R-Wireless, a Verizon retailer, became the second business to open in the plaza since a 21,000-square-foot expansion.

LONGMEADOW — A Verizon Premium retailer officially opened its doors at the Longmeadow Shops, becoming the second store to launch there since the complex was expanded.

R-Wireless, a family-owned Verizon retailer that franchises in nine states, started business in the expanded Longmeadow Shops a little more than a month after J.C. Mercantile, the first store, opened on Jan. 24, according to Grove Property Fund LLC, which owns the property.

"This is a great spot for us because it is located in the heart of Longmeadow," R-Wireless Area Manager Yahia Elbetebsi said in a statement. "Working closely with Verizon to make their services more accessible, and convenient to customers plays a big role in where we build our stores."

The stores' openings come about a year after construction officially began to expand and add a 21,000-square-foot addition to the plaza.

The expansion was a result of the community's support for a zoning modification voted on in February of 2015, allowing for a 20 percent increase in shared retail space along with parking and pedestrian safety improvements. Construction officially broke ground in March of 2016.

CVS is scheduled to commence business at its larger, 13,100-square-foot store on March 12, a statement from Grove Property Fund says. One feature of the newly expanded CVS Pharmacy will be a drive-thru, offering the convenience of a pick-up window for pharmacy prescriptions.

"When the community lent their support for the zone modification in 2015, one of the things that people seemed most excited about was the drive-thru component of the new CVS Pharmacy," said Steve Walker, owner of Grove Property Fund in a statement. "Mothers and fathers with young children, elderly patrons, people who are feeling under the weather - all see a big convenience with this component. In addition to that, the larger store will offer an improved customer experience for years to come."

A new tenant for the former CVS space has not yet been announced.

More than 40 of the school district's schools are participating in the program, which has students eating breakfast in their classrooms instead of a cafeteria. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Balancing milk, juice, a fresh fruit cup and a sandwich, Rey'Anna Kidd, 6, walked over to her table to join her friends Samuel Thierry, Jaziel Cruz and Alexander Hatwood, all kindergartners at Brightwood Elementary School.

For several years the school has collaborated with food service provider Sodexo on Breakfast in the Classroom, an initiative that allows students to eat their breakfast at their desks instead of a school cafeteria.

The federally funded program has expanded over the years and now about 75 percent of Springfield's 60 schools participate.

"We are moving towards 100 percent participation," said Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick, who was joined Wednesday by local officials including state Sen. James Welch, D-West Springfield, Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, D- Springfield, and others as they got a glimpse of how the program works.

It's a simple concept. Instead of getting breakfast in the cafeteria, students are brought their meals by Sodexo staff and eat at their desks before the school day begins. Students are offered a variety of options including a hot and cold meal, fruit, juice and milk.

"I like Cheerios the best," said Jaziel, while Rey'Anna said she makes sure to get milk every day.

Their teacher Diane Shaw and paraprofessional Olga Garcia work together in the mornings to make sure the transition from breakfast to learning goes smoothly. Shaw said she has seen the benefits of the program.

"They are more alert and ready to learn," she said, adding that the smaller classroom setting for breakfast allows students to socialize with their classmates.

"Socialization, especially at this age, is very important. I sit down and have a meal with them in the morning and they are learning about being nice to each other, looking a person in the eye and talking to one another," she said.

Principal John Doty said the program has been one of the many initiatives that has taken Brightwood from Level 4, the state's designation for under-performing schools, to Level 3 in 2014.

"Its those transitional times when you have more issues from a behavioral perspective, but now when you no longer have children going from a cafeteria and transitioning to a classroom ... we have seen less disciplinary referrals," he said.

Doty added that there has been an increases in student attendance rates and academic performance.

"There is a direct correlation to nutrition and academic performance and we are excited about that," he said.

Being located in the city's poorest neighborhood also means breakfast and lunch may be the only meals some Brightwood students, particularly homeless children, get every day, Warwick added.

"The state recognized that kids in poor, urban centers often start the day without breakfast and it really has a negative impacts with kids going home sick, a lot more tardiness and the academic achievement suffers," he said.

Sodexo even offers a program that provides additional meals homeless students can take with them on weekends.

Sodexo created more than 100 new jobs to help the Breakfast in the Classroom program succeed.

"It takes more staff to logistically get the breakfast into the classroom, so we have added over 100 full-time benefited positions, with 80 percent of those being Springfield residents," said Mark Jeffrey, district manager of Sodexo. "We are helping students by giving them a nutritional meal and additionally helping the community with job opportunities."

The program was able to expand to more than a dozen additional schools this year with help from an Eos Foundation grant.

Hardwick's election will be on April 10. The deadline to register to vote in the election is March 21.

HARDWICK -- Voters will pick one of two candidates for the Board of Selectmen when they go to the polls in next month's annual town election.

Julie Quink of 685 Turkey St. and William Pinker of 233 Upper Church St. have submitted nomination papers, according to the town clerk, and will appear on the ballot. Incumbent Richard Kmiec is not seeking re-election.

No one took out nomination papers to fill the seat currently held by Marcelino "Tex" Sarabia on the Board of Health. There is also no one on the ballot for a three-year term of the Paige Library board of trustees.

Geoffrey Spier of 48 Church St. is running unopposed for a seat on the Quabbin Regional School Committee.

Town Clerk Paula Roberts is seeking re-election. She has served as clerk here the past 39 years.

Hardwick's election will be on April 10. The deadline to register to vote in the election is March 21.

A sea of people dressed in red took to the streets in downtown Northampton Wednesday, led by a red Lady Liberty. Watch video

A sea of people dressed in red took to the streets in downtown Northampton Wednesday, led by a red Lady Liberty. 

Hundreds participated in an International Women's Day march down Pleasant and Main Streets, ending in Pulaski Park. A woman dressed as Lady Liberty, but with a red dress and crown, stood at the front of the march. 

Once inside the park, a microphone was passed around to attendees who spoke out against President Donald J. Trump, in support of reproductive rights and immigrants. 

Photos: About 100 rally at UMass to support women, oppose President Trump

'Inequality graveyard' set up in Northampton for International Women's Day

About 100 people carried signs, chanted slogans and listened to speakers talk about everything from disability rights to remembering transgender women who have been killed at the Women's Day march and rally Wednesday at the University of Massachusetts. Watch video

AMHERST -- About 100 people carried signs, chanted slogans and listened to speakers talk about everything from disability rights to violence against transgender women at the International Women's Day march and rally Wednesday at the University of Massachusetts.

The event was created by a coalition opposed to the policies of President Donald Trump. It featured speakers from various groups that are part of the coalition.

The rally began with some speeches outside the Fine Arts Center, moved to the lawn outside Goodell Hall and concluded on to the Metawampe Lawn near the Student Union.

Hundreds march through downtown Northampton on International Women's Day

While the event was organized to celebrate women, the coalition is committed to broad activism, said UMass alumna Kate Nadel and a member of the International Socialist Organization who helped organize the rally.

The collation wants "to build active resistance to the current administration, to be able to respond when executive orders come through," she said before the rally began. She said all the groups want to support each other in their goals.

"We want to be united against Trump's racist, sexist, homophobic polices," said junior Jovanna Mason, a member of the coalition and rally organizer. "I was terrified (when he was elected)."

The group of students, staff and faculty chanted slogans including, "Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here," and, "Power to the people, no human is illegal." They carried signs reading, "Be bold and empower," "A woman's place is in the revolution" and "Free abortion on demand."

They heard from Ramona Faris, a Christian from Lebanon, who talked about advocating for Palestinians and Muslims. "You're not feminists unless you talk about this," she said.

They also heard Sonia Guglani from the UMass Democrats talk about the demand for equal pay for women and paid parental leave, no matter if a woman is married or single.

Avanti Mukherjee, from the Asian American Students Association, talked about the number of transgender women who have been killed, particularly African-Americans. She read names, asking the crowd to do the same, and talked about their lives.

Nadel said some people couldn't attend the daytime rally and the coalition was expecting others to attend the panel discussion on resistance efforts and coalition-building Wednesday night.

A Hampden group called Citizens Supporting Educational Excellence has submitted an article for the annual town meeting warrant that calls on the Hampden Board of Selectmen to investigate the procedure for and ramifications of the town's possible withdrawal from the 24-year-old regional school district.

HAMPDEN -- At Hampden's annual town meeting in May, voters will consider an article requesting the Board of Selectmen to investigate how to formally withdraw from the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District.

The article also asks selectmen to investigate the ramifications of withdrawal and to develop a plan and timeline for quitting the regional district, which has been in a state of suspended uncertainty since Hampden voters rejected a plan in October to send Thornton W. Burgess Middle School students to Wilbraham Middle School.

The article was one of two submitted for inclusion on the town meeting warrant by a Hampden group called Citizens Supporting Educational Excellence. CSEE supports an equitable education for students who attend schools in Hampden, the minority shareholder in the two-town regional school district that was formed in 1993.

The second town meeting article asks Hampden selectmen to use their authority to enforce the outcome of the October vote to ensure that Thornton W. Burgess remains open, and to ensure that TWB students will not be merged with Wilbraham Middle School students.

As per state law, the CSEE gathered the requisite number of signatures to get the articles on the town meeting warrant, according to John D. Flynn, chairman of the Hampden Board of Selectmen.

"These are citizens' petitions, and we have a longstanding right in Massachusetts to allow that," Flynn said Wednesday. "Town meeting is the purest form of democracy. Everyone has the same vote, and it takes only ten signatures to get an article on the town meeting warrant."

As a caveat, he said, the warrant is always submitted for legal review to make sure that all articles are properly worded and authorized.

The submitted article calls for Hampden's withdrawal only from the kindergarten through eighth-grade portion of the regionalization agreement. Hampden residents have traditionally sent their children to Wilbraham for high school, which would not change under the proposed article.

The two communities, long entwined by geography and history -- Hampden was once part of Wilbraham -- have been at loggerheads since splitting over a proposal to send TWB students to Wilbraham Middle School for a five-year period beginning in the 2017 fall semester.

The regional agreement that created the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District only allows Hampden students to cross town lines to attend Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham.

Special town meetings were held in both towns on Oct. 24 to see if voters would amend the agreement, but Hampden voters rejected the merger plan, fearing TWB's temporary closure could become permanent. The merger plan required approval from both towns to take effect. 

Proponents of the plan, including the district's administration and the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee, said the issue is about providing the best possible education to all district middle school students, not about saving or closing a building in Hampden.

They have cited TWB's continuing declining enrollment, and the costs associated with the falloff, as a reason to merge the Hampden school with the Wilbraham school. Current district finances do not permit adequate educational opportunities in both buildings, according to the Middle School Task Force, which supported the five-year merger plan, saying it would give officials a chance to monitor enrollment and devise a long-range plan for the middle schools.

The Hampden town meeting articles are ruffling some feathers on Wilbraham Selectman Bob Boilard's Facebook page, which has become a forum for the public to share its thoughts on the issue, including current and past elected officials.

"Not sure if people get the true grasp of the costs associated with such a move," Boilard said Tuesday, noting that Wilbraham voters would have to agree to deregionalizing the school district.

"Both communities would have to set up new school committees and administrations. All for what? To save TWB," Boilard said.

Rather than consolidate the middle schools, which would reduce costs and provide a better educational experience districtwide, "we are going to look at adding significant costs and, in essence, do nothing for the educational experience except overspend," Boilard said.

A divorce would be complicated and costly, according to Dr. William Bontempi, a member of the School Committee. "Based on current projections of enrollment, in the coming years the closing of Thornton Burgess middle school is inevitable." Bontempi said on Boilard's Facebook page. "There simply are not enough students to sustain the building."

That's because the School Committee is attempting an "end-run" to close TWB, according to CSEE, citing the board's decision to move TWB fifth-graders back to elementary school and to transfer another 48 TWB students to Wilbraham Middle School. The latter action was the result of transfer requests from concerned parents, according to district officials.

These actions have further depleted TWB's enrollment, CSEE members argue, jeopardizing the school's viability. By the start of the 2017 fall semester, the 50-year-old, 220-plus-student school will have at least 90 fewer students.

Allowing TWB students to transfer to Wilbraham Middle School, a larger school with more resources and higher test scores, was the result of numerous transfer requests from parents in Hampden. District officials said they were flooded with requests "within seconds" of the merger vote's failure in October.

Lisa Sternberg, a retired Hampden teacher and critic of the district's handling of the merger issue, said TWB's enrollment has been decimated as a result of the School Committee's actions.

"We insist upon the fulfillment of the promise of an equitable and excellent education for all of our public school children. All of them," Sternberg said. "We're not going anywhere and we still have the power of our voices and our votes."

Baha'i Community of Greater Springfield places ad in March 8th edition of The Republican in support of gender equality.

SPRINGFIELD - "It would absolutely come as no surprise to any Baha'i that such an ad would appear in the papers," said Anthony Vance, director of the Baha'is of the United States.

Vance was asked about a nearly half-page ad that appears in the March 8 edition of The Republican in conjunction with the celebration of International Women's Day.

The ad, placed by the Baha'i Community of Greater Springfield, quoted the faith's belief in the equality of men and women, as well as the evolution of faith with religious truth not being absolute.

"The world of humanity has two wings - one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly," the ad reads.

"Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of women becomes equal to the world of men in the acquisition of virtues and perfections, can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be."

Vance said Baha'is believe in the "oneness of the human race" and that each individual's eternal soul has "no gender" since it is "not material."

"In other words, equality for men and women is a reality as well as something that society should reflect," said Vance, noting that such a belief has partly contributed to Baha'is being persecuted in countries like Iran.

He added Baha'is believe "the achievement of equality is good for the entire human race."

"Sometimes this is overlooked in the discussion - gender equality benefits society as a whole, men benefit as well as women."

Vance said Baha'is, who number about 190,000 in the United States, also believe that "both science and religion are pathways to truth."

"Religious beliefs that are inconsistent with science are superstitions, and society without religion becomes very materialized," said Vance, noting the absence of scientific thought more than 3,000 years ago at the time of Moses.

He also said that Baha'is believe "God has sent messengers to the human race in the form of the founders of the great religions of the world, each with a revelation suited to the needs of the time and the capacity of the people to understand."

"These manifestations of God each bring a revelation with two part. The first part are eternal principles that don't change, like kindness, honesty, being merciful - and reflect a basic spiritual quality."

"The second are social principles that are suited to the needs of the particular times in history, such as the equality of men and women. This may have been hinted at in religions of the past, but it has never been an explicit part of religious belief until the Baha'i was founded in the middle of the 19th century," Vance said.

While no one from the local Baha'i society could be reached for comment, Vance said he felt an ad in support of International Women's Day might also be of interest to someone looking for spiritual support for their beliefs.

"It is certainly helpful for people looking for spiritual support for the basic concept that gender equality is important in modern society," he said.

Earl A. Howard was found to be sitting on 250 packets of heroin during a traffic stop on Route 8 in Cheshire.

Kris Hachadourian Deburro, The Republican 

PITTSFIELD - A Springfield man who was arrested Jan. 29 in Cheshire after he was found in a car with 250 packets of heroin entered an innocent plea at arraignment Wednesday in Berkshire Superior Court.

Earl A. Howard, 23, of Dickinson St. is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

After Howard entered his plea, he was ordered held at the Berkshire County House of Correction in lieu of a $25,000 personal surety or $2,500 cash.

He was arrested by state police troopers with the Cheshire barracks.

According to the Berkshire Eagle, Howard was a passenger in a car that was stopped for speeding along Route 8. When the trooper approached the car, Howard appeared agitated and was trying to reach under his seat. The trooper ordered him out of the car, and found the heroin stuffed under the passenger seat.

As House Republicans promote their plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, a majority of voters said they believe health care should be President Donald Trump's first priority in office, according to a new survey.

As House Republicans promote their plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, a majority of voters said they believe health care should be President Donald Trump's first priority in office, according to a new survey.

A Quinnipiac University National Poll released Wednesday found that more than a third of voters, or 36 percent, think the president should first focus his attention on health care policy -- an issue which has dominated much of the recent debate in Washington.

Thirty percent of voters, by contrast, said the president should make infrastructure his top priority, while 16 percent said Trump should first focus on tax policy.

Just 15 percent of respondents said he should lead with immigration policy -- an area in which the Republican has been particularly active since entering the Oval Office.

Although a majority of voters said the president should focus on health care, they remained largely split over GOP-led efforts to repeal the ACA, with 51 to 45 percent saying the believe Trump should oppose efforts to dismantle the law known as Obamacare.

Just 21 percent of voters, meanwhile, said they would like to see all of the ACA repealed, compared to 49 percent who said parts of the contentious health care law should be removed. About a quarter, or 27 percent, said no parts of the law should be undone.

About four in 10 respondents further said they would be less likely to support the reelection of a lawmaker who votes to repeal Obamacare, compared to 28 percent who said they would be more inclined to cast a favorable ballot.

Despite voters' differences of opinion when it comes to the ACA, nearly all, or 96 percent, said they believe ensuring that health insurance is affordable for all Americans is "very" or "somewhat" important.

The poll, which surveyed 1,323 voters nationwide via telephone from March 2 to 6, has a margin or error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

Its findings come just days after House Republicans, who repeatedly attempted to dismantle the ACA under President Barack Obama, introduced their plan to repeal and replace the contentious health care law.

The GOP plan proposes canceling the law's fines on individuals who don't carry health insurance, overhauling the federal-state Medicaid program and replacing income-based subsidies with age-based tax credits.

US. Rep. Richard Neal, Massachusetts lawmakers condemn House Republicans' ACA repeal bill

It, however, would retain a handful of more popular ACA provisions, like allowing adults to remain on their parents' health plans until age 26 and barring health insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

The proposal has drawn bipartisan criticism, with Democrats contending it would leave millions of Americans without health care coverage, and some Republicans casting it at "Obamacare Lite."

Trump, however, threw his support behind the House GOP plan this week, calling it a "wonderful new health care bill" and pointing to further changes he would like to see, such as allowing Americans to purchase health coverage across state lines and lowering prescription drug costs.

President Donald Trump touts GOP health care plan, signals changes to drug pricing, state insurance lines

The Springfield Fire Department's $21.8 million budget request for fiscal 2018, was described as a "very lean budget."

SPRINGFIELD -- Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant said Wednesday that with multiple small academy classes and city funds, the Fire Department has been making progress in filling vacancies, adding staff to its trucks and reducing overtime costs.

Conant made the comments while detailing his fiscal 2018 budget proposal during a hearing before Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and his finance team at the municipal building on Tapley Street.

Conant is proposing a $21,798.761 budget for the new fiscal year, reflecting an increase of $482,206, or 2.3 percent.

"It's a very lean budget," Conant said. "We try to keep it to a bare minimum that maintains core services and continues our training."

The Fire Department budget would fund 263 employees, including 242 firefighters and fire supervisors.

Sarno and his chief administrative and financial officer, Timothy J. Plante, have asked all city departments to present level-funded budgets that continue current personnel and services that take into account pay raises and cost increase.

Currently, there are 10 funded, but vacant firefighter positions in Springfield, including three newly hired firefighters in active military duty, Conant said. The city plans to have an academy class for seven firefighters in September, to continue filling vacancies, he said.

It is possible the department could reach full staffing in the fall, Conant said. The academies last 10 weeks and it is hoped they will be conducted three times a year, he said.

With multiple small academy classes occurring last year and this year, the Fire Department has dramatically reduced its reliance on overtime pay, Conant said. An academy that finished in November included six new Springfield firefighters, and a prior academy that finished in June included five Springfield firefighters.

Two years ago, the city was spending $2.6 million annually on overtime due to numerous vacancies, Conant said. A year ago, overtime had decreased to $1.4 million annually, and is projected this year to be $1.2 million, he said.

"So the hiring has definitely decreased the overtime dramatically," Conant said.

Related to that, the department in the past was regularly staffing its fire engines with just three personnel due to staffing issues, Conant said.

Having four personnel on a truck was an "aberration" in the past, but now is more a norm, Conant said.

Recently, the national Insurance Services Office raised the insurance ranking of the Springfield Fire Department from "Class 3" to "Class 2," a reflection of improvements in its operations and including staffing and equipment and training, Conant said.

The Fire Department averages nearly 16,000 calls per year including more than 1,000 fire incidents, according to a department summary. In addition, the Fire Prevention Division conducts an average of more than 5,000 inspections per year and generates more than $400,000 in revenue, while also serving as the department's fire education team, conducting an average of 120 presentations per year, the department stated.

The city budget is expected to be presented to the City Council in May. The council will conduct its own budget hearings.

It could be Conant's last Springfield fire budget.

On Jan. 1, Sarno announced he will not renew Conant's contract as fire commissioner when it expires on Jan. 23, 2018, roughly mid-way through the new fiscal year. The decision was announced two days after Sarno issued a sharp rebuke to Conant for not taking disciplinary action against Deputy Fire Chief Glenn Guyer for failing to move to Springfield within one year of his promotion.

Guyer's lawyer has argued there is no requirement for him to move to Springfield, which is disputed by Sarno and other city officials.

The proposed Fire Department budget would fully fund department training including health and wellness programs intended to reduce injuries on the job and related costs, Conant said.

Conant was also asked to present a "wish list" if there is additional funding available for his department, and said his wish would be 10 additional firefighters.

If a 3 percent cut is needed to his budget, Conant said the department would lose 17 full-time positions, including the alarm division and 14 firefighters.

Due to a tight state timeline, towns and cities across Massachusetts could have only two weeks next spring to put zoning in place to control the placement of retail marijuana shops. Watch video

EASTHAMPTON -- Due to a tight state timeline, towns and cities across Massachusetts could have only two weeks next spring to put zoning in place to control the placement of retail marijuana shops.

That's according to Easthampton City Planner Jessica Allan, who spoke about zoning for recreational marijuana at a Planning Board meeting Tuesday night.

Such local rules could control the general location, and possibly require a special permit or site plan review, for recreational pot businesses. Permit conditions could address issues including signage, access and odor.

Allan said she had attended a number of statewide workshops and meetings on the subject of marijuana zoning, and wanted to share what she learned.

She said a yet-to-be appointed state Cannabis Control Commission must issue initial regulations by March 15, 2018. On April 1 of that year, the commission may accept applications for licenses under the new recreational marijuana law.

"That gives us two weeks -- two weeks -- to put regulations in place," said Allan.

She said she's not hopeful that regulations will be issued any earlier, because the Office of the State Treasurer has "no budget, no software and no staff" to develop the marijuana rules.

"They have nothing; they are working from absolutely nothing," she said. "So I think they are going to take as much time as they possibly can."

Allan advised against drafting local zoning rules until the state regulations are known. She said a temporary moratorium on new marijuana businesses could buy the Planning Board some time. 

Planners across the state have "no indication" whether state regulations around recreational marijuana will be in any way similar to the rules around medical marijuana, said Allan.

"We just don't know," she said.

For instance, the medical marijuana regulations, issued in 2013, bar dispensaries within a 500-foot radius of any school or daycare center. But it's "completely unclear" what the rules will be for recreational shops.

Allan said it's not known whether "standalone" growing operations will be allowed. Such a grow room would be able to sell wholesale to independent marijuana shops. Under the medical pot rules, a dispensary must grow its own plants in a strict "seed to sale" setup.

"Until we get regulations from the state, I don't think it's wise to put very specific zoning in place, with regard to locations for recreational marijuana, until we really know what those provisions are going to be," she said.

State Treasurer Deb Goldberg has yet to appoint the three-member Cannabis Control Commission.

Allan distributed a four-page fact sheet developed by the Boston-based KP Law firm. The sheet (pdf) contains detailed information for municipalities struggling to confront the new marijuana law.

As for the state, "we can't work within their rules if we don't know their rules," noted Planning Board Chairman Jesse Belcher-Timme.

Allan: City Council may not prohibit marijuana shops

Massachusetts voters in November overwhelmingly approved Question 4, legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. On Dec. 15, it became legal for adults to possess and grow marijuana at home in limited quantities.

Under the new law, a City Council or Planning Board may not prohibit recreational marijuana shops, or even limit their number, Allan said. That can only be done by local voters at a statewide election.

Similarly, marijuana cafes -- where pot may be consumed -- can only be allowed through a ballot initiative.

Such ballot initiatives require a petition of at least 10 percent of local registered voters. The vote can be taken only during a statewide election, meaning the next opportunity would be November 2018.

Municipalities may impose a moratorium on recreational marijuana shops "in order to thoughtfully put zoning in place," said Allan, adding such a moratorium probably could not legally extend beyond one year.

Belcher-Timme said the timing of any such moratorium would be key. He also said there could be a potential downside. 

"We might want to be cognizant of not overreaching with the moratorium, if there are things we want to be doing sooner, and not wanting to block that out entirely," he said.

Belcher-Timme said "even if we rush everything," it would take several months for the city to get local bylaws in place.

Zoning changes require a joint public hearing between the Planning Board and the City Council's Ordinance Subcommittee, and then an affirmative two-thirds vote of the full council.

Allan said she has been approached by at least one entrepreneur who hopes to grow marijuana in the city's mill district for the recreational market.

Under state law, medical dispensaries would have first dibs on any recreational license. Easthampton granted a license to Hampden Care Facility last year. That dispensary and grow room is now under construction at 122 Pleasant St.

In 2014, Easthampton approved zoning for medical marijuana. The zoning limits the facilities to the city's Pleasant Street mill district and industrial zones.

Even as towns and cities struggle with the issue of local zoning, the landscape could shift on the state level. There are more than a dozen bills pending on Beacon Hill that could change Massachusetts marijuana law. 

Democratic state Sen. Jason Lewis, chairman of the Special Senate Committee on Marijuana, has sponsored a number of those bills. Lewis returned from a fact-finding visit to Colorado last year with concerns about the potency of edibles, diversion into the black market, high-potency concentrates, driver impairment, marijuana financing, youth access and more.

State laws and regulations fit within a larger framework.

Voters in eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana, but the plant remains a Schedule 1 drug under federal law, and is classified along with ecstasy, LSD and heroin.

What's more, federal law prohibits banks and credit unions from taking marijuana money, meaning the operations continue to operate as cash businesses.

President Donald J. Trump has threatened to crack down on commercial pot operations in the states.

Goldberg on Tuesday announced she had written to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking the Department of Justice to clarify its plans regarding federal marijuana law enforcement.

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com.

A special weather statement issued just after 3 p.m. reports the storm may rain showers and heavy wind.

The National Weather Service is issuing an advisory for much of Western Massachusetts and Worcester County as a strong rain storm with heavy winds is expected to sweep across the area.

A special weather statement issued just after 3 p.m. reports the storm may rain showers and heavy wind.

It was reported moving on a line between Granville and Whately heading east at 45 mph.

Impact areas include Worcester, Springfield, Chicopee, Westfield, Leominster, Fitchburg,Holyoke, Marlborough, Amherst, Shrewsbury, Northampton, Agawam, WestSpringfield, Greenfield, Orange, Deerfield, Ludlow, Gardner, Hudson and Westborough.

People are advised to go inside when skies darken, and the winds are expected to be strong enough to bring down some tree branches.

Students, staff and faculty at Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School had the day off Wednesday in honor of International Women's Day.

Students, staff and faculty at Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School had the day off Wednesday in honor of International Women's Day. 

Officials at the charter school in Holyoke decided the school would be closed to allow the school community to participate in 'A Day Without A Woman' activities, whether that mean simply staying home or attending marches and rallies. 

A group of teachers and students at the social justice charter attended the march through downtown Northampton Wednesday. 

Brenda Cepeda, a behavioral specialist at the school who spoke at the Northampton rally, said canceling school for the day was inline with the charter's mission. 

"A third of our teachers are women and we decided we wanted to participate," she said.

Students and families were supportive of the school's decision to cancel school for the day, Cepeda said. 

Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School serves high school students from Holyoke, Chicopee, Northampton, South Hadley, Westfield and West Springfield.  

Hundreds march through downtown Northampton on International Women's Day

 

The annual Spring Bulb Show held at the Smith College Lyman Conservatory, is a burst of color as nearly 6,000 bulbs will greet visitors to the two week event which started on March 4th.

NORTHAMPTON -- Almost a year in advance planning paid off and the bulbs are blooming at Smith College.

The annual Spring Bulb Show, held at the college's Lyman Conservatory, is a burst of color as nearly 5,000 bulbs will greet visitors during the two week event, which started on March 4 and runs through March 19.

From the college's website:

The Botanic Garden's Spring Bulb Show is a Smith College tradition that began in the early 1900s. Ordinarily blooming at different times during the spring, some 5,000 bulbs are coaxed into flowering simultaneously, while everything is still gray and bare outdoors. This extravagant display of blossoming crocuses, hyacinths, narcissi, irises, lilies and tulips as well as non-hardy South African Bulbs provides an early glimpse of spring. The process begins in October, when Smith College horticulture students pot up the bulbs and put them into cold storage. Starting in January, the bulbs are moved to the greenhouses. It takes careful timing and temperature control to orchestrate their colorful and fragrant debut in March.

A late-February warm spell, which saw temperatures spike into the 60s and 70s a week before the start of the show, made it difficult for the staff to keep the flowers in top form for the two-week run.

"If you notice, we are trying to keep the greenhouse as cool as possible," noted Madelaine Zadik, manager of education and outreach in the school's Botanic Garden Department.

Although there is no official count for this year, Smith College officials an estimate up to 20,000 people will file through the conservatory's greenhouse rooms.

The show is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. There is a suggested donation of $5.

Zadik said members of the Friends of the Botanic Garden of Smith College can get a peek earlier in the day starting a 9:00 a.m., which is a good way to beat the crowds.

A live view of the show is available on the college website.

Benjamin Martinez was charged with fatally stabbing Puente on June 9, 2004, at her Taylor Street Springfield apartment. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- A Hampden Superior Court jury on Wednesday found Benjamin Martinez guilty of first-degree murder in the 2004 stabbing death of Caridad Puente.

Judge Richard J. Carey set sentencing for 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. At the sentencing Puente's family members will offer victim impact statements.

Jurors began deliberating about noon Wednesday and had a verdict by about 3:30 p.m.

Assistant District Attorney Karen J. Bell on Wednesday told Hampden Superior Court jurors in her closing argument to believe the DNA and dismiss testimony by the murder defendant as lies.

Defense lawyer Mary Anne Stamm, in her closing argument, said Martinez's testimony explained why his DNA was in various places in Puente's 443 Taylor St. apartment in Springfield.

Martinez, 48, of Chicopee was accused of stabbing Puente 32 times. In his own testimony, he said he saw a drug dealer named Alexi Guzman attack Puente, 35, with a knife.

Martinez said when he left the apartment before noon on June 9, 2004, Guzman was going to take Puente to the hospital. Martinez said he did not call police to report what he had seen.

Puente was pregnant at the time of her death. Her 11-month-old child, screaming and covered in his mother's blood, was next to her in a closet where her body was found.

Martinez was arrested in 2014 after his DNA was found to match blood in the apartment as well as DNA recovered from under Puente's fingernails.

Stamm said that while investigators had the evidence collected from the apartment and Puente's fingernails since 2004, but it wasn't tested until 2014.

She questioned why it hadn't been tested earlier. 

Bell acknowledged it "absolutely" should have been tested earlier. She said the evidence was at the state police crime lab, but the lab was waiting for police to give the go-ahead for testing.

She said police thought once the evidence was at the lab it would automatically be tested.

Martinez told jurors he was at Puente's apartment testing heroin for its potency. He said his blood was present in the apartment because he couldn't find a vein while shooting heroin, causing extensive bleeding.

He said he was also cut as he tried to intervene while the other alleged attacker was stabbing Puente.

"I submit you should believe the testimony of Benjamin Martinez," Stamm told the jury, and claimed Guzman was a drug dealer who was being undersold by Puente.

Bell said Martinez's DNA got under Puente's fingernails as she was fighting for her life and the life of her 11-month-old son.

Police tried to speak with Guzman, Bell said, but he couldn't be found. She said Guzman was living in the country illegally and didn't want to talk to police.

But police "left no stone unturned" in investigating Guzman, Bell said. They searched the home where he lived and searched his car for blood. If Guzman had brutally stabbed Puente, there would have been blood in his car, Bell said.

She said Martinez "would say anying to save himself."

There was as much evidence Santa Claus committed the murder as there is that Guzman committed the murder, Bell said.

Gov. Charlie Baker unveiled a bill on Wednesday to give the state control of a water quality protection program that is currently run by the federal government.

Gov. Charlie Baker unveiled a bill on Wednesday to give the state control of a water quality protection program that is currently run by the federal government.

"This may seem like an esoteric issue," Baker said at a Statehouse press conference. "For many people, it's not esoteric. It's meaningful, it's important, and the proposal we're making is both environmentally sensible and managerially and operationally appropriate."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's stormwater permitting program provides permits for stormwater treatment to 250 cities and towns in Massachusetts, as well as for industry and wastewater treatment plants, and ensures compliance with the rules governing water quality and pollutants.

So far, 46 states have asked the federal government for permission to run their own programs. Massachusetts remains an outlier in having the federal government run it.

A recent survey by Auditor Suzanne Bump found that of 84 communities that reported having a preference, 90 percent of them would prefer having the state Department of Environmental Protection administer the program, instead of the U.S. EPA. Reasons include a lack of staff at the EPA, which can lead to a backlog and delays in issuing permits and monitoring water quality.

Baker is proposing spending $1.4 million in fiscal 2018 to get the program up and running, with 12 new staff. He estimated that it will cost $4.7 million annually after that.

Bump recommended that the proposal be funded through a combination of state general funds, a user fee and a fee paid by industrial and commercial sources.

Baker administration officials said they considered a user fee, but decided it would be easier and make more sense to include the program as a regular line item in the state budget.

Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton said with state control, the state will be able to take a more "holistic" approach, integrating the wastewater permitting program with other water monitoring and assessment programs that the state environmental agency already runs. State officials hope to streamline and make more efficient a program that at times has been "very burdensome," Beaton said.

Robert Rio, senior vice president of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, a business trade group, said businesses have been asking for the change for some time, since it will make it easier for businesses to interact with a single agency for all their environmental needs.

"Virtually every other environmental program is handled by the state," Rio said.

But some environmental groups have opposed the move, because they worry it will open the door to the state relaxing environmental standards.

Conservation Law Foundation attorney Caitlin Peale Sloan said in a statement that the EPA has protected Massachusetts' water for decades.

"Proposing inadequate funding from an already-strapped environmental protection budget in order to create a weak program demonstrates a real lack of understanding on behalf of our state leaders," Peale Sloan said. "While we certainly have reason to be wary about EPA's continued ability to perform in the coming years, we cannot allow these near-term fears to push us into making a dangerous, long-term change."

George Bachrach, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts, said, "Show us the money."

Bachrach said funding for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has declined by 30 percent over the past eight years. "Now we're going to ask them to take on a whole new area that the federal government is (now) paying for," Bachrach said. "How are you going to fund that?"

Concerns about whether President Donald J. Trump will weaken federal environmental programs could provide new momentum for shifting responsibilities to the state.

Asked whether Trump's election was an impetus for the proposed change, Baker said "uncertainty in Washington is a concern" -- but he proposed a similar bill last year, and the change has been discussed for some time.

The House and Senate must still pass the bill in order for it to become law, and either body could introduce significant changes during the legislative process.

Nickolas Lacrosse is charged with murder in the 2015 fatal stabbing of ex-girlfriend Kathryn Mauke in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- A pretrial conference has been scheduled for March 28 for Nickolas Lacrosse, accused of fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend Kathryn Mauke.

There had been a trial date of March 7, but late last month a new lawyer was appointed for Lacrosse so the trial date was scrapped.

Alan J. Black will now represent Lacrosse, replacing Alexander Nappan as the defense lawyer.

Lacrosse, 21, is accused of fatally stabbing Mauke, 17, on Feb. 11, 2015 in Springfield.

Mauke, a senior at Sabis International Charter School, was home sick the day of her death. According to court documents, a video shows Lacrosse arriving at her 136 Prentice St. home after 11 a.m. and leaving 30 minutes later.

At 3 p.m., Mauke's older sister came home and found her on the kitchen floor, bleeding from stab wounds to her chest and neck. Police and paramedics tried administered first aid, but she had no vital signs, records show.

Mauke planned to attend American International College on a scholarship she won in a Model Congress competition. Lacrosse is a Sabis graduate, police said.

Nappan had said he was planning a mental health defense for Lacrosse.

Leading up to the change in defense lawyers, Nappan said he may find himself being a witness in the case because he met with an inmate who the prosecution said had information on Lacrosse.

Prior to that, Nappan requested all notes taken by anyone who was at a Nov. 10 meeting with the inmate at which his cooperation was discussed. That included Assistant District Attorney Mary A. Sandstrom and three police officers.

Judge Constance M. Sweeney denied Nappan's request for the notes. Sandstrom said she had provided a copy of a report she had written about that meeting.

The only community college in New England with a wrestling program, Springfield Technical Community College had added another distinction after capturing the National Collegiate Wrestling Association Northeast title.

SPRINGFIELD -- The only community college in New England with a wrestling program, Springfield Technical Community College had added another distinction after capturing the National Collegiate Wrestling Association Northeast title.

This week they'll try for another as 11 members of the team take part in the NCWA National Wrestling Championship in Texas.

"In the history of the NCWA, we are the first and only community college to capture a regional championship," STCC Athletic Director J. Vincent Grassetti said in a press release. "There have been over 100 regional championships in the history of this organization. Only one community college has won a championship. We're that college. It's a pretty significant accomplishment. That's huge for us and for our kids and our coaches."

With a team that is mostly made up of freshmen -- 16 out of 24 -- the Rams have proven that age is nothing but a number on the mats. STCC overcame the odds at the regional championship in Durham, New Hampshire, as the Rams scored 166 team points and bested 15 other teams.

The most notable victory of the tournament came at the expense of three-time defending champions Alfred State College of New York.

Rams Head Coach Alberto Nieves was voted 2017 Coach of the Year for the Northeast Conference of the NCWA. He said this season's batch of Rams has a strong core group of wrestlers that have helped to make an impact on the mats.

"Every year we've been getting better, and we've always knocked on the door of the conference championship, but have come up short, taking second and third many times and placing in the top five in nationals." he said. "This year we've set up a nice team and finally have an opportunity to win a championship."

Ranked third nationally, this is the first year that the Rams have joined the NCWA, competing in National Junior College Athletic Association in prior years. According to Nieves, the transition has proven to be beneficial both to the program and to the students, most notably allowing them to extend their time on the team past two years.

STCC will compete in the nationals in Allen, Texas, from Thursday to Saturday. Any wrestlers who advance to day three of the bracket will earn the title of All American.

Heading to the big show will be Christian Antoine, who placed 1st in the regionals at 125 pounds; Chris Vega, 2nd at 133 pounds; Marcos Mercado, 2nd at 141 pounds; Walter Ordonez, 5th at 141 pounds; Rey Dishmey, 4th at 149 pounds; Austin Kirby, 5th at 149 pounds; Matt Frank, 4th at 157 pounds; Sean Baker, 5th at 184 pounds; George Hargrove, 1st at 197 pounds; Jered Escribano, 3rd at 235 pounds; and Donavan Lozada, 1st at 285 pounds.

While Nieves says that he pushes for excellence on the mats, he said he also wants to make sure his wrestlers are performing at the same level in the classroom.

"I don't want to be that program that's just recruiting numbers," he said. "I want to recruit individuals that, hopefully, are going to be successful when they are done."

The owner of one of the largest commercial fishing businesses in New England is scheduled to plead guilty next week to evading federal fishing quotas and smuggling the profits to Portugal.

The owner of one of the largest commercial fishing businesses in New England is scheduled to plead guilty next week to evading federal fishing quotas and smuggling the profits to Portugal.

The U.S. Attorney's Office of Massachusetts announced Wednesday that 64-year-old Carlos Rafael of Dartmouth will appear in federal court on March 16 in order to plead guilty.

Rafael, the owner of Carlos Seafood Inc., was indicted last year on charges he lied to federal government about fish catches and smuggled cash to Portugal.

Authorities allege Rafael had help in his scheme. Antonio Freitas, a sheriff's deputy with the Bristol County Sheriff's Office, was indicted as well. Freitas' case continues in federal court.

Rafael was indicted on one count of conspiring to falsify reports submitted to the federal government, 25 counts of submitting falsified records and one count of bulk cash smuggling.

Freitas, 46 of Taunton, is facing one count of cash smuggling and one count of structuring the export of U.S. currency.

"The charges arose out of an undercover investigation in which federal agents posed as organized crime figures interested in buying Carlos Seaford," the U.S. Attorney's Office said "According to the indictment, from 2012 to January 2016, Rafael routinely lied to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) about the quantity and species of fish his boats caught, in order to evade federal quotas designed to guarantee the sustainability of certain fish species."

Authorities allege Rafael misreported to the NOAA approximately 815,800 pounds of fish by stating the fish was haddock or another type of species subject to high quotas.

The fish, in fact, was cod, sole and other species subject to strict quotas.

Investigators found Rafael sold most of his fish to a wholesale business in New York for bags of cash.

"During meetings with the undercover agents, Rafael allegedly said that in his most recent dealings with the New York buyer he received $668,000 in cash," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Authorities claim Freitas, who also worked as a Department of Homeland Security Task Force Officers, gave Rafael access to restricted areas at Logan International Airport.

Rafael is accused of smuggling some of the cash out of the United States to his native Portugal. Freitas allegedly smuggled $17,500 through airport security and deposited the money into a Portuguese bank account owned by Rafael. 

Cypher will become Gov. Charlie Baker's fourth justice on the seven-member bench.

By Katie Lannan
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, MARCH 8, 2017....The Governor's Council on Wednesday unanimously confirmed Judge Elspeth "Ellie" Cypher to the Supreme Judicial Court, clearing the path for the 58-year-old Assonet jurist to join the high court bench.

Cypher will become Gov. Charlie Baker's fourth justice on the seven-member bench, giving the first-term Republican governor a majority of the court's appointees. Ralph Gants, the court's chief justice, was appointed to that post by former Gov. Deval Patrick.

Cypher will be the first SJC justice from Bristol County in more than a century, according to Governor's Councilor Joseph Ferreira.

"The words exceptional, awesome, brilliant, kind and fair come to mind when you talk about Judge Cypher," Ferreira said.

Cypher has served on the Appeals Court since 2000 after she was nominated by Gov. Paul Cellucci. She is a former Bristol County prosecutor who graduated Emerson College and obtained her law degree from the Suffolk University Law School.

Councilor Marilyn Devaney said she voted for Cypher 17 years ago when she was first nominated to the bench and believes in "promoting from within."

"She was highly qualified then, and she is highly qualified for this position," Devaney said.

A Pittsburgh native, Cypher has one son with her wife, Sharon Levesque. She has taught at the University of Massachusetts School of Law, formerly the Southern New England School of Law.

Cypher will replace Justice Margot Botsford, who reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 this month.

Baker's first three nominees -- Justices Frank Gaziano, David Lowy and Kimberly Budd -- were sworn in last year.