Obituaries from The Republican.

Suzanne Bump said state auditors like herself have a role to play in ensuring government health insurance programs run smoothly.

SPRINGFIELD -- With the future of U.S. entitlement programs under the Affordable Care Act uncertain, Suzanne Bump said state auditors like herself have a role to play in ensuring government health insurance programs run smoothly.

Bump, in a recent interview with The Republican's editorial board, said she and other state officials have concerns about how proposals in Washington to change Medicaid could impact MassHealth, the state's low-income insurance system.

President Donald Trump's administration has advanced the idea of giving states Medicaid funding through a block grant system, which gives states a fixed amount of federal money to provide health care to low-income individuals.

"I know that the Baker administration is really concerned about what that could mean for the waivers that the state has been able to obtain so they could run the program with more flexibility," she said. "I know that there's a lot of concern about that ... which makes it all that much more important that the agency is run efficiently. So there, our regular audit comes into play."

Feds approve $52.5 billion Medicaid deal for Massachusetts

Supporters of the block grant model say it would create more freedom when it comes to spending, but critics argue it would cut Medicaid funding and leave states to take on more costs.

Bump said she is among a handful of state auditors working with the U.S. Government Accountability Office on efforts to control costs and identify inefficiencies in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS administers Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the Children's Health Insurance Program and the Health Insurance Marketplace.

The GAO, which in March 2016 asked Bump to serve on its broad-ranging Domestic Working Group with six other state auditors, has been highly critical of CMS' focus on enrollment over efficiency, she said.

Saying it's time for CMS to double down on effective administration, Bump noted that she and other state auditors are in regular communication with federal officials about how they can make a difference.

Bump said CMS could learn from her office's 2015 audit of MassHealth's administration of the managed care organization program -- a type of health care delivery that she said the federal government wants Medicaid to move toward. Her review found confusion over who was responsible for paying bills.

"The state did not understand its own contracts and the managed care organizations had a more expansive view of what they were responsible for, so we saw that essentially the state was paying twice for services: they were paying the managed care organizations and then they were paying directly on a fee-for-service basis," she said. This resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in improper payments, she said.

Another area states or the federal government could look at, Bump said, is cracking down on fraud and improper payments in group adult foster care programs. Audits found the state was paying nursing homes for these programs, which should have been covered under nursing home service contracts, she said.

Deficiencies in the system allowed those bills to get paid when they should have been kicked out, the auditor said, adding that the area of day services is a national concern of the GAO.

"There's just so many models for doing it within states and so there's a lot of fraud in those services," she said. "We've done some of our own group adult foster care work and we're going to be doing more of it. We're going to be working now more closely with (the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and its office of inspector general on coordinating in that area."

A bill introduced by state Sen. Eric Lesser and touted by the governor would let other districts copy Springfield's "empowerment zone" model.

A unique educational model in Springfield may be replicated statewide -- if some lawmakers and the Massachusetts governor have their way.

The Springfield Empowerment Zone is a partnership between the state, Springfield school officials and the teachers' union in which eight public middle schools are overseen by a board and granted more autonomy to make decisions in areas like hiring, scheduling, budgeting and curriculum.

"I viewed this as a compelling model because this provides the ability to make changes while investing in the school system and maintaining local control of the school system," said state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, who sponsored a bill, SD.1209, to expand empowerment zones statewide.

One important piece to getting the bill passed, however, will be ensuring that the model outlined in the bill is similar enough to the Springfield model to get consensus. "The key is any legislation must specifically model the Springfield deal, because that was key to making it work, with an administration, teachers, unions. We all collaborated and worked together," said Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno.

For now, the bill faces opposition from the powerful Massachusetts Teachers Association, whose representatives says the bill would remove control of schools from local officials and put it more in the hands of the state.

"There's not a partnership element to this model," said MTA President Barbara Madeloni. "There is an appointed board, so it undermines democratically elected school committees."

Although the bill is one of thousands that have been filed, Gov. Charlie Baker gave it a boost when he mentioned it during his State of the Commonwealth address, indicating that the administration supports the move as a way to improve education statewide. "These zones create more flexibility in schools and allow educators to make the changes necessary to provide a better learning environment for our kids," Baker said in his address.

The Springfield Empowerment Zone was started two years ago, when three middle schools faced the threat of a state takeover due to poor performance. Chris Gabrieli, CEO of the education consulting nonprofit Empower Schools, approached local officials about a new education model, similar to work that was done in Lawrence after a state takeover.

The result was a structure in which state and local officials share control of the schools through an appointed board that includes four state officials and three local officials. The educators in each school are given more flexibility than they would have under a normal district-run union contract to change things like the length of the school day or the curriculum.

"Most of what's happening in Massachusetts or the rest of country is either the district says this is what we're going do and the state approves, or the state takes complete control and does it its way," said Gabrieli, who is now chairman of the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership. "This is unique in the country in that it's a joint venture of the state and district, both of whom are responsible for these kids."

Sarno said the structure combines the best of the public school system with the best of the charter school system.

"We all collaborated and worked together in really establishing best practices of what we do very well in our public system but then having the ability to have the flexibility of charter-type aspects of more autonomy," Sarno said.

Springfield School Committee member Denise Hurst said the empowerment zone works because "it provides districts and families with an alternative, and it allows districts to have autonomy around instruction and learning time and how money gets allocated and spent." For example, Springfield middle schools have created new electives and longer school days.

Gabrieli said the empowerment zone has made Springfield a national model. The only similar zone so far is in Denver, also established with help from Gabrieli's group.

The discussion over improving district schools comes after voters resoundingly rejected a ballot question that would have expanded access to charter schools.

The day after the election, Baker pointed to empowerment zones as a way to improve education and close the achievement gap between black or Hispanic students and white students without charter school expansion.

Gabrieli said the bill could be seen as a response to the message voters sent. "The voters made clear last year that they they want to fix the systems we have," he said.

But some education policy experts say the proposal has been discussed by lawmakers behind the scenes for the last year, even before the ballot question's defeat, since even if there were increased charter school access more would still have to be done to improve district schools.

Schools are ranked from level one, the best schools, and level five, those schools that can be taken over by the state for poor performance. Lesser's bill would let districts with a level three school establish "innovation partnership zones" through a locally initiated effort. The state could establish these zones at level four and five schools as an alternative to existing turnaround procedures, such as a full state takeover. The schools would then have flexibility in setting curriculum, budget, schedule, staffing and other areas.

Several Springfield officials said the reason the Springfield model worked was because the union, city and state all cooperated, and the challenge will be ensuring similar collaboration happens in any new zones.

Madeloni said the bill as drafted is different from the Springfield model, because it does not require the same level of partnership. The board governing the zones would be appointed, unlike traditionally elected school committees, and would not be required to include educators or municipal employees. "It's about taking public funds and putting it into the oversight of private hands," Madeloni said.

She said the bill ensures that the most powerful person overseeing the zone is the state education commissioner, since for the lower performing schools the commissioner has authority to initiate a zone. She worried that the model relies too much on testing to measure performance.

"We have a system of democratically elected school committees and collective bargaining in which people can come together and create schools that make sense to them," Madeloni said. "This puts the power back in the commissioner's hands."

On the other side of the issue is Liam Kerr, Massachusetts state director for Democrats for Education Reform, which supported charter school expansion and now supports expansion of empowerment zones. He noted that a 2010 education reform bill allowed for new ways to improve school districts. "This is one of the ways that's working," Kerr said.

Kerr said the legislation seems to be about creating a model that brings people together while also having accountability. "It's another tool for districts who have schools that are struggling academically," Kerr said.

An old house with a new porch, new buyers who can't find a home and a new name for the region we call home. Those were the top 5 business stories of the week.

Top Springfield officials say that economic development in the city in 2017 will be marked by many projects shifting from construction to completion.

SPRINGFIELD -- After a very busy year for economic development in Springfield, with bulldozers and tall cranes seen across the city, officials are bullish about the outlook for 2017, when many key projects are slated to come to fruition or reach milestones.

"2016 was a year of construction," said Kevin Kennedy, Springfield's chief development officer. "2017 is going to be a year of completion."

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno joined Kennedy in saying the reality of finished projects will be there for the viewing during 2017, ranging from completion of the Union Station redevelopment to the construction of the CRRC Massachusetts rail car factory in East Springfield.

After the tornado of 2011 and other disasters, some people wondered if Springfield would ever get back on its feet, Sarno said.

"We're not laying on the ropes anymore," Sarno said. "We're starting to jab and throw a few haymakers now. We've accomplished a lot."

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A primary benefit of the projects being completed in 2017 is the jobs that will be created.

"That starts to knock down the tide of urban challenges such as poverty and public safety," Sarno said. "People are really buzzing now. You might think it's centric to the downtown. We have a lot of neighborhood projects going on, too."

The project completions and milestones are also creating spin-off revenues for local companies, such as from the sale of materials and supplies, Sarno said.

"There is really a transformation occurring in the downtown when it comes to hospitality, aesthetic quality, entertainment and public safety," Sarno said. "Now we are going to be more of an attraction. The concrete and steel is soon going to be all done. Now it's making it work, the mechanics of making it work."

Naysayers often pointed to Union Station, which stood vacant for years, Kennedy said.

"The evidence will show that the nonbelievers will become believers," Kennedy said.

In November, Kennedy and Sarno detailed $3.3 billion in ongoing and recent economic development projects in Springfield, in meeting with a Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce audience.

In a recent interview, Kennedy was asked specifically about expectations for 2017 and outlined the following highlights:

• The $88.5 million redevelopment of Union Station is slated for completion this spring. The opening will culminate a 40-year endeavor filled with hopes, doubts, design changes, funding challenges and hard work.
• Construction of the $950 million MGM Springfield casino will be at full tilt, including plans to finish a long-awaited, seven-level parking garage by the end of the year to relieve parking issues. The casino itself is on schedule to open in September 2018.
• The $183.3 million Interstate 91 viaduct restoration project is ahead of schedule, and all lanes and ramps could be open to the public by the end of the year, greatly aiding traffic flow and providing a boost to the adjacent casino and other economic development efforts.
• CRRC, the Chinese rail car maker, expects to finish its $95 million construction project in the summer of 2017 at the former Westinghouse property on Page Boulevard in East Springfield.
• The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum is scheduled to open in the summer at the Springfield Quadrangle downtown. It's expected to be a major attraction.
• Construction of a $4 million Innovation Center on Bridge Street downtown should be completed in February or March, housing Valley Venture Mentors and startup businesses.
• Enhanced security in the downtown district is scheduled in the fall, including police kiosks and a substation, and tying in with expanded police patrols.
• Efforts to create a downtown dining district will be aided by a city loan program beginning this winter. A wayfinding system to aid visitors to the downtown will be in effect by late fall, providing highly visible directions to attractions.
• A new South End Community Center is slated to be built in August and a new senior center at Blunt Park on Roosevelt Avenue is slated for completion in the fall.
• Falvey Linen is expected to have a ribbon cutting this winter for its $8.6 million plant on Brookdale Drive in East Springfield. The facility brings 100 full-time jobs to Springfield.
• A full renovation of Memorial Square Apartments in the North End is slated for completion in March. North Main Street in the North End is slated for reconstruction the spring, with the improved housing and improved road expected to aid development efforts in that neighborhood.

There will also be many other projects getting underway, including restoration of Stearns Square and Duryea Way to provide a link between Union Station, the downtown dining district and various attractions, Kennedy said. Another key project starting is 2017 is major renovations to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

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Kennedy became chief development officer five years ago. "Over that five-year period, there has been not only a lot of accomplishments, but the momentum is still going on," he said.

Sarno said he's gratified to hear people saying that they have not seen so many cranes in the city since perhaps the 1980s.

As planned, Union Station serves as the anchor in the North End, and the casino provides the anchor in the South End. "All the pieces of the puzzle," he said, occur in between, including the Silverbrick housing complex, Stearns Square and pedestrian improvements. These developments bring interest from developers and help attract people to live in the city, he said.

Union Station is "an eyesore turned into a jewel" and a regional transportation hub, Kennedy said. He added that decisions made a few years ago to promote the Union Station and casino projects as north and south anchors "was a sound decision and it's actually happening," Kennedy said.

Sarno said that the two key missing pieces to the puzzle are the undeveloped, long-vacant office building at 31 Elm St., and the Paramount Theater building, both in the downtown corridor. He and Kennedy said they are optimistic about progress on those two buildings in 2017.

In the neighborhoods, projects such as the Pine Point senior center, city park improvements and a new library proposed in East Forest Park contribute to the climate for economic investments, officials said.

The Chinese-owned company will make subway cars for Boston, and potentially Los Angeles, at a plant in East Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- With 204,000 square feet of space -- that's more than three and a half football fields -- the massive CRRC rail car manufacturing plant nearing completion on Page Boulevard in East Springfield is the largest industrial development the city has seen in generations.

And the Chinese executives planning the $95 million facility say they hope to someday build a second and similarly sized plant right next to it if demand for transit, light rail and intercity rail passenger cars in North America is as strong as they expect it to become.

Jia Bo, CRRC MA vice president, casually mentioned that fact through a translator  while pointing to what is now an open field beside the huge manufacturing. Bo was leading a tour of city officials through a facility he and his colleagues call the "workshop."

It's not idle boasting. CRRC is working to bring as much work to Springfield as it can, despite its plans for factories in upstate New York and elsewhere.

CRRC, already the largest manufacturer of railroad rolling stock in the world, plans to boost overseas sales to $15 billion in U.S. dollars by 2020, according to state-run Chinese media. That would be an increase from just $8 billion in overseas orders this year.

Also, Chinese media reports that CRRC is working to take over the Czech Republic's Skoda Transportation, a major European player in the rail car industry.

With their fleets of subway, transit, light rail, trolley and intercity passenger rolling stock aging, the U.S. and Canada are seen as growth markets by CRRC and its Chinese management.

"And we are very hopeful that there will be even more demand with more infrastructure spending under President Donald Trump," Bo said during the plant tour.

There has been speculation that the Trump administration and its emphasis on economic nationalism may spill over into a trade war with the  export-minded Chinese government.

Meanwhile, CRRC employees in China are building a three-quarter scale mockup of the cars that will one day be made in Springfield for the MBTA, Greater Boston's subway system. That train will be on display at stations all over the city in the spring, said Mark Smith, general manager of CRRC's Springfield manufacturing facility.

The workshop has enough track to line up six new MBTA Red Line or Orange Line cars inside, as well as overhead gantry cranes capable of picking those cars up, moving them and setting them down as if they were part of a giant's model railroad.

The factory was built in Springfield because the state of Massachusetts, under former Gov. Deval Patrick, made it a requirement for companies that wanted to build new cars for the MBTA subway system do at least some of the manufacturing in Massachusetts.

The provision set off a statewide search for sites by the various bidders. CRRC eventually settled on this 40-acre former Westinghouse site.

Westinghouse employed as many as 7,000 people on Page Boulevard and used the site as an early radio station before it closed in 1970. Ameristar cleared it with hopes of building a casino. When their bid failed, CRRC stepped in.

Since getting that $566 million contract in 2014 to manufacture 284 subway cars for the MBTA, CRRC has added more work.

In December, the MBTA voted to spend $277 million on 120 additional Red Line cars starting in June 2022, once the first order is completed. The proposal includes an option to purchase 14 more Red Line cars in the future.

Also in December, Southern California officials voted to buy 64 new subway cars for the Los Angeles-area Metro Red Line and Purple Line from CRRC at a cost of $178.4 million. The Los Angeles deal also comes with the option to buy more cars.

CRRC may be tasked with doing regular maintenance on transit cars owned by the MBTA. Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said in December that there are very few contractors able to do that work and the T plans to step up its maintenance schedule and keep its cars in better shape for longer.

CRRC  moved into the former Westinghouse office building on Page Boulevard in the last week of January, Smith said.

Smith is a veteran of plant startups, having helped establish automobile plants for major manufacturers in Alabama, Kentucky and Canada.

He said CRRC already has five local employees, with a sixth coming on board this month. He and his staff have interviewed hundreds of potential production workers and the first 22 have already been selected for intensive training here in the states.

Those 22 will be the first cohort of CRRC employees to go to China for more training. They will go, probably, in April. All told, CRRC will need about 200 production workers.

Construction continues at the site. Smith said work is on pace to be completed in the spring.

"We look like we are pretty well on schedule for April or May. That will lead to a three-month commissioning process. The factory should be ready to go by July of 2017, just about five months from now," Smith said.

The plant will reach full capacity in 2020, about a year after work begins on the Los Angeles cars.

At this point, CRRC already has enough work booked to keep the plant working through the year 2024.

That doesn't count the work CRRC is bidding on right now: cars for the New York City Subway and the Long Island Railroad.

The New York City Subway job alone could mean an order for 1,025 subway cars  over five years. CRRC plans to build a separate plant for that project on an industrial brownfield in Fort Edward, New York, which is near Glens Falls and Saratoga Springs, 134 miles and an almost two-hour drive from Springfield.

Bo said in December that Springfield would possibly play a role manufacturing components -- the example he used was wheel assemblies called trucks -- for the New York cars.

But Springfield's facility is not large enough to serve New York City, which by itself is 40 percent of the U.S. market.

The cars will come to CRRC in Springfield as shells manufactured in China. Shipped here by sea, probably to the Port of Philadelphia and then carried north by rail, the shells will spend about three months at the Springfield factory getting everything from lights to motors installed. Then they'll get tested on the factory's 2,000-foot test track that will run along Interstate 291.

Springfield was once a national center for rail car manufacturing.

Wason Manufacturing Co., which was one of the largest makers of railroad cars and locomotives in the country, operated here from 1845 to the Great Depression. The Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum has a Wason trolley car.

Pride Stores works to redefine itself while Springfield-based F.L. Roberts and Pittsfield-based O'Connell Convenience Plus underwent acquisitions recently.

SPRINGFIELD -- Pride Stores celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, having started as a livery stable for the care of horses and carriages in the Indian  Orchard neighborhood of Springfield.

Slowly, it grew as the horseless carriage took over from the horse and as the gas station with convenience store took over from the full-service gas station with mechanic's lifts.

Today, Robert Bolduc, CEO of Pride and grandson of the founder, hires baristas.

It's part, he says, of an industry-wide transformation, not just of convenience stores but also of the companies that own those stores.

"Some day people will think of Pride not as a gas station that sells food but as a food store that sells gas," Bolduc said recently. "Think of that transformation. Talk about turning around a battleship."

At Pride locations, the changes are physical ones, as well as those of business strategy.

For instance, there is less space at a Pride shop devoted to groceries. People don't go into a Pride and buy a can of SpaghettiOs anymore, Bolduc says. "But, they do come in and buy a fresh sandwich," he adds.

Pride established a commissary kitchen on Cottage Street about three years ago. There, food is prepared and then dispatched to other Pride stores each day.

Pride's new stores, and some of its existing ones, have a food court with a deli, coffee bar and maybe a Dunkin' Donuts or a Subway. The company is experimenting with soft ice cream. New stores will have drive-through windows, and existing stores are being retrofitted with them.

Floor space inside the store where those SpaghettiOs once sat is being devoted to sit-down eating areas. New Pride locations can seat 27 to 30 people at a time, Bolduc said. Expect to see a Wi-Fi cafe with high-top counters and places where people can plug in and recharge laptops, phones and tablets while they eat or sip.

"That's what people want," Bolduc says. "People are eating out three meals a day now. We have become a snacking society."

In the months since Springfield's venerable F.L. Roberts gasoline and convenience store chain was sold, one of the biggest changes can fit in a customer's hand.

It's a piece of fruit, says Joe Hamza, chief operating officer for retail and marketing at the new owner, Worcester-based Nouria Energy Corp.

"We have already enhanced the merchandise, layout and design and added fresher and healthier products to the mix," Hamza said. "Fresh foods, fruits, vegetables. Pieces of fruit you can eat with your hand as a snack. This is what the customer is looking for today."

Hamza says convenience stores are merely following a diversification trend in retail that has stores moving across product categories that were once well defined.

"Everybody is in everybody's business these days," he says. "Its really not unique to the c-store industry. You see it everywhere today. You see the Walgreens and the CVS get into fresh foods."

Nouria Energy Corp., which runs similar businesses throughout New England, bought the F.L. Roberts convenience stores in October for $81.3 million.

It was part of a three-way, $92 million transaction that saw F.L. Roberts split into three. Roberts also sold its nine Jiffy Lubes to Atlantic Coast Enterprises for $7 million.

F.L. Roberts & Co., a fourth-generation, family-owned business founded in 1920 with an automotive and tire store at the corner of Main and Adams streets in Springfield, retained its wholesale business as Roberts Energy.

The F.L. Roberts deal with Nouria wasn't the only change in the Western Massachusetts convenience store market.

Big Y Foods Inc. expanded its Big Y Express gas and convenience concept with the purchase of three O'Connell Convenience Plus gas stations: 75 Russell St. in Hadley, 711 Bliss Road in Longmeadow and 1993 Boston Road in Wilbraham. The locations were added to older Big Y Express locations in the Berkshire County communities of Lee and Pittsfield.

Matt D'Amour, Big Y vice president of real estate and store development, says the family-owned chain is actively seeking more locations for convenience stores.

"It's absolutely our intent to grow this portion of our business," he said. "That's a big part of our strategic thinking."

It is easier, he said, to locate a convenience store and gas station on property which Big Y already owns for a supermarket. This creates a campus as has happened in Pittsfield and is similar to what Stop & Shop did as it built fuel stations in its supermarket parking lots.

"But we are finding that we don't have to be located with a supermarket to be successful," D'Amour adds. "As long as we are on a traffic route in our core market. That's where our customers are traveling on their way to our stores."

The Big Y location in Hadley sits along the Route 9 corridor between supermarkets in Amherst and Northampton.

He said Big Y learned the business in partnership with F.L. Roberts in Lee. It branched out when the Roberts family prepared to divest.

Big Y learned a lot. At first, the D'Amours thought they would be able to leverage their buying experience from the supermarkets.  That wasn't the case, however, according to Matt D'Amour.

"We  buy a lot of Coca-Cola," he cited as an example, "but for the convenience stores, its a different SKU (the stock keeping unit with which products are coded). It's a whole different supply chain. We had to re-learn how to buy Coca-Cola."

The Big Y Express stores help build Big Y's brand, D'Amour says, keeping the chain in the forefront of consumers' minds.

As a chain, O'Connell Convenience Plus, of Pittsfield, sold to Global Partners of Waltham, which now owns the O'Connell locations that were not sold to Big Y.

Hamza says consolidation will continue, although he stresses that buyouts and mergers are coming late to the convenience store industry compared with other retail sectors.

"Our c-store industry is still probably the most fragmented one in retail," Hamza said. "We are still a mom-and-pop operation for the most part, or a family-run business."

Hamza joined Nouria a year-and-a-half ago after serving as the vice president of  sales and marketing at the Tedeschi chain in eastern Massachusetts. Tedeschi sold out to 7-Eleven in 2015.

Nouria will keep F.L. Roberts' popular points-based customer loyalty program, including its relationship with the Jiffy Lube locations now owned by Atlantic Coast, according to Hamza. The partnership will allow Jiffy Lube customers to accumulate gas discounts and car washes.

"It makes sense for our consumers," he said. "It gives our customers better value."

The Roberts name will stay, he adds. Nouria retains the names of other chains it has purchased elsewhere in New England. 

At Pride, Bolduc said his long-planned Hadley location at the site of the old Aqua Vitae restaurant on Route 9 will be built one day.

Pride is building a larger travel center on Interstate 91 in Connecticut, one that will have a bigger dining area, more food options, be powered by an off-site solar array and offer alternative fuels like hydrogen and propane.

Permitting and planning costs make it hard to open new stores, he said. Getting approvals for a new Pride can cost $250,000 or more in legal, engineering, architectural and other services.

Built in 1926, Springfield Union Station was once served by 130 passenger trains a day. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Ask U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal about Springfield's Union Station and he's likely to tell of being brought there as a little boy to get an ice cream treat at the soda fountain.

Even though the glory years of train travel had likely faded by that point, Neal  remembers how busy the station was, with travelers and employees rushing to meet trains, hauling baggage or dropping off and picking up packages. It was the shopping mall of its day, with a barber shop and a newsstand.

It was, as he reminds visitors, where most visitors got their first taste of Springfield. It's also where generations of young men left the Pioneer Valley to fight in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

Built in 1926 to replace an earlier, outmoded station, Union Station helped define central Springfield. From its construction until after World War II, rail travel thrived in this bustling district, with more than 130 passenger trains passing through daily. The station closed in 1973 except for a small area still used by Amtrak.

Today, as the $94 million rehabilitation of Union Station nears completion, Neal's dream of turning what had been a derelict hulk into a busy hub for a resurgent Springfield are nearing reality.

Neal's vision is to have Union Station once again be a focal point for the city, like stations in Washington, D.C., and closer to home in New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut.

Just expect the new station to come alive in stages.

The Springfield Redevelopment Authority, which owns the building, expected to have a certificate of occupancy early in 2017, said Kevin Kennedy, the city's chief development officer. As a practical matter, that will mean Amtrak train passengers will be able to access the existing platform on the Lyman Street side of the building through the restored station.

The station's 377-space parking garage at the  corner of Main and Frank B. Murray streets will open early this year.

The Amtrak waiting room will also get makeover. That platform will continue to be used until the new one, deemed too narrow to meet handicapped accessibility guidelines by federal officials, is widened at state expense.

The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, Great Springfield's intracity bus line, will move its operations into Union Station. But the physical move will take a few months, so don't expect city buses and bus ticket counters and administrative offices when the building officially opens.

The same goes for intercity bus service. Peter Pan Bus lines is in negotiations with the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, but Kennedy is reluctant to say anything until a deal is signed. Once it is, it will take time for Peter Pan, or another intercity carrier, to move.

"Rerouting the buses is a simple thing," Kennedy said. "But there are computers and support equipment that would have to move."

The new Union Station has a 27-bay open-air bus terminal.

Amenities in the new station will have to wait, Kennedy said. He expects to announce leases with restaurant, food service and retail tenants in the next few months. The renovated station has 11,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space on the concourse level.

"There will be coffee and food," he said. "A newsstand, car rental. All the travel-type conveniences."

Kennedy is also hoping to soon announce tenants for Union Station's 64,000 square feet of upstairs office space. The Springfield Redevelopment Authority hopes to rent out the office space once used by the Boston and Albany Railroad.

While nearing completion, the trip back has not been smooth for Union Station. Various redevelopment efforts stalled over the years. The city eventually tore down what was a massive baggage and package freight handling warehouse instead of renovating it -- and put the bus berths in its place.

The problem with the platform, a six-inch discrepancy for which the station could not get a federal waiver, will take six additional months to fix. But the work will be done at the state's expense, not the city's.

Also, officials never recovered as many as 40 antique wooden benches that are missing from the station. The Springfield Redevelopment Authority hopes that woodworking students at Roger L. Putnam Vocational-Technical Academy are able to build at least a few new benches in the old style.

the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Strom Warning for the area to start at 7 a.m. Initial indications are at least eight inches are likely, meteorologists say.

SPRINGFIELD— The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for all of Massachusetts starting at 7:00 a.m. Sunday morning and running through 7:00 p.m. Monday evening.

Meteorologists say the four western counties of the state could see as much as 12 inches of snow during the 36 hour warning period, scaling back their predictions from earlier. Saturday, as upwards of 17 inches was predicted.

The forecast calls for snow to start sometime later Sunday morning, and will intensify as the day wears on. Temperatures should stay in the lower 30s, with wind gusts getting near 40 mph.

Snow accumulations for Sunday should be between 6 to 12 inches.

Snow will continue into Monday with wind gusts increasing to 45 MPH. Additional accumulations will be less than an inch.

Monday night snow will stop and temperatures will drop into the teens, with winds gusting to over 40 mph.

The heart of the storm is expected to stay off the coast with the exception of far eastern Maine, where a Blizzard Warning has been issued. According to the service, winds as high 40 mph into Monday could hit Eastport, Maine, blowing as much as two-feet of snow into white-out conditions.

The heart of the storm will remain off the coast, however. The farther east the worst conditions will be.

According to meteorologists, on Georges Bank, hurricane strength winds are expected with seas running over 30 feet. That will make it very dangerous for nearly any vessel in the area.

Two people were found dead inside a Quincy home Sunday after a fire broke out early in the morning, according to reports.

Two people were found dead inside a Quincy home Sunday after a fire broke out early in the morning, according to WCVB News.

Flames could be seen coming from a Bell Street home around 1:25 a.m. and a neighbor called for help, the television station reports.

Fire officials told WCVB News that firefighters tried to go into the home to battle the blaze, but were ordered out of the building due to dangerous conditions.

One person was found dead on the first floor and a second person was found dead on the second floor, Fox25 News reports. A third person was found outside on the ground and may have jumped out of a window, the television station reports.

The man found outside was rushed to a Boston hospital for treatment.

The Springfield St. Patrick's Parade Committee held the 2017 Colleen Coronation and Award Presentation Saturday at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel with 235 guests in attendance.

SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield St. Patrick's Parade Committee held the 2017 Colleen Coronation and Award Presentation Saturday at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel with 235 guests in attendance.

Kerri Sullivan Hussey, chairwoman of the Springfield St. Patrick's Parade Committee, opened the event with Mistresses of Honors Lindsay Ideluca and Mary Cate Mannion of WesternMassNews. Sullivan said "It was a pleasure to be able to bring such an elegant event to the heart of downtown Springfield. The committee is made up of a talented group of individuals who work tirelessly to promote and preserve the Irish heritage in the heart of the valley."

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno greeted everyone and said, "This is a great event for the city. It's always so special," adding that the Irish came over here (to this country) not wanting anything except to help achieve better things for them and their families.

The 2017 Parade Marshal is Edward Casey; the John and Agnes Burke Award went to Patrick Sullivan, and the Paul G. Caron Award was claimed by Suzanne O'Sullivan Keenan. The Mary B. Troy Appreciation Award went to Northern Tree Service and receiving the 2017 Mossie and Kathleen Murphy Scholarship was Maggie Rosemond, of Springfield.

Jillian Murphy, of East Longmeadow, was named the 2017 Springfield Colleen with Lauren O'Neil, of Springfield; Hannah Tarpey, of Wilbraham; Maggie Rosemond, of Springfield, and Lily O'Connor, of Longmeadow serving as Court members.

Judges for Saturday night's event were State Rep. Michael J Finn, D-West Springfield, Brynn Feyre and Anna Ni Choirbin. The 2017 Parade Committee officers and directors are, Kerri Sullivan Hussey, chair; Maura Troy Cournoyer, co-chair; Phil Hanrahan, recording secretary; Molly Sullivan, correspondence secretary; Alesia Barbaro, treasurer; and Patty Ferrarini and Kelly Galarneau, directors.  

Snow started falling in the Springfield area at about 9 am. on Sunday.

With the second snowstorm in a week, Western Massachusetts communities are announcing parking bans.

The bans are needed to make it easier for plows to clear the streets. People are warned any violations may result in cars being ticketed and towed.

A few flakes of snow started falling by 9 a.m. Reports show it should be falling all day.

Here are some of the bans. Masslive will continue to add to them as more information becomes available.

Chicopee: The winter parking ban is in effect starting at 9 a.m. and will run to 5 p.m. on Monday.

There is no on-street parking on main roads, no on-street parking on one-way streets and no on-street parking on even sides of side streets.

South Hadley: The winter parking ban is in effect from noon Sunday through noon Tuesday.

People should park on the even numbered side of the street on even days and the odd numbered side of streets on odd days. There is no on-street parking on Bridge Street, Lamb Street, Bardwell Street, Main Street, Rt.116, and Lower North Main Street.

The swap over time, from one side of the street to the other is 8 a.m. on the days the parking ban is in effect.

The Berkshires should see a foot or more of snow.

SPRINGFIELD - Snow has started falling in Western Massachusetts and officials are asking residents to stay off the streets if they can and warning them to obey parking bans.

According to the National Weather Service there is a winter storm warning in the greater Springfield area. Snow is expected to be heavy at times and temperatures should hit a high of 31.

There will be a daytime snow accumulation of between 3 and 5 inches possible and another 3 to 5 inches is expected to fall tonight, the National Weather Service said.

A foot or more of snow is expected in the Berkshires, the National Weather Service said.
Predictions initially called for snow to start falling around 11 a.m., but flakes started flying about 9 a.m. on Sunday.

With more than a foot of snow having fallen in Holyoke on Thursday followed by about two inches of snow falling on Friday night into Saturday, Holyoke Police are asking people to pay attention to the parking ban so plows can clear roads the best they can.

"It is hard because a lot of people don't have driveways so they have to park on the street," Lt. Michael McCoy said.

Holyoke is calling for a reverse parking ban and all residents are asked to park on the even side of the street until further notice.

Holyoke Police do accompany plows and activate lights and sirens to warn residents to move their cars so plows can do their work. In some cases they will even knock on doors to inform residents.

"We don't want to tow people but we will if we have to," he said. There is a $25 fine in Holyoke for violating the parking ban and residents also have to pay the towing and storage fees.

In other parts of the state, Worcester County and Boston is expected to see 3 to 7 inches during the day and another 4 to 8 inches tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

Between 4 to 7 inches of snow is expected to fall on Cape Cod and the islands. Along the coast, where wind gusts are expected to run 55 to 65 mph on Monday, power outages are possible. The interior of the state will get gusty as well with gusts of 35 to 45 mph.

Falchuk attributed the move partially to Republican President Donald Trump's election.

Evan Falchuk, who ran for governor as an independent in 2014, has joined the Democratic Party.

In an op-ed in Commonwealth Magazine's newsletter, the Upload, Falchuk attributed the move partially to Republican President Donald Trump's election. Falchuk wrote that Trump tapped into American working class anger "but is hell-bent on an agenda that will make matters worse."

"Many of the people pushing the Trump agenda are openly hostile to the last several decades of hard-won progress, and have vowed to turn back the clock on so many important gains," Falchuk wrote.

Falchuk has spent the time since his unsuccessful 2014 race trying to grow his United Independent Party so it could compete with the two major parties. But he lost official party status in 2016, two years after gaining it, when he failed to meet a necessary threshold of enrolling 1 percent of registered voters.

Falchuk wrote that he has since concluded that third parties are not the answer. "The time to act is too short, the stakes too high, and the rules too skewed, for a third party to lead this fight," Falchuk wrote.

Falchuk wrote that while he is becoming a Democrat, he is doing so with the belief that the Democratic Party needs to change, in particular by hearing the voices of working Americans.

He said Democrats must demand an "ethical, accountable, and transparent administration." They must establish a plan that "deliver(s) major reforms to our financial services industry, massive infrastructure projects for schools, roads and transit, historic investments in job training and education, major commitments to science, space exploration, and technology, and a complete overhaul of our health care system."

Falchuk also stressed the importance of fiscal discipline and protecting civil rights, both of which were part of his 2014 campaign.

"What kind of girl sends you pictures of her 'down there' with her dress pulled up?" the defendant asked. "What kind of a boyfriend shows those pictures to his friends?" Judge Robert Murphy replied.

These were the top stories out of Springfield District Court last week. If you missed any, click on the links below to read them now.

Judge jails parent who triggered lockdown at Springfield school

Restraining order issued against man who complained about receiving nude photos from Springfield woman

Springfield mother and 2 teen sons charged with cocaine trafficking

Easthampton dog sex defendant misses 2nd court date; arraignment postponed until March

Police: Rum used as accelerant in 2 Springfield arson fires

Springfield man denies road rage charges after allegedly trying to run father, 6-year-old son off road

Alleged Springfield guitar thief held on $2,500 bail

Department of Public Works officials say the biggest problem in clearing roads is people who violate the parking ban.

This photo of Leyford Terrace in Springfield shows how plows have not been able to clear the sides of streets because people have violated the parking ban. Submitted photo 

Hours before any flakes start flying on Sunday, Department of Public Works employees across Western Massachusetts started the job of treating roads and trying to keep them clear for drivers.

A second major storm hitting Western Massachusetts in four days and a 1 to 2-inch snow falling in between has meant Springfield Department of Public Works employees have been working double shifts, or 16 hours a day since Thursday, said Christopher Cignoli, Department of Public Works superintendent.

At least a foot of snow fell on Thursday and between 8 and 12 inches of snow is expected to fall on Sunday into Monday morning, he said.

"We have been doing cleanup and service (since Thursday). We have been getting a lot of complaints and you have to make everything is ready for the next storm," Cignoli said.

Crews started on Thursday morning and continued to work through late Friday cleaning up side streets. Then Friday night into Saturday 1 to 2 inches of snow fell so crews sanded and salted overnight, he said.

Sunday morning they returned to continue clearing snow from the sides of streets left over from Thursday's storm, to make sure roads were as clear as possible for the next round of weather. They also started pre-treating the main roads and secondary hills with salt and sand to prepare for the Sunday storm that started shortly after 9 a.m., he said.

"With 1,100 miles of streets you have to start four to five hours in advance," he said. But the timing of pre-treating roads is important because it doesn't work if it is done too early and if plows are going to be out in an hour they will just push the salt and sand to the side.

The Department of Public Works concentrated on pre-treating main streets and some of the difficult hills such including Belmont, State, Central and Union streets. Cignoli said he expects plows to start hitting roads around 1 or 2 p.m.

Once plows do mobilize the focus continues to be the main streets and secondary hills where problems always happen. It takes longer for operators to reach side streets, he said.

While the large volume of streets makes the Department of Public Works job difficult, the biggest problem is people failing to follow the parking ban, he said.

"What happens is if people park on both sides of the street we never get a chance to clean the roads, plus you have massive piles of snow," he said. Some of that snow comes from people clearing off their cars after the plows have passed.

When they receive complaints about a street not cleared, the Department of Public Works will return, but the problem then is they push more snow into driveways and sidewalks that residents have already cleared, he said.

"It is a never-ending cycle," he said.

In Springfield, Holyoke and Chicopee the Department of Public Works are now working with towing companies and police to move cars which are parked on the wrong side of the street so plows can do their work.

While smaller towns mostly simply ban on-street parking for storms, that can't be done in the cities so most call for some form of having residents park only on one side of the street. Eventually they reverse the ban so plows can then clear the other side.

"It is hard because a lot of people don't have driveways so they have to park on the street," Holyoke Police Lt. Michael McCoy said.

Holyoke Police accompany the Department of Public Works. Officers activate their lights and sirens to announce the parking ban and to ask people to move their cars. Some will even knock on doors if they know who owns a car parked on the wrong side of the street, he said.

Police don't want to tow cars, but they will if they are preventing a street from being cleared. There is a $25 fine for violating the parking ban but the cost of paying for the tow and storage is steeper, he said.

In Chicopee Department of Public Works Superintendent Jeff Neece and another Public Works employee met at the Public Safety complex shortly after the snow started falling check for cars parked on the wrong side of the street. About 20 tow trucks were standing by ready to start removing cars before plows started working.

The Department of Public Works crews also began treating main roads and secondary hills with a salt brine solution about two hours before the snow started falling. The city has been using the process for about two years, Neece said.

With the salt, the snow does not freeze until temperatures hit about 10 degrees. That means there is a layer of water between the road surface and the snow and keeps ice from forming, Neece said.

"We do it on main streets and side street hills. If you see a white film on the road it is pre-treated with a salt water brine," Neece said.

In Chicopee crews were out for about 18 to 20 hours straight and on Friday plow operators worked overnight and until at least 3 a.m. Saturday to clear roads from the 1 to 2-inch snow that fell overnight, he said.

Saturday crews got a break but they started all over again on Sunday and are expected to work all day and well into early Sunday morning, Neece said.

About 25 percent of arrival flights have been delayed

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. - A number of flights have been canceled and delayed at Bradley International Airport Sunday because of the snowstorm.

Currently 20 percent of departure flights are canceled and 25 percent of arrival flights have also been canceled. There is also a small number of delays, said Alisa D. Sisic, spokeswoman for the airport.

"Bradley International Airport is open and snow removal efforts are ongoing," she said.

Between 4 and 8 inches of snow is expected to fall at the airport Sunday night and early Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

But as the storm grows worse, passengers who are scheduled to travel Sunday and Monday are advised to contact the airline to confirm the status of their flights before preparing to leave, she said.

Information is also available on the Bradley Airport website , www.flybdl.org, and on Twitter @BDLFlightInfo. 

Logan International Airport in Boston is also reporting a number of cancellations of arriving and departing flights. A number of departing flights are also delayed by 45 minutes or more.

People are advised to check with their airlines and also can look for arriving and departing flights on the airport website.

Worcester Airport is reporting all three arrival flights and the two departing flights have been canceled.

The Big Y in West Springfield is expected to remain open until 10 p.m. tonight.

"We get the usual rush for milk, eggs and juice," said Paul Kellogg, the store manager at Big Y on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield.

"People also like to get snacks to hold them over for a few days," he said.

Although the store took a hit on shovels and rock salt during Thursday's storm, there are still storm supplies left.

West Springfield - Big Y's storm equipment for sale in the West Springfield store.Elizabeth Roman | eroman@repub.com 

"We always have at least a few people coming in to get the rock salt or shovels so we try to have them available," he said.

The store remained open during Winter Storm Niko and plans are to do the same today and tomorrow, Kellogg said.

"We are open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. every day and I don't foresee that changing. We have plans in place in case we lose power. We're prepared," he said.

While the Big Y in West Springfield plans to remain open, customers are advised to call their local store to make sure they are open before heading out.

With progress comes optimism and new energy. The progress we see in Western Massachusetts is real.

Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce 

By Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce

Although I have been writing for my entire career, this is the first time I have had the honor of penning a column for The Republican's Outlook section as the president of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce.

I moved from my longtime position as vice president of marketing and communications to the office of president in August. While I know this organization well, as its leader I am committed to building on the value and resources we offer businesses in the region. I am excited about exploring new and innovative ways in which the chamber can connect and collaborate with people and businesses in the region.

We are experiencing a time of unprecedented progress in our region because of collaboration, commitment and hard work. I know this firsthand because, in one way or another, as a business resource and legislative advocate, the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce is involved in many facets of this progress.

With progress comes optimism and new energy. The progress we see in Western Massachusetts is real. No longer do ideas and plans exist only on pieces of paper or in files on computers. Every day, I see a new brick, a new beam, a crane pointing skyward.
When I look out my office window in downtown Springfield, I can see renovation on the Bridge Street building that will become the city's new innovation center. Just a block away on Lyman Street, the renovated Union Station will soon open its doors to restored grandeur, linking a new bus terminal with commuter rail service. Plans are for retail shops and restaurants to be part of the $82 million renovation.

The progress on the construction of MGM Springfield is visible from Interstate 91, which is in the middle of a viaduct rehabilitation program through downtown Springfield. A walk or a drive to the South End offers an up-close view of the transformation of the area that will become the casino. Hiring efforts have begun to fill the estimated 3,000 permanent jobs in the hotel, entertainment and casino complex.

Manufacturing will return to Springfield with production of subway cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority at the North American headquarters for CRRC Massachusetts Rail Co.

The Boston-area clean tech start-up Greentown Labs will open a Springfield office to connect the advanced manufacturing industry in Western Massachusetts with start-ups in the eastern part of the state.

The area's location inside the Knowledge Corridor, with one of the highest concentrations of colleges and universities in the country, means we are fortunate to have a highly educated workforce to support the region's businesses. Colleges and universities are innovating, adapting and contributing to the region's renaissance.

The Online American Women's College of Bay Path University, the country's first online college for women, and the UMass Center at Springfield, are both located in downtown Springfield. At Springfield Technical Community College, construction is underway for the Rubenzahl Student Learning Commons, a landmark historic restoration project.
With nearly $2 billion in economic development initiatives, the city is ready for its comeback, and, at the Springfield Regional Chamber, we know that if business thrives in Springfield, the region thrives .

Across the region, other development is planned or is underway. Winn Companies is undertaking a $460 million renovation of a section of the Ludlow Mills for mixed use, including market rate housing.

The Cubit, a former factory building in Holyoke's Innovation District is set for completion this year. Holyoke Community College Culinary Arts Program, as part of its new partnership with MGM, will move to the Cubit, and operate a restaurant, which will be open to the public.

Just down the street is the recently expanded Gateway City Arts, which has become a regional destination for events, entertainment and dining.

Further north, Greenfield-based Argotech is investing in a $25 million expansion that is creating 110 jobs.

When you look at these examples of economic growth , it is easy to believe that they will spur even more investment in our region.

We value our role in supporting regional businesses of all sizes. As a resource for advocacy, information and marketing exposure, we help to promote our members and provide them with the connections and the resources to grow.

The chamber offers networking and informational programs through more than 80 events annually, with various levels of sponsorships that offer members marketing opportunities, business connections, and visibility.

Through legislative advocacy, we focus on advancing economic development, lowering business costs and strengthening the region's commerce.

Members are able to take advantage of discounts and special cost-savings programs that would otherwise not be available to businesses, resulting in significant, tangible savings.

We get the word out about our members in various ways. The chamber's annual membership directory is a resource for connecting businesses and our monthly newsletter provides a news and marketing vehicle for our members to promote their employees, their products and services, and their successes. Our website, Facebook and Twitter pages keep members informed almost daily.

If you are not a member, there has never been a better time to join the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce and be part of this growth. I encourage you to contact Jeff Lomma, our member services director for more information by email to lomma@springfieldregionalchamber.com or calling 413-755-1313.

Just as important as the growth of business in our region, is the development of its future leaders. For more than 30 years, the Springfield Regional Chamber, in partnership with Western New England University, have presented the annual Leadership Institute, which runs for four consecutive Thursdays from February through April. The institute has support from the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation and MGM Springfield.

As I wrote in the beginning of this column, I am excited about exploring new and innovative ways in which the Springfield Regional Chamber can connect and collaborate with people and businesses in the region. How can we help your business? Do you have ideas for collaboration? Ideas for programs and events? Let's work together to build on our collective successes.

I would love to hear from you.

Nancy Creed is president of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce; she may be reached by email to creed@springfieldregionalchamber.com. To learn more about the chamber, visit the website, springfieldregionalchamber.com.

Police are asking people to stay off Otis Reservoir during the rescue and because weather conditions are poor.

OTIS - A snowmobile rider crashed through the ice on Otis Reservoir on Sunday.

The Police Department is reporting they are on the scene of the rescue and are reporting that the rider is safe.

The accident was reported before 1 p.m. on Sunday. Police are reporting that the rider is safe.

People are being asked to stay off the Otis Reservoir for the time being since crews are on the scene and weather conditions are poor making the rescue difficult.

Masslive will update information about the rescue when it is available.