Coffin began working for the district in January 2015 with a starting salary of $138,000, according to the original agreement.

BELCHERTOWN -- The School Committee, by a 4-1 vote, extended the employment contract of Superintendent Karol Coffin to 2020. Committee member Michael Knapp voted against it.

A copy of the agreement obtained by The Republican shows it was signed May 1 by Coffin on and School Committee Chairwoman Dawn French, who was defeated last week in her bid for re-election.

Coffin began working for the district in January 2015 with a starting salary of $138,000, according to the original agreement, which provided for a 2 percent pay hike in July of that year. The contract also said she would be entitled to raises for the next two years at a rate "no less than" what the teachers union bargaining agreement came to.

The extension, which expires on June 30, 2020, further ties the superintendent's raises to those of the teachers.

Coffin's contract now says salary hikes "would include" increases "consistent with Unit A," which is the Belchertown Teachers Association. Those increases are projected to be about 2 percent annually.

Also, the school chief's new contract "may include an additional salary-based merit increase not to exceed 2.5 percent" each year, and Coffin "may receive an additional nonsalary annual bonus not to exceed 2 percent of annual salary," the agreement says.

Teaanou Gonzalez is a 17-year-old gymnast from Springfield's North End neighborhood. Watch video

AGAWAM — After years of doing gymnastics and not winning, Teaanou Gonzalez decided it was time to try harder.

"I just got tired of losing, so I decided that I wanted to win," said the 17-year-old Springfield resident, who earlier this month won the 2017 Junior Olympics Championship in men's vaulting (age 17 category) in Florida.

Gonzalez has been training in gymnastics since he was 6 years old. He always loved sports, so his parents gave him a chance to try several different ones.

"We had put him in other sports and there was a conflict, so we gave him an option to choose what he really wanted to do, and he chose gymnastics," said his mother, Bonnie Ramos Gonzalez. "He excelled at other sports, but this is really what he wanted to do."

"I stuck with it because I thought it was unique," Teaanou Gonzalez said. "I wanted to be different than everybody else."

In many ways Gonzalez is a typical teenager. He is a junior at West Springfield High School and is getting ready to apply to colleges. But unlike most of his peers, he spends six days a week training at Daggett Gold Medal Gymnastics in Agawam. He trains three to four hours a day, sometimes more. He also works at the gym on Thursdays helping younger gymnasts.

"I have my friends at school, and then I have my friends here, but these kids are more like my family," he said. "I don't really do much outside the gym. I'm mostly here."

Gym owner Tim Daggett was part of the U.S. men's gymnastics team that won a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics. He said he has seen Gonzalez develop his skills in the past 11 years and mature into a serious gymnast.

"It takes a tremendous amount of commitment and diligence, and it's over a very, very long period of time, to be successful. He's done all of those things and that's one of the reasons he can say he is the national champion," Daggett said.

Darren Morace, the head coach for boy's gymnastics at Daggett's gym, has trained Gonzalez for the past nine years. He said it was about three years ago when Gonzalez really stepped up his game.

Teaanou Gonzalez of Springfield is a champion gymnast from Springfield. He competed at the Junior Olympics in Florida in May 2017.  

"He figured out that he was pretty good and he wanted to do this. That's when there was a definite change in him," he said. "Our philosophy here is to let them choose for themselves. They can play other sports, so if they choose gymnastics, then we start adding the hours."

Along with her husband, Angel Gonzalez, Ramos Gonzalez has made sacrifices over the years to make sure her sons have opportunities to succeed. Teaanou Gonzalez has two older brothers in the U.S. Navy and a younger brother who excels at basketball, baseball and soccer.

Ramos Gonzalez said Morace and everyone at Daggett's gym have helped them along the way.

"I'm very grateful for Darren especially, because he's not only his coach, to us he's like family," she said. "If Teaanou needs anything, Darren is there because he sees him as one of his own kids."

Gonzalez, who is Puerto Rican, resides in Springfield in the city's predominantly Latino North End neighborhood.

"We love our city and the community, but growing up in the North End of Springfield is not easy," Ramos Gonzalez said. "As parents we made the sacrifice, not only to better him, but to keep him away from the elements, and it has paid off."

Gonzalez said he hopes other kids will see that, if you set your mind to it and work hard, you can do anything.

"Stick with what you love, and don't let anyone tell you different," he said, adding that he is also grateful to his parents for making his dreams a reality.

"I just want to say thank you to them because I know this is a lot for them. With just traveling and being able to train here every day, it's a lot," he said.

On Monday night the Springfield City Council gave Gonzalez a citation congratulating him on his win.

"Teaanou is an inspiration to Memorial Square and the city of Springfield," said Springfield City Councilor Adam Gomez, who brought Gonzalez to the attention of the council. "He is no longer a best-kept secret, but a young ambassador to our great city."

Next year Gonzalez will be 18 and a senior, and it will be his last chance to compete in the Junior Olympics. His hope is to win the championship again next year, then possibly go on to Pennsylvania State University, which has a strong gymnastics program. He would love to try out for the Olympics and eventually become a physical therapist.

For now, Gonzalez just focuses on one day, one test, one exercise at time.

"One of my coaches, Mr. Tim Daggett, always says you always focus on the skill you're on. Never think about what's coming up or what's ahead. Stay exactly in the moment," he said.

The tour was set to stop in London on Thursday night and continue with European dates through mid June.

Ariana Grande has suspended her "Dangerous Woman" tour in the wake of a terror attack at her concert in Manchester, England, on Monday that left 22 people dead and 59 injured, according to CNN.

The tour was set to stop at The O2 in London on Thursday and Friday nights and continue with additional European dates through mid June.

The O2, issued the following statement: "We are shocked and deeply saddened by the terrible tragedy in Manchester.  Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected and their families. We are in contact with the promoters of Ariana Grande's tour and will update as soon as we have further information regarding the planned dates at The O2.Anyone visiting The O2 should allow extra time for enhanced security checks."

People magazine reported Grande, 23, had flown on Tuesday to Boca Raton, Florida, where she was greeted by family and boyfriend Mac Miller at the airport.

Grande addressed the bombing hours after the incident

"Broken," the pop star tweeted. "From the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words."

Manchester police have identified Salman Abedie, a 22-year-old British man whose parents had emigrated from Libya, as the bomber. He died in the attack and ISIS has claimed responsibility for the deadly explosion.

broken.
from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don't have words.

-- Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 23, 2017

Some residents and Town Council members in West Springfield want a ballot question that could ban retail sale of recreational marijuana in the town. Watch video

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- While voters in the Commonwealth in November approved the legalization of recreational marijuana use and sales, West Springfield residents voted against the measure.

Thus, some argue, they should be able to vote on whether the town will allow recreational marijuana dispensaries within the town's borders.

"It should be a town decision," said Dean J. Martilli, a West Side resident who is spearheading the effort to put the question of whether to ban recreational marijuana sales in the town. "I don't understand how the state of Massachusetts is going to force cities and towns to allow people to sell drugs that are (federally) illegal."

On Nov. 8, Question 4, the measure that legalized possession, use, distribution, and cultivation of marijuana in the Commonwealth, appeared on ballots statewide. Around 53 percent of voters approved the measure with a majority of municipalities opting for legalization, according to data from Secretary of State William Galvin's office.

But the statewide vote does not necessarily reflect the attitudes of West Springfield, a town Martilli describes as conservative-leaning, which rejected the measure by a 3.6 percent margin, according to a Boston Globe community-by-community map.

The Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy -made up of 17 members of the state House and Senate- is currently meeting regularly on Beacon Hill to hammer out details ahead of July 1, 2018, when retail marijuana stores will be able to set up shop.

In West Springfield, there is a moratorium on recreational marijuana stores which lasts through Dec. 31, 2018, about six months longer than the state's moratorium, which was intended to allow legislators to sort out the proice.

As of now, the committee has not established a concrete method allowing cities and towns to opt out of allowing recreational marijuana businesses to open within their municipality. But Martilli fears that waiting too long could imperil local efforts to ban such sales.

"No one is taking a proactive approach," Martilli said. "My concern is that we're rushing into this."

Among his apprehensions is the possibility that the two medical marijuana dispensaries currently in West Springfield may be summarily allowed to sell the drug for recreational purposes.

But public hearings and the town's ultimate approval of these facilities were based on the premise they would only be allowed to sell to patients prescribed to it.

But West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt said there has, so far, been little public outcry for bylaws that would limit or ban recreational marijuana sales in town.

Public hearings about the two medicinal marijuana dispensaries currently in town were sparsely attended, Reichelt said.

However, the issue could pick up steam as the date on which legal recreational sales can begin draws closer.

"I think it's early, and we need to discuss it," said Reichelt, who believes the question will likely appear on West Springfield's November election ballot.

The discussion of how the state should allow cities and towns to opt in or out of recreational sales has come up on the Joint Committee on Marijuana Policy, said state Sen. James Welch, a Democrat who holds a seat on the committee and whose district includes West Springfield.

It is not yet clear when the committee will finalize laws regulating the budding marijuana industry in the Commonwealth, said Welch, who added that he supports the idea of cities and towns being able to opt out. But the process for a local opt in or out option is among the committee's largest concerns.

"I think whatever legislation we put forward should have a clear path to allow communities to make up their minds on how they want to proceed," Welch said in an interview.

Welch added that he thinks that medical dispensaries should not be automatically allowed to operate as retail recreational stores, since town approval of medicinal marijuana does not necessarily translate to an endorsement of recreational sales.

"It is different than the recreational, so I am hopeful that in the legislation we will have something that separates the two," Welch said.

As of now, town officials in West Springfield are seeking clarification regarding how they can put the question of whether to allow recreational marijuana businesses in town up to voters, said West Springfield Town Council President George D. Condon III.

At the moment, the town is moving carefully to make sure that if and when West Springfield passes any local legislation related to recreational marijuana, they do it within state guidelines.

"My thought is we'll put together the best possible process that we know how," Condon said in an interview. "There's no clear cut direction on it... I think everyone's moving forward, but cautiously."

State Police targeted Springfield because of the ongoing viaduct reconstruction project and its impact on traffic.

SPRINGFIELD - A state police program that over two weeks  targeted speeding and traffic violations on highways in Springfield last month resulted in more than 450 tickets being issued and 40 drivers being either arrested or summonsed into court, police said.

The program, called a directed enforcement initiative was conducted between April 16-30. It focused on cracking down on traffic violations, including speeding, texting while driving, failing to wear seat belts or not moving over to give space to emergency vehicles.

According to state police, troopers participating in the program issued  465 traffic citations.

Another 40 drivers were either arrested or issued a summons to appear in court for such offenses are driving while intoxicated, driving to endanger or driving with a suspended license.

The number of arrests summonses was slightly less than half of the overall total of 82 issued by the Springfield barracks during the same period.

Springfield was selected for targeted enforcement because of the ongoing viaduct repair project that has resulted in lane reductions and a reduced speed limit in work zones.

In an effort to reduce accidents in treacherous rotary in the center of town, one of two Maple Street entrances will be closed.

EAST LONGMEADOW — In an effort to reduce accidents in treacherous rotary in the center of town, one of two Maple Street entrances will be closed.

Department of Public Works officials will place barrels along about 30 feet of road between a crosswalk and the traffic circle, blocking the right-hand lane of Maple Street, and effectively turning the two-lane entrance into a single lane, East Longmeadow Police Chief Jeffrey Dalessio said in an interview.

Barrels will likely go up next week, when signs warning drivers of the change are expected to be installed, Dalessio said. The lane closing will serve as a temporary measure to see if the number of car accidents on the roadway can be reduced, he said.

"The overall configuration of the rotary is not changing," Dalessio said. "(But) if we know how we can maybe reduce accidents, we should do so."

Closing the lane may prevent some of the most substantial accidents on the rotary, which typically occur when cars trying to enter from Maple Street collide with cars from Shaker Road attempting to do the same thing, Dalessio said.

There were 21 accidents at that location last year, and 12 from the beginning of this year up to May 11, Dalessio said.

Concerns have been raised about the lane closure possibly causing a traffic backup on Maple Street when East Longmeadow High School students drive to and from school, Dalessio said. Rush hour traffic is common on the Shaker Road side of the roundabout but has not created serious problems, he said.

After a few months, the police department and town will look at whether the lane change has reduced car accidents, Dalessio said. From there, they will decide whether to pursue making the lane closure permanent.

The rotary in the center of town has long been a source of frustration for drivers, with confusing stop signs at seemingly inopportune places, making it difficult to tell who has the right of way.

"The rotary ... is tricky," Dalessio said. "There's definitely a learning curve."

The lane closure is the first of possibly multiple attempts by Dalessio and the town to reduce accidents.

"There are other things that I'd like to see done," Dalessio said.

Former CIA Director John Brennan told Congress Tuesday he personally warned Russia last summer against interfering in the U.S. presidential election and was so concerned about Russian contacts with people involved in the Trump campaign that he convened top counterintelligence officials to focus on it.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former CIA Director John Brennan told Congress Tuesday he personally warned Russia last summer against interfering in the U.S. presidential election and was so concerned about Russian contacts with people involved in the Trump campaign that he convened top counterintelligence officials to focus on it.

Brennan's testimony to the House intelligence committee was the clearest public description yet of the significance these contacts play in counterintelligence investigations that continue to hang over the White House.

Brennan, who was President Barack Obama's CIA director, said he couldn't say whether there was collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, an issue being investigated by the FBI and congressional committees.

"I don't have sufficient information to make a determination about whether or not such cooperation or complicity or collusion was taking place," Brennan said. "But I know there was a basis to have individuals pull those threads."

President Donald Trump has predicted the investigations won't find collusion, and his efforts to cast doubt and curb the probes have led to the appointment of a special counsel at the Justice Department.

News reports that Trump asked his national intelligence director and National Security Agency chief to state publicly there was no evidence of collusion have heightened criticism.

Dan Coats, the current U.S. director of national intelligence, declined to comment Tuesday on a Washington Post report that said the president had asked him to publicly deny any collusion between Russia and Trump's campaign.

Coats told senators at a separate hearing that it would be inappropriate to discuss private conversations with the president.

Nevertheless, Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, said Coats and NSA director Mike Rogers should provide explanations.

The White House said the hearings support the administration's version of events.

A day earlier, Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, invoked his constitutional right not to incriminate himself in response to the Senate committee's request for details about interactions between him and the Russians. Trump associates Paul Manafort and Roger Stone have provided the committee with information, while former campaign adviser Carter Page has not.

"I can only say I have fully complied with their specific request," Stone told The Associated Press in an email Tuesday. He said he told the committee he remains ready to testify without immunity and in public.

Investigators also have questions about contacts between the Russians and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Brennan said he had seen intelligence that "revealed contacts and interactions" between Russian officials and Americans "involved" in the Trump campaign. He said this was cause for concern "because of known Russian efforts to suborn such individuals, and it raised questions in my mind, again, whether or not the Russians were able to gain the cooperation of those individuals."

In late July of last year there was so much concern that he convened a group of officials from the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency to focus on it exclusively.

"The purpose was to ensure that experts in key agencies had access to information and intelligence relevant to Russian actions so that we could have as full an appreciation as possible on the scope, nature, and intentions of this Russian activity," Brennan said.

He said he personally warned the Russians in August to stop interfering in the U.S. democratic process, telling a senior Russian security official that continued meddling would backfire and prevent any warming of relations after the election.

He said the Russian official denied such interference but also said he would relay the concern to President Vladimir Putin.

Trump, currently on a nine-day international trip, has had his own conversations with the Russians questioned in light of reports that he shared extremely classified intelligence with Russian diplomats in the Oval Office on May 10.

Brennan said that while he was CIA director he shared classified information with Russia and other nations about threats related to terrorism. But if reports about what Trump shared with the Russians are true, he said, it would be a violation of protocol. This type of information is typically shared in intelligence channels and not between the U.S. president and foreign diplomats, Brennan said.

___

Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Jeff Horwitz contributed to this report.

The video is not clear but the suspect has a distinctive gait. Watch video

CHICOPEE - A man removed and stole a white tailgate from a pickup truck early Monday in the Aldenville section of the city.

Police are hoping for help to identify the man, who was caught on video during the theft, which happened between 12:30 and 1 a.m. The truck, a Ford F-250 marked with the decal A. Crane Construction, was parked in driveway at 621 Grattan St. at the time of the theft, said Michael Wilk, public information officer for Chicopee Police.

The man is seen walking up Grattan Street, past Edward Street and into the driveway. After removing the tailgate he is seen walking to a fence by Edward Street and then toward the St. Joan School area, Wilk said.

"The video is not the best quality, however the person seems to have a distinct walk," he said.

Anyone who can identify the suspect, saw him in the area of Grattan Street at the time of the theft or has any other information about the theft is asked to call the detective bureau at 413-594-1730 or send a private message to the department Facebook page.

Median prices were up 7.9 percent in Hampshire County, according to the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley.

Locally, Kevin Perrier redeveloped the Button Building and former Parsons Street School.

EASTHAMPTON -- Kevin Perrier, CEO and President of Five Star Building Corp., has opened a new corporate office at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston.

While known in Easthampton for his restoration of smaller historic commercial properties -- including the Button Building and former Parsons Street School -- Perrier's contracting and construction management firm has grown to serve clients across Massachusetts, and projects $70 million in sales for 2017.

Perrier said the creation of a physical presence in Boston is a response to that growth, and the next obvious step for the company.

"Our new Boston office helps us serve our clients east of Worcester and ensures we can deliver a quality product," said Perrier. "We've invested heavily in technology and infrastructure, and our new office in Charlestown is just one example of our ongoing commitment to our clients across the state and beyond."

The new office is staffed with five full-time employees, and provides easy access and parking. The modern space was designed by Susan Sclafani of 5 Hills Design, and includes views of the historic Navy Yard.

Five Star has a number of large projects on tap, including a $10 million municipal building in Westborough, a $9 million fire station in Uxbridge, and $9 million charter school in Plymouth. Other clients include the retailer Muji Brookyn and Southwest Airlines.

Five Star maintains its headquarters at 122 Union St. in Easthampton.

Joseph Rivera, 22, of Holyoke; Roberto Rivera, 31, of Holyoke; and Edwin Rivera, 32, denied assault and battery charges in Holyoke case.

SPRINGFIELD -- Three brothers accused of beating a man who later died have denied charges of assault and battery with serious injury and unarmed robbery in Hampden Superior Court.

But the defendants were not indicted for murder -- although at one point it appeared they could face murder charges in the death of 25-year-old Adam Rei of Springfield.

Bail was set on Monday at $100,000 cash bail each for Joseph Rivera, 22, of Holyoke; Roberto Rivera, 31, of Holyoke; and Edwin Rivera, 32, of Marshill, N.C.

James Leydon, spokesman for Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, said Tuesday, "The investigation remains open while the necessary pathology reports are completed."

Rei died Feb. 14, several days after he was found unconscious on High Street in Holyoke on Feb. 8. He was taken to Holyoke Medical Center for treatment of what initially was thought to be a medical issue, but was later transferred to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield doctors determined he had suffered serious injuries that were not apparent when he was found.

Gulluni said that at about the same time police learned that Rei had been the victim of an assault.

The brothers were arrested at an apartment at 123 Cabot St. on Feb. 11.

Gulluni said Feb. 14 the death was being classified as a homicide.

The assault charge to which the brothers pleaded not guilty Monday in Hampden Superior Court reads: "Assault and battery on a person over 60 or disabled with serious injury."

View obituaries from The Republican newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts.

A local dog walker has been collared after police say she stole more than $10,000 in jewelry and clothing from her clients.

A dog walker has been collared by police, who say she stole more than $10,000 in jewelry and clothing from her clients. 

Police charged Andrea Sharby, 38, of Stoneham with several counts of receiving stolen property, larceny under false pretenses and possession of fentanyl.

Police began investigating reports of locals missing jewelry back in March. 

One of Sharby's clients told police she had lost thousands of dollars worth of personal possessions during the past year. The client also told police that she discovered Sharby selling their items on poshmark.com.

Police learned that the resident used Walk-About Animal Care Services, which is located at 155 Franklin St. in Stoneham. The business is co-owned by Sharby. 

Sharby went into her clients' homes to walk their dogs while they were away. 

Police say they also discovered multiple pawn shops in Winchester carrying goods connected to Sharby.

They were able to connect jewelry sales at those pawn shops with pieces reported stolen out of Winchester. A Winchester resident who also used Walk-About Animal Care Services told police that goods were stolen. 

"This woman violated her customers' trust by using her business to steal from people's homes," Chief James McIntyre said. "I want to commend the work of all involved for bringing this woman to justice."

On May 19, police arrested Sharby at her home. She was taken into custody without incident. 

During booking, police found several bags of fentanyl on Sharby. She was released on bail and is expected to be arraigned in Woburn District Court. 

Police have acquired several pieces of jewelry that have not been claimed by owners. They urge clients of Walk-About Animal Care Services to reach out to Detective Patrick Carroll at 781-438-1215, ext. 3147.

In Springfield, the 14-acre MGM project in the South End is set to open in the fall of 2018. Watch video

MGM Resorts International, the world's second-largest casino company and the developer of the $950 million MGM Springfield project, is no longer in discussions to buy the Sands Bethlehem casino in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.

The Allentown Morning Call reported Tuesday that the deal was off, citing sources. The deal might have fallen through, the newspaper said, because lawmakers in the Keystone State are considering expanding gambling in airports and on the internet and to include  fantasy sports leagues.

These moves would cut into Sands' share of the market, and the prospect of that much competition may have caused MGM to hit the brakes, according to the report.

If MGM were to have bought Sands Bethlehem, the price would have been about $1.3 billion, according to published reports.

Las Vegas Sands is the largest gambling company in the world.

In Springfield, the 14-acre MGM project in the South End is set to open in the fall of 2018. It's part of a major East Coast expansion for MGM.

In December, MGM opened the $1.4 billion MGM National Harbor resort in Maryland. In 2016, MGM bought out Boyd Gaming's shares of the Borgata in Atlantic City and became that resort's sole owner.

MGM executives have said they plan to market the East Coast resorts together with Las Vegas properties as a package. That way, they can leverage their already large database of gamblers developed through the company's rewards program.

Las Vegas customers in the database who live in the East will get marketing materials for these resorts, for example. An MGM Springfield customer would be encouraged to take a Vegas vacation at MGM's properties there.

Last month, MGM reported net revenues increased 29 percent at the company's domestic resorts in its most recent quarter over the first quarter of 2016 to $2.1 billion. That's a 6 percent increase on a same-store basis, excluding contributions from Borgata in Atlantic City and MGM National Harbor.

Springfield officials, police and stakeholders met Tuesday to discuss strategies for reducing the opioid crisis.

SPRINGFIELD -- City officials, stakeholders and police met Tuesday at City Hall to discuss plans and strategies to combat the opioid crisis in a discussion convened by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.

Obie McKenzie, managing director for Blackrock Investment Management in Princeton, New Jersey, who had visited Springfield in March and spoken of his interest in helping the city with opioid strategies, took part in Tuesday's meeting as invited by Sarno.

"Law enforcement can only do so much," Sarno said following the meeting. "They must be supplemented with 'wrap around services' of health, mental health and recovery coaches and treatment aspects. I'm very thankful to Mr. Obie McKenzie's past efforts and I am hopeful that we can pursue a public/private partnership to continue to attack this opioid crisis."

Blackrock Investment is the largest institutional asset management firm in the United States.

Colin Beatty, CEO of Column Health, also took part in the meeting, providing information about the company's data-driven clinics located in the eastern part Massachusetts. Column Health representatives then discussed how the clinics aid with full recoveries from mental illness and addiction and enable stability and self-actualization for patients and team members, officials said.

Also attending the meeting were Police Commissioner John Barbieri; Deputy Police Chief William Cochrane; Police Capt. Trent Hufnagel; Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris; Mayor's Chief of Staff Denise Jordan; Hampden County Sheriff's Department Superintendent James Kelleher; Hampden County Sheriff's Department Substance Abuse Consultant Peter Babineau; Column Health Clinic Operations Director Biruh Mezgebu; Column Health Strategic Development Manager Gurteg Singh; CHD Chief Operating Officer Lois Nesci; CHD Vice President of Development, Marketing and Communications Kim Lee; Mercy Hospital Chairman of the Board John Sjoberg; Bo Sjoberg, of Gov. Charlie Baker's Western Massachusetts office; St. Francis Hospital Vice President of Community Health Equity & Health Policy Marcus McKinney; Richard Johnson, New North Citizens Council; and Adalberto Cotto, New North Citizens Council.

The Holyoke Boys and Girls Club of Holyoke, Massachusetts bought 30 computer tablets, books and other items to help children read thanks to a $12,000 grant from the Holyoke Rotary Club, officials said on Tuesday, May 23, 2017.

HOLYOKE -- The Holyoke Boys and Girls Club bought 30 computer tablets, books and other items to help children read thanks to a $12,000 grant from the Holyoke Rotary Club.

"Recognizing that technology is a strong motivator with our youth, the tablets will help create a literacy and technology-rich environment at each of our satellite sites," Eileen D. Cavanaugh, executive director of the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, said in a press release issued by the Rotary Club on Tuesday.

"We are grateful to the Holyoke Rotary for supporting the club and helping us to make sure that our programs involve technology-rich experiences that are engaging, fun and educational," she said.

The literacy items, which include audio books and bookcases, are being used at the  Boys and Girls Club satellites at Toepfert Apartments at 22 North Summer St. , Churchill Homes at 334 Elm St. and Beaudoin Village at 40 Leary Drive, said Maureen Ross O'Connell, chairwoman of literacy for the Rotary Club.

The Rotary Club was happy to help the Boys and Girls Club acquire the computer tablets and other tools to help with the "Targeted Liberacy Project, she said in an email.

"They will implement a variety of fun educational activities designed to promote language and literacy skills, utilizing tablet based educational software, active small group story book reading and theater activities," O'Connell said.

The money came from two fundraisers that Holyoke Rotary holds each year to help with local and international projects. All of the money is donated, with 80 percent of it going to local projects and 20 percent to international projects to provide clean water to third world countries, she said.

The Rotary Club is an international organization of business people and professionals who work on community service and humanitarian projects. The Holyoke Rotary Club was chartered in 1915 and 1916. 

A focus of the Holyoke Rotary Club is education and literacy. The club has helped projects like the summer reading program, family literacy backpacks and the Gollie Root Dictionary Project, which involves donating dictionaries to local schools and is named after late club member Gollie Root, according to the Rotary Club.

Luther Belden Farm in Hatfield and Rockwood Farms in Granville are embarking on a project to turn cow manure into electricity.

By STEPHANIE MURRAY

BOSTON -- For years, dairy farmers have used cow manure as fertilizer to spread over crops like corn and hay. But two farms in Western Massachusetts have a new use for all that manure -- renewable energy.

Luther Belden Farm in Hatfield and Rockwood Farms in Granville are embarking on a project to turn cow manure into electricity as a way to become self-sustaining and stabilize their finances in what they say is a volatile market. The farms are working in partnership with the the Hampshire Council of Governments and Pennsylvania-based startup Ag-Grid Energy.

The farms hope to break ground on two on-site agricultural anaerobic digesters this summer.

"We're just getting started. They say we'll be breaking ground in June," said Richard Woodger, 73, owner of Rockwood Farm. "The reason we're doing this is to make ourselves more sustainable ... We've seen a real downturn the last couple of years, and it doesn't recover as fast as it falls."

Of the 7,755 farms in the state, only 155 are dairy farms, according to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. It is not an easy industry to work in, dairy farmers say.

"Milk prices are very volatile, they always have been. It seems to be getting worse. The thing is, we're sort of part of the world market, so we're subject to world prices," said Darryl Williams, 56, of Luther Belden Farms, which is about five miles northeast of Northampton.

Williams said the digester is an approximately $2 million investment made possible with the help of a number of state and federal grants.

The electricity produced by the digesters will power the farms, and leftover energy will be sold in the form of net metering credits to municipal entities in the Eversource customer zone. The Hampshire Council of Governments, a consortium of towns in Western Massachusetts based in Northampton, will facilitate the net metering credit sales, says HCOG Director Todd Ford.

"We love to support local business and local farmers, and we're experts at setting up these systems of selling to towns, selling net metering credits," Ford said. "This is part of our commitment to ... local renewable energy."

Ford said the energy generated by the two farms will be 5.3 million kilowatt-hours per year -- enough to power some 10 municipal complexes like libraries, schools and town halls. To produce that energy, the two digester systems will treat 40 tons of waste per day, or some 14,600 tons a year.

The Hampshire Council of Governments launched a similar net metering credit program to partner with those who generate solar power in 2015. That program has some 80,000 customers, Ford said.

The renewable energy generated by the dairy farms will be available for purchase at a 15 percent discount, Ford said, meaning towns will pay 85 cents for every dollar of energy they use. The Hampshire Council of Governments signed a contract to sell the energy May 19, and Ford intends to sell the net metering credits by the end of the summer.

Granville, about 25 miles west of Springfield, is the first town to commit to powering its municipal buildings with credits produced by Rockwood Farms, Ford said.

To use the energy-producing digesters, farmers put cow manure and off-site food waste into a cement cylinder with a flexible, bladder-like top, explained Ag-Grid Energy CEO and Founder Raski Akki. Organisms in the digester "eat" the waste and emit biogas -- methane and carbon dioxide. The gas rises and goes through pipes to a engine-like generator where it is burned and converted to electricity.

Akki says the digesters are well-suited to dairy farms because farmers can still use the manure as fertilizer after being processed by the digester. Akki estimates there are between 260 and 280 agricultural digesters in the United States.

"It reduces odors at the farm, the farm doesn't have to rely on the grid," Akki said. "It fits well with local needs."

After the process is complete, the manure and food waste will smell less pungent, something Williams says is a welcome change. He says he does not notice the distinct smell of his dairy farm, but others who live in the residential area near his farm do.

"We'd like to not smell so much. We want to be good neighbors," Williams said.

Right now, Luther Belden farm keeps the animal waste in manure storages to be spread over crops in the spring and fall.

"We utilize as much as we can. It cuts down on the fertilizer bill. In some respects, we don't have enough manure," Williams said. He said accepting off-site food waste will increase the amount of material he can spread on his crops. The digester process will make that fertilizer more stable, he added, meaning it will stay more firmly in the soil.

"Dairy farmers are kind of struggling," Williams said. "Anything we can do to help sustain ourselves and sustain our land, to keep open spaces and productive farmland is a good thing."

Shea launched his campaign with a party at Franconia Golf Course on Dwight Road, attended by several of his City Council colleagues and other prominent Hampden County figures.

SPRINGFIELD - City Councilor Kenneth E. Shea on Tuesday launched his campaign for a fourth two-year term, promising to improve the quality of life for residents of Ward 6, and to work to keep the whole city on its recent upswing.

Shea launched his campaign with a party at Franconia Golf Course on Dwight Road, attended by several of his City Council colleagues and other prominent Hampden County figures such as District Attorney Anthony Gulluni.

Shea, an attorney whose ward comprises the Forest Park neighborhood and part of the East Forest Park neighborhood along the East Longmeadow town line, said he tries to be "a voice of reason" for the 13-member body.

"The City of Springfield has a lot of momentum ... and I just want to make sure we concentrate on the quality of life," said Shea before addressing his supporters. "Housing stock, code enforcement, maintaining our parks and roads."

"I try to bring a level of common sense to the decisions that are being made, and, are we doing that in the way that's most effective," he added.

Making his case for reelection, Shea cited his work on the $4 million project to renovate and expand the Clifford A. Phaneuf Environmental Center, home to the highly popular Environmental Center for Our Schools program, in 2015.

Approximately 10,000 students, teachers and parents come to the center each year.

"It exposes them to nature and the parks, and I notice that we have a lot less vandalism ... because I think we've got a couple of generations of folks that have learned the importance of the parks, the importance of ecology," said Shea.

But he gave the credit for that project, and others like new tennis courts at Forest Park and improvements to traffic flow on major roads, to the citizens who worked to bring important issues before the council.

"The stuff that is brought to us is brought to us by citizens that participate because they believe in our city," said Shea. "We that serve in elected office believe in them, believe in you, and believe in getting these things done."

Shea worked with the council to make MGM Springfield a reality, and bring the CRRC subway car manufacturing facility to the long-vacant Westinghouse Electric facility. He also played a role in the construction of a $12 million senior center at Blunt Park, and successfully pushed for passage of the Community Preservation Act in November.

Gulluni, the Hampden district attorney, spoke in support of Shea, calling him "one of the best representatives in the city."

"He's always there, he's always accessible. ... He's the real deal and the whole package," said Gulluni.

Ward 2 City Councilor Michael Fenton said the council is "lucky" to have Shea's legal expertise and skill at building bridges between "people that are in total disagreement."

The city's preliminary election will be held Sept. 19 if necessary to narrow the field of candidates. The general election is set for Nov. 7.

The Major Accident Response Exercise, or MARE, is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WESTFIELD - The 104th Fighter Wing will simulate a mass casualty airplane accident at Barnes Air National Guard Base on Wednesday in preparation for the 2017 Westfield International Airshow.

About 30 outside agencies will participate, including state and local emergency responders, Baystate Health, Mercy Medical Center and the American Red Cross.

The exercise will feature 20 actors with mock injuries.

"The purpose ... is to exercise response capabilities of installation personnel while honing joint response practices with federal, state, and local agencies," said Master Sgt. Christopher McCrary, installation emergency manager at Barnes.

The Major Accident Response Exercise, or MARE, is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is believed to be the largest MARE in Barnes history.

Residents living in the area should not be alarmed.

The Westfield International Airshow runs from Aug. 12-13.

Timothy Gurley, 32, is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and carrying an illegal knife.

GREENFIELD - Police have arrested a suspect who allegedly stabbed a man on Main Street on Tuesday evening.

Timothy Gurley, 32, is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and carrying an illegal knife.

Gurley, who is homeless and known to live in the Greenfield area, also had several outstanding warrants, police said in a Facebook post.

Officers responded to the area of the Rite Aid at 107 Main St. around 5:20 p.m. for reports of a fight between two men. The victim was found bleeding from his back and buttocks.

Soon after, Gurley was found behind the now-closed Cumberland Farms at 49 Main St. The knife was located nearby.

The victim was taken to Baystate Franklin Medical Center for treatment of apparently minor injuries.

Gurley is held without bail at the Franklin County House of Correction pending arraignment.