Authorities say the man and woman were on the tracks when they were struck by the "Train to Christmas Town" which was heading from Buzzards Bay to Rochester.

The two people struck and killed by scenic train in Wareham Saturday night are a man and woman from Wareham, authorities said.

The names of the two people, a 33-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man, were not released by the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office.

Authorities say the man and woman were on the tracks when they were struck by the "Train to Christmas Town" which was heading from Buzzards Bay to Rochester.

More than 100 first responders and their children were on the train attending a dress rehearsal, the Cape Cod Central Railroad told the Boston Globe.

Around 7:30 p.m., Wareham police were notified by the train conductor that two people were struck by the train along the Cape Main Line in Wareham.

"Preliminary investigation has revealed that the deceased victims, a 33-year-old female and a 36-year-old male, both from Wareham, were on the tracks at the time they were struck," the district attorney's office said. "The conductor made attempts to stop the train and activated the train's emergency braking system prior to impact."

State police assigned to the district attorney's office, Wareham police and the MBTA continue to investigate the deaths.

Ernest F. Marasa, 64, of Ludlow, was charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, obstruction of justice and vandalizing property.

LUDLOW - A 64-year-old accused of pulling a knife on two police officers who had responded to a call for assistance from a woman, was arrested on several charges and held in jail over the weekend.

Ernest F. Marasa, of Ludlow, was charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, obstruction of justice and vandalizing property after the 9:15 a.m. altercation on Saturday, Police Chief Paul Madera said.

Police initially responded to a call from a woman who was asking for help to retrieve her car and cell phone from a home on Higher Brook Drive. While officers were in the home with the woman, Marasa started yelling at the woman while holding something behind his back, Madera said in writing.

Officers Stephen Sambor and Ryan Collette tried to keep him from walking closer to the woman and Marasa allegedly pulled an eight-inch folding lock-blade knife from behind his back and threatened the two officers, he said.

He dropped the knife on command of the officers and was arrested. He was booked at the Ludlow Police Department and showed his middle finger when the booking photograph was taken.

Marasa was held on $2,500 bail at the Hampden Correctional Center and is expected to be arraigned Monday in Palmer District Court, Madera said.

Read obituaries from The Republican newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Here are the obituaries published this weekend in The Republican:

Obituaries from The Republican, Nov. 17-18, 2018

The Greater Springfield Campaign Nonviolence marched through the North End of Springfield Sunday, calling for peace and remembering those who died due to violence. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD - At 12-years-old Nelson Rojas has already seen violence divide the city where he lives and he wants that to change.

Wearing a suit under his red jacket, Rojas walked at the head of a group of more than 50 members of the Greater Springfield Campaign Nonviolence on a half-hour march down Main Street and on side streets in the North End. He directed chants in English and Spanish of "No Violence" "Peace" and "Unity" as well as the recitation of the Lord's Prayer while holding a megaphone.

"I want to lead this city to become a peaceful community. I don't like this. I hate this," he said after the march. "I feel God sent me to do this. He doesn't want violence."

The Nonviolence Campaign is a non-denominational group made up of a variety of members of different churches working toward peace in the city. About four times a year the group holds a march in a different section of the city, said Deacon Kevin McCarthy of Blessed Sacrament Church.

This march started at his Blessed Sacrament Church on Waverly Street. People carried signs with the names of the 16 homicide victims killed in the city this year as well as names of police officers killed on duty.

"It sends out a positive message about non-violence in the community and brings together neighborhoods," he said.

He was especially happy to Rojas and his sister Alondra Lopez Santiago, 10, leading the chants and to have other young people joining in the march. "It gives us all hope," he said.

Marching behind him was one of the young people. Joshua Gonzales, 17, a student at Phoenix Academy Charter School, was carrying a sign memorializing Ernestine Ryans, 47, one of the three women found dead in May in the home of Stewart Weldon. Weldon has been charged with multiple crimes including three counts of murder.

"I can be the example they need," he said. "If I can be here, other people can be here too."

People from multiple churches joined in on the walk. Jane Virgilio, of Springfield, a member of Holy Cross Church in East Forest Park said she has attended several of the non-violence marches in different neighborhoods.

"I want to send a message of non-violence and to be another person and another voice to support the message. I think it is desperately needed," she said.

This year there have been 16 homicides in the city with the most recent happening Nov. 12 when Jesus Flores, 47, a father and restaurant employee, died after being shot on Nov. 3.

Corrine Lindblad, of Springfield, overhead a few people at Holy Cross Church, where she is a member, talking about the nonviolence campaign and was inspired to become involved. Sunday was her first march, but she said she plans to attend others.

"I couldn't stop crying when they read the names of the people who have died," she said.

She said she also wanted to show her support to the police and police officers who were killed on duty, including Kevin Ambrose who died June 2012 and Alain Beauregard, killed in 1985.

At least a half-dozen Springfield police also joined in the march, some blocking streets so the group could cross and others just walking and talking to members of the nonviolence campaign.

During the initial speeches during the march McCarthy teased officers that he couldn't hear them singing and offered them a chance to sing solo, which all of them quickly declined.

The department tries to send as many officers as it can for the walks while still answering calls and patrolling the city, said Lt. Sean Arpin.

"We want to show support to the community and we are on the same side. We want to snuff out violence," he said.

It also shows their respect for the other officers who have been killed in the city, he said.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has given the green light to Cultivate Holdings, LLC, which has a retail shop in Leicester, and New England Treatment Access (NETA) LLC, which is readying a store in Northampton, to start selling marijuana and marijuana products.

The first two retail marijuana shops in Massachusetts are set to begin selling products to the public Tuesday, marking the first time recreational pot will be sold east of the Mississippi.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has given the green light to Cultivate Holdings, LLC, which has a retail shop in Leicester, and New England Treatment Access (NETA) LLC, which is readying a store in Northampton, to start selling marijuana and marijuana products.

Both are set to open Tuesday at 8 a.m., and already know who their first customers will be.

Iraq veteran and medical marijuana advocate Stephen Mandile will buy a quarter-ounce of pot and edibles once Cultivate opens at 8 a.m., the Boston Globe reported.

At the same time, Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz -- an Air Force veteran -- will walk into NETA and purchase an edible, according to the newspaper.

The dispensaries are expecting to see a huge influx of customers from across the region.

To purchase recreational marijuana, customers must be at least 21 years old and present a valid government-issued photo ID. 

Cultivate will open Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and customers may begin lining up as early as 7 a.m., although there is no overnight camping or line holding allowed. 

The dispensary said a food truck and DJ will be on site.

NETA will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Local police will also be assisting with potential traffic issues, while NETA staff will be outside to give customers direction and assistance. 

Both dispensaries accept debit and cash transactions.

Customers will be allowed to purchase up to one ounce of pot -- the amount that state regulations allow individuals to possess in public at any given time -- although given potentially large crowds Tuesday, the businesses may keep their per-person limits fluid.

In addition to flowers, the dispensaries will sell edibles, oils, pre-rolled joints and other products.

State regulations allow individuals to possess up to 10 ounces of marijuana in their home at one time, as well any marijuana produced by plants cultivated on the premises. 

Cultivate is located at 1764 Main St. in Leicester.

NETA is located at 118 Conz St. in Northampton.

he blaze broke out at 363 Little River Road shortly after 6:20 p.m., Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Kane Jr. said.

WESTFIELD -- Improper disposal of smoking materials was the cause of a blaze that displaced a Little River Road resident Sunday night.

The blaze broke out at 363 Little River Road shortly after 6:20 p.m., Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Kane Jr., said.

The home is located across the street from the department's substation on Little River Road and the resident ran across the street to alert firefighters, Kane said.

First arriving firefighters saw smoke and flames coming from the structure. Damage is estimated at $25,000.

The fire broke out in a couch in the living room, Kane said.

No residents were injured, but one pet, a cat, was killed in the fire.

ORANGE - A home at 31 High St. was heavily damaged Friday by a three-alarm fire that has been blamed on a malfunctioning boiler in the basement, according to the fire department

The fire caused heavy interior damage to the house, from the the basement up into the attic.

No residents were injured, but a cat died. Firefighters found the cat on the first floor and brought it outside. Attempts to resuscitate the pet were not successful.

The fire was reported at about 4:45 p.m. The first firefighters on scene reported seeing flames and heavy smoke coming from the 2 1/2 story building.

It took four hours to bring the scene under control.

An investigation by the Orange Fire Department and investigators with the state Department of Fire Services determined it was caused by a malfunctioning steam boiler igniting some combustible materials in the basement.

The home, constructed in 1900, has an assessed value of $117,000, and is owned by Isobel A. Black.

Springfield officials say that wildlife is flourishing at Forest Park, ranging from bobcats to a significant deer population, and those residents of the 735-acre expanse are healthy and well-fed. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- Bobcats, beavers and deer, oh my.

That is just a sampling of the wildlife that populates Forest Park, free to roam but captured on trail cameras during the past year in the heavily wooded areas, hills and valleys and near streams and ponds within the 735-acre park.

"As a city, we are very fortunate to have such a spectacular wilderness in an urban environment," said Peter Krupczak, the city's director of open space. "It's such a wide variety of wildlife."

The animals within the park include whitetail deer, raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, opossum, Eastern Gray squirrels (black morph), otters, beavers, Canadian geese, Great Blue heron, turkey, ducks and swan, said Adam R. Anulewicz, the Park Department's park environment specialist. 

The wildlife appear to be healthy and well-fed, including the significant deer population, Anulewicz said.

Patrick J. Sullivan, the city's director of parks, buildings and recreation management, said he is "amazed" by the variety of the wildlife at Forest Park. It is the largest municipal park in New England, he said.

"We knew from people reporting in that we had a large variety of animals," Sullivan said. "We didn't know the extent. I think the stewardship of the park system has allowed these animals to basically repopulate."

Anulewicz's duties, since his position was re-established by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno a year ago, include monitoring the wildlife and reporting any issues. There have not been any serious problems reported, such as bad encounters between animals and people, but park officials said that people walking dogs need to keep their pets leashed.

Anulewicz estimated the deer population is between 50 and 75 deer, including many large bucks, and that the mating season is in "full bloom."

"They look very healthy," Anulewicz said, adding that most deer seem to have "healthy coats, no diseases, no cuts, not skinny." Some photos taken over a period of months show how some fawns have grown to be nearly the size of their mothers, he said.

Another interesting sight is a family of four otters including two pups that live in the aquatic gardens, Anulewicz said.

He believes there are at least two to four bobcats.

There are numerous cameras taking video and photographs, and they are moved to different areas to expand the scope of the monitoring program, officials said.

Sullivan said the city must protect the environment for the wildlife and must keep the public informed and safe.

Sarno said Forest Park is a "crown jewel" for Springfield and for parks around New England. The wildlife found in Forest Park is great to have, and is something to be 'cultivated and respected," he said.

The wildlife and human population can live in harmony, Sarno said, adding that, "When you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone."

Aided by grants, the city has invested millions of dollars in the care of Forest Park, and physical improvements, Sullivan said.

Sullivan praised the Environmental Center for Our Schools (ECOS) program based at the Clifford A. Phaneuf Environmental Center at Forest Park, and the Springfield Conservation Commission, for their efforts to stress the importance of the park environment and stewardship.

The 5K event on Sunday at Smith College marked the end of the fall program . A total of 500 girls from 39 area schools participated.

NORTHAMPTON - Just before the chilly start of the Girls on the Run Western MA 5K Sunday at Smith College, one of the girls adjusted the bib pinned to her chest. The number on the bib said that she would wear the number one.

"Hey look," someone said to her. "You've got number one."

She looked down at her bib, "Everyone is number one," she said.

And she was right. Everyone was given number one for the 5K event. That's the message: You're Number One. It's what program organizers and coaches tell the girls in the 3rd-8th grades who participate in the 10-week program designed to help them establish a lifetime appreciation for health and fitness. The program includes discussions, activities and ... well, running.

The 5K event on Sunday at Smith College marked the end of the fall program (there's another in the spring). A total of 500 girls from 39 area schools participated. There were no times recorded. Everyone was a winner. And everyone was cheered at the finish line.

Alison Breman, council director of Girls on the Run Western MA, said the program has 120 coaches trained to help the girls recognize their personal strengths.

"It's about empowering the girls to be more confident, healthy and joyful; to be able to set goals and achieve them," Berman said.

The program teaches the girls to respond to others and themselves with care and compassion.  Activities help the girls develop their abilities to sympathize and empathize with others. Berman said the lessons are designed to build girls' sense of self-worth and help them recognize their personal strengths. 

In addition, the lessons focus on team-building, allowing girls to learn how to create positive connections with parents, teacher, peers and their community.

For more information or to learn how to volunteer, go to www.girlsontherunwesternma.org/.

The checkpoint will be late Friday and early Saturday, somewhere in Hampden County.

The Massachusetts State Police announced they intend to conduct a sobriety checkpoint somewhere in Hampden County this weekend.

The checkpoint will be held late Friday night into early Saturday morning. The exact location was not disclosed.

The state police conduct periodic checkpoints throughout the state to look for drivers who are impaired by drugs or alcohol. State police say such checkpoints are operated during varied hours and that the selection of vehicles is not arbitrary.

Announcement of the event is made in advance by the state police as a way of minimizing any inconvenience, anxiety or fear on the part of drivers.

The checkpoints are funded by a grant from the Highway Safety Division of the state Executive Office of Public Security and Safety. 

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, and anti-hunger advocates from across Western Massachusetts took to the streets Monday for the ninth annual "Monte's March," an 43-mile walk which seeks to raise awareness about food insecurity and help local families in need this Thanksgiving.

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, and anti-hunger advocates from across Western Massachusetts took to the streets Monday for the ninth annual "Monte's March," an 43-mile walk which seeks to raise awareness about food insecurity and help local families in need this Thanksgiving.

McGovern, WRSI The River radio host Monte Belmonte and Andrew Morehouse, The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts' executive director, began the two-day trek at Springfield's Martin Luther King Community Center.

The Worcester Democrat, who has traditionally taken part in the annual march, stressed the importance of raising awareness about hunger and food insecurity ahead of Thanksgiving and the holiday season.

Monte's March makes way through Western Mass. to highlight epidemic of hunger (photos)

"As we prepare for Thanksgiving, there are many families who are struggling just to put food on the table. ... Hunger is something that touches families across the Commonwealth, but together, we can help to ensure that everyone has access to the healthy meals they need this holiday season," he said in a statement.

This morning we kicked off the 9th annual #MontesMarch -- we're walking 43 miles (yes, in the rain) from Springfield to Greenfield to raise awareness about the impact of hunger on families in Western Mass!

Learn more about Monte's March here --> https://t.co/G8I18ZvlsG pic.twitter.com/OuyB7kFNPw

-- Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) November 19, 2018

McGovern, who cast hunger as a "political condition," argued that more needs to be done to address the issue at the national level. 

"We have the money, we have the infrastructure to end hunger, but we don't have the political will," he said in a video posted on Twitter. "Hopefully, this march will help raise awareness and increase pressure on our politicians. We need to end hunger now."

He added that any discomfort marchers felt due to the rainy, cold weather conditions "is nothing compared to the discomfort millions of families feel everyday, who don't know where their next meal is going to come from."

Live update from hour 3 of our 43-mile #MontesMarch. It's a wet, snowy day -- but whatever discomfort we feel is nothing compared to the pain felt by families who don't know where their next meal is coming from. Let's all do our part to #EndHungerNow. pic.twitter.com/jYbU0IcdqZ

-- Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) November 19, 2018

The 2018 Monte's March, which seeks to raise more than $1 million, included Monday morning stops at Lorraine's Soup Kitchen and Pantry in Chicopee, as well as Kate's Kitchen and Gateway City Arts in downtown Holyoke.

Monte's March aims to raise $1M to fight hunger in Western Massachusetts

Marchers continued on to Northampton, where the first day of the walk is set to conclude with a 2 p.m. rally at the Old Courthouse Lawn in celebration of Lavery Greenfield's Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive for the Food Bank, organizers said.

A fundraising dinner, Monte's Munch, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Sierra Grille. 

Monte's March will resume early Tuesday morning at McGovern's Pleasant Street office in Northampton. 

From there, participants will travel down Route 9 and through downtown Amherst, stopping at Whole Foods in Hadley, the Amherst Survival Center and Bridgeside Grille in Sunderland.

They will also stop at Berkshire Brewing Company in South Deerfield for a ribbon cutting ceremony, before ending the march at Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield, organizers said. 

Monte's March raised more than $258,000 in 2017 to provide about 774,000 meals to Western Massachusetts residents. Supporters are asked to donate money to benefit The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. 

More than 223,000 people in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties are affected by food insecurity, according to the Food Bank. From October 2017 to the end of September 2018, the Food Bank distributed 11.6 million pounds of food, enough for more than 9.7 million meals.

The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, known as MIRA, is hosting Tuesday's luncheon.

Hundreds of immigrants and refugees, including new arrivals to the U.S., will be treated to a Thanksgiving meal at the Statehouse in Boston.

The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, known as MIRA, is hosting Tuesday's luncheon. Organizers say elected officials and legislative staff also will participate.

MIRA says the annual meal is meant to celebrate Massachusetts' diversity and create a warm and informal setting for newcomers to connect with officials, service providers and advocates.

The group will hear from Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, who has helped lead federal lawsuits aimed at preserving temporary protected status for immigrants.

The Trump administration ended that status, which had provided safe haven for thousands of immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and Honduras.

Those with information are asked to call the detective bureau at 413-263-3210 and reference case number 18-1925-Of. Callers may remain anonymous.

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Detectives are seeking the public 's help as they work to a identify a female suspected of cashing stolen checks.

Detectives posted a surveillance image of the suspect on the department's Facebook page.

Those with information are asked to call the detective bureau at 413-263-3210 and reference case number 18-1925-Of. Callers may remain anonymous.

Additional information on the case was not immediately available.

Narkewicz and Iraq War veteran Stephen Mandile will be the first people to buy recreational marijuana legally in Massachusetts.

Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz and Iraq War veteran Stephen Mandile will be the first people to buy recreational marijuana legally in Massachusetts.

The two first marijuana stores to open for recreational sales will be New England Treatment Access in Northampton and Cultivate in Leicester. The Boston Globe first reported that Narkewicz will be the first customer in Northampton and Mandile will be the first customer in Leicester. Both recreational marijuana stores open at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

"It's fitting the first store will be opening in Northampton," Narkewicz said in an interview with The Republican. "We're known as a progressive city and a leader on lots of social change issues."

Narkewicz, 52, the mayor of Northampton since 2011, is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the Massachusetts Air National Guard.

Mandile, of Uxbridge, was injured in Iraq and used medical marijuana to wean himself off prescription drugs. Has has been an advocate for veterans, helping them use medical marijuana and get into the medical marijuana industry.

Narkewicz said he plans to make a "symbolic purchase," probably of a cannabis-infused chocolate bar. "It's going to be historic, so most likely I'll have it framed and save it for posterity in my office," Narkewicz said, adding that eventually, he will probably donate the bar to Northampton's historical society.

"I don't intend to consume it," Narkewicz said.

For NETA to invite the mayor to be its first customer illustrates the importance of municipal officials in deciding the future of the industry in their towns. City and town voters have the authority to place bans, caps, zoning restrictions and moratoriums on recreational marijuana businesses. City officials must also negotiate host agreements with every marijuana business that opens. 

Prospective business owners have complained that many communities are not open to the industry, and municipal officials are using host agreements to get enormous payouts for their communities, on top of the 3 percent local option tax that municipalities can adopt.

In contrast, Narkewicz - and the voters of Northampton - supported marijuana legalization. Northampton has already signed host agreements with 10 marijuana stores and product manufacturers, which are in various stages of the licensing process. Northampton allows marijuana shops anywhere it allows other retail and manufacturing businesses. 

"We've really tried to treat this as any other legitimate business," Narkewicz said.

Northampton did adopt the local option tax, so it will get significant new revenue from the marijuana companies.

While Narkewicz was invited in his capacity as mayor, he thinks there is some significance to the fact that both the first buyers will be veterans. "I remember the day of the grand opening for NETA's medical (marijuana dispensary), I met a vet who had  driven halfway across the state, and he indicated just how life-changing cannabis was in terms of dealing with his chronic pain issues," Narkewicz said.

Mandile did not immediately return a call Monday morning.

He told The Republican/MassLive.com in a previous interview that he started using medical marijuana three years ago, and it helped him get off of the more than 50 drugs he had been prescribed over the last decade to deal with injuries sustained during his military service. Mandile said at the time that he was part of a group trying to open a veteran-centric medical marijuana dispensary.

Jonathan Kastberg, 75, is charged with murder in the death of his wife Janet Kastberg in Holland.

SPRINGFIELD -- With about a dozen family and friends of Janet Kastberg watching, Jonathan Kastberg denied a murder charge Monday in Hampden Superior Court.

Kastberg, 75, of Holland, is charged in the killing of his wife by blunt force trauma to the head.

He also denied a charge of violation of an abuse prevention order.

Jonathan Kastberg was arrested July 20 after police found the body of Janet Kastberg, 60, at 253 Holland Road.

A caller told police she believed someone had just been killed in the house.

When police arrived they found Janet Kastberg, who was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel.

Jonathan Kastberg was ordered held without right to bail in the case.

His lawyer is Stanley Szlachetka. Assistant District Attorney Melissa G. Doran is prosecuting the case.

A new report strongly suggests adults and pregnant women receive "drinking checkups" from their primary care physicians. But teens will receive no such alcohol screening.

A new report strongly suggests adults and pregnant women receive "drinking checkups" from their primary care physicians. The goal is to implement more rigorous education on healthy and unhealthy drinking habits among adults. But teens will receive no such alcohol screening. Some say there isn't enough research yet to prove that screening teens would be helpful, while others see this ambiguity as a disservice to the health of teenagers. Should teens be screened? 

PERSPECTIVES

The US Preventive Services Task Force released a statement in the medical journal JAMA recommending that adults, including pregnant women, have a "drinking checkup" conducted by their primary care physician during their annual physical. The World Health Organizationreports: 

For those patients who drink above the recommended limits, doctors should provide brief counseling to help them reduce their drinking, according to the new task force statement published Tuesday in the medical journal JAMA.

As far as teens, the independent panel of medical experts came up empty. The task force said it did not find enough evidence to make a recommendation for or against alcohol screening and counseling for those under the age of 18. 

The panel acknowledged that more research is needed on the topic of screening teens for unhealthy alcohol use.

All adults should be screened for unhealthy alcohol use, new guidelines say

But shouldn't the decision to screen teens for unhealthy alcohol use be obvious? According to the WGNO, "too many doctors don't speak up about alcohol," even with their adult patients. If this is the case with adults, who are presumably acclimated to alcohol and its effects, the consequences of not screening teens, who are being introduced to alcohol for the first time, are dire. 

The lack of discussion in doctors' offices continues despite high prevalence of unhealthy drinking, 'evidence for screening and brief intervention efficacy, substantial government funding, practice guidelines, and quality measures and incentives,' wrote the editorial authors.

According to a 2010 report from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

The authors recommend additional research into the prevention, screening and identification, brief intervention and management and treatment of alcohol and other substance use by adolescents continues to be needed to improve evidence-based practices.

And per the new report from the US Preventive Services Task Force, this research is still yet to come. Over the course of eight years, there is still uncertainty as to the best strategies to monitor substance and alcohol abuse among teens. In the meantime, teens suffer as a result. 

Teen #alcoholabuse rates are continuing to rise. Although every child is different, you can use this list of eight common causes of teen alcohol abuse to begin to understand what is driving your child's behavior. (via @addictionblog) https://t.co/phaAevcSLw

-- Dr. Jeff Nalin, PsyD (@DrJeffNalin) August 14, 2018

There are a number of safeguards already in place to educate teens on alcohol use and abuse. Clearly, there is room for improvement, but changes should be backed by study and observation before being implemented on a national level. According to Harvard Health Publishing, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends: 

...that pediatricians and other health-care providers follow a two-step script. First, ask the teen if he or she has drunk alcohol, smoked marijuana or hashish, or used anything else to get high. If the answer is no, the health care provider should praise the teen and encourage him or her to continue making good decisions about health and safety.

If the teen says yes to drinking alcohol or using drugs, asking the sixCRAFFT questions can help separate those who are experimenting from those who may be headed for serious trouble and need more in-depth help. If there is a clear risk to health, the clinician should involve a parent.

These six CRAFFT questions inquire about teens' reasons for drinking, how often they drink, whether or not they are influenced by friends to drink and more. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommended this system in 2015, and any changes to the system would warrant further research into the efficacy of future methods. 

Pediatricians should ask teens about drug, alcohol use at every visit

But these questions are not enough to curb alcohol abuse in teens. Although likely effective in certain cases, there is the obvious risk of teens lying about their use if there is potential for a parent to become involved in the conversation. Furthermore, if pediatricians skip out on this process and fail to inquire about patients' alcohol use whatsoever-as they often do-the teens are no better off. 

According to the National Institutes of Health: 

... more than one-third of 10th graders reported recent alcohol use. But many didn't recall their doctors asking them about drinking or counseling them about related harms. The finding reveals important missed opportunities....

It is important to note that: 

Unhealthy alcohol use is the third-leading preventable cause of death nationwide. Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among youth, and dangerous binge drinking is common among underage drinkers.

Again, the US Preventative Services Task Force, "did not find enough evidence to make a recommendation for or against alcohol screening and counseling for those under the age of 18." The facts above should be more than enough evidence to reinvigorate alcohol screening methods for teens. There's no need to wait for further research; doing so is akin to letting lives slip away. 

Many Doctors Don't Ask Teens About Alcohol

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The GoFundMe, set up by Sarah Schuster, is seeking $10,000 to help Blaney pay for rent and other bills.

A GoFundMe has been set up for the Cape Cod landscaper who lost his leg in a horrific accident Friday.

Dennisport resident James Blaney, 31, was working a job for Triple Crown Tree Company in South Yarmouth when his leg went into the woodchipper, Yarmouth Police said.

His coworkers, Kevin McCarty and Nicholas Callahan, placed the machine in reverse and put a tourniquet around Blaney's leg until first responders arrived at the scene.

'I don't think I would be here today:' Cape Cod landscaper who lost leg in wood chipper thanks co-workers for fast response

Blaney is currently in stable condition at Cape Cod Hospital.

"I've received an overwhelming amount of support. The chief of police called today to see how I was doing, and I remember the EMT came to check on me last night as well," Blaney said in a statement from Yarmouth Police. "It's hard to accept the fact I no longer have a leg and it will be a long road ahead of me but I'm alive and that's all due to an army of first responders, my coworkers and a fantastic team at Cape Cod Hospital."

The GoFundMe, set up by Sarah Schuster, is seeking $10,000 to help Blaney pay for rent and other bills.

"James is a very kind caring individual, who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it," the campaign says. "It is our time to help him when he needs it the most." 

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, joined two other Democrats Monday in taking legal action to challenge the constitutionality of President Donald Trump's decision to appoint Matthew Whitaker acting attorney general.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, joined two other Democrats Monday in taking legal action to challenge the constitutionality of President Donald Trump's decision to appoint Matthew Whitaker acting attorney general. 

Blumenthal and U.S. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that the president violated the Constitution's Appointments Clause by selecting Whitaker, who has never been confirmed by the Senate. 

The effort, supported by Protect Democracy and the Constitutional Accountability Center, seeks to declare Whitaker's appointment unconstitutional and block him from serving as acting AG -- a position which puts him in charge of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. 

Arguing that Whitaker's appointment "so flagrantly defies constitutional law that any viewer of School House Rock would recognize it," Blumenthal accused Trump of denying senators their constitutional obligation of scrutinizing the nomination. 

"Americans prize a system of checks and balances, which President Trump's dictatorial appointment betrays. ... The reason is simple: Whitaker would never pass the advice and consent test," he said in a statement. "In selecting a so-called 'constitutional nobody' and thwarting every senator's constitutional duty, Trump leaves us no choice but to seek recourse through the courts."

Americans prize checks & balances. Trump's dictatorial appointment of Whitaker denies Senators from completing our constitutional obligation to scrutinize the nomination of our top law enforcement official. We are left with no choice but to seek recourse through the courts. pic.twitter.com/dUrCZRFYUs

-- Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) November 19, 2018

Whitehouse, meanwhile, contended that "the stakes are too high to allow the president to install an unconfirmed lackey to lead the Department of Justice -- a lackey whose stated purpose, apparently, is undermining a major investigation into the president."

Hirono said she and her colleagues want to court to clarify that the U.S. Senate must confirm Whitaker's appointment as acting AG for the White House to prevent violating the Constitution's Appointments Clause.

Trump announced earlier this month that Whitaker would take over for Jeff Sessions as the new acting attorney general before a permanent replacement is "nominated at a later date."

Sessions, whom Trump repeatedly criticized for recusing himself from the Russia probe, resigned at the president's request. 

The appointment drew criticism from some, including U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts.

US Sen. Ed Markey says Congress must protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation

The state of Maryland, meanwhile, has also reportedly challenged Whitaker's appointment in court, arguing that Trump went around the Constitution and Justice Department's succession plan in naming him acting AG. 

A report of an erratic driver heading north on Mount Tom Road Saturday night led to the arrest of that driver for drunken driving (4th offense) and other charges, police say.

NORTHAMPTON -- A report of an erratic driver heading north on Mount Tom Road Saturday night led to the arrest of that driver for drunken driving (4^th offense) and other charges.

Officer Thomas Briotta responded to the call, which came in about 1):35 p.m., according to a post on the department's Facebook page written by Police Chief Jody Kasper.

Briotta located the driver and identified him as a 42-year-old city man.

The suspect was also charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle while revoked as a habitual traffic offender, operating a motor vehicle while OUI while suspended for OUI, marked lanes violation and registration not in possession.

The post does not include the driver's name or address. Police could not be immediately reached for comment.

Opening day is Tuesday for the first two recreational marijuana shops on the East Coast.

NORTHAMPTON -- Opening day is Tuesday, but Monday was still about planning to ease traffic and parking for the first business in Western Massachusetts -- and one of only two on the East Coast -- that will sell marijuana for recreational use.

Representatives of New England Treatment Access (NETA) at 118 Conz St. held a pre-opening news conference Monday that emphasized police presence to direct traffic and additional staff to deal with marijuana customers.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission said Friday the agency had granted the final approvals for NETA here and Cultivate Holdings LLC in the Worcester County town of Leicester to open the state's first recreational marijuana shops, both on Tuesday.

Over 100 staffers have been added at NETA and service stations for customers have increased to about 25 from the normal 15, said Amanda Rositano, NETA director of operational compliance.

"It's going to be an all-hands-on-deck situation," Rositano said.

The fanfare shows the transformation of acceptance of marijuana, she said.

"What a day," Rositano said.

NETA officials have arranged that Northampton Mayor David J. Narkewicz will be the first to purchase recreational marijuana when the shop opens Tuesday at 8 a.m.

Narkewicz, a U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard veteran, said he sees his being the first purchaser as a key step in helping to erode the stigma that still exists around marijuana.

"I think it sends an important message," he said.

He plans to buy a chocolate bar, and not eat it, he said.

"Obviously, it'll be a historic artifact, so I won't consume it," he said.

Police Chief Jody Kasper said she was confident the planning between police and NETA will help deal with whatever congestion occurs Tuesday.

"We feel confident that it's going to be a busy day and we're ready for the business," Kasper said.

This step shows the transformation around the feelings about marijuana, that the war on drugs wasn't the right course and that acceptance of marijuana is growing, she said.

Businesses that sell marijuana for medicinal use to patients with identification cards issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health have been open for several years. NETA began operating as a medical marijuana dispensary in October 2015.

NETA officials assured their medical marijuana customers that designated dispensary stations will be set up for them, free of the potential crowds buying pot for recreational use.

"NETA looks forward to providing legal marijuana to our customers, but we want our patients to know that we will never waver from our commitment to them and their needs," Norton Arbelaez, NETA director of government affairs, said in a statement Friday.

For the expected influx of patrons Tuesday, NETA's planning has included coordinating with police to try to ensure that traffic and patron flows avoid problems, officials said.

The company will hire police officers to direct traffic, a collaboration that company and police officials said will be ongoing, officials said.

NETA also has contacted managers of nearby businesses to see if parking in their lots could be available during the early days of the recreational pot shop launch. 

Inside the NETA shop, additional staff and service stations will be available to handle the increased flow of patrons, officials said.

NETA's hours, including on Tuesday, are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Massachusetts voters legalized marijuana by approving election ballot questions. Recreational marijuana was legalized in 2016 and medical marijuana in 2012.

Check back with The Republican and MassLive.com for more coverage of NETA Northampton's recreational marijuana shop.