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Easthampton High School under investigation by Massachusetts Attorney General's office

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As the district struggles with race and diversity issues, Superintendent Nancy Follansbee said she has been asked to compile 'a copious number of documents' for the AGO.

EASTHAMPTON -- As Easthampton High School struggles with issues of race and diversity, the office of Attorney General Maura Healey has launched an investigation, Superintendent Nancy Follansbee announced at Tuesday night's School Committee meeting.

The nature of the probe is unclear, but Follansbee said Healey's office had requested "a copious number of documents" related to the high school. Follansbee promised to provide more information to The Republican, adding that the records request had consumed a fair amount of her time.

Police say on March 28, three students of color assaulted a white student in the school parking lot. The victim, publicly identified as the son of a school resource officer, had sent a racial slur to a former girlfriend using social media, court documents state.

Joshua R. Brown, 18, who was criminally charged, remains on pretrial probation and in a restorative justice program after appearing in Northampton District Court last week. The other two assault suspects are juveniles and details about their cases are not public.

Among other incidents, the presence of a high school student wearing a Confederate Flag sweatshirt touched off public controversy. Another such flag appeared on a student's truck. The School Committee earlier this month temporarily banned that symbol in the schools.

Also Tuesday night, Follansbee referenced two "extremely disturbing Instagram accounts" connected with students. The accounts were investigated by Easthampton Police and taken down, Follansbee said.

Follansbee previously remarked that the School Department has faced lawsuit threats in the wake of the flag incident and parking lot assault. The nature of those threats is not clear.

A parallel internal investigation is underway at the high school. Former principal Jeff Sealander is interviewing witnesses to various incidents, Follansbee said. The Superintendent said the results of the internal investigation will be made public.

Dr. Safire DeJong of the Collaborative for Educational Services, a firm hired to help transform the school's culture, will also produce a report and a three-year action plan.

While school and city officials have been meeting with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Springfield, there is no federal investigation, Acting School Committee Chairman Peter Gunn clarified. Those meetings are reportedly for the purpose of planning a community event on civil rights and civil liberties.

Various parents spoke Tuesday, some alleging a charged racial culture at the school and faulting principal Kevin Burke for lack of leadership, and others saying students and parents with more conservative views face bullying and intimidation from the left.

Several School Committee members said they are not being given complete information from the administration, and asked for more transparency, including any emails sent by Burke to parents. "We're in a major crisis period, and we all need to have the same information at the same time," said Cynthia Kwiecinski.

Follansbee asked for cooperation to foster "freedom of speech, respect for all, and zero tolerance for violence" at the high school. She encouraged parents, students, and teachers to come speak with her if they felt they were not being heard.


Mercy Medical Center's 1st annual Caritas Gala raises $358K to support opioid treatment services in Western Mass. (photos)

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The first annual Mercy Medical Center Caritas Gala raised $358,316 to expand and enhance Mercy Behavioral Health Care's Opioid Treatment and Addiction Recovery programs.

SPRINGFIELD-- The first annual Mercy Medical Center Caritas Gala raised $358,316 to expand and enhance Mercy Behavioral Health Care's Opioid Treatment and Addiction Recovery programs.

Themed "All You Need is Love," the inaugural Gala was held at the MassMutual Center in March with the proceeds helping boost addiction-fighting efforts including a new inpatient step-down treatment program for post-detox services, giving people a better chance at long-term recovery.  

John Sjoberg and Brenda Garton-Sjoberg served as honorary chairpersons of the event.  Sjoberg serves as Chairman of the Board for Mercy and as Vice Chairman of the Board for Trinity Health - New England. Garton-Sjoberg has served as honorary chairperson of Mercy Gift of Light.

 "We are extremely grateful to the Sjoberg family for their unwavering support and commitment to Mercy and the Caritas Gala. Thank you to the Gala committee members, sponsors, donors, attendees, and volunteers who contributed to the event's success," said Allison Gearing-Kalill, vice president of Fund Development, Mercy Medical Center, in a statement. "We are overwhelmed by the tremendous support of our community; these generous contributions enable us to continue to expand, enhance, and educate about our services in order to help more individuals fight the disease of opioid addiction." 

 Plans are already underway for the second annual Caritas Gala which will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at the MassMutual Center. Honorary chairpersons are Dr. Mohamed and Kimberly Hamdani and Paul and Anna Mancinone. 

For more information about Mercy Behavioral Health Care services, visit the official website: www.mercycares.com/behavioral-health.

Chicopee approves tax agreement for new Memorial Drive hotel

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This one of at least four tax agreements the City Council has approved in recent years.

CHICOPEE - The city will cut taxes for the next five years for business owners who have razed a 50-year-old hotel on Memorial Drive and are in the process of replacing it with a new Tru by Hilton.

Chicopee Hospitality LLC, owned by Dennis and Hershal Patel, will invest $11.29 million into the project to build a 108-room, nearly 50,000 square foot hotel at 450 Memorial Drive. The old Days Inn has been demolished and the new one is under construction and expected to open in a year.

"This is an $11.3 million investment and they will add 30 new jobs over the first year," Michael Vedovelli, director of Community Development who negotiated the agreement. The project will also retain three full-time positions.

The agreement calls for the company to see a 50 percent reduction of the increased value of the real estate in fiscal year 2019, which begins in July 2018. In the four subsequent years there will be a 40 percent reduction in the increased value, followed by a 30 percent reduction, a 20 percent reduction and a 10 percent reduction in the final year in fiscal year 2023.

The agreement only applies to real estate taxes, it doesn't apply to personal property real estate taxes, Vedovelli said.

In the application, Dennis and Hershal Patel explained they also plan to extend the project in the future by tearing down and rebuilding the adjacent office building but cannot do so until tenant leases expire in 2019. A tax break will help the company absorb the additional $2 million that will be needed for the office complex.

"It isn't the first time we have done this," City Councilor Timothy McLellan said while supporting the project.

The City Council also approved a second tax incentive for J. Polep at the same meeting. That company is planning to build an addition to the business on Meadow Street.

Last year it also approved a 10-year tax incentive agreement valued at about $248,924 for U.S. Tsubaki which is building an about $11.5 million addition to its plant on 106 Lonczak Drive. That agreement only discounts taxes on the new addition.

It also approved a tax agreement last year for the new about $12 million Mercedes-Benz dealership that is being constructed by Springfield Automotive Partners LLC on the property of the former Plantation Inn off Burnett Road.

That is also a five-year tax incentive and Springfield Automotive Partners will continue to pay, at a minimum, the roughly $75,000 in taxes the owners of the Plantation Inn paid. The incentive will reduce the property taxes by 50 percent on the increased value of the business in fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020. In the last two years of the deal, the owners will then receive a 25 percent cut in property taxes for fiscal year 2021 and 2022.

Wilbraham police arrest Brimfield man who called 911 to report motel robbery

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Sean Martin, 25, of Brimfield, was arrested on two warrants and charged with marijuana possession with intent to distribute, according to Wilbraham police.

WILBRAHAM -- Police responded to a breaking-and-entering report at a Boston Road motel and ended up charging the person who called them for help.

Sean Martin, 25, of Brimfield, was arrested on two warrants and charged with marijuana possession with intent to distribute shortly before 10 p.m. on May 21 at the Wilbraham Inn.

Martin, who allegedly told officers his name was "Eric Wilson," reported that he had been robbed by a man with a shotgun, but details of the apparent robbery were "very vague," police said.

After investigating the scene and observing evidence of drug and alcohol use by numerous people, police determined that a larceny over narcotics most likely occurred and that the reporting party's real name was Sean Martin.  

Martin was expected to be arraigned in Palmer District Court. The outcome of that hearing was not immediately known.

Here's where Berkshire Bank is looking to locate its new Boston headquarters

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A new corporate headquarters is in store for the parent company of Berkshire Bank as it moves to acquire the parent company of Worcester's Commerce Bank. Here's where they're looking.

A new corporate headquarters is in store for the parent company of Berkshire Bank as it moves to acquire the parent company of Worcester's Commerce Bank.

But where will it settle as the company, founded in Pittsfield, seeks to boost its position in the metropolitan Boston market?

Berkshire Bank officials say they are looking at several areas, including the red-hot Seaport District.

If they choose the Seaport, they'll be joining a number of large companies that are flocking to the booming area. Global conglomerate General Electric broke ground earlier this month on its headquarters in Fort Point, and athletic shoe company Reebok is on its way.

Vertex, the pharmaceutical company, opened its headquarters in the Seaport in 2014.

What's going on in Boston's Seaport District?

Boston's Financial District is also on the list of places Berkshire Bank is looking. The area is home to State Street Bank, and Berkshire Bank has a retail location on Congress Street in Post Office Square.

The area near TD Garden, the arena where the Celtics and Bruins play, is another possibility, according to Sean Gray, chief operating officer of Berkshire Bank.

Gray noted that Berkshire Bank is the official bank of NESN's Bruins coverage.

An announcement on a headquarters location is expected within the next few months. Regulators must sign off on the move.

Until Berkshire's acquisition is complete, Commerce's office in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston will serve in the interim.

The acquisition process is expected to wrap up by the end of the year, and bring Berkshire Bank's branch total to 113 across the Northeast.

"Boston is a natural fit," Gray said.

"It's important for us to be able to reap the benefits of Boston which is ultimately connecting us with an incredible workforce," as well as government leaders and regulators, according to Gray.

"From a growth perspective, Boston's size gives us great growth potential," he added, noting that the bank has clients, via mortgages or commercial loans, in the areas north, west and south of Boston.

How will Berkshire's acquisition of Commerce impact Worcester organizations dependent on bank's support?

If the deal goes through, Berkshire Bank is the name and the brand customers will see in the Boston area. They plan to keep the Commerce Bank name in Worcester.

Gray said Commerce Bank has a strong brand in Worcester and a dominant market position. A larger workforce is expected in Boston.

For current employees, there's no job change expected, and the corporate offices in Boston will house executives already working in and out of the area. They do plan to reevaluate positions if there is redundancy, but those decisions haven't been made, according to Berkshire Bank.

There's little overlap in the Worcester area, Gray adds. "It's a new market for us, so that impact will be minimal."

Executives are quick to point out the company has been named one of the top mortgage lenders by the trade publication Banker & Tradesman, and made the Boston Business Journal's list of most charitable companies for four consecutive years. Its foundation gives out nearly $2 million a year to 524 organizations.

"We're very much a community-focused bank and supporting nonprofits is a big part of that," Gray said. "We're going to get even more involved."

Berkshire Bank acquires Commerce Bank in Worcester, moves headquarters to Boston

MassLive's redesigned article pages offer faster load times, improved mobile experience

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Today we launched a new, sleeker look for our article pages on MassLive. The new article pages load faster, offer an improved mobile experience, and they make it easy for you to find more stories on topics that interest you.

On Wednesday, we launched a new, sleeker look for our article pages on MassLive. 

The new article pages load faster, offer an improved mobile experience, and they make it easy for you to find more stories on topics of interest. When you're done reading the story you clicked in on, you can now scroll down to the next story on the same subject, with a continuous scroll of information available (as seen in the right column of the screenshots above). So if you enter the site on a news story, you can now quickly scroll through all the most recent news stories without leaving the page. 

A few other changes you'll notice: The comments are no longer at the bottom of the story. Instead, if you click the comments button, the comments will appear to the side of the story. 

Photo galleries have a different look, too (as seen in the left column of the screenshots above). Simply click on the first photo in the gallery to bring up the gallery page and view all the photos. The new galleries scroll down instead of side to side, making it easier to view all the photos, especially on your mobile device. 

We are confident the design changes will make using the site a better experience for you. Please let us know what you think in the comments.

Related: MassLive app upgrade features custom push alert options

Chicopee's Alexandria Ayala, 16, missing since May 4 found in Springfield

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Ayala lives in Chicopee but attends school in Springfield.

CHICOPEE - A teenager missing from the city since May 4 has been found safe.

Alexandria Ayala, 16, who typically goes by the nickname Alex, was found in Springfield Tuesday, Michael Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer, said.

Ayala lives in a home on Broadway but is a student at Central High School in Springfield. She was last seen at the school, he said.

After she was missing for six days, Police asked people for help to locate her.

"Thanks to everyone who called in tips and shared," Wilk said.

Wilbraham woman arrested after Chicopee crash with motorcyclist

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The motorcycle driver suffered hand and leg injuries.

CHICOPEE - A Wilbraham woman was arrested for drunken driving following a crash with a motorcycle Tuesday night.

Kelsey Fletcher, 26, of Stony Hill Road, was arrested at about 8:30 p.m. and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle and failing to yield, Michael Wilk, public information officer for Chicopee Police said.

The crash happened on 620 Fuller Road near the White Eagle package store. When police arrived they found the motorcycle driver on the ground but conscious. He and a witness said the car turned suddenly in his path and he could not avoid it, he said.

The motorcycle driver was brought to Baystate Medical Center, in Springfield, by ambulance for treatment of hand and leg injuries, Wilk said.

"When officers approached the operator of the car, she immediately told officers 'I am recording you.' She was asked what happened and she stated she saw the motorcycle 'flying' when she was going to turn into the parking lot," Wilk said.

Officers smelled alcohol and when asked, Fletcher allegedly said she drank two beers in the last hour. Police administered sobriety tests and arrested her. Officers later found a half-filled nip of vodka in her car, Wilk said.

She is scheduled to be arraigned in Chicopee District Court Wednesday, he said.


Seen@ Delta Sigma Theta sorority of Springfield's 5th annual Red and White scholarship lunch

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The Springfield chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta, an African-American sorority, recently held its 5th annual Red and White scholarship luncheon recently at Chez Josef in Agawam.

The Springfield chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta, an African-American sorority, recently held its 5th annual Red and White scholarship luncheon at Chez Josef in Agawam. 

This year's theme "Stepping into Action," emphasized the significance of social action to the sorority's national initiatives.

The group granted scholarships and highlighted African American women and their commitment to step up and speak out against a myriad of issues facing the black community in the greater Springfield area and beyond.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide assistance and support through established programs in local communities throughout the world. A sisterhood of more than 200,000 predominately black college educated women, the sorority currently has over 900 chapters located in the United States, England, Japan, Germany, the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas and South Korea. 

Fore more information about the Springfield chapter, email springfieldalumnae@gmail.com.

Springfield swings, misses in finding developer for vacant downtown building

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The city failed to attract any bidders for a long-vacant, six-story building on Lyman Street in the downtown, leaving the future of the building in doubt.

SPRINGFIELD -- The city's effort to find a buyer to redevelop a long-vacant, six-story building on Lyman Street in the downtown drew no bidders by the deadline Tuesday afternoon, leaving its future in doubt.

The tax-foreclosed property at 135-155 Lyman St. was admittedly in "rough shape" due to years of water damage, said Brian Connors, the city's deputy director of economic development. But city officials hoped that improvements in the area including a refurbished Union Station would spur some interest, he said.

"We're disappointed to have not received any bids," Connors said. "At this point, we will re-evaluate our options for the property."

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said recently that he considered this month's effort to find a developer "one last shot" to find a reuse for the building before the city would evaluate demolition.

Any future use for the Lyman Street site must be compatible with economic development initiatives, Sarno said.

The building is more than a century old, constructed in 1910, and had been used in the past for storage and retail uses including as the former site of the Final Markdown store.

The city had previously sought to sell the property in 2012, without success, with hopes there would be interest now, Connors said.

"Building conditions were difficult," Connors said of the latest sale effort. "It had taken on a lot of water over the years."

If the city does pursue demolition of the building now, it would be subject to the city's demolition delay ordinance that delays demolition for nine months to allow the owner to evaluate potential re-use options.

The city was selling the building and lot "as is," along with three adjacent city-owned lots. The six-story building and basement totals 29,750 square feet. The total area of all parcels including the empty lots is 20,002 square feet.

Chicopee schedules 4 Memorial Day events

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The city and veterans groups will award the Charles H. Tracy honor on Thursday, visit schools Friday, hold a candlelight remembrance on Sunday and march in the Memorial Day parade Monday.

CHICOPEE -- A full slate of activities is scheduled for the coming days to remember fallen veterans, recognize those who are still alive and teach young people about Memorial Day.

The highlight is the Memorial Day Parade, which steps off at 10 a.m. Monday from Exchange Street. The marchers will stop three times to lay wreaths at different locations and end at Veterans Plaza on Front Street. A remembrance ceremony will be held there at about 11:15 a.m.

Master Sgt. Andrew S. Biscoe, acting chief of public affairs for Westover Air Reserve Base, said he will serve as emcee of the event and will read the names of veterans and recognize Gold Star families, who have a relative who died in war.

"I gladly accepted the invitation," he said. "It will be a nod to the veterans of Chicopee and all the other veterans."

The parade likely will be the last public appearance for Westover commander Gen. Jay Jensen, who is being transferred to a job at the Pentagon. Westover's Lt. Col Joe Delgado will also be among the speakers, Biscoe said.

Business owner Brian Corridan and parade marshal Larry Wilson will also speak and Mayor Richard J. Kos will bring greetings from the city, said Amber Roy, investigator for the city's Veterans Services Department.

The long weekend will begin with city officials and veterans groups honoring one veteran with the Charles H. Tracy Award at 9 a.m. on Thursday at the Veterans Services office on Center Street. The name of the recipient is not released before the ceremony.

The award was created in 2008 to honor a veteran who consistently goes above and beyond to help fellow veterans. Last year was the first time it was given posthumously, to City Councilor George Moreau, a Korean War veteran who died a month earlier.

On Friday veterans will spend their time visiting city elementary and middle schools. They will talk to children about the history and importance of Memorial Day and will place wreaths at school flag poles while children recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the National Anthem.

Many agree the most poignant Memorial Day event is the candlelight service held to honor the city's fallen Vietnam veterans. The event will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Vietnam Veterans' Plaza on Chicopee Street, where 15 brick pillars surrounding the park each has a bronze plaque dedicated to a resident who died in the war.

AHCA could have 'devastating' impact on Massachusetts, cut $1.4 billion in federal funding from state, study finds

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Massachusetts could lose $1.4 billion in federal Medicaid funding, while several thousand state residents would face uncertainty in their health care coverage if U.S. House Republicans' plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act becomes law, according to a new report.

Massachusetts could lose $1.4 billion in federal Medicaid funding, while several thousand state residents would face uncertainty in their health care coverage if U.S. House Republicans' plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act becomes law, according to a new report.

The "Overview of the Model and Coverage and Cost Estimates Under the AHCA" study, which the Urban Institute conducted on behalf of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, found that the commonwealth could experience "devastating consequences" if the U.S. House-passed American Health Care Act is signed into law, as is.

Specifically, the state-level analysis found that the AHCA would lead to a $1.4 billion reduction in federal Medicaid funding for Massachusetts in 2022, the year in which the GOP plan would be fully implemented. 

To maintain current levels of coverage under MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program, in 2022, Massachusetts would need to find $1.1 billion in replacement funds or make system changes, according to the study.

If that funding, however, is not replaced, 355,000 adults on MassHealth, or one in five enrollees, may be cut from the program -- a move which would increase the state's uninsured rate to as high as 10.3 percent, the report stated.

Another 90,000 Massachusetts resident could further lose health care coverage if the ConnectorCare program, which is supported through state and federal funding, and the current ACA advance premium tax credits are eliminated, the study found. 

Audrey Shelto, president of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, cautioned that the GOP-backed health care bill could undo much of the state's work to reduce uninsured rates and ensure residents are connected with health coverage.

"The study projects an overwhelming loss in federal revenue that, if not replaced by state funding or addressed through significant changes to the existing Medicaid program, could result in a loss of coverage that leaves us worse off than we were pre-reform in Massachusetts," she said in a statement.

Health Care For All Interim Executive Director Stephen Rosenfeld added that the findings detail "a very bleak set of outcomes, all of which have serious repercussions."

"We can calculate the impact in terms of dollars and statistics. However, behind each number there is a story of a neighbor or a family who will struggle to access the care they need," he said in a statement.

Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, has also raised concerns about the AHCA's impact on Massachusetts, recently saying it would "significantly reduce critical funds for the commonwealth's health care system."

To conduct its study, the Urban Institute said it used a state-level version of its Health Insurance Policy Simulation Model, which estimates the cost and coverage effects of proposed health care policies.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation and Health Care For All are co-conveners in the state's Coalition for Coverage and Care, an organization comprised of more than 75 groups and individuals committed to protecting affordable health care coverage.

House lawmakers passed an amended version of the AHCA on a 217 to 213 vote earlier this month -- weeks after Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, canceled initial consideration of the measure due to lagging support.

US House approves revised GOP plan to dismantle Affordable Care Act despite pushback from Massachusetts lawmakers

The bill, which looks to undo much of President Barack Obama's signature health care law through refundable tax credits, overhauls to Medicaid and an expansion of health savings accounts, would allow states to apply for waivers from the federal government to cancel some ACA regulations that would reduce residents' costs -- a move which some critics say could result in people with pre-existing conditions being charged more for insurance.

It would also allocate an additional $8 billion over five years for states seeking a waiver.

Despite passing the House, the bill's fate in the U.S. Senate remains uncertain, according to various reports. 

What will the new Hadley senior center look like? Preliminary design on display Thursday

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The Council on Aging is holding two forums Thursday to show the community the preliminary design of the new senior center and hear what people think.

HADLEY -- The Council on Aging is holding two forums Thursday to show the community the preliminary design of the new senior center and hear what people think.

The forums are at 3 and 6 p.m. at Hopkins Academy.

Voters in January agreed to support a $5.3 million property tax override to build the center.  

Architects from EDM Architects and Engineers and Lifespan Design studios will present the schematic drawings from the first phase, said Director Suzanne Travisano. The council also wants to hear questions and comments about it, she said.  

The two firms have worked together on many projects, she said, including the Chicopee Senior Center, which opened in 2014.

She said she's really happy with the design so far. The new facility will have two spaces for fitness and exercise, among other accommodations. 

"It looks really good that we're going to be get the building size we really want," she said. The plan calls for a 12,000 square-foot-building on one floor with a metal roof.

The project will feature "an efficient heating and cooling system in a building built to last," she said.   

Right now, she said, they have to cancel four out of seven exercise classes in the summer each day because the current building -- the former Hooker School -- gets too hot. The three remaining classes are held in the morning.

Once the design is finished the council will seek construction estimates. If they have to scale the project back, she said, they can do so without sacrificing programming.

If needed, the council could launch a fundraising campaign to buy furniture or tech equipment.

The goal is to break ground in October with the building ready to open at the end of 2018.

White Hut in West Springfield named a top burger spot in America by Thrillist

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Western Massachusetts institution White Hut has received national acclaim.

Western Massachusetts institution White Hut has received national acclaim. 

James Beard award-winning writer Kevin Alexander traveled to 30 locations across the country to try 330 burgers, consuming an estimated 99,000 calories. Thrillist, an online publication focused on dining, travel and entertainment, has published his list of the top 100 burgers in America

"I am aiming for a mix of old-school spots and modern joints, looking for the best classic cheeseburger in America," Alexander wrote. "It can be a modern update to that concept or a riff on it, but this will not be a list of truffle or bison burgers."

White Hut came in third on the national ranking. Alexander calls the griddled patties topped with cheese and grilled onions the "gold-standard burger," the point of comparison for all other burgers. 

He wrote, of White Hut: 

This is the place, friends. This is the burger place of my youth, the place against which I judge all other burgers. I've been eating White Hut cheeseburgs (the "er" is never spoken or seen on the menu in the Hut) since before I had teeth. I've written long essays about what the Hut means to me and my family. I've recommended the Hut to everyone I've ever met both in person and online. I wear a White Hut T-shirt when I stare at the broken things in my house and try and fix them with magical thinking.

White Hut was ranked below two other places: Raoul's in New York City and the top spot, Stanich's in Portland, Oregon. Alexander wrote that Stanich's cheeseburger with grilled onions "is a national treasure." 

While not named the best burger in the country, Alexander said White Hut is "really, really" close. 

White Hut opened in West Springfield in 1939. The modest restaurant offers their famous burgers on their lunch menu alongside hot dogs, fries, onion rings, shakes and floats, as well as soft drinks and beer and wine. White Hut offers a small breakfast menu with custom breakfast sandwiches, one egg omelets and home fries. 

First-time customer? Spend the extra 50 cents and get fried onions on top of your burger. It's worth it. 

Five College Consortium to celebrate opening of book annex in Hatfield

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The Five College Consortium is celebrating the opening of its $14 million annex in Hatfield with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday and tours.

HATFIELD -- The Five College Consortium is celebrating the opening of its $14 million annex in Hatfield with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday and tours of the 35,000-square-foot facility. 

The annex provides shelf space for up to 2.5 million items from the Five College Repository Collection and from libraries of the campuses of the consortium --Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. That frees up space on the campuses for new materials and other academic needs.

 In addition, it will serve as a temporary home for much of the collection of Smith College's Neilson Library while it undergoes a major renovation, according to a press release.

According to an email from Kevin Kennedy, consortium communications director, Smith will begin moving books next month. 

The consortium originally planned to build the annex on a 46-acre parcel in Hadley but the town's Planning Board rejected the plans. The consortium sued the board but then opted to pursue another site.

The annex is located on a 12-acre parcel off of Interstate 91 near routes 5 and 10.

Location was important for the site to be accessible to the campuses.

MassDevelopment, the state's finance and development agency, issued tax-exempt bonds worth $10.08 million to finance the project. 


US Sen. Elizabeth Warren received $200k advance for latest book

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U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren reported nearly $224,000 in book-related income in 2016 -- the bulk of which came in relation to her most recent publication, "This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class."

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren reported nearly $224,000 in book-related income in 2016 -- the bulk of which came in relation to her most recent publication, "This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class." 

The Massachusetts Democrat collected $200,000 from publisher Henry Holt & Co. as part of an advance for her newest book, which was released in mid-April, according to an annual financial disclosure form filed earlier this month. 

In addition to the advance for her book, the senator reported more than $23,600 in royalties from CCH Inc. dba Wolters Kluwer Law & Business -- formerly Aspen Publishers -- for a series of textbooks and other publications she has helped author.

The amount the senator pulled in for her books in 2016, however, was far below that reported in earned, non-investment income in the previous year.

Warren, who has seven royalty agreements spanning from December 1985 to November 2016, reported collecting a $625,000 advance from Henry Holt & Co. and $29,374 in royalties from CCH Inc. dba Wolters Kluwer Law & Business in financial reports filed for 2015. 

Washington attorney Robert Barnett represented the senator for her new book, which sought to provide a historical context to America's middle class from the New Deal of the 1930s to present. It also included "candid accounts of her battles in the Senate, vivid stories about her life and work" and a plan for advancing progressive politics.

The Democrat pledged to give a portion of her author proceeds from her latest book to Massachusetts food banks and "has donated to The Greater Boston Food Bank, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Worcester County Food Bank and the Merrimack Valley Food Bank," said Warren adviser Kristen Orthman.

At least one of those food banks, however, said it was still waiting on its donation as of Wednesday.

Jean McMurray, executive director of the Worcester County Food Bank, said her organization had yet to receive the funds and was expecting a donation from the senator to come in the next week. 

The amount of that expected donation was unclear, she said, noting that the food bank had been told of the Democrat's plans to donate a portion of the net proceeds from her new book back in February. 

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren brings populist message to Mount Holyoke College

Warren, who has an agreement with Harvard Law School to hold the honorary title of emeritus professor, also reported $320 from Harvard University in imputed income from a life insurance policy, and less than $1,000 in spousal salary from the Cambridge-based college, according to personal financial disclosure data.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, by contrast, reported more than $1,000 in earned, non-investment income from the U.S. Coast Guard as part of his spouse's pension and more than $1,000 from the Global Health Institute, LLC in spousal salary, according to his 2016 annual personal financial disclosure form.

Senators receive an annual salary of $174,000.

Springfield firefighters agree to 10-year residency requirement for new hires; contract needs OK from City Council

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Springfield firefighters under a proposed contract have agreed to a 10-year residency requirement for all future hires. The agreement is approved by the mayor and awaiting a vote from the City Council.

SPRINGFIELD -- Mayor Domenic J. Sarno has signed a contract with the firefighters union that, if approved by the City Council, will require all firefighters hired July 8 or after to live in Springfield for at least 10 years.

The 10-year residency requirement is the first of its kind in Springfield. Currently there is no residency requirement for the firefighters union, but firefighters are mandated by state law and contract to live within 10 miles of the perimeter of Springfield.

The proposed four-year contract with the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 648, includes annual pay raises of 2 percent, retroactive to July 1, 2016, through 2019. It also includes an additional 1.5 percent increase on July 1 of this year.

"This is a fair and just contract for our brave and dedicated firefighters and our taxpayers," Sarno said. "We will bring this agreement our City Council on June 5 for review and a hopeful positive vote."

Many city councilors have been urging Sarno and William Mahoney, the city's director off labor relations, to continue pushing for residency clauses in city labor contracts. The issue of residency has spurred debate and disagreement for many years among elected officials and unions.

In April, the council rejected a proposed contract with the fire department's district chiefs, with councilors objecting that the proposed residency clause in that agreement only applied to future hires.

The contract for the firefighters also pertains solely to new hires, but some councilors were particularly concerned about higher-ranked personnel not living in Springfield.

The Springfield firefighters' union has approximately 227 members including firefighters, lieutenants and captains, Mahoney said.

Today firefighters have an hourly rate of pay ranging from $23.37 to $26.49. Lieutenants have an hourly rate of $30.62 to $31.27, and the captain rate is $35.42 to $36.17.

Under the proposed contract, firefighters hired on or after July 8 must live in the city "for a period of 10 years from their date of hire," Mahoney said.

"After that 10 years, they must live within the city or within 10 miles of the perimeter of the city," Mahoney said.

Under another contractual change, the city is allowed to implement a Narcan program, Mahoney said. Narcan (naloxone) is an opioid antidote that can be used by emergency personnel in dealing with overdoses.

Sarno praised the efforts of Mahoney, Springfield Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Timothy J. Plante, Fire Commissioner William Conant, and union officials including President Drew Piedmonte for their efforts related to the new contract proposal.

Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman donates basketball court to Springfield

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Working with the Springfield Police Department, Lieberman said the new outdoor court will go in a neighborhood of need to give kids a positive outlet.

SPRINGFIELD -- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman said Wednesday she is donating a basketball court to Springfield as part of her Nancy Lieberman Charities DreamCourts program.

Working with the Springfield Police Department, Lieberman, a member of the Hall's Class of 1996, said the new outdoor court will go in a neighborhood of need to give kids a positive outlet.

"It's called DreamCourts because that was my dream, to be on a basketball court," she said.

Lieberman, nicknamed "Lady Magic," was a two-time women's college basketball player of the year for Old Dominion University in 1979-80. She played with the Springfield Fame of the men's United States Basketball League in 1986, becoming the first woman to play on a men's professional team. She played with the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA's inaugural 1996-97 season.

Today, she is one of only two women to work as an assistant coach with an NBA team, the Sacramento Kings.

Lieberman, a member of the Hall of Fame Board of Governors, is in Springfield to attend a board meeting.

nancy-lieberman-dreamcourts.JPG11.10.2013 | LONG BEACH, N.Y. -- Actor and comedian Billy Crystal, right, joins basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman at the opening ceremony for two new DreamCourts in Long Beach, N.Y. The courts were constructed and opened one year post-Hurricane Sandy thanks to the Nancy Lieberman Foundation, WorldVentures Foundation and Billy and Janice Crystal.  

Advocates of creating a dog park in Ware tout its benefits to selectmen

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The town's Parks and Recreation Department, which will decide whether to approve the idea, has scheduled a public forum for 6:30 p.m. June 5 at Town Hall to discuss the matter.


WARE -- Advocates of a dog park in town met with selectmen on Tuesday, telling the board there are many benefits to the idea.

Melannie Barnes said that when Ware dog owners use the dog park nearby in Granby, they frequently run into Ware residents. She also said that many adults who do not have children have dogs, but that there is no playground for the animals in town.

The coalition supporting the idea hopes to secure a grant from the Stanton Foundation, telling selectmen the park could be built at no cost to taxpayers. The group created a Facebook page, Ware Dog Park, to inform the community about their plans.

Barnes and Brandy Bruso, who also spoke at the meeting, told selectmen they would prefer the dog park to be located within walking distance of the center of town so that those without vehicles could access it. They said the former Mount Carmel Parish property on Pleasant Street, which the town bought from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, would be an ideal location.

Selectmen said the group should consider town-owned land adjacent to the former municipal dump off Robbins Road. The board read aloud a May 2 letter from the town's planner, Ruben Flores-Marzan, asking dog park advocates to consider the Robbins Road location, saying it is near the river and would provide beautiful vistas. The board also suggested that the group meet with the planner to discuss the matter.

"I did try to meet with Ruben a few times. He was not very available, he would not meet with me outside his office hours -- he was not receptive," Barnes told the board.

Town Manager Stuart Beckley did not dispute Barnes' allegation, but said the planning department would be involved.

Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Nancy Talbot said that while more research may be needed, a dog park "is something needed in the community."

Selectman John Carroll said town bylaws may need to be amended. He said dogs must be leashed and under control at all times while on public land, but that in a dog park they run freely.

The town's Parks and Recreation Department, which will decide whether to approve the idea, has scheduled a public forum for 6:30 p.m. June 5 at Town Hall to discuss the matter.

Springfield man denies assaulting wife, urinating in kitchen and throughout house

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When officers arrived, David Krause was standing in the front yard holding a baseball glove and a plastic cup. He was handcuffed and placed in a cruiser without any further outbursts, police said.

SPRINGFIELD - Assuming he follows the judge's order, David F. Krause won't be drinking any more alcohol for a while.

Not after allegedly coming home drunk early Sunday, assaulting his wife, damaging her car and urinating in the kitchen and several other spots in their home in Springfield's Sixteen Acres neighborhood, according to the arrest report.

Krause, 31, pleaded not guilty Monday in Springfield District Court to one count of domestic assault and two counts of malicious damage over $250.

Assistant District Attorney Frederick Burns said police responded to a 911 call late Sunday morning from Krause's wife, who had locked herself in the bathroom following a bizarre outburst by her husband.

Earlier in the morning, Krause came home intoxicated and, after sleeping, went outside to cook food on a grill, the arrest report said. A few minutes later Krause, apparently angry after forgetting to turn on the grill, kicked in the front door, then walked into the kitchen and began urinating there, the report said.

He went on to urinate in other rooms, and then tried to "donkey-kick" his wife, but missed. At that point, he went back outside and used a heavy hose nozzle the crack the windshield of her car, the report said.

When police arrived, Krause was standing in the front yard holding a baseball glove and a plastic cup. He was handcuffed and placed in a cruiser without any further outbursts, the report said. The couple's two young children were home during the incident, the report said.

Following his arraignment Monday, Krause was released on $500 bail, the same amount he posted at police headquarters Sunday evening.

Judge Michele Ouimet-Rooke ordered him to refrain from abusing his wife. At the prosecutor's request, she also told him to avoid alcohol and submit to random testing while the charges are pending.

A Springfield native whose occupation is listed as laborer, Krause is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on July 12.

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