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Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker pledges to stay all four years of second term

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Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker had a one-word answer when asked, the day after voters granted him a second term, whether he plans to serve all four years.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker had a one-word answer when asked, the day after voters granted him a second term, whether he plans to serve all four years.

"Absolutely," the Swampscott Republican said to reporters gathered for a post-election press conference at the State House.

Another reporter asked whether he plans to go for a third term. Baker laughed, scratched an eyebrow, and turned to look at his running mate, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.

"We're not really thinking yet about - we've been talking mostly about what we want to get done in a second term," Baker responded.

Baker and Polito each won third terms Tuesday over Democrats Jay Gonzalez, Gov. Deval Patrick's former budget chief, and Quentin Palfrey, a former Obama administration official.

Baker called the third-term question "really premature," though Patrick said he wasn't running for a third term before starting his second in 2011. Patrick beat Baker in 2010.

"I guess what I would start with is that the lieutenant governor and I have really enjoyed these jobs, really appreciated the chance to work with our colleagues here in the State House and in local government and local communities around Massachusetts," Baker said Wednesday.

2018 Massachusetts election: Gov. Charlie Baker says victory about 'tone' and collaboration

On a possible third term, "any decision about something like that would get made way down the road," Baker added.

Asked if he expects turnover in his cabinet, Baker said, "So people in our administration have come and gone since the start of our term. And we think we have a great team. And if they all choose to stay that's great, but if some of them decide to move on, I'm sure we'll be able to come up with worthy successors."

Baker held separate meetings with staffers and cabinet officials before speaking with reporters about the election results.

"I think the big message was we would really rather have our elected officials working with one another and trying to get things done than sniping at each other," he said.

Democrats pick up seats in Massachusetts Legislature

Baker said some of the bills on his agenda for his second term include one encouraging the construction of more housing in supply-strapped Massachusetts, regulation of short-term rental platform Airbnb, and continuing work on the MBTA, the troubled public transit agency. 

"Today's a work day," Baker said. "And our goal and objective going forward is basically going to be to get back to work and chase some of the issues that are currently on our plate, as well as developing an agenda for calendar '19 and beyond." 


Bail set at $100,000 for suspended city police officer in child rape case; lawyer criticizes 'salacious' media coverage

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Daniel Cintron, 29, of Monson, faces 31 criminal charges in two cases alleging child rape.

SPRINGFIELD -- Bail was set at $100,000 Wednesday for a suspended city police officer accused of child rape.

The lawyer for Daniel Cintron asked for his client's bail to be set at a total of $10,000. A prosecutor asked to set the bail at $250,000.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Daniel W. Wrenn ultimately set bail at $100,000, $50,000 on each child rape case pending against Cintron, 29, of Monson.

Defense lawyer Joe A. Smith III said the prosecution has no forensic evidence against Cintron, whom he said is the victim of a personal vendetta. Smith said Cintron has been subjected to "salacious" media coverage because he is a police officer.

Smith said he stipulated at a July court hearing that Cintron was dangerous, but that was a tactical move to avoid a dangerousness hearing. Under state law establishing dangerousness, a defendant can be held for 120 days without right to bail.

The bail hearing Wednesday was to establish a bail amount for Cintron.

Assistant District Attorney Rachael T. Eramo asked for the $250,000 bail amount, citing what she said is the chronic nature of the abuse and the strength of the case. She said high bail is necessary to make sure Cintron returns to court.

Smith said everything the prosecution has done to try to corroborate the charges has weakened the case against Cintron. He said child rape is "the most salacious thing you can be charged with."

Cintron has denied 31 criminal charges, including allegations of child rape involving three victims.

Of the charges, 28 are grouped in one case involving two children. The alleged victims are under 10 years old, according to court records. There also are three indictments grouped in a separate case, involving one child who is over 14 but under 16 years old.

The allegations say the crimes happened in Chicopee or Springfield. Most indictments say the acts happened between May 10, 2015, and May 18, 2018.

Cintron is also charged with one count of dissemination of matter harmful to minors and one count of engaging children in sexual conduct.

For one child Cintron faces four counts of forcible rape of a child, four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and four counts of intimidation of a witness. 

For a second child Cintron faces four counts of forcible rape of a child, six counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and four counts of intimidation of a witness.

For a third child Cintron faces one count of forcible rape of a child under 16 and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14.

Cintron was suspended without pay in September 2017 after he was charged with unarmed robbery and assault and battery in connection with a dispute outside the Eastfield Mall involving another man and three teens. That case is still pending in Hampden Superior Court.

Man shot Saturday in Pittsfield dies

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The victim was shot Saturday at about 9 a.m. near the intersection of Spring and Willow streets, the DA's office said.

A 30-year-old man who was shot Saturday morning in Pittsfield has died, the office of Berkshire County District Attorney Paul J. Caccaviello said Wednesday.

David Green Jr., of Pittsfield, died Wednesday afternoon at Berkshire Medical Center from gunshot wounds, the DA's office said. An autopsy will be conducted at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Holyoke.

Green was shot Saturday at about 9 a.m. near the intersection of Spring and Willow streets, the DA's office said.

Green's death is being investigated as a homicide. Pittsfield police asked anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or who may have information about it to contact the detective bureau at 413-443-9705 or send a tip via text message by texting PITTIP and your message to 847411.

Pittsfield police with the assistance from Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office and the Berkshire County Sheriff's Department are investigating.

 

Massachusetts package store owners want to join marijuana industry

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An industry official said package store owners would be the natural choice as proprietors of marijuana establishments.

SPRINGFIELD -- The Massachusetts Package Stores Association Inc. is lobbying the Legislature for permission to let proprietors obtain licenses to run shops that sell recreational marijuana products.

"We're being proactive about it, we're not waiting for it to happen," Robert A. Mellion, association executive director and general counsel, said in a phone interview Monday.

The state legalized marijuana for recreational use with voter passage of a ballot question in 2016. Gov. Charlie Baker signed the measure into law July 28, 2017.

Mellion said his reading of the law is that existing package stores cannot add  marijuana products to their shelves. But the law doesn't prevent a package store license holder from obtaining a marijuana sales license from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, he said.

"I'm hoping that they'll enforce it," Mellion said.

Conceivably, a package store owner could open a marijuana sales business next door, he said.

A commission spokeswoman said state law does not prevent an individual or entity that simultaneously seeks separate licenses -- one to sell marijuana or marijuana products, and one to sell alcohol -- from engaging in both activities on one premises. But cities and towns might have restrictions, she said.

Association officials have been talking about the matter with legislators and also plans to contact the commission, he said.

Moises Garcia, a manager with Crazy Andy's Liquors' stores in Springfield and Holyoke, said letting package store license holders get licenses to sell pot would help smaller businesses compete.

"I think it's a good idea. Right now, if you look at it, the people who are obtaining these licenses are people" who can spend $300,000 or $400,000. "I think it should be open to anyone out there. For me it's natural," said Garcia, at the 711 Boston Road store.

The commission has yet to grant final approval for any recreational marijuana businesses to open, but commission officials have said such an opening could happen this month.

Mellion said package store owners would be the natural choice as proprietors of marijuana establishments.

They have experience in running businesses that provide controlled substances. They are adept at complying with and know the importance of state laws that ban sales to those under age 21. And they are trained to promote responsible use of alcohol products by refusing sales to anyone intoxicated, whether because of drinking or drug use, he said.

Establishments that sell alcohol employ nearly 140,000 people in Massachusetts and the industry and its employees pay over $1.08 billion in state and local taxes, and $1.84 billion in federal taxes, according to the Massachusetts Package Stores Association website.

Alcohol and marijuana are intertwined culturally and legally. The recreational marijuana law uses alcoholic beverages laws as references. For example:

"Section 28, (iii) qualifications for licensure and minimum standards for employment that are directly and demonstrably related to the operation of a marijuana establishment and similar to qualifications for licensure and employment standards in connection with alcoholic beverages as regulated under chapter 138 of the General Laws; provided that a prior conviction solely for a marijuana-related offense or for a violation of section 34 of chapter 94C of the General Laws shall not disqualify an individual or otherwise affect eligibility for employment or licensure in connection with a marijuana establishment, unless the offense involved the distribution of a controlled substance, including marijuana, to a minor;"

And:

"SECTION 26. Said section 3 of said chapter 94G, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 393 inserting after the word 'establishments', in line 30, the following:- provided that if a city or town enacts an ordinance or by-law above the commission's standard, no such local ordinance or by-law may impose a standard for signage more restrictive than those applicable to retail establishments that sell alcoholic beverages within that city or town."

The "friend or foe" question with which the alcohol industry has regarded marijuana sales has been answered on the "friend" side in some cases lately. This comes in light of the billion-dollar sales projected for cannabis businesses and the surge in proposals for such establishments.

New York State liquor stores are seeking permission to sell marijuana products, according to newyorkupstate.com

Constellation Brands, parent company of Corona beer, said in August it has invested $4 billion in Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth, according to The New York Times.

If the Granite State legalizes marijuana for recreational use, an official said that the New Hampshire State Liquor Commission would be the logical agency to regulate it, according to New Hampshire Public Radio.

William Rodriguez, also known as 'Willy Wonka,' to serve 8 years in prison for 36 burglaries in 4 states

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William Rodriguez, the lead defendant in the case who also goes by the aliases "Willy Wonka" and "Chocolate Man," was handed the 8-year sentence Wednesday

 

A six-month investigation dubbed "Operation Golden Ticket" concluded Wednesday as a suspect known as "Willy Wonka" was sentenced to eight years in prison in connection with what is believed to be the largest burglary prosecution in the history of Massachusetts, officials said. 

William Rodriguez, the lead defendant in the case who also goes by the aliases "Willy Wonka" and "Chocolate Man," was handed the eight-year sentence Wednesday after pleading guilty in Salem Superior Court to 36 commercial burglaries in four states, according to the office of Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.

Two months ago, Operation Golden Ticket led to the indictment of four men, including 47-year-old Rodriguez, in connection with 38 burglaries and 20 car thefts, totaling more than $900,000 in stolen cash and property, over the last year.

'Willy Wonka' arrested in New England ATM robbery spree called 'Operation Golden Ticket'

The "Willy Wonka crew" terrorized businesses, officials said.

"This prosecution is unprecedented in Massachusetts history not only for the number of burglaries solved and prosecuted but also for the speed with which the cases were resolved through guilty pleas," Blodgett said in a statement. "All of the defendants have pleaded guilty, numerous cold case historical burglaries around the region were solved, the defendants were held accountable, and their criminal enterprise has been destroyed."

Other defendants in the case were also sentenced to time in state prison.

Chepiel "Chep" Sanchez pleaded guilty Wednesday to indictments charging him with 10 burglaries and the receipt of five stolen car. He was sentenced to eight to 10 years in state prison.

Nelson "Pito" Rodriguez, 43, pleaded guilty Monday to a 24-count indictment charging him with six burglaries and four car thefts. He is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday to a term of eight to 10 years in state prison.

Ignacio "Iggy" Duran, 41, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a nine-count indictment, charging him with two burglaries and one car theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday to a term of eight to 10 years in state prison.

"Every night for over the past year, these defendants presented a danger to law enforcement and business owners throughout New England," Blodgett said in the statement.  "Beyond the physical danger posed by such break-ins and the multiple high-speed car chases that this crew engaged in, there was great financial harm inflicted by these crimes."

About 60 law enforcement agencies in New England reportedly cooperated and collaborated in the investigation.

Blodgett's office said the following burglaries committed by the "Willy Wonka" crew were solved through Operation Golden Ticket:

  • 8/25/17, Providence, R.I. - Break-in to Bank of America (about $100,000 stolen)
  • 9/4/17, Lawrence, Mass. - Break-in to TD Bank (attempted)
  • 9/8/17, Medford, Mass. - Break-in to United Check Cashing (about $40,000 stolen)
  • 9/23/17, Worcester, Mass. - Break-in to TD Bank (attempted)
  • 10/22/17, Lawrence, Mass. - Break-in to Bank of America (attempted)
  • 10/25/17, Greenland, N.H. - Break-in to Citizens Bank (attempted)
  • 10/8/2017, Belchertown, Mass. - Break-in to Bank of America (about $50,000 stolen)
  • 11/3/17, Providence, R.I. - Break-in to Santander Bank  (about $80,000 stolen)
  • 12/21/17, Dover, N.H. - Break-in to Bank of America (attempted)
  • 1/3/18, Methuen, Mass. - Break-in to Walgreens, TD Bank ATM (about $29,000 stolen)
  • 1/5/18, Salem, N.H. - Break-in to Bank of America (attempted)
  • 1/6/18, Newington, N.H. - Break-in to Gulf Gas Station
  • 1/19/18, Leicester, Mass. - Break-in to Country Bank ATM (about $32,000 stolen)
  • 1/25/18, Fitchburg, Mass. - Break-in to Cashlink Check Cashing (about $60,000 stolen)
  • 2/2/18, Gardner, Mass. - Break-in to Bank of America ATM (attempted)
  • 2/4/18, Cranston, R.I. - Break-in to Advance America Cash Advance
  • 2/7/18, Boston, Mass. - Break-in to Quality Market / Western Union
  • 2/9/18, Needham, Mass. - Break-in to Dunkin Donuts (about $3,600 stolen)
  •  2/9/18, Needham, Mass. - Break-in to Gulf Gas Station
  • 2/10/18, Portsmouth, N.H. - Break-in to Enterprise Rent-a-Car (about $150,000 stolen in vehicles)
  • 2/10/18, Waltham, Mass. - Break-in to Healthpoint Fitness (about $52,000 stolen from ATM)
  • 2/19/18, Malden, Mass. - Break-in to U-Haul
  • 2/19/18, Medford, Mass. - Break-in to United Check Cashing (about $10,000 stolen)
  • 2/19/18, Swansea, Mass. - Break-in to Verizon Wireless (about $90,000 stolen in merchandise)
  • 2/24/18, Dayville, Conn. - Break-in to Verizon Wireless Store (about $13,000 stolen in merchandise)
  • 2/24/18, Plainfield, Conn. - Break-in to Verizon Wireless Store (about $40,000 stolen in merchandise)
  • 2/26/18, Bow, N.H. - Break-in to Speedway Gas Station
  • 2/26/18, Salem, N.H. - Break-in to IHOP Restaurant (about $9,000 stolen)
  • 2/26/18, Salem, N.H. - Break-in to Verizon Store
  • 3/3/18, West Springfield, Mass. - Break-in to Florence Bank ATM (about $60,000 stolen)
  • 3/7/18, Hanover, Mass. - Break-in to Mobil Gas Station (about $7,000 stolen)
  • 3/16/18, Yarmouth, Mass. - Break-in to Doctor Wheels
  • 3/16/18, Bourne, Mass. - Break-in to Bank of America ATM
  • 3/16/18, Westwood, Mass. - Break-in to Ukrainian Federal Credit Union (about $10,000 stolen
  • 3/24/18, Providence, R.I. - Break-in to Bank of America ATM (about $60,000 stolen)
  • 3/31/18, Plaistow, N.H. - Break-in to North Shore Bank ATM
  • 3/31/18, Needham, Mass. - Break-in to Speedway Gas Station
  • 4/21/18, Marlborough, Mass. - Break-in to Citizens Bank
  • 4/21/18, Attleborough, Mass. - Break-in to State Line Lottery (about $12,000 stolen in cigarettes and currency)

Northampton considers increasing parking garage hourly rate

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Fees have not been increased in 19 years, when they went from 30 cents an hour to 50 cents. The first hour is free -- at least for now.

NORTHAMPTON -- The city may increase the hourly rate at the E. J. Gare parking garage from 50 cents to 75 cents an hour.

Fees at the downtown garage, connected via an air walk to Thornes Marketplace, have not been increased for 19 years, Mayor David Narkewicz said at the City Council's Finance Committee meeting last week. The first hour will remain free - at least for now.

"I have spoken to the owners of Thornes market, who are the most directly affected, and they are supportive of this change," Narkewicz said.

Other downtown parking areas, such as the Armory Street lot, have already been increased to 75 cents an hour, and it's $1 an hour to park on Main Street.

Credit card fees have helped improve operations in the garage, but those fees take "a significant amount of revenue," Narkewicz said - for a two-hour stay, drivers now pay only 50 cents (because the first hour is free), but the town pays 25 cents in credit card fees. Almost half of the garage's transactions are paid with credit cards. The 75-cent rate would make up for the 25 cents lost to credit card fees.

"We have made and will continue to make significant investments in the garage," Narkewicz said. 

Over the last three fiscal years, the city has spent nearly $650,000 in infrastructure improvements. Money made from increased fees above the garage's operating costs will go toward future improvements and upgrades.

Narkewicz estimates the increased fees would net an additional $200,000 in revenue.

Councilor Bill Dwight said that the last time the fee was increased - from 30 cents to 50 cents an hour - there was some "gnashing of teeth" from residents, but he said so far officials hadn't received feedback either way on this proposed increase.

According to a comprehensive parking study that was conducted, the city may in the future reconsider the first free hour offered at the garage, but Narkewicz and councilors agreed they weren't ready to get rid of it yet.

The fee increase was given a positive recommendation by the Finance Committee. Next, it will be up for discussion by the Legislative Matters Committee on Nov. 13 before it's discussed by the full City Council. It might make the council's Nov. 15 agenda, but could be delayed to Dec. 6.

If approved, the increase could go into effect in January, Narkewicz said. 

Elise Linscott can be reached at elise.linscott@gmail.com.

 

Springfield city councilors sharply criticize SilverBrick Square project after allegations of new violations

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Council President Orlando Ramos said he believes that after two stop orders on the project in the past month, it is time to begin revocation of local tax incentives.

SPRINGFIELD -- City councilors sharply criticized a New York-based developer Wednesday after city inspectors halted work for the second time on the SilverBrick Square housing project for alleged plumbing violations.

Council President Orlando Ramos said he believes that after two stop orders on the project in the past month, it is time to begin revocation of local tax incentives previously granted by the council to the developer, SilverBrick Group LLC.

"I have contacted the Law Department to begin the process of immediate revocation of the existing tax break for Silverbrick LLC," Ramos said.

Councilors Jesse Lederman and Adam Gomez joined in criticizing the developer, with the comments following a statement by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who pledged a city investigation and "appropriate sanctions."

"This is total BS and it's unacceptable," Sarno said.

Ramos said it was made clear to SilverBrick officials at an October meeting that the alleged plumbing issues uncovered then, including use of unlicensed plumbers and alleged substandard materials, would not be tolerated. Ramos said it was made clear that if such an incident or similar incident was to occur again, that he personally would ask for immediate revocation of tax breaks.

"They've had plenty of warnings and it's time to revoke the tax break," Ramos said.

Aaron J. Papowitz, founder and managing principal for the SilverBrick Group, was contacted by The Republican, but did not provide comments on behalf of the company.

In the latest stop order, Code Enforcement Commissioner Steven Desilets said the improper plumbing work included unlicensed workers and sealing off work without inspections. While the October order just halted plumbing work temporarily until a new plumber was hired, the latest order stopped all work because there was other work also sealed off without city inspections, he said.

Lederman and Gomez are calling for a committee hearing for councilors to be briefed about the latest code violations and for a full review of the tax incentive agreement with the city's Board of Assessors, economic development director and Law Department.

The property tax incentive will save SilverBrick Group a total of $150,000 over a 10-year period on the new development valuation, not the valuation of when purchased by SilverBrick last year.

"This appears to be continued flagrant disregard for our building code," Lederman said. ""Frankly, I am appalled that we need to call a second oversight meeting in less than one month related to this project. The administration should initiate a full review immediately."

Gomez said the developer had promised in October that issues would be fixed.

"This seems to be complete disregard to the seriousness of what officials asked this developer," Gomez said. "I stand firm that I can't trust their word or even believe they want to do good by the City of Springfield. This is strike two and this has to be the last straw."

Gomez, who is chairman of the Economic Development Committee, said a meeting will be scheduled to discuss the most recent violations as soon as possible.

Obituaries from The Republican, Nov. 7, 2018


Holyoke City Council approves $550,000 bond for Pouliot Pool renovation

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The Holyoke City Council approved a $550,000 bond for the demolition and renovation of Pouliot Pool, which closed in 2015 after leaks were discovered.

HOLYOKE - The City Council approved a $550,000 bond request critical to the demolition and replacement of Pouliot Pool, which closed in 2015 after engineers discovered cracks and structural problems.

The pool near Fitzpatrick Ice Skating Rink opened in 1981.

The current project budget stands at $2.2 million, which includes site preparation, demolition and renovations.

The $550,000 allows the project to move forward, at least with the planning, design and initial work. The newly configured pool will meet the federal American with Disabilities Act mandates.

Councilor Joseph McGiverin, who chairs the Finance Committee, said the city pools meet the needs of residents who seek some relief from the summer heat. "It's important to our families and young children," he said.

Councilor James Leahy said the bond represents "money well spent."

The city failed to meet a July 1, 2017, deadline on a $400,000 Massachusetts Parkland Acquisition and Renovations for Community grant. The state reimburses municipalities a percentage of construction costs. The city plans to reapply for the state grant.

Ward 5 Councilor Linda Vacon asked if the bond approval affects the state grant application. McGiverin assured Vacon the grant application could proceed.

The city will also seek Community Preservation Act funding for the project, which Councilor Michael Sullivan recommended. Sullivan serves on the Community Preservation Act Committee.

He said the CPA funds represent "significant" savings.

The city hired AECOM as the principal designer. AECOM's plan reduces the "beach entry," eliminates pool steps, relocates a splash pad and removes the former kiddie pool.

The project must still undergo a bidding process.

Department of Public Works Superintendent Michael McManus informed the Finance Committee that $150,000 remains in funding related to the renovations of the city's tennis courts. He recommended the council transfer the funds to the Pouliot Pool project.

McManus said the renovations would take one year, with an opening planned for June 2019. The pool was initially scheduled to open June 1, 2018.

The council voted 9-0 for the bond. Councilors Rebecca Lisi, Nelson Roman, Juan Anderson-Burgos and Daniel Bresnahan were not present for the vote. Anderson-Burgos arrived shortly after the vote.

Neighbors oppose zoning change for Agawam subdivision

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Developer Kirk MacNaughton wishes to build 19 homes off Silver Street, and Doane Avenue protested his petition to rezone the property.

AGAWAM -- Residents of Doane Avenue lined up at Wednesday's City Council meeting to oppose rezoning a piece of wooded land to accommodate a subdivision.

Kirk MacNaughton of Blue Sky Builders, LLC, presented plans for a 19-home development off Silver Street that would back up against Doane Avenue, a 1950s-era dead-end street. McNaughton has preliminary approval from the Planning Board for a 10-unit development on his land, even without the zone change.

Half of MacNaughton's site is zoned industrial, and the other half residential. McNaughton said he wants the industrial portion to be zoned residential, so that he can build 19 homes instead of 10. MacNaughton's 10-unit plan would leave him with three industrial sites, but he said he'd rather build more houses instead.

MacNaughton said the zoning change would allow for a "better and more attractive neighborhood," because the new homeowners would not have industrial uses across the street from their homes. He said he would be able to build more expensive homes with the change, and that either way, some open space would be preserved to comply with state laws that protect endangered species. 

Resident Stuart Kibbe said it would be a "slippery slope" for the council "to increase (a developer's) profits by changing the zoning." Kibbe, one of a half-dozen neighbors in attendance, said MacNaughton "knew when he bought the property that it was split zoning."

One man said he bought his house years ago because it has woods behind it, and does not want to look at another person's back yard. One woman said keeping the industrial zoning would lead to higher tax revenue for the town. Another said McNaughton sought the same zoning change in 2009 or 2011, and that the council said "no."

Several objected to MacNaughton's plan for an access road to the new subdivision from the cul-de-sac at the end of Doane Avenue, saying that children play on the quiet street. McNaughton said he would put up a sign prohibiting people from exiting the new subdivision onto Doane Avenue.

Council president Christopher Johnson invited MacNaughton to give his presentation, even though the actual public hearing was tabled until Nov. 19. Johnson said councilors who were absent could watch video of the meeting.

Generally, a zoning change requires a two-thirds council vote. But because neighbors filed a formal protest with the city, a three-quarters vote is needed, said Johnson. Since only eight of the 11 councilors were present, it would not have been possible for McNaughton to gain his necessary nine votes.

Wednesday's City Council meeting was held at Agawam Junior High School, where permanent equipment was recently set up to videotape and broadcast public meetings.

Mayor William Sapelli praised the part-time staff and volunteers with the town's PEG-access television station, saying the technology project "took a lot of work and turned out well."

Powerball numbers: Did you win Wednesday's $73.1 million lottery jackpot?

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Here are the winning numbers in Wednesday's Powerball lottery drawing. Watch video

The latest Powerball drawing offers a hefty chunk of change for someone with the right jackpot numbers.

powerballlogo.jpg

Here are Wednesday's winning numbers:

26-28-34-42-50, Powerball: 25, PowerPlay: 2X

The estimated jackpot is $73.1 million. The lump sum payment before taxes would be about $40 million. If there is no jackpot winner, the amount grows larger for the next drawing.

The last time someone won the Powerball jackpot was Oct. 27 when tickets sold in New York and Iowa split a $687.7 million payout.

Powerball is held in 44 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

A $2 ticket gives you a one in 292.2 million chance at joining the hall of Powerball champions.

The drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Wednesdays and Saturdays. Deadline to purchase tickets is 9:45 p.m.

Springfield honors 2018 veteran of year, parade marshal

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Springfield officials and veterans honored Jose L. Feliciano, who was chosen as the 2018 veteran of the year, and Todd Crevier, the 2018 Springfield Veterans Day Parade marshal.

SPRINGFIELD -- City officials, veterans and police crowded a City Hall meeting room Wednesday to honor Officer Jose L. Feliciano as the 2018 veteran of the year and Todd Crevier as 2018 Veterans Day Parade marshal, praising both for their service to their country and community.

Charly Lawrence, chairwoman of the Springfield Veterans Activities Committee, in presenting the Veteran of the Year Award to Feliciano, described him as having "community volunteerism off the charts."

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno issued mayoral citations to both men, saying they are humble and genuine "in their DNA, and their families' DNA."

Both men will lead the Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, beginning at 11 a.m. at Springfield Technical Community College on Federal Street and ending with a ceremony at Court Square.

The Veterans Activities Committee and and Springfield Department of Veterans' Services sponsor the Veteran of the Year Award, which is given to a Springfield resident who is a veteran and continuously volunteers his or her personal time to better the community and never asks for recognition, Lawrence said.

The parade marshal is an individual "who strives to increase the quality of life for our community's veterans through their personal and professional work," Lawrence said.

The Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives and the City Council also issued citations to Feliciano. Councilors Adam Gomez, Kateri Walsh and Timothy Allen took part in Wednesday's ceremony, also congratulating Crevier.

Feliciano said it was a great honor to be chosen for the award, and said he proudly accepts it on behalf of all veterans.

Feliciano enlisted in U.S. Army in 1984 and served for 27 years, including service with the Army National Guard, before his retirement in 2011. He has been a Springfield police officer since 1995.

Crevier also served in the Army. He was praised for supporting veterans and their families, including efforts by his nonprofit organization, New England Adventures.

Rachel's Table keeps founding member's memory alive with annual Thanksgiving fund

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Daydie Hochberg, who was a founding member of Rachel's table started a Thanksgiving Fund over 12 years ago to help provide turkey dinners for families in local agencies the food distribution organization serves.

SPRINGFIELD -- The late Daydie Hochberg loved entertaining -- especially at Thanksgiving, when her home was the gathering place for family and friends.

Hochberg's reputation as a cook and hostess, combined with her Jewish belief in helping those in need, led her to become a founding member of Rachel's Table, a food redistribution center that delivers donated fresh and prepared food to local agencies serving the hungry.

Three years before she died, Hochberg established a fund dedicated to providing Thanksgiving turkeys for local agencies. Twelve years later, the fund is still going strong, says Hochberg's cousin Judy Yaffe of Longmeadow. 

Rachel's Table aims to serve more than 300 families with turkey dinners, including potatoes, stuffing and pies, according to Associate Director Sarah Maniaci. The effort is supported by individual donors and partners Sweat Power Yoga in East Longmeadow and Big Y in Longmeadow.

"We have a corps of volunteers ready and willing to pick up the turkeys from Big Y and distribute them to the agencies we serve," Maniaci said.

Last year, Rachel's Table served 300 Thanksgiving meals, Yaffe said.

"This year I would like to see if we can raise more money to provide even more meals to those in need," she said, adding that the agency also provides kosher turkey dinners.

"We order the turkeys from the Big Y. They let us buy them when they have their 'Buy 1 Get 2 Free' specials," Yaffe said. "We even use their basement to store everything and distribute them to drivers during the week before and during Thanksgiving."

A $25 donation to Daydie's Thanksgiving Fund is enough to cover a meal with all the fixings for a family of four, Maniaci said.

Many of Hochberg's friends make it a tradition to deliver the turkey dinners to local agencies. They include Betsy Gaberman, who leads a crew that delivers to the Gray House in Springfield's North End, one of the charities that depends on Rachel's Table.

Founded in 1992, Rachel's Table receives donations of fresh and prepared food from local supermarkets, restaurants, caterers and farmers markets that would otherwise go to waste and distributes them to area agencies.

More than 200 volunteers from various religions, backgrounds and cultures work six days a week to pick up the extra food and deliver it to 40 local agencies serving the hungry and homeless.

Jaffe remembers her cousin Daydie Hochberg fondly.

Hochberg's home-based business helped families order specialized tablecloth lines of every imaginable color for events like bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings and even Rachel's Table events. Her house was the hub for family gatherings, Jaffe said.

"She was very philanthropic," she said.

"She would drive to drop off deliveries with her 90-year-old father sitting in the passenger seat," Jaffe said, adding that her cousin would be pleased that the Thanksgiving drive is continuing.

Contributions to Daydie's Thanksgiving Fund can be sent to: Rachel's Table, 1160 Dickinson St., Springfield, MA 01108.

Newly empowered Democrats take aim at Trump business conflicts

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Democrats hope the new year brings a new day on such issues as foreign government spending at Trump properties.

Beyond trying to get their hands on the Holy Grail of President Donald Trump's business dealings -- his tax returns -- House Democrats are prepared to use their newfound majority and subpoena power to go after all manner of financial records that could back up their claims that he's using his presidency to enrich himself and his family.

       After two years of being blocked by the White House and the Trump Organization at every turn, Democrats hope the new year brings a new day on such issues as foreign government spending at Trump properties, Trump's foreign licensing deals, Trump administration ties to lobbyists and special interests, and spending by Trump's charitable foundation.

       Rep. Elijah Cummings, the Maryland Democrat who is poised to take charge of the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement to The Associated Press that he intends to use the panel as "a check on the executive branch -- not merely for potential criminal violations, but for much broader concerns, such as conflicts of interest, emoluments violations and waste, fraud and abuse."

      While Democrats taking over key House committees have not specifically telegraphed their targets, Cummings' committee would likely seek Trump's business tax returns and other company-related financial records, according to two Democratic congressional staffers who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss post-election plans.

       Trump's personal income taxes, which he withheld during the 2016 campaign and in his two years in office, are expected to be the purview of the House Ways and Means Committee.

       Internal Revenue Service law allows House and Senate tax-writing committees to request federal returns, and the ranking Ways and Means Democrat, Rep. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, has signaled publicly he would ask for them -- a move the White House might fight.

Trump said in a wide-ranging news conference Wednesday that he doesn't want to release his taxes because they are under a "continuous audit." He also said: "They're extremely complex. People wouldn't understand them."

      For the past two years, White House lawyers and the Trump Organization have repeatedly rebuffed Democratic efforts to get even the most basic financial information on Trump's businesses.

When Cummings and other Democrats asked last year for records detailing Trump's separation from his businesses, they received an eight-page glossy pamphlet and a single email. When they asked how the Trump Organization arrived at the $151,470 in profits it paid back to the Treasury for foreign stays at his hotels, they got silence.

      Now with Democrats in control of the House, if Trump's companies or other interests ignore their subpoenas or try legal maneuvers to delay or spurn them, they could face a contempt citation to the House floor. Such citations could be taken to federal court for possible legal action.

       Any records Democrats manage to shake out could potentially have an impact on federal lawsuits Democrats are already pursuing against the president.

      For example, Cummings and other Democratic lawmakers last year filed a federal lawsuit demanding disclosures of records to determine how Trump was approved by the General Services Administration to maintain the lease of the Trump International Hotel in Washington after he became president.

The hotel is housed in the historic Old Post Office, which is owned by the federal government, and its lease has a clause barring any "elected official of the government of the United States" from deriving "any benefit." Trump and his daughter Ivanka, a senior White House adviser, both retained their stakes in the property.

        And then there's a lawsuit against Trump by nearly 200 Democratic senators and representatives who accuse Trump of constantly violating the Constitution's emoluments provision banning the acceptance of gifts from foreign and domestic interests. Trump has not relinquished his ownership of his business empire.

Though a separate case involving similar allegations filed by the attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia is further along, the D.C. case is the only one that has congressional Democrats as the plaintiffs.

         They argue that such favors to Trump include Chinese government trademarks for his companies, payments for hotel room stays and event-space rentals by representatives of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and proceeds from Chinese or Emirati-linked government purchases of office space in Trump Tower.

         Their lawsuit also has a potential wrinkle that involves another figure of the tense midterm election season -- newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Since some of the plaintiffs in the suit were among the senators on the Judiciary Committee against whom Kavanaugh lashed out during his confirmation hearing regarding sexual assault allegations, some legal experts believe there could be a case made for his recusal if their case ends up before him.

         It would be up to Kavanaugh, however, to determine whether he felt he should recuse himself. In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal before his recent confirmation vote, Kavanaugh said he had misspoken because he was upset and assured the public that he would act as a fair and impartial judge.

        Kavanaugh is seen as a conservative swing vote with a record and public comments that suggest deference to the power of the chief executive but legal experts caution it is hard to predict what might happen if legal challenges on emoluments or Trump's business records make it to the high court.

         Any such predication, according to Seth Barrett Tillman, a law lecturer at Maynooth University in Ireland, is "not going to vastly outperform astrology or tarot cards."     

Resource officers Matt Malo and Scott Gove strive to bring safety, community to Hampshire Regional High School

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The pair provide approximately 18 hours of coverage a week to the high school -- and by extension to the community itself

WESTHAMPTON -- School resource officers Scott Gove and Matt Malo strive to bring a sense of safety and community to the halls of Hampshire Regional High School.

The pair, who provide approximately 18 hours of coverage a week to the high school -- and by extension to the community at large -- seem to be ideally suited for the job.

Gove is a full-time police officer in Southampton, which accounts for about 50 percent of the high school's 730-plus students. For the past 14 years he's also served as a teacher in the DARE program at Norris School in that town.

"I am friendly with all of the Southampton kids coming up here," said Gove, who frequently works morning hours at the high school and the 4 p.m. to midnight shift in Southampton.

Malo, who grew up in Southampton, graduated from Hampshire Regional High School in 1992 and is a part-time officer with the Westhampton Police Department.

"I jumped at the chance," Malo said of the resource officer position. "It's pretty cool to walk the halls again."

Next year, Malo said, his daughter will start attending classes there as a middle-schooler.

Malo also has a full-time job as a sergeant with the University of Massachusetts Police Department, where he has been working for 19 years.

The school serves students in grades seven to 12 from the towns of Westhampton, Southampton, Williamsburg, Goshen, Worthington and Chesterfield.

Westhampton Police Chief David White said the school resource officer program here is somewhat unusual for a regional school, particularly one that is based in a town as small as Westhampton, which has a part-time police department.

Police coverage here, as is with many small towns in Western Massachusetts, is augmented by state police. White said one of his goals in working with the school district to launch the program about three years ago was to enhance daytime coverage for the town.

"It gives the town of Westhampton the ability to have an officer in town during the day when normally it would be covered by state police," White said.

The resource officer program is funded by both the town and the school district, he said.

Gove and Malo said they believe they bring some peace of mind to those who work and study at the school.

"The staff and students are relaxed when they see us, it's reassuring to them," Gove said.

The officers carry their service firearms in the school but wear a "soft" uniform that includes khakis and golf shirts.

The police chief stressed the two officers' presence at the high school is more about building relationships with students than law enforcement.

"It's about having an officer making contact with these young people early on so we can identify those that need to get additional resources early on," said White.

If warranted, the officers can reach out to parents to try to prevent potential issues from blossoming into bigger problems, he said.

Kristen Smidy, principal of Hampshire Regional High School, said Gove and Malo's presence has made a difference in the school. "I think people see them as familiar faces and people that they can go to for support," she said.

Sarah Pietrzak, one of the school's guidance counselors, said she appreciates the community dimension Gove and Malo bring to the school.

"It's amazing," she said. "It's a huge bridge for the community and the school to keep us together."

Sarah Jablonski, administrative assistant to the guidance office and adviser to the school's Students Against Destructive Decisions group, agreed. "I really appreciate having them here," she said.

The officers have the ability to vary their hours depending on need, Smidy said.

At the start of the school year, for example, Gove and Malo came in for the start of the school day so they could greet arriving students and parents and help them get a sense of how the traffic should flow for pick-ups and drop-offs.

Malo and Gove also work with state police and other regional law enforcement personnel to conduct lockdown drills and training needed to prepare for potential emergencies, including mass casualty events, that could occur at the school.

Last spring, they worked with representatives from 11 agencies, student and parent volunteers, and bus drivers to conduct a drill on the process of safely transporting students away from the school to a secure location, in this instance Norris School in Southampton, where they can be reunited with their caregivers.

The exercise, known as a reunification drill, started with the participating students in lockdown mode within various classrooms at the school. That includes locking the doors, dimming the lights and lowering shades and remaining quiet.

Participating law-enforcement agencies, including police from Northampton, Southampton and Easthampton, then methodically cleared the building as they would in an actual emergency and initiated the process to get students safely off-campus.

Both officers said it was a valuable learning experience. "We found a lot of things that we did right and a lot of things that we did wrong, but it was a step in the right direction," Gove said,

This past summer, the two officers reviewed the process and their findings at a seminar attended by approximately 50 area law enforcement and school administrative personnel.

The officers also spearheaded an effort to obtain what are known as "Go Buckets" for all the schools within the district towns. Go Buckets contain emergency supplies, including food and water, first aid kits, toilet paper and other sanitary supplies, and other items that could be used by students and staff during a lockdown.

Community contributors to the effort included the Home Depot in Westfield, which provided 150 buckets and lids, and various contributions from the Southampton Lions Club, Costco in West Springfield, Tighe & Bond in Westfield and Fleury Lumber in Easthampton.

White said he was thankful for the help from the community in assembling the Go Buckets. He said putting them together, much like the drills, was a sobering reminder that schools nowadays need to be prepared for the worst.

White said he hopes to find or develop funding sources over the next few years that would allow enough additional part-time officers to be hired to essentially bring full-time coverage to the school.

"If we were able to get more officers that would be wonderful," Smidy said.


2018 Massachusetts election: Why these voters chose Elizabeth Warren and Charlie Baker

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A sizable number of voters split their ballot to support a Democrat and a Republican.

By Shira Schoenberg and Shannon Young

Ann Lagasse, a real estate developer from Newburyport, is an independent voter. On Tuesday, she cast her ballot for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a progressive Democrat considering a presidential run, and Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican. 

"I love what Charlie's doing locally," Lagasse said. "I hate what's happening on a national front."

Lagasse said she wants Warren in office as another Democrat to balance the U.S. Senate and oppose Republican President Donald Trump. But in Massachusetts, she sees Baker as a "commonsense governor" who works with people from all parties and understands the challenges facing the state. She noted that the Democratic Newburyport mayor endorsed Baker.

Lagasse is not unique. On Election Day, Baker earned 67 percent of the vote, or 1.75 million votes, with 98 percent of precincts reporting. Warren got 60 percent, or 1.6 million votes. That means a sizable number of voters split their ballot to support both Baker and Warren.

Springfield-based political strategist Tony Cignoli said while voters do not typically vote for both high-profile Democratic and Republican candidates on the same ballot, it has become a trend in Massachusetts politics. 

"In a lot of states, this is unheard of, but it's Massachusetts, and in Massachusetts, we love checks and balances in power," Cignoli said. "We love a Democratic Legislature with a Republican governor."

For some voters, the difference came down to the distinction between federal and state office.

Kathy Nakamoto, an accountant from Winchester, is a Democrat who also voted for Warren and Baker. 

Nakamoto opposes Trump's policies. "We need all the Democrats we can get in Washington," she said.

But Nakamoto said she believes Baker "is doing a great job in Massachusetts." 

"He has distinguished himself (from Trump)," she said.

Baker made an effort in his campaign to reach out to Democratic and independent voters. In Massachusetts currently, Democrats make up 33 percent of the electorate, Republicans make up 10 percent, and unenrolled voters are 55 percent.

Baker also made a point of distancing himself from Trump, who is unpopular in Massachusetts.

Asked on Election Day how his campaign will be affected by Democrats turning out to vote against Trump's Republican party, Baker said he thinks voters will distinguish between him and the president.

"I do believe voters, based on what I hear and what I've been hearing the past month, are making their decisions about (Lt. Gov.) Karyn Polito and me based on us," Baker said. "I hear all the time from people when I'm out that the way they think about us has to do with our work and our record, and I think that's why so many mayors, Democrats and independents, as well as other local officials, have come out and endorsed our ticket."

Baker said he had four years to prove himself to voters, and he believes voters will be looking at his record rather than his party.

"Voters have had a chance to kick the tires on us for four years. And they've kicked them pretty hard in some cases," he said. "But I really do feel this will be an election where the decisions are going to be about us, which is how it should be."

Since 1990, Massachusetts voters have routinely supported candidates running from both sides of the aisle in the same election, with Republican Govs. William Weld, Paul Cellucci, Jane Swift and Mitt Romney all serving with Democratic-controlled Legislatures. 

"In Massachusetts, folks will vote the individual or the person when it comes to top-ticket decisions," Cignoli said.

Cignoli said it is partially attributable to Massachusetts voters being socially progressive but fiscally conservative.

"Democrats -- even liberals and progressives -- will be true to their social values, but when it comes to their pocketbooks, sometimes they like to have someone there who may be fiscally conservative," Cignoli said.

Tim Vercellotti, director of the Western New England University Polling Institute and a political science professor, said Warren and Baker's respective victories "were not unexpected." He noted that polling showed three out of 10 voters planned to vote for both Warren and Baker, including many voters who identified as Democrats.

But Vercellotti offered that it has been awhile since Massachusetts had a Republican governor and a Democratic U.S. senator win by large margins on the same ballot.

The closest was in 1994, when Weld won with 71 percent of the vote and Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy won with 58 percent.

Vercellotti said he believes Baker was able to win support from Democrats for a variety of reasons. His Democratic challenger, Jay Gonzalez, had limited name recognition, with Democrats focusing most of their attention on the more well-known figures of Warren and Attorney General Maura Healey. A number of Democrats endorsed Baker, and Baker was able to distance himself from Trump.

"Baker has skillfully distanced himself from Trump on a number of issues and is able to do that because Republicans only make up (a small portion) of the electorate, and they have nowhere to go," Vercellotti said. 

Baker was able to rely on voters like Margaret Ings, of Brookline, who works for a college. Ings is an independent who leans Democratic. She voted Democratic in the federal races.

"We need to have the party vote to take back the House of Representatives and the Senate," Ings said. "If you don't have your Democratic numbers, you're not going to do it."

Ings said she broke with the party to vote for governor. She said Massachusetts is "in good shape," and she wants that to continue.

Ings added that she appreciates that the Baker administration turned a budget deficit into a surplus and is trying to address the state's infrastructure needs.

"For the state I was born and raised in, I went with what I thought was best for the state," Ings said.

'He's coming;' 13 people dead after shooting at Borderline Bar & Grill in southern California

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A sheriff says 13 people were killed at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California including a sheriff's sergeant and the gunman.

Thirteen people are dead after a gunman opened fire on a crowd at a country dance bar holding a weekly "college night" Wednesday in Southern California, sending hundreds fleeing in terror including some who used barstools to break windows and escape, authorities said.

The dead included 11 people inside the bar, the gunman and a sheriff's sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said.

"It's a horrific scene in there," Dean said at a news conference early Thursday in the parking lot of the Borderline Bar & Grill. "There's blood everywhere."

The gunman was tall and wearing all black with a hood over his head and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations at the scene. He first fired on a person working the door then appeared to open fire at random at the people inside, they said.

Many more people had more minor injuries, including some that came from the attempt to flee, Dean said.

Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman were responding to several 911 calls when they arrived at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks at about 11:20 p.m., the sheriff said. They heard gunfire and went inside.

Helus was immediately hit with multiple gunshots, Dean said. The highway patrolman cleared the perimeter and pulled Helus out, and waited as a SWAT team and scores more officers arrived.

By the time they entered the bar again the gunfire had stopped, and they found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman.

It's not yet clear how the gunman died, and authorities do not yet know his name or have any idea of a motive, Dean said.

It was college night and country two-step lessons were being offered Wednesday at the Borderline, according to its website.

When the gunman entered, people screamed and fled to all corners of the bar, while a few people threw barstools through the windows and helped dozens to escape, witnesses said.

Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was on the dance floor with her friends nearby when she saw the gunman shooting and heard screams to "get down."

"It was really, really really shocking," Whitler told KABC-TV as she stood with her father in the Borderline parking lot. "It looked like he knew what he was doing."

Shootings of any kind are very rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles west of Los Angeles, just across the county line.

Helus was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, who choked back tears several times as he talked about the sergeant who was also his longtime friend.

"Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant who was totally committed," Dean said, "and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives."

Survivors of the bar shooting are describing moments of panic and heroism as a gunman turned a dance floor into a killing zone.

Nineteen-year-old Tayler Whitler says she was dancing and her friends were at a table by the door as the gunman opened fire. She says everyone yelled "Get down!" and it was silent for a couple seconds, then she heard "Get up, he's coming!" and people were trampling on each other to get out.

Nineteen-year-old Erika Sigman found herself hiding with a group of strangers, and they were holding her hands.

She says "there is a lot of bad in this world, but there is also a lot of good and people will help."

 

Stop sticks used in pursuit of stolen U-Haul truck; Springfield men arrested after police chase

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A police chase on the Massachusetts Turnpike involving a stolen U-Haul truck ended Wednesday after the use of stop sticks.

A police chase on the Massachusetts Turnpike involving a stolen U-Haul truck ended Wednesday after the use of stop sticks. 

A pair of men went into the Sears at the Auburn Mall seeking to purchase items when store employees became concerned the card used was stolen and called police. 

Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis, who told the Telegram & Gazette he was near the store at the time of the call, responded and chased the men as they ran to a vehicle. 

He lost sight of the pair but spotted a U-Haul truck speeding away from the mall and called for backup. Massachusetts State Police joined three Auburn cruisers in the pursuit, which traveled into Millbury, Worcester, Oxford and Charlton. 

Troopers in position west of the chase on the Massachusetts Turnpike deployed stop sticks and were able to disable the vehicle, which was identified as stolen, Massachusetts Police spokesman David Procopio said. 

One of the suspects ran across the Mass. Pike through the eastbound lanes towards the Charlton Service Plaza, where he was arrested. 

Sean McKenzie, a 28-year-old from Springfield, was arrested on charges of operating a motor vehicle after a prior suspension for an OUI, operating recklessly to endanger, using a motor vehicle without authority, receiving stolen property over $250, failure to stop for police, disorderly conduct and trespassing. 

Paul B. Mock, a 20-year-old also from Springfield, was arrested as well, on charges including receiving stolen property, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. 

McKenzie is accused of driving the truck during the chase. 

They are scheduled to be arraigned in Central District Court in Worcester on Thursday. 

 

Somerset-Berkley Regional High School custodian Miguel Pereira arrested on child pornography charges

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Authorities said Pereira had only been employed at the school for a few weeks.

 

A 34-year-old custodian at Somerset-Berkley Regional High School was arrested Wednesday night on child pornography charges.

Miguel Pereira, of Somerset, was arrested at the high school around 9:30 p.m., according to the Somerset Police Department.

He is being charged with dissemination of child pornography and possession of child pornography after investigators from the Internet Crimes Against Children task force found child pornography being shared from his IP address, police said.

A search warrant was executed at his home prior to his arrest, according to Somerset police. He is expected be arraigned at the Fall River Justice Center Thursday.

Authorities said Pereira had only been employed at the school for a few weeks. 

Chicopee police seek male who allegedly robbed Cumberland Farms store on Montcalm Street

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The suspect made off with an undetermined amount of cash from the Montcalm Street Cumberland Farms Wednesday night,.

CHICOPEE - Police seek the public's help as they work to identify a male suspected of robbing the Cumberland Farms store on Montcalm Street Wednesday night.

The suspect, wearing a hoodie, entered the store about 9 p.m. and made off with an undetermined amount of cash before fleeing on a bicycle towards Willamansett, said Michael Wilk, public information officer for the department.

Just before the unarmed robbery, a customer in a vehicle had a conversation with the suspect.

Wilk posted surveillance images of the suspect and the customer in the vehicle. Police are seeking to identify the latter person as well in hopes they can identify the suspect.

Those with information are asked to call 413-594-1740.

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