Quantcast
Channel: News
Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live

Former Ring Nursing Home property in Springfield fails to attract bidders following demolition

0
0

There were no bidders interested in buying newly cleared land on Ridgewood Place in Springfield that once housed the Ring Nursing Home. The city demolished the tax-foreclosed property in recent months, and will try again to find a buyer at a future date, according to Mayor Domenic Sarno.

SPRINGFIELD -- The former Ring Nursing Home on Ridgewood Place, which was recently demolished by the city after years of blight and then offered for sale and redevelopment, failed to attract any bidders by last week's deadline.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said Monday that the city, although unsuccessful in selling the leveled site in the initial effort, will try again at some future date and likely expand its marketing efforts. In the meantime, the city will work to keep the site clean, and is committed to getting it back on the tax rolls and finding a use that is compatible with the residential neighborhood, he said.

The site, located in the Maple High-Six Corners area, is zoned Residence A, allowing single-family homes. The construction of homes on the site is one suggested option.

The city foreclosed on the property a decade ago for nonpayment of taxes, and it has been vacant and blighted since before the taking, officials said. Associated Building Wreckers finished demolition and cleanup of the site in recent months at a total cost of $423,379.

Sarno said the neighborhood is "ecstatic" to be rid of the longtime eyesore.

"We will get it out there (for sale) again," Sarno said. "Maybe be a little more aggressive in marketing, keep it out longer (for bids). We want to make sure the use is compatible and beneficial to the neighborhood. That will be the key."

The parcel is about two-thirds of an acre in size.

Residents and city officials had gathered at the property in January to applaud the start of demolition and cleanup, with one official, Code Enforcement Commissioner Steven Desilets, calling the structure a "nightmare" for the neighborhood, dangerous and beyond repair.

The invitation for proposals, which were due April 26, stated that all proposed uses had to comply with the residential zoning requirements.

"The city will only consider reuses that involve parking for abutting and/or residential use, green space, open space and residential, single-family reuse," the city stated in a summary of its request for proposals. "Additionally, the city will also consider proposals that split the lot into more than one parcel for single-family, residential, new construction."

The city used a combination of federal Community Development Block Grant funds, city funds and a $50,000 grant from the state Attorney General's Abandoned Housing Initiative to finance the demolition and cleanup.

There were multiple attempts to sell the nursing home property in past years but no feasible plan emerged for reuse of the building.

The property is within a historic district, but the building itself was not deemed historically significant, officials said.


State police identify pipeline protesters arrested at Otis State Forest

0
0

Eighteen members of the "Sugar Shack Alliance" are scheduled to appear in Great Barrington District Court on Monday.

SANDISFIELD - Police have identified 18 people arrested on Tuesday morning for blocking access roads at Otis State Forest to protest a natural gas pipeline project.

The protesters, members of the "Sugar Shack Alliance," blocked workers from getting to the site, and told Massachusetts State Police that they wanted to be arrested.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline, a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, is cutting trees in the forest to make room for a four-mile stretch of the Connecticut Expansion pipeline.

"They notified State Police beforehand that they would not comply with requests to disperse from the roads," according to state police. They were arrested after ignoring "repeated requests to cease blocking the access roads."

The following people were arrested:

  • John K. Cohen, 79, of Northampton
  • Ronald R. Coler, 61, of Ashfield
  • Joan L. Levy, 64, of Pelham
  • Rema Loeb, 84, of Plainfield
  • Micky McKinley, 72, of Montague
  • Asaph Murfin, 74, of Leverett
  • Harriett Nestel, 78, of Athol
  • James Perkins, 78, of Leverett
  • Amy Pulley, 61, of Cummington
  • Diane Sibley, 68, of Ashfield
  • Vivienne L. Simon, 66, of Northampton
  • Stephen J. Stoia, 69, of Northfield
  • Susan L. Triolo, 67, of Sunderland
  • Benjamin James Vanarnam, 30, of Easthampton
  • Lydia Vernon-Jones, 68, of Amherst
  • Russell Vernon-Jones, 70, of Amherst
  • Martin H. Urbel, 74, of Northampton
  • Kevin A. Young, 32, of Northampton

Coler is a member of the Ashfield Board of Selectmen.

All eighteen protesters are scheduled to appear in Great Barrington District Court on Monday.

State police said they were "respectful and peaceful."

Testing finds unsafe lead levels at nearly 600 Massachusetts schools (here's the school-by-school list)

0
0

A new state report related to voluntary lead testing in schools found that 72 percent of tested schools, or 588 schools, had one or more fixtures exceeding recommended levels for lead or copper.

Testing at Massachusetts public schools identified unsafe levels of lead or copper in the water at close to 600 schools.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection began a program in April 2016 to test water in schools. Schools could volunteer to participate in the program, and the state would provide technical assistance and pay for the testing.

The initiative came in response to reports from Flint, Michigan, and elsewhere of contaminated water supplies causing public health problems.

"In the wake of Flint and other developments, we really wanted to make sure we were helping schools to do the testing that needed to be done of their faucets," said Commissioner Martin Suuberg of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

The final report, released this week, reported that state officials took approximately 56,000 samples from 32,000 fixtures in 818 schools. These include a mix of water fountains, classroom and bathroom faucets, kitchen kettles and other fixtures. The testing covered slightly fewer than half the public schools in the state.

The report found that 72 percent of the schools, or 588 schools, had one or more fixtures exceeding recommended levels for lead or copper, most of them for lead. Of all the samples, 9 percent, or around 5,000 samples, exceeded recommended levels.

Kitchen kettles and classroom faucets were most likely to have high levels of lead or copper. Suuberg said some of these were fixtures that are rarely used so there was standing water. Others were used more frequently.

The schools did not receive state money to fix the problems, but Suuberg said in many cases, the schools were able to make fixes within their current budgets. For example, they turned off fixtures, flushed them out or replaced them. Grants and loans are sometimes available from water suppliers and other state programs if larger plumbing projects are required, such as replacing pipes.

The program's budget was $2.1 million, and it has $600,000 left. Environmental officials hope to use that money to continue the testing program at additional schools through the end of the year.

"We think the idea of detecting it and dealing with it is the right thing to do," Suuberg said.

The school-by-school results of the tests and the full report follow:

Lcca Schools List by The Republican/MassLive.com on Scribd

leadinschoolsprogramfinalreport-522017 by The Republican/MassLive.com on Scribd

Holyoke City Councilor David Bartley charged with drunken driving after crash in Springfield, police say

0
0

Holyoke City Councilor David K. Bartley was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in Springfield, Massachusetts after a three-car crash.

HOLYOKE -- City Councilor David K. Bartley was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in Springfield on Saturday after the car he was driving rear-ended two other vehicles stopped at a traffic light after Bartley left the Mardi Gras strip club, according to police.

Bartley9.jpgDavid K. Bartley 

Two people in one of the vehicles that was struck were taken to the hospital, according to the Springfield police report, but their conditions were not known.

Bartley, 51, of 25 Hillcrest Ave., was arraigned in Springfield District Court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to one count of driving under the influence of liquor. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court for a pretrial hearing June 5.

The incident occurred at 9:14 p.m. at East Columbus Avenue and Liberty Street. When asked by police if he had been drinking, Bartley replied, according to the police report, "Of course" and "I only had two beers at the Mardi Gras about a half-hour ago."

The Mardi Gras Gentlemen's Club is at 91 Taylor St. in downtown Springfield.

The police report said Bartley smelled of alcohol, his eyes were glossy and bloodshot and his speech was slurred.

Reached by phone Tuesday, Bartley said, "We're going to let it play out. I'll just do my best."

"Frankly, I don't even know why it's a story. It's just premature, if you ask me," he said. "I've always been frank with you and I'll continue to be, but I really don't have anything more to say."

Bartley, son of the former speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and former president of Holyoke Community College of the same name, is running for his third two-year term as the Ward 3 councilor in the Nov. 7 election.

When police approached Bartley at the accident scene, he was sitting in the driver's seat of a 2005 BMW with his head in his hands. Police asked what caused the accident, and Bartley said, according to the report, "It just happened."

Bartley was unsteady on his feet and stumbling during a field sobriety test police conducted a short distance from the accident scene. Based on that and police observations of Bartley, it was determined he showed "a diminished capacity to operate a motor vehicle due to over consumption of alcoholic beverages," the report states.

Bartley was placed under arrest and put in the back seat of a Springfield police cruiser. En route to the Springfield police station at 130 Pearl St., Bartley "mumbled," according to the police report, "F---, it is what it is."

Alton Sterling shooting: Baton Rouge police officers will not face federal charges

0
0

The case will be the first time under Attorney General Jeff Sessions that the department has publicly declined to prosecute officers investigated for possible wrongdoing in a high-profile case, and officials in Baton Rouge have been girding for possible reaction there. Watch video

The death of Alton Sterling, whose videotaped shooting by police in Baton Rouge last summer prompted unrest across the city, and is planning to reveal in the next 24 hours that it has closed the probe, according to four people familiar with the matter.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Sterling family had yet to be informed by the Justice Department of the decision, and it is unclear how and when the department will announce its findings.

"We have not heard nor received an update and are unaware of any charges that may or may not be filed," said Ryan Julison, a spokesman for the Sterling family's attorneys. "We have not received word, nor has the family been given any notice of upcoming updates regarding this case."

The case will be the first time under Attorney General Jeff Sessions that the department has publicly declined to prosecute officers investigated for possible wrongdoing in a high-profile case, and officials in Baton Rouge have been girding for a possible reaction there.

Live updates from NOLA.com >>

Sterling's death last summer sparked tense protests across the city. President Barack Obama weighed in on the matter then, declaring his confidence in the Justice Department probe and remarking, "We have seen tragedies like this too many times."

The shooting came the day before a police officer in Minnesota gunned down school cafeteria manager Philando Castile during a traffic stop that was broadcast on Facebook, and in the same week that a black man upset by police and out to kill white people gunned down five officers in Dallas. A little more than a week later, another gunman targeting police shot and killed three officers in Baton Rouge.

By the police account, officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake saw Sterling, 37, outside a convenience store in July after it was reported that a man had threatened someone there with a gun. Sterling, who was selling CDs outside the store, fit the description of that man, according to a search warrant affidavit in the case.

A video of the shooting shows Sterling lying on his back with two officers on top of him. One of the officers appears to yell, "He's got a gun!" and then shots ring out. A detective wrote in the search warrant affidavit that officers had observed the butt of a gun in Sterling's front pants pocket. At issue in the investigation was whether Sterling was reaching for the weapon, as officers claimed, when he was shot and killed.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

Who was Alton Sterling, and how was he killed?

Local police and city officials have said this week that they believed a decision was imminent, but they and representatives for Sterling's family said they had not been told when an announcement from the Justice Department was coming. Some local schools have sent notes to parents informing them of action plans in case of major protests, and several local lawmakers have publicly called on the Justice Department to end the suspense.

"The Department of Justice's failure to communicate with the community has created angst and nervousness, and I fear carries the potential for increased tension between the community and law enforcement," Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D), whose congressional district includes part of Baton Rouge, wrote in a letter to Sessions on Friday. "It is inappropriate and against the interests of public safety . . . to allow this level of uncertainty to continue."

Substantiating federal civil rights charges is extraordinarily difficult, requiring prosecutors to present evidence that might speak to an officer's intent at the time of the incident. Even in the Obama administration, federal prosecutors declined to bring such charges in high-profile incidents.

In the case of Darren Wilson, the white police officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014, the Justice Department found "no evidence upon which prosecutors can rely to disprove Wilson's stated subjective belief that he feared for his safety."

Investigators reached a similar conclusion in the fatal 2015 shooting of Jamar Clark in Minneapolis, concluding that they could not prove that "the use of force was objectively unreasonable based on all of the surrounding circumstances."

Civil liberties advocates fear, though, that the Justice Department under Sessions and President Trump might be even more reluctant to prosecute alleged wrongdoing by police.

Trump has cast himself as a pro-law enforcement president, and Sessions has previously questioned broader police reforms. Last month, Sessions ordered the Justice Department to review the court-mandated reform agreements it has with troubled police departments across the country, and he has said he is worried that such agreements might bar aggressive police tactics.

Sessions also has - unlike the previous attorney general, Loretta E. Lynch - offered a tacit endorsement of what's known as the "Ferguson effect," which refers to the contested idea that police might be afraid to get out of their cars and enforce the law for fear of ending up on a viral video.

Sessions had, though, seemed to distinguish prosecuting individual officers from imposing sweeping reform agreements on departments. He said last month that while such cases were "usually easier to prosecute in state court," he did not feel that they chilled good policing, nor would he hesitate to involve the Justice Department when it was appropriate to do so.

The Justice Department on Wednesday reached an agreement with former North Charleston, S.C., police officer Michael Slager in which he pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge in the shooting death of Walter Scott, an unarmed black motorist who was shot in the back as he ran away from a traffic stop. His killing, like Sterling's was caught on video.

The Justice Department under Sessions still has a major investigation of possible police misconduct in the case of 43-year-old Eric Garner, who died after he was taken to the ground and put in an apparent chokehold by New York City police in 2014. That incident - like Sterling's death - was caught on video and prompted outrage across the country.

The case was the subject of a vigorous debate under Lynch, who decided only at the end of her tenure to allow prosecutors to move forward and again present evidence to a grand jury. The timing of her decision effectively left the matter to Sessions, who last month declined to comment on what he might do.

(c) 2017 The Washington Post. Matt Zapotosky and Wesley Lowery wrote this story.

Bill in Massachusetts Legislature would bar elephant acts from traveling circuses

0
0

Eugene Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, argued in written testimony that the legislation would harm responsible operators."

By ANDY METZGER

BOSTON -- There was no elephant in the hearing room where lawmakers mulled new restrictions on circus acts Tuesday, but the animal was addressed by advocates for and against legislation filed by two North Shore lawmakers.

While Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will hold its final show in Providence, R.I. this weekend after ending its elephant act and experiencing a "dramatic drop" in ticket sales, smaller circuses continue to use the largest living land mammal in their performances.

The Melha Shrine Circus attempted to put on a show without animal acts last year and for the first time since its 1963 inception it lost money, according to the Eastern States Exposition, which houses the circus on its West Springfield property.

The circus -- which is underway this week -- raises money for the Shriners in western Massachusetts, which touts its show as "quality, affordable, wholesome entertainment in a safe environment." The shrine is part of a "philanthropic fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief and truth."

In addition to Human Cannonball Shawn Marren, the Melha Shrine Circus this year promises acts by The Hamid Elephants, The Vincent Von Duke Tigers and Neecha Braun and her Amazing Dobermans.

Legislation filed by Marblehead Rep. Lori Ehrlich and Newburyport Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives would bar elephant acts in traveling shows in Massachusetts, ending a practice that Ehrlich said forces animals to stand in their own excrement, endure abuse and causes them to become aggressive.

Ehrlich told the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture that the "unnatural tricks" performed by elephants at circuses teach children that they can "exploit and mistreat animals for amusement and profit."

"I think people are realizing that maybe a circus is not the best entertainment for their family," Ehrlich said.

Eugene Cassidy, president and CEO of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, argued in written testimony that the legislation (S 1898 / H 418) would harm responsible operators.

"The Eastern States Exposition feels strongly that the abuse of any animal should never be tolerated," Cassidy wrote. "However, the aim of these bills to prohibit the exhibition of properly cared for and humanely trained animals does not prevent abuse, but rather unnecessarily restricts the ability of the public to view elephants at shows throughout the commonwealth."

The Big E annually includes animal exhibits, including elephants. 

According to a fact sheet provided by Ehrlich, the municipalities of Braintree, Cambridge, Quincy, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Provincetown, Revere, Somerville and Weymouth have all "passed legislation addressing the abuse of wild animals in circuses."

The fact-sheet also claims that elephant tricks such as headstands and hind-leg stands cause joint and muscle stress on the animals.

Seen@ Audi West Springfield's grand opening gala in new Memorial Avenue showroom

0
0

Audi West Springfield officially opened its doors on Tuesday with a grand opening celebration that drew crowds to the new showroom on Memorial Avenue.

WEST SPRINGFIELD- Audi West Springfield officially opened its doors on Tuesday with a grand opening celebration that drew crowds to the new showroom on Memorial Avenue. 

The Audi dealership, run by Father & Sons, started doing business in October as one of the latest in the Northeast to debut the new Audi building design. The showroom was transformed into an extravagant atmosphere which served as the backdrop for the celebration.

Damon Cartelli, president of Father & Sons, hosted the ceremony and the keynote speaker was  Jeffrey Tolerico, vice president of Audi of America's Eastern Region.

Bill Boyce, the producer and host of  the popular TV show "Destination: Baja Sur," was booked to personally present the grand silent auction item.

"The Cartelli family and Audi of America are both proud to celebrate the grand opening of Audi West Springfield," Fathers and Sons said in a statement. "This building beautifully exemplifies the sophistication of the Audi brand while giving the community of West Springfield and surrounding areas the opportunity to have a state-of-the-art service experience. Audi West Springfield looks forward to continuing to serve their community with all their Audi needs."

PVTA bus, office and retail contracts OK'd for Springfield's Union Station; Peter Pan deal still in the works

0
0

The Springfield Redevelopment Authority also signed a contract with a vendor who will operate two of three retail kiosks. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Redevelopment Authority on Tuesday night approved contracts for Union Station with the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, office tenant Dietz & Company Architects and a vendor that will operate two of the three retail kiosks.

The SRA, owner of the reborn transit hub, is close to a deal for intercity bus service with Springfield's Peter Pan Bus Lines and its national partner Geyhound, said SRA Executive Director Christopher J. Moskal.

Moskal discussed Peter Pan and Peter A. Picknelly, chairman & CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines, with SRA board members in executive session, and said there will be a further meeting in a week or so. 

Peter Pan and Greyhound were the only bidders responding to the SRA's request for proposals for intercity bus service.

One of the kiosks will feature eyeglasses and the other with have cellphone accessories.

The PVTA will rent 18 bus berths at $18,000 a year, a total of $324,000 a year. For office and service center space, it will rent 4,100 square feet at $13.50 per square foot a year, a total of $55,350 a year.

PVTA carries about 12 million passengers a year.

In the past, PVTA management said they wanted to pay the same per berth that Peter Pan will pay. The SRA has not revealed what Peter Pan and Greyhound have proposed for berth rights.

Overall, PVTA will pay $77,000 more a year to move to Union Station compared with what it spends now at the Peter Pan's bus terminal at Main and Liberty streets. Picknelly has plans to redevelop his bus station.

The renovated Union Station has a 27-bay, open-air bus terminal and a 377-space parking garage.

Prior to Tuesday's meeting, the SRA had already approved leases for a convenience store, a Dunkin' Donuts, a Subway sandwich shop, Sixt Rent-a-Car and with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which will sublet to Amtrak and later this year to the Connecticut Department of Transportation as it establishes its New Haven to Springfield rail link.

ConnDOT plans to bring its service to Springfield in 2018 with 12 north-south trains a day.

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

Today, as the $94 million rehabilitation of Union Station nears completion, it is the SRA that buttons up the last few details.

A grand reopening is planned the weekend of June 24-25.

Moskal said a third kiosk will likely be rented to someone who sells handmade scarves and other crafts.

Contractor Daniel O'Connell's Sons of Holyoke has one big job left: renovating and improving Union Station's Lyman Street entrance to match the rest of the renovated building. When the station opens, visitors will be able to walk from Lyman Street to Frank B. Murray Street through the station and its tunnel under the tracks.


Chicopee man, woman charged with shoplifting from Longmeadow CVS

0
0

Jamie Fekeris, 30, and Michelle Brown, 32, are charged with shoplifting, and Longmeadow police said each had two outstanding warrants.

LONGMEADOW - Good teamwork helped police catch two people accused of shoplifting from the CVS store on Bliss Road on Tuesday morning.

Jamie Fekeris, 30, and Michelle Brown, 32, both of Chicopee, are charged with shoplifting, and Longmeadow police said each had two outstanding warrants.

At around 10 a.m., police responded to a report of shoplifters at CVS, but the suspects left before officers arrived. A description of the suspects and their vehicle was broadcast over the police radio frequency.

Meanwhile, off-duty officers were working road details on Converse Street. They saw the vehicle park at a nearby business, radioed in the location and kept an eye on it until responding officers arrived.

Police said these suspects may be involved in other shoplifting incidents in Western Massachusetts.

 

Medical marijuana facility approved by Holyoke Council

0
0

The Holyoke City Council on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 voted unanimously to grant approval for a medical marijuana cultivation and processing facility at 28 Appleton St.

HOLYOKE -- The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to grant approval for a medical marijuana cultivation and processing facility at 28 Appleton St.

The Council granted a special permit to GTI Massachusetts NP Corp. to run the city's first medical marijuana facility on the second floor of an old mill building in an industrial zone at Appleton and Canal streets.

GTI Massachusetts officials have said the company will put $8 million into planning and building the medical marijuana facility, which could be operating by November.

Councilors and business leaders praised the plan for the 25 to 30 jobs the facility would provide in its first year and 100 jobs over three years. Entry level wages would be $14 an hour with room for advancement.

The company also is negotiating a host-city agreement with Mayor Alex B. Morse that will entail yearly payments of $50,000 to $100,000 a year into the city general fund and $15,000 in grants to community groups.

Here are the conditions attached to the special permit the City Council would grant to GTI Massachusetts, as listed on the Council's Tuesday agenda:

  • 1. Initial operations of the RMD will be limited to a single employee shift with the usual hours of operation being from 7:00am to 12:00am
  • 2. No exterior signage will be posted or displayed at the RMD except as may be required by Massachusetts DPH and by Zoning Ordinance Section 7.10.5(2)(e) which required a sign be posted at each entrance to the RMD which reads as follows: "Registration Card Issued by the MA Department of Public Health Required" in text two inches (2'') in height
  • 3. GTI will improve a portion of the City owned parking lot on Canal Street directly across from the RMD to coincide with the number of employees working at the facility. The scope and timing of improvement work to be completed by GTI will be in accordance with and upon the mutual agreement of Holyoke Dept. of Public Works
  • 4. This Special Permit for is for medical marijuana only not recreational marijuana. This Special Permit is for an RMD that acquires, cultivates, possesses, processes (including development of related products such as food, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments), transfers, transports, sells, distributes marijuana and products containing marijuana at 28 Appleton St.. are all pursuant to applicable State laws and regulations. Any requested change to this scope of permitted uses at the RMD will require a new Special Permit from the Holyoke City Council.
  • 5. Prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for the RMD, a detailed ventilation plan will be approved by the Building Inspector and meet the standards identified in the Building Code and Zoning Ordinance
  • 6. GTI will comply with 105 CMR 725.105(O) which will cover the removal of all marijuana and products containing marijuana from the RMD in the event that GTI files for protection under the bankruptcy laws, or GTI otherwise ceases operations at the RMD without removal of all such materials.
  • 7. GTI will obtain any and all permits or approvals necessary for the secured enclosure located in the loading area of the RMD as required by the Holyoke Chief of Police. Additionally in the even that there are changes to the approved security plan any changes, or alterations to the security plan be reviewed and approved by the Holyoke Chief of Police
  • 8. If the applicant enters into a waste water agreement with the Holyoke Dept. of Public Works for the purpose of metering its waste water discharge or therewise, a copy will be provided to the City Council
  • 9. All grant money provided from the applicant shall be utilized exclusively for Ward 1 and Ward 2 in the City of Holyoke.

Florida man denies spate of Springfield armed robberies, holding a family hostage

0
0

Anthony Magri, 42, of Florida, is charged with 12 crimes, including five counts of kidnapping in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- Bail was set at $25,000 cash Monday for a Florida man who denied a series of armed robberies and child kidnapping charges in Hampden Superior Court.

Anthony Magri, 42, of Palm Bay, Florida, is charged with four counts of kidnapping of a child and one count of kidnapping after police on March 13 found him hiding in a Dunmoreland Street home where he was allegedly holding a family hostage.

He also is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault with a dangerous weapon. In both charges the weapon is a knife and the victim is the woman in the Dunmoreland house who is also a victim of one of the kidnapping counts.

Magri also is charged with armed robbery (gun) of the Walgreens at 707 State St. on March 11. He is charged with armed robbery (knife) on March 12 at the Aldi supermarket at 1284 Boston Road. A third armed robbery charge (gun) is for a March 12 robbery at the Circle K convenience store at 1112 Bay St.

During the alleged robbery at Aldi, a 71-year-old man confronted Magri and tackled him. After being threatened with a knife, the man released Magri, according to court records. Magri is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon on a person over 60 in connection with that man.

The defendant also is charged with a March 12 armed assault (gun) with intent to rob, listing a male victim.

For the armed robbery counts, Magri is charged as a habitual offender, subjecting him to harsher sentences if convicted. The two prior convictions listed are a January 2009 breaking and entering in the daytime with intent to commit a felony and a 2000 assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Both happened in Pittsfield.

Scientists find 2 right whales off Cape Cod that had been presumed dead

0
0

NOAA says an aerial survey team found a new right whale mother and calf feeding in the Great South Channel off of Massachusetts on Sunday.

FALMOUTH -- Scientists on Cape Cod say they have located a pair of right whales that had been presumed dead after not being sighted for many years.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says an aerial survey team found a new right whale mother and calf feeding in the Great South Channel off of Massachusetts on Sunday.

The whale is one of two that have been added back to the population by scientists this year. The other whale was also part of a new mom and calf pair and was sighted within the last two weeks.

There are only a few hundred North Atlantic right whales left. Right whale ecologist Charles "Stormy" Mayo said recently that there are some signs the population is slowly declining.

'God bless' officially added to Holyoke City Council rules

0
0

The Holyoke City Council on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 voted 10-4 to adopt into a rule a phrase that councilors have been saying as a tradition for decades at the outset of meetings immediately after reciting the Pledge of Allegiance: "God Bless America, God Bless the city of Holyoke and all its citizens and God Bless the City Council."

HOLYOKE -- God stays.

The City Council Tuesday voted 10-4 to adopt into a rule a phrase that councilors have been saying as a tradition for decades at the outset of meetings immediately after reciting the Pledge of Allegiance:

"God Bless America, God Bless the city of Holyoke and all its citizens and God Bless the City Council."

The debate featured supporters saying that the vote only added to Council rules a statement members have been making anyway, that it instills unity and that the concerns about potential
violation of church-and-state rules were overstated.

Foes said the codifying into the city's legislative body's rules a statement with religious overtones does violate the nation's tradition of avoiding such mixing of church and state. What about residents in the community for whom the Christian faiths don't apply, is it OK to exclude them, such foes argued.

Councilors who voted in favor of adding the language were President Kevin A. Jourdain, who proposed the measure, and councilors Linda L. Vacon, David K. Bartley, Joseph M. McGiverin, Michael J. Sullivan, Diosdado Lopez, James M. Leahy, Peter R. Tallman, Daniel B. Bresnahan and Howard B. Greaney Jr.

Councilors who voted against adding the language to the Council rules were Jossie M. Valentin, Nelson R. Roman, Rebecca Lisi and Gladys Lebron-Martinez.

The Council has 15 members. Ward 7 Councilor Todd A. McGee was absent.

Check back with MassLive.com for more about this Holyoke City Council debate.

Obituaries from The Republican, May 3, 2017

0
0

View obituaries from The Republican newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Springfield Arson and Bomb squad investigating brush fire in Forest Park after children seen 'running from the area'

0
0

Springfield's Arson and Bomb Squad are investigating a brush fire at Forest Park.

SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield Arson and Bomb squad are investigating a brush fire that occurred in a wooded area of Forest Park on Wednesday afternoon. 

Springfield firefighters responded to a wooded area near Trafton Road at approximately 2:50 p.m., said Dennis Leger, spokesman for the Springfield Fire Department.

The fire was quickly extinguished, but is now being investigated after several children were seen "running from the area," Leger said.

Leger said that at no point was the fire a public safety hazard and that no real property damage occurred. 

No further information regarding the incident has been released at this time. 

 

Shrine Circus gives preview at hospital (photos, video)

0
0

The 2017 Shrine Circus will run from Thursday to Sunday at the Eastern States Coliseum in West Springfield. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- The Shrine Circus is in town and patients, families, staff and volunteers at the Shriners Hospital in Springfield were the first to see it thanks to a preview offered by circus performers.

About a dozen performers gave a sneak peek of their juggling, acrobatic and comedic skills in front of a small but enthusiastic audience. 

"In more than one sense we think of this private preview as a perfect warm-up," said Raymond Turrini, 2017 potentate of the Melha Shriners. "Naturally it provides great practice for the public shows, but more importantly it truly warms the hearts of everyone involved. These young patients have been our inspiration from the start and we love to see them laughing and smiling."

The 2017 Shrine Circus will run from Thursday to Sunday at the Eastern States Coliseum in West Springfield.

3 people released, others remain hospitalized after fatal crash inside Lynnway Auto Auction

0
0

Authorities announced Wednesday afternoon that three people injured in the crash inside the Lynnway Auto Auction in Billerica have been treated and released.

Authorities announced Wednesday afternoon that three people injured in the crash inside the Lynnway Auto Auction in Billerica have been treated and released. 

The crash, which took place during a car auction Wednesday morning, took the lives of three people. Two of the people who were struck by a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by an employee of Lynnway died at the scene, according to the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office. 

The two victims who died at the scene were an adult man and woman. A third victim, another adult woman, was taken to a nearby hospital where she later died from her injuries. 

Along with the three people who were killed, another nine people were injured. One of those nine people has life-threatening injuries, authorities said. 

Three of the injured have since been released from the hospital. The other six remain hospitalized, including the victim with life-threatening injuries. 

The Jeep driven by the employee, who has only been identified as a man in his 70s, sped into a cinder block wall inside the business around 10:15 a.m. The Jeep struck several people.

Authorities have not determined what caused the crash. They have not determined whether or not the driver suffered a medical condition at the time. The driver was not hospitalized. 

Officials said the incident was not intentional and appears to be a tragic accident. 

Local clergy, residents to celebrate 16th annual National Day of Prayer in Springfield

0
0

Local clergy and aresidents will participate in the 16th annual National Day of Prayer outside Old First Church.

SPRINGFIELD -- Area clergy and residents will gather Thursday at 7 p.m. for the 16th annual National Day of Prayer at Old First Church, 50 Elm St., in Court Square.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Pastor Juan Feliciano and clergy from the city and region are slated to take part in the annual observance, which is conducted on the first Thursday of May.

"Let's face it, a little more prayer and positive action never hurts any one of us -- only helps to bring us more together," Sarno said.

If it rains, the event will take place inside the church.

'Non-specific' bomb threat prompts lockdown at Holyoke High School

0
0

Holyoke High School at 500 Beech St. in Holyoke, Massachusetts was placed in a shelter-in-place lockdown of students and staff on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 as police searched the building after a "non-specific and non-credible" bomb threat was found scrawled on a bathroom wall. No injuries were reported.

HOLYOKE -- A "non-specific and non-credible" bomb threat scrawled on a bathroom wall nonetheless prompted Holyoke High School to act with caution Wednesday and order a shelter-in-place lockdown of students and staff as police searched the 500 Beech St. building, officials said.

"Even though it is low level we take everything seriously and run through our protocol for threats with fire and police," said Stephen K. Zrike, the state-appointed receiver in charge of managing the public schools.

"No safety concern and learning was not compromised -- we use shelter in place so that there is minimal disruption to learning," he said in a text message.

Zrike described the threat as being "non-specific and non-credible" and relating to a bomb.

The school was not evacuated based on a protocol of dealing with such treats developed by the Massachusetts State Police and approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Determination about the level of a threat is based on the nature of the threat such as how specific it was, officials have said.

Stephen Sullivan, Holyoke High School principal, posted this message on the public schools' website:

Dear Holyoke High School Community,

Holyoke High School received an anonymous threat with low-level specificity this afternoon. Police and fire personnel were dispatched immediately to the school. A joint decision was made by school leaders, and emergency response officials to sweep the building. Classes were asked to shelter in place while this was done. No threat to student safety was found.

Thank you,

Stephen Sullivan, Principal

2 New York men, Maine woman, arrested by MA State Police in Sturbridge after heroin, cocaine found in their vehicle

0
0

Three people were arrested in Sturbridge on Tuesday and are now facing drug charges.

STURBRIDGE - Two New York men and a woman from Maine are facing narcotics charges after being arrested by Massachusetts State Troopers in Sturbridge on Tuesday. 

Aboubacar A. Congo, 28, and Thierry K. Liliou, 38, both of the Bronx, and Desiree L. Pelletier, 33, of Livermore Falls, Maine, were taken into custody after a minor traffic violation led police to allegedly discover drugs in their vehicle.

The trio had been traveling in a GMC Envoy, headed east on Route 84 when they were pulled over by a Trooper after Congo--who was driving the vehicle--failed to signal a lane change, according to police.  

However, the motor vehicle violation led to an investigation that showed heroin, cocaine, and Suboxone had been stored in the car, police said.

Congo is now being charged with trafficking in heroin and cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws, and a number of motor vehicle violations. 

Pelletier is being charged with possession with intent to distribute a class B drug, as well as two separate charges of possession of a class B drug, and possession of a class E drug. 

Liliou is being charged with being in possession of marijuana in an open container in a motor vehicle, intimidation of a witness, as well as conspiracy to violate drug laws, and, also, failing to wear a seat belt. 

All three were arraigned in Dudley District Court on Wednesday morning.

Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images