As part of a plea deal connected to harassment charges, a man has been ordered to vacate his home for a year.

As part of a plea deal connected to harassment charges, a man has been ordered to vacate his home for a year. 

Daniel D. LeBrun, who until recently was residing on Folly Mill Road in Salisbury, agreed to live with his parents in Amesbury for a year. 

A neighbor of LeBrun, 37, claims he has harassed him for several years. 

A next-door neighbor claims LeBrun pointed a high-powered strobe light at their residence last January, as well as loud speakers, according to court documents reviewed by the Daily News of Newburyport. 

Weeks later, he claimed LeBrun threw trash into their yard. 

LeBrun has denied such allegations are true.

In addition to not living in Salisbury for a year, LeBrun must have no contact with his former neighbor. 

The ordination of 9 permanent deacons this weekend brings their number to 86 in the Springfield diocese where about 108 priests actively serve in parish ministry.

SPRINGFIELD - Hampden resident Leo Coughlin Jr. became a deacon in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in 2001. For the past several years, the 76-year-old Coughlin, who is retired from a 33-year career with Friendly's, has served as director of the diocese's diaconate formation program that requires four years of study.

In this position, Coughlin has helped facilitate the ordination of about 11 deacons every 24 months in recent years to serve on a part-time basis in the diocese's more than six dozen parishes staffed by increasingly fewer numbers of priests.

Permanent deacons cannot perform all the sacramental duties of a priest, but they can minister in a variety of ways, including preaching during Mass and blessing a marriage.

The ordination of nine permanent deacons this weekend, four of whom are Spanish speaking - a need in some diocesan parishes - and the majority married, will bring to 86 the number of active permanent deacons in the diocese where about 108 priests actively serve in parish ministry throughout four counties, sometimes ministering to one parish's multiple worship sites alone and sometimes assisted by retired priests who number about 40.

While stressing deacons and priests have "their unique roles and responsibilities in the church," Bishop Mitchell Rozanski called the permanent diaconate a "great blessing to our diocese," in part for its "helping priests by providing assistance in pastoral ministry in many parishes."Anne-Gerard Flynn photo 

While stressing deacons and priests have "their unique roles and responsibilities in the church," Bishop Mitchell Rozanski called the permanent diaconate a "great blessing to our diocese," in part for its "helping priests by providing assistance in pastoral ministry in many parishes."

The position of permanent deacon, which has generally brought a more ethnically mixed group into ordained ministry in the Church across the country, is not a paid one in this diocese.

Parishes in this diocese continue to be headed by a priest, although elsewhere in the country the pastoral care of parishes has been assigned to deacons and full-time deacons as well as some part-time deacons are paid.

Deacons here are asked to give about 12 to 15 hours of weekly service.

"We can't consecrate the Eucharist; we can't anoint the sick and we can't absolve your sins," said Coughlin, in reference to sacramental work only performed by priests.

"But we can perform weddings, do baptisms and serve at funerals."

Coughlin called being a deacon "rewarding and wonderful" in assisting "our brothers and sisters."

"The majority of our deacons volunteer a lot more than 15 hours a week. They visit hospitals, the jails and those who have lost loved ones. They teach religious education classes," Coughlin said.

"We do whatever we can do to assist our priests."

In his statement about the permanent diaconate, Rozanski called it "especially helpful in light of fewer priests and religious available to staff our parishes," - the number of active priests has dropped by about three dozen in the last two years in a diocese that has continued to close or merge parishes - but said it "isn't just about that important work."

"In many parts of our diocesan community deacons have been instrumental in developing new programs and outreach. The very popular 'Take and Eat' Sunday shut-in meal delivery ministry was started many years ago by a deacon and his wife - Frank and Kathleen Ryan. The new low-power Spanish language Catholic radio station here in Springfield, Catolica Springfield 102.5 FM, is managed by Deacon Angel Diaz. So each deacon brings their unique talents to their ministry, and in turn generously shares those gifts with the faith community," Rozanski said.

The permanent diaconate is an ordained ministry separate from the ordained ranks of priesthood and bishop in the celibate male hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church.

Married men may be ordained permanent deacons though they may not remarry if their wife dies, as well as single men with a commitment to celibacy. Applicants must be at least 35, and undergo four years of study.

The permanent diaconate ministry, which was restored in the Catholic Church by the Second Vatican Council, was started in this diocese in 1983 with the ordination of 19 men by Bishop Joseph Maguire.

Rozanski has said he would not be opposed to women as deacons, something under study by a Vatican commission.

Coughlin, who ministers at St. Michael's Cathedral where the class of 2017 deacons will be ordained Saturday at 11 a.m., said those preparing for the diaconate study a number of fields including theology, liturgy and canon law during their twice weekly classes at the Elms College, in Chicopee.

He said the program generally attracts candidates who are married, range in age from their mid-40s into their 60s, and increasingly represent a variety of backgrounds.

He added 15 more candidates are in the classes of 2019 and 2021, and noted some of the first men ordained in the program remain active in their 80s. There are about a dozen retired permanent deacons in the diocese.

"This year, we have three Spanish-speaking individuals and a fourth who speaks Spanish (as a second language)," Coughlin said.

"This is the largest growing population in the diocese, and we want to make sure we make ourselves accessible to them and to the priests who help them."

Coughlin said sometimes deacons will get a "Have a good day, Father, I mean Deacon" from parishioners, even in their home parishes, when they are seen in their church vestments, but he said other than that "little confusion" there are "no major issues" in ministering and being accepted as deacons in a Church where lay men and women have been called to take on increasingly active roles.

Wives of deacons, Coughlin said, sometimes elect to be "very active" in parish work as well, but said that any such involvement is "not mandatory," but a personal decision and one between the couple and parish priest.

"I am always very impressed by each class of deacons I get," said Coughlin, noting that next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of a diaconate program in Roman Catholic churches in the United States.

"Deacons are there to help in the parishes any way they can and to take some of the stress out of the lives of the pastor and the parishioners."

The candidates scheduled for ordination as permanent deacons Saturday represent three of the diocese's four counties and their assignments and backgrounds are below as provided by the diocese:

• Gilbert St. George-Sorel will minister at his home parish of St. Mary in Ware. He is a resident engineer for an environmental company. He and his wife, Lauretta, have three children.
• Gerald Solitario will minister at his home parish of St. Thomas the Apostle in West Springfield. Solitario is an application and development operations manager. He and his wife, Margaret, have four children. Their eldest child, Dominican Brother John Mark Solitario, is in formation to become a priest.
• Adalberto Santiago-Martinez will minister at his home parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Holyoke. He is an aerospace technician.
• Lino Sanmiguel will minister at his home parish of St. Anthony of Padua in Chicopee. He serves as well as the administrator and host of Voz Catolica, the diocesan radio ministry. A Holyoke bus driver, he and his wife, Alina, have three children.
• Jose Rivera, whose home parish is Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, will minister at St. Michael's Cathedral. A delivery driver, he and his wife, Margarita, have four children.
• David Picard will minister at his home parish of St. John the Evangelist in Agawam. He is the president of Summit Careers. He and his wife, Sandra, have two children.
• Rodney Patten Jr. will minister at his home parish of Holy Family in South Deerfield. He and his wife, Linda, have six children. He is retired.
• John Fox will minister at his home parish of Divine Mercy in Three Rivers of Palmer. Fox teaches Spanish in the Quaboag Middle High School in Warren and is chairman of the foreign language department.
• David Bergeron will minister at his home parish of St. Patrick in South Hadley. Bergeron, who works in maintenance, and his wife, Deborah, have one son.

The fair will feature over 65 Springfield businesses and raffle and door prizes.

SPRINGFIELD -- For the past 20 years, the East Springfield Neighborhood Council has hosted a Business and Community Fair to promote local businesses.

"This year, we have more than 65 local businesses, mostly from Springfield, who are participating," said Kathleen Brown, president of the council.

The free event will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at Mary Mother of Hope Church, 840 Page Blvd.

Brown said the event is family-friendly and open to anyone who wants to meet their neighbors and local business owners.

"It gives people in the community an opportunity to meet with the police officers and firefighters and even the Water and Sewer Department," she said. "We want people to know the resources that are available to them."

ProShred will offer shredding of personal documents.

"The service has always been very well received. We encourage people to bring any documents they want shredded. It's one way to prevent identity theft," Brown said.

There will be plenty of raffles and door prizes, but this year there are two special door prizes just for children.

"We have two bikes that we will be giving as prizes to children, so we hope the whole family will attend. It's a lot of fun and a great chance to see what Springfield businesses have to offer," Brown said.

Door prize tickets are free for children and youths 6 to 17 who must be present to enter and must have a parent or guardian's permission to participate. There is a limit of one ticket per child. Winners do not have to be present at time of the drawing.

The event will be held rain or shine. For more information, visit the council's Facebook page.

A small plane containing a New York designer, her boyfriend and two young sons mysteriously disappeared from radar while flying over the Bermuda Triangle on Monday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

A small plane containing a New York designer, her boyfriend and two young sons mysteriously disappeared from radar while flying over the Bermuda Triangle on Monday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. 

A search for the missing aircraft, a twin-engine MU-2B, continues after authorities on Tuesday located a debris field 37 miles east of the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas.

#BreakingNews @USCG searching for overdue airplane 37 mi E of Eleuthera, Bahamas. Read more https://t.co/hA5TaVUgr4

-- USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) May 16, 2017

Passengers on board the plane included Jennifer Blumin, 40, of New York, her 3 and 4-year-old sons and boyfriend Nathan Ulrich, 52, of Lee, N.H. 

Blumin, CEO of the prominent New York City event planning firm, Skylight Group, makes her trade turning downtrodden properties into gala event spaces.

Ulrich, who was flying the plane, is an engineer and ex-husband of Rae Dawn Chong, daughter of famous comedy actor Tommy Chong, according to New York Daily News.

"He's an excellent pilot. You couldn't get a better pilot," Chong told the Daily News, saying an equipment failure must have occurred.

She added, "The whole thing is horrible. I'm in shock."

The plane departed Borinquen, Puerto Rico around 11 a.m. Monday bound for Titusville, Fla. 

At last transmission, Ulrich said he was flying at 24,000 feet at a speed of 300 knots, according to the Coast Guard. The plane disappeared from radar around 2:10 p.m.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew found the debris field around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Matthew Malke, of Chicopee, was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, resisting arrest and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.

CHICOPEE - A man was arrested after he crashed into a light pole, a fire hydrant and a parked vehicle and caused homes to be evacuated when his car burst into flames early Wednesday.

The driver, Matthew Malke, 26, of 83 Robak Drive in Chicopee, was arrested at the chaotic scene and charged with driving under the influence of drugs, resisting arrest, leaving a property damage crash and marked lines violation, Michael Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer said.

The crash happened at about 12:53 a.m. on East Street, near the intersection of Carew Street. When officers arrived they found debris scattered across the road and a light pole that was split in half and part of it was in the road, he said.

The driver was not in the car but a witness told officers a man laying on the ground was the operator. The man then tried to get up and run away but a nearby witness stopped him for police, Wilk said.

The driver then fell to the ground again and tucked his hands under his body to resist being handcuffed. Officer Missy Lyman, with the help of an off-duty Springfield officer, was able to remove his hands, handcuff him and place him under arrest, Wilk said.

Lyman, who has been an EMT for 13 years and serves as a tactical medic for the Police Department, said she believed the man was showing signs of being under the influence of a stimulant. "(He) was sweating profusely, had dilated pupils, extremely jumpy and out of touch with reality," Wilk said.

An ambulance was called and Malke was taken to the hospital as a precaution, he said.

During the arrest, the vehicle involved in the crash burst into flames. Officers Joseph Conroy and John Mikkola, who also responded to the crash, evacuated nearby houses, he said.

The Chicopee Fire Department extinguished the fire. East Street was closed for some time between the intersections Carew Street and to Beauchamp Terrace because of the fire and so officials could clean up the pole and other debris from the accident, Wilk said.

State Senator Eric Lesser announced his scheduled office hours in the First Hampden and Hampshire District, which he represents n the state Senate.

State Sen. Eric Lesser announced his current schedule for district-wide office hours.

Lesser, a Longmeadow Democrat, will meet with constituents in nine communities within the 1st Hampden and Hampshire District, which he represents.

"Constituents and town officials are invited to attend and express any concerns, ideas and issues they have," a statement from Lesser's office says.

Appointments to meet with Lesser during office hours can be made by emailing district director Joel McAuliffe at Joel.McAuliffe@masenate.gov or calling Lesser's district office at 413-526-6501.

Lesser's office lists his upcoming office hours as follows:

The crash occurred early Sunday night on Greenfield Road. One of the driver's was cited for a marked lanes violation.

DEERFIELD -- A two-vehicle crash on Greenfield Road Sunday night sent one to Baystate Franklin Medical Center for treatment.

The crash occurred about 6:40 p.m. when a green Toyota pickup, traveling north, crossed over into the line and hit a red Chevrolet pickup, traveling south, according to a post on the department's Facebook page.

Both pickups sustained heavy damage and had to be towed.

The driver of the green pickup was cited for a marked lanes violation following the crash.

Additional information, including the condition of the injured person, was not immediately available.

StubHub announced an expansion at the site in 2011.

EAST GRANBY, Conn. -- StubHub, the ticket reseller, will close its call center here and move the operation to Salt Lake City.

The center, which now employs 250 people, opened its first offices in East Granby in 2005 with 10 employees, according to town records [pdf].  

First Selectman James M. Hayden said he only had a half-hour notice Tuesday before employees were notified at 11 a.m. StubHub gave its East Granby landlord a year's notice before moving out.

"It wasn't even from the company but it was from a state representative," Hayden said.  "We are going to try and put together a meeting where we could discuss things that could keep them here."

Hayden said he didn't know how many of StubHubs East Granby workers live in Massachusetts.

"Certainly we have a lot of folks from you neck of the woods who work there," he said. "We are only two towns away."

StubHub paid $64,000 in personal business property tax to the town in this fiscal year.

The move is expected to take place after the company's current lease on the center ends in 2018.

This is a developing story that will be updated after further reporting.

Changes in Washington could affect health care delivery in the Bay State.

WORTHINGTON -- As changes brew in Washington, a panel of elected officials and experts plan to discuss the future of health care in Western Massachusetts.

A May 24 forum at Worthington Town Hall will "profile the current health care situation and look to what might be done in the future."

In addition, health insurance navigators will be available to answer questions or schedule appointments for private consultation.

The event is hosted by Citizens 4 Healthcare Action, a group which formed over the winter in response to changes to the health care system being discussed at the federal level.

Panelists at the event will include:

* Michael Knapik, director of Gov. Charlie Baker's Western Massachusetts office. Knapik spent 22 years in the state Legislature, first as a Republican representative and then a senator.

* State Rep. Stephen Kulik, D-Worthington. Kulik is vice chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, which helps craft the state budget.

* Eliza Lake, CEO of Hilltown Community Health Centers. The organization "has worked for more than six decades to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to residents of Western Massachusetts."

* Jackie Wolf, Ph.D., is affiliated with MassCare: The Massachusetts Campaign for Single Payer Health Care. She is chair of the League of Women Voters of Amherst Health Care Committee.

"We formed Citizens 4 Healthcare Action because we are concerned about the future of our healthcare," said coordinator Peggy Klineman. "Threats from Washington to our healthcare system demand a proactive approach."

If you go:

What: Healthcare Forum: Facts, Options, and Action
When: May 24, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Worthington Town Hall, 160 Huntington Rd.

Earlier this month, local, state and federal officials visited the crossing where DPW foreman Warren Cowles was killed in a March 14 collision with a train.

The famous von Trapp family of "The Sound of Music" fame will be participating in a von Trapp Brewery Beer Dinner from 6-9 p.m. Friday, May 19, at the Student Prince Cafe & Fort Dining Room, arguably the region's best-known German eatery.

SPRINGFIELD -- The famous von Trapp family of "The Sound of Music" fame will be participating in a von Trapp Brewery Beer Dinner from 6-9 p.m. Friday, May 19, at the Student Prince Cafe & Fort Dining Room, arguably the region's best-known German eatery.

The special event is the landmark Springfield restaurant's way of honoring Maifest, a traditional German celebration marking the arrival of spring.

The event will feature beer, food and an appearance by Sam von Trapp, grandson of Maria von Trapp, the famous singing nun from "The Sound of Music." He will be on hand to preside over the dinner and share stories about his famous Austrian family.

The dinner includes unique selections from the von Trapp Brewery in Stowe, Vermont, including Munich Helles, Vienna, Pilsner, German IPL, and a special bonus brew. The beers have been carefully selected to pair with a each course of the five-course dinner, featuring cast-iron seared pork, chicken and dumplings, salmon and more.

During the dinner, The Fort Carolers will perform songs from The "Sound Of Music" and other Springtime selections.

"Maifest is a great tradition on Fort Street," says Andy Yee, managing partner of the Student Prince, "and we're very excited to bring the famous von Trapp family here to share their amazing beer and celebrate with us."

As part of the Maifest celebration, the restaurant is offering traditional German favorites such as homemade bockwurst sausages, sweet strawberry Maiwine, and limited engagement Maibock beer.

To round out the festivities, spring flowers are in bloom all over the restaurant, servers are wearing dirndls -- a traditional Bavarian dress -- and a Maipole has been erected in the dining room.

A special Maifest German menu is available all month long at The Fort. The full Maifest and von Trapp Beer Dinner menus are available online at studentprince.com. The restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Springfield and can be reached at  413-734-7475.

A building was damaged and a driver was taken to the hospital this morning following a crash in Springfield Wednesday.

A building was damaged and a driver was taken to the hospital this morning following a crash in Springfield early Wednesday. 

The Springfield Fire Department was called to Saint Luke's Home, 85 Spring St., after a vehicle crashed into the building. 

Dennis Leger, executive aide to the Springfield Fire Commissioner, said the vehicle went through a ground-floor window of the building. 

The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash - a Mazda sedan - was transported to Baystate Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries. 

Saint Luke's is an assisted living facility for senior citizens operated by Mercy Medical Center. 

Mary Orr, a Communications and Media Specialist with Mercy Medical Center, said the car crashed into a chapel on the ground floor of a residential building. No one was in the chapel when it was struck and no residents or staff were injured, she said.

Police had cleared the scene as of 10:40 a.m., though glass from a shattered window still lay on top of a crushed bush where the car had struck the building.

Dan Glaun contributed reporting.

Contending that Donald Trump "has committed an act for which he should be charged," a Democratic Texas congressman called on the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday to begin impeachment proceedings against the president.

Contending that Donald Trump "has committed an act for which he should be charged," a Democratic Texas congressman called on the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday to begin impeachment proceedings against the president. 

U.S. Rep. Al Green, in a morning floor speech, accused Trump obstructing a lawful investigation into possible ties between the Republican's 2016 campaign and Russian meddling in the election -- something which he called "an impeachable act." 

"We are talking about a president who fired an FBI director who was investigating the president for his connections to Russian involvement in the president's election. This is not about the president firing the FBI director because he was investigating someone else, it's because the FBI director was investigating the president himself," he said. "And after firing the director he went on to let us know that he considered the investigation when he fired him. Then he tweeted language that would be intimidating or a warning...we cannot allow this to go unchecked.

"The president is not above the law. It is time for the American people to weigh in," Green continued, noting that under the impeachment process, Trump wouldn't necessarily be found guilty.

President Donald Trump firing FBI's James Comey 'clearly obstructs an ongoing investigation,' Sen. Elizabeth Warren says

The congressman, who stressed that his call for charges is not politically motivated, urged House GOP leaders to put aside party politics and move ahead with the impeachment process.

"I do not do this for political purposes, I do this because I believe in the great ideals that this country stands for: Liberty and justice for all," he said. "The notion that we should have government of the people, by the people, for the people. I do it because, Mr. Speaker, there is a belief in this country that no one is above the law and that includes the president of the United States of America. Our Democracy is at risk."

CLIP: @RepAlGreen: "I rise today...to call for the impeachment of the President of the United States of America for obstruction of justice." pic.twitter.com/k3OMGcZbEF

-- CSPAN (@cspan) May 17, 2017

Paul Simpson, the Harris County, Texas Republican Party chairman told KVUE that although he understands Green's frustrations, "the American people already 'weighed in' last November by electing a Republican president and Congress."

"It's understandable that Congressman Green has nothing better to do than waste time grandstanding with accusations about tweets since the American people have rejected his parties' failed policies," he said in a statement to the station. "In the meantime, our national Republican leadership is focused on doing what they were elected to do--repealing and replacing Obamacare, securing our borders and reforming the tax code to help create jobs for Americans."

Green's floor speech came as other Democrats, including U.S. Reps. Hakeen Jeffries, D-New York, and Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, criticized the president for reportedly sharing classified information with Russian officials during a recent Oval Office meeting and for firing FBI Director James Comey.

President Donald Trump says he shared 'facts' with Russia for 'humanitarian reasons,' Mass. Democrats criticize move

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, however, said that "at no time were any intelligence sources or methods discussed and no military operations were disclosed that were not already known publicly" during the president's meeting with Russian officials, according to reports.

Greenfield police say it has not been confirmed if the materials are military-type explosive, but officials are investigating.

Patrick Johnson | pjohnson@repub.com 

 GREENFIELD - Town emergency services and the state police are looking to determine if some materials dropped off at the WTE Recycling Center on Southern Avenue are active explosives.

Greenfield police say it has not been confirmed if the materials are military-type explosive, but officials are investigating.

Greenfield firefighters are on scene and the materials in question have been removed to an isolated section of the property, according to fire officials. The state police bomb squad has been called to the scene to help determine what the materials are and if necessary to safely dispose of them.

The materials were discovered at about 9:30 a.m.

The recycling center remains open for business, according to fire officials.

A Massachusetts man will spend more than five years in prison for selling heroin and crack cocaine in Vermont, officials said Wednesday.

A Massachusetts man will spend more than five years in prison for selling heroin and crack cocaine in Vermont, officials said Wednesday.

Childlove Gelin, a 25-year-old year who last lived in Springfield, pleaded guilty to federal charges that he distributed heroin and cocaine base and that he conspired to distribute heroin and 28 grams or more of cocaine base, according to the office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont.

Gelin and associates sold heroin and cocaine to an informant on 10 separate occasions between July 2015 and April 2016. When he was arrested on April 18, 2016, officials found 44.7 grams of cocaine base and $2,871 in Gelin's Brattleboro apartment, the U.S. attorney's office said in a statement.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Gelin to 66 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release.

"In imposing that sentence, Judge Reiss considered the severity of the offense, the harm heroin has caused the Vermont community, and Gelin's criminal record, among other factors," the statement said.

Gelin has been in federal custody since his arrest. He faced a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence for his charges.

The Hadley Planning Board Tuesday night approved Nexamp Inc.'s proposal to build a 2.1 and a 2.6 megawatt array on land owned by Allard Farms off Westgate Drive and South Maple Street near the Hampshire Mall. T

HADLEY -- The town will soon be home to two additional large-scale solar arrays, bringing the total number to six, according to assessor Daniel H. Zdonek.

The Planning Board Tuesday night approved Boston-based Nexamp Inc.'s proposal to build a 2.1 and 2.6 megawatt arrays on land owned by Allard Farms off Westgate Drive and South Maple Street, near the Hampshire Mall.

The parcels are adjacent to each other, Zdonek said. The arrays should only be visible to people at the Staples or Howard Johnson's on Route 9.

The site is where Walmart had proposed building a 212,000 square-foot superstore but withdrew plans in 2008.

Nexamp has already built two arrays on Allard land off Mill Valley Road, also near the Hampshire Mall. One array was finished in 2012 and the other in 2016. Those arrays can be seen from the road.

Those two projects provide a combined 5.4 megawatts of power, according to a Nexamp press release announcing the competition of the Mill Valley Road project last year.  

Hampshire College has a solar array that spans Hadley and Amherst. Another array is on Huntington Road.

The six projects combined will pay the town about $100,000 in lieu of taxes, Zdonek said.

Town Administrator David Nixon said the town has seen a 21 percent reduction in electric bills in five municipal buildings as well. The town expects to save about $300,000 in electricity costs over 20 years, according to Nixon.

Eversource is also proposing a solar array on South Maple Street, but that hearing was continued until June 6.

Although the 2020 election cycle has largely yet to begin, a left-leaning poll released this week found that President Donald Trump could face stiff competition from several possible Democratic challengers.

Although the 2020 election cycle has largely yet to begin, a left-leaning poll released this week found that President Donald Trump could face stiff competition from several possible Democratic challengers.

Trump, who recently started airing television ads and holding rallies for his re-election bid, would trail former Vice President Joe Biden by 14 points, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts by 10 points and wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, by 5 points in hypothetical 2020 match-ups, according to Public Policy Polling.

The poll, which surveyed nearly 700 registered voters from May 12 to 14 via telephone and the internet, found that more than half, or 54 percent of respondents, said they would support Biden in 2020 compared to 40 percent who said they'd back Trump. 

Those who said they'd support the former vice president included 14 percent of voters who reported casting ballots for Trump in 2016, the poll noted. 

Defections away from Trump were even higher when U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, was pitted against the president in a hypothetical 2020 matchup. Fifty-two percent of respondents, including 15 percent of self-reported 2016 Trump voters, said they would support Sanders over the Republican in 2020. 

About half, or 49 percent, of voters, meanwhile, said they'd back Warren, who has largely dismissed questions about a White House run, compared to 39 percent who said they'd support Trump in a potential 2020 matchup, the poll found. 

Report: White House, RNC eyeing US Sen. Elizabeth Warren as possible 2020 challenger to President Donald Trump

Johnson, who recently told GQ magazine that a presidential run is not out of the question, also held a slight edge over the president, with 42 percent of respondents saying they'd cast ballots for him compared to 37 percent who said they vote for Trump in a prospective contest. 

Like Sanders, 15 percent of those who supported Trump in 2016, said they'd back Johnson over the Republican's re-election bid, according to survey results. Five precent of reported Hillary Clinton supporters, in turn, said they'd vote for Trump over the actor.

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson says presidential run is 'a real possibility'

Just 7 percent of respondents who reported casting ballots for Trump in 2016, by contrast, said they'd support Warren if she ran against the president in 2020. 

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

The victim and several others were swinging on a roof-top hammock that that was attached to a chimney.

AMHERST - A college-age man suffered non-life-threatening injuries Tuesday night when the roof-top hammock that he and others were swinging on pulled down the chimney that was acting as one of its supports.

"They were lucky, they were extremely lucky," Fire Chief Walter "Tim" Nelson said of the accident that occurred at 585 West St., shortly before 7:50 p.m. "We are talking about large concrete blocks."

The man was taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton for treatment. "He is going to going to be sore for a while," Nelson said.

The fire chief said the victims were using the hammock as a kind of couch and that three or four people may have been on it when the chimney came tumbling down.

The other end of the chimney was attached to a fire escape.

Nelson stressed that chimneys are not designed to handle lateral stress like that. "It's not built to take side stress - just up and down," he said.

With a goal of improving the quality of health care while driving down the cost, Partners HealthCare and GE Healthcare announced Wednesday a 10-year partnership that aims to integrate artificial intelligence into every step of care from the time a patient is admitted to a hospital to the time they are discharged.

Chicopee police are searching for a breaking and entering suspect.

CHICOPEE - Police in Chicopee are actively searching for a man who broke into a local residence on Wednesday afternoon.

Officer Mike Wilk of the Chicopee Police Department said a woman returned to her home, located on Edgewood Avenue, on Wednesday to find a man in her house.

The man, described as having a thin build, was wearing a black ski mask and was dressed in a black hood and grey pants, according to Wilk. 

The woman told police that she yelled at the man, who then calmly left the residence and headed towards a wooded area in the vicinity of Edgewood Avenue

Wilk said it is not yet clear whether the man took anything from the home. 

Officers with the Chicopee Police Department responded to the area at approximately 1:50 p.m. and proceeded to set up a perimeter of the area.

A police K-9 was used to search for the suspect, but the dog eventually lost the scent in the area of Nelson Street, Wilk said. 

The location of the break-in, Wilk noted, is in close proximity to the Szetela School, a local early childhood center located on Macek Drive.  

"At no time was there any threat to the children or school," Wilk said, in a statement. "Due to the fact the suspect was not armed, and headed away from the school, and time of students release, no lockdown was needed."

Anyone who believes they may have seen the man in the area or who has any information on this incident has been encouraged to contact the Chicopee Police Department at (413)594-1730.