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Police arrest 4 suspects after they allegedly walked into Fairgrounds Antique Center in Sturbridge and stole $7,000 worth of jewelry

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The suspects are being in lieu of cash bails that range from $50,000 to $100,000.

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STURBRIDGE – Police arrested four suspects Saturday after they allegedly walked into the Fairgrounds Antique Center on Main Street and stole some $7,000 worth of jewelry.

The suspects were ordered held in lieu of cash bails ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 following their arraignments Monday in Dudley District Court, officials said.

One of the suspects, Rosa Lopez of Saugus, is also being held on detainer by the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service which has begun deportation proceedings, Sturbridge Police Lt. David A. Diogo said.

The incident occurred shortly after noon, as the suspects fled in a mini-van with California plates and were last seen heading west on Route 20, according to a release issued by Diogo.

Police spotted the van, still traveling west, near Route 148. After a short pursuit the suspects bailed out of the van and ran into nearby woods.

One of the suspects was captured right away, a second was caught a short time later by a Southbridge Police K-9 unit and state police captured a third suspect seen walking along Route 20 in Brimfield.

A state police K-9 unit captured the fourth suspect in dense brush off Route 20 in Brimfield after an extensive search by area police.

Diogo identified the other suspects as Jorge Bermudez of Bakersfield, Cal.; Nestor Martinez of Lawrenceville, Ga.; and Gabriel Heros, of Queens, N.Y. Ages and street addresses for the suspects were not immediately available.

The suspects denied single charges of unarmed robbery and other charges during their arraignments and were ordered to return to court for pre-trial hearings on Sept. 15.

Auburn and East Brookfield police participated in the search.


Suspected piece of military ordnance, found on bank of Chicopee River in Indian Orchard, prompts response from Springfield Arson & Bomb Squad

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The object or device was discovered shortly before 9:30 a.m. near 265 Water St.


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Update, 1:12 p.m.: The device, a German stick grenade, did not contain any explosives and was safely removed by explosive ordnance personnel from Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee.


SPRINGFIELD – A piece of suspected military ordnance, found on the bank of the Chicopee River in Indian Orchard Tuesday morning, has prompted a response from the Springfield Arson & Bomb Squad.

Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said the object or device was spotted shortly before 9:30 a.m. near 265 Water St.

Military personnel may be called in to assist the squad, Leger said.

Springfield mayoral candidate Jose Tosado criticizes hire of Rhode Island woman to school administrative job

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A School Department spokeswoman said the vacant job of chief academic officer was posted and advertised.

INGRAM-TOSADO.JPGAlan Ingram, left, and Jose Tosado.

SPRINGFIELD – Mayoral candidate Jose F. Tosado has criticized the hire of a Rhode Island woman to a vacant school administration job, questioning whether local candidates were given a fair chance to compete for the position.

Tosado’s criticism of both Superintendent of Schools Alan J. Ingram and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, followed Ingram’s appointment of Natalie Brunelle Dunning of Chepachet, R.I., as the chief academic officer of the Springfield public schools.

Tosado said the vacant position was never advertised.

Azell M. Cavaan, communications director for the School Department, denied Tosado’s allegation, saying the position was posted and advertised.

Dunning’s salary in Springfield was not immediately available. The description for the 52-week position, posted in May 2011, lists a salary range of $100,000-$110,000, with 22 vacation days and 8 contract days. Most recently, Dunning served as the K-12 Supervisor of Science for the Providence public school system, and previously was a principal at Portsmouth Middle School in Rhode Island.

Tosado, who is City Council president, said the hiring is “a perfect example of the arrogance and lack of transparency that this administration possesses.”

Ingram’s decision to hire Dunning occurs as he has announced he will resign, effective June 30, at the end of his current four-year contract.

The announced resignation followed controversy over the revelation that Ingram, when hired in 2008, receiving an unpublicized signing bonus of $30,000 that year, which critics say was intended to help him purchase a house in Springfield. Ingram, who moved to Springfield from Oklahoma, chose to rent rather than purchase a house the past three years.

“In the wake of controversy around commitment to the city, we allow a lame duck superintendent to hire yet another out of state person for a high level position,” Tosado said in a prepared release. “We now will never know if there was a local person qualified for the position because the mayor and the superintendent didn't even bother to look or even put the call out. For such a high level public employee position not be made public for people to apply is yet another example of our mayor being in over his head.”

The chief academic officer position became vacant in April when the former administrator, Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, became assistant superintendent. Schiavino-Narvaez has since resigned to accept a job as community superintendent in Maryland's Montgomery County school system.

Dunning has a doctorate’s degree in educational leadership and a certificate of advanced graduate studies in educational leadership from Johnson & Wales University in Providence. She also has a master’s degree in science education from Rhode Island College; a master’s degree in education from Providence College; and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Providence College.

Chief Academic Officer for Teaching and Learning P-4920

Computer may be cause of blaze that caused some $10,000 in damage to home in Springfield's Upper Hill neighborhood

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The fire was reported Tuesday morning at 39 Massachusetts Ave.

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SPRINGFIELD – Malfunctioning computer equipment may be the cause of a fire that caused some $10,000 in damage Tuesday morning to an Upper Hill neighborhood home.

Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said the two occupants of the home at 39 Massachusetts Ave. escaped without injury, Leger said. The blaze was reported shortly after 10 a.m. and firefighters responded about two minutes later.

The blaze began in a small bedroom in the rear of the home’s first floor. “It looks like some computer equipment caught on fire,” Leger said.

The damage is mostly due to smoke and Leger said he believes the occupants will be able to continue to live in the home. The property is owned by Yellow Brick Properties in Granby, he said.

The Springfield Arson & Bomb Squad continues to probe the fire.

Karen Brettman, charged by Westfield police in death of husband, John Brettman, released on own recognizance, must wear electronic monitoring bracelet

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John Brettman suffered a head injury on April 16 and died about a month later.

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WESTFIELD – A 51-year-old Heggie Drive woman, arrested on a warrant early Friday afternoon that charges her with manslaughter in the death of her 64-year-old husband in April, has been released on her own recognizance under conditions that include the wearing of an electronic monitoring bracelet.

Karen Brettman, of 10 Heggie Drive, denied the charge during her arraignment Friday in District Court. Judge Rita Koenigs initially ordered her to be held in lieu of $50,000 cash bail.

Brettman’s arraignment was continued to Monday and Koenigs then reduced bail to $10,000 cash, $100,000 personal surety. During a bail hearing in Hampden Superior Court in Springfield later that day, Brettman was released on her own recognizance with conditions - including electronic monitoring, officials said.

Lt. David Ragazzini, head of the detective bureau, said the victim, John Brettman, was injured during a domestic altercation at that address on March 16. He succumbed to his injuries at the Westfield Care and Rehabilitation Center on East Silver Street about a month later.

The state Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, Ragazzini said. Police arrested Brettman at her home about 1 p.m.

Karen Brettman told police that her husband punched her during a verbal dispute and that she then pushed him to the floor, causing him to injure his head, according to the Westfield Police Department’s application for complaint which is included in court documents.

John Brettman, questioned by police while he was in the hospital, denied punching his wife, according to court documents.

A pre-trial hearing has been set for Sept. 16.

New House bill calls for three Massachusetts casinos, including one in Western Mass.

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Under the bill, an independent gaming commission would be established that would oversee siting of the casinos.

Joseph Wagner 2010.jpgJoseph F. Wagner

SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Joseph F. Wagner, D-Chicopee, announced a new bill Tuesday that, if approved, will allow three resort casinos in the state -- including one that must be located in Western Massachusetts.

Wagner said the proposed bill to legalize casino gambling is vital for creating needed jobs and new revenues and comes a year after a different casino bill was vetoed by Gov. Deval L. Patrick.

“Last year, we got the ball to the goal line on this,” Wagner said. “At this point in time, the idea is to get the ball over the goal line and into the end zone.”

The bill was officially released Tuesday, and will be filed soon, Wagner said.

Wagner is co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, which handles casino bills and conducted a public hearing in May. The bill will be forwarded to the Ways and Means Committee, he said.

“Everyone with an interest has an opportunity to have their voices heard,” Wagner said.

The governor, Senate president and House speaker have been involved in discussions.

"If I had any doubt the governor will sign the bill, then I would not be releasing it," Wagner said.

News of the bill drew criticism from Scott Harshbarger, president of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts.

“Today’s release of all new casino legislation signals yet another milestone in Beacon Hill’s concerning slide deeper into a closed-door culture marked by little debate, less dissent and an even greater likelihood of improper influence,” Harshbarger said in a prepared release.

Wagner shot back.

“This is Scott Harshbarger trying to make it rain on an otherwise sunny day,” Wagner said. “It’s interesting that the Legislature engaged in a process, and Scott Harshbarger would rather fire off a statement rather than engage in a process.”

The Mohegan Sun, which operates a casino in Connecticut, is proposing a $600 million casino for Palmer off Exit 8 of the Massachusetts Turnpike. The company has said it would bid for a license and has estimated the project would create up to 3,000 permanent jobs and 1,200 construction jobs.

Another developer, Paper City Development, wants to buy Wyckoff Country Club in Holyoke and build a $450 million gaming resort.

The new bill specifies that one of three casinos must be located within the four counties of Western Massachusetts, Wagner said. That was a critical component of his support, he said, adding that “unemployment in our region is disproportionately high when compared with many regions of the state.”

“We need jobs in Western Massachusetts,” Wagner said.

The jobs and revenues are not only tied to the resort casinos, but also other industries and vendors that provide products, supplies and services, Wagner said.

Under the bill, an independent gaming commission would be established that would oversee siting of the casinos.


Westfield High School band to preview fall performances at Band-A-Thon

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Band members will play selections from their performance scheduled at the Nov. 10 New York City Band of Pride Tribute as well as their football halftime show.

032011 westfield high marching band.JPGThe Westfield High School Marching Band performs in the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade.

WESTFIELD – A Band-A-Thon on the grounds of Westfield High School on Wednesday will give the public a preview of the school band's upcoming trip to New York City to participate in a 9/11 tribute as well as its fall and winter performances.

Band director Patrick T. Kennedy said the 1 to 9 p.m. performances will include two stage areas. The event will serve as a fund-raiser to help defray the New York trip expenses and for financial assistance for other events to be scheduled during the 2011-2012 school year.

"This is the first of what may become an annual event," Kennedy said. "Two performance areas will be set up and it should provide non-stop music entertainment."

Selections the band will play in New York will be performed, giving the band a practice session in front of an audience. The band's fall halftime show, to be performed during football games, also will be featured.

Kennedy said there also will be pops concert-type entertainment and solo performances, and music will cover the full spectrum from marching to jazz and blues. He said 100 to 125 members of the Westfield High School band are expected to participate in Wednesday's performance.

The band is one of about two dozen high school bands from across the country invited to attend New York City's 9/11 tribute and Veterans' Day recognition on Nov. 10 in Times Square.

Kennedy said a request for donations has proven successful with "several rather large donations from a few private donors and Westfield Bank and Easthampton Savings Bank.

"During the Band-A-Thon we will be accepting pledges and donations," he said.

To date, Kennedy said, the band has $20,000 for the New York trip. "We are hoping to gain a total $25,000 for the trip," he said.

The band will return from New York in time to perform during Westfield's annual Veterans' Day parade here on Nov. 11, Kennedy said.

Westfield High School is located at 177 Montgomery Road. There is no admission fee to Band-A-Thon.

Band interest in joining in the New York City "Band of Pride Tribute" stems from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Three Westfield natives were among those killed in that attack. They were Tara Creamer, daughter of former Superintendent of Schools James F. Shea, Daniel P. Trant and Brian J. Murphy. Trant was a star athlete at Westfield High in the 1970s.

Palmer police investigating break-ins

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Detective Sgt. Scott Haley said the break-ins in Palmer are similar to recent "smash and grab" break-ins that have happened in the Holland-Sturbridge area.

PALMER - Police are investigating three break-ins that happened just after 11 p.m. on Monday night, at Marier's bait shop at 1624 Park St. (Route 20), Sammi's Mart and Deli on 1365 Main St. downtown, and Noonan Energy, 1488 North Main St.

Detective Sgt. Scott E. Haley said small amounts of cash were taken in each break-in, and that cigarettes also were stolen from Marier's and the deli mart. Haley said the thief or thieves got inside the buildings by smashing windows. Alarms went off, alerting police to the break-ins.

Haley said the break-ins are similar to recent "smash and grab" break-ins that have happened in the Holland-Sturbridge area.

Last week, the Holland Market in Holland had cigarettes stolen in a break-in. Haley said Palmer police are working with other area departments to solve the crimes.

Haley said police believe a later model, dark-colored minivan was the getaway car. Anyone with information is asked to call Palmer police at (413) 283-8792.


Developing: Earthquake shakes Massachusetts, other northeast states

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Initial reports gauged the quake at a magnitude of 5.9.

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SPRINGFIELD - A magnitude 5.9 earthquake centered in Virginia sent tremors throughout the eastern seaboard Tuesday.

Initial reports from the U.S. Geologic Survey placed the epicenter in Louisa, Virginia, 41 miles northwest from Richmond and 83 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. The quake was recorded at 1:51 p.m. at its epicenter.

Massachusetts State Police spokesman David Procopio said the agency received several dozen calls in the minutes after the tremors were felt. "We have received NO reports of injuries or significant structural damage from any of the emergency callers," Procopio said. "Our dispatchers are advising callers about the earthquake, which was centered in Virginia, and checking to ensure they are not injured."

In Springfield, the quake prompted an informal evacuation at City Hall. In Northampton, items spilled from supermarket shelves. Residents reported feeling the tremors at least as far north as Brattleboro, Vt.

Thomas Walsh, spokesman for Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said city hall personnel evacuated the building as soon as they felt it start to shake.

“There was no damage but it did rock the building pretty good,” he said. Employees have since returned to the building.

Springfield Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said all fire companies have been ordered to drive around their districts to look for damage. There have been no reports of damage so far, he said.

Residents around the region were shocked to feel the earth shifting underfoot. "I thought I was having a vertigo attack. Except the whole building shook," said Joanne Avezzie, who works at the Berkshire Insurance Group in Longmeadow.

"I was sitting here in my chair and it started rocking ... and I don't have a rocker," said woman, who declined to give her name, from her home in East Springfield.

Chicopee police Capt. Daniel Sullivan said his department has received a number of calls but there have been no reports of injury or damage.

At the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow employees and inmates felt buildings shake but there were no serious concerns.

“There was no structural damage. We just felt a rumble,” said Richard J. McCarthy, public affairs officer for the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department at Hampden Correctional Center in Ludlow.

The USGS is soliciting information from citizens with its online "Did you feel it?" application, available here.

A magnitude 5.3 quake hit at 11:46 p.m. MDT Monday about nine miles southwest of Trinidad, or 180 miles south of Denver, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center in Golden. It had an estimated depth of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) and was felt in a relatively large area of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico.


View Earthquake epicenter in a larger map


This is a developing story. Details will be added as they become available. To share your experiences or observations, comment below or email online@repub.com.

Earthquake: Pentagon, Capitol, White House, City Hall in New York City among buildings evacuated

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Earthquake tremors were felt as far south as North Carolina and as far north as Vermont.

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake centered 87 miles from Washington D.C. sent tremors across the East Coast, with buildings felt shaking as far south as Chapel Hill, N.C. up to Bennington, Vt.

In Springfield there was an informal evacuation of City Hall

Readers can enter their zip code on the U.S. earthquake map.

Did you feel that? Cell networks clogged by calls after earthquake

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Verizon Wireless and AT&T say their networks were congested as the quake sent people scrambling for the phones.

east-coast-earthquake-08.jpgPeople check their phones as they wait outside of an office building after an earthquake was felt in Baltimore, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011. Downtown office buildings were cleared and workers were waiting for clearance to re-enter.

The earthquake that shook the East Coast is also causing connection problems for cell phone customers.

Verizon Wireless and AT&T say their networks were congested as the quake sent people scrambling for the phones.

Verizon Wireless spokesman Tom Pica said there was no damage to the company's equipment. He said the crush of phone calls made it hard for some customers to get through for about 20 minutes after the quake but he said the congestion appears to be clearing. Sprint said some customers may be experiencing delays.

German stick grenade, found on banks of Chicopee River in Indian Orchard section of Springfield, contained no explosives

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A fisherman found the grenade Tuesday morning.

sct bomb squad 1.jpg8-23-11 - Springfield Arson & Bomb Squad investigator Sean Walker displays a 72-year-old German stick grenade that was discovered on the banks of the Chicopee River in Indian Orchard.

This updates a story originally filed at 10:55 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD – Military ordnance, found by a fisherman on the banks of the Chicopee River in Indian Orchard Tuesday morning, turned out to be a German stick grenade that contained no explosives, Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said.

Explosive ordnance personnel from Westover Air Reserve base in Chicopee said they believed the stick grenade, also known as a potato masher, was about 72-years-old, Leger said.

How it wound up on the banks of the Chicopee River is anybody’s guess, Leger said.

The discovery of the grenade prompted a response from the Springfield Arson & Bomb Squad who in turned summoned personnel from Westover for help in identifying it.

Responding personnel initially x-rayed the grenade at the scene and determined that it did not contain a fuse. They moved the grenade to a remote location and had been preparing to detonate it when a final x-ray determined that it contained no explosives and was harmless.

Westover personnel took control of the grenade and will use it for training, Leger said.

Springfield Fire investigators trying to determine cause of house fire in Upper Hill

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The blaze began in a small bedroom in the rear of the home's first floor, Leger said. He said investigators do not yet know how the fire started.

Springfield Fire Dept Patch.jpg

This is an update of a fire that was posted Tuesday at 11:35 a.m. Tuesday.

SPRINGFIELD – Springfield arson investigators are still working to determine the source of a Tuesday morning fire that caused $10,000 damage to a home in the city's Upper Hill neighborhood.

Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said the two occupants of the home at 39 Massachusetts Ave. escaped without injury, Leger said. The blaze was reported shortly after 10 a.m. and firefighters responded about two minutes later.

The blaze began in a small bedroom in the rear of the home’s first floor, Leger said. He said investigators do not yet know how the fire started. It remains under investigation.

The damage is mostly due to smoke and Leger said he believes the occupants will be able to continue to live in the home. The property is owned by Yellow Brick Properties in Granby, he said.

Virginia earthquake links: Boston, Martha's Vineyard shook up; nukes near epicenter shut down; and more

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Martha's Vineyard Times: President Barack Obama was on the Farm Neck Golf course in Oak Bluffs when the quake struck.

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Obituaries today: Joan Konrad taught crafts at Holyoke Home Information Center

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Obituaries from The Republican.

08_23_11_Konrad.jpgJoan M. Konrad

Joan M. (Dillon) Konrad, 90, of Holyoke, passed away recently. She was born and lived her entire life in Holyoke. Konrad graduated from Holyoke High School and Holyoke Secretarial College. Prior to marrying, she worked for Dunbar Motors and National Blankbook (Morart Gravure). In later years, she worked for the Bath Shoppe. She was a long-time member of the Holy Family Parish of Holyoke and more recently a communicant of Blessed Sacrament Church of Holyoke. Joan loved to knit and sew and enjoyed teaching these crafts to young women at Holyoke Home Information (now Holyoke Creative Arts Center).

Obituaries from The Republican:



Improvements to be made in Chicopee at Fairview Avenue, Springfield Street and South Street

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The work will be funded with $286,000 in state money.

CHICOPEE – Drivers heading to Elms College, homes off Fairview Avenue or to downtown will see improvements to one of the city’s busier intersections this fall.

Using about $286,000 in state Chapter 90 money given to every community for road projects, the city has started improving the intersection of South Street, Springfield Street and Fairview Avenue, said Steven J. Frederick, the city engineer.

The work includes new signal nights and a pedestrian signal, new crosswalks and other improvements, he said.

Turning lanes will be marked to try to improve the intersection. “There is kind of a free-for-all,” he said.

The plans will also improve curbing, repave the intersection and narrow the entrance to South Street to reduce the size of the crosswalk, making it safer for pedestrians. Even by narrowing the entrance, there will still be plenty of room for a turning lane there, Frederick said.

While there is a long list of road improvements in the city, that intersection needed some attention, he said.

“It rose to the top. The (traffic lights) equipment has been there since I was going to school; it’s pretty old stuff,” he said. “We were losing capacity and efficiency.”

The new signal light will be brighter and better positioned for motorist visibility. It is run on a camera system so the intervals between signals can change depending on the flow of traffic. The existing one is run on a timer so there are delays even if there are few cars, he said.

There are not a lot of back-ups at the intersection, but it does get a lot of traffic, and new signals will make it more efficient, he said.

The new poles for the signals will also be done in a historic design and the crosswalks will be done in a decorative, false brick design which match those downtown, Frederick said.

“We wanted to do something different based on the location between downtown and Elms College,” he said. “We wanted to use something that is more decorative.”

The contractor, Gagliarducci Construction, of Ludlow, has already installed the concrete bases for the light poles. Frederick said he expects the work to repave and mark the intersections and install the new crosswalks to begin soon after Labor Day and the work completed by mid-October.

There will be a few delays during paving, but Frederick said he expects the disruptions to be limited to a few days.

Virginia earthquake sends shock waves throughout East Coast, tremors felt in Western Massachusetts

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In Springfield, the quake prompted an informal evacuation at City Hall. Residents reported feeling the tremors at least as far north as Brattleboro, Vt.

earthquake lady DCSusy Ward, center, and other office workers gather on the sidewalk in downtown Washington moments after an earthquake shook the nation's capitol, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011. The 5.9 magnitude earthquake centered northwest of Richmond, Va., shook much of Washington, D.C., and was felt as far north as Massachusetts and Vermont.

This is an update of a story first posted at 1:57 p.m. Tuesday

An earthquake called one of the strongest to hit the East Coast in a century sent tremors throughout the Northeast Tuesday afternoon, prompting building evacuations in Washington, New York and downtown Springfield but in the end causing only minor damage

Initial reports from the U.S. Geologic Survey placed the epicenter in Louisa, Virginia, 41 miles northwest from Richmond and 83 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. The quake was recorded at 1:51 p.m. at its epicenter.

Initially, the USGS said the quake had a magnitude of 5.9 but that has since been modified slightly to 5.8.

The last quake of equal power to strike the East Coast was in New York in 1944. The largest East Coast quake on record was a 7.3 that hit South Carolina in 1886. In 1897, a magnitude-5.9 quake was recorded at Giles County, Va., the largest on record in that state.

The quake forced evacuations of all the memorials and monuments on the National Mall in Washington and rattled nerves from South Carolina to Martha's Vineyard, the Massachusetts island where President Barack Obama is vacationing.

Officials said the earthquake was half a mile deep and centered near Louisa, Va., about 40 miles northwest of Richmond. Numerous minor injuries have been reported in the Washington area.

The federal agency says more than 12 million people live close enough to the quake's epicenter to feel shaking.

There were no immediate reports of deaths, but fire officials in Washington said there were at least some injuries.

The National Cathedral said its central tower and three of its four corner spires were damaged, but the White House said advisers had told President Obama there were no reports of major damage to the nation's infrastructure, including airports and nuclear facilities.

Two nuclear reactors at the North Anna Power Station, in the same county as the epicenter, were automatically taken off line by safety systems, said Roger Hannah, a spokesman for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

In Springfield, the quake prompted an informal evacuation at City Hall. Residents reported feeling the tremors at least as far north as Brattleboro, Vt.

Thomas Walsh, spokesman for Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said city hall personnel evacuated the building as soon as they felt it start to shake.

“There was no damage but it did rock the building pretty good,” he said. Employees have since returned to the building.

Springfield Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said all fire companies have been ordered to drive around their districts to look for damage. There have been no reports of damage so far, he said.

Springfield police are doing much the same, said Cadet Melissa Rodriguez said. “Right now they are just trying to assess if there has been any damage,” she said. Holyoke police said they felt it on the Appleton Street headquarters and got a lot of calls shortly afterward but there was no reported damage. Westfield police said they received about a half-dozen calls from residents inquiring about the earthquake. “Other than that no damage, no issues,” Capt. Hippolito Nunez said.

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Massachusetts State Police spokesman David Procopio said the agency received several dozen calls in the minutes after the tremors were felt. "We have received no reports of injuries or significant structural damage from any of the emergency callers," Procopio said. "Our dispatchers are advising callers about the earthquake, which was centered in Virginia, and checking to ensure they are not injured."

Peter D. Crowley, a professor of geology at Amherst College and director of the college’s museum of natural history, said the long, rolling waves felt by most people are characteristic of an earthquake that was a long way away.

“With students, I liken it to the guy down the hall with loud music. All you hear is the base,” Crowley said. “We were so far away, all the other stuff was dampened out. We probably just got the surface waves from it.”

Crowley said the quake lasted longer than even he expected it to.

Michael T. Hagerty, seismologist and manager of Boston College’s New England Seismic Network, said equipment at the Quabbin Reservoir was still measuring seismic waves an hour after the quake hit.

Hagerty, who holds a doctorate in geology, said the surface of the earth moved as fast as a millimeter a second here in Western Massachusetts. He’ll know more about exactly how intensely the quake was felt here after he does more calculations.

“Honestly, I think it was the most significant earthquake on the East Coast in the last 100 years,” he said from Boston College’s observatory in Weston.


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Energy from the epicenter in Virginia reached Massachusetts because the earth’s crust on the East Coast is older and colder than the earth’s crust on the earthquake-prone West Coast.

State police throughout Western Massachusetts, including those attached to Quabbin barracks in Belchertown, where tremors were not felt, said they were not aware of any damage.

“The building was shaking and my clipboards were flapping,” said Sgt. Alan Joubert, who is attached to the Springfield barracks. “To my knowledge there was no damage anywhere.”

In Northampton, the earthquake was strong enough for some people to notice but not enough to do any damage. Department of Public Works Director Edward S. Huntley said he felt it in his Locust Street office and called the Water Department to see if there was any pressure lost because of broken water mains. No damage was reported, however.
Steve Weinstock of New Jersey was in Sylvester’s Restaurant when the tremors hit around 2 p.m. and said one whole side of the floor was moving.

“We all looked at each other and said, ‘Is the Earth moving?’” he said.

Vendors at the Tuesday Farmers Market outside Thornes Marketplace said they felt nothing, but inside Thornes the tremors were noticeable. Mark Palmer, who works at Cornucopia Foods said he felt a “gentle rocking back and forth.” Ted Forance, a California resident who has experienced earthquakes there, said he knew what was happening right away.
“It was definitely a quake,” he said.

Residents around the region were shocked to feel the earth shifting underfoot. "I thought I was having a vertigo attack. Except the whole building shook," said Joanne Avezzie, who works at the Berkshire Insurance Group in Longmeadow.

“I was sitting here watching TV, and my chair felt like it was starting to fly,’’ said Jeanie Underwood of Springfield. “I thought the house was going to fall down.”

"I was sitting here in my chair and it started rocking ... and I don't have a rocker," said another woman, who declined to give her name, from her home in East Springfield.

Chicopee police Capt. Daniel Sullivan said his department has received a number of calls but there have been no reports of injury or damage.

At the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow employees and inmates felt buildings shake but there were no serious concerns.

“There was no structural damage. We just felt a rumble,” said Richard J. McCarthy, public affairs officer for the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department at Hampden Correctional Center in Ludlow.

Laura Chipkin of Arlington, Va., formerly of Springfield – now a lawyer in a Washington D.C. – responded to an email from her mother in Springfield, saying the earthquake shook the building where she works. The building -- and others across the nation’s capital – were evacuated. Chipkin, who was unhurt, said the earthquake was “scary,” adding that “it wasn’t subtle.” No one is being allowed back in buildings and Chipkin anticipates that getting out of the city tonight is going to be “a nightmare.”

Curt D. Robie, assistant vice president for facilities and operations at Westfield State University said none of the university’s buildings were damaged.

“It was some side shaking that lasted several seconds,” he said.

He pointed out that at least two Westfield State buildings were built as bomb shelters in the 1950s.

“In those buildings, staff didn’t even feel a thing,” Robie said.

Management at the Longmeadow Country Club said that while serving lunch, the whole building started to sway.

The USGS is soliciting information from citizens with its online "Did you feel it?" application, available here.

A magnitude 5.3 quake hit at 11:46 p.m. MDT Monday about nine miles southwest of Trinidad, or 180 miles south of Denver, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center in Golden. It had an estimated depth of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) and was felt in a relatively large area of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico.

This report was compiled by staff at The Republican/Masslive and the Associated Press


View Earthquake epicenter in a larger map


To share your experiences or observations, comment below or email online@repub.com.

Palmer house fire caused by electrical problem

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The investigation into the fire at 4112 High St. was conducted by the Police Department, Palmer Fire Department and state fire marshal's office.

PALMER – A faulty plug that was connected to an air conditioning unit caused the fire at a three-family home on High Street in the Thorndike section late Saturday afternoon, police said.

Detective Sgt. Scott E. Haley said the investigation into the fire at 4112 High St. was conducted by the Police Department, Palmer Fire Department and state fire marshal's office.

The fire displaced three families, killed a cat and caused heavy fire and smoke damage to the building. No one was injured; approximately 25 firefighters responded.

Jon Huntsman says he'd be open to run as Michele Bachmann's VP

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Huntsman tried quickly to backtrack, saying the answer was based on a hypothetical question and that he has no doubt he'll win the GOP nomination.

jon huntsman, apRepublican 2012 presidential hopeful and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman speaks at a breakfast at American Legion Post 3 in Nashua, N.H., Saturday, August 13, 2011.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman says he'd be open to running as vice president if rival and tea party favorite Michele Bachmann wins the nomination.

The former ambassador to China and ex-Utah governor says that every time he's been asked to serve his country he's answered "yes." Huntsman tells CNN interviewer Piers Morgan that if asked by the Minnesota congresswoman to run as her vice president he'd "be the first person to sign up, absolutely."

Huntsman tried quickly to backtrack, saying the answer was based on a hypothetical question and that he has no doubt he'll win the GOP nomination. The interview was aired Monday night.

On Sunday, Huntsman ridiculed Bachmann for claiming she could bring gasoline prices below $2 if elected president.

Rev. Al Sharpton officially tapped as MSNBC host

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Besides his work as a community leader and religious figure, Sharpton already hosts a nationally syndicated radio show.

al sharpton, apIn this June 26, 2011 file photo, the Rev. Al Sharpton arrives at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. MSNBC has named the Rev. Al Sharpton as host of a weeknight program on the network. His new program, to be called "PoliticsNation," will premiere next Monday.

NEW YORK — After several weeks in a tryout role, the Rev. Al Sharpton has officially been named host of a weeknight hour on MSNBC.

The program, now called "PoliticsNation," will air at 6 p.m. Eastern and premieres next Monday, the network announced Tuesday.

In his new role, the well-known civil rights activist and minister will lead a lively and informed discussion of the day's top headlines, MSNBC said.

Sharpton called the hosting job "a natural extension of my life work and growth."

Besides his work as a community leader and religious figure, Sharpton already hosts a nationally syndicated radio show. He was a candidate for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination that eventually went to U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

The 6 p.m. hour serves as an important lead-in to MSNBC's weeknight slate that includes Chris Matthews, Laurence O'Donnell, Rachel Maddow and Ed Schultz. The network has done a swift reconfiguration in prime time since the abrupt departure of its marquee host, Keith Olbermann, in January. Olbermann took his show to Current TV.

In addition to being a guest on MSNBC throughout the network's history, Sharpton has also served as an occasional guest host on several of its programs.

"I've known Rev. Sharpton for over a decade and have tremendous respect for him," said MSNBC president Phil Griffin. "I'm thrilled that he's now reached a point in his career where he's able to devote himself to hosting a nightly show."

Earlier this month, Griffin dismissed the notion that the possible hiring of Sharpton might represent a conflict of interest for the cable channel.

"He's been on MSNBC for all 15 years," MSNBC President Phil Griffin said at the time, noting Sharpton's long track record with the network.

Sharpton last year had weighed in on behalf of the Philadelphia-based Comcast Corp. as the government scrutinized the company's ultimately successful takeover of NBCUniversal. Sharpton, the head of the National Action Network civil rights group, was among minority representatives approached by Comcast executives for support. MSNBC is part of NBCUniversal.

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