Holyoke City Assessor Anthony Dulude held the annual Tax Classification Hearing Nov. 20, the first step in setting the city's property tax rate.

HOLYOKE -- With an increase in property values allowing the city to raise an additional $1.2 million in revenue, Assessor Anthony Dulude expects residential and commercial property taxes to rise slightly in fiscal 2019.

Dulude held the annual tax classification hearing at City Hall on Tuesday. The City Council sets and approves the property tax rate for both classes of property, which should occur in the coming weeks.

The split tax rate continues to favor homeowners, who pay $19.14 per $1,000 in valuation, while commercial property owners pay $39.70 per $1,000 in valuation.

The council begins with a single rate of $25, then chips away at it, shifting the burden to the commercial side.

Before a vote on the tax rate can occur, the state Department of Revenue must certify the city's free cash reserve.

Dulude based the current property valuations on assessments conducted in 2017. The city's overall properties are valued at over $2.1 billion, with $497 million worth of additional parcels considered nonprofit or tax-exempt.

The assessor's office formulates the amount of revenue the city can raise in a fiscal year. The revenues come from property taxes, permits and other fees.

Under Proposition 21/2, municipalities must obey a levy ceiling, or the maximum they are allowed to collect.

For fiscal 2019, the tax levy limit is $53,918,766, or the full amount the city expects to collect. The new limit represents $52.4 million from fiscal 2018, plus 2.5 percent and $407,348 in new growth.

Dulude noted an increase in single-family home values over the last five years. In 2018, the average single-family home was valued at $182,800 ($3,497 average tax bill). He forecasts the average will climb to $190,637.

Two-family homes saw a sharp rise in valuation over the same period. "The increase has been significantly on the residential side," Dulude said.

Dulude said the new growth represents a net value, which factors in buildings torn down. He said the new Marcotte Ford facility on Main Street and The Cubit Building on Race Street would add to next year's growth figures.

Commercial and industrial classes, excluding the Holyoke Mall, saw modest increases since fiscal 2015.

Dulude emphasized that the council can set the tax rate once free cash is certified. The council must also balance the budget through a series of cash transfers.

Resident Carl Eger, the sole audience member at Tuesday's hearing, said new growth "is going to be critical to the City of Holyoke's future." He said the city is limited by its landmass, with vacant properties in need of zone changes or variances.

He added he was "proud" of how the City Council approved the zone change for Lynch School from residential to business-highway. A retail and banking development has been proposed for the site. "With the new growth we will have financial viability," Eger said.

Councilors Joseph M. McGiverin, Peter Tallman, Michael Sullivan, David K. Bartley, Linda Vacon and Jossie Valentin attend the hearing.

Officials say the Bright Nights at Forest Park holiday tradition will welcome its 5 millionth visitor this year. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD -- It wasn't your usual 3 ... 2 ... 1 countdown. It was a jolly "Ho! Ho! Ho! "that kicked off the 24th edition of Bright Nights at Forest Park as Santa asked the crowd to yell "Ho! ... Ho! ... Ho!" as he lit the 3-mile-long display.

There is an addition to the light show this year -- a display sponsored by the Springfield Thunderbirds American Hockey League team that features two players passing the puck and the team's logo. The display is lit with 3,708 LED bulbs.

"Bright Nights has long been a staple of the holiday season in Springfield," said Nathan Costa, Thunderbirds president.  "We are honored to be given this tremendous opportunity to have our own Thunderbirds display visible for thousands of people to behold for years to come. We could not be more excited to be able to illuminate our city during one of the best times of the year."

Santa was joined by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Spirit of Springfield President Judy Matt, Patrick Sullivan, executive director of the city's Department of Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management, Spirit of Springfield board members, Springfield park commissioners and Bright Nights sponsors.

Matt expects the holiday tradition will welcome its five millionth visitor this year.

In 2017, attendance on opening night was the largest in the event's history with more than 1,400 cars.

Mason Clark, 2, visiting from Chicago, wasn't quite sure what to make of Santa as he greeted St. Nick while in the arms of his grandfather Kevin Clark, of South Hadley. A smile was replaced with a look of concern.

In addition to support from the Springfield Thunderbirds, the 2018 edition of Bright Nights is sponsored by The Arbor Kids, Asnuntuck Community College, Balise Auto, Baystate Health, Big Y World Class Markets, Charlie Arment Trucking Inc., Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, The Colvest Group, Comcast, Eversource Energy, Gleason Johndrow Landscaping, Health New England, iHeart Media, MassLive, MassMutual, MGM Springfield, The MP Group, PeoplesBank, The Republican, Seimens, Sheraton Springfield, Skip's Outdoor Accents, Springfield College, Tower Square and WWLP-22News.

Bright Nights will be open through Jan. 1, but will be closed Nov. 26 and 27. Admission is $18 per car Monday through Thursday, $21 per car Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.  There will be two $10 Tuesdays -- Dec. 4 and 11.

A house proposed for 8 Lewis St., on land purchased at auction, is on hold until the design is revised.

WESTFIELD -- Approval of construction of a two-family home at 8 Lewis St. is on hold after the Westfield Planning Board Tuesday continued a special permit public hearing until Dec. 4.

Property owner David Maciver purchased the vacant lot from the city during an auction in July. It is valued at $53,000.

Previously, there was a three-bedroom single-family home of approximately 1,400 square feet on the site. The city knocked down the home when it acquired the property and neighbors began using the lot as a garden.

One neighbor, James Pettengill, spoke out against approval of the proposed two-family, 3,700-square-foot house. Pettengill, who advocated for the city to keep the land for a community garden prior to the auction, said this week that the proposed home is too large and does not fit in the neighborhood.

"This would create higher density than there was before," Pettengill said. "Traffic would increase. ... This is a low-income, high-density neighborhood that would be vastly (negatively) impacted."

The duplex-style house Maciver proposed does fit the mathematical requirements of the neighborhood, said City Planner Jay Vinskey. However, the plans do not include the required 75 percent green space in the front yard or 15-foot setbacks on the side. This is why Maciver was seeking a special permit. The design also includes separate driveways, one on either side of the house, which encroaches on the setback.

Planning Board Chiarman William Carellas said he did not favor the plan.

"I'm finding the footprint of this house is not in character for the neighborhood," Carellas said.

Planning Board members suggested Maciver tweak the design to include a single driveway with rear parking so that the setbacks could meet the 15-foot requirement.

"It might not be a bad idea to get the parking on one side," Vinskey said.

The board also suggested creating more green space in front of the home to get closer to the 75 percent requirement.

Maciver took the suggestions and said he would work on the design for the next hearing.

"I can come back with multiple plans," Maciver said.

The two-family duplex he proposed Tuesday includes three bedrooms in each apartment and basement storage.

A draft ordinance increases the Westfield's mayor's compensation from $100,000 to $120,000 annually.

WESTFIELD - An increase in the mayor's salary remains in the Legislative and Ordinance Committee following discussions last week.

The full City Council tabled the mayor's salary discussion Nov. 15 for "more input," said L&O Chairman Councilor Ralph J. Figy, who created a draft ordinance raising the mayor's salary after discussions in L&O, the full council and with the city legal department.

Figy suggested raising the mayor's salary from $100,000 to a base of $120,000 effective Jan. 1, 2020. For each consecutive re-election, the mayor would receive a $5,000 increase for up to five consecutive terms.

Some councilors believe the current mayoral compensation is not enough to attract qualified candidates to run for the position, including local business owners.

"There are business owners who would love to serve but aren't going to do it for $100,000," said Councilor Dave Flaherty, urging councilors to review salaries offered in Western Massachusetts cities of similar size.

Councilor Nicholas J. Morganelli Jr. said he was satisfied with the current salary.

"I believe $100,000 for the size of this city and the responsibilities is pretty much on point," he said.

Councilor William Onyski said he did like the step increases Figy proposed, but evaluating each mayor and compensating based on their experience, as suggested by Morganelli, would not work.

"There's no way to evaluate after somebody's elected," Onyski said. "You can't say, 'You're worth $90,000 or you were a mayor of a big city and are worth $130,000.'"

Also last week the L&O recommended leaving in committee the editing of the Code of Ordinances to change the term of department heads from three years to "a period not to exceed three years."

Flaherty said many city departments are hiring and he does not think a three-year contract is best for the city, especially if a new employee does not perform up to expectations. He also noted that an employee hired under one mayor could be working under a different mayor during their employment and that mayor would be "stuck" with that person.

"My goal is to give the hiring manager flexibility," Flaherty said. "No one else gives you a three-year contract. You don't get that at Big Y or MassMutual."

Councilor Brent B. Bean II said compensation as well as terms of employment for hired employees must be reconsidered.

"We need to make the jobs attractive and a one or two-year term may not be as attractive as three years," said Bean.

Cory S. Rogowski has been a part-time officer on the Ware force since 2015.

WARE -- Selectmen at Tuesday's meeting voted 5-0 to appoint a full-time police officer.

Cory S. Rogowski has been a part-time officer on the Ware force since 2015.

In response to a question from the board, Rogowski, a Barre resident, said he would like to relocate to Ware in the near future.

Ware's newest officer earned a bachelor of science degree from Becker College in 2014.

"He is a great candidate," Ware Police Chief Shawn Crevier told selectmen.

"Thank you for protecting us 24/7," Selectmen Chairman John Carroll said.

Two months ago, an 18-year veteran of the town's police force, Paul Skutnik, resigned after accepting a position as a Massachusetts parole officer. Rogowski's appointment fills that vacancy on the police department.

During the meeting, Crevier told selectmen that a small number of homeowners and businesses had failed to shovel sidewalks during the recent snow storm.

He said that although no tickets were issued this time, police would enforce the town's sidewalk ordinance that requires sidewalks be cleared of snow and ice. Scofflaws can be fined up to $100 for each infraction, according to town bylaws in effect since 1991.

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

The latest Powerball lottery jackpot has a hefy jackpot for someone with the right numbers.

File

Here are Wednesday's winning numbers:

07-14-23-38-55, Powerball: 18, PowerPlay: 2X

The estimated jackpot is $139.9 million. The lump sum payment before taxes would be about $79 million. If there is no jackpot winner, the amount grows larger for the next drawing.

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

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

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

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

The Colorado-based AmeriCann Inc. consults, designs, builds and finances marijuana businesses.

AmeriCann Inc. wants to include the making of branded and "white label" marijuana products at the $100 million Massachusetts Medical Cannabis Center the company is building in Bristol County.

"The consumer packaged goods include cannabis beverages, vaporizer products, edible products, non-edible products and concentrates at the state-of-the-art campus," a recent press release said.

The Denver, Colorado-based company has formed AmeriCann Brands Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, to seek a consumer packaged goods manufacturing license from the state of Massachusetts, the press release said.

"White label products" are those that are made by one company but sold by another.

AmeriCann consults, designs, builds and finances marijuana businesses.

The Massachusetts Medical Cannabis Center will be nearly 1 million square feet in Freetown, which is north of New Bedford. The "master-planned" marijuana cultivation and processing center is designed to be a campus to save multiple pot tenants the time and money of finding space to operate in a community that is both suitably zoned and welcoming, AmeriCann CEO Tim Keogh told The Republican in October.

'Scale and efficiency': AmeriCann CEO discusses $100 million, million-square-foot Massachusetts marijuana campus

The campus will offer a permitted and infrastructured center with a projected 400 employees at full operation in a few years, he said.  

AmeriCann Brands will provide extraction and product manufacturing support to the campus and to licensed cannabis farmers throughout Massachusetts. Growing and processing but not dispensing of marijuana will take place at the campus, he said.

Construction of the campus' first building is underway and should be done by May or June. Design of the second building is ongoing and construction should begin in the first quarter of 2019, he said.

According to Forbes.com, "White label products and services are purchased by the latter company without branding. That way, the reseller can customize the product with their own brand, logo and identity, allowing customers to associate the product with the reseller. Meanwhile, the manufacturer can focus on finding cost-effective ways to make the product, without concern for the product's marketing."

Before crashing, the driver slammed into at least two other cars, State Police said, leaving multiple people with serious injuries.

A driver who was traveling in the wrong direction on Interstate 495 in Norton on Thanksgiving Eve was killed after crashing near Exit 9, State Police said.

Before crashing, the driver slammed into at least two other cars, State Police said, leaving multiple people with serious injuries.

The crash happened around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, State Police said.

Why the driver was traveling in the wrong direction remains under investigation, State Police said.

The driver's name was not released. 

No further information was immediately available. 

Springfield Salvation Army imposes limit, establishes waiting list for Toy for Joy.

For the past 96 years Toy for Joy has been on a mission to make sure every child has something new and shiny to open up on Christmas morning.

On Nov. 26 the Salvation Army in Springfield will open its doors to register children for Toy for Joy, which is a collaborative effort by the Salvation Army, The Republican and MassLive. The goal is to raise $150,000 by Dec. 24.

Last year the Salvation Army served 2,700 families in Springfield for a total of 4,749 children. In Holyoke about 800 families were served and in Greenfield  200 families with a total of more than 400 children were served.

For the first time in its history the number of families that can register in Springfield will be limited. There will also be a waiting list and if enough donations come in toys will be purchased for those children as well. Last year's $40,000 shortfall in donation is the cause of the new limit.

"It pains us to do this but due to declining donations, the Toy for Joy Springfield program is limiting the number of families it can serve to 1,500," said Danielle LaTaille social services director for the Salvation Army. "We will, of course, put additional families on a wait list and will serve as many additional families as our toy inventory allows."

LaTaille said she hopes everyone who registers will be able to recieve a gift for their child.

"We are hopeful that through the generosity of the readers and donors, we will meet the needs of all those that come to us this Christmas," she said.

To make a contribution to the Toy for Joy fund, write: Toy for Joy, 1860 Main St., Springfield, MA 01101. Contributions may also be dropped off with the coupon which accompanies this story to The Republican, 1860 Main St., Springfield, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. through noon on Dec. 21.

For the third year in a row, Pride Stores is partnering with Toy for Joy. Pride locations in Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut will rally its customers in November and December to help contribute to Toy for Joy. Customers can go into any Pride in the area and purchase a $1, $5 or $10 donation card for Toy for Joy.

TOY FOR JOY REGISTRATION

Here are the times for families to register at Salvation Army sites for the 96th annual Toy for Joy campaign. The Springfield citadel will assist families whose communities are not listed below:

 Greater Springfield Citadel: 170 Pearl St., Springfield; Registration: November 26, 27, 28. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., for info, call (413) 733-1518, serves Agawam, East Longmeadow, Easthampton, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Northampton, Palmer, Monson, Springfield, Ware, West Springfield, Wilbraham, Westfield, Southwick, Russell and Belchertown;

Holyoke: 271 Appleton St., Holyoke; Registration: November 27 and 28, 9 a.m.- 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m., for info, call (413) 532-6312, serves Holyoke, South Hadley, Granby and Chicopee;

Greenfield: 72 Chapman St., Greenfield; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. until December 8th, for info, call (413) 773-3154, serves all Franklin County communities;

Required documentation: Photo ID for parent/guardian, proof of address dated within last 30 days, birth certificates or passports for each child 16 years and younger and proof of financial need (MassHealth, WIC card, EBT card, current pay stub, or other acceptable documentation)

Moonanum James, a co-leader of the group, says: "Native people have no reason to celebrate the arrival of the Pilgrims."

PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) -- Thanksgiving is nothing to celebrate for Native Americans, who are gathering in the town where the Pilgrims settled for a solemn National Day of Mourning observance.

Thursday's noon gathering in downtown Plymouth, Massachusetts, will recall the disease, racism and oppression that the European settlers brought.

It's the 49th year that the United American Indians of New England have organized the event on Thanksgiving Day.

Moonanum James, a co-leader of the group, says: "Native people have no reason to celebrate the arrival of the Pilgrims."

Participants will beat drums, offer prayers and make public speeches. They'll also express their solidarity with refugees from Latin America who are being denied entry to the U.S., and condemn pipeline projects and fracking that they say needlessly and recklessly degrade the environment.

A Cape Cod man is facing charges after allegedly crashing into a school bus.

SANDWICH - A Cape Cod man is facing charges after he drunkenly crashed his car into a school bus, police said.

The crash occurred Wednesday in Sandwich near the intersection of Pimlico Pond Road and Lighthouse Lane. 

Kohle Kinsella, 25, of Osterville, was taken into custody shortly after the incident, the Sandwich Police Department said in a statement. 

The bus, which had been headed to school at the time of the crash, had a number of children on it, police said. None were injured.

Kinsella is now facing charges for operating under the influence of alcohol, marked lanes violation and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

The incident is still under investigation by the Sandwich Police Department and the Barnstable County Sheriff's Department.  

Many say that in order to combat the debt crisis, financial education should start earlier.

Americans are facing a record $13 trillion in debt. Many say that in order to combat the debt crisis, financial education should start earlier and high schools should be required to teach personal finance to all students. Others point out that research shows lessons on financial literacy in high school have no long-term impact on financial behavior. Should financial literacy be an educational requirement? 

PERSPECTIVES

According to Money, the average millennial household "owes $14,800 in student loans." Writer Kerri Anne Renzulli explains that while debt averages vary across each generation, people of all ages are demonstrating a greater comfort with debt. As everyone becomes more comfortable with financing and credit, there is a greater risk that accumulated debt will never be paid off in full. 

'Younger people are taking on debt at a higher rate and paying it off at a lower rate,' says Lucia Dunn, an economics professor at Ohio State University who has studied consumer debt. 'When they reach age 75, the debt picture for them will look a lot different than what we currently see. When you project out these trends, it is not so optimistic.'

The country should take a proactive approach in preventing debt from spiraling further. Requiring personal finance in high schools with the goal of establishing financial literacy in young people before they become independent is a logical first step. 

Even students understand that financial literacy is an invaluable skill. Considering most people have to learn the hard way when it comes to establishing credit, budgeting, and saving, students recognize that personal finance classes in high school could be life-saving. 

According to U.S. News' Stacy Rapacon:

The number of states that require a high school personal finance course in order to graduate has been stagnant at 17 since 2014. Likewise, only seven states have required standardized testing on personal finance since 2016.

San Diego-based certified financial planner Taylor Schulte offers stronger criticism. 'I think the state of financial literacy in schools is pathetic,' he says. 'Our school systems will spend countless man hours debating how math should be taught while most students don't even know the difference between a credit and debit card. It does seem like things are starting to move in the right direction, but we are a long way from where we should be.'

"A whopping 95% of US teenagers said they would value personal finance programs being taught in their schools."

The school system might not teach #financialeducation but parents can still promote #financialliteracy at home. [?] https://t.co/y2Wrl2XR72 pic.twitter.com/PmsMwoX5xy

-- Pigzbe (@Pigzbe) November 11, 2018

Although it may seem like common sense, research shows that personal finance classes don't actually make a difference for most students later on in life. According to U.S. News' Susannah Snider, researchers say financial literacy can't be taught in the same way "geometry or German" might be. 

'Thus far, the empirical work doesn't show much of an effect [from financial literacy courses],' says Lauren Willis, professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. 'Some findings are that there are negative effects sometimes, presumably because of overconfidence.'

For example, a 2014 paper from three professors looked at the results from nearly 170 papers covering more than 200 scientific studies on financial literacy and found that financial education did little to improve subsequent financial behaviors. 'Our meta-analysis revealed that financial education interventions studied explained only about 0.1 percent of the variance in the financial behaviors studied,' the authors concluded.

'It's a hugely wasteful enterprise, these high school courses and things like that,' says John G. Lynch, co-author of the study and senior associate dean for faculty and research at Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado--Boulder. 'By the time [students] would actually act on what they learn, it's gone.'

Fifth grade is perhaps a bit too early to have meaningful lessons on the topic. 

The fifth grade @54Elementary loved the financial literacy lesson from @streatoro ! Who wouldn't love using @mmschocolate to learn about budgeting ! #TeachMorris pic.twitter.com/aw10en6gt7

-- Molly Kaminski (@kaminski107) November 20, 2018

According to pension fund analyst and fiduciary expert, John Lohr, high school is the last place for financial literacy to be taught. Lohr acknowledges: 

Many of us believe that financial literacy is a core life skill that should be taught in every school and college.

But he also points out: 

'State mandates requiring high school students to take a personal finance course have no effect on savings or investment behavior,' economic researchers from Harvard, Wellesley College and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago found in a study in 2014.

Requiring financial literacy classes in high schools is a classic example of throwing what seems like a logical solution at a problem before it has been properly researched. Changing a curriculum state-wide is a massive undertaking, and so far, research shows that a financial literacy requirement would not benefit students as much as the public may think. 

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K-9 Nero, the partner of fallen Yarmouth Sgt. Sean Gannon, has fully recovered from the wounds he sustained in the shootout that killed his partner.

On Thanksgiving, Yarmouth police had some good news to share.

K-9 Nero, the partner of fallen Yarmouth Sgt. Sean Gannon, has fully recovered from the wounds he sustained in the shootout that killed his partner.

Nero is enjoying his retirement at home with the Gannon family, Yarmouth police announced.

Gannon, 32, was serving a warrant in Marstons Mills on April 12 when he was fatally shot. Authorities said Gannon was ambushed by a suspect hiding in an attic.

Thomas Latanowich, 29, is accused of shooting Gannon and Nero. Latanowich was indicted on murder and eight other charges in July. He is awaiting trial. 

Nero was shot in the face and neck.

Yarmouth police said people from all over the world have continued to ask about Nero in the months since the shooting. 

"As we celebrate Thanksgiving 2018, we are thankful to report that K9 Nero has fully recovered from his wounds and is enjoying his retirement from police service back home living with the Gannon Family," Yarmouth police wrote in an email.

One person was transported by helicopter ambulance.

PHILLIPSTON - Five people were injured, including one critically, in a 3-vehicle crash near exit 19 on Route 2, according to state police.

The crash, occurring at around 11:30 a.m. in the west bound lane, closed both directions of Route 2 to allow for emergency vehicles to arrive on the scene and while the wreckage was cleared.

Both lanes were opened shortly after 1 p.m., police said.

A helicopter ambulance was called to the scene to transported the most seriously of the injured. Four others were transported by ambulance to local hospitals.

Details of the what caused the crash or conditions of the injured were not available. The crash remains under investigation.

For many families in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, this Thanksgiving lacked the typical thrills of the holiday, residents still feeling the effects of the gas explosions that rocked the area more than two months ago. Watch video

The sights, sounds and smells of Thanksgiving are different this year.

Instead of the scent of a plump turkey roasting in the oven for hours, families will smell a pre-cooked bird when they open cardboard boxes of packaged dinners.

Instead of the sound of the timer dinging when the pumpkin pie is done baking, there's the constant hum of generators outside temporary trailer homes.

And instead of setting the table with fine china, plastic utensils are this year's cutlery. 

For many families in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover, this Thanksgiving lacked the typical thrills of the holiday, residents still feeling the effects of the gas explosions that rocked the area more than two months ago.

Without gas, there was no waking up early to pre-heat the oven. Record-breaking low temperatures left homes too cold to live in, so there would be no nap on the couch when the tryptophan inevitably set in.

But that doesn't mean there wasn't anything to be thankful for. 

"It gave us an amazing spirit in our neighborhood," said Joe O'Neil, a South Lawrence resident who was picking up a holiday meal prepared by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts. "When everything went bad, everyone sort of came together and helped one another, shutting off gas, making sure people around us were alright, and so, good came from this." 

On Sept. 13, an over-pressurized natural gas line set off a series of fires and explosions in the three Merrimack Valley communities. More than two dozen were injured and 18-year-old Leonel Rondon was killed.

In the time since, Columbia Gas has been slowly getting gas back into homes. As of Wednesday, 5,374 residential meters have restored gas service, about 73 percent of the total affected in the explosions, the company said.

O'Neil said his South Lawrence residence has its heat back, but the offer of Thanksgiving meals from Columbia helped make the holiday a little easier.

"We're happy that we have heat and hot water and everything back, we're grateful that everybody's worked so long and hard for us, but we also remember the young man who passed away and the people who were injured, so there's some sadness involved with it, too," he said, clutching the brown cardboard box filled with turkey and the traditional fixings. 

"We're thankful for just all the hard work everyone has done," O'Neil added. "And that people have remembered Lawrence, too."

The gas company put together more than 16,000 meals for those affected by the explosions. There were 4,000 people coming by car to pick up boxes of the pre-cooked meals, which included not just the traditional dinner, but also vegetarian, gluten-free and Spanish-style options.

One thousand people were dining at sit-down dinners provided by Columbia. 

At the Andover Senior Center, one of the locations for sit-down dinners, Rosalie Davis had just finished eating with her family.

The gas at her South Lawrence home has not been relit, she said, and she's staying in a temporary trailer home provided by Columbia. 

"I think they're doing the best they can, it just doesn't seem like it," Davis said. "It's impossible to get it done as fast as anybody would like it to be done."

Davis said there was some disappointment in the day, not being able to celebrate at home with the whole family, kids running around while pies baked.

"It's still a good Thanksgiving. We're all healthy. Nobody's sick," she said.

And the dinner -- which was prepared by a handful of Andover residents and town employees, among others -- was tasty, Davis said.

"And guess what, I didn't have to cook it," she added with a laugh.

Volunteers embodied the spirit of the holiday, hauling box after box of meals into cars amid the freezing temperatures.

Congresswoman-elect Lori Trahan, along with her 8- and 4-year-old daughters Gracie and Caroline, helped hand out meals at outside the Lawrence Elks.

"This is where we needed to be," Trahan said. "It's too cold for people not to be in their homes. It's too cold for people to not have their gas or their heat on Thanksgiving. So, we wanted to come out and help."

Trahan hauled the boxes while Gracie and Caroline carried pumpkin pies.

"I know everyone that's here could be at home watching the Thanksgiving Day parade. But they're not," Trahan noted. "They're out here and I think that's what makes our community strong."

In the weeks since the explosion, the National Transportation Safety Board has issued a preliminary report on the disaster and Gov. Charlie Baker has proposed legislation designed to ensure safe natural gas work. 

A Columbia Gas spokesman said that right now, the company could be ahead of schedule to meet its goal of having every gas meter relit by Dec. 16. That's a month after the initial Nov. 19 deadline.

Residents continue to wait. As of Monday, more than 1,500 families are in temporary housing.

"Luckily, maybe, we'll be in our home for Christmas," said Davis.

Police responded to a call of shots fired in the area of Chestnut Avenue and Hoffman Street at 1:14 a.m. Thursday.

Boston police say a man was fatally shot in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood early Thanksgiving morning.

Police responded to a call of shots fired in the area of Chestnut Avenue and Hoffman Street at 1:14 a.m. Thursday.

Officers found a man suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds, Boston police said in a statement.

The victim was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police did not identify the victim.

No further information was immediately available.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Boston Police Homicide Detectives at 617-343-4470. 

"We will continue to work with the Town Clerk to improve the process," John Page said in an emailed statement.

AMHERST -- A 21-year old University of Massachusetts senior who ran in the Town Council election earlier this month, losing by 11 votes, has decided not to seek a recount.

John Page said he thought about it for more than a week before deciding not to.

Page said he was concerned about the "discrepancy" between the number of votes cast in the state election and the lower number cast in the council races.

The candidate said he met with Amherst Town Clerk Margaret Z. Nartowicz on Nov. 14, then made his decision.

"In the end, we decided not to do a recount. We will continue to work with the Town Clerk to improve the process," Page said in an email statement.

During the Nov. 6 election, Amherst voters filled out one ballot for the state election and a second ballot for the council election. Some 1,510 fewer ballots were cast in the town election, a 14 percent difference.

Page said in a statement to The Republican prior to his meeting with Nartowicz: "Regarding the discrepancy in state and local ballots, as (a) community we need ... a long hard look at both our culture and process."

"Civic engagement is a (tenet) we hold dear as a community so let's walk the walk," he wrote. "My campaign spent months trying to remove barriers and increase access. Through registration drives, on campus early voting, email reminders, and rides to the polls. I hope that as a Town we strive to make voting as easy and accessible as possible."

Voters elected their first Town Council on Nov. 6, choosing two at-large councilors and two councilors from each of the five districts.

There were 26 candidates on the ballot vying for the 13 seats. Page was a candidate in District 3.

According to the town clerk's unofficial results, Dorothy Pam, with 454 votes, and George Ryan, with 409 votes, were the two District 3 winners.

Page finished third, with 398 votes. Candidate Stephen Braun, 269 votes, was also defeated in the District 3 race.

The council will be sworn in Dec. 2. Its first meeting is scheduled on Dec. 3.

Statements from UMass students that spoke with the newspaper, when asked about their experience voting in the election, indicate that none of them were automatically handed a ballot once they had checked in to vote

AMHERST -- Questions have been raised about how younger voters were treated during the first Amherst Town Council election Nov. 6.

Data from the town clerk shows 1,510 fewer people voted in the council races than in the state election that day, a difference of 14 percent. Two ballots were used. The disparity between the numbers of state and local ballots cast was greatest in precincts with large student populations.

Two newly elected Town Councilors expressed concerns about the process, as did one of the losing candidates, a University of Massachusetts student. 

UMass students contacted by The Republican said municipal election workers asked them questions and made statements prior to handing them ballots, including saying they didn't have to take town ballots.

Information posted on the Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin's website, titled "The Voting Process," says: "After a poll worker has checked you in, you will be handed your ballot."

According to "Massachusetts Voters' Bill of Rights" on Galvin's website, "You have the right to vote without any person trying to influence your vote."

Galvin's office was asked if it is proper for election workers to ask questions and make statements to voters after they have checked in. The secretary's office declined to comment about the process in Amherst, saying municipal elections are run by local officials and not by the state.

"This is a local election matter -- entirely administered by the town, under their charter," Galvin spokeswoman Debra O'Malley said in a phone interview.

"We have not been contacted by the town clerk's office, nor by any affected voter," she said.

Town Clerk Margaret Z. Nartowicz said that despite inviting anyone who may have had an issue to speak with her, no one has come forward to share their experience.

In an emailed statement, she said: "The vast majority of the Town's election workers do their absolute best under any circumstances to assure a professional and legal elections process. The simultaneous state and town elections were unquestionably challenging for voters and election workers alike."

"Ongoing election worker trainings AND voter outreach and education through all available channels is essential in the success of elections and voter participation. ... I will say that I am fully committed to assuring that BOTH remain areas of focus moving forward," Nartowicz wrote.

"I've heard of a few instances of the type referred to in the newspaper article; however, I have not personally found any, and as I noted earlier, I was not able to be present at all polling places throughout the day to observe," Nartowicz said.

The Daily Hampshire Gazette reported Nov. 8 on another UMass student claiming she was not automatically handed the town ballot -- with an election worker, according to the student, saying: "You don't need to do it if you don't want to do it."

Evan Ross, an instructor at the university, won a seat on the council representing District 4. In a post on his campaign Facebook page, he noted that the only student running for Town Council lost by a handful of votes in a precinct that includes on- and off-campus housing.

"Let's not just brush this off," Ross wrote. "The massive undervote in student-heavy precincts should be treated with serious concern."

Stephen Schreiber, who was also elected to a District 4 council seat, responded to Ross' post, saying: "These are really important points. Early on, absentee ballots were mailed at very different times for the 2 elections. Barring another charter change, there will never be another town election at the same time as state election."

David Harnch, 19, a sophomore at UMass, voted early at the UMass Campus Center. In an interview, he said it was his first time voting and that it was a good experience.

"It seemed pretty organized," Harnch said.

He said the election worker asked him "if you want a state, or local, or both ballots. I filled out both."

"I think it is better that they ask, just because you are more likely to get people who know who they are voting for, and care who they are voting for," he said.

Cobi Frongilco is a 21-year old graduate student at the university. He said he voted on campus Oct. 24, and there were a half-dozen other students with him.

"I thought it odd someone with the town (elections department) was telling all the students, 'You don't have to take the town ballot,'" Frongilco said in a phone interview. "My first reaction was, that's odd an elderly person expects the students don't know much."

"I heard her interact with a student in front of me. I thought, oh, that's what it's going to be. It wasn't combative, but it was strange, when you heard her say that. ... It seems weird anyone would go into an election booth and not take the ballot," Frongilco said.

He said one friend who was with him decided not to vote in the town election.

The three precincts nearest UMass saw the lowest proportions of town ballots cast.

In Precinct 10, of the 820 voting in the state election, 523 or 64 percent also took a ballot for the council races.

Precinct 4, also at the center, had 407 voters cast town ballots -- 62 percent of the 655 voting in the state election. In September in that precinct, 248 residents voted in the council preliminary out of 258 voting in the state primary, or 96 percent.

Residents of both precincts cast ballots at the Bangs Community Center.

In voting in Precinct 3 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 70 percent of those voting in the state election cast town ballots.

In contrast, Precinct 8, the busiest on Election Day, at Munson Memorial Library in South Amherst, reported a difference of 2 percent between the state and town ballot counts: 1,650 voters cast state ballots and 1,614 voted in the Town Council races.

President Donald Trump used a Thanksgiving Day call to troops deployed overseas to pat himself on the back and air grievances about the courts, trade and migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border.

President Donald Trump used a Thanksgiving Day call to troops deployed overseas to pat himself on the back and air grievances about the courts, trade and migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump's call, made Thursday from his opulent private Mar-a-Lago club, struck an unusually political tone as he spoke with members of all five branches of the military to wish them happy holidays.

"It's a disgrace," Trump said of judges who have blocked his attempts to overhaul U.S. immigration law, as he linked his efforts to secure the border with military missions overseas.

Trump later threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico for an undisclosed period of time if his administration determines Mexico has lost "control" on its side.

The call was a uniquely Trump blend of boasting, peppered questions and off-the-cuff observations as his comments veered from venting about slights to praising troops -- "You really are our heroes," he said -- as club waiters worked to set Thanksgiving dinner tables on the outdoor terrace behind him. And it was yet another show of how Trump has dramatically transformed the presidency, erasing the traditional divisions between domestic policy and military matters and efforts to keep the troops clear of politics.

"You probably see over the news what's happening on our southern border," Trump told one Air Force brigadier general stationed at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, adding: "I don't have to even ask you. I know what you want to do, you want to make sure that you know who we're letting in."

Later, Trump asked a U.S. Coast Guard commander about trade, which he noted was "a very big subject" for him personally.

"We've been taken advantage of for many, many years by bad trade deals," Trump told the commander, who sheepishly replied that, "We don't see any issues in terms of trade right now."

And throughout, Trump was sure to congratulate himself, telling the officers that the country is doing exceptionally well on his watch.

"I hope that you'll take solace in knowing that all of the American families you hold so close to your heart are all doing well," he said. "The nation's doing well economically, better than anybody in the world." He later told reporters "nobody's done more for the military than me."

Indeed, asked what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving, Trump cited his "great family," as well as himself.

"I made a tremendous difference in this country," he said.

But Trump continued to warn about the situation on the southern border as he took questions from reporters, pointing to the caravans of Central American migrants that have been making their way toward the U.S. and warning that, "If we find that it gets to a level where we lose control or people are going to start getting hurt, we're going to close entry into the country for a period of time until we get it under control."

He said he had the authority to do so by executive order and claimed he'd already used it earlier this week. "Two days ago, we closed the border. We actually just closed it, said nobody's coming in because it was just out of control."

By no means did he seal the border with Mexico. Officials did shut down one port of entry, San Ysidro, in California, for several hours early Monday morning to bolster security because of concerns about a potential influx of migrant caravan members. They closed northbound lanes into the U.S. and reopened most of them before the morning rush.

Trump's border threat came days after a federal judge put the administration's attempts to overhaul asylum rules on hold. Courts have also blocked several versions of the president's travel ban as well as his attempt to end a program that allows young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children to live and work in the country.

Trump probably could close the entire southern border by order, at least temporarily, invoking national security powers. But doing so could cause extraordinary damage to bilateral relations as well as to cross-border commerce between the U.S. and Mexico, its third largest trading partner. It would not necessarily stop migrants from coming either; Trump would have to contend with the same asylum laws already vexing his efforts to harden the border.

Among other subjects the president touched on in his question-and-answer session with the press:

--Trump disputed reports the CIA has concluded that Saudi Arabia's crown prince was responsible for journalist Jamal Khashoggi's killing. "The CIA points it both ways," said Trump. "Maybe he did, maybe he didn't."

--Asked who should be held responsible for killing, Trump responded that, "Maybe the world should be held accountable 'cause the world is a vicious place."

--Trump said he'd be interviewing candidates for potential openings in his administration -- but wouldn't say for what positions.

"I'm very happy with my Cabinet and the people working for me and for us. ... They're absolute stars." But, he said, "there's always a lot of change. I'll probably be changing a couple."

--Trump would not discount the possibility of a partial government shutdown over lawmakers' refusal to allocate billions of dollars for his promised border wall. "Could there be a shutdown? There certainly could, and it will be about border security, of which the wall is a part," Trump said

--Trump said he'd spoken with his daughter Ivanka following news she'd sent hundreds of emails from a private address while serving as a senior White House adviser. Trump said she was "very innocent" and that situation was very different from the one he's said his 2016 rival Hillary Clinton should be in jail for.

--He defended his acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, calling him "a highly respected person" whom the press had treated nastily.

--He complained about the military's use of new electromagnetic catapult technology instead of steam in the new Navy aircraft carriers, telling a Navy officer that, "unfortunately, you have to be Albert Einstein to really work it properly." The officer rebuffed him. "You sort of have to be Albert Einstein to run the nuclear power plants that we have here as well. But we're doing that very well," he said, advising the president to "go electromagnetic."

Trump later traveled to a nearby Coast Guard station, where he delivered a lunch of plastic-wrapped sandwiches, fruit and chips before spending some time at one of his golf courses.

He and his family capped the day with several hundred dues-paying members and their guests at a Thanksgiving feast in Mar-a-Lago's opulent ballroom that included the usual fixings, along with chilled seafood, Chilean sea bass and braised short ribs.

A business seeking a special permit for its lumberyard and wood recycling center at the former Diamond Match property in East Forest Park has passed inspections.

SPRINGFIELD -- A business seeking a special permit for its lumberyard and wood recycling center at the former Diamond Match property in East Forest Park has passed inspections by the fire and planning departments after a city-ordered cleanup.

Armster Reclaimed Lumber, 125 Paridon St., received the positive reports ahead of a City Council public hearing scheduled Monday at 7 p.m. at City Hall to consider the special permit request.

A hearing was initially scheduled Oct. 22, but was delayed by the council after a weekend fire at the site and a no-show by the owner at the meeting.

Klaas Armster, who owns the business and property, said Wednesday that he has apologized to many officials and residents, saying his no-show was a result of a misunderstanding on his part. Armster said he believed that the hearing was going to be postponed and that he did not need to attend.

Some residents who went to the hearing were upset by the postponement.

Prior to the cleanup, some neighborhood residents criticized the appearance of the property, calling it a long-term eyesore before and since it was sold three years ago and taken over by Armster for the lumber and recycling business.

In the past two weeks, the fire and planning departments have inspected the property, both reporting that wood piles have been moved to allow access within the property for fire vehicles, fencing around the property has been repaired and extended and wood outside the fence has been moved inside, all in response to city requirements.

"Overall, the staff feels that the petitioner has been making significant progress in efforts to address the concerns raised by the staff," the planning department stated in a report to the council.

The fire department inspection said it found "a good amount of progress being made," and said it will be regularly monitored.

"At this time, every request that the SFD (fire department) has asked to be done has been either scheduled to take place or has been completed," the fire report stated.

Armster said he met with the East Forest Park Civic Association and gained the board's unanimous support for the special permit. He also held a recent open house on the property, with very positive reaction.

"I thank the city for hearing me out," Armster said. "My impression is it's a great place to do business."

The special permit is needed to continue wood recycling operations, city officials said.

The Planning Board had said it now favors approval of the permit because of the improvements made, but with several conditions including: no storage of wood or equipment outside the fenced area; privacy slats / screening along the fence; and that wood stacked along the front of the building facing Paridon Street inside the fence not exceed the height of the fence.

Armster said there are three people working at the Springfield company and expects to eventually have approximately 15 workers.

Much of the recycled wood is for reuse in applications such as floors and paneling, he said.

The business is primarily located in East Windsor, Connecticut, but with large piles of wood in Springfield. There is not a lot of trucks or heavy equipment coming on the Springfield site, and not much noise, Armster said.