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Letter written by Babe Ruth to Boston Globe writer up for auction

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A letter written by former Red Sox and Yankees baseball legend Babe Ruth to a Boston Globe writer thanking him for an MVP vote is up for auction.

 

A letter written by former Red Sox and Yankees baseball legend Babe Ruth to a Boston Globe writer thanking him for an MVP vote is up for auction.

Ruth wrote the letter to Boston Globe writer James O'Leary on Sept. 26, 1923. Ruth was named MVP in the 1923 season.

"Dear Mr. O'Leary, Thank you for voting for me in the 1923 Baseball Contest," Ruth writes. "I tried hard all the way and especially for a whole lot of Boston friends from the old days. I'm not going to quit trying, there's a lot of years ahead and I'll do my best to make them good years. Sincerely, Babe Ruth."

The letter comes from O'Leary's estate and was discovered 14 years ago by a family member in a scrapbook, according to Robert Edward Auctions in New Jersey.

"The scrapbook, which was presented to O'Leary by members of the Baseball Writers Association at his 75th birthday party (held at the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston on September 14, 1936), had been in storage for decades when our consignor decided to leaf through it in order to determine whether it should be discarded," the auction house said. "Luckily, he immediately realized the value of the Ruth letter and began contacting auction houses. The family eventually chose Sotheby's to sell the letter, and it appeared at auction in 2005 but failed to meet the reserve. Now after thirteen years, the family has once again decided to part with it, and REA is proud to have been chosen to offer this important letter to the collecting community without reserve." 

The auction ends on Oct. 30. The high bid as of Sunday was $8,500. 

The auction house says Ruth handwritten letters are rare. The letter written to O'Leary is one of fewer than 10 examples seen by Robert Edward Auction. 

It is one of the earliest letters from Ruth the auction house can recall. 

Ruth hit 41 home runs and had 130 RBIs in the 1923 season. It was the only year, when he played for the New York Yankees, that Ruth won the MVP.


2 extricated from wreckage from Holyoke rollover crash

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Two people were removed from the wreckage of a car involved in a rollover crash Sunday afternoon. Holyoke firefighters used hydraulic spreader tools to remove the injured occupants.

Two people were transported to the Holyoke Medical Center after they were extricated from the wreckage of a rollover crash at the intersection of Essex and Chestnut streets Sunday afternoon.

Holyoke Fire Department spokesman Kevin Cavagnac said the rollover single-car crash at about 4 p.m. trapped two people inside the vehicle.  

Holyoke firefighters used hydraulic spreader tools to remove the driver door of the SUV to remove the injured victims.

Cavagnac said the occupants of the car suffered non-life threatening injuries. 

Authorities identify suspect in New Salem state trooper stabbing

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The Massachusetts State Police have identified the suspect in the Friday stabbing of a trooper as Nghia Le, 18 of Manchester , NH. Le allegedly stabbed a state trooper who had pursued him from the Vermont border until Le crashed the car he was driving on Route 202 in New Salem.

Authorities have identified the suspect in the Friday stabbing of a Massachusetts State Police trooper as 18-year-old Nghia Le of Manchester, NH.

David Procopio, State Police spokesman, said Le remains hospitalized at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester after he and the trooper he is alleged to have stabbed were airlifted there following the Friday afternoon confrontation. 

Procopio said the 47-year-old trooper is currently listed in stable condition following surgery and is said to be in good spirits.

Le is accused of stabbing the trooper after a lengthy high-speed pursuit from the Vermont state border to Route 202 in New Salem where Le crashed his car. 

As the trooper attempted to take Le into custody he allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed the trooper in the chest and neck several times. 

Le was shot during the attack and is being treated for that gunshot wound. 

Procopio said Le has been charged with armed assault with the intent to commit murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He is being held in lieu of $1 million cash bail pending arraignment sometime next week.

The name of the trooper has not been released. 

Initial information indicated that Le has been involved in a car crash in Walpole, New Hampshire earlier in the day Friday.  

At the crash scene, New Hampshire authorities said Le carjacked a Toyota Camry and fled, crossing into Vermont and traveling south on I-91 into Massachusetts.

That was when the trooper began following Le initially south on I-91 then eastbound on Route 2 from Greenfield. Authorities said Le then turned onto Route 202 in Athol and was traveling south when he crashed his car in New Salem. 

Le also faces motor vehicle changes in Massachusetts and additional charges in New Hampshire. 

6 wounded after possible gang-related shooting near Florida stadium

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Six people have been wounded, three critically, in a possible gang-related shooting blocks from the Florida stadium where the NFL's Houston Texans played and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Six people have been wounded, three critically, in a possible gang-related shooting blocks from the Florida stadium where the NFL's Houston Texans played and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

Ron Lendvay, director of investigations for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, said several shots were fired about 12:35 p.m. Sunday on a boulevard outside in the general area of the stadium and that five men and one woman were struck by bullets and wounded. He said all were rushed to hospitals and that they ranged in age from their 20s to the 70s.


The shooting erupted before the game's scheduled 1 p.m. start, but Lendvay reported no link to the game, which went on and concluded without incident.

The Texans won their fourth consecutive game Sunday, defeating the Jaguars 20-7 to take a one-game lead in the AFC South at the stadium, TIAA Bank Field.

Local media reports cited authorities as saying the shooting had had no impact on game day activities in and around the stadium.

Lendvay told reporters that a shooter fired from the passenger side of a gray, four-door sedan driven by someone else and that the victims were outside on the sidewalk near a laundromat. He said the car immediately fled the area and that detectives were checking surveillance video to try to identify the vehicle and locate the occupants.


"There were at least two people in the car," Lendvay said. He added that investigators didn't know if any others were in the car and he didn't rule out the possibility of additional shooters elsewhere.

Authorities had no immediate report on what led up to the shootings. The sheriff's office tweeted that three of the wounded were rushed in critical condition for care. An update on their conditions wasn't immediately available late Sunday and they were not identified by name.

"A couple of them were in very serious condition on their arrival at the hospital," Lendvay said. He added five of the wounded were rushed by paramedics for emergency care and the sixth by private vehicle.

He said authorities have been unable to immediately determine whether there was any relationship among the wounded.

"We haven't been able to interview them at all. It's hard to say if they are all associated or not," he added.

At an afternoon news briefing outside the laundromat where the shooting erupted, Lendvay said, authorities were conducting an exhaustive investigation. He added that authorities made plans to escort fans to any cars parked near the scene, allowing them to leave unimpeded once the game ended.

Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney, who represents the district where the shooting occurred, told local media that he was aware of crime problems in the neighborhood. He said a greater law enforcement presence was needed there.

"In talking to the sheriff's department; they are going to beef up patrols. Evidently, it's not working. We have a crime issue," Gaffney said. "Every other week and every other month out there, it's too much."

Florida Gov. Rick Scott also said in a statement that he had reached out to Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, offering any state resources Jacksonville may need.

News industry seeks exemption from Congress to take on Facebook, Google

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House bill would exempt news publishers from anti-trust laws to negotiate with nation's largest digital platforms.

WASHINGTON -- A bill in Congress takes aim at the dominance of Google and Facebook in controlling how Americans receive their news, proposing to help news companies correct an imbalance that threatens their existence.

The House bill would give publishers a temporary anti-trust exemption to negotiate for better treatment by the tech giants, ensuring that Americans receive access to trusted sources of news.

Almost three out of four people in the United States now receive their news from platforms controlled by the duopoly of Facebook and Google. The companies take in 73 percent of all digital advertising revenue in the United States, and 83 percent of the digital ad growth.

Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., wants to give news publishers a chance to level the playing field through his bill, the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act.

If approved, the legislation would allow publishers of local newspapers and websites a limited "safe harbor" from anti-trust laws to collectively negotiate with digital platforms for a bigger share of revenue.

Publishers would also seek greater transparency about the algorithms that control what news shows up on those platforms, said David Chavern, president and CEO of the News Media Alliance, a trade group of 2,000 news organizations that support the legislation.

"The platforms now control the economics of the news business largely, and this is something we need to address," Chavern said in an interview.

News organizations have seen their digital audience grow over the past decade, but revenue declined by $31 billion between 2006 and 2016 as Facebook and Google dominated the market for ad dollars, according to the Pew Research Center.

The legislation in Congress would limit the anti-trust exemption to 48 months and require any deal to benefit the public and the broader news industry, rather than a select few companies.

Cicilline, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, said his bill has the support local and national news publications across the nation.

Among the companies that would potentially benefit is Advance Local, which operates al.com, cleveland.com, lehighvalleylive.com, MassLive.com, MLive.com, NJ.com, NOLA.com, OregonLive.com, PennLive.com, SILive.com, Syracuse.com and other local digital properties.

Cicilline's bill, H.R. 5190, has not advanced out of committee since it was introduced in March. It has one co-sponsor, Rep. Mark DeSaunier, D-Ca., and no companion legislation in the Senate.

The House is unlikely to act on the bill in the lame-duck session after the midterm elections on Nov. 6.

Chavern, of the News Media Alliance, said he expects the bill to be reintroduced next year when the 116th Congress is seated. He said the new bill will likely have a prominent Senate sponsor and bipartisan support.

If publishers win the temporary anti-trust exemption, the industry would gain leverage and could threaten to deny Facebook, Google and other digital platforms the ability to distribute the publishers' news reports, video and other original content.

"You have to have the capacity to make that threat in a coordinated way," Chavern said. "Most importantly, we don't think the platforms want to be blamed for making the newspaper industry go under."

The legislation would apply to all print and digital news organizations, including online-only publishers such as Vox and Slate, Chavern said.

Facebook and Google officials did not respond to a request for comment about the proposed anti-trust exemption.

Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751

Springfield bridge on St. James Avenue partially closed due to concrete deck problem

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The state Department of Transportation has closed the northbound lane of the St. James Avenue Bridge in Springfield, that spans over Route 291. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- The state Department of Transportation has closed the northbound lane of the St. James Avenue Bridge over the CSX rail line and Route 291 due to an issue with the concrete bridge deck.  

Motorists are being urged to avoid the area if possible, according to an announcement from the office of Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.

It is unknown at this time how long the bridge lane will be closed.

St. James Avenue southbound remains open.

Detour routes have been established.

Belchertown man dies in ATV crash at Rocky Mountain Terrain Park in Maine

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Investigators say the Belchertown, Massachusetts, man was camping at the Carthage park.

 

CARTHAGE, Maine (AP) -- A Massachusetts man has died in an all-terrain vehicle crash at the Rocky Mountain Terrain Park in Maine.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says the crash happened Sunday afternoon when the ATV 27-year-old Taylor Curtin was driving went airborne and struck a tree.

Curtin was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators say the Belchertown, Massachusetts, man was camping at the Carthage park. Game Wardens say he borrowed a friend's ATV and was returning to the campsite when the crash occurred.

Wardens say Curtin was not wearing a helmet, and speed is believed to be a factor in the crash.

Salisbury man killed in pedestrian crash in New Hampshire identified

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He was taken to a local hospital and later died from his injuries.

 

A Salisbury, Massachusetts, man was killed after he was hit by a vehicle in Seabrook, New Hampshire, Sunday night, according to WCVB.

According to the station, Seabrook Police said 51-year-old Andrew Dobson was hit on Ocean Boulevard around 8 p.m.

He was taken to a local hospital and later died from his injuries.

There was no word on the driver of the vehicle.

The crash remains under investigation.


Cape Cod landing for offshore wind cable approved by Barnstable

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Massachusetts is on track to host the nation's first commercial-scale offshore wind farm.

If all goes as planned, an underwater transmission cable for the nation's first commercial-scale offshore wind plant will land at a Cape Cod beach.

Barnstable officials on Thursday agreed to grant Vineyard Wind a power cable easement at Covell Beach in the village of Centerville. The vote followed negotiation of a host community agreement that will pay the town up to $32 million over the next 25 years.

Vineyard Wind prevails in Mass. clean energy contest

Vineyard Wind, based in New Bedford, says it's on schedule to build its wind power station 34 miles off Cape Cod and 14 miles from Martha's Vineyard. The company plans 106 turbines in a $2 billion project, and hopes to be operational in 2021.

The state's Energy Facilities siting Board will have final say over the cable route, and environmental and fisheries considerations are part of the discussion. Other state and federal permits are still needed.

Vineyard Wind is a 50-50 partnership between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid Renewables, and was selected in May by state officials and utility representatives to supply 800 megawatts of renewable power to Massachusetts.

The project will reduce the state's carbon emissions by over 1.6 million tons per year, the equivalent of removing 325,000 cars, and power 400,000 homes, the company stated.

"We are thrilled to partner with the town of Barnstable as we move forward to make offshore wind a reality here in Massachusetts," said Vineyard Wind chief development officer Erich Stephens. "We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the Town."

A beefed-up substation in Barnstable will tie electricity from Vineyard Wind into the New England power grid, with integrated battery storage.

Also today, Gov. Charlie Baker, Vineyard Wind CEO Lars Thaaning Pederson, and others will meet at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. The company plans to sign a lease to use the state-owned pier for its staging operations.

Two other offshore wind farms, planned by Baystate Wind and Deepwater Wind, are planned off the coast of Massachusetts, and more could be in the works.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke last week announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will hold the next offshore wind auction - to include nearly 390,000 acres offshore Massachusetts - on Dec. 13, and 19 companies have qualified.

"I'm very bullish on offshore wind, and harnessing this renewable resource is a big part of the Trump Administration's made in America energy strategy," said Zinke in a statement.

Elizabeth Warren slams Trump administration's reported push to roll back transgender protections

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U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, pledged Monday to "fight for anti-discrimination provisions," including those that protect transgender individuals.

SPRINGFIELD -- U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, pledged Monday to "fight for anti-discrimination provisions," including those that protect transgender individuals.

The senator, following an event in Springfield, spoke out against reports that the Trump administration is considering defining gender as a biological condition determined at birth -- a move which some have argued could undo Obama-era protections for transgender individuals.

Warren cast the reported effort as the latest example of the White House "trying to make discrimination more available all across the country."

"This is just fundamentally wrong. This is not who we are as a country, it does not reflect our best values," she said. "I will fight them on this, I will fight for anti-discrimination provisions."

Warren, who is up for re-election in November, further offered full-throated support for the Massachusetts ballot question that asks voters to weigh-in on the law that "adds gender identity to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination in places of public accommodation, resort or amusement."

She argued that "'Yes' on (Question) 3 is 'No' on hate." 

"That's who we are. We believe in the worth of every single human being and we do not discriminate," the senator said. 

The New York Times reported Sunday that the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services is pushing an effort to establish a legal definition of sex under the federal civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in federally funded education programs.

HHS argued in a memo, which the newspaper reportedly obtained, that government agencies should adopt a uniform definition of gender based on biology, "that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable," according to the Times. It has proposed defining it as either "male or female, unchangeable and determined by the genitals that a person is born with," the newspaper reported.

If adopted, the definition could end the federal government's recognition of the more than 1 million Americans who have chosen to recognize themselves as another gender, undoing the Obama administration's efforts to loosen the legal concept in federal programs. 

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Geoff Diehl, who is looking to unseat Warren, largely refrained from commenting on the Trump administration's reported efforts to modify the definition of gender.

The Whitman state representative, who has said he plans to vote "no" on Question 3, however, offered that he  believes "in individual freedoms and the protections of those freedoms."

"I think we have discrimination laws on the books that currently protect people. And, if Massachusetts laws related to identity work for the rest of the country, that's something I'm willing to consider," he added in a Monday interview.

Head of crumbling foundations fund, Michael Maglaras, says $1 billion needed to complete job

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"By any calculation, I don't care who's calculation it is, there's not enough money."

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- The superintendent of a new captive insurance company charged with distributing millions of dollars to Connecticut homeowners with crumbling foundations is warning he doesn't have nearly enough money to address the problem.

Michael Maglaras said he hopes to secure funding and assistance to help the thousands of affected homeowners from various sources, including the insurance industry, banks, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state of Connecticut.

"By any calculation, I don't care who's calculation it is, there's not enough money," Maglaras, a 42-veteran of the insurance industry, told The Associated Press in an interview.

Maglaras is heading the new Connecticut Foundation Solutions Indemnity Company, created by state lawmakers, which will oversee the distribution of $100 million in state bonding -- $20 million a year for the next five years -- as well as the estimated $8.5 million to $9 million in annual proceeds from a new $12 annual surcharge on Connecticut homeowners' insurance policies. That surcharge is supposed to last 10 years.

The new indemnity company is expected to be up and running Nov. 15 at the earliest, or possibly around Dec. 1, to begin cutting checks. But Maglaras estimates the roughly $133.5 million committed over five years will cover the cost of replacing foundations for only 650 to 700 homes, considering the average $185,000 cost per home.

"I have at least a $1 billion problem," he said.

Maglaras estimates 5,000 to 9,000 homes will have to be fixed over the next few years. That includes homes with the most severe cracking and deterioration, as well as those just beginning to show signs of the problem, which has been linked to the presence of pyrrhotite, an iron sulfide that has reacted naturally with oxygen and water over the decades.

Described as a slow-moving disaster, pyrrhotite causes the concrete to crack and crumble, making some homes unsellable and unlivable. Some state and local officials have estimated more than 35,000 homes in the northern, eastern and central parts of Connecticut could be affected because the foundations were built with concrete that originated from the same quarry in Willington.

Meanwhile, Maglaras said he was still waiting, as of last week, for the state Department of Housing to transfer all the approved state bond money to the indemnity company. The first $20 million was due June 30, but only $850,000 was transferred in August. He said it's been a long and complicated process that he hopes will wrap up soon.

"In fairness to the Department of Housing, they are not used to funding an insurance company. So they had early on, some questions," he said.

Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is optimistic the two sides ultimately will come to an understanding.

"I think that the Department of Housing has a job to do and the superintendent has a job to do, and these issues can and will all be worked out," Malloy said.

Malloy said he's also optimistic that a new report released Friday by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and requested by his administration will give weight to the state's argument that the federal government should provide financial assistance to the homeowners as well. The corps is recommending the state pass legislation to test quarries for pyrrhotite and set an acceptable amount of the mineral in aggregate for concrete. There are currently no standards in the U.S. for an acceptable level for pyrrhotite.

Besides Connecticut, the crumbling foundation problem also has been identified in some homes in western Massachusetts.

"I think that this report raises very real issues about FEMA's position with respect to funding," Malloy said. "And quite frankly, I think it raises real issues potentially about insurance companies' liability."

Seen@ 2018 Rays of Hope Walk & Run Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer

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Overcast skies turned sunny as thousands turned out for the fundraiser

SPRINGFIELD - Looking like a sea of pink, runners and walkers hit the pavement on Sunday in support of breast health in Western Massachusetts.

The event, the Rays of Hope Walk & Run Toward the Cure of Breast cancer, was the 25th anniversary of the fundraiser, which saw thousands of survivors and supporters participating.

Many of the participants at the event came in teams. One of those teams was Las Luchadoras, which has been participating in Rays of Hope "for nine years strong," according to member Al Rodriguez, of Springfield.

"My wife is a survivor; we have been involved in Rays of Hope for 12 to 13 years," Rodriguez said, beginning when several close friends developed cancer. "Then nine years ago, my wife was diagnosed with cancer. We became even more involved in raising money for the cause."

"We are blessed to be here, because (cancer) affects so many people in so many ways," Rodriguez added.

Chairwoman of the event, Denise R. Jordan, said that the Rays of Hope Walk & Run started with 500 walkers and raised $50,000. Now in its 25th year, the event has grown to 20,000 participants and to date has raised $14.2 million.

"I'm elated and honored to be chair of the Rays of Hope 25th anniversary," Jordan said. She added that she was serving in memory of Tracy Benton Whitley, a longtime Rays of Hope advisory board member, who lost her battle with cancer in March 2017.

Under the welcome of large tents, pink balloons, music and colorful flags, participants took off in two different routes: 8K runners following a five-mile route, while walkers took a two-mile or five-mile route. All routes offered views of the beautiful fall scenery in and around Forest Park.

Along the walk routes, participants were entertained by several local musicians who volunteered for Rays of Hope.

Bryn Cartelli, season 14 winner of The Voice, took the stage and entertained the crowd by playing guitar and singing several of her hits.

In partnership with the Baystate Health Breast Network and Baystate Health Foundation, funding benefits research at the Rays of Hope Center for Breast Cancer Research [ http://pvlsi.org/rays-of-hope ] and the Baystate Health Breast Network, breast cancer programs and services, outreach and education, and awards grants to various community support programs and organizations.

Attorney Michael Avenatti: Daily Beast story on unpaid taxes is 'garbage'

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Avenatti said he will release his taxes if he runs for president.

CAMBRIDGE -- Attorney Michael Avenatti dismissed a Sunday Daily Beast story detailing his unpaid taxes as a "garbage piece" and a "regurgitation of many things that have already been reported."

"It's clearly a hit piece," Avenatti told The Republican / MassLive.com on Monday in an interview in Cambridge.

Avenatti is visiting the Boston area to participate in the launch of a new pro-Democratic PAC called Left of Center, created by two Massachusetts Democrats. Avenatti gained national attention through his representation of Stormy Daniels, the porn star who sued President Donald Trump.

He has since said he is considering a run for president in 2020.

On Sunday, the Daily Beast published an extensive story showing that Avenatti, his former law firm and a business he used to own owed millions of dollars in unpaid taxes, rent and legal judgments.

Many of the allegations have been published before. For example, CNN reported in July that Avenatti's law firm paid $800,000 to settle a case with the IRS relating to unpaid payroll taxes at the firm, which went bankrupt.

Asked about the Daily Beast piece during an interview, Avenatti said, "While there is some truth to the piece, I would describe it as far more fiction than fact." He said all the taxes he is responsible for have been paid.

Avenatti reiterated that if he runs for president, he will release his tax information. All presidents since the mid-1970s have released their tax information except for Trump.

"I'll release my tax returns and my tax information this afternoon if Donald Trump will likewise do the same," Avenatti said. "I'd be happy to compare our tax situations any day of the week." 

Police search for David Matta, accused of stabbing coworker in Attleboro

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The stabbing happened around 8:37 p.m. outside of Gym Source on Townsend Road, where both men work.

A 36-year-old man was stabbed multiple times by his coworker in Attleboro Sunday night, but is expected to recover.

The Boston Globe reported that police are still searching for the suspect, 42-year-old David Matta of Brockton. The stabbing happened around 8:37 p.m. outside of Gym Source on Townsend Road, where both men work.

The victim was stabbed in the upper and lower body at least three times, according to the Globe. He was brought to Rhode Island Hospital and is expected to recover.

CRD Metalworks owner and wife buy Beaver Brook Golf Course: 'We wanted it to stay a golf course'

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The 9-hole, 3,100 yard course was built in 1960.

WILLIAMSBURG -- CRD Metalworks owner Christopher M. Duval and his wife, Roseana, are the new owners of Beaver Brook Golf Club in the Haydenville section of Williamsburg.

CRD Metalworks manufactures Woodbine and Rapido Loco-brand firewood processors. Roseana owns Roseana's Hilltown Self Storage. Owning a golf course represents a new type of venture for the Williamsburg couple.

"We kind of bought it as a challenge," Christopher Duval said. "We wanted to see it stay a golf course, and there was no interest from any buyer to keep it as a golf course."

Former Beaver Brook owner Hiroshi Akimoto is retiring. Duval said the only potential buyers were interested in developing the 250-acre property at 183 Main St. with homes.

"Nobody else would have bought it to do what we are doing," Duval said.

Work has already begun on renovations to the clubhouse, both inside and out. The Duvals plan a four season restaurant named Dot's Golf after their teenage daughter, Dorothy.

"It will be for golfers and for the general public," he said.

He hopes to reopen the restaurant in the spring.

They also plan to build an outdoor pavilion for summer events and replace footbridges on the course.

The 9-hole, 3,100-yard par-36 course opened in 1960. The clubhouse was built in 1975, according to real estate records.

The Duvals bought the property Oct. 1 from The Brook Club Inc. for $640,000, according to deed information on file at the Hampshire County Registry of Deeds. The sale included the course and a home at 197 Main St. that Duval plans to continue renting out.

The name of the course will remain Beaver Brook.

Playing Beaver Brook costs  $15 for 9 holes and $25 for 18, according to the website. Carts or pullcart rentals are extra.

Duval said he took golf lessons at Beaver Brook as a kid and golfed here off-and-on over the years. His restaurant experience came when his father owned the Look Restaurant in Leeds.

Duval said he is not interested in working in the restaurant besides doing some of the management tasks. He said he's looking to hire key restaurant staff.

The course has four greenskeepers and a few employees in the clubhouse. Duval doesn't foresee having a full-time golf pro, although a retired golf professional is interested in offering lessons at Beaver Brook in the spring.

The golf industry has been in trouble for years following a boom in the 2000s sparked by Tiger Woods.

Next month, the Dunroamin Country Club golf course in Hardwick will close after 54 years in business.

Southwick Country Club's longtime owners sold it in February to Fiore Realty Holdings for $1.9 million. The Fiore family is developing housing at the site. Southwick Country Club had been a golf course since 1920.

In March 2017, the Hannoush brothers and former Springfield City Councilor Raipher D. Pellegrino bought the Springfield Country Club from its members for $1.985 million.

That property remains a golf course.

Duval said Beaver Brook has a strong core of members who are excited about his plans.

"I think that the golf industry is going to improve along with the economy," he said.

But he doesn't anticipate expanding the course to a full 18 holes, an idea he'd entertained earlier. He said the trend in this time-strapped era is for shorter, 9-hole rounds.

"I think people are saying, 'Lets have a few beers and go play nine holes,'" he said.

But Duval said he might add disc golf or something similar to Beaver Brook.

Duval runs CRD Metalworks business in Leeds now.

He moved the business to Northampton after his workshop on Hyde Hill Road in Williamsburg was shut down by Williamsburg town officials for multiple zoning violations. 

Duval also had a running series of disputes with neighbors, who complained about his use of the property as a shooting range and his decision to display Confederate battle flags. 


Nearly 2.5 million pounds of taquitos recalled amid salmonella, listeria concerns

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Texas-based Ruiz Food Products, Inc. has recalled several ready-to-eat meat and poultry taquitos.

Nearly 2.5 million pounds of taquitos have been recalled nationwide amid concerns of salmonella and listeria contamination, according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Texas-based Ruiz Food Products, Inc. has recalled the following ready-to-eat meat and poultry taquitos: 

  • 4.5-lbs. cardboard cases containing 24-count Go-Go Taquitos "Beef Taco & Cheese Taquitos" with a case code 86183 printed on the label.
  • 4.5-lbs. cardboard cases containing 24-count Go-Go Taquitos "Buffalo Style Cooked Glazed Chicken Taquitos" with a case code 86006 printed on the label.
  • 4.5-lbs. cardboard cases containing 24-count Go-Go Taquitos "Chipotle Chicken Wrapped in A Battered Flour Tortilla" with a case code 86019 printed on the label.

Ruiz Food Products' supplier warned the company on Oct. 16 that their diced onions ran the risk of salmonella and listeria.

The products, which have establishment numbers "17523A or P-17523A" and "45694 or P-45694," were produced from July 1 through Oct. 10, 2018. 

There have been no confirmed cases of salmonella or listeria linked to the taquitos. The FSIS said those who have the listed products should throw them out or return them.

Anyone with questions can contact the Ruiz Food Products, Inc. Consumer hotline at 1-800-772-6474.

Elizabeth Warren touts bill to create 3 million new affordable housing units across US

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With housing authorities struggling to meet demand due to growing waitlists, a low number of available apartments and aging infrastructure, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, called Monday for the federal government to build 3 new housing units across the country.

SPRINGFIELD -- With housing authorities struggling to meet demand due to growing waitlists, a low number of available apartments and aging infrastructure, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, called Monday for the federal government to build 3 million new housing units across the country. 

Warren, who is up for re-election in November, made her pitch while discussing her proposed "American Housing and Economic Mobility Act" with Western Massachusetts housing officials, elected leaders and veterans advocates.

Arguing that there is currently not enough housing stock across the United States to serve those seeking affordable housing options, the senator argued that federal officials must do more to help middle- and low-income Americans currently on waiting lists. 

"We are in a housing crisis in this country. It's not a crisis for rich people, it's a housing crisis for everyone else. There's been a real shift in how housing is built over the last couple of generations. More and more housing is available for upper income families and less and less housing is available for middle-class, for working-class, for working poor and the poor," she said. "The solution to that we knew from decades ago was to put federal support in so there was adequate housing built across the economic range."

The Democrat offered that the federal government can help expand the housing supply by making more money available for such units. Communities, meanwhile, could collaborate so their zoning and building codes are more uniform and brought up to 21st Century standards, thus reducing construction costs, Warren said.

She specifically proposed that the federal government build or rehabilitate 3.2 million new housing units for low-income and middle-class families, along with supportive infrastructure, like schools.

Warren, who noted that the legislation could create 1.5 million jobs at its peak, said estate taxes imposed on wealthy Americans, as well as private investments, would fuel the effort. 

Beyond growing the affordable housing stock, the senator said her legislation also seeks to prevent and address discrimination in the public housing system, as well as provide assistance to first-time home buyers and others. 

"It's a very ambitious bill, but that's because we have a very big problem and we need to address it and address it now," she said.

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Warren's bill calls for: Creating a $10 billion competitive grant program that communities can use to build infrastructure as long as local governments overhaul land use rules that increase the costs of new affordable housing; investing $2 billion to support borrowers impacted by the 2008 financial crisis; and providing down payment grants to first-time homebuyers living in lower-income, segregated areas.

It, among other things, also seeks to expand the Fair Housing Act to prohibit housing discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status and source of income, including government assistance.

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Holyoke Housing Authority Executive Director Matthew Mainville said he's "excited about what this bill means," noting that it could help more families find long-term stable housing or even purchase their own homes. 

Soldier On Executive Vice President Steve Como, meanwhile, encouraged the senator to consider setting aside funding for veteran-specific housing projects, something which he argued could address current delays.

Warren thanked local officials for their feedback, stressing that she needs allies to not just pass the bill in Congress, but to promote it at the state and local level. 

"I count on the fact you'll be there on the ground to help develop the right approaches to use this opportunity," she said. 

The legislation, introduced late last month, has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Amherst Town Council hopefuls to answer questions at candidates forum Tuesday

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The 26 candidates for Town Council will have an opportunity to answer questions Tuesday night during a forum sponsored by the Amherst League of Women Voters.

AMHERST -- The 26 candidates for Town Council will have an opportunity to answer questions Tuesday night during a forum sponsored by the Amherst League of Women Voters.

The league will ask three questions to all of them at Amherst Regional Middle School auditorium from 6 to 9 p.m.

The at-large candidates for Town Council are: Mandi Jo Hanneke, Alisa Brewer, James Pistrang, Andrew Steinberg, Robert Greeney and Robert Kusner.

District 1 candidates are: Sharon Povinelli, Cathy Schoen, Sarah Swartz and Nicola Usher.

District 2: Lynn Griesemer, Patricia DeAngelis, Victor Andres Nunez-Ortiz and Peter Vickery.

District 3: Dorothy Pam, George Ryan, Stephen Braun and John Page.

District 4: Evan Ross, Jacqueline Maidana, Stephen Schreiber and David Reffsin.

District 5: Shalini Bahl-Milne, Darcy Dumont, Paul Bobrowski and Samuel MacLeod.

The format for Tuesday's event has the 12 candidates in council districts 1, 2 and 3 answering questions from 6 to 7:15 p.m., followed by the six at-large candidates until 8 p.m., and the eight candidates in districts 4 and 5 responding to questions until 9 p.m.

When voters go to the polls Nov. 6, they will elect three at-large councilors, and two each from the five districts.

The Town Council will replace Town Meeting as Amherst's legislative body in deciding all financial appropriations and land use regulations, and will supervise the town manager, which has been the Select Board's responsibility.

3 injured in stabbing at Foxwoods; 15-year old in custody

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The three victims were all treated at the hospital for injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

MASHANTUCKET, Connecticut - Three people were injured Saturday afternoon during a stabbing at a retail outlet inside the Foxwoods Casino grounds.

A 15-year-old teen was taken into custody, according to FOX61 in Hartford.

The incident took place Saturday at around 2 p.m. inside Tanger Outlets, a retail store on the property.

The three victims were all described as young adults, according to the television station.

Eyewitness News 3 is reporting the three were taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries that are considered not life-threatening.

the Nashantucket Tribal Police, which provide security at the casino, told the press that the scene was immediately contained, and no added security measures such as a lock down were needed.

Foxwoods Resort Casino issued a statement afterward that said:


"We want to express our gratitude to our onsite first responders for their professionalism and rapid response, which effectively intercepted the incident and ensured safety and security for our guests, tenants and employees. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all those involved with or affected by this incident. As this is an active police investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time and are working closely with the Mashantucket Tribal Police."

 

Lawyer Michael Avenatti in Boston to help launch new pro-Democratic PAC

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Deb Kozikowski and Mara Dolan are founding Left of Center to endorse and campaign for Democratic candidates who do not agree with the party on every issue.

Two Massachusetts Democratic activists with extensive political experience are launching a new national political action committee that will endorse and campaign for Democratic candidates who do not agree with the party on every issue.

"The whole big tent theory seems to have diminished in practice in the Democratic Party," said Deb Kozikowski, who is founding Left of Center with Mara Dolan.

Democratic attorney Michael Avenatti, best known for representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her lawsuit against President Donald Trump, spoke at an event launching the PAC on Sunday and met with a reporter for The Springfield Republican / MassLive.com on Monday in Cambridge.

Advocacy for the PAC is part of Avenatti's broader work fundraising and campaigning for Democratic causes in advance of the November 2018 elections. Avenatti is also considering a 2020 presidential run.

"If the party's going to succeed, and especially if the party's going to succeed on a national level, then we're going to have to be more inclusive," Avenatti said.

Kozikowski and Dolan are well-known in Massachusetts politics. Kozikowski, of Chicopee, is the long-time vice chairwoman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. She works in political organizing nationally, advocating around rural issues and helping Democrats in rural areas. 

Dolan is a communications professional who is currently consulting for Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin's campaign and recently worked for Senate President Stan Rosenberg. She previously produced her own political talk show and also worked as an attorney.

Kozikowski said she and Dolan developed the idea after having conversations about the divisiveness of labels - such as progressive or centrist - within the Democratic Party. Kozikowski said it is "unfortunate" that Democrats get distracted by labels rather than focusing on the goal of being a Democrat, which, she said, "is agreeing on 90 to 95 percent of the issues and being able to find ways to compromise and move forward on the things we can't agree on."

For example, Kozikowski said the chairwoman of the West Virginia Democratic Party said she found a dead fish on her lawn the day after West Virginia's Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin voted to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. 

"Joe Manchin is not the perfect 100 percent vote, but Joe Manchin is a vote for West Virginia and Joe Manchin was a vote that saved the Affordable Care Act," Kozikowski said. "I think that is a good enough pedigree to be accepted for his warts and all."

Dolan pointed to a decision by some Democratic organizations to withdraw their support from Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen in Tennessee because Bredesen said he would have voted to confirm Kavanaugh. Dolan said even though she would not support Kavanaugh, she would rather have a Democrat in office who would vote with the party on the environment, civil rights, voting rights and other issues than a Republican "who votes the wrong way on everything."

"We can't afford to keep losing congressional races nationwide," Dolan said. "We've got to elect Democrats and stop excluding people simply because they don't agree with us on absolutely everything."

Left of Center plans to endorse candidates who "agree with us on at least 90 percent of major issues, have good character and temperament, and know enough about government to work for productive compromise on the rest," Dolan said. 

She said the group is trying to represent the "enormous, unheralded quiet center that longs for stability but does not have enough of a voice in the current political landscape."

Once Left of Center endorses a candidate, the group will actively campaign for that person, assisting in organizing and messaging.

Avenatti has his own history of being on the outs with Democrats.

Avenatti represented Julie Swetnick, who accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Kavanaugh denied the allegations. Swetnick's accusations were not investigated by the FBI, which did look into allegations by two other women, Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez. 

After Kavanaugh was confirmed, CNN reported that some Democrats accused Avenatti of undercutting their case against Kavanaugh by bringing allegations that were less credible and more sensational than those of Ford and Ramirez. Swetnick alleged that Kavanaugh, in high school, spiked girls' drinks, grabbed girls without permission and attended parties where gang rapes occurred.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, initially called on the FBI to investigate Swetnick's allegations, but in her speech explaining her decision to vote for Kavanaugh, Collins called Swetnick's claims "outlandish."

Avenatti noted that none of the Democrats who criticized him were willing to go on the record. He said he has no regrets about his role in the Kavanaugh hearing process. But he said the comments show that "A lot of these people see me as a threat, and they should see me as a threat because I'm not beholden to these folks. I don't owe anybody anything as it relates to establishment Democrats."

Avenatti dismissed Collins as "one of biggest frauds in the U.S. Senate" for calling for an FBI investigation, then saying Swetnick's claims were not credible. "She's entirely unqualified to make any such determination," Avenatti said. 

Asked whether the Democratic Party has space for someone like Manchin, Avenatti said he is "not at all happy" about Manchin's vote for Kavanaugh, but "I certainly think the party needs to take a big tent approach and be more inclusive than exclusive." 

"We have to also recognize that not all Democrats have the luxury of being in a place as progressive as Massachusetts," Avenatti said. "This is a very diverse nation, and a Democrat in one part of the country might be classified as a Republican in another part of the country."

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