Students of Latino heritage in transition grades of kindergarten, 6, 8 and 12 will be honored in the 11th Amherst Annual Latino Achievement Awards Night Friday, in a program that includes dance, music and spoken word.

AMHERST -- Students of Latino heritage in transition grades of kindergarten, 6, 8 and 12 will be honored at the 11th annual Latino Achievement Awards Night on Friday in a program that includes dance, music and spoken word.

Marta Guevara, director of Family and Student Engagement for the Amherst schools, said via email that the night was started "to explore ways to increase the academic achievement of students of Latino heritage." 

According to a press release, the event "aspires toward equity in opportunity, inclusion, respect and community-building in and out of the classroom."

Latino students comprise about 20 percent of the town's elementary school population, slightly less in the regional schools because the district includes students from Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury, where a smaller percentage of the population is Latino.

"We want to make a public statement of support to the Latino students who work hard, come to school to pursue their dream of an education to attain a better life for themselves and their families," Guevara said.

"(Many students) do this with the stress of oppressing voices and structures in our society that make it harder for them to achieve their full potential," she said. "This is especially true for our undocumented students, and we are committed to expressing our support to them and their families.

"Most of our undocumented youth have to work after school to help their families financially and have to juggle long hours at work and completing homework. Most can't do extracurricular activities such as sports and clubs because of work, so it is important to recognize their hard work and commitment to education," she said.

Guevara said the families in the schools come from all over the world, and "their contributions make our community a better place."

Carmen Cosme, coordinator for the VELA afterschool program, will be the featured speaker. The event, open to all, begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Amherst Regional Middle School.

Both the regional and Amherst school committees this year adopted a resolution to protect students and faculty from immigration raids.

Immigration officials will be refused entry to school property unless the superintendent and district counsel are provided with a warrant signed by a judge or magistrate authorizing immigration officials onto the property.

Town Meeting last week adopted a bylaw creating the town as a sanctuary community.  

Patricia Brailey, 46, of Springfield, is not strong enough to pick up a scooter, much less swing it at someone, defense layer Randy Milou argued.

SPRINGFIELD - During a recent bail hearing, defense lawyer Randy Milou not only guaranteed that his client would return to court, he promised to pick her up if she needs a ride.

"She lives across the street from my aunt," Milou explained to Judge Michele Ouimet-Rooke during his client's arraignment on April 24.

Patricia Brailey
 

Standing in the defendant's dock, Patricia Brailey, 46, of Springfield, nodded several times, seemingly vouching for her lawyer's claim.

The day before, Brailey was arrested for allegedly assaulting a customer at the One Stop Discount Liquor and Convenience Store on Central Street.

The trouble started when Brailey approached a couple in the store, shook their hands and then accused the male of wearing her jacket, according to the arrest report, which said the couple had never seen Brailey before.

The suspect became agitated and began swearing at the couple. As they argued, she grabbed the man's scooter and swung it at his face, barely missing him, the report said.

Once police were called, Brailey left and was arrested nearby. Held in custody overnight, she pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.

A prosecutor, noting Brailey's criminal history, asked for cash bail. In addition to convictions for assault and battery, breaking and entering and malicious damage, the defendant has 15 court defaults on her record, Assistant District Attorney Jill O'Connor said.

Milou said most of the charges and court defaults were from the 1990s and Brailey has largely avoided legal trouble in recent years.

Returning to court will not be a problem, Milou said, explaining he has provided both legal and car service to Brailey over the past decade.

"She comes to court every time. If she can't get a ride, I'll pick her up," he said.

In the new case, Milou said his client never met the couple before, and had no reason to assault the male. Before entering the store, the pair asked Brailey to buy liquor for them and she refused, the lawyer said.

His client was not strong enough to pick up a scooter, much less swing it at someone, the lawyer said. The store's video surveillance system should back up her story, according to Milou, who filed a motion to preserve all evidence in the case.

Aside from representing Brailey on the new charge, the lawyer told Ouimet-Rooke that he is attempting to get records of her older cases sealed.

At that point, the judge had heard enough.

"Well, good luck with that," she said, before setting bail at $250.

Brailey, who posted the bail, is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on June 22.

Lesliee Lavarnway was released on personal recognizance.

CHICOPEE -- A man accused of hitting his wife fled police and led them on a chase and search through the woods on Sunday, according to court records.

Leslie Lavarnway, 30, of Nelson Street, was released on personal recognizance Monday following his arraignment in Chicopee District Court. He faces charges of assault and battery and resisting arrest.

Police initially responded on Sunday to a report of loud screaming coming from a home on Nelson Street. When they arrived, they spoke with a woman who accused Lavarnway of hitting her and then leaving with her 11-year-old son, court records show.

Several cruisers were dispatched to the area to search for the auto body worker, who was spotted on a dirt trail at the end of Nelson Street walking with the boy, the records said.

"Upon being notified he was under arrest, he immediately ran into the woods abutting the trail. He was pulling his son by the arm as he ran from police," the police report states.

After a short chase, he was able to hide in thick brush. Police called a K-9 officer and began an intensive search of the woods. During the search, police spotted the young boy walking toward them. The child, who was crying, said his father had left him on a dirt trail and told him to go, the report says.

The search continued and police, with the help of witnesses, eventually found Lavarnway hiding in a shed on Simonich Circle, which is owned by a former girlfriend.

No one was hurt, but the Ford Explore is a goner. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - A Ford Explorer that apparently developed mechanical problems drove onto the lawn of Forest Park by the Route 5 entrance and burst in to flames Tuesday morning.

Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, said no one was injured in the fire, but the vehicle was a complete loss.

Leger said the driver told police he spotted smoke coming from underneath, and he pulled off the road. Moments later, it was in flames. 

Photos and videos from the scene show the vehicle completely ablaze.

05/15/2017 - Springfield Fire Department photo of a vehicle fire in Forest Park on Tuesday morning. No one was injured.Springfield Fire Department photo 

The fire occurred a few feet from the Indian woodcarved statue in the park.

Police are asking people to stay away from the area until the bear comes down from the tree.

CHICOPEE - Three bears have been spotted in a tree in the area off Lombard Road Tuesday.

Police are on the scene at 39 Cardinal Street, where the bears are located. The Environmental Police has been contacted to assist, Michael Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer, said.

Police, meanwhile, are asking people to stay away from the area, he said.

Bear sightings have become more common in the city recently. Last May a bear was seen off Burnett Road on Moreau Drive and near Caddyshack Drive.

Then in July a black bear was seen roaming the area near Slate Road and Memorial Drive and Westover Road and Donahue Road on multiple occasions.

Residents are advised to secure all trash cans and take in bird feeders to avoid attracting the bears.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said Tuesday she is looking into claims of discrimination at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said Tuesday she is looking into claims of discrimination at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden.

"We are looking into it. We've been in contact with the school and administrators, and we are taking information, and I'm going to evaluate and make a decision from there," Healey told MassLive.com.

Students of color at the Malden charter school have allegedly been disciplined for wearing their hair in braids through extensions.

Alexander Dan, the interim school director, told parents in a letter last week that the "specific prohibition on hair extensions" is aimed at creating an educational environment that "celebrates all that our students have in common and minimizes material differences and distractions." He added, "Any suggestion that it is based on anything else is simply wrong."

But groups like the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts say the school's hair and make-up policy is discriminatory and "makes no exceptions for ethnic, religious or cultural practices or medical needs." The ACLU has filed a complaint against the school with the state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

ACLU of Massachusetts files complaint about 'discriminatory' hair and makeup policy at Malden charter school

Healey's office has been in touch with parents and the Anti-Defamation League.

"Anytime you see allegations like this, it's concerning, and we want to be able to get the information that we need and be ready to act as quickly as possible, in the interests of the students," Healey said after speaking to business leaders at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast inside the Fairmont Copley Hotel. "That's what this is about."

Healey has a civil rights division within her office that "reviews and responds to civil rights complaints alleging deprivations of, or interference with, civil rights and civil liberties," according to its website.

"The [Attorney General's Office] may bring enforcement action, where appropriate, may mediate disputes, or may refer complainants to other resources," the website adds.

Students wearing braids face detention, suspension at Massachusetts charter school

Authorities have not yet been able to identify the body but they have advised the family of the missing man, 23-year-oldTyler Robinson, of the discovery and the recovery effort.

WESTMORE, Vt. - The recovery of a body, discovered during a search for a missing Orleans man Monday afternoon, could potentially take another day or two due to the extremely steep terrain in which it is located, state police said.

Authorities have not yet been able to identify the body but they have advised the family of the missing man, 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, of the discovery and the recovery effort, state police said.

Robinson was last seen at his home in Orleans around 11 a.m. on Friday when he was reported missing, WCAX reported.

State police have been searching the southern area of Lake Willoughby. The body was found near Mount Pisgah.

The body is located on a rock shelf approximately 300 feet down a precipice and approximately 200 feet from the bottom of the drop-off.

State police have requested help from the Vermont National Guard and other technical experts to advise on the best way to recover the body. Because of that, recovery will likely be delayed until as late as Thursday.

Investigators have no evidence or information to suspect foul play. Those with information are asked to call the Vermont State Police at 802-334-8881.

Jeremy Parker of South Hadley is charged with multiple counts of larceny. Police said he stole from a friend to get heroin

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD - A West Springfield man who lent his car to a friend returned home to find the friend and his car nowhere to be found and several items from his house missing, police said.

Jeremy Parker West Springfield Police photo 

As a result of the report filed on Monday, police tracked down and arrested Jeremy Parker of Hildreth Avenue, South Hadley, charging him with three counts of larceny of more than $250, a single count of larceny of less than $250, and driving with a revoked license. He was also charged with an outstanding larceny warrant.

According to police, the unidentified complainant lent Parker his car with the understanding Parker meet him at an agreed-upon time with the car. When Parker failed to return, the man returned to his home and found several items missing.

The man was able to contact Parker and he agreed to meet the man in Riverdale Shops and return the car. The man contacted police, and when officers spotted him driving the car, they pulled it over and took him into custody.

Police said Parker admitted to taking the items and trading it for heroin

He is scheduled to be arraigned in Springfield District Court.

The show runs through Thursday at the Big E. Watch video

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- A robot played dominoes Tuesday at the Eastec manufacturing trade show at the Big E.

The robot, set up by Westfield's Elm Electrical inc., also checked footballs for the proper air pressure, flashing a photo of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick when the pressure was right and one of a frowning Roger Goodell when the ball was too soft.

Nearby another robot only a few inches tall demonstrated the ability to lift machinery weighing thousands of pounds and move it around a shop floor.

In another part of the expo, a NASA scientist spoke of how robot astronauts will pioneer a path for humans to one day visit Mars.

"All our customers are trying to do more with less," said Domenic DiRenzo, regional sales manager for Elm, an electrical contractor that also builds equipment and integrates different pieces together. "That is where automation comes in."

Eastec, the every-other-year industrial exhibition, opened Tuesday at the Eastern States Exhibition Center run by the trade group SME. The show will run through Thursday with 549 exhibitors, including local manufacturers like Smith & Wesson and Lenox American Saw, in 146,000 square feet filling five buildings at The Big E.

Smith & Wesson touted its newly named Precision Components business, which uses manufacturing abilities developed for firearms to make parts for other companies, said Rick Fowich, director of sales and marketing. That includes the firearms plant in Springfield and the plastics plant in Deep River, Connecticut. The machine that makes a handgun grip can also make a tough plastic case for a portable defibrillator, for example.

"Business is going well," said James H. Cepican, sales manager of tooling and accessories for Marubeni Citizen-Cincom in Agawam. "Health care is always strong for us. Aerospace is strong. Our customers are seeing more demand."

It's hard to find trained machinists, Cepican said, so his company works hard to give customers, mostly small machine shops, the kind of technical support and engineering help they need to work very efficiently.

Despite all the automation, there are 7,500 open and unfilled machinist jobs in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, said state Sen. Eric Leser, D-Longmeadow. He cited high school vocational programs, including a new one at the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, as the source of new technically trained workers.

Lesser helped open Eastec with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. She spoke with Jeff Krause, executive director and CEO of SME, about workforce development.

"There are no unskilled jobs," he said. "Every job requires skill and training. It's something we work on all over the country."

He described how high school and college students visiting Eastec get a chance to build a rocket using modern additive manufacturing, also known as 3-D printing, and compete against each other by shooting them off.

Jordan Evans, deputy director for engineering and sciences at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, spoke of larger-scale rockets and of missions to Mars. Specifically, robotic missions that could send unmanned probes to the red planet in 2020 to collect scientific samples and return them to Earth.

It's the search, he said, for conditions that could support life or could have supported it in the past. The robotic missions would also be preparations for manned missions to Mars in the 2030s.

All that work would require manufacturers like the ones in the Connecticut River Valley. Rocket parts and aspects of the parachutes used to land on Mars come from New England already.

"That's the thing," he said. "You have this mission to Mars, but you spend the money here. And it is all technology that has spin-offs that we can use here on Earth."

More information is online at www.easteconline.com.

Monday's election resulted in a shake-up on the school committee, as two of the five sitting members were ousted by wide margins

BELCHERTOWN -- Monday's town election resulted in a shakeup on the school committee, as two of the five sitting members were ousted by wide margins.

Unofficial results provided by the town clerk's office show Belchertown School Committee Chairwoman Dawn French was defeated by Randi Schenkman in the election for a one-year term.

Shenkman received 819 votes to 317 for French. The other challengers in that race, Jacquelin Currier and Christine Schmidt, received 176 and 124 votes, respectively.

In the other school board contest, incumbent Jeffrey Charron was defeated in a three-way contest for two three-year seats.

Challenger Heidi Gutekenst was the top vote-getter in the field and was elected to the committee with 1,001 votes. Incumbent Michael Knapp was re-elected with 916 votes, and Charron was defeated with 404 votes.

Selectman Brenda Aldrich, with 780 votes, retained her seat for a three-year term, defeating challenger Carla Dell'Olio, who received 663.

The unofficial results show 1,500 of the town's 10,294 registered voters cast ballots on Monday, a turnout of 14.6 percent.

The 78-year-old Florence man, hit by a vehicle at Nonotuck and Healey streets late Monday afternoon, was later pronounced dead at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

 

NORTHAMPTON -- A 78-year-old bicyclist, hit by a vehicle at Nonotuck and Healey streets late Monday afternoon, was later pronounced dead at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, police said.

Investigators have yet to release the names of the victim, who is from Florence, and the driver of the vehicle, a 39-year-old from Holyoke.

Police said the crash occurred shortly after 3:05 p.m.

It remains under investigation by Northampton police, Massachusetts State Police and the Northwestern District Attorney's office.

The driver stopped at the scene and has been cooperating with investigators. Charges have not been filed.

This is a developing story. Additional information will be posted as soon as it is available.

Residents at Wilbraham's annual town meeting on Monday, May 15, 2017, approved two articles that bar all retail or recreational marijuana facilities from town, including so-called pot shops, cultivation facilities, or any other commercial enterprise involving the production or sale of non-medical marijuana.

WILBRAHAM -- The Town of Wilbraham may soon become a weed-free zone, now that voters here have taken steps to prevent recreational marijuana facilities from gaining a foothold in town.

Residents at Monday's annual town meeting, a marathon session lasting almost till Tuesday, voted for two articles that bar all retail or recreational marijuana facilities from town, including so-called pot shops, cultivation facilities, or any other commercial enterprise involving the production or sale of non-medical marijuana, which was legalized in Massachusetts in 2012.

Since then, recreational marijuana has also been legalized in Massachusetts, prompting state lawmakers to quickly call for a delay in commercial sales to give them time to prepare for regulating the federally proscribed drug the same way alcohol is taxed and regulated.

According to the office of Wilbraham Town Clerk Beverly J. Litchfield, voters approved all but one measure on the 61-article warrant at Monday's town meeting -- a measure to use Community Preservation Act funding to design and build a woodland trail at Thayer Brook, which was tabled.  

Among the approved articles were a pair of measures to amend Wilbraham's general and zoning bylaws to prohibit the establishment of all types of recreational marijuana establishments in town.

A third article that passed called for a moratorium on recreational pot facilities, giving the town time to prepare for the new state law. That measure is essentially moot, however, now that residents have approved an outright ban on recreational pot.

The articles on amending the town's general and zoning bylaws are subject to a referendum vote at Wilbraham's annual town election on Saturday, May 20. Voting will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the gym of Minnechaug Regional High School, 621 Main St. The articles do not prohibit the personal use or cultivation of marijuana in a person's home.

Recreational marijuana was legalized after the passage of a statewide ballot initiative in December 2016, when 53.6 percent of voters approved the initiative and 46.3 percent rejected the measure. Over 57 percent of voters rejected the measure in Wilbraham, which is among the Massachusetts communities most opposed to recreational pot. 

Pot was legalized for recreational use, personal cultivation, and retail sale on Nov. 8, 2016. The following month, the Legislature voted to delay recreational sales for six months, pushing the date for licensing commercial establishments from Jan. 1, 2018, to July 1 of that year. Lawmakers said the delay would give them more time to tinker with the measure.

In other town meeting news, Wilbraham voters adopted a new general bylaw that allows residential property owners to keep up to 30 chickens on properties of less than 5 acres, as long as the birds are fenced in, coops are properly placed, and odor-mitigation guidelines are followed.

Also, voters approved an article to spend up to $350,000 to buy the Mount Marcy parcel off Glendale Road. The article authorized the town to borrow money to finance the purchase, in anticipation of being reimbursed from a combination of state grant money and local Community Preservation Act funds.

The article also authorized the town to apply for state grant funding and to award a conservation restriction to the Minnechaug Land Trust to assist in the management of the property, which is under the control of the Wilbraham Conservation Commission. 

In the midst of her fiance facing multiple murder charges this year, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez was confronted with another allegation regarding former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez.

In the midst of her fiance facing multiple murder charges this year, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez was confronted with another allegation regarding former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez. 

During the second day of a two-part interview on the Dr. Phil Show that airs Tuesday, Jenkins-Hernandez was asked of Hernandez's sexual preferences. 

She told television host Phil McGraw that Hernandez's team of defense attorneys informed her that she may hear such rumors about his time in prison. 

When McGraw asked if it was true, Jenkins-Hernandez responded, "The Aaron that I know? No."

The former NFL star took his life inside his cell at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center on April 19, days after he was found not guilty in the murders of two men. 

Before his death, Jenkins-Hernandez said she asked her fiance about the rumors, which she said he denied. 

In days following his death, the rumors spread and an attorney for a fellow inmate in the Shirley facility claimed his client had a close relationship with the former football player. 

"I don't know where this came from. It's embarrassing, in a sense. It's hurtful, regardless if it was true or not," Jenkins-Hernandez said in the Dr. Phil interview. "I don't know who this Kyle Kennedy is, I've never heard of him."

Additionally, Jenkins-Hernandez claimed her partner left nothing for Kennedy in his final moments, only letters for her, their daughter and his attorneys. 

Taunton Police described a scene of chaos including six destroyed mailboxes and a lizard hidden in a drunk driver's bra.

It was a scene of chaos. Six mailbox casualties. One car with a shatted rear window in a driveway; another, stuck in place with four flat tires, the airbags deployed and both bumpers ripped off. The latter car's driver and passenger standing nearby, both allegedly intoxicated beyond all reasonability.

And, of course, the lizard.

Taunton Police published a vivid account of a drunk driving arrest on the department's Facebook page Tuesday, describing the bizarre series of events that led to 39-year-old Amy Rebello-McCarthy facing charges of operating under the influence, driving to endanger and a marked lanes violation.

Police responded to a Staple Street address at 1:23 p.m. this afternoon for a report of a car crash. What they found was a tableau of destruction, according to the Facebook post.

"At the crash scene it was determined that Amy was driving her 1999 Mercedes on Staple Street at a speed greater than reasonable and proper, left the roadway, struck numerous (six) mailboxes, some of which went airborne and smashed the rear window of a vehicle parked in a driveway along the way, crossed the street onto lawn and wiped out the homeowners new well cover," Taunton Police wrote.

Rebello-McCarthy, a longtime Taunton resident who now lives in Newton, was standing next to the crashed car when officers arrived. 

"When they approached her she began laughing and didn't feel the crash was that serious," police wrote. "She was slurring her words and at times drooling."

Rebello McCarthy's passenger, 22-year-old Marvin K. Kyewalyanga of Waltham, was smoking a cigarette as gas leaked from the damaged car, police wrote. He was allegedly unable to recall his name or speak without slurring his words.

And when he moved away from the car, an officer spotted the butt of a gun in his waistband, leading officers to take Kyewalyanga to the ground and handcuff him. The gun turned out to be an air soft replica, and Kyewalyanga was placed in protective custody.

The surprises did not end there, police wrote.

"Prior to transporting the parties to the police department Amy revealed that she was in possession of a Bearded Dragon Lizard," the police Facebook post said.

The location of said lizard? Rebello-McCarthy's bra.

"The Bearded Dragon Lizard was transferred to the Taunton Police Department and turned over to the Animal Control Officer," police wrote. "It faces no charges at this time."

The Right Rev. Douglas Fisher will preside at the installation Friday of the Very Rev. Thomas Callard as the eight Dean of Christ Church Cathedral.

SPRINGFIELD - The Right Rev. Douglas Fisher, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, will preside at the installation Friday of the Very Rev. Thomas Callard as the eight Dean of Christ Church Cathedral.

The Right Rev. Douglas Fisher, right, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, will preside at the installation Friday of Very Rev. Thomas Callard as the eight Dean of Christ Church Cathedral.Submitted 

"The cathedral community has been enriched by Tom's leadership. He has a heart for the poor, a passion for justice and a commitment to ecumenical and interfaith work," said Fisher of Callard's ministry, most recently as priest in charge, here during the last four years.

"In the last 18 months, Tom has directed the ministry of our cathedral in bold and creative directions. I am convinced that Tom will lead the cathedral into God's future of mercy, compassion and hope."

Callard, who holds a master of divinity degree from the Harvard Divinity School, came to the cathedral to serve as canon and diocesan Missioner for Latino/Hispanic Ministry in 2013.

The bilingual Callard, who was rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Los Angeles at the time, was responding to a request from the Very Rev. James G. Munroe, then dean.

Munroe retired in 2015, and Callard has since served as priest-in-charge. He was called by the cathedral's chapter to be dean in February.

The church, which is celebrating is 200th anniversary, is the diocesan cathedral on Chestnut Street.

Prior to his ministry in California, Callard, who served as a missionary in Honduras, was vicar of St. Luke/San Lucas Parish in Chelsea. He and his wife Sagrario have three children.

The bilingual installation service will begin at 6:30 p.m. and is open to the public. A reception will follow.

Charter Communications is offering the low-cost broadband access to ensure school children and seniors in Worcester and Chicopee have access to the internet.

Saying easy access to the internet shouldn't be limited because of income, Charter Communications officials said this week the company will offer low-cost broadband service to low-income residents in Chicopee.

Charter Communications, which calls its cable, phone and internet service Spectrum, is trying to bring high-speed broadband access to all communities it serves, including providing a modem to clients at no cost.

Most recently, it provided the same rates and access to Worcester residents, said Heidi Vanderbrouck, senior communications manager for New England.

The $14.99 monthly package will be available to families whose children are eligible for free school lunch and retirees who have a limited income.

Company officials, joined by Mayor Richard J. Kos and state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, announced the availability of the package to Chicopee residents on Monday at the RiverMills Senior Center in front of a group of retirees who may be eligible for the service. Charter Communications also had representatives available to answer questions and help eligible residents register for the service.

"We are hoping to bridge the digital divide. We want to make sure everyone can be successful," Vanderbrouck said.

The company has been mailing information to residents a well as having it available on its website, she said.

"The two things that the federal government does not allow us to control is the rates and the programming, and that is very frustrating," Kos said.

Charter Communications owns most of the cable infrastructure in Chicopee, so it provides most of the city's cable television service and a lot of its broadband access.

The addition of a special rate for people who cannot afford internet access is a great way to bring better communications to residents, Kos said. Already the city has been trying to help people get better connected by offering limited free Wi-Fi, called Chi-Fi, to people downtown as well as installing an outdoor cellphone charger at the bus station near City Hall.

Kos joked that people who don't believe the internet isn't integral to most people's lives should ask a teenager to stay off their phone for a half-hour.

"High speed internet is the oxygen of the economy," Lesser said. "I'm grateful to Charter for offering an affordable rate."

During the event, Charter Communications also announced it was donating $2,000 to the RiverMills Senior Center.

Palmer police say they found a small arsenal of illegally possessed weapons inside the home of a Palmer man with a lengthy criminal record while investigating an alleged restraining order violation last week.

Palmer police say they found a small arsenal of illegally possessed weapons inside the home of a Palmer man with a lengthy criminal record while investigating an alleged restraining order violation last week.

Palmer police arrested Craig S. Felice, 44, on May 11 after allegedly recovering a 20-gauge shotgun, several black powder rifles, "homemade bomb-type devices" and fireworks during a search of his Park Street home. 

Felice denied having any weapons upon the initial inquiry, but acting on a tip from the mother of Felice's child, police came bearing a search warrant, and entered the home to take a look themselves. 

The child, a young girl, had told her mother -- Felice's ex-wife -- she picked up a gun she found laying on her father's bed during a visit. 

Upon entry, police quickly located the contraband in safes Felice kept inside the home. 

Due to Felice's lengthy criminal record -- which includes numerous assault, arson and illegal weapons charges -- all of these weapons were possessed illegally, police say. 

Felice chased another driver from the Massachusetts Turnpike into Palmer while yelling and waving a machete out the window, in a bizarre instance of road rage six years ago, according to 2011 police reports. 

The new charges against Felice include multiple illegal firearms and ammunition possession charges, two counts of violating a restraining order -- for repeatedly texting his ex-wife -- and single counts of possessing an incendiary device and unlawful possession of fireworks.

On Monday, Felice posted $2,500 bail providing he remain at home and wear a GPS monitoring device, among other conditions. 

A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for June 9.

The Springfield Police released video footage of a Sunday night's knife attack on officer James Burgos in the lobby of police headquarters. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield Police released video footage of a Sunday night's knife attack on officer James Burgos in the lobby of police headquarters.

The 24-second video, released after the The Republican filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act, shows a suspect, identified as Juan Delvalle of 280 Chestnut St. attacking Burgos while the officer was distracted with a food delivery.

Juan DelvalleSpringfield Police photo 

Burgos was not injured.

Delvalle is facing charges of armed assault with intent to murder and being a disorderly person.

He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Springfield District Court.

According to police, Delvalle entered the lobby Sunday evening to report he had been jumped. He was instructed by Burgos, who was working the front window, to have a seat.

When Burgos opened a locked door to accept delivery of food for prisoners in the police lockup, Delvalle can be seen on video lunging forward and hitting him. He then ran out the front door.

Empowerment Zone Partnership includes nine struggling middle schools and one high school in Springfield. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Principals, teachers and even students praised the Empowerment Zone model used in the city's middle schools during a visit from Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday.

Baker and Secretary of Education Jim Peyser stopped by Forest Park Middle School to visit a classroom and meet with Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick, principals and teachers who say the Empowerment Zone Partnership has changed the way they run their schools.

"I was so impressed when I was here the last time and this is moving in a very positive direction for the city, for the students and their families, and for teachers and administrators," said Baker, who spent about an hour with the group.

Chris Gabrieli, chairman of the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership, said the model began in the fall of 2015, and is designed to aid nine struggling middle schools in Springfield, along with the High School of Commerce.

The partnership is made up of the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Springfield Public Schools, the Springfield Teachers Association and the nonprofit education reform group Empower Schools.

Duggan Middle School Principal Michael Calvanese said the key to the success of the partnership has been the autonomy each school gets.

"To have that autonomy as a principal to control your resources, to have the ability to recruit people in, and develop a schedule that works for your kids, it's a game changer," he said.

Evan Christner is a member of Duggan Academy's Teacher Leadership Team, a group of educators voted on by their colleagues to present their ideas and concerns to the administration.

"This has given the teachers a lot of say and a voice in what we think will benefit our kids," he said. "It's nice not to just have administrators making the decisions. We see the kids every day, we know what their needs are, and it's nice to finally have a say," he said.

Baker asked about teacher leadership teams and if the concept could work in a traditional public school environment.

"Help me understand what the opportunity and the advantage of this kind of a model is. Why can't this be applied more generally?" he said.

Colleen O'Connor, principal of the Chestnut Accelerated Middle School Talented and Gifted said the extra professional development and planning time for teachers is a core part of the work day, every day.

"I know that there are some schools that have professional learning time, but it's not as carved out as ours is and well planned for. We offer quality professional development, and it consistently happens, whereas at a lot of schools the time has to be borrowed from prep time or it's optional. ... This is sacred time for us," O'Connor said.

Chestnut Middle School South Impact Prep teacher On'Draya Green, said the Empowerment Zone model has inspired her and her fellow teachers.

"It's the innovation that educators are crying out for. We are highlighting the art of teaching and it empowers teachers to fall in love with teaching again. I truly know that I'm affecting real change, not only in my classroom but in the whole school," she said. "That kind of autonomy and investment creates an environment where everybody is engaged."

For eighth-graders Crystaliz Ortiz, Melinda Nguyen and Jaquon Murray, the Empowerment Zone has made a difference in their test scores and confidence.

"I just feel much more confident as a student and I also feel like the teachers really support us," Ortiz said.

"I had a hard time with math, but the teachers take the extra time to show me the proper steps. It's not just about taking tests," he said.

Sarno said that, while the schools were improving before the Empowerment Zone, it was the switch that has quickened the pace.

"We were making headway at every one of these schools, but we did not feel it was a quick enough pace and we wanted to accelerate it," Sarno said. "Now we are being looked at as a model, not only in the commonwealth, but in the nation."

Baker said he is seriously considering the legislation sponsored by state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, that would create "Innovation Partnership Zones" in Massachusetts, modeled after the Springfield Empowerment Zone.

"This is a really impressive way of thinking outside the box, inside the box," he said. "I believe we should continue to pursue models that seem to work, especially for kids in school districts that are struggling."

The Massachusetts School Building Authority has chosen West Springfield to collaborate with the quasi-independent government authority to conduct a feasibility study for potential construction of a new Philip G. Coburn Elementary School, a 93-year-old building that's showing its age.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts School Building Authority has chosen West Springfield to collaborate with the quasi-independent government authority to conduct a feasibility study for potential construction of a new Philip G. Coburn Elementary School, a 93-year-old building that's showing its age.

The Southworth Street school has dealt with many issues over the years, from asbestos and overcrowding to plumbing backups and structural problems that required emergency attention. That's why city officials say they are pleased to be working with the MSBA, which reimburses school districts for eligible construction costs.

The MSBA's Board of Directors met Friday and selected West Springfield, Amesbury and Dalton to develop cost-effective plans to address issues at schools in their communities, according to state Treasurer Deb Goldberg, the MSBA's chairwoman.

"We look forward to partnering with the districts to move these potential projects forward," she said.

Since its creation in 2004, the MSBA has made over $12.5 billion in reimbursements for school construction projects across the commonwealth. The feasibility study phase is the third step in an eight-step MSBA process to build new facilities through grants and other funding sources.

In January, the West Springfield Town Council appropriated $850,000 for the study and schematic design costs, 75 percent of which are expected to be reimbursed by the MSBA. The town will pay its portion using leftover funds from the high school project, which came in on time and under budget, according to Mayor Will Reichelt.

The overall cost of rebuilding Coburn, which debuted in 1924, has yet to be calculated. 

Coburn students, teachers and parents packed a Town Council hearing in January to share concerns about air quality and other issues at the school, which has been riddled with problems in recent years. After listening to the testimony, the council voted 7-1 to appropriate the money for the feasibility study.

Reimbursements from the MSBA depend on a school district's overall economic health, with reimbursement rates typically ranging from around 31 percent to 80 percent of the cost of a new or rehabilitated building.

MSBA officials emphasized that an invitation from the organization to participate in a feasibility study is not approval of a project, but rather a chance to explore potential solutions to a school district's problems.

To qualify for any funding from the MSBA, local communities must follow the organization's statute and regulations, which require MSBA collaboration and approval at each step of the process.