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Bradford Casler, driver in deadly Sweet Tomatoes SUV crash, sentenced to 4 years

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The 57-year-old Casler crashed into Sweet Tomatoes restaurant in Newton in March 2016.

 

A man who crashed his SUV into a Massachusetts pizza parlor, killing two people and injuring seven, has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Bradford Casler was also sentenced Tuesday to 15 years of probation. He was convicted last month of motor vehicle homicide.

The 57-year-old Casler crashed into Sweet Tomatoes restaurant in Newton in March 2016. Thirty-two-year-old Gregory Morin and 57-year-old Eleanor Miele were killed.

Casler was sentenced after emotional impact statements from Morin's widow and Miele's brother.

Erica Morin said she lost "my husband, my partner, and my best friend," and noted that their daughter was 1-year-old when her father died.

Casler tearfully apologized in court.

His attorney blamed the crash on a medical episode caused by his client's multiple sclerosis and said he wasn't criminally responsible.


Palmer Town Council delays vote on 10-year Comcast contract extension amid hook-up questions

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Councilor Michelle Sikes said she has yet to see or be provided a copy of the draft agreement. She said voting on something unread is unwise.

PALMER - The Town Council at Monday's meeting delayed a vote until next month on a proposed 10-year contract extension with Comcast.

The vote would have authorized Town Manager Charles Blanchard to put the finishing touches on the agreement ahead of a public hearing that has yet to be scheduled.

Councilor Michelle Sikes said she has yet to see or be provided a copy of the draft agreement. She said voting on something unread is unwise.

Town Council President Barbara Barry and Councilor Lorinda Baker said they want to know exactly how many residents in town who want to subscribe to Comcast live where the cable and internet provider does not currently offer service.

They also said knowing the exact process for hook-ins for prospective new customers who purchase a brand-new home is needed before a vote.

Blanchard said access to Comcast is available to more than 94 percent of households, meeting state requirements. He estimated that the number of homes in town with access at "99.9 percent."

"You don't know that," Barry said.

Barry said she wants data on the total number of homeowners unable to access Comcast service, saying she had previously asked the company to provide that information to the town.

Council Vice President Mary Salzmann said that in the past, residents not able to hook up with Comcast told local officials, and that information was then passed on to the company.

"No one else has come forward that I am aware of," she said.

Blanchard said language in the new contract includes a promise by Comcast to connect 29 residences in the Old Warren Road area in the next two to three years.

"It is a very good contract for us," he said.

Baker said it was about time the company agreed to undertake that work, saying some have waited 10 years for high-speed internet and TV access.

Blanchard said the cost Comcast charges to connect in an area not currently served can be about $22,000.

Barry announced that the vote would be delayed until December's meeting, when the manager would provide detailed information about the process for hooking into the Comcast system, particularly related to new housing developments.

Kitchen fire causes $20K damage to Springfield apartment

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Firefighters extinguished the flames in the 3rd floor apartment quickly, and prevented water damage to the lower floors.

SPRINGFIELD - A fire Tuesday afternoon on Woodmont Street caused an estimated $20,000 damage to a kitchen in a third-floor apartment, and displaced at least two residents, according to a fire official.

Dennis Leger, aide for Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi, said the fire damage was confined to the kitchen, but the remainder of the apartment sustained heavy smoke damage.

The stove, cabinets, walls and ceiling each received heavy fire damage.

Firefighters knocked down the fire quickly, which spared the first and second floors from getting any water damage, he said.

The fire was reported just before 3 p.m.

The cause remains under investigation.

Leger said at least two residents were displaced in the fire. The no one was home at the time of the fire, and the exact number of occupants is unclear, he said.


According to city records, 124 Woodmont is owned by Sharlene J. Howard of Hampden. The total valuation of the property is $154,000.

Woodmont Street is located in Liberty Heights, and is located one block north of Liberty and Carew streets.

Springfield announces holiday trash pick-up schedule

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Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, those Springfield residents who normally have trash collection on Thursday will instead have their barrels collected on Saturday this week.

SPRINGFIELD -- Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, those residents who normally have trash collection on Thursday will instead have their barrels collected on Saturday this week.

The change in the collection day is for trash recycling and yard waste, according to City Hall.

Residents are asked to have all items at the curb by 6 a.m. Saturday.

Because of the very heavy volume of yard waste at this time of year, routes that are not completed by the end of the day will be collected the next day until caught up.

'Lines for a while' for Massachusetts marijuana, top regulator predicts as first day of legal sales draws to a close

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If you were hoping to swing by the first Massachusetts retail marijuana stores after the crowds dissipate, you may be in for a wait.

If you were hoping to swing by the first Massachusetts retail marijuana stores after the crowds dissipate, you may be in for a wait.

Just after 10 a.m. on a soggy Tuesday, a police officer told people heading into Cultivate in Leicester that the wait-time had hit three hours.

Hours later in Boston, the state's top marijuana regulator was reluctant to say when he expects the long lines to subside.

"I don't know that I want to forecast the behavior of my fellow citizens," Steve Hoffman, chairman of the state Cannabis Control Commission, said with a chuckle.

"Personally, standing out in line, in the rain for a couple of hours is not something I would do," he added. "But you know I'm not going forecast that one. I think there are going to be lines for a while."

Hoffman spoke with reporters after a commission meeting wrapped up on the first day of legal marijuana sales.

Two stores opened at 8 a.m. Tuesday -- New England Treatment Access (NETA) in Northampton and Cultivate in Leicester -- making Massachusetts the first state east of the Mississippi to sell recreational marijuana.

Marijuana sales begin in Massachusetts: Dispatches from the first day of sales on the East Coast

Asked about crowd numbers, Hoffman didn't have details but said, "They're big, and cold and wet."

Hoffman said from what he's heard, the crowds are well-managed and medical marijuana patients have not had to wait in line for access to their dispensaries, which are located in the same buildings as the retail pot shops.

Hoffman said the commission worked with the two marijuana retail stores, whose executives have told him they have adequate supplies. "I hope they're right," he said. "There's going to be a lot of demand, no question about it. But I have confidence in the two licensees."

He expects in the coming weeks a "steady flow" of additional licenses for stores and cultivation and manufacturing facilities from the five-member Cannabis Control Commission.

INSA in Easthampton gets final license to grow, sell recreational marijuana

The day's one hiccup was unrelated to retail sales, according to Hoffman. The online "gateway" for medical marijuana patients went down earlier in the day, but the commission doesn't have any responsibility overseeing that, he said.

The state Department of Public Health oversees the medical marijuana program. The Cannabis Control Commission is slated to take over the program before the end of the year.

MassLive reporter Melissa Hanson contributed to this report.

Stock market drop: Tech giants plunge again, pushing market into red for year

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Stocks plunged again Tuesday as the market sank back into the red for the year.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks dropped again Tuesday as losses mounted for the world's largest technology companies. Retailers also fell, and energy companies plunged with oil prices as the market sank back into the red for the year.

Oil prices tumbled another 6.6 percent as Wall Street reacted to rising oil supplies and concerns that global economic growth will slow down, a worry that's intensified because of the trade tensions between the U.S. and China.

Technology companies were hit after the Trump administration proposed new national security regulations that could limit exports of high-tech products in fields such as quantum computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Retailers also skidded. Target's profit disappointed investors as it spends more money to revamp its stores and its website, while Ross Stores, TJX and Kohl's also fell on disappointing forecasts.

The S&P 500 index lost 48.84 points, or 1.8 percent, to 2,641.89. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 551.80 points, or 2.2 percent, to 24,465.64.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite lost 119.65 points, or 1.7 percent, to 6,908.82. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks shed 27.53 points, or 1.8 percent, to 1,469.01.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost 3.7 percent in the last two days, and the S&P 500 is off 3.4 percent. The Nasdaq, heavily populated with technology stocks, is off 4.7 percent. The S&P 500 index has fallen 9.9 percent from the record high it set exactly two months ago.

Investors are measuring a number of headwinds and increasingly playing it safe. The global economy is showing signs of weakening, with the United States, China and Europe all facing the rising threat of a slowdown, which can hurt demand for commodities such as oil and pose a threat to company profits. Trade tensions between the U.S. and China appear to be getting worse instead of improving, contributing to the sell-off in tech stocks and multinational industrial companies.

For much of this year, investors were hopeful the U.S. and China would easily resolve their differences on trade. That hope has faded in the last two months. While U.S. President Donald Trump and China President Xi Jinping are expected to meet this month at a gathering of the Group of 20 major economies, the proposed limits on tech exports were one more reason to worry.

"A resolution doesn't seem to be coming in the short term," said Katie Nixon, the chief investment officer for Northern Trust Wealth Management. "A lot of the companies that are front and center (like) Alphabet, Apple, IBM ... could be significantly limited in the way they export their technology."

Apple fell 4.8 percent to $176.98 and is down 23.7 percent from the peak it reached October 3, though it's still up almost 5 percent this year. Microsoft lost 2.8 percent to $101.71 and IBM fell 2.6 percent to $117.20

As the tech giants swoon, investors have lately turned to safer bets such as utilities, real estate companies and makers of household goods. They've also sought the safety of U.S. Treasuries.

The price of oil has been falling sharply in recent weeks and is now down 30 percent since October 3.

Saudi Arabia and other countries started producing more oil after the Trump administration announced renewed sanctions on Iran, Nixon noted. The administration granted waivers to several countries allowing them to continue importing oil from Iran, creating a supply glut that pushed prices dramatically lower.

Nixon said OPEC countries will probably cut back on oil production, but some investors are worried that the buildup in crude stockpiles is a sign the global economy isn't doing as well as expected.

Earnings from retailers didn't help investors' mood. Target plunged skidded 10.5 percent to $69.03 after reporting earnings that missed Wall Street's estimates due to higher expenses. Ross Stores, TJX and Kohl's also fell on disappointing forecasts.

Tech stocks were among the biggest losers in Europe, too. Nokia and Ericsson, two top suppliers of telecom networks, each fell about 3 percent. European indexes fell, with Germany's DAX index dropping 1.6 percent and the French CAC 30 falling 1.2 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 lost 0.8 percent.

Stocks also declined in Asia. Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 1.1 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 2 percent.

Benchmark U.S. crude lost 6.6 percent to $53.43 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 6.4 percent to $62.53 per barrel in London. Oil prices have nosedived since early October.

Wholesale gasoline fell 5.5 percent to $1.50 a gallon and heating oil skidded 4.6 percent to $1.99 a gallon. Natural gas dipped 3.8 percent to $4.52 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices were steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note remained at 3.06 percent.

Gold slipped 0.3 percent to $1,221.20 an ounce. Silver fell 0.9 percent to $14.27 an ounce. Copper slid 1.2 percent to $2.77 a pound.

The dollar fell to 112.40 yen from 112.54 yen. The euro fell to $1.1399 from $1.1453.

With latest Massachusetts marijuana retail license, INSA plans to open Easthampton adult-use cannabis store in 2 to 3 weeks

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INSA, which will sell marijuana out of its 122 Pleasant St. location, received a final license from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission on Tuesday.

INSA, a marijuana dispensary in Easthampton, plans to open for recreational marijuana sales within two to three weeks, according to CEO Mark Zatyrka.

INSA, which will sell marijuana out of its 122 Pleasant St. location, received a final license from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission on Tuesday.

Zatyrka said commission staff still need to conduct a final inspection to make sure all inventory is appropriately tagged and uploaded to the state software system and all employees are registered with the commission.

"That's just an estimate, but we're pretty hopeful that we could be open within two to three weeks from now," Zatyrka said.

The first two stores to sell adult use marijuana opened Tuesday - NETA in Northampton and Cultivate in Leicester. Other stores that could potentially open soon are located in Wareham and Salem.

The INSA store, which will be in the same location as an existing medical marijuana dispensary, is less than five miles from NETA in Northampton.

"We think it's some good, friendly competition between the two sites," Zatyrka said. "We both offer a unique service and set of products ... It's a win-win for the consumers to have options and not be stuck just with one dispensary."

INSA plans to keep its Springfield medical marijuana dispensary reserved for patients for the "foreseeable future," Zatyrka said, and the company is looking at opening a recreational marijuana store at a different Springfield location.

The Easthampton store, as is required under state regulations, will have a separate space and an expedited line for medical marijuana patients. INSA also offers home delivery for patients only.

INSA sells its medical marijuana products wholesale to other medical marijuana dispensaries, and company officials hope also to do wholesale sales in the adult-use market.

Trump submits answers to special counsel's questions about Russian interference

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The inquiries address only a portion of the questions that Mueller has sought to pose to Trump for nearly a year

Attorneys for the president said that they turned over his answers to a series of questions from special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about Donald Trump's knowledge of the Russian government's efforts to assist his 2016 White House bid.

The inquiries address only a portion of the questions that Mueller has sought to pose to Trump for nearly a year, when he first requested an interview with president.


Springfield City Council slates public hearings, vote on new tax rates

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The City Council has the power each year to increase or decrease the tax burden ratio between homeowners and business properties.

SPRINGFIELD -- The City Council and a subcommittee have scheduled two public hearings and a special meeting on Monday to accept further public comments and take a vote on new tax rates for fiscal 2019.

The council's Finance Committee tax rate subcommittee has a hearing Monday at 5 p.m., at City Hall, Room 200, regarding tax rates and related information, and for public comments.

The full City Council then has a public hearing at 5:30 at the council chambers at City Hall to welcome additional comments on tax classification.

The full council is slated to meet at 6 at City Hall to consider setting the tax rates, Board of Assessors Chairman Richard Allen said.

The City Council has the power each year to increase or decrease the tax burden ratio between homeowners and business properties.

The total tax levy for fiscal 2019 is $205.3 million, compared to $198.3 million last fiscal year, Allen said.

Fiscal 2019 began July 1 and ends June 30.

The city's total property valuation for fiscal 2019, as approved by the state Department of Revenue, is $8.2 billion, compared to $7.9 billion last fiscal year.

Tax bills are scheduled to be mailed before Jan. 1. Property owners received estimated tax bills for the first two quarters of fiscal 2019 and will receive actual adjusted bills for the final two quarters.

Obituaries from The Republican, Nov. 20, 2018

One Ferry Street development gains Easthampton Planning Board OK

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Michael Michon of One Industrial Lofts, LLC, appeared Tuesday with his development team. Watch video

EASTHAMPTON -- After lengthy discussion, the Planning Board on Tuesday awarded developer Michael Michon and his team a special permit to redevelop the rambling, derelict former mill complex at One Ferry Street. 

Construction is scheduled to begin this spring at the 7-acre site, and plans show a mixed-use development with up to 152 dwelling units and approximately 60,000 square feet of commercial, retail, and office space. Some buildings will be torn down, and others renovated.

The permit marks a major milestone in the city's effort to revitalize its 19th-century industrial mills in the Pleasant Street area. If all goes well, One Ferry will join Eastworks, the Keystone Mill, Mill 180, and, on the other side of town, One Cottage Street and Cottage Square, as key drivers in the city's decades-long transformation from a struggling mill town to a 21st-century arts and industry mecca.

Michon, who previously developed Mill 180, appeared with Springfield lawyer Brad Martin, land consultant Rob Leveque, and architect Siegfried Porth.

The Planning Board agreed 5-0 that the plans by One Industrial Lofts, LLC meet all criteria laid out in the city's mixed-use mill district zoning overlay district.

The project will provide high-quality architectural design, a compatible mix of uses within the old mills, and an enhanced pedestrian environment, and Michon's plans are in keeping with the city's planning vision, the board determined.

The project is backed by a $3.5 million MassWorks grant that will pay for infrastructure and public amenities to support the project.

It's not known if any of the units will be set aside as "workforce housing." The Massachusetts program was set up to encourage private housing for working households whose incomes are too high for subsidized housing, but too low for market rents.

The state's rules for workforce housing recently changed, eliminating a key financial incentive, said Michon, Leveque, and Martin. The state used to provide a $100,000 incentive per workforce housing unit, but that funding source is no longer available, they said.

There is currently no requirement under the city's zoning to provide affordable housing in the mill district, noted City Planner Jeff Bagg.

"The intent of the zoning was to encourage the redevelopment of these properties," said Bagg, while mentioning that the policy could be revisited in the future.

Michon said that certain aspects of the development are "still flexible." For instance, he said, if someone is interested in developing a "boutique hotel" on the property, he would be open to that.

However, parking-intensive uses would not be accepted.

"The last thing a building owner wants is parking wars," said Michon, adding that a call center with 200 employees would not work.

Michon is bound by the terms of his special permit to build at least 50 percent of the 152 units first proposed. If that number should fall, a new permit would be needed. However, the One Industrial Lofts team said that that's highly unlikely to happen.

The development would provide parking, a new public connection between Ferry Street and the Manhan Rail Trail, a walkway along the Lower Mill Pond, and a roundabout to manage traffic at the intersection of Ferry, Pleasant, and Lovefield streets.

Mayor Nicole LaChapelle sat quietly through most of the hearing.

LaChapelle has said that the redevelopment of One Ferry is one of the top priorities of her administration. The area was designated a federal opportunity zone, which offers tax incentives to investors.

Springfield fire in historic house displaces 5

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The residents and their three dogs escaped safely from the fire which heavily damaged a historic home at 54 Ridgewood Place. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- A fire displaced five adults and heavily damaged a historic house in the Six Corners neighborhood Tuesday night.

The residents of the multi-family home at 54 Ridgewood Place were able to escape safely with their three dogs. No one was injured in the fire that was reported at 9:13 p.m., said Dennis Leger, executive assistant to Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi.

The fire started on the second floor of the home. Flames could be seen shooting through the roof and thick smoke blanketed the neighborhood.

Firefighters extinguished most of the flames by 10 p.m. but are expected to be working at the house for several hours, Legersaid.

The home is located at the corner of Ridgewood Place and Union Street. Both streets are currently closed.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, he said.

Angela Anderson, who lives across the street from the home said a neighbor knocked on her door and told her the house was on fire. She knew the residents had been able to escape safely but at first was concerned two of the pets had not.

Soon after another neighbor told her the other two dogs were safe as well.

"I was out taking a walk about 10 minutes earlier and I didn't see anything and I didn't smell smoke," she said.

The house dates to the 1800s, she said.

"He (the owner) works on the house all the time. It's a shame," Anderson said.

The Pioneer Valley of the American Red Cross has been called in to assist the residents, Leger said.

Mega Millions numbers: Did you win Tuesday's $139 million lottery jackpot?

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Here are the winning numbers in Tuesday's Mega Millions lottery drawing.

The latest Mega Millions jackpot offers another big chunk of change for someone with the right lottery numbers.

megamillions.jpg

Here are the winning numbers in Tuesday's drawing:

10-16-31-42-66; Mega Ball: 10; Megaplier: 3X

The estimated jackpot for the drawing is $139 million. The cash option is about $79 million. If no one wins, the Mega Millions jackpot will get bigger for the next drawing.

According to the game's official website, the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.

Players pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers -- five different numbers from 1 to 70 and one number from 1 to 25 -- or select Easy Pick. A player wins the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in a drawing.

Jackpot winners choose whether to receive 30 annual payments, each five percent higher than the last, or a lump-sum payment.

Mega Millions drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays and are offered in 44 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets cost $2 each.

Mega Millions and Powerball winners should do these 5 things

More than 2,000 customers purchased marijuana in Northampton on Day 1 of legal sales

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Although the line to get in was up to 4 hours long at times, there were no problems with supply meeting demand. "We served everybody," a NETA spokesman said. Watch video

NORTHAMPTON - The line that stretched all the way around the block began shorten by nightfall, from several thousand to several hundred to several dozen until finally at 9:57 p.m., 3 minutes before closing, when the last handful were allowed inside the New England Treatment Access building.

And with that Day 1 of legalized marijuana sales in Northampton drew to a close.

"We'll be open again tomorrow," said Norton Arbelaez, director of Government Affairs and spokesman for NETA.

As one of two places in Massachusetts that are for now permitted for retail sale of marijuana, NETA expected a swarm of business on the first day, and that is exactly what they got.

The line at its peak stretched out the parking lot, down the sidewalk and around the corner, and wait times to get inside were 2 to 4 hours.

Arbelaez said that, all in all, things went quite smoothly. There were no problems and there was a steady stream of customers from 8 a.m. until closing at 10 p.m. He said the store saw more than 2,000 people coming in through the doors.

NETA had no problems with the supply to meet the demand. "This was the capstone of 2 years of preparation," he said.  They were ready to have enough inventory on hand to meet capacity, and when all was said and done, things worked out as planned, he said.

"We served everybody," he said.

Everybody up to and including Mayor David Narkewicz, who rang up the first purchase at 8 a.m. when he paid $24 for a marijuana-infused candy bar. Narkewicz said he did not plan to sample it but preferred to save the bar as a piece of city history.

Near the end of the day, a man who identified himself as Patrick said he drove 2 hours from Taunton in order to stand 90 minutes in line in order to go in the shop to legally purchase marijuana.

While Cultivate Holdings in Leicester, the other state's only legal marijuana retail operation, is a lot closer to Taunton, the Northampton location had the advantage of being open later. Cultivate Holdings, he said, "close at 6 p.m."

As a NETA staff member circulated along the line handing out paper menus of the products inside, Patrick decline. "I already know what I'm getting," he said.

Unlike Narkewicz, Patrick said he had no intentions of preserving his purchase for posterity, but would likely smoke it as soon as he drives the two hours back to home.

"I'll keep the receipt as a momento," he said.


At 8:30 p.m and the line roughly 90 minutes long, staff capped the line. The last two people in line were designated the last people in line, and everyone who came later than that -- and several came later than that -- were told they would not be able to get inside.

Late-comers were given a coupon for 20 percent off that was redeemable on Wednesday though.

"We just made it, buddy," said one of the two men to the other. Then they high-fived.

The two, neither of whom would give their name, said they each live in the area and work in Northampton.

"I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about," said one.

The other said he was pleased to see marijuana legal in Massachusetts. He said he has friends in Colorado, the first state to legalize retail sales, and when he has gone to visit, he was always taken by how normal it is.

"You go to the store, buy your stuff, and then you go home and smoke it," he said. "It's so easy."

The two eventually said the novelty of legal marijuana would eventually wear off and the lines would take off. Neither had any idea when that will be.

Each said although it is now legal to purchase, possess and use, marijuana still has negative connotations for some, which is why no one approached by a reporter would give their full name or why some would decline to be interviewed at all.

"Yeah, no!" said one woman emerging from the store clutching an NETA bag to a reporter who had approached her.

"Even though it's legal, the stigma will always be there," said the second of the two men.

Maybe yes, maybe no. Customers may not want their names in the paper, but at the same time, several emerged from the store clutching their purchases and making no effort to conceal them as they walked past police.

Toward the end of the night, two men held aloft their bags as they posed for photos in front of a Northampton police cruiser.

Arbelaez said eventually when the novelty wears off and marijuana sales become more normal, people will wonder why it was criminalized in the first place.

"The 'Prohibition model' is bankrupt," especially when it comes to the people of color who have been punished disproportionately in the enforcement of drug laws, he said.

"This is the first step in creating a new equilibrium of social justice," he said.

Past comes to life: J.R. Greene publishes 2019 Quabbin History Calendar

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Programs planned in Palmer, Ware to highlight this year's calendar.

Gazing out at the bucolic Quabbin Reservoir, it's difficult to imagine that it once was home to four towns, filled with stores, farms, businesses and schools and people going about their daily lives.

But open J.R. Greene's annual Quabbin History Calendar and the "lost towns" of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich and Prescott emerge from the water once again.

The towns, and parts of seven others, were flooded to create a water supply for metropolitan Boston. The 412-billion gallon reservoir was built between 1930 and 1939, driving the residents out of their homes.

There's the March photo: Greenwich Plains Railroad Station with a view of Mt. Lizzie in the background. Mount Lizzie now is an island in the reservoir.

Skip to December: A winter view of Crawford & Tyler Mill, where various cloth products were made, in North Dana.

November: A farm in Prescott formerly owned by Daniel Shays of Shays' Rebellion fame.

July: Eight golfers pose at the Dugmar Golf Course in Greenwich.

August: Three children sit on a fence outside Oakes' Store in North Dana.

"I try to convey some sort of image of what life was like," Greene says, adding that the August photo of the children shows "kids doing kid things."

For the past 34 years, Greene has paid tribute to the former residents of the lost towns in his annual calendar. The 2019 edition brings the number of photos used in the calendars to more than 400.

A postcard dealer, Greene's material comes from auctions, shows, Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission archives and from people who know he is interested in the Quabbin.

The January photo is a reproduction of a newspaper clipping - a first for Greene - showing the last post office in the valley. The photo shows Enfield postmaster Edwin C. Howe taking down a sign on the last day the post office was open, Jan. 14, 1939.

The building was later used as a commissary for project workers. Greene said he used two photos relating to the Quabbin's 80th anniversary that were taken right before the valley was flooded - the post office shot and April's picture of brush clearing and burning in Enfield center in 1939 - for the calendar.

"Early on I developed a sympathy for the people" who lost their homes, Greene said recently. "I'm sort of a person who's a little skeptical of the power of government for the greater good."

The Athol resident's interest in the Quabbin began while he was a student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has never subsided. It all started when he found an abandoned railroad bed near Gate 35 in New Salem and wondered why it led to water.

He has authored 13 books, two atlases and a bibliography on the history of the Quabbin. He plans to keep doing the calendars as long as there is a demand.

While most of the denizens of the lost towns are deceased, calendar customers include their descendants and other collectors of Quabbin memorabilia, he said.

Greene estimates that he sells "a few hundred" calendars each year, and also has previous years available for those interested in back copies, with the exception of the first calendar he created.

According to the state's website, mass.gov, the Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest unfiltered water supplies in the country, supplying water to 2.5 million people. In addition to metro Boston, the reservoir provides water to Chicopee, Wilbraham and part of South Hadley through the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority.

Greene will give free slide presentations about the calendar on Nov. 29 at the Palmer Public Library on North Main Street and Dec. 5 at the Young Men's Library Association in Ware on Main Street. Both programs begin at 6:30 p.m. and in addition to calendars, he also will have copies of his Quabbin books for sale. A portion of the proceeds from book and calendar sales will be given to the libraries.

Calendars retail for $14.95 and also are available at the following locations: Atkins Farm and A.J. Hastings in Amherst; Quabbin Visitor's Center in Belchertown; Hollister Jewelry and Coins in Chicopee; Pocket Saver Market in Erving; Whistle Stop diner in the Gilbertville section of Hardwick; World Eye Bookshop in Greenfield; New Salem General Store; Broadside Bookshop in Northampton; Brookfield Orchard in North Brookfield; Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley; Palmer Hobbies in Palmer and Junction Variety in the Thorndike section of Palmer; and Plantation Store in West Brookfield. They can also be ordered directly from Greene, who can be contacted at jrg01331@webtv.net.


Bitterly cold wind chill expected in Massachusetts Wednesday into Thanksgiving morning

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Potentially record cold wind chills are expected in Massachusetts.

Potentially record cold wind chills are expected in Massachusetts tonight. 

The National Weather Service reports a wind chill as low as 0 to 15 below zero is possible late Wednesday into Thursday morning. 

A wind chill advisory has been issued for Berkshire County, with the weather service warning, "The cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes." It will take effect at 1 a.m. Thursday through noon. 

The arctic cold front hitting the state may also bring a few brief snow squalls between 3 and 8 p.m. Wednesday evening, which may result in potentially hazardous travel. 

"The greatest threat will be along the east slopes of the Berkshires," the National Weather Service said. "But very localized snow squalls are possible across the entire region. Any snow squall that is able to develop will bring the potential for very brief heavy snow, whiteout conditions, strong winds, and slippery roads."

New recreational marijuana stores to open 'every couple of weeks' in Massachusetts

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While hundreds braved the cold rain and snow Tuesday for the chance to legally buy marijuana, the Cannabis Control Commission was back to work processing more than a dozen additional cannabis business applications as it continues to ramp up the industry.

While hundreds braved the cold rain and snow Tuesday for the chance to legally buy marijuana, the Cannabis Control Commission was back to work processing more than a dozen additional cannabis business applications as it continues to ramp up the industry.

Though only two retail stores began selling non-medical marijuana Tuesday, the CCC has given at least initial approval to almost two dozen more retailers and expects that they will come online on a rolling basis.

The CCC marked the first legal marijuana sale with a small ceremony in its offices Tuesday morning, but by afternoon it was back to combing through license applications to put more growers and sellers in the queue.

"This is obviously a major milestone for the commission and, more importantly, for the state. It is something that we have been working, as a commission, extraordinarily hard on for slightly over fourteen months," CCC Chairman Steven Hoffman said. "It's only two stores but it represents, I think, a formidable accomplishment from a standing start fourteen months ago where we not only developed regulations, issued licenses ... but built an agency to enforce those regulations going forward."

Hoffman said no hiccups had been reported to the CCC from either retailer that launched recreational sales Tuesday -- New England Treatment Access in Northampton and Cultivate in Leicester -- and said all indications were that things were moving along smoothly.

"I think the crowds are orderly, I think they're being taken well care of and, most importantly, patients are being granted immediate access to the facility so there is no disruption to the patients," he said.

Though he took a few minutes at the start of Tuesday's commission meeting to mark the milestone of opening retail stores, Hoffman quoted Sir Winston Churchill as he reminded the commission that its work is really only getting started.

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning," Hoffman said.

On Tuesday, the CCC approved so-called final licenses for two more retailers -- Alternative Therapies Group, Inc. at 50 Grove St. in Salem and I.N.S.A., Inc. at 122 Pleasant St. in Easthampton. Another retailer, Pharmacannis Massachusetts in Wareham, has already been given a final license.

After being given a final license, a business must satisfy the CCC's conditions and then wait for the CCC's notice to commence full operations before beginning sales.

Hoffman said he thinks more retail stores will open to recreational customers "quickly," but said the ball is in the businesses' court now.

"We have now three final retail licenses that have been issued on top of the two that opened today," the chairman said. "They've got to get their inventory into METRC [the seed-to-sale tracking system] and they've got to let us come out and do a physical inventory inspection. Those three stores will be open as quickly as that happens. That's at the control of the licensees."

He added, "I think you're going to see, every couple of weeks, a couple of new stores and not just stores, but cultivation sites and manufacturing facilities."

Until more stores open, the stores in Leicester and Northampton must try to satisfy the demand for legal pot. Hoffman said he does not anticipate any issues with supply of marijuana while just two stores are open.

"We've worked with both of the existing licensees that opened today and they've assured us that they feel they have adequate supply, so I hope they're right," he said. "There's going to be a lot of demand, there's no question about it."

Also Tuesday, the CCC approved provisional licenses for three more retailers -- Atlantic Medicinal Partners, Inc. at 774 Crawford St. in Fitchburg, Good Chemistry of Massachusetts, Inc. at 9 Harrison St. in Worcester and Sanctuary Medicinals, Inc. at 16 Pearson Blvd., Gardner -- four provisional cultivation licenses and five provisional product manufacturer licenses.

US Rep. Joe Kennedy III says he has 'no plans' to run for president, supports Nancy Pelosi's speakership bid

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Despite being named as one of many possible 2020 presidential contenders from Massachusetts, U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, stressed this week that he has "no plans" to pursue a White House run.

AMHERST -- Despite being named as one of many possible 2020 presidential contenders from Massachusetts, U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Newton, stressed this week that he has "no plans" to pursue a White House run. 

Kennedy, who stopped in Amherst on Tuesday to take part in the annual Monte's March fundraiser, told The Republican that while he will support other Democrats as he did ahead of the 2018 election, a 2020 presidential bid is not on his radar screen.

US Rep. Joe Kennedy campaigning in Indiana, Michigan

"I'm happy to be supportive of colleagues and causes where they think I can be helpful, certainly. Other than that, I have no plans," he said in an interview.

Kennedy offered a decisive "no," when asked if he is running for president in 2020. 

"I have no plans to (run.) No," he said. "Six ways from Tuesday, no. And no plans to do anything else."

US Rep. Joe Kennedy III dismisses idea of 2020 White House run, says Elizabeth Warren 'would be a great president'

The congressman stressed that his focus is on representing Massachusetts residents in Congress -- particularly in the wake of Democrats' gains in the 2018 midterms.

"I do think the American public just bestowed on the Democratic House an extraordinary responsibility that we haven't had for a while, and that is to force and act on a vision and policies we just ran campaigns on - particularly on health care," he said. "I expect that they expect that we deliver. Part of that is going to be acting on our agenda, part of that is hopefully seeing an administration and a Republican Senate that's willing to work with us as well."

Kennedy further offered his full-throated support for Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's bid for U.S. House speaker -- a position that some members of Massachusetts' delegation hope to see go to another Democrat. 

"I'm a strong supporter and ally of Leader Pelosi -- and I have been and will continue to be proud to support her," he said. "I expect that she's going to be speaker of the House, and I think that as dust settles and she's able to make a case for our caucus that she's going to be able to earn that support."

The congressman, however, said he acknowledges that not all members of the Democratic caucus share his sentiments.

"It's a discussion some in our caucus definitely want to have, and if they want to have it, we should have it," he said. 

Report: US Reps. Seth Moulton, Stephen Lynch oppose Nancy Pelosi's House speaker bid

More than a dozen House Democrats announced this week that they plan to oppose Pelosi's bid to take over as the chamber's next speaker, including U.S. Reps. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, and Stephen Lynch, D-South Boston.

Moulton has also been rumored to be a potential 2020 White House contender, as well as Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Massachusetts U.S. Sen. John Kerry and former Gov. Deval Patrick.

Two Massachusetts marijuana stores are open: What's next?

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This is only the beginning of what is expected to be a new billion dollar-plus industry, which could take years to ramp up.

Massachusetts' first two stores to legally sell recreational marijuana opened amid fanfare on Tuesday.

It is only the beginning of what is expected to be a new billion dollar-plus industry, which could take years to ramp up.

"Realistically, to be a really full-fledged industry, they'll need 200 to 300 stores in the next few years, and it will take that long to get to that number," said Jim Smith, a partner at Smith, Costello & Crawford, who represents marijuana companies. 

Cultivate in Leicester and New England Treatment Access in Northampton became the first two companies in Massachusetts to sell recreational cannabis, two years after voters approved a ballot question legalizing it. While their opening is historic, marking the first time cannabis was sold legally east of the Mississippi River, it will take time to reach the point where any adult consumer can drive up to a convenient store and easily buy marijuana.

"Marijuana is widely consumed and popular among Massachusetts adults. There's going to be large demand," said Matthew Schweich, deputy director of the Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that advocates for marijuana legalization. "At the start, there won't be many stores to service that demand."

The next store to open is likely to be PharmaCannis in Wareham, which was awarded a final license Nov. 1. A company that has a final license still needs to upload its inventory to a state tracking system and undergo a final inspection before it can open for sales.

At a Cannabis Control Commission meeting Tuesday, two additional companies were awarded final licenses: Alternative Therapies Group in Salem got permission to open a retail store, while I.N.S.A. in Easthampton got a license to cultivate marijuana, manufacture products and open a retail store. 

SIRA Naturals has a final license to cultivate and transport cannabis and manufacture products, but not to operate a retail store. 

Around 20 companies hold provisional licenses, which means they can start to grow marijuana and build their stores. But they must still undergo inspections, register employees and fulfill other requirements. 

"I think we're going to see a steady progress," said Cannabis Control Commission Chairman Steven Hoffman. "I think you're going to see every couple of weeks, a couple of new stores, and not just stores but cultivation sites, manufacturing facilities."

As of Nov. 20, 192 marijuana businesses had submitted completed applications to the Cannabis Control Commission, which oversees licensing. That included 65 potential growers, 60 retailers and 51 product manufacturers. More than 900 businesses had submitted at least one part of their application.

Smith predicted there may be a few more stores open before the end of the year. "I think it's going to be a very slow ramp-up," he said.

For now, some experts say stores are likely to sell out, although by Tuesday afternoon, Hoffman said both NETA and Cultivate had assured him that they had sufficient supply. NETA set a cap on how much one individual could buy that was lower than the state cap. 

There is a limited supply of adult-use marijuana, since much of the cannabis now being grown in Massachusetts is at facilities only licensed for medical use. It will take time for businesses to grow enough to meet the demand, now that the market has expanded from only medical patients to anyone 21 or older.

"In other states that opened, their supply really didn't start to meet demand until a year or 18 months," said Jim Borghesani, a spokesman for the pro-marijuana ballot campaign who now owns a marijuana-focused public relations firm. "I don't see that being different in Massachusetts."  

There are several reasons Massachusetts' marijuana industry has been slow-growing, compared to a state like Nevada, which legalized marijuana at the same time as Massachusetts and started sales in October 2017.

One reason is the licensing process. "The Cannabis Control Commission, to their credit, is being incredibly thorough," Smith said. "They want the industry to be successful, and thoroughness takes time." 

Another reason is the municipal approval process. In Massachusetts, cities and towns have local authority to ban, zone, cap or place moratoriums on marijuana businesses. Some towns are more resistant than others to marijuana, and prospective business owners must find available property in the appropriate zoning in a town that allows it. Businesses must then negotiate host agreements and obtain any necessary permits.

Most local moratoriums will expire at the end of the year, with the expectation that cities and towns have used the time to craft zoning bylaws. 

Borghesani said he hopes the opening of the first stores will alleviate some of the concerns municipalities have about welcoming marijuana companies.

"I think we're going to see a lot of towns and local officials looking to see how these stores do in the towns," Borghesani said. "Which I think will mean that they'll find out that some of the fears that are being voiced by opponents simply won't materialize."

Businesses also face challenges raising capital. Smith said opening a single retail store costs around $1 million. Things like licensing, security requirements, obtaining property, buying insurance and getting banking services all cost money -- often more than they would cost other types of business. Because marijuana is still federally illegal, and therefore a somewhat risky business, obtaining financing for a marijuana business is harder and costs more than for other businesses.

"You can't open one of these businesses on the cheap," Smith said.

At Tuesday's Cannabis Control Commission meeting, Hoffman acknowledged that the industry is only beginning. "While we accomplished a lot, we all recognize we have a lot more work to do," Hoffman said.

Hoffman quoted Winston Churchill, the British prime minister during World War II: "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

Hadley engineering student Patrick Bemben admits role in violent home invasion; sentencing set for next week

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Bemben spent months planning to rob a drug dealer who had stopped selling him marijuana and refused to return his phone calls, police and prosecutors said.

NORTHAMPTON -- The alleged mastermind behind a botched home invasion and drug robbery in Amherst in 2016 has pleaded guilty to assault, breaking and entering and conspiracy charges.

Patrick Bemben, 27, of Hadley, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Hampshire Superior Court to seven counts, including aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering in the nighttime and wearing body armor during the commission of a felony.

In return, prosecutors agreed to dismiss 11 charges, including three counts of armed robbery with a rifle, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and failure to register a rifle (a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson KEL-TEC semi-automatic).

Sentencing is scheduled for Monday, with First Assistant District Attorney Steven Gagne planning to recommend a five- to six-year term in state prison followed by five years of probation.

Defense lawyer David Hoose said he will submit his sentencing proposal in a memo summarizing Bemben's background and role in the case.

Judge Richard Carey accepted the guilty pleas, and agreed to postpone sentencing until Monday. Under state law, Bemben can withdraw his pleas if the sentence imposed by the judge exceeds the one recommended by the prosecutor. 

Bemben, who was a senior engineering student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, spent months planning to rip off a drug dealer who had stopped selling him marijuana and refused to return his phone calls, according to testimony and court records. He recruited six others who went to the at home on South East Street with guns, knives, a hatchet, pepper spray and other weapons.

The defendants hoped to pocket up to $100,000 in cash, plus a large quantity of marijuana and Ecstasy. But the night raid turned into a bloody melee, and Bemben and his recruits scattered as police arrived; Bemben, suffering from head and facial injuries, was arrested nearby.

It took seven months for investigators to round up the other suspects. One, Warrens Gelin, 23, of Springfield, was sentenced last month to four to five years in state prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and related charges. 

Four others -- Stephanos Georgiadis of Hadley; Joseph Barcelos of Belchertown; and John Niemiec III and Brittany Buckowski, both of Sunderland -- are awaiting trial. Niemiec and Buckowski served as drivers, but did not participate in the robbery, police said. 

A fifth defendant, Tivon LaValley of Hadley, has been ruled not competent to stand trial. 

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