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Boston firefighter faces multiple charges of child rape

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A Boston firefighter is being charged with multiple counts of child rape.

BARNSTABLE - A Boston firefighter is facing multiple charges of child rape, according to FOX25.

57-year-old Edward Kulik Jr., who works as a Lieutenant with the Boston Fire Department, was arraigned in Barnstable District Court on Wednesday to face three counts of rape, three counts of rape of a child with force, and one count of assault and battery of a person over the age of 14. 

According to WCVB, Kulik allegedly knew the child for several years before the assaults took place. 

The assaults allegedly occurred a number of times over the duration of several years. The victim eventually told Kulik to stop.

The victim allegedly came forward to authorities out of concern for other potential victims, according to sources. 

The Boston Fire Department released a statement regarding the charges. It states: 

"The Boston Fire Department works hard to earn the trust of every Boston resident, and these allegations gravely contradict our values.
"Edward Kulik has been going through the retirement process for the past several months and has not been an active firefighter on the BFD.
"These disturbing, serious allegations warrant our full attention and the Boston Fire Department will monitor and take swift appropriate action if and when it's necessary."

Kulik was released on bail Wednesday but was ordered to wear a GPS monitor and stay away from people under the age of 16. 

 

Monson selectmen honor state diving champion with 'Connor Pennington Day'

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Monson High School senior Connor Pennington, 17, was awarded a proclamation, and the board declared March 21, 2017 to be "Connor Pennington Day."

MONSON -- Selectmen on Tuesday recognized one of the town's public school students for outstanding athletic achievement on the diving board.

Monson High School senior Connor Pennington, 17, was awarded a proclamation, and the board declared March 21, 2017 to be "Connor Pennington Day."

He was honored for having won the state diving championship last month for the third time.

"Diving has been a great experience for me," Pennington told the board. "I want to thank my mom and dad -- and the finance committee for keeping the pool open."

The town maintains an indoor swimming pool at Quarry Hill Community School.

He is the son of James Pennington and Lianne Pennington. The high school senior said he plans to attend Springfield College in the fall.

"I am going to dive there," Pennington said in an interview following the meeting.

Harry Edwards, leader of movement that inspired 1968 Olympics Black Power salute, to speak at UMass Amherst

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Harry Edwards' Olympic Project for Human Rights influenced the Black Power salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos during a medal ceremony at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

Sociologist and activist Dr. Harry Edwards will be on the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus Thursday as the School of Management prepares to host a series of lectures and roundtable discussions around his work.

Edwards will be the keynote speaker at the Mark H. McCormack Sport Innovators lecture titled "The Ideological Framing of Black Athlete Activism - 1900-2017: Where Do We Go From Here?" The talk, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Mahar Auditorium in the School of Management, is open to the public free of charge.

Edwards' work has focused on promoting racial diversity in the sport management field for decades, dating back to the creation in 1967 of the Olympic Project for Human Rights, which influenced the Black Power salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos during a medal ceremony at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

He has held consulting and advisory positions with a variety of professional sports organizations and franchises. He has also worked with players like San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who gained sizable media scrutiny for a series of silent protests where he took a knee during the playing of the national anthem.

As part of a program hosted by the Isenberg School of Management and the Association of Diversity in Sport student organization, Edwards will assume the role of executive-in-residence and spend time speaking with students and faculty throughout the day and host a classroom lecture on sport management leadership.

Matthew Daigle identified as young state trooper who died unexpectedly Wednesday

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Massachusettts State Police have identified the 31-year-old state trooper who died unexpectedly while on a run Wednesday as Matthew Daigle of Framingham.

Massachusettts State Police have identified the 31-year-old state trooper who died unexpectedly Wednesday while on a run in his hometown of Framingham as Matthew Daigle. 

According to WHDH Boston, Daigle suffered a "medical emergency" and was rushed to Framingham Union Hospital, where staff pronounced him dead. 

A state police press release referred to Daigle as a "highly-regarded and deeply respected by his brother and sister troopers, as well other members of the first-responder community who knew him."

A veteran of the United State Air Force, Daigle joined the state police force in March 2012.

"Our thoughts at this time, and our prayers, are with his family. He is survived by his wife Christine, father, sister and in-laws," state police said, according to WHDH.

Funeral plans will be announced in the coming days.

Matthew Daigle identified as Massachusetts state trooper who died unexpectedly Wednesday

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Massachusetts State Police have identified the 31-year-old state trooper who died unexpectedly while on a run Wednesday as Matthew Daigle of Framingham.

Massachusetts State Police have identified the 31-year-old trooper who died unexpectedly Wednesday while on a run in his hometown of Framingham as Matthew Daigle. 

Daigle suffered a "medical emergency" and was rushed to Framingham Union Hospital, where staff pronounced him dead. 

A state police press release referred to Daigle as "highly-regarded and deeply respected by his brother and sister troopers, as well other members of the first-responder community who knew him."

A veteran of the United State Air Force, Daigle joined the state police force in March 2012.

"Our thoughts at this time, and our prayers, are with his family. He is survived by his wife Christine, father, sister and in-laws," state police said in a statement.

Funeral plans will be announced in the coming days.

Worcester developer Kevin A. Perry Jr. remains in custody after appearance in Boston federal court

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Worcester developer Kevin A. Perry Jr. remains in federal custody following an appearance in Boston for a detention hearing at the Moakley US Courthouse. Authorities arrested Perry earlier this week.

Worcester developer Kevin A. Perry Jr. remains in federal custody following an appearance in Boston for a detention hearing at the Moakley US Courthouse.

Authorities arrested Perry earlier this week on federal charges and accused him of money laundering, unlawful cash structuring, making a false statement on a loan application and distribution of over 400 grams of fentanyl. Perry pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Perry, who was previously convicted of a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute ecstasy, entered the courtroom on Thursday wearing an orange shirt and pants. His hands and legs were shackled.

The Usual, Blackstone Tap in Worcester under license commission review following federal indictment against Kevin A. Perry Jr.

Perry is being detained without prejudice, meaning he can ask to schedule another detention hearing in the future. Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy told Perry in court that the proceeding can be moved to the federal courthouse in Worcester.

Perry appeared in Boston with his attorney, James Budreau. Greg Friedholm from the US Attorney's Office represented the government.

The detention hearing lasted just several minutes, as Budreau agreed to detention without prejudice.

Authorities say Worcester restaurateur Kevin Perry hid 'millions' from the government

Education Department plans expansion of Early College programs

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Education Secretary Jim Peyser said Massachusetts wants to double the current number of 27 programs that allow high school students to take college classes for credit.

The Massachusetts Department of Education on Thursday announced its intention to significantly expand programs that allow high school students to take college classes for credit.

"By having them earn credits before they get out of high school, by experiencing college level courses, there's a much greater likelihood they'll complete their college education," said Education Secretary Jim Peyser, in a phone interview with The Republican / MassLive.

Early College programs are meant to make college more affordable for low-income students by letting them take community college classes for free while in high school and earn credit toward their eventual college degree. The goal is to improve rates of college completion among low-income students, minorities and first generation college students. The program could also make more students see attending college as a viable option.

james-peyser-300x214jpg-cd48eded15e0fd39.jpgEducation Secretary Jim Peyser 

Students typically enroll in the programs in ninth grade, then follow a structured curriculum that is aligned with a specific career path. It includes taking college classes, generally at a community college, doing internships and interacting with employers. The students earn at least 12 college credits, the equivalent of one semester, before they finish high school. The credits are transferable to all public colleges and universities in Massachusetts.

Today, there are 27 Early College programs in Massachusetts serving 2,400 students, of whom 55 percent are low-income, according to the Department of Education.

Peyser said each program enrolls an average of around 100 students. State officials hope to double the number of high schools that offer these programs and increase their capacity to 250 to 300 students per program.

The state has already issued some planning grants to high schools to create Early College programs. In his fiscal 2018 budget proposal, Gov. Charlie Baker asked for another $2 million.

The bulk of the implementation of the expansion would happen in fiscal 2019, and Peyser said state officials are still figuring out what the costs would be and how they would be paid for. He said the state anticipates combining public money with private donations from philanthropic groups. There will also need to be some cost-sharing between high schools and colleges.

A report on Early College programs in Massachusetts commissioned by the Barr Foundation cited research in other states showing that these programs did increase college completion rates, particularly among low-income and minority students.

The report estimated that the cost of the program would be approximately an additional $800 annually for each student who participates, adding around 5 percent to the current per pupil cost of educating a high school student. The report said the result of that investment would likely be increased college completion rates and increased college affordability.

Peyser said state officials hope to use the program specifically to target underserved students - students who may otherwise be unprepared for college, who might not be planning to go to college or who would have trouble affording it.

"This is designed...to provide students who may not see college in their future with a pathway to get ready for college," Peyser said.

The Massachusetts boards of higher education and elementary and secondary education voted in January to launch the initiative and begin the process of crafting standards for the programs. The boards will vote in June to ratify the definition of an Early College program and the process for designating these programs. Bills pending in the state Legislature would codify the initiative into law, and potentially set the stage for appropriating more state money.

The initiative comes as state education officials are seeking new ways to close the achievement gap that currently exists based on wealth and race after voters in November rejected a proposal to expand access to charter schools.

Congressional lawmakers release report touting Obamacare's positive impacts in Massachusetts

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As House Republicans moved to shore up final support for their Affordable Care Act replacement plan Thursday, members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation released a report highlighting how the controversial health care law has benefitted state residents.

As House Republicans moved to shore up final support for their Affordable Care Act replacement plan Thursday, members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation released a report highlighting how the controversial health care law has benefitted state residents.

The 180-page "Shared Values: Massachusetts Perspectives on Health Reform" report, which lawmakers released ahead of an expected vote on the GOP-backed "American Health Care Act," touts the ACA's impact on the Bay State's insurance coverage rate, women's health care and children's access to care and preventative services.

The document, offered by 10 of the state's 11 congressional lawmakers, includes perspectives from Massachusetts hospitals, health care providers, constituents and others in support of the law, known as Obamacare.

It further contends that the law has helped support substance abuse services in the state, guaranteed care for those with disabilities and chronic conditions, and improved mental health service integration.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, who has vocally opposed GOP efforts to repeal the health care law, argued that while the ACA has "provided quality, affordable health care to millions of folks in Massachusetts over the past seven years," the Republicans' plan would rip coverage away, increase costs and severely harm local hospitals and health centers.

"Families and entire communities throughout Massachusetts have benefitted tremendously thanks to the Affordable Care Act, and our delegation will work tirelessly to protect middle-class families from these harmful Republican efforts," he said in a statement.

Massachusetts Democrats decry proposed Medicaid changes, hearing process for GOP Obamacare replacement plan

Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, agreed, contending that the Republican bill, which proposes canceling the 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,"would be devastating for families across Massachusetts who would lose health care and face higher costs."

"Health care should be a right in this country and we're going to fight like hell to protect and strengthen access to affordable health care for all Americans," he said.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, meanwhile, argued that the report shows Massachusetts "is proof that you don't have to choose between a strong economy and universal health care."

"Repealing the Affordable Care Act would be a bad prescription for Massachusetts, and we will fight this heartless Republican effort to strip away the right to health care," he said.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, whose office took the lead in releasing the report, argued that state residents have made clear that "high-quality, affordable health coverage matters."

Felicity Lingle, a 40-year-old former Springfield-area substitute teacher who was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis, for example, said she "cannot imagine where she would be without her health insurance coverage from both MassHealth and Medicare," according to the report.

Prior to enrolling in so-called "RomneyCare" -- the Massachusetts law which served as somewhat of a model for the ACA -- Lingle did not have health insurance, it noted.

Jenny Giering, a Worthington resident who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, meanwhile, said ACA coverage has allowed her to survive her treatment and later complications.

"The passage of the ACA did more to shore up our little family than any other piece of legislation in my lifetime," she said in the report. "It has enabled me to face my grave illness without worrying whether cost would be a factor in my treatment or whether I could try the next medication my doctors prescribed to relieve my pain."

U.S. Reps. Michael Capuano, D-Somerville; Niki Tsongas, D-Lowell; Bill Keating, D-Bourne; Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline; Katherine Clark, D-Melrose; and Seth Moulton, D-Salem, also signed their names on to the report. 

'We do need to fix Obamacare,' Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch says

Congressman Stephen Lynch, D-South Boston, who voted against the ACA seven years ago and has since called for fixing the law, was not listed on the document.

Facing pushback from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, House leaders reportedly postponed Thursday's expected vote on the AHCA, as they sought to win more support from conservative members. 

A poll released Thursday suggested that American voters oppose the House GOP plan by a three-to-one margin.

Poll: Voters overwhelmingly oppose House Republicans' Obamacare replacement plan


'Recruiting as many folks as we can' to welcome remains of Holyoke soldier Jules Hauterman: veterans official

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The remains of U.S. Army Cpl. Jules Hauterman Jr. will be greeted at noon on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 on the return to Holyoke, Massachusetts by a procession people were urged to attend at the Save-A-Lot store parking lot at 235 South St.

HOLYOKE -- With few family members left, the call has gone out to welcome home the remains of 19-year-old soldier Jules Hauterman Jr., who died in 1950 in the Korean War, at noon on Wednesday.

"Very few family members (are) still alive so we are recruiting as many folks as we can to give him a proper send off," James Mahoney, director of the Holyoke Veterans Services Department, said today.

"This is a homecoming," said Francisco A. Urena, secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services.

The remains of Hauterman are scheduled to be flown into Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut early Wednesday from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. The remains, in a military coffin draped in the American flag, will be driven into Holyoke where Interstate 391 meets High Street, said Eric Segundo, Ludlow Veterans Services director, and Urena.

Overlooking that area is the Save-A-Lot store parking lot at 235 South St. where people have been asked to gather at noon. Interstate Towing will display a large American flag and small flags will be distributed to folks who come out, Segundo said.

The procession will stop there and then head to Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home, 2049 Northampton St., he said.

Calling hours for Hauterman will be at the funeral home from 4 to 6 p.m. on March 30, Mahoney said.

Final respects will be paid at the funeral home from 8:45 to 9:15 a.m. on March 31. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Church, 1945 Northampton St., followed by burial in St. Jerome's Cemetery, 1666 Northampton St., he said.

The U.S. Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said this week that testing had identified remains as those of Hauterman.

No longer just 'X-15904,' remains of Army Cpl. Jules Hauterman Jr. coming home to Holyoke

Hauterman, who grew up here in a third-floor apartment at St. Jerome Avenue and Monroe Street, was reported missing in action as of Dec. 2, 1950.

Hauterman was a medic who perished in the devastating battle at Chosin Reservoir in North Korea when American forces were surprised by the attack of hundreds of thousands of Communist Chinese troops. He was with the Medical Platoon, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, when his unit was attached to the 31st Regimental Combat Team as one of its infantry battalions for the mission.

"For three days and four nights, the unit battled the 80th Division of the Chinese People's Volunteer Forces," a federal press release said.

More than 1,300 American troops were captured or killed in that battle.

Pancakes and politics at Pomeroy Sugar House with Sen. Don Humason

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Sen. Don Humason is hosting his Annual Western Mass Legislators Pancake Brunch at 11 a.m. Friday, March 24, at Pomeroy Sugar House and Dairy Farm in Westfield. The family-run institution is located at 491 Russellville Road.

WESTFIELD -- File this one under "Mmmm."

If free pancakes at a local sugar shack sounds good to you, state Sen. Don Humason, R-Westfield, is hosting his Annual Western Mass Legislators Pancake Brunch at 11 a.m. Friday, March 24, at Pomeroy Sugar House and Dairy Farm. The family-run institution is located at 491 Russellville Road in Westfield.

Democrats and Republicans may not be shaking hands these days, but they'll be licking their lips at this laid-back gathering to mark the start of maple syrup season in Massachusetts.

Gray smoke rising from a sugarhouse is a telltale sign that sap is being boiled for syrup. And Pomeroy's shack is among the best-known sap houses in the region.

Friday's event is also a chance to showcase an operational dairy farm in the 2nd Hampden & Hampshire Senate District, which Humason has represented since 2013. Before then, he was a longtime member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Reservations may be made by calling Humason's district office at 413-568-1366 or by emailing Nico Helems at nico.helems@masenate.gov.


London terror attack: Man, 75, dies of wounds from attack bringing victim total to 4

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London police say a 75-year-old man injured in the attack on Westminster Bridge has died of his wounds. In a statement late Thursday, police said life support was withdrawn from the man and his family has been notified. The announcement brings to four the number of victims killed in the attack Wednesday in central London. The man identified as...

London police say a 75-year-old man injured in the attack on Westminster Bridge has died of his wounds.

In a statement late Thursday, police said life support was withdrawn from the man and his family has been notified.

The announcement brings to four the number of victims killed in the attack Wednesday in central London. The man identified as the driver of the car that rampaged across the bridge into pedestrians was also killed by police after he jumped out and stabbed a police officer to death.

Khalid Masood, 52, identified as person responsible for attack at Parliament

American killed in London terror attack; Man was celebrating 25th wedding anniversary with wife

Obituaries from The Republican, March 23, 2017

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Obituaries from The Republican.

AIC receiver showcases his skill at UMass Amherst NFL Pro Day

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In the final moments of his collegiate career, American International College wide receiver Evan Graham is hoping to land one last Hail Mary.

AMHERST -- In the final moments of his collegiate career, American International College wide receiver Evan Graham is hoping to land one last Hail Mary.

The 27-year-old Springfield native was one of 18 football players chasing a shot in the NFL on Thursday at the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Pro Day.

Springfield native taking shot at NFL at UMass Pro Day

Players spent hours at the university's Football Performance Center as scouts from the New England Patriots, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and more evaluated them through a series of drills and physical challenges.

After his performance in the 2017 NFL Regional Combine didn't yield the results he had hoped for, Graham went back to work, training in Atlanta for his next big opportunity to wow scouts.

Graham performed a number of speed and agility exercises like the 60-yard shuttle, where had to run as fast as he could back and forth between lines on the football field. Other drills tested strength and position-specific skills like catching a football. The results of each test were kept secret.

"I felt all right," he said after Thursday's showcase was finished. "Now I'm just waiting for a phone call to see if something happens."

Also at Pro Day were AIC defensive backs Mike Ford and DaQuan Holmes and defensive linemen Omari Manhertz and Danny Omoregie, each of whom was also hoping to impress scouts.

Out of all the players at Pro Day, none had a fan base already cheering their name except Graham, whose family and friends braved the cold to support him.

"That made me feel a lot more comfortable to see everyone come out and support," Graham said. "That's what really made me feel good and at home."

Among the supporters was his former coach Junior Williams, who mentored Graham throughout his semiprofessional football career with the Western Mass Warriors. After taking notice of the receiver's talent, Williams said encouraged Graham to pursue college and carve his path to the pros.

"I actually told him, 'You don't need to be here,' and for a coach to tell somebody that is difficult because he was one of my best players on the team," Williams said.

Graham enrolled at AIC in 2012 and is working on a graduate degree in forensic psychology.

He and Williams have maintained contact throughout Graham's college career, training on and off between seasons. Williams said he was proud to have been able to help Graham on his path to this point.

"You know when you do something for someone and they just say thank you," Williams said. "(Evan) is that type of a person no matter what you ask him to do. It may be hard, but he's always respectful, and he's always thankful."

Private security video records suspect in car break; Springfield police interested in seeing more 'home' movies

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As a crime-fighting tool, Springfield police are looking to recruit homeowners that have security systems that record video. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -  Police are seeking the identity of a man suspected in a car break on Atwater Terrace in the Liberty Heights area, but what is most interesting is police have a photo of the suspect to work with.

The photo and video footage of the suspect was recorded on a home security system and provide to the police by the property owner. Now police are making an appeal to residents and businesses with security systems to do the same.

Police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney said the department would like to have access to as much security footage as it can get, believing it will aid the department in identifying criminals and solving crimes.

All sorts of businesses have for years employed surveillance footage as a means of catching shoplifters, burglars and armed robbers. But in the age where home security systems are relatively cheap, more and more homeowners are installing them at their residences.

"We've been going around from business to business asking them to sign up," Delaney said. "We want property owners to do it too."

The department has partnered with CrimeReports.com, an internet-based crime mapping tool. CrimeReports allows businesses and homeowners with surveillance systems to register their addresses in a confidential database.

Delaney said if a crime is reported at a specific address, police can check the database to see if there are any surveillance systems in the area. If so, the footage can be reviewed.

Delaney said he did not know how many homeowners have registered their addresses with the service. Several businesses have but he did not have an exact number.

Exterior shots of a someone's driveway, for example, could capture footage of someone breaking the law in the neighborhood, he said.

Which brings us back to Atwater Terrace.

Security cameras at a house on Atwater Terrace recorded footage of a man breaking into a car in the neighbor's driveway. The man can be seen going into the car and rummaging through the back seat and stealing a backpack.

Once police obtained the footage, detectives began trying to identify the man. Police are also circulating footage of him in hopes someone will recognize him.

Anyone with information on his identity is asked to call the Major Crimes Unit at 413-787-6355.

Springfield Country Club sale now official: How much did the new owners pay?

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The club, founded in 1892, has held steady at about 450 members, including social-only members.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- The Hannoush brothers and former Springfield City Councilor Raipher D. Pellegrino bought the Springfield Country Club from its members for $1.985 million.

Country Club members approved the sale back in January. The sale price became public this week when the deed was filed with the Hampden County Registry of Deeds.

Pellegrino, an attorney practicing in Springfield, said Thursday that all the new owners are longtime members who want to preserve the golf course and make improvements to the facilities. Interior renovations at the clubhouse, he said, are already underway.

"We really believe in the club," he said. "It's a gem."

Camile Hannoush said back in January that the investors include four of his brothers -- Tony, Norman, Peter and George -- and Pellegrino, with a possibility of brother Nabil Hannoush participating in the future.

The Hannoush family owns a chain of jewelry stores and Giftology boutiques along with other businesses.

The Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield, was founded in 1892. Membership in recent years has been holding steady at about 450 members, including social-only members, the former president said in January. But the club had to discount membership in order to maintain that number and the members had difficulty finding a manager to run the banquet facility.

The property totals 180 acres with commanding views of the Connecticut River and Springfield in the distance. It has an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts and the clubhouse building constructed in 1920.

The adjacent condominiums are a separate entity.

This sale leaves Longmeadow and Ludlow as the only member-owned country clubs left in the region.

The golf industry has been soft for years, with too many courses and too few golfers. Many private clubs are having a harder time remaining financially viable.

In 2012, members of Crestview Country Club in Agawam sold to investors headed by course architect David M. Fleury. Last year, Fleury headed a group that bought Elmcrest Country Club in East Longmeadow for $1 million at a foreclosure auction. Both courses were eventually reopened.


Owner and management companies of Agawam power plant sentenced for falsely reporting air pollution emissions

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Owner and management companies of the Berkshire Power Plant have been sentenced for misreporting the plant's air pollution emissions.

SPRINGFIELD - The owner and management companies of the Berkshire Power Plant in Agawam were sentenced on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Springfield for tampering with air pollution emissions equipment and filing false information to hide the true emissions levels of the plant. 

The Berkshire Power Company (BPC) and Power Plant Management Services, Inc. (PPMS) had pleaded guilty to felony charges in 2016, admitting to conspiring to violate the federal Clean Air Act by under reporting the amount of air pollution being produced by the Agawam plant between 2009 and 2011. 

To avoid the revenue losses that would've resulted from staying within the legal emissions limit, the companies encouraged staff to make changes to the Plant's Continuous Emissions Monitoring System, tampering with it so that it would continually show emission levels that were lower that the real ones.

The companies then took this false data and filed reports with the EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, misleading the federal and state agencies as to the real amount of air pollution being produced by the plant. 

Criminal investigators also discovered that in an effort to maximize profits and drive down the costs of repairs, PPMS encouraged staff to lie to ISO-New England--the regional power grid administrator--and tell them that the Plant was available to produce power when it was not, telling them to mislead the ISO about the Plant's availability to produce power for the New England grid.

For misleading ISO-New England, PPMS also pleaded guilty to violating the Federal Power Act.

For the crime of violating the Clean Air Act, BPC was sentenced to pay $2.75 million in criminal fines and was ordered to make a $750,000 community service payment to the American Lung Association. The money will go towards the ALA's program to replace polluting wood burning stoves in western Massachusetts. 

PPMS, meanwhile, was ordered to pay $500,000 in fines and to make a $250,000 community service payment to the American Lung Association's wood stove change-out program. 

BPC and PPMS have additionally agreed to pay $3,042,563 plus interest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for misrepresenting the Plant's availability to produce power to ISO-New England.

 

DPW crews from region to join funeral procession of Warren Cowles, Longmeadow foreman killed by train

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The funeral for Cowles is planned for 11 a.m. Friday.

LONGMEADOW -- Several public works vehicles from around the region are expected to take part in the funeral procession today for Longmeadow DPW foreman Warren Cowles, who was killed last week when his snowplow was struck by a train.

Warren CowlesWarren Cowles 

The funeral for Cowles will be 11 a.m. at Curran Funeral Home, 109 Main St., West Springfield. Burial is to follow at St. Mary's Cemetery in Westfield.

The New England chapter of the American Public Works Association said that chapter members and DPW crews from severla communities will take part in the motorcade to honor Cowles. Participants will be dressed in florescent yellow safety gear.

"We will line the streets with public works employees dressed in their yellow safety jackets and provide a fleet of trucks to follow the funeral procession as a tribute to Warren and his family," said Needham Public Works Director, Richard Merson, past president of the New England chapter of the American Public Works Association (NEAPWA).  

Cowles, 59, of Longmeadow was killed March 14 in a collision between his snowplow and an Amtrak train on Birnie Road. Cowles was plowing the road at the time and he backed into the path of the oncoming train.

AG Maura Healey asks Eversource to cut profits, not raise rates

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Healey plans to testify before the Department of Public Utilities Thursday evening at a hearing on Eversource's proposal to raise customers' electricity rates by $96 million.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey on Thursday will ask Eversource to decrease its profit rather than significantly raise customer rates.

In an unusual occurrence, Healey plans to testify before the Department of Public Utilities on Thursday evening at a hearing on Eversource's proposal to raise customers' electricity rates by $96 million.

Eversource said earlier this year that it will seek permission from the DPU to raise its distribution rates for electricity by about 10 percent in January 2018. The new rates would mean an increase of around $11.64 on the average monthly bill for someone who uses 550 kilowatt hours of electricity a month.

By law, Healey is an advocate for the ratepayers of the state's utility companies.

According to her prepared remarks, Healey will ask public utility regulators to determine whether Eversource needs another $96 million.

Between 2011 and 2014, the average return on equity for WMECO and NSTAR, the companies that have since come under Eversource, was 10 to 11 percent. Return on equity is a measure of a company's profitability. In 2015, NSTAR's return on equity was 13 percent.

Eversource is asking the DPU for permission to get a 10.5 percent return on equity going forward. The average return on equity allowed by electricity regulators around the country in 2016 was 9.3 percent.

"This case is the opportunity for the department to ensure that the company is not over-earning at the expense of its customers," Healey will say.

Healey said letting Eversource earn 9.5 percent instead will save customers $28 million a year.

Healey said she is also worried that Eversource's proposal will continue to raise rates by around $50 million annually, and some types of customers could see higher rate increases than others.

"When so many customers today are struggling to make ends meet and businesses are trying to lower their energy costs to maintain and grow jobs, it is time to return money to customers, not to raise their electric bills to benefit highly profitable utility companies," Healey will say.

At the time the company announced the rates, The Republican/MassLive.com reported that Eversource officials said the company needed more money because it was facing a revenue deficiency of $35.7 million in the company's Western Massachusetts service area.

Eversource is also looking to use the money to implement a plan to improve performance -- using new technology to cut the incidence and duration of power outages, creating an energy storage program, enhancing management of the electric grid, building more electric vehicle charging stations and other initiatives.

Chicopee police Lt. John Provonost suspended 5 days without pay; 'belligerent,' 'inebriated' behavior at St. Patrick's Parade called unacceptable

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Provonost "appeared the be inebriated" toward the end of the parade when he began to act up and refused to settle down, reports said.

John Pronovost.jpgLt. John Provonost 

CHICOPEE - Police Chief William R. Jebb announced Friday that he has suspended Lt. John Provonost for five days for his actions during the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade during which Provonost appeared to be intoxicated, acted belligerently and ultimately had to be placed in protective custody.

Jebb made the announcement after an internal investigation by the department determined that Provonost "violated multiple rules and regulations for our department."

Though off duty at the time to voluntarily march with the roughly 45 members of Chicopee police contingent to the parade, Provonost was in public and wearing his Chicopee Police uniform. He was not carrying a a firearm, however, Jebb said.

Immediately after the parade, Provonost was placed on administrative leave. 

In addition to the five days without pay, Provonost will be removed from his post as head of the department's training department. When he returns to work, he will be assigned to be the daytime supervisor for the uniform shift.

According to a statement by Jebb, the investigation determined that Provonost toward the end of the parade became belligerent. He also "appeared to be inebriated."

Jebb and other members of the department who were present attempted to have Provonost ride in a police cruiser for the remainder of the parade, but he refused.

At that point, he was asked to leave the parade formation, and he started walking away. Other officers had to go with him to make sure he was not injured. He was eventually loaded into a police cruiser, driven to the Chicopee police department.

"Due to his condition and the inability to care for himself, he was placed in protective custody, and processed as such at our department," Jebb said.

Pronovost has run into a number of problems in the department over the past few years. In 2013 Capt. Mark Gilbert filed a complaint against Pronovost, saying the lieutenant pointed his service weapon at him during an argument at the station. The incident happened in 2007.

The federal suit claims that the police chief, mayor and others retaliated against Capt. Mark Gilbert after he was ordered to file the police complaint.

 The disagreement started when Gilbert criticized Pronovost for setting up "ghost detectors" in the police station, claiming to communicate with the dead and being able to speak to the dead through crystal rocks.

Later Gilbert was accused of filing a false police report against Pronovost. In 2016 he was found not guilty of the charge in Holyoke District Court.

More recently Pronovost got into a very public battle with former Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette in a polling place at Edward J. Bellamy Middle School. Bissonnette, who was trying to recapture the mayoral seat he held for eight years and then lost to Richard J. Kos, entered the polling place during a preliminary election in the fall of 2015. Bissonnette was not on the ballot but was wearing a sticker promoting his campaign, which is not allowed in a polling place, and Pronovost confronted him about it.

The charges stem from a September altercation between Police Lt. John Pronovost and Bissonnette in a polling place during the preliminary election in September.

A shouting match followed. Pronovost insulted Bissonnette's wife and Bissonnette called Pronovost "a crooked, dirty cop" during the argument, court records state.

Later Bissonnette was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, displaying campaign material within 150 feet of a polling place and two counts of disorderly conduct. The charges were dismissed in November after Bissonnette agreed to keep his distance from Pronovost and refrain from commenting about the lieutenant on social media for four months.

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Chicopee police seek public's help in finding missing man

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Emilo Ocasio was last seen on Wednesday. His family is concerned for his safety.

CHICOPEE - Police are seeking help in locating a 62-year-old Chicopee man who has been missing for the last few days.

Department spokesman Mike Wilk said the man, Emilio Ocasio, was last seen Wednesday on Ednson Court in Chicopee.

There are concerns for his safety.

Ocasio is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighs about 140 pounds, has brown eyes and is bald.

He was last seen wearing a red shirt, green jacket and blue jeans.

Anyone who knows where he can be found is asked to call the police at 413-594-1730.

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