The annual Ride to Remember is raising money to help pay for new soccer fields in honor fallen officers Alain Beauregard and Michael Schiavina

SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield Police's annual Ride to Remember, the 100-mile bicycle tour from Springfield to Boston to honor fallen officers, is planning a fund-raiser this weekend at the Hu Ke Lau in Chicopee.

Ride organizer Sgt. John Delaney said the benefit will feature celebrity impersonators in a Las Vegas-style review. Acts include tributes to Cher, Frank Sinatra, Lionel Ritchie and Amy Winehouse.

Promotional poster for the Ride to Remember fundraiser at the Hu Ke Lau on May 20. Submitted photo 

John O'Brien of the Bax and O'Brien Show on Rock 102 will serve at the master of ceremonies.

Tickets are between $25 and $35 per person and are available by calling 413-593-5222.

All proceeds from the evening go to toward the Ride To Remember, Delaney said.

The Ride, now in its 5^th year, is planned for Saturday, Sept. 16.

Riders will set out from downtown Springfield and ride a 106-mile route to Boston, arriving at the Massachusetts State House roughly 10 hours later.

The ride has grown each year since it first started in 2012. Last year there were 320 riders participating.

The Springfield Police Ride to Remember to Remember is becoming an event that is very well known in Western Massachusetts," Delaney said. "The ride grows bigger and bigger every year. This fundraiser is a perfect example of that.

Delaney said he hopes to reach 400 this year.

Initially, it was open only to police and members of public safety and their families. It has been opened in the last few years to allow anyone interested in participating. The cost is $300 and includes meals and support services along the way. People can register through the website Bikereg.com 

The ride raises money for the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial at the Massachusetts State House in Boston. A portion of money raise is also going to the defray the cost of building new soccer fields in Sixteen Acres in honor of Alain Beauregard and Michael Schiavina, two Springfield officers who were killed on duty in 1985.

The $900,000 project is being financed through $600,000 in grants, $150,000 from the city of Springfield and a matching amount from the Ride to Remember. Delaney said the ride needs to raise about $75,000 to match its share.

Wilbraham Voters will consider a 61-article warrant that includes three articles related to recreational marijuana at the annual town meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, May 15, 2017, at Minnechaug Regional High School, 621 Main St.

WILBRAHAM -- Voters will consider a 61-article warrant at Wilbraham's annual town meeting this evening, including three articles related to recreational marijuana. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at Minnechaug Regional High School, 621 Main St.

The first article aims to amend town bylaws to ban all types of recreational marijuana establishments, including retail "pot shops," cultivation and testing facilities, businesses that manufacture pot products, and any other marijuana-related commercial enterprise that isn't related to medical marijuana, which became legal in Massachusetts in 2012.

Recreational marijuana is also now legal in Massachusetts, following a statewide ballot vote in December 2016. That's when 53.6 percent of Bay State voters approved the measure, and 46.3 percent rejected it. Over 57 percent of Wilbraham voters rejected the measure, leading to local attempts to prevent the commercial sale or cultivation of the federally proscribed drug within town borders.  

The second town meeting article calls for amending local zoning bylaws to reflect the proposed prohibition of recreational or commercial marijuana businesses or facilities in town, while the third article calls for a temporary moratorium on recreational pot if voters reject the first article calling for an outright ban. 

The suggested moratorium is line with what many other Massachusetts cities and towns have already done or are trying to accomplish, which is to take a timeout to prepare for implementation of the state's new recreational marijuana law.

Pot was legalized for recreational use, cultivation for personal use, and retail sale on Nov. 8, 2016. In December, however, the Massachusetts Legislature voted to delay recreational sales for six months, pushing the date for licensing commercial pot establishments from Jan. 1, 2018, to July 1 of that year. Lawmakers say the delay gives them more time to tinker with the measure.

Wilbraham voters will get another chance to flex their democratic muscles on this controversial issue at the annual town election on May 20, when a referendum vote will be held on the anti-recreational marijuana articles.

At a minimum, according to town officials, there's a need for a moratorium on commercial recreational marijuana establishments in Wilbraham, particularly if the two articles or subsequent referendum vote fail to pass a permanent ban on such establishments.

Officials say the moratorium is needed while the town awaits guidance from the state on the various rules and regulations that will eventually be determined by the state's Cannabis Control Board. The Wilbraham moratorium would remain in effect through Nov. 30, 2018, or until town zoning bylaws are amended to replace the moratorium with regulations governing the use of such establishments in town.

Wilbraham followed the same process in 2013, when the town enacted a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries and replaced it with zoning regulations in 2014.

The guns had no orange tips marking them as toy weapons and visibility was poor.

CHICOPEE - Police are again warning residents, especially parents, about the dangers of realistic-looking toy guns after officers drew their weapons on two teenagers who they believed were armed with real guns over the weekend.

A caller initially reported at about 9:45 p.m., Saturday that they saw two people carrying guns near the intersection of Meadow Street and McKinstry Avenue. Officers arrived to find two 14-year-olds, one of whom was carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle with a laser on it. At the time visibility was poor because it was dark and raining, Michael Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer said.

"They (the officers) drew their guns and ordered the person to drop it," Wilk said.

The teen holding the fake rifle responded by saying it was a toy. After police repeated the commands several times he did drop the gun. The second teenager also dropped a toy pistol, he said.

The orange tips and safety stickers added to fake guns had been removed. The rifle was exceptionally realistic looking, it was labeled Smith & Wesson, Springfield and had a laser site. Police cannot tell the difference between the fake handgun and a real one, especially in the dark and when it is pointed at them, he said.

"Thankfully this did not end in a bad way. These are extremely dangerous to be walking around with out in public," Wilk said.

President Donald Trump's firing of FBI head James Comey "clearly obstructs an ongoing investigation" into ties between Trump's presidential campaign and Russian interests interfering with the 2016 election, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Monday. Watch video

President Donald Trump's firing of FBI head James Comey "clearly obstructs an ongoing investigation" into ties between Trump's presidential campaign and Russian interests interfering with the 2016 election, Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Monday.

"Donald Trump himself has said that the reason he did it, in part, was to affect the investigation," she said. "I mean, those are his own words. He said, it was what he was thinking about when he made the decision."

The next FBI chief should be "completely independent" and willing to pursue an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Warren told reporters after a tour of Cambridge Health Alliance's Malden Care Center.

Warren, D-Mass., reiterated her belief that a special prosecutor is needed to investigate the ties between Russia and Trump associates.

20 attorneys general, including Maura Healey, call for independent special counsel 

"We need someone who's truly outside the range of people that Donald Trump can fire," she said. "Because any FBI head comes in knowing that Donald Trump has the ability to fire them. Not only the ability, but as he's demonstrated, the willingness to fire them. So we still need a special prosecutor no matter who's named as the head of the FBI."

Warren added that Attorney General Jeff Sessions' involvement in the firing of Comey strengthens the argument for a special prosecutor.

"Instead of being the Department of Justice, it's the Department of Obstruction of Justice," Warren said.

Just 21 percent of independents supported President Trump's firing of Comey

Two of Suzanne Hardy's passengers, Dylan Riel, 4, and Jayce Garcia, 1, both of Southbridge, were killed in a Brimfield crash in June 2014.

SPRINGFIELD -- Eric Hardy told a Hampden Superior Court judge Monday it was hard to ask for the maximum motor vehicle homicide sentence for his own sister. 

But, he said, Suzanne Hardy -- the driver in a 2014 crash that killed two of her young passengers -- robbed him and other family members of all the moments they might have spent with brothers Dylan Riel, 4, and Jayce Garcia, 1.

She also robbed him of his trust in others. "If you can't trust your own sister with your child," he said, "who can I possibly trust with anything?"

A jury on May 11 found Suzanne Hardy guilty on two counts of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation for the deaths of Dylan and Jayce, both of Southbridge. The boys died in a crash on Route 20 in Brimfield on June 20, 2014. 

Judge Richard J. Carey ultimately sentenced Suzanne Hardy to spend a year at the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center in Chicopee. The rest of her 2 1/2-year sentence will be suspended, with probation. She has 51 days credit on her sentence for time she served before she was released while awaiting trial.

Assistant District Attorney James M. Forsyth asked Carey to sentence her to 12 to 15 years in state prison, followed by three years probation.

Suzanne Hardy, 24, of Holland, was Dylan's aunt. Her brother Eric was Dylan's father. The jury also found her guilty on one count each of involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment of a child for Dylan's death.

She was found not guilty on involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment charges for Jayce's death.

In asking for a long sentence, Eric Hardy told Judge Carey his sister had shown no remorse. 

"Watching other fathers interact and play with their children, whether it be real life, a movie, or even a picture, often will throw me into extended periods of depression and sorrow knowing that I, the other two parents involved, the grandparents and all the other extended family will never be able to enjoy moments like that again," he told the judge.

Defense lawyer Joan Williams argued additional jail time for Suzanne Hardy was unecessary. Williams asked for a 2 1/2-year jail term, with all but the 51 days the defendant had already served suspended with probation.

"To say that she has not been impacted by this case is incorrect," Williams said, adding that Suzanne Hardy wanted to express her remorse to the boys' families.

About 20 family and friends of the boys were in the courtroom Monday, as they had been throughout the trial.

Nicole Riel, the boys' mother, delivered a victim impact statement in which she said the effect of her sons' deaths on her life has been "indescribable."

"Each morning I wake up to a world that I no longer recognize," she said. "I was left with nothing because of someone else's actions. It took everything from me, my faith and my trust in others. My love, I no longer find happiness in anything I do."

She added: "Countless sleepless nights, and nightmares of things I've seen that day continue to haunt me. Some nights unbearable, crying myself to sleep, just wanting to die to be with them."

Debra Rose, mother of Nicole Riel, said helping her daughter plan a funeral and pick out a casket was the worst thing she ever had to do. She said Nicole Riel decided to bury Dylan and Jayce in one casket "... together for eternity."

Forsyth noted Andres Garcia, Jayce's father -- who has been in the courtroom throughout the trial -- chose not to give an impact statement.

In arguing for a shorter sentence, Williams noted Suzanne Hardy had a group of people supporting her throughout the trial, and on Monday.

Williams, in her closing argument at the trial, said the boys' deaths were "Horrible, tragic, but an accident." She said the prosecution did not prove Suzanne Hardy was wanton and reckless or negligent.

But Forsyth, the prosecutor, argued the opposite, describing her actions as both reckless and negligent. As the driver, Forsyth said, she was responsible for the care of Dylan and Jayce.

"The children's lives were in her hands, and she disregarded their safety," he said.

The crash happened as Hardy was driving east on Route 20. A landscaping truck and trailer was in the left lane, also eastbound, waiting to turn into the company headquarters. Hardy swerved to the right, clipped the guardrail, spun out of control into the westbound lane and crashed into an SUV. Her car and another car collided head-on in the westbound lane.

The manslaughter charges against Suzanne Hardy alleged wanton and reckless conduct for her driving, and for not securing each child properly in a car seat. Dylan was not in a child's car seat at all, said Forsyth, who noted that Suzanne Hardy put her own son -- who survived the crash -- in a booster seat.

Jayce, meanwhile, was in a child seat -- a factor the jury appeared to consider in deciding to clear her of the manslaughter and reckless endangerment charges in connection with Jayce's death. The prosecution argued Jayce's child seat should have been rear-facing and that its straps were loose.

Hardy suffered a fractured hip and foot, and had her spleen removed, Williams said.

Mark Riel, father of Nicole Riel and grandfather of the two boys, told the judge Monday that not a single day goes by without sadness, sorrow, or tears shed by the families.

"As a loving father I see the sorrow and anguish in my daughter's eyes every day," Mark Riel said. "I feel helpless and destroyed inside."

A 20-year-old Framingham man allegedly swung his leashed dog by the neck, repeatedly bashing the animal on the pavement, resulting in his arrest.

A 20-year-old man on Monday allegedly swung his leashed dog by the neck, repeatedly bashing the animal on the pavement, resulting in his arrest.

Onlookers witnessed the alleged attack while at Mary Dennison Playground in Framingham around 7:15 a.m., subsequently reporting the events to police. 

The man in question began to whip the dog -- a pitbull named Chaos -- "around in a manner she compared to a parent holding a child's hand and swinging them around in a circle for fun," a police report cited by Metrowest Daily News said.

He then threw the dogs into the woods and left it there, witnesses claimed. 

Investigating police found the animal - terrified and suffering significant facial injuries - nearby, according to The Daily News. 

Police later located the suspect, Aramis Ortiz, who reportedly told them the dog had urinated indoors and he didn't want it anymore. 

Great work by @FraminghamPD. Animal cruelty is a serious offense and must not be tolerated. https://t.co/EshL2rHMKh

-- Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) May 15, 2017

Ortiz was arrested and scheduled to appear in Framingham District Court to face a charge of cruelty to animals Monday afternoon. 

The dog's injuries are being treated at a local veterinarian's office, according to The Daily News. 

Customers at a convenience store in Haverhill have had a string of luck in recent years.

Customers at a convenience store in Haverhill have had a string of luck in recent years.

The Main Street Qwik Mart has sold six million-dollar scratch ticket winners, owner Inderpal Gill told the Eagle Tribune.

Gill, who has owned the store since 2002, attributed the unlikely jackpots to his customers' good fortune.

 "My customers are lucky," he told the Eagle Tribune.

The most recent $1 million prize went to Donbern Nominee Trust of Quincy, following the purchase of a $10 Million Multiplier Spectacular scratch ticket. The prize was claimed by David Spillane, an attorney who helps lottery winners collect winnings while protecting their identities.

It was the Qwik Mart's second $1 million winner this year. A winning Monopoly Jackpot ticket was sold at the store and claimed in February.

The multiple wins at the same store are very unlikely. The Multiplier Spectacular ticket, which sells for $20, has 720,000-to-one odds against winning $1 million. And the $10 Monopoly Jackpot ticket carries one-in-1.8 million odds of hitting a $1 million prize.

Massachusetts woman wins $4 million lottery prize

Related Photos

 

The fiancee of Aaron Hernandez told television host Dr. Phil that she does not believe in the state investigation into Hernandez's suicide death.

It has been almost a month since Aaron Hernandez took his life in prison. The suicide death of the former New England Patriots player and convicted murderer was surprising to both those close to him and the many following his life from afar. Less than a week before his death, Hernandez was acquitted of two murders.

One of those shocked by his death include perhaps the person the closest to him in his final days: his fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez.  

She recently spoke to television host Dr. Phil McGraw in what the show says is an exclusive interview. The two-part interview, which airs on "Dr. Phil" on Monday and Tuesday, will tell Jenkins' perspective on the reported death, as well as insight into the interactions between her and Hernandez, the father of her child.

In clips previewed online before the show's airing, Shayanna-Jenkins told McGraw that she does not believe in the state's investigation.

"None of it is very believable to me. Not the findings, not the investigation. I just, I don't believe it," she told him.

McGraw asked if she believes in the state investigation's timeline of events: that Hernandez was locked into his cell at 8 p.m., and was found hanged by a bedsheet shortly after 3 a.m.

Read hand-written letter Aaron Hernandez wrote to fiancee Shayanna Jenkins before killing himself

"I believe there is some uncounted time, I don't think things were done properly," Jenkins-Hernandez told him. "I feel like he could've been saved, or something could've been done...I feel like someone was in the wrong somewhere. I want answers."

She added that a separate investigation will allow her to trust where the answers are coming from. Then, she says, "maybe I can have comfort in the truth."

Her words echo that of attorney Jose Baez, who defended Hernandez in the latest murder case where he was found not guilty. Baez said his team will use "any and all of the legal tools" at their disposal to block interference from government officials during their investigation.

"The unprofessional behavior of those entrusted to impartially and professionally conduct an investigation into Aaron's death has caused grave concern as to the validity and thoroughness of the investigation," Baez wrote in a statement following the state's investigation. He cited several leaks to press during the investigation, informing media and public of details before Hernandez's family were notified.

Judge vacates Aaron Hernandez murder conviction in death of Odin Lloyd

Jenkins-Hernandez told McGraw she also had no knowledge of the scripture found written on Hernandez's forehead.

"He was spiritual, but he wasn't the kind of guy to get up every Sunday and go to church," she said in the interview. Investigative interviews with fellow prison inmates reveal Hernandez was becoming increasingly religious during his time behind bars.

When Hernandez was found hanging naked from a bed sheet in his prison cell at Souza-Baranowski facility in Shirley, he reportedly had the Bible verse "John 3:16" written on his forehead in ink. Investigators said he also had large, circular blood marks on his feet, and a large amount of shampoo was poured on the floor.

Hernandez was serving a life sentence in prison for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Shayanna-Jenkins. In a legal doctrine known as abatement, that occurs only when a person is unable to complete their appeal process, Hernandez is no longer considered guilty of murdering Lloyd in the eyes of the court.

Pittsfield Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Garner told the Berkshire Eagle the woman was kayaking with a male friend on Sunday afternoon when both of their boats flipped over near Fred Garner Park.

George Graham | ggraham@repub.com 

PITTSFIELD - Firefighters rescued a woman from the east branch of the Housatonic River Sunday afternoon after her kayak flipped over.

Pittsfield Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Garner told the Berkshire Eagle the woman was kayaking with a male friend when both of their boats flipped over near Fred Garner Park shortly before 3:30 p.m.

The male made it to shore, however the woman ended up about a half-mile from the park, clinging to branches near the shore.

Firefighters used a flat-bottom boat to rescue the woman, who had been in the water for approximately 45 minutes. She was taken to Berkshire Medical Center and treated for mild hypothermia, Garner said.

The pair were using flat-water kayaks that are significantly longer than white-water kayaks. That, along with the strong current, were likely factors in their overturning, he said.

A month after burying her fiance, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez spoke about Aaron Hernandez on network television.

A month after burying her fiance, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez spoke about Aaron Hernandez on network television. 

The former New England Patriots player was serving a life sentence in prison for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Jenkins-Hernandez. He killed himself on April 19 at the Souza Baranowski facility in Shirley, days after he was found not guilty on double murder charges.

In the two-part interview that airs Monday and Tuesday, television host Phil McGraw asked Jenkins-Hernandez of the couple's history, her longtime partner's rise to the NFL and sentencing to life in prison. 

After speaking during an introduction segment of Hernandez's spotty past in Connecticut and Florida, McGraw asked if the former NFL star was in a gang. 

"Not to my knowledge," Jenkins-Hernandez responded. 

Immediately following, McGraw asked if she would have known about any gang connections, to which she replied that she probably would not have. 

Hernandez was drafted in the fourth round by the New England Patriots in 2010. His past drug use and reported connections to unsavory characters played a role in his late selection.

"He didn't have the best choice in some friends but that didn't really make him a bad person," Jenkins-Hernandez told McGraw of the company he kept before his 2013 arrest.

She repeated comments she made on the stand during his murder trial in the death of Lloyd, telling McGraw she would "pick and choose her battles" with Hernandez. 

 

Although the new Registry of Motor Vehicles office in the Springfield plaza opened for business in January, elected officials turned out Monday for the official grand opening ceremony.

SPRINGFIELD -- Although the new Registry of Motor Vehicles office in the Springfield plaza opened for business in January, elected officials turned out Monday for the official grand opening ceremony. 

Registrar of Motor Vehicles Erin Deveney joined Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and other elected officials at the St. James Avenue office to celebrate the official opening of the new service center, which was constructed inside a former theater at the recently renovated plaza. 

The new Springfield Service Center focuses on customer service and offers a larger facility than the previous spot, with 17,142 square feet and over 700 parking spaces.

The office replaces a location at 165 Liberty St. long considered inadequate, outmoded and landlocked with insufficient parking. There are 16 upgraded workstations for conducting multiple transaction types in an efficient and timely manner, according to the state.

Gardner Construction & Engineering in Chicopee did the work renovating the former theater into an RMV. 

The new location features improvements including:

• New Registry equipment enabling faster processing of Driver Licenses and Identification Cards
• ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant elements
• Efficient customer queuing system with expanded public seating
• Dedicated space for self-service transactions, hearings, Business to Business Center (B2B), and International Registration Plan (IRP) customers
• Upgraded training facility for continuous staff improvement and skill development
• Water saving efficiency technology
• All LED lighting, which lasts longer and conserves energy
• Upgraded HVAC system, resulting in improved air quality

The state has a 10-year lease agreement with Davenport Properties, which is one of the owners of Springfield Plaza, calling for the state to pay $424,656 in rent for Year 1 with incremental increases to $494,468 in Year 10. That rent includes the cost of renovations and ongoing janitorial services, according to previous statements by the state.

The Registry is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Business reporter Jim Kinney contributed to this report.

A mother bear and some cubs were spotted walking through Florence by a former Republican reporter

NORTHAMPTON -  A mother bear and her cub reported emerged from the woods to wander around yards in the Florence section of the city Monday afternoon.

Former Republican reporter Stan Freeman happened to be on the scene and took photos.

Freeman, who while at the Republican wrote about nature and the environment extensively, said he spotted the bears in the area around Berkshire Terrace at around 2:30 p.m.

Berkshire Terrace is off Main Street, roughly a block away from downtown Florence.

Northampton police said they received no complaints from residents about bears in that area.

Bear sightings are more common this time of year as they emerge from hibernation and begin the search for food, according to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Bears are common in communities all over Western and Central Massachusetts. The most recent census taken in 2011 had as many as 4,500 bears statewide.

Bear sightings becoming more common in suburban parts of Hampden County

Bears tend to venture into populated areas because there may be easy sources of food there such as bird feeders, garbage cans, and compost sites. Once a bear finds a food source in a neighborhood, it will revisit that same location over and over and will also start to search for similar food sources in other areas, according to Fisheries and Wildlife.

The man who appears to have been fatally attacked with a brick has been identified as 39-year-old Sergio Sanchez of Reading.

The man who appears to have been fatally attacked with a brick has been identified as 39-year-old Sergio Sanchez of Reading. 

No one had been arrested in connection with the killing as of Monday afternoon. 

Sanchez and a 33-year-old Lynn man were walking on Blake Street around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when they were attacked in a parking lot by two other men, according to the Essex County District Attorney's Office. 

The victims were at a local establishment before the attack. Both victims were assaulted in a parking lot near 22 Blake St. 

Sanchez was taken to Salem Hospital then to Massachusetts General Hospital where he died from his injuries Monday morning. It appears he was struck in the head with a brick, the district attorney's office said. 

The Lynn man called 911 during the attack. He was taken to a local hospital, where he still remains. He is expected to survive. 

State and local police continue to search for the culprits. Investigators do not believe the victims and suspect knew one another.

A ceremony marked the beginning of the first phase of construction of the $36.3 million renovation of the Lyman Terrace public housing complex in Holyoke, Massachusetts on Monday, May 15, 2017 with U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, praising the city's commitment.

HOLYOKE -- A ceremony marked the beginning of the first phase of construction of the $36.3 million renovation of the Lyman Terrace public housing complex on Monday with U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, praising the city's commitment.

"It's a very complicated project, and I think that there are few things in urban life that are more challenging than housing. It's like a big game of musical chairs and you hope when it's done that everybody gets a chair," Neal said after the ceremony.

The ceremony was for onset of the combination of demolition, construction and renovation of 88 units and about 60 percent of the project's land area, said Marcos A. Marrero, director of the Hoyoke Planning and Economic Development Department.

Construction actually began a year with installation of new water lines and other utility work. The first-phase construction relates to work beginning on the buildings, Marrero said.

Take a look: $35 million renovation of Lyman Terrace in Holyoke proceeds (photos)

The 18-building, red-brick Lyman Terrace complex is owned and operated by the Holyoke Housing authority. It has 167 units and about 400 tenants. It is in the Prospect Heights-Downtown Neighborhood bordered by Lyman, Front and John streets.

The ceremony included Mayor Alex B. Morse, state Rep. Aaron M. Vega, D-Holyoke, and Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Ward 1 representative on the City Council.

Funding to pay for the project consists of grants and other federal and city funds. One source is government-funded tax credits. A tax credit is a funding mechanism in which an investor puts up money in return for a reduced tax liability.

The revamp involves a combination of renovation and demolition that would reduce the number of units to about 156, increasing unit sizes to comply with handicapped-accessibility standards, officials have said.

Plans are in place to relocate displaced tenants to temporary housing during the construction, Matthew A. Mainville, executive director of the Housing Authority, has said.

Windows, doors, walls and floors have weakened, mold has spread on some surfaces, the complex lacks a designated trash area, heat reliability fluctuates in the winter and crime makes tenants fearful, officials and tenants said.

Construction began on Lyman Terrace in the late 1930s and finished in 1942.

The Community Builders of Boston is managing the Lyman Terrace project.

Check back with MassLive.com for a follow up story with additional detail about the project, including comments from Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, City Councilor Gladys Lebron-Martinez and state Rep. Aaron Vega, D-Holyoke.

The Twiss Street transfer station in Westfield was closed for several days while local and state police searched the site, as well as an apartment in a nearby complex.

WESTFIELD - The Twiss Street transfer station was back open for business on Monday after police searching the site for several days had cleared out.

The public dump had been closed since May 4 as investigators began searching through garbage bags on the property in tandem with a separate but related search at a nearby apartment complex at 50 Southampton Road.

The investigation took on a air of mystery as it unfolded on public property but neither local police nor the Hampden district attorney's office would offer any explanation of what they were searching for -- or how the apartment complex linked back to the search at the dump.

Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe has said he is prohibited by state law from discussing the investigation, but refused to cite the state law. He repeated the message on Monday afternoon after the transfer station reopened.

"I'm usually not obstinate with the press. But I'm stuck on this one. I can't comment," McCabe said.

James Leydon, a spokesman for Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, also declined comment beyond confirming the investigation is ongoing and is a joint effort between that office and the Westfield Police Department. Leydon reiterated that the subject of the investigation does not constitute a threat to the public's safety.

The search warrants sought by both Westfield and state police have been placed under seal at Westfield District Court.

Staff writer George Graham contributed to this report.

On Oct. 6, 1995, the partially decomposed body of Marcia Honsch, with a gunshot wound to her head, was found in Tolland State Forest.

SPRINGFIELD - After two full days of jury selection in the Robert Honsch murder trial, a total of 11 people have been selected as jurors.

There is no session of the trial before Hampden Superior Court Judge Constance M. Sweeney Tuesday so jury selection will resume Wednesday.

Five jurors were selected Friday and six jurors were selected Monday. Five more jurors are needed to reach the 16 jurors Sweeney said she plans to have selected.

About 100 prospective jurors have been called in each day of jury selection for the trial of Honsch, 73, who is accused of killing his wife, Marcia Honsch.

On Oct. 6, 1995, a partially decomposed body with a gunshot wound to the head was found in Tolland State Forest. The killing remained a cold case until 2014, when the body was identified as that of Marcia Honsch, 53, of Brewster, New York.

Robert Honsch was arrested in July 2014 in Dalton, Ohio, where investigators said he was living under an assumed name with a new wife and three children.

According to Assistant District Attorney Karen J. Bell, Robert and Marcia Honsch -- who had been estranged for about seven years -- got back together for a month or two before Marcia Honsch was killed.

In Connecticut, Robert Honsch is charged in the fatal shooting of Elizabeth Honsch, 17, his daughter with Marcia Honsch. Elizabeth Honsch's body was found behind a shopping plaza in New Britain, Connecticut, on Sept. 28, 1995.

The Springfield trial for Marcia Honsch's killing is being held before the Connecticut trial.

Over the objection of defense lawyer Paul Rudof, Sweeney at a pretrial hearing ruled testimony about Elizabeth Honsch's murder can be presented in the trial here for the killing of Marcia Honsch.

The ACLU of Massachusetts has filed a complaint against what it calls a "discriminatory hair and makeup policy" after two students at Malden's Mystic Valley Regional Charter School could face suspension for wearing their hair in braids with extensions.

The ACLU of Massachusetts has filed a complaint against what it calls a "discriminatory hair and makeup policy" after two students at Malden's Mystic Valley Regional Charter School could face suspension for wearing their hair in braids with extensions.

The students, Colleen Cook's twin 15-year-old daughters, have received multiple detentions for wearing their hair in braids.

Braids with extensions is a hairstyle banned by the charter's dress code, as well as unnatural hair colors, makeup and nail polish. Hair extensions - not braids - are banned, according to the school's handbook.

"The policy discriminates on race, gender, national origin, religion and disability," the ACLU said in a statement. "Our complaint seeks a new policy and an immediate halt to disciplinary actions based on the existing policy."

However, the school says its policy is to emphasize education rather than fashion.

"The specific prohibition on hair extensions, which are expensive and could serve as a differentiating factor between students from dissimilar socioeconomic backgrounds, is consistent with our desire to create such an educational environment, one that celebrates all that our students have in common and minimizes material differences and distractions," Interim School Director Alexander J. Dan said in a statement released last week. "Any suggestion that it is based on anything else is simply wrong."

The ACLU filed a complaint Monday with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on behalf of sophomores Deanna and Mya Cook, and also "on behalf of all other female students of color."

"The Hair policy in particular, while not specifically mentioning these prohibited classifications, advances a standard of appearance that is based on Caucasian, Christian, and Western norms. Likewise, the policy makes no exceptions for ethnic, religious or cultural practices or medical needs," the complaint reads.

Dan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

The handbook states that "students may not wear drastic or unnatural hair colors or styles such as shaved lines or shaved sides or have a hairstyle that could be distracting to other students (extra-long hair or hair more than 2 inch in thickness or height is not allowed). This means no coloring, dying, lightening (sun-in) or streaking of any sort. Hair extensions are not allowed." 

The ACLU says the school's policy affects students with thicker or coarser hair, especially African-American students.

"It also affects Rastafarian, Sikh, Muslim, and Jewish students who may wear head coverings or have long hair," the complaint reads. "It affects students who, for religious or medical reasons, may wear a beard. All of these students may have neat appearances that are ethnically, religiously, and culturally appropriate and not disruptive of the educational mission of the school."

The complaint notes that the Cook sisters have been stopped from participating in after-school sports and have been banned from prom in addition to receiving numerous detentions.

"Deanna has been especially harmed by being prevented from taking part in important track events that are a crucial part of her skill development and advancement in athletics, all of which relates to college scholarships," the complaint says. "On information and belief, other students of color have also been disciplined and threatened and are fearful of retaliation if they challenge this policy."

The girls' parents have tried to work out the issue with school officials but have been told their daughters will be punished if they continue to wear their hair in braids, according to the complaint.

The complaint requests that the school agree "to end punishment of all students for wearing extensions in their braids, removal of all records of discipline relating to this policy, an apology to the students, and changing the hair policy to require only an appearance that does not pose health, safety, or cleanliness risks as set force in G.L. c.71, section 83."

After the controversy started making headlines earlier this month, the school said it promoted equity "by focusing on what unites our students and reducing visible gaps between those of different means."

"Our policies, including those governing student appearance and attire, foster a culture that emphasizes education rather than style, fashion, or materialism," the school said in a statement. "Our policy on hair extensions, which tend to be very expensive, is consistent with, and a part of, the educational environment that we believe is so important to our students' success."

Kimberly Jesionowski, of Springfield, was charged with possession of heroin subsequent offense.

CHICOPEE - A 36-year-old Springfield woman was arrested for possession of heroin after a newly-trained police dog detected the drug in her purse and car.

Kimberly Jesionowski, of 96 Parker St., was arrested Saturday and charged with possession of heroin subsequent offense. She was released on $140 bail and arraigned on Monday in Chicopee District Court, Michael Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer said.

Police initially received a complaint at 5:15 p.m. about a woman believed to be taking drugs in a red Jeep parked near 201 Exchange St. Officer Jason Sousa spoke to the woman, who denied the drug usage but also acted very nervous, he said.

K-9 Officer Ryan Romano also responded to the call with his dog Kane, who has now been trained to detect opiates. The dog hit on a scent on the purse, on the seat and in the center console. This is the first time the dog has detected drugs since he returned from training, Wilk said.

"As Officer Romano opened the purse, uncapped needles fell out as well as a baggie marked 'Diesel,'" Wilk said.

The dog was removed to prevent him from being hurt by the needles. Sousa then found multiple used heroin packets also marked with "Diesel" in the console and in a storage compartment accessed by the rear seat, Wilk said.

MassMutual announced the new logo and branding campaign Monday.

SPRINGFIELD -- MassMutual and its design team showed 2,000 logo designs to thousands of customers before deciding on a new brand identity: five white dots in the shape of the letter M.

"We didn't choose it because someone here liked it," said Jennifer Halloran, head of brand advertising and community responsibility at the Springfield-based insurance giant. "It's very exciting for us. We have this amazing story. It's so much bigger than the logos and the signs. We have really been working on this for more than a year now."

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. rolled out the logo Monday for the 166th anniversary of its founding here in Springfield in 1851.

Halloran said the new branding effort reflects 85,000 pieces of customer research collected during the last 12 months.

MassMutual changed logos Monday at its headquarters on State Street and its offices in Enfield. The old logo is down from the MassMutual-owned Tower Square office tower on Main Street. The MassMutual name remains on the building, however, but Halloran said the office tower will get the new logo as soon as permitting and logistics permits.

The MassMutual Center, the former Springfield Civic Center, will also have its signage changed to reflect the new logo and typeface used by MassMutual.

The new logo will also be visible during Monday night's deciding Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinal between the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards at Boston's TD Garden.

"I think I was the only one in Massachusetts who was rooting for Washington to win and send the series to Game 7 so we could get our logo out there," Halloran said.

Also look for the logo on TV commercials during live sports this summer and the season-ending episodes of "Dancing with the Stars" and "Scandal."

Johannes Leonardo advertising agency in New York City did strategy and creative work on the campaign. The Working Assembly design studio, also of New York, did the logo and Giant Spoon marketing agency of New York and Los Angeles did the media work, MassMutal said.

The last time MassMutual redid its logo was in 1995 when it merged with Connecticut Mutual. The logo was called "the blue chip" because MassMutual's old tagline was "The Blue Chip Company."

The new logo and the round lines of the new font are meant to convey concepts like clear, simple, transparent and trustworthy. The dots are meant to represent people, groups and communities working together.

MassMutual has about 7,200 employees in Springfield and Enfield.

White Lion Brewing roared into American Craft Beer Week on Monday by unveiling its latest creation -- a brew to honor the city's soon-to-open renovated Union Station. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- White Lion Brewing roared into American Craft Beer Week on Monday by unveiling its latest creation -- a brew to honor the city's soon-to-open renovated Union Station. 

Named Legendary Union, the new brew is a light-bodied cranberry wheat-style beer with a German hop profile. It will first be available to the public starting at the first White Lion Wednesday pop-up beer garden of the summer (this Wednesday) from 4 to 8 p.m. at the MassLive Building, 1350 Main St.

Among those in attendance to kick off the beer's launch were U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, and Mayor Domenic Sarno.

"I'm delighted that White Lion has decided that the inaugural efforts of reopening Union Station after 43 years will include a brew made especially for Union Station," Neal said.

The White Lion Wednesday beer gardens continue each week at the same time, but at rotating locations. On May 24, it will be at The Shops at Marketplace at the rear of 1341 Main St., and on May 31 it will be at Tower Square Park, 1477 Main St.

The introduction of Legendary Union follows last year's release of a beer that celebrated the Eastern States Exposition's 100th Anniversary and another that marked the history of brewing in partnership with the Springfield Museums.

Union Station opens in June after more than 40 years of decay and disuse and following a $94 million renovation.

The station was built in 1926. It will be home to Peter Pan Bus Lines, the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, Amtrak and, starting in 2018, commuter service offered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

Business reporter Jim Kinney contributed to this report.