Details of the alleged assault were not immediately available, but Holyoke police arrested 23-year-old Dwight Street resident Steven A. Ruiz-Ruiz with attempted murder in connection with a Friday domestic incident.

Republican file photo

HOLYOKE -- Steven A. Ruiz-Ruiz, 23, of 1341 Dwight St., Holyoke, was charged with attempted murder and other offenses stemming from an incident reported to police at 4:13 a.m. Friday, according to Holyoke Police Department records.

A police shift commander was not immediately available to discuss the case early Saturday morning, but department records indicate that Ruiz-Ruiz also was charged with domestic assault and battery, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, and malicious destruction of property worth more than $250.

The location of the incident was Ruiz-Ruiz's Dwight Street residence, according to police records.

More information will be posted on MassLive.com as it become available.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of an alleged domestic assault on Friday that led to attempted-murder charges against a Holyoke man:


View Larger Map

Donald Petigny-Perry was placed on administrative leave from his job at Not Bread Alone, an Amherst-based soup kitchen and food pantry, after he allegedly broke into a car and home in Leverett on Wednesday.

Republican file photoIn this photo that appeared in The Republican on Feb. 28, 2010, Donald L. Petigny-Perry, kitchen coordinator of the Not Bread Alone soup kitchen in Amherst, is shown preparing food for the needy. Petigny-Perry, who at that time was only a few months into his tenure as coordinator, credited his Buddhist training for helping him to remain calm while preparing meals for dozens of people.

AMHERST -- The kitchen manager of a well-known Hampshire County food pantry has been suspended from that job pending the resolution of his criminal case.

Donald Petigny-Perry, kitchen coordinator for Not Bread Alone, a nonprofit Amherst community meals program, was placed on administrative leave after his arrest on breaking-and-entering charges in Leverett earlier this week, according to a published report.

"He is on administrative leave pending the outcome of his legal proceeding," Chris Yurko, communications manager for the Springfield-based Center for Human Development (CHD), told the Daily Hampshire Gazette for its Friday edition.

Not Bread Alone, which offers free homemade meals and groceries to anyone in need, is one of 40 social-service programs administered by CHD, which serves communities in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Petigny-Perry was held on cash bail after he denied the charges Friday in Orange District Court.

He was arrested Wednesday for allegedly stealing an iPad and money during break-ins to a Leverett home and car, police said.

Authorities told The Recorder that the iPad included tracking software that allowed the owners to keep tabs on its whereabouts.

Yurko, who could not immediately be reached for comment, told the Gazette that Not Bread Alone will continue to function from its home at the First Congregational Church, 165 Main St., Amherst.

The newly created state designation could bring marketing and other opportunities to the eclectic Franklin County village, known for its arts, crafts and dining, among other things.

Republican file photoThe Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls is already a big draw for this village nestled high in the hills of Franklin County. But area leaders are now exploring the idea of applying to become a "cultural district," a newly created state designation that brings with it the possibility of economic and marketing opportunities.

SHELBURNE FALLS -- This funky Franklin County village is hoping to further its reputation as an eclectic home for the arts, crafts and cuisine by securing a so-called cultural district designation from the state, which could lead to grants, tax credits and marketing opportunities for Shelburne Falls.

Town leaders in Shelburne and Buckland, who jointly oversee the Mohawk Trail village, are considering applying for the designation, according to a Friday report in The Recorder.

A cultural district is a "specific geographical area in a city or town that has a concentration of cultural facilities, activities and assets," according to the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Such areas typically are compact, walkable places that serve as centers of "cultural, artistic and economic activity," the council states.

Any Massachusetts municipality interested in seeking cultural-district status "must establish a partnership with other organizations and stakeholders," according to application guidelines. "Cities or towns may apply for more than one cultural district, but each designation must be applied for separately," the guidelines state.

The Massachusetts Cultural Council says the goal is to:

-- attract artists and cultural enterprises
-- encourage business and job development
-- establish the district as a tourist destination
-- preserve and reuse historic buildings
-- enhance property values
-- foster local cultural development

Shelburne Falls has a long tradition of artistry and craftsmanship, including people whose mediums include clay, fabric, glass, metal, oils, stone, wood and wool.

In the 1960s and '70s, the village experienced an invasion of artists and craftspeople seeking an affordable place to build homes and studios. Today, Shelburne Falls is home to numerous potters, glassblowers, painters, photographers, weavers, metal smiths, woodworkers and other craftspeople.

Mary Vilbon, of the Shelburne Falls Area Business Association, is a leading proponent of making the village a cultural district, a designation created by the state Legislature last year and launched in April.

Vilbon said Shelburne would serve as lead town in the application, which must be approved by both Buckland and Shelburne selectmen, The Recorder reported in its Friday edition.

The boundaries of the cultural district would mirror the boundaries of the village itself.

Kim M. Nardi, 42, of 19 Elm Ave., West Springfield, was arrested shortly before 6 p.m. Friday after stealing 155 items from the Kmart store at 2211 Northampton St., according to Holyoke Police Lt. Michael Higgins.

Associated Press

HOLYOKE -- Paper City authorities nabbed a West Springfield woman who went on a Friday afternoon shoplifting spree at Kmart, according to Holyoke Police Lt. Michael J. Higgins.

Kim M. Nardi, 42, of 19 Elm Ave., was arrested at 5:43 p.m. Friday for stealing 155 items valued at $615.43, Higgins said Saturday.

"They (Kmart security) watched her on camera putting the items in reusable shopping bags," the lieutenant said.

Nardi apparently brought her own bags into the Kmart store, located at 2211 Northampton St., and stuffed them with dozens of items, Higgins said.

She will be arraigned Monday on larceny charges in Holyoke District Court.

The Maccabi Games, an athletic competition for Jewish teenagers, will draw 600 athletes from 31 visiting delegations to Springfield Aug. 14 through 15.

Photo by Sandra Constantine / The RepublicanZachary S.Chernick and Stuart J. Greene, director of health and physical education at the Springfield Jewish Community Center, talk about the upcoming Maccabi Games, an athletic event for Jewish teen-agers.

SPRINGFIELD – Sixteen-year-old Longmeadow soccer enthusiast Zachary S. Chernick cannot wait until the week of Aug. 14 when the Jewish Community Center hosts more than 600 visiting Jewish teenage athletes.

The 600 athletes will be members of 31 visiting delegations of Jewish teenagers 13 to 16 years old from Mexico, Israel, Canada and the United States. They will join 114 local teen-agers in the annual Maccabi Games.

“It’s my favorite part of the summer,” Chernick said during a recent interview at the Jewish Community Center.

This summer will be his fourth year in a row taking part in Macabi games. Chernick’s first year he competed in flag football before moving on to soccer, the sport in which he will compete during this year’s games Aug. 14 through 19. There will also be games in Philadelphia at the same time, with games having been held already in Israel the last week of July.

“It’s really, really competitive,” said Chernick, who added that despite that the young athletes manage to strike up friendships.

Locally, Maccabi games will be held at Springfield College, American International College and Western New England University as well as at the Jewish Community Center. Athletes, both male and female, will compete in volleyball, tennis, table tennis, basketball, soccer, and track and field.

Photo by Michael S. Gordon / The RepublicanThomas J. Kent, director of maintenance at the Springfield Jewish Community Center, scrubs the canvas awning over the entrance Wednesday in advance of the opening of the 2011 Maccabi Games that run August 14-19. The Springfield version of the national event is expected to host more than 600 young athletes.

The Macabbi Games for teen-agers were inspired by the Maccabiah Games, which are a sort of Olympics held in Israel every four years for adults. The competitions for teen-agers started in 1982 and are under the aegis of Jewish community centers.

The games are named after Judah of Maccabee, who led the Judean revolt against the Greco-Syrian empire.

Stuart J. Greene, director of health and physical education at the local Jewish Community Center and who is running the local games, said the connection to Judah Maccabee bespeaks great fortitude and strength of character.

Greene said the local games cost about $750,000 a year to pull off. However, a great deal of that is from in-kind donations from local institutions like the two colleges and one university that are hosting games, according to him.

“This is such a important project that it is made to happen,” Greene said.

The games are a big boon to the local economy, he noted. The athletes are put up in private homes, but parents, coaches, other relatives and friends who want to watch the action patronize local hotels and restaurants for the duration of the week, according to Greene.

For security reasons, the games are not open to the public at large. People who have a connection to the Jewish community and want to be spectators may get permission to attend the events from the Springfield Jewish Community Center. Greene said when the local center hosted competitions in 2002 it was asked by the government not to publicize them out of concerns for safety in the immediate post 9-11 world.

A military helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing 31 U.S. special operation troops and seven Afghan commandos, the country's president said Saturday.

ADDS DATE OF CRASH - FILE - A US Marine tries to take cover, perched on a container, trying to shelter from the dust as a Chinook helicopter arrives to pick up supplies at Forward Operating Base Edi in the Helmand Province of southern Afghanistan, in this June 9, 2011 file photo. Afghan President Hamid Karzai says 31 U.S. special forces and seven Afghan soldiers were killed when a helicopter, similar to the one shown crashed in eastern Wardak province Saturday Aug. 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File)

By SOLOMON MOORE, Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A military helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing 31 U.S. special operation troops and seven Afghan commandos, the country's president said Saturday. An American official said it was apparently shot down, in the deadliest single incident for American forces in the decade-long war.

The Taliban claimed they downed the helicopter with rocket fire while it was taking part in a raid on a house where insurgents were gathered in the province of Wardak late Friday. It said wreckage of the craft was strewn at the scene.

NATO confirmed the overnight crash took place and that there "was enemy activity in the area." But it said it was still investigating the cause and conducting a recovery operation at the site. It did not release details or casualty figures.

"We are in the process of accessing the facts," said U.S. Air Force Capt. Justin Brockhoff, a NATO spokesman.

But a senior U.S. administration official in Washington said it was apparently shot down. by insurgents. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the crash is still being investigated.

The toll would surpass the worst single day loss of life for the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001 — the June 28, 2005 downing of a military helicopter in eastern Kunar province. In that incident, 16 Navy SEALs and Army special operations troops were killed when their craft was shot down while on a mission to rescue four SEALs under attack by the Taliban. Three of the SEALs being rescued were also killed and the fourth wounded. It was the highest one-day death toll for the Navy Special Warfare personnel since World War II.

With its steep mountain ranges, providing shelter for militants armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers, eastern Afghanistan is hazardous terrain for military aircraft. Large, slow-moving air transport carriers like the CH-47 Chinook are particularly vulnerable, often forced to ease their way through sheer valleys where insurgents can achieve more level lines of fire from mountainsides.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday gave the first public word of the new crash, saying in a statement that "a NATO helicopter crashed last night in Wardak province" and that 31 American special operations troops were killed. He expressed his condolences to President Barack Obama.

The helicopter was a twin-rotor Chinook, said an official at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was receiving his information from an Afghan officer in Kabul.

The crash took place in the Sayd Abad district of Wardak province, said a provincial government spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid. The volatile region borders the province of Kabul where the Afghan capital is located and is known for its strong Taliban presence.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that Taliban fighters downed the helicopter during a "heavy raid" in Sayd Abad. He said NATO attacked a house in Sayd Abad where insurgent fighters were gathering Friday night. During the battle, the fighters shot down the helicopter, killing 31 Americans and seven Afghans, he said, adding that eight insurgents were killed in the fight.

There have been at least 17 coalition and Afghan aircraft crashes in Afghanistan this year.

Most of the crashes were attributed to pilot errors, weather conditions or mechanical failures. However, the coalition has confirmed that at least one CH-47F Chinook helicopter was hit by a rocket propelled grenade on July 25. Two coalition crew members were injured in that attack.

Meanwhile, in the southern Helmand province, an Afghan government official said Saturday that NATO troops attacked a house and inadvertently killed eight members of a family, including women and children.

NATO said that Taliban fighters fired rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire at coalition troops during a patrol Friday in the Nad Ali district.

"Coalition forces responded with small arms fire and as the incident continued, an air strike was employed against the insurgent position," said Brockhoff. He added that NATO sent a delegation to meet with local leaders and investigate the incident.

Nad Ali district police chief Shadi Khan said civilians died in the bombardment but that it was unknown how many insurgents were killed.

Helmand, a Taliban stronghold, is the deadliest province in Afghanistan for international troops.

NATO has come under harsh criticism in the past for accidentally killing civilians during operations against suspected insurgents. However, civilian death tallies by the United Nations show the insurgency is responsible for most war casualties involving noncombatants.

In south Afghanistan, NATO said two coalition service member were killed, one on Friday and another on Saturday. The international alliance did not release further details.

With the casualties from the helicopter crash, the deaths bring to 365 the number of coalition troops killed this year in Afghanistan and 42 this month.

A taxi driver claimed a man pulled a gun on him when he arrived to pick up a fare on Leyfred Terrace shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday.

Republican file photo

SPRINGFIELD -- Police are investigating a robbery attempt on a taxi driver in the city's Forest Park neighborhood early Saturday.

A cabbie claimed that a black man with braided hair pulled a gun on him when he arrived to pick up a fare in the 100 block of Leyfred Terrace around 4:45 a.m.

The driver took off when he saw the gun, according to Springfield police reports, which did not indicate if the armed assailant took any money or belongings from the driver.

More information will be posted on MassLive.com as it becomes available.

Fire Chief Russ Anderson called the rescue “an example of how fire and police departments can work together for a common cause with a great result.”

GRANBY – Eight emergency responders were honored in a quiet ceremony earlier this week at the Public Safety Complex in Granby for their quick work in saving the life of a Granby man in June.

“We have a great team here,” said Granby Fire Chief Russ Anderson, referring to the collaboration of police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians in the case.

Anderson said the rescue of the Granby resident, who “is still at home and doing well,” was particularly meaningful because Granby had recently won the designation of “HeartSafe Community” from the Western Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services.

To earn the designation, Granby had to place defibrillators throughout the community, including Town Hall, police cruisers and schools, said Anderson. Defibrillators are electric devices that restore a heartbeat.

The town also had to show that staff were trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and had to offer CPR training to townspeople. Two workshops have been offered so far this year.

Since June, with the approval of Town Meeting, Granby has also invested in an automatic CPR machine.

Anderson described the June case as “an example of how fire and police departments can work together for a common cause with a great result.”

According to Anderson, the patient was at home when he lost consciousness and appeared not to be breathing. A family member called 911.

Police and firefighters reached him in six minutes.

The Granby firefighters honored for the rescue were Lieutenant Michael Pandora, Captain William Scribner, George Randall and David Engelbrecht. Police officers were Sargeant Kevin Grady and Officer Kurt Carpenter. EMT Catherine Dudley and Belchertown paramedic Rich Aldrich were also honored.

Pandora, Scribner, Randall and Engelbrecht are also EMTs.

Following comments by Anderson and Granby Police Chief Alan Wishart, the honorees received certificates and T-shirts bearing the words “I saved a life” from Physio-Control, manufacturers of defibrillation equipment. About two dozen people attended the ceremony, including family members of the quiet heroes.

Two Mass. men with a pirate flag on their boat were charged for a water-bound robbery; Lucille Ball turns 100; and more of the morning's headlines.

The first lady of comedy Lucille Ball would have turned 100 today. In her hometown of Jamestown, N.Y., she is being honored by an annual festival in her name and a Guiness Book of World records attempt to have the most Lucy look-alikes in one place.

• Memo shows Hartford police were called to dead woman's house and didn't respond [Courant.com]


• $1 million mystery donor to PAC for Mitt Romney ID’s himself [Boston.com]


• Budget cuts across state decrease speeding ticket rates [BerkshireEagle.com]


• Massachusetts 'pirate' boaters face burglary charges [EagleTribune.com]


• Train service in Fitchburg delayed after woman's body found [WorcesterTelegram.com]


• West Haven man pleads guilty in slaying of 7-year-old girl [NewHavenRegister.com]


First lady of comedy Lucille Ball remembered on her 100th birthday
• Twitter posts tagged #westernma in Western Mass. [MassLive.com]


• Read more News Links »


• Do you have News Links? Send them our way or tweet them to @masslivenews

NOTE: Users of modern browsers can open each link in a new tab by holding 'control' ('command' on a Mac) and clicking each link.

Since it was founded in 1988 as part of the Boston Harbor cleanup, the state has awarded more than $19 million in grants through this program, according to the release.

AMHERST – Amherst and Greenfield are receiving grants from the state thanks to environmentalists purchasing special license plates.

Amherst is receiving a $47,030 grant to remove the Bartlett Fish Rod Co. Dam on Amethyst Brook in Pelham. This will restore upstream fish passage for migratory and resident fish species and improve water quality and in-stream habitat, according to a press release.

Greenfield is receiving $16,552 to study macroinvertebrate communities in small headwater streams in forested portions of the Deerfield River watershed, according to the release.

They are awards are among the $488,998 in 15 grants from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust for projects to protect and restore rivers, watersheds, and wildlife across the state.

Money comes from the sale of the state’s three environmentally-themed specialty license plates: the Right Whale Tail, the Leaping Brook Trout, and the Blackstone Valley Mill.

Money is given to any municipal or non-profit project that benefits water resources, said spokesman Reginald Zimmerman. Initially 71 applied for the money, he said.

Since it was founded in 1988 as part of the Boston Harbor cleanup, the state has awarded more than $19 million in grants through this program, according to the release.

Besides Amherst and Greenfield, the University of Massachusetts in Boston received $35,000 to establish a network of five long-term river restoration monitoring sites and collect the first phase of pre- and post-restoration data at dam removal sites in the state, according to a press release.

Lee received $22,931 to assess and prioritize culverts and barriers in the Housatonic Watershed, and recommend necessary replacement for integration into highway plans.

Roblero R. Perez, 28, and 24-year-old Alejandro Reyes allegedly slashed the man in the forehead and arms before stealing $1,000 and fleeing in a bright yellow Dodge Neon toward Main Street.

Police say this bright yellow Dodge Neon allegedly used as the getaway vehicle led them right to Roblero R. Perez and Alejandro Reyes. (Springfield police photo)

This is an update to a story posted at 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

SPRINGFIELD - Police say a bright yellow getaway vehicle led them to the two men allegedly behind a machete attack that sent a man to the hospital Friday night.

Around 11:30 p.m., police were called to the front yard of 96 Calhoun St. in the city's North End for a report of a stabbing victim lying on the ground.

When officers arrived, they performed first aid on the victim, who was bleeding from his head and arms, and called for an ambulance.

"The victim stated that he walking on Calhoun Street when he approached by two subjects described as Mexicans wearing dark clothing," said Sgt. John Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William Fitchet in a press release on Saturday. "The victim stated that he was attacked and one of the males wielded a large machete, striking him in the forehead and arms."

Roblero R. Perez, 28, of 2517 Main Street and Alejandro Reyes, 24, with no known address, were arrested on Friday for allegedly using a machete to attack and rob a man in the city's North End. (Springfield police booking photos)

Roblero R. Perez, 28, and 24-year-old Alejandro Reyes allegedly stole $1,000 from the victim and drove off in a bright yellow Dodge Neon toward Main Street.

The conspicuous car was then spotted by Sgt. Phil Tarpey near West and Plainfield streets, Delaney said.

Tarpey called for backup and a search of the yellow Dodge yielded the machete allegedly used in the attack that left the victim with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

Delaney said the victim identified Perez and Reyes as the attackers, who were both charged with armed robbery and held over the weekend until arraignment in Springfield District Court on Monday.

The victim was treated at the Baystate Medical Center and released.

Republican reporter Conor Berry contributed to this report.

A recent study shows that visits to the principal's office for discipline in West Springfield schools are down to 1,144 from 1,235 last year.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Trips to the principal’s office for discipline in the city’s middle school and five elementary schools declined by 7.4 percent for last academic year, according to a study by a School Department consultant.

The study shows that in the 2010-2011 academic year such visits declined to 1,144 from the 1,235 the previous academic year. It was written by Christine McGrath, a Providence, R.I. educational consultant with a doctorate in psychology with an emphasis on positive behavior interventions and supports from the University of Oregon. She could not be reached for comment.

School Superintendent Russell D. Johnston said Thursday that figures for visits to the principal’s office in the city’s middle and elementary schools are below national norms. The middle school is below the 50th percentile nationally. Coburn, Fausey, Mittineague and Tatham elementary schools are below the 25 percentile nationally. Memorial Elementary School is below the 75 percentile nationally.

Johnston attributed the lower rates of discipline in the schools to the system’s Check In, Check Out program.

It involves linking students who have become discipline problems with a teacher or teacher’s aide with whom they meet at the beginning and end of each school day. The students set goals for the day and review their progress at the end of the day. Most students in that program remain in it a few months. After making improvements, they are phased out of the program.

“They develop a trusting relationship with a caring adult who helps them improve their behaviors by learning from what happens to them and how they can improve their behavior the next day,” Johnston said.

The School Department works closely with the Agawam School Department, which also has a Check In, Check Out program. Educators from both school systems met regularly and share strategies, according to Johnston.

“We combine forces,” the school superintendent said.

By collecting and analyzing data on disciplinary visits to the principal’s office, educators are able to track trends. One is that discipline problems in the elementary schools tend to increase in March, when students are just going back to having recess outside.

“We can plan for improvements for the next March,” Johnston said.

A quick-moving fire at 96 Yarmouth St. in Longmeadow displaced a family of three and their dog Saturday around 12:30 a.m.

Republican file photo

LONGMEADOW - A quick-moving fire at a Yarmouth Street home in Longmeadow displaced a family of three and their dog Saturday morning.

According to Capt. William Deford of the Longmeadow Fire Department, the 911 call came in at 12:34 a.m. reporting a structure fire at 96 Yarmouth St. A Longmeadow police officer was first on the scene, and reported that the attached garage was fully involved and the flames were spreading into the house.

Deford said the family living in the ranch-style home was able to get out before the flames spread to the living area, but the house was extensively damaged in the incident.

Mutual aid was requested and three local fire departments moved to help the neighboring town. Deford said the East Longmeadow Fire Department sent a ladder truck, the North Thompsonville Fire Department from northern Enfield, Conn. arrived with an engine and Engine 3 from Springfield covered the Longmeadow Fire Dept.'s station.

"The cause is currently under investigation but preliminary information suggests it may have been electrical in nature," Deford said. "We are looking at the area where utility service comes into the home."

Deford said that no one was injured in the fire and that neighbors were caring for the now homeless family throughout the night.

This map shows the approximate location of the home that was extensively damaged by a fire Saturday morning.

View Larger Map

In Ludlow, steel from the World Trade Center will be surrounded by a granite pentagon; the site will be landscaped with grass to represent the Shanksville, Pa., field where United Flight 93 went down. Watch video

File photo | The RepublicanLudlow Fire Department captains James Machado (left) and John Moll are seen with a piece of steel from the World Trade Center in New York, which was destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The steel is being used for a 9/11 memorial on the grounds of fire headquarters.

LUDLOW – With donations from the Department of Public Works and contractors in town, the Fire Department is preparing the site for the 2,200-pound remnant of twisted steel from the Sept. 11 World Trade Center collapse.

“We’re going to surround the steel with a granite pentagon to represent the attack on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.,” Fire Capt. John Moll said.

He said the structure will be landscaped with tall grasses that will represent the field in Shanksville, Pa., where United Airlines Flight 93 went down.

So far town DPW workers have removed trees at the intersection of Chapin and Center Streets in preparation for the erection of the monument.

The trees had grown so much that they were impeding visibility, Moll said. The trees have been removed with the permission of the town, he said.

“This is a good site,” Moll said. “Many people drive by this site every day.”

The monument will be ready for a dedication which is being planned for this Sept. 11, the 10-year anniversary of the terroist attack on the World Trade Center.

In April, Fire Capt. James Machado and Fire Capt. Jeffery Lavoie borrowed a flat-bed truck from the town’s Department of Public Works and drove to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to pick up the steel that had been reserved for the Fire Department for use in a memorial to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The 10-foot long piece of steel is from the North Tower. The North Tower collapsed on top of the South Tower. Steel from the South Tower is more fused together, Machado said.

Michael S. Gordon - The RepublicanA view of the 18-foot beams on the flatbed trailer in front of the Enfield Fire Department

Firefighters in Enfield, Conn., also are erecting a 9/11 monument, constructed of two, 16-foot pieces of steel from the Twin Towers.

Each piece weighs 2,400 pounds and will be erected in front of Fire Department headquarters on Weymouth Road.

The monument will be dedicated on Sept. 11, following a parade.

“The two pieces of steel will be erected to signify the Twin Towers,” Enfield Fire Lt. Brian Ellis said.

One of the men killed in the attack on the World Trade Center was Nicholas Humber, 60, a graduate of Ludlow High School who was living in Newton. The director of commercial sales for a California-based corporation, Humber was traveling on business and was aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first of two jetliners that were crashed into the twin towers.

Moll said that 343 firefighters from New York City lost their lives in the attack on the World Trade Center, and a total of 3,000 people lost their lives across the country.

“Firefighters are a close-knit community, but we want to remember all the people killed in the attack,” Moll said.

He said that erecting the monument is “the right thing to do.”

“We don’t want to ever forget,” he said.

The victim told police that Ruiz-Ruiz pushed her and held his elbow to her throat before destroying their apartment while two children were in the home.

Republican file photo

This is an update to a story posted at 4:15 a.m. Saturday.

HOLYOKE - A Holyoke man with previous domestic violence charges was charged with attempted murder on Friday, following what police say was a violent domestic dispute.

According to Holyoke police Lt. Michael Higgins, police were called to 1341 Dwight St. Apt. 1R around 4:13 a.m. Friday.

When officers arrived, they were greeted by the female victim's sister who brought them in to find the victim shaking and crying at the kitchen table.

The victim told police that she had a verbal argument with 23-year-old Steven A. Ruiz-Ruiz in the bedroom and that when she turned her back to him, he pushed her into a radiator, Higgins said.

"She said that he pushed his elbow into her throat, choking her," Higgins said. "She said that she almost passed out but was able to grab a spray bottle with bleach inside it, and she sprayed him in the face. He then released her, but pushed her again and grabbed the bottle from her, pouring it into a dresser full of her clothes."

Higgins said Ruiz-Ruiz then punched and destroyed the monitor attached to the victim's computer and went to the kitchen to retrieve a knife.

"He then made his way to the living room and sliced up all the leather furniture and tossed the flat-screen TV, smashing it on the floor," Higgins said. "She said he left the house at this point, but started texting her. He told her that if she called the police he would kill himself. He said he wanted to work it out and offered to buy her something to eat."

The victim called the police and Ruiz-Ruiz returned to the apartment while officers were there. Higgins said there were bullets in the house he wasn't allowed to legally possess, and they were confiscated.

Ruiz-Ruiz was taken into custody and charged with attempted murder, domestic assault and battery, malicious destruction of property and possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card.

Ruiz-Ruiz was previously arrested in May 2010 on charges of domestic assault and battery and aggravated assault and battery on a pregnant woman.

He was arraigned in Holyoke District Court on Friday but the details from his appearance weren't immediately available.

Republican reporter Conor Berry contributed to this report.

Mayor Michael Bissonnette wants to end the practice of having voters elect the treasurer and other positions.

Republican file photo

CHICOPEE – A question asking voters if they want to restructure the city’s financial organization will not appear on the November ballot.

Michael Bissonnette

Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette, who is proposing the changes, brought the question to the City Council to ask members if they want to place it on the ballot. The City Council declined and instead moved it to the ordinance committee for more study.

Bissonnette’s proposal is to create the position of financial manager who would oversee the offices of treasurer, tax collector, auditor and assessors. The proposal includes ending the practice of having voters elect positions such as treasurer and assessors and having them appointed instead.

His plan also includes bringing the school department budget offices under the financial manager as well to make it more efficient.

“The idea is to have someone with professional credentials,” he said. Under the current system, someone with no financial background could be elected to run the treasurer’s office.

By bringing all the financial departments under one manager it will also help communications, Bissonnette said. He said he has twice discovered financial issues about the city through a third-party.

City Councilor James K. Tillotson said it is easier for the council to try to change government through ordinances than by election.

Tillotson, who serves as chairman of the ordinance committee, said the group will look at the possibility of creating a financial manager but is not enthusiastic about the idea of changing a century-old practice of having voters elect the treasurer, collector and assessors.

“The important thing is most of the councilors want them elected,” he said.

But Tillotson said he is not sure that can work since an elected official does not typically answer to a boss other than the voters.

Because there is an Aug. 23 deadline to place any questions on the ballot, Tillotson said the issue will not be resolved in the November election.

“It is not going to happen. We don’t even meet until September,” he said.

There are two ways to put a question on the ballot: one requires a vote of the City Council and approval from the mayor; a petition signed by about 4,000 registered voters also can get a question on the ballot.

Bissonnette said there is not enough time to start collecting signatures. If necessary he may consider doing it for the November 2012 election.

A Holyoke woman found two bones and police retrieved another in her Queen Street garden.

(AP File Photo from Peru)

HOLYOKE - Police are investigating after a Holyoke woman found bones as she was planting in her garden on Friday.

Holyoke police Lt. Michael Higgins said that officers were called to 98 Queen St. just before 2 p.m. after a resident reported making the disturbing discovery while digging a hole for a plant.

Higgins said that when officers arrived, the woman had already retrieved two bones from her garden. One was a 4-inch bone which appeared to have been cut with a saw and the other was a 6-inch bone with one broken end.

A little digging by the officers revealed another 3-inch bone, Higgins said, and all three have been sent to the state medical examiner's office in Boston for testing.

"As a rule, these types of findings usually end up being someone's pet that was buried in the back yard," Higgins said, "but we want to be sure before making any conclusions."

Higgins said he wasn't sure how long it would take to get results back from Boston.

By law, campaign finance reports must be filed on a monthly basis, and then twice a month in the final 6 months of an election year.

The Republican | Mark M. MurrayAmaad Rivera, who has served as Springfield Ward 6 City Councilor since January, has not had any campaign finance reports on file since October 2009

SPRINGFIELD – Ward 6 City Councilor Amaad I. Rivera has not had any campaign finance reports on file since October 2009, a span of 19 months, according to public records with the city and state.

Rivera, who has served as the ward councilor since January due to the resignation of former Councilor Keith Wright, blamed the lapse in reports on a “technical error.” He was a first-time candidate in the 2009 election, losing to Wright.

Rivera said the finance reports, which detail campaign receipts and expenditures, will become public by late August. He said he did switch banks at one point, and said a problem was caused by a technical error.

He declined further comment.

By law, campaign finance reports must be filed on a monthly basis, and then twice a month in the final six months of an election year, according to a representative of the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. The candidate is personally liable for a late fine of $25 per day for each day the report is late, according to campaign finance law.

An official with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance declined comment on Rivera’s case on Friday, except to confirm that two documents were submitted by Rivera’s campaign by facsimile on Friday afternoon.

Specifically, Rivera’s committee transmitted a copy of its appointment of a depository bank, dated July 1, and filed a “statement of organization,” dated Dec. 11, 2010.

In October 2009, in his last report on file with the city and state, Rivera reported a balance of $1,371, and liabilities of $2,000.

When asked for reports since that date by The Republican and MassLive, Rivera said they would become available by late August.

Beginning in January 2010, candidates for ward seats on the Springfield council were required to begin filing with the state, rather than with the city.

At-large council candidates and mayoral candidates also file reports with the state.

New candidates also must file an initial campaign finance report with the state within three business days of designating a depository bank and then file regular reports, according to a campaign finance guide provided by the state.

Keep up with municipal elections in Western Mass.

• Agawam
• Chicopee
• Easthampton
• Holyoke
• Northampton
• Springfield
• West Springfield
• Westfield

City Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola said Friday she was contacted by the state regarding Rivera’s absence of finance reports.

All local candidates, including Rivera, were informed of the need to file with the state office, Oyola said.

“I am hoping he has accurate records so that he can forward them to the OCPF office,” Oyola said.

All other councilors except at-large Councilor Thomas M. Ashe had regular reports on file through July 31. The three candidates for mayor also had reports on file through July 31.

Ashe had records through February of this year, and then said that a switch of banks and an improperly filled-out form apparently triggered an interruption in reports to the state. His deposits in May and July, however, are recorded, a state official said.

Ashe said he was correcting the situation Friday. He estimated he has a $3,000 balance in his campaign coffers.

The council switched from nine at-large seats to a mix of five at-large seats and eight ward seats in the 2009 election.

Rivera has chosen to run for an at-large seat in the fall election, rather than his ward seat, and is certified for the ballot.

Vautrain grew up in eastern Massachusetts.

Republican staff photo by David MolnarCol. Steven D. Vautrain, right, receives the wing guidon from Major General James T. Rubeor as Col. Robert R. Swain Jr, far right, looks on at the 439th Airlift Wing's Change of Command ceremony at Westover Air Reserve Base.

CHICOPEE – Col. Steven D. Vautrain took command of Westover Air Reserve Base from Col. Robert R. Swain Jr. in a formal ceremony at the base Saturday.

Vautrain, a 28-year member of the Air Force who is leaving his job as chief of deployment and distributions operations for the United States Transportation Command in Illinois, officially begins his new position Sunday. He is a pilot who has spent time in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as serving as a tactics officer and a commander of an operations group.

“Thank you most of all to the men and women of the Patriot Wing,” Vautrain said in front of guests and about 1,200 members of the 439th Airlift Wing which is based at Westover. “We will continue to be the best wing in the Air Force.”

He said he was honored to be named as commander, listing awards and accomplishments the wing has received over the past few years.

“You contributions have not gone unnoticed,” he said. “My goal as your commander is to continue the shining example of the 439th Airlift Wing.”

He also promised to work closely with the surrounding community, continuing efforts that Swain focused on during his three years as commander.

Swain, who is taking a new position with the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon and is being promoted from colonel to brigadier general, thanked his family and thanked and praised the people he has worked with for the last three years at Westover.

During the ceremony Swain received the Legion of Merit Award.

Two other members of the wing, Master Sgt. Arjel R. Falcon, of Springfield, and Senior Master Sgt. Christopher F. Kellam, of Wilbraham, were awarded the Bronze Star during the ceremony for their exceptional work in Afghanistan. Kellam also received the Purple Heart.

Swain talked about the wing’s accomplishments, increased accountability and excellent leadership by members.

“When the call comes down you have always filled the bill,” he said.

In passing the ceremonial flag to Vautrain, Swain said “Steve and Katie, welcome home.”

Vautrain grew up in Winchester and his grandparents lived in South Hadley. His wife, Katie, a geriatric social worker, grew up in New Hampshire.

Maj. Gen. James T. Rubeor, commander of the 22nd Air Force at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia, presided over the change of command ceremony.

He talked about the importance of the base, especially in supplying equipment to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Westover is the closest base to Europe which flies the C-5 Galaxy cargo jets, meaning it can carry more cargo because it does not to carry as much fuel.

He also praised the wing for its recent accomplishments.

“We had a hard time picking an officer who would live up to those standards,” he said.

While Michael Bardsley and David Narkewicz agree that the cost of waste disposal will inevitably rise, they also believe people can save money by learning to reduce their waste.

File photos | The RepublicanMichael Bardsley, left, and David Narkiewicz, right, are candidates to succeed Mary Clare Higgins as mayor of Northampton.

NORTHAMPTON – When they peer into the future, the two candidates for mayor of Northampton see city residents striving to reduce the amount of trash they generate and paying more to dispose of it.

While David J. Narkewicz envisions the city playing a major role in this, Michael A. Bardsley would prefer Northampton got out of the waste business altogether.

As of now, Bardsley and Narkewicz are the only candidates to replace Mayor Mary Clare Higgins in the November election. Narkewicz, the council president, will assume the mayoral duties when Higgins leaves office in September to head a human services agency in Greenfield. Bardsley, a former council president, sat in for Higgins on a number of occasions as well during his tenure on the council.

Keep up with municipal elections in Western Mass.

• Agawam
• Chicopee
• Easthampton
• Holyoke
• Northampton
• Springfield
• West Springfield
• Westfield

The discussion of Northampton’s future waste disposal needs starts with the closing of the city’s municipal landfill on Glendale Road, which is scheduled to reach capacity next year. In 2010, voters endorsed a ballot question calling on the city to drop plans to expand the facility into an adjoining space. Bardsley helped organize that effort. Following that vote, Narkewicz and two other councilors proposed an ordinance to ban landfills in water supply districts, effectively killing the project.

Both Narkewicz and Bardsley would like to se a “reuse center” in Northampton, where residents can bring used or unwanted items that might have value to others. Although Narkewicz is studying the issue as part of a task force, Bardsley believes it can be done informally, without the need for a city facility.

While Bardsley and Narkewicz agree that the cost of waste disposal will inevitably rise, they also believe people can save money by learning to reduce their waste.

“That’s why it’s important to be proactive,” Narkewicz said.

Here's a look at what else the candidates had to say about the issue. Follow more coverage on our Northampton election page.

Michael Bardsley

Although both men came down against the extension, Bardsley says he was the first to come to that conclusion.

“I was saying we should close the landfill two years before,” he said. “The whole planing part was askew.”

Maintaining that Northampton has lagged behind other communities in recycling, Bardsley has called for more aggressive efforts, saying that no one can know the city’s potential waste stream until the public has more incentive to recycle and more options for getting rid of household waste.

Bardsley said Northampton residents must wean themselves off the landfill so they make changes in their waste disposal habits.

“People are very landfill dependent,” he said. “There have been a lack of options.”

David Narkiewicz

Narkewicz was a member of the Solid Waste Task Force that developed recommendations for the future of waste disposal in the city. He endorses a plan that would keep both transfer stations open to residents, while allowing those that don’t want to use the facilities to hire private contractors to pick their trash up.

Narkewicz also is involved with the Massachusetts Product Stewardship Council, which is trying to get manufacturers to take more responsibility for creating disposable products and recyclable packaging.

“People could put these things on the curbside in front of their house,” he said.