 12 to 18 inches. Watch video

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh urged travelers to stay off the city's roads on Thursday as the area braced for a winter storm that could bring 12 to 18 inches.

School in Boston is cancelled for the day.

Walsh said he expects "heavy snow" and falling temperatures, down to 17 degrees. Wind gusts could reach forty miles per hour.

The city could see one to two inches per hour, according to Walsh. He also asked residents to be patient as plow drivers get around the city.

"We want people to stay indoors as much as possible, dress in layers when you're outside," Walsh said.

When will it start snowing and how much will we get?

A snow emergency is in effect starting at 10 a.m. Thursday. Designated discounted parking garages will be available two hours beforehand. The list of garages is available here at this link.

City Hall, community centers and Boston's libraries are remaining open on Thursday, Walsh added.

Space saver policy will take effect after the storm, so if residents put out space savers to protect their parking spaces, city employees plan to toss the space savers into the trash.

School closings for Feb. 9

Jewish Family Service: Springfield 'well aware' of refugee resettlement

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The agency says its staff met with city officials about proposed resettlement for the coming year last spring

SPRINGFIELD -- Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts says it spoke with city officials last spring about refugee resettlement plans for 2017 and no concerns were voiced by the Sarno administration at a followup meeting in July.

Jewish Family Service released a statement on Wednesday afternoon in response to Mayor Domenic Sarno's renewed criticism of refugee resettlement agencies.

The agency said that its CEO and president, Maxine Stein, initiated a meeting with the Mayor's Office in July, during which information was shared and both sides committed to communicating about any concerns.

"As the City of Springfield is well aware, Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFS) has been approved by the U.S. State Department and HIAS (Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society), to resettle 230 refugees in Hampden County during FY2017..." the statement read. "This approval follows a formal consultation process conducted last spring with local community partners, the City of Springfield, the MA Office for Refugees and Immigrants, and the MA Department of Public Health."

The release was in response to nine questions Sarno raised in terms of support services for the refugees in his criticism.

Sarno's comments came in response to a MassLive interview in which Stein  said her agency was awaiting the arrival of families from Bhutan and Eritrea. the arrival comes after a federal judge placed a temporary  halt on President Donald Trump's executive order closing the country's borders to refugees for four months.

"Once again, these resettlement agencies with no prior contact and/or coordination efforts with our city departments, use our Springfield as their 'designated resettlement site,'" Sarno said in his release Tuesday.

"Yet when these resettlement agencies are asked to assist these families in need in their own cities and/or towns -- they state they do not have the capacity. Maybe they should try to create their own capacity."

Stein said the refugees expected within the next several days are being resettled in Westfield and West Springfield and do not represent an "influx of new refugees."

"This refugees had already been expected," Stein said.

"Their transportation was disrupted when the executive order was signed, and then made available to them when the order was halted."

She said her agency is "proud" of its resettlement program, and of the fact the agency, which has other programs in addition to its New Americans one, recently celebrated its 100th anniversary in the city.

"Some 85 percent of our refugees eligible to work do so within three months of resettlement, becoming tax-paying residents of the city," Stein said.

"We are not strangers to Springfield."

Stein's agency resettles more than 240 refugees annually, and she had said earlier plans are to expand the program to the Berkshires.

Following are responses from Jewish Family Services to the questions posed by Sarno.

How many refugees are actually coming to the City of Springfield?
 As the City of Springfield is well aware, Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFS) has been approved by the U.S. State Department and HIAS (Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society), to resettle 230 refugees in Hampden County during FY2017 (10/1/16 - 9/30/17). This approval follows a formal consultation process conducted last spring with local community partners, the City of Springfield, the MA Office for Refugees and Immigrants, and the MA Department of Public Health.
Jewish Family Service shares its annual proposed abstract broadly and publicly before it is submitted to HIAS for approval. It was shared via email with over 130 community partners with an invitation for conversation and feedback. This list includes the Mayor's Chief of Staff, Health Commissioner, and School Superintendent, as well as 4 additional school system staff with whom JFS is proud to partner on an ongoing basis.
Additionally, JFS CEO Maxine Stein spoke over the phone with the City Health Commissioner, Mayor Sarno's designee for refugee resettlement. Ms. Stein later initiated a meeting with the Mayor's office in July, during which information was shared and both the Mayor's Office and JFS committed to communicating openly about any concerns.
It was confirmed that the Health Commissioner continues to be the City's designee, that email communications inviting the City's participation in Quarterly Consultations were being received, and that such invitations should continue to be sent to that office. JFS has not received information about any concerns from the Mayor's Office since that meeting.


 Are these families being housed in condemned units, as has been done in the past?

 
NO - JFS adheres to the "decent, safe, and sanitary" housing standards outlined in the State Department contract through which all resettlement agencies do their work. JFS is proud to partner with a number of small private landlords in the City of Springfield with whom our staff works very closely to ensure that housing is appropriate and any issues needing attention are dealt with in a highly responsive manner.
JFS is "on-call" 24 hours to address any safety, heating, or other challenges that may arise. JFS has not received any information from the City about housing concerns relevant to our clients. It is not the role of JFS or newly-arrived refugees to correct the City's structural issues of blighted or ill-maintained properties. JFS's active commitment to ensuring that our clients are appropriately housed actually ameliorates these problems through active collaboration with landlords for the units where newly-arriving refugees are living.


 Are these families in need of school and health services?
 
YES - People who are admitted to the United States as refugees have the same access to public education and health services as any other legal resident of the City and Commonwealth. It is the role of the resettlement agency to ensure that clients are enrolled in local schools and participate in the federally-funded Refugee Health Program, which includes two required refugee health screenings to complete the public health assessment process which begins overseas prior to travel to the United States. JFS staff work very closely with arriving families to identify and address any immediate medical needs and received federal funding for long-term support for any complex medical issues our clients may have.
Are there proper translation services being provided?

YES - As noted in the annual abstract, JFS hires case management staff who speak the languages and are of the cultures of the refugees we welcome through our program. It is our experience that this commitment affords a higher quality experience of initial resettlement for our clients and is key to building bridges to the various elements of life in our community. Through a federal grant called the Refugee School Impact program, JFS also provides interpretation services to the Springfield Public Schools to facilitate culturally informed conversations with student, parents, and teachers, as well as for our monthly workshops for refugee families with the Springfield Parent Academy.
Are there proper long term wrap around services and follow through?

YES - The U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program provides core services to newly-arriving refugees during an initial resettlement period of 90-days. During those 90 days, it is the role of the local resettlement agency to provide housing, school enrollment, and cultural orientation services, as well as to connect new arrivals with employment services, public assistance supports, and health coverage and care.
Following those 90 days, additional Case Management is available as needed through programs funded by the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement. People who arrived as refugees are eligible for this support for up to five years after their arrival in the United States.
Additionally, JFS has invested the resources of our Behavioral Health Department to create a highly specialized Community Support Program (CSP), which ensures that refugee families have cultural and linguistic access to this MassHealth program. JFS does ongoing outreach in the community to inform partners about this resource and to encourage referrals for anyone who arrived in the area as a refugee. JFS has shared information about this program with the Mayor's Office.
Long after our formal service-provider relationship has ended, many of our clients return regularly for assistance with unfamiliar forms, new experiences in employment or school, and to apply for citizenship. JFS staff are leaders in their respective immigrant communities and are active in ensuring that anyone in need of support is connected to these services.
For those refugee families who struggle with issues at home JFS offers an In Home Therapy program for youth under 21 who are struggling with emotional challenges. We work in partnership with parents to help solve problems both the yourh and parents have identified. Services occur in the home or other natural setting at the request of the family.
Are there proper transportation services being provided?

YES - JFS staff meets arriving families at the airport and provides transportation for all core services, including medical appointments, school enrollment, employment interviews, public assistance enrollment, food shopping, etc. JFS also orients clients to public transportation and support clients in preparing and applying for driving permits and licenses.

Are there proper employment placement plans?
YES - JFS provides employment services in-house, which includes "English for Employment" classes and personalized employment preparation. Through very diligent partnerships with local employers over 85 percent of employable refugees who arrived last year were placed in permanent jobs with health insurance. Our Employment Coordinator is there every step of the way with assistance applying for jobs, preparation for and accompaniment to interviews, orientation support, coordination of transportation, and daily follow-up with clients and employers. Our employer partners value the strong work ethic, loyalty, and determination of their refugee employees. It is our privilege to prepare newly arriving clients for their first steps toward self-sufficiency in their new home.

 Are there adequate cultural adjustment strategies being provided?
YES- Preparation for life in the United States begins overseas and continues with a comprehensive Cultural Orientation curriculum that is incorporated into the 90-day resettlement period. Topics include housing, transportation, employment, learning English, education, health and hygiene, budgeting and personal finance, and U.S. laws. This is an encapsulated introduction to the long-term journey of adjustment to life in the United States. JFS also works with local community volunteers through our Family Match and tutoring programs to provide ongoing resources for this transition.
 
Who is paying our city for these additional and supplemental services, which continue to put a strain on our city and school budgets?

 As noted above, refugees are legally admitted to the United States and are eligible for the same services as any other resident of the community. Initial resettlement services are funded through the U.S. Department of State. The Refugee School Impact program, employment services, and ongoing Case Management programs are funded through the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement.

Snowstorm forecast: 7 maps that show how bad Massachusetts could get hit with snow

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Maps from the National Weather Service show the possible ranges of snowfall on Thursday.

Business confidence up for 5th straight month, says Associated Industries

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The boost in confidence comes as the Massachusetts unemployment rate fell to 2.8 percent and Bay State employers created more than 72,000 new jobs for the year.

Employers gained confidence in January, boosting business confidence to its highest point in 13 years, according to survey results from Associated Industries of Massachusetts.

Business confidence measured by the association of employers rose for the fifth consecutive month. The group's Business Confidence Index rose 1 point to 61.4 points last month. That is 5.6 points higher than it was a year ago in January 2016 and the highest reading since December 2004.

Associated industries of Massachusetts, a statewide business advocacy group, has polled members each month since 1991. The Business Confidence Index is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral. A reading above 50 is positive and below 50 is negative.

The index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions, in 1997 and 1998, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009.

"The good news is that unemployment in Massachusetts remains well below the national rate of 4.7 percent, but that low jobless rate may also be creating labor-force capacity constraints that are slowing output," said Raymond G. Torto, chairman of AIM's board of economic advisers and lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. "Employer confidence seems to be tracking the overall optimism of financial markets that continue to hit record highs. It will be instructive to see how that enthusiasm holds up as Congress and the new administration get down to the business of governing."

Other data from the survey

Hiring healthy: Nearly 39 percent of respondents reported adding staff during the past six months, while 18 percent reduced employment. Expectations for the next six months were stable, with 37 percent planning on hiring and only 10 percent downsizing.

The state we're in: The Massachusetts Index, assessing business conditions within the commonwealth, rose to 63, leaving it 5.2 points ahead of the same time last year.

The U.S. Index of national business conditions inched up 0.1 points to 57.6 -- 7.5 points higher than in January 2016. January marked the 81st consecutive month in which employers have been more optimistic about the Massachusetts economy than the national economy.

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, increased 0.3 points to 59.4, while the Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, rose 1.6 points to 63.3. The future outlook was 6.1 points better than a year ago and higher than at any point since March 2015.

The sub-indices bearing on survey respondents' own operations also strengthened. The Company Index, reflecting overall business conditions, rose 1 point, to 61.9 while the Employment Index gained 1.2 points to 58.4 and the Sales Index 0.7 points to 62.1.

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