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Mom drove 3 kids into NY river, surviving son says

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The woman and three young children were killed.

041311boatramp.jpgA boat ramp where a woman who drove her minivan into the Hudson River is seen in Newburgh, N.Y., Wednesday, April 13, 2011.
Mom Drives 3 Kids Into Hudson River: MyFoxNY.com »

NEWBURGH, N.Y. — A woman who had just been involved in a domestic dispute loaded her four children into a minivan before letting one out and driving the rest of them into the Hudson River north of New York City, firefighters said. The woman and three young children were killed.

The 10-year-old boy who had been let out of the minivan Tuesday night ran to a nearby fire station and alerted firefighters, Chief Michael Vatter said. The boy told firefighters his mother had driven off a boat ramp in Newburgh, about 60 miles north of New York City, and into the murky water of the river, Vatter said. Inside with her were the boy's siblings: two boys, ages 5 and 2, and an 11-month-old girl.

Firefighters and police officers responded with boats. Divers searched for the minivan for about an hour before finding it submerged in 10 feet of water about 25 yards offshore. They used a heavy-duty tow truck to pull it up the boat ramp and onto land.

Everyone inside was dead, Vatter said.

The woman lived about six blocks from where she and her children perished, he said. Their names have not been released.

The domestic altercation occurred about 10 minutes before the woman drove into the river, said Vatter, who didn't have any more information on it.

Newburgh, which has about 30,000 residents, sits on the western shore of the part of the river that runs south through New York state and eventually splits New York and New Jersey.

A similar incident occurred in 2006, about 20 miles south of Newburgh.

In 2007, Victor Han, of Queens, was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to child endangerment. Han admitted he knew he was putting his daughters at risk when he stepped out of the family minivan on Bear Mountain in June 2006, leaving them with their mother, 35-year-old Hejin Han. She then drove the Honda Odyssey off a 300-foot drop, killing herself. The mother was killed but the children somehow survived the plunge.

It's also reminiscent of the case of a South Carolina woman who drowned her young sons in 1994.

Susan Smith is serving a life sentence for killing 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex by strapping them into their car seats and driving the car into a pond. Smith originally claimed she was carjacked before the truth came out.

A police news conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.


Your comments: readers react to revenue-sharing idea proposed by Holyoke casino developers

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Casino developers propose a revenue-sharing idea for Holyoke and surrounding communities.

wykoff.JPGFile photo - Holyoke - Entrance to Wyckoff Country Club.

Paper City Development Company, LLC, who is looking to build a casino at the Wyckoff Country Club located in Holyoke, is proposing a revenue-sharing agreement guaranteeing Holyoke and surrounding communities a portion of its net revenue.

According to the proposal, the net revenue would be shared with Holyoke, Chicopee, Westfield, Northampton, West Springfield, Easthampton, Southampton, South Hadley and Hadley. Holyoke, the host community, would receive 1.25 percent while the other communities would split another 1.25 percent, based on population.

Here is what some of our readers had to say about the revenue-sharing proposal:

Hiffle says: Holyoke would very much have to consider what their net would look like after all the road improvements, accommodations, tax abatements, police expansion, and other "development" goodies that will inevitably end up being part of this gambit. Chicopee might make out better!

bkatu9 says: this route is part of my daily commute to/from work.....traffic gets backed up now as it is, up onto I-91....I can only imagine what a nightmare it could be with a casino packed into that tight little space (between 141 and 91).....argh! Not a good choice, is my feeling. And while I'm TOTALLY against casinos AT ALL in our state, if it's going to 'be,' again this is not the right location!!

YankeesH8r says: I say go up half a mile on 91 and put a casino up at Mt. Park/Mt.Tom/Holyoke Country Club. Mt. Park can house the casino/entertainment/restaurants. Mt. Tom can reopen as a ski resort/summer park and you can expand HCC from a 9 hole course to 18. The reopened ski resort would pull in folks that were planning on driving to VT but now can stop in Holyoke, enjoy the resort, shop at the Mall etc. Your leafpeepers would stop in every fall on the way to VT. All the upstate NYers that don't feel like driving out to Verona would be able to stop in Holyoke instead.

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Annual Amherst "Extravaganja" marijuana fest to be celebrated two days this weekend

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The annual Extravaganja will feature a dozen bands over two days along with speakers and vendors.

POT.JPGDanny Pease and the Regulators performed as people danced in front of the stage at the 16th Annual Extravaganja hosted by the Umass Cannabis Reform Coalition at the Town Common. The group will be returning this weekend for the festival's 20th anniversary.

AMHERST – The annual Extravaganja, billed as a marijuana-freedom festival to raise awareness about support for the drug’s legalization, is celebrating double this year to mark the festival’s 20th anniversary.

The event sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition group will spread over both days this weekend with a dozen bands, vendors and speakers. Alex Delegas, president of the coalition, said they had 75 bands apply to perform.

The group decided to hold the festival for two days because it thought “it would a good way to celebrate (the anniversary),” Delegas said.

The group has been meeting with town officials and Town Manager John P. Musante said outstanding issues have been addressed.

Public Works will provide trash receptacles and recycling containers. Delegas said there will also be places for cigarette butts.

In an email, Police Chief Scott P. Livingstone wrote that “the two day event is happening on a one-year trial basis which will be evaluated based on participant behavior."

“As the event falls on a weekend that we normally have most of the department working anyways, the Saturday event will have no additional burden than it has in previous years,” Livingstone wrote.

But he reported they will hire a few more officers on overtime for Sunday afternoon. “Last year’s extravaganja was relatively uneventful.” He wrote they have been meeting with “organizers since February to make sure this year’s event is also a smooth event,” Livingstone said.

According to the event website, organizers warn that “smoking cannabis is allowed on and only allowed on the Commons. You can NOT sell weed. Alcohol is prohibited.”

According the event’s Facebook page, the coalition reported that in “the beginning people were arrested at Extravaganja for smoking. In recent years the police have decided they would rather cooperate with us than have a conflict. It's not officially legal.” But according to the site, “police de-prioritize enforcement of smoking laws. We have an agreement with the police; smoking is allowed on the Common. DO NOT antagonize the police. If you blow smoke in a cops face you will be arrested. They are respectful of us and our right to free speech they deserve the same respect.”

In 2000, Amherst voters overwhelmingly supported a non-binding referendum calling for state and national officials to lobby for legalizing marijuana and for town police to relax enforcement of the law in the meantime. In 2010, Amherst was one of a handful of communities across the state supporting the legalization of the drug.

According to the group’s Facebook page, more than 6,000 reported they will be attending the event, which begins at noon and ends at dusk each day.

One incumbent, one newcomer elected to Hadley School Committee

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Two-term Hadley School Committee incumbent Tracy Kelly finished third with 499 votes and challenger Terry C. Earle with 440.

KEEGAN.JPGMolly A. Keegan

HADLEY – The Hadley School Committee has one new member and one returning member following Tuesday’s annual Town Election.

Molly A. Keegan, who ran unsuccessfully last year against long-time member Thomas M. Waskiewicz, was the top voter getter in the with 727 votes. Incumbent Linda Dunlavy finished second with 642 votes.

Two-term incumbent Tracy Kelly finished third with 499 votes and challenger Terry C. Earle with 440.

Longtime Moderator Kirk B. Whatley beat a challenge from newcomer Joshua D. Tudryn, winning 710 to 470.

Incumbent Select Board member Daniel J. Dudkiewicz was the only candidate on the ballot for that lone seat receiving 906 votes. Former selectman John S. Mieczkowski Sr., who ran as a write-in candidate, received 112 votes, Hadley Town Clerk Jessica V. Spanknebel said.

Mieczkowski said he decided to run because he was dissatisfied with discussions surrounding the Department of Public Works budget.

While Goodwin Memorial Library Board of Trustee Noel Kurtz was the lone candidate running for two seats on the board, Claire Carlson won the second seat on a write-in.

About 34 percent of the town’s voters cast ballots.

Keegan said she decided to run again because “I didn’t see any substantive change take place” after last year’s election." She also said she did not see the committee be “as effective as it needed to be.”

She said both she and Dunlavy campaigned on making the committee more welcoming and they hope to institute a public comment period to the School Committee agenda.

She also said that voters were concerned about fiscal responsibility, which "doesn’t mean cuts as much as “spending dollars wisely.”

Keegan, long-time Finance Committee member, meanwhile, said she resigned that position Wednesday with the first School Committee meeting Wednesday night.

Holyoke Gas & Electric announces partnership with Baltimore-based Constellation Energy on major solar project

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The project will be developed by Baltimore-based Constellation Energy so as to take advantage of state and federal tax breaks.

HOLYOKE – Construction is set to begin within four weeks on a 4.5 megawatt solar power project in Holyoke.

The $18 million to $20 million project will put 18,400 U.S.-built solar panels on two sites. Three megawatts of generating capacity will be near Holyoke Gas & Electric’s gas vaporization plant on Muller Road in West Holyoke, said James M. Lavelle, general manager of the municipal utility. Another 1.5 megawatts of generating capacity will be built on a vacant lot on Berkshire Street in the Springdale section of Holyoke.

The project will be developed by Baltimore-based Constellation Energy so as to take advantage of state and federal tax breaks.

The panels will be installed by local contractors and will be up and running by the late summer of this year, Lavelle said.

The project was announced Wednesday morning.


This is a developing story. Additional details will be published on MassLive.com and in Thursday's edition of The Republican. The full press release sent to media outlets Tuesday evening is included below.

Constellation Energy to Develop 4.5 MW Solar Power System with Holyoke Gas & Electric

Solar Installation Will Help HG&E Maintain Competitive Energy Rates and Support Renewable Energy without Added Costs for Utility or Its 18,000 Customers

BALTIMORE and HOLYOKE, Mass., April, 13, 2011 – Holyoke Gas & Electric Department (HG&E) and Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG) announced today the development of a new 4.5 megawatt solar installation which will generate electricity for the municipally owned utility’s 18,000 customers in Holyoke, Mass. The system, which is scheduled for commercial operation in summer 2011, will be among the largest solar installations in the New England region and the largest in western Massachusetts.

Constellation Energy will build, own and maintain the system, and HG&E will purchase all of the electricity generated from the solar panels under a 20-year power purchase agreement at a fixed cost that is less than projected market rates.

“HG&E is committed to continuing to provide our customers with cost-competitive and clean electricity,” said James M. Lavelle, manager, Holyoke Gas & Electric. “HG&E currently offers its customers some of the lowest retail electric rates available in the Commonwealth and has a carbon footprint that is 25 percent of the average New England utility. Through this solar power purchase agreement with Constellation Energy, we are able to ensure affordability and price stability for our customers, and promote Holyoke as a more attractive location for new and existing industry, with no upfront capital expenditure. And, we’re partnering with an energy company that has the financial backing and experience to design and construct a system that is best suited for our needs.”

“Efforts such as this new 4.5 megawatt solar project are crucial to reaching Governor Patrick’s goal for installation of 250 megawatts of solar power in Massachusetts by 2017,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. “Congratulations to Holyoke Gas & Electric for showing the kind of leadership that will help the Commonwealth realize a clean energy future.”

“Large-scale solar generation is an attractive option for municipal utilities to manage volatile energy costs for their customers and meet renewable energy goals,” said Michael D. Smith, senior vice president of green initiatives for Constellation Energy’s retail business. “In states like Massachusetts with strong market-based incentive programs, Constellation can provide solar power to municipal utilities at a rate that is significantly less than electricity from other generation sources, which benefits both the environment and power customers’ bottom lines.”

HG&E’s solar power system will be comprised of 18,400 SolarWorld photovoltaic ground-mounted panels at two locations and is expected to produce nearly 5,500,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. Generating the same amount of electricity using non-renewable sources would result in the release of 3,950 metric tons of carbon dioxide or the equivalent emissions from 755 passenger vehicles annually.

Constellation Energy currently owns and operates approximately 60 megawatts of solar installations that have been completed or are under construction throughout the United States. Commercial customers, universities, school systems, hospitals and government agencies interested in on-site solar installations of 1 megawatt or larger may contact Constellation Energy at sustainablesolutions@constellation.com or 1-877-427-2005.

To watch a brief video about Constellation Energy’s solar power systems, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyaXDmgM55M.

[Ed. note: We've embedded the video below.]


About Constellation Energy

Constellation Energy (www.constellation.com) is a leading competitive supplier of power, natural gas and energy products and services for homes and businesses across the continental United States. It owns a diversified fleet of generating units, totaling approximately 12,000 megawatts of generating capacity, and is a leading advocate for clean, environmentally sustainable energy sources, such as solar power and nuclear energy. The company delivers electricity and natural gas through the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), its regulated utility in Central Maryland. A FORTUNE 500 company headquartered in Baltimore, Constellation Energy had revenues of $14.3 billion in 2010.

About Holyoke Gas & Electric Department

Formed in 1902, HG&E (www.hged.com) is a municipally owned utility that provides electricity, natural gas, and fiber optic internet services to over 18,000 customers.

Sewer work will cause traffic detour in Westfield

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Police Capt. Michael McCabe said traffic in the Casmir and Main streets area will be diverted from Main Street westbound onto Meadow Street.

WESTFIELD – Downtown traffic in the area of Casmir and Main streets will be disrupted Thursday to allow sewer installations in that neighborhood.

Police Capt. Michael A. McCabe said traffic in the Casmir and Main streets area will be diverted from Main Street westbound onto Meadow Street. Traffic trying to enter Westfield Center will be able to do so by using Mechanic Street, he said.

Casmir, Frederick and George streets will be restricted to local traffic only with no exit onto Main Street. Truck traffic will continue westbound on Meadow Street to Elm Street.

All southbound traffic turning from Union Avenue to Meadow Street will be restricted to passenger truck and car traffic only. Tractor trailers will e directed through the downtown corridor.

The detours will be in place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m..

Emily Bazelon named award finalist for article written about Phoebe Prince

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Bazelon has been nominated for the 2011 Michael Kelly award.

south-hadley-respect-banner.jpgSlate's Emily Bazelon's investigation into bullying at South Hadley High School has been nominated for the 2011 Michael Kelly award.

Slate's Emily Bazelon has been named a finalist for the 2011 Michael Kelly award for a story on bullying and the Phoebe Prince case.

Bazelon investigated Prince's 2010 suicide after she had allegedly been bullied by several of her classmates, drawing a strong mix of praise and criticism for offering an alternative to predominate narrative offered by Boston Globe columnist Kevin Cullen, who wrote “The Untouchable Mean Girls, The Republican and other media in the immediate aftermath of Prince's suicide.

The Michael Kelly award was created in the reporter’s honor after he was killed covering the Iraq war in 2003. The winner of the $25,000 award will be announced April 17.

Bazelon’s series on cyberbullying was published by Slate.com following Prince’s death and after reports of a number of young people taking their lives after being bullied. Her July 2010 story What Really Happened to Phoebe Prince?” was the most prominent feature in the series.

Bazelon’s narrative focuses less on the behavior of the South Hadley bullies and focuses more on the victim, describing Prince as a troubled young girl.

“The notion of a clique of students driving a classmate to her death was a compelling narrative, but it wasn’t true. Bazelon’s reporting makes clear that prosecuting Prince’s classmates for what a troubled girl did to herself was an abuse of the law,” states the announcement on the Michael Kelly Award web site.

Bazelon, who was interviewed by Meredith Vieira on the Today Show after the article was published, said she spoke to a number of students and read through police reports.

“There were a couple of conflicts that Phoebe had with different kids," Bazelon said in the interview. "From the point of view of the kids in the school this was sort of normal girl drama. Until really right before she died the last day of her death the bullying really became serious.”

Bazelon questioned then District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel who charged students last spring in connection with Prince’s death. Five former South Hadley High School students are facing charges ranging from rape to sexual harassment to stalking.

“There were really only three kids involved in bullying her on the day she died. The other three kids, no one says you know were anywhere near her the week before her death. And yet they’ve all been charged,” Bazelon told Vieira.

Bazelon said to Vieira it was hard for her to see how criminal justice was the right solution and that, “isn’t to say that terrible bullying didn’t happen here, or that this death isn’t tragic. Just the notion of criminally charging six teenagers in a way that blames them for the death of a girl who had this much more complicated history.”

Bazelon also wrote about Prince’s history, revealing that she had issues with cutting and depression as well as similar bullying issues at school in Ireland.

While Bazelon’s article stated Prince was meeting with some administrators, she questioned the role of administrator’s at the high school. “The South Hadley school district does bear some responsibility here,” Bazelon wrote.

Since her series ran, Bazelon has come under heated criticism on online message boards and comment areas.

"Why hasn't there been more investigation into Emily Bazelon's involvement with the defense team? She leaked obviously confidential information without the consent of the Prince family, her articles at Slate have been extremely biased, poorly reported, and entirely 'blame the victim' oriented," wrote MassLive commenter 'Jonathan_Adkins_367.'

Rain, snow melt leads to Connecticut River flooding in Montague, Northampton

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Fire Chief Brian Duggan said minor flooding is typical for the city this time of year.

flood-house-bw-L1000354.jpgHigh water often threatens this house on Route 5 near the Oxbow. In 2009, the home was raised several feet to protect the first floor from water damage.

NORTHAMPTON – Melting snow up north and overnight rain has swollen the Connecticut River and minor flooding has begun here and in Montague, officials said.

Fire Chief Brian Duggan, who also heads up emergency management for Northampton, said he has yet to receive any flood-related calls.

“The Meadows are filling in and the backyards that typically get water in them are starting to fill up,” Duggan said, adding that such minor flooding is typical for the city this time of year.

The river floods in Northampton is at 112 feet and as of 8 a.m. Wednesday it had risen to 112.3 feet. The river will continue rising to near 113.4 feet by early Friday morning and additional rises may occur after that, according to the National Weather Service.

Duggan said he will be monitoring the river closely over the next few days. It’s not yet known if the river in Northampton will approach the 115 foot mark which would mean flooding to some residential areas and prompt the closing of Route 10.

“We are cognizant of a significant snowpack up north,” Duggan said.

At 113 feet, minor flooding will affect areas near the Oxbow, areas along Aqua Vitae Drive in Hadley and farmland in Hatfield that lie outside dike protection, according to the weather service.

Abc40 / Fox 6 meteorologist Mike Masco said that Western Massachusetts could receive a half-inch or more of rain Wednesday.

“It’s going to be a cloudy and rain-filled day,” he said. More rain is forecast Saturday night into Sunday.

Minor flooding in Montague begins at 28 feet and as of about 8:30 a.m. the river was running there at 28.2 feet, according to the National Weather Service.

Montague police said Wednesday morning that they have yet to receive any reports of flooding.

The river will continue rising to 29.7 feet by early Friday morning when it is expected to crest, according to the weather service.

At 30 feet, flooding of low-lying areas outside levee protection is likely from Greenfield through Hatfield.

In Thompsonville, near the Massachusetts line, the river was running at 4.6 feet as of about 8:30 a.m. The river there is expected to rise above its 5 foot flood stage as of late Wednesday afternoon. The river will rise to near 5.9 feet by Friday morning and additional rises are possible.

Minor flooding, meanwhile, in low-lying areas along the Connecticut in Longmeadow, Agawam, Suffield and Enfield is possible by Friday, according to the weather service.


Egypt's Mubarak detained for investigation

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Ex-president Hosni Mubarak has been detained in his hospital room for questioning.

mubarak.jpgView full sizeEgyptian authorities detained ousted leader Hosni Mubarak and sons for questioning.

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's ousted President Hosni Mubarak was put under detention in his hospital room Wednesday for investigation on accusations of corruption, abuse of power and killings of protesters in a dramatic step Wednesday that brought celebrations from the movement that drove him from office.

Mubarak's two sons, Gamal and Alaa, were also detained for questioning and taken to Cairo's Torah prison, where a string of former top regime figures — including the former prime minister, ruling party chief and Mubarak's chief of staff — are already languishing, facing similar investigations on corruption.

The move was brought by enormous public pressure on the ruling military, which was handed power when Mubarak stepped down on Feb. 11. Tens of thousands protested in Cairo's central Tahrir Square on Friday, the biggest rally in weeks, demanding Mubarak and his family be put on trial. Many in the crowd accused the military of protecting the former president.

The detention is a new landmark in the stunning fall of the 82-year-old Mubarak, who only months ago appeared unquestioned in his control of Egypt after nearly 30 years of rule. Even after his fall, he seemed untouchable, living with his family at a palace in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

On Tuesday night, Mubarak was taken to a hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh because of heart troubles, and so that his health could be monitored as he submitted to the first round of questioning by investigators. Hours later, the public prosecutor announced early Wednesday that Mubarak was ordered put under detention for 15 days for investigation. He was to be flown later in the day to a military hospital outside Cairo, where he would remain in detention, a security official in Sharm el-Sheikh said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.

The detention also marks a new chapter in Egypt's still unsure transition to what protesters hope will be a democratic post-Mubarak future.

Protesters had pushed hard for Mubarak's prosecution, demanding what they called a clear signal that the corruption that pervaded his nearly 30-year rule would be definitively broken. Public outrage was widespread over allegations that large fortunes were skimmed off by top regime officials through shady deals over the years.

Beyond the anger has been the fear that Mubarak cronies are maneuvering to regain power as the country tries to work out democratic rule — and that the ruling military was not taking action to prevent them, or was even abetting them.

"I was so happy in the morning when I heard the news," said Ahmed Maher, co-founder of the April 6 group, one of the movements that led the unprecedented 18-day protest movement against Mubarak.

"All people are very happy because this step reassured them after a period of doubts and stagnation," referring to doubts over the military's intentions, he told The Associated Press. Worries over the military were intensified by a fierce pre-dawn raid on protesters in Tahrir on Saturday that killed at least one person.

Still, he said, Egypt faces a long road to ensure the transition period leads to real democracy. "Trying Mubarak and his regime is very important but what is super important is the political future of Egypt and what kind of political system we want to have," he said.

The prosecutor's announcement gave a momentary easing of tensions between the military and protesters. Following the prosecutor's announcement, the coalition of youth groups that have organized the protests said it is canceling a planned new mass demonstration in Tahrir Square on Friday to demand Mubarak's prosecution.

But the coalition underlined that there are still unfulfilled demands, including the dissolving of the former ruling party and the sacking of Mubarak-appointed governors as well as university deans and local city councils, both seen as levers of his regime.

Activist Amr Bassiouny said in a Tweet that the detention was not the protesters' primary goal but "free speech, free assembly, free press — no torture, real democracy, end of lies."

Since Mubarak's fall, activists have complained that the Armed Forces Supreme Council, the body of top generals that now rules Egypt, has been dictating the post-Mubarak transition without consultation. Relations have rapidly soured over past week, amid reports of abuses by the military that reminded some of Mubarak's rule — including torture of detained protesters and the imprisoning of an activist for criticizing the army.

Protesters have criticized the army for being too close to the old regime and not swiftly bringing Mubarak to trial while hundreds of protesters remain in military detention, some convicted in swift trials before military courts.

In its announcement, posted on the social networking site Facebook, the public prosecutor said Mubarak was under investigation into allegations of assaults, killings and injury of protesters, corruption, squandering of public funds, and the abuse of authority for personal gain.

Hundreds were killed during the 18-day uprising against Mubarak, when police opened fire and cracked down on the crowds. Officials say 365 were killed, but a count by the Front to Defend Egypt Protesters, a group that provides medical and legal assistance to the demonstrators, said 685 people died as of March 7.

On Sunday, Mubarak defended himself in a prerecorded message where he sounded as defiant as he did up to his last hours in power. He said he was hurt by the corruption allegations against him and his family, insisted he had not abused his authorities and invited investigators to check his assets.

It was his first address to the people in the two months since his ouster. He has kept a low profile since he was ousted, living on his compound in Sharm el-Sheikh. He and his family were banned from traveling and their assets frozen.

Shortly after, the prosecutor general issued a summons for Mubarak to appear for questioning.

Soon after the hospitalization Tuesday night and in a sign that his ailment might not be very serious, Justice Minister Mohammed el-Guindi said Mubarak was then questioned in his suite for his role in the violence against protesters. The ministry statement on Facebook said Mubarak's lawyers and a medical team were present during the interrogation. Mubarak has a history of minor ailments and underwent gallbladder surgery in Germany in March last year.

While the ex-president was taken to the hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh, where he has been living since being removed from power, his sons were taken for questioning to the nearby courthouse.

An angry crowd of 2,000 people had gathered outside the hospital late Tuesday, demanding the sons' arrest. Then, in the early hours Wednesday, head of provincial security in the South Sinai told the crowd that Gamal and Alaa would be detained.

"Brothers, whatever you wanted, you have got ... 15 days," said Maj. Gen. Mohammed el-Khatib, as the crowd erupted in cheers.

As a police van with drawn curtains took away the brothers, the crowd pelted it with water bottles, stones and their flip-flops, as a sign of contempt.

Over the past decade, Gamal had risen to the top ranks of the ruling party and was widely seen as Mubarak's designated succession. Anger over that prospect helped galvanize Egypt's protest movement. Gamal brought into government and the ruling party a number of top businessmen who led an economic liberalization program that brought in billions in foreign investment but has also widened the gap between rich and poor. Several of those businessman-politicians now face trial or investigation for allegedly using their positions to amassing fortunes. His brother Alaa is a prominent businessman.

Egyptian stock market's posted moderate gains Wednesday with investors buoyed by news that Mubarak and his sons have been detained. The market had been relatively stable in the days after its reopening late last month, following a nearly two-month closure linked to the anti-Mubarak uprising.

Eastern States Exposition donates $184,000 to Big E-West Springfield Trust Fund

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Eartern States Exposition has donated $184,067 to a trust that benefits programs in the city benefiting education, youths and the elderly.

Wayne McCary 2010.jpgG. Wayne McCary, president of the Eastern States Exposition, is seen at the Big E circus last year.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Eastern States Exposition has donated $184,067 to the Big E-West Springfield Trust Fund, the largest gift it has made to the fund since its inception in 1994, according to officials.

That sum represents 1 percent of Eastern States Exposition’s gross revenues for 2010. This year’s gift brings its donations to the fund over the years to $2,497,845, according to the exposition.

Each year, the trustees of the fund appropriate a portion of the donation to agencies in the city benefiting education, youths and the elderly. Last year, they allocated $45,268 for that purpose, and they plan to earmark $61,213 for donations for this year.

“To me it is a great template for a nonprofit for people to put something back into the community,” exposition President G. Wayne McCary said Monday after presenting a check to Mayor Edward J. Gibson and the fund’s other trustees.

“I think it says a lot about the fair itself and its draw throughout New England,” Gibson said.

They have let money accumulate in the fund so as not to deplete the principal, the mayor said. The fund now has $2,162,600 including this year’s donation.

Funds donated to The Big E/West Springfield Trust in 2010 resulted in grants for such projects as Park and Recreation Department fee waivers; Senior Center physical fitness and social programs; the Melissa Harrington Hughes 9/11 monument; Mittineague Congregational Church family training seminars; supplies for West Side Helping Hands; camera equipment for West Springfield High School; Historical Commission transportation-horse and driver expenses; Smart Boards for Mittineague School; and a dog park for the city and the West Springfield Volleyball Booster Club.



Agawam Superintendent Mary Czajkowski finds consensus to cut $1.6 million from budget

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Making $1.6 million in cuts will mean the loss of 31.8 full-time equivalent positions.

Mary Czajkowski 2010.jpgMary A. Czajkowski

AGAWAM – Although the School Committee did not put her $1.6 million in proposed budget cuts to a vote Tuesday night, School Superintendent Mary A. Czajkowski said she has enough of a consensus to proceed along that path.

“It’s a difficult decision,” Czajkowski said following Tuesday’s School Committee meeting during which she outlined the proposed cuts. “I think overall they (School Committee members) will support the proposal.”

Her proposal calls for cutting $1,601,744 from the $35,909,234 fiscal year 2012 School Department budget she had initially presented as what is needed to maintain the current level of services. However, school officials have been asked to submit a level funded budget to the mayor and City Council. That would entail making a total of $1,886,413 in cuts.

Czajkowski said she needed direction in order to have budget books ready in time for the April 26 public hearing on the proposed School Department budget.

Last week, School Committee members during a workshop reached a consensus to support Czajkowski’s proposal to cut $1.6 million from her initial budget.

Making $1.6 million in cuts will mean the loss of 31.8 full-time equivalent positions. That comes out to laying off 13 teachers aides, 3.8 teachers and 2 secretaries and not filling the positions of 6 teachers, 1 secretary, the school resource officer and 5 instructional coaches.

School Committee member Diane Juzba said she is unhappy with the proposal but will end up having to support it.

School Committee member Shelley Reed said the budget has been keeping her up nights and that she does not want to make a decision until more is known about how much state aid the city might get.

School Committee Vice Chairman Anthony C. Bonavita and member Linda Galarneau said they will support the proposed cuts because of the tough economic times.

“I can’t support a budget that includes layoffs,” School Committee member Kathleen Mouneimneh said, complaining that laying off teachers means increasing class size and making teachers work harder. “No one is asking administrators to work harder because none of the administrative positions are being cut.”

That remark drew applause.

Several people criticized the proposed budget cuts during the public speak-out at the beginning of Tuesday’s School Committee.

Teachers aide Julie A. Fife of 209 Pineview Circle called the three years of no raises offered her union “a slap in the face.”

“I feel that we are not valued,” she said. “I wish you could be a little bit more creative and keep the paras (teachers aides) in the classroom.”



Lawyers for Kayla Narey, defendant in Phoebe Prince bullying case, ask for more time

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Details of Narey’s alleged crimes have not been publicly spelled out because the prosecution has shared the bill of particulars with the defense informally.

NAREY.JPGKayla Narey

NORTHAMPTON –Saying they still have issues to resolve, lawyers for Kayla Narey asked Wednesday to report back to the court next month.

Narey, 18, is one of six former South Hadley High School students charged with felonies in connection with Phoebe Prince, a 15-year-old freshman who took her life in January of 2010 after what investigators say was a campaign of bullying against her. Narey, along with Sean Mulveyhill and Austin Renaud, has been charged as an adult. Flannery Mullins, Ashley Longe and Sharon Velazquez are charged both as juveniles and youthful offenders.

Narey’s lawyer, Michael O. Jennings, told Hampshire Superior Court Judge Bertha D. Josephson that the two sides have been working together but still have issues to resolve before possibly choosing a trial date. Narey is charged with a civil rights violation resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbing a school assembly. Details of Narey’s alleged crimes have not been publicly spelled out because the prosecution has shared the bill of particulars with the defense informally.

Northwestern First Assistant District Attorney Steven Gagne, who took over prosecution of the Prince cases in January, noted to Josephson that he recently turned over additional information to the defense.

“I think soon we’ll have a clear direction which way this case is heading,” Gagne said.

The charges against the six defendants were brought by former Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel. New District Attorney David E. Sullivan brought in his own team of prosecutors when he assumed office in January.

Josephson scheduled a hearing on the matter for May 4.

Palmer police investigating accident on Route 32

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A Consumer Auto Parts truck heading south on Ware Street apparently drifted into the other lane and clipped a northbound tractor-trailer operated by a Michigan man, police said.

PALMER – Police are investigating an accident that briefly shut down Route 32 on Wednesday afternoon.

A Consumer Auto Parts truck heading south on Ware Street (Route 32) apparently drifted into the other lane and clipped a northbound tractor-trailer operated by a Michigan man, Officer Kenneth White said.

The impact sent the small, red truck into the embankment and trapped the driver, who had to be extricated by the Palmer Fire Department. The driver’s name was not immediately available; he was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield by Palmer Ambulance with possible back injuries, White said. Seat belt use was unknown.

The tractor trailer was operated by Robert Hurd, 47, of Michigan. Travel was reduced to one lane, and then shut down completely so the small truck could be towed away. The accident was reported just before 2 p.m. in the area of 379 Ware St.

Springfield police and YWCA of Springfield join forces in ongoing struggle against sexual assault

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April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

04/13/2011- Springfield - Republican Staff Photo Mark M.Murray- YWCA of Western Massachusetts Executive Director Mary Reardon Johnson, and Springfield Police Commissioner William J. Fitchett, look over the the ribbon put on the back of Springfield Police cruisers to call attention to April as the Sexual Assault Awareness month .YWCA of Werstern Mass. provided the ribbons.

SPRINGFIELD – Springfield police cruisers now bear testament to the ongoing struggle against sexual assault.

Each of the department’s 30 street cruisers now bear a magnetic “ribbon” that states “Stop Sexual Assault.”

The ribbons are part of a collaboration between Springfield police and the YWCA of Western Massachusetts that is designed to spread awareness of the prevalence of sexual assault and domestic violence.

“It causes devastating problems to the victims, untold problems,” Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet said. “I think it’s very important to report about the advocacy to the victims.”

Both Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet and Mary Reardon Johnson, executive director of the YWCA said it’s a fitting time of year to spread awareness because April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Johnson said the YWCA provides services to about 1,200 sexual assault victims each year and many more cases go unreported. Statistically speaking, she said, a woman is assaulted in the United States every two minutes.

In the United States a woman has about a 15 percent chance of being sexually assaulted in her lifetime, Johnson said. For men, that number is about 5 percent, she said.

“It’s an under-reported and very serious concern,” she said.

Fitchet said instances of sexual and domestic abuse are investigated by the Department’s Special Victims Unit.

Johnson said help is not only available through the police but through the YWCA’s hotline accessed 24-hours a day, seven days a week, at (413) 733-7100.

Mary Clare Higgins to resign as mayor of Northampton; City Council President David Narkewicz to become acting mayor

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Narkewicz, and former City Council President Michael Bardsley, are both candidates for mayor.

Mary Clare Higgins March 2011.jpgMary Clare Higgins, seen here last month announcing that she would not seek reelection as mayor of Northampton, announced Wednesday that she will step down in September, paving the way for City Council President David Narkewicz, who is also a candidate for mayor, to take over temporarily as acting mayor.

NORTHAMPTON – Mayor Mary Clare Higgins plans to leave City Hall to direct a human services agency in September, leaving Council President and mayoral candidate David J. Narkewicz as acting mayor.

In a prepared statement issued Wedneday, Higgins announced that she has been named Executive Director of Community Action of the Franklin, Hampshire and North Quabbin Regions, effective Sept. 12.

Her last day in office will be Sept. 9.

After that, Narkewicz, who is facing former Council President and Higgins’ rival Michael A. Bardsley in the November election, will assume the duties of mayor.

Higgins announced last month that she would not be seeking a seventh term as mayor. She gave no indication that she might step down early.

But she also made it clear she would not be supporting Bardsley's candidacy. At that time Narkewicz had not declared his candidacy.

More details coming in The Republican.


UMass Police looking for supect in three campus larcenies

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The warning followed a report of a breaking and entering and larceny from a dorm room in the John Q. Adams residence hall Monday.

jqa-break-in-suspect.jpgSurveillance video shows the suspect entering the John Quincey Adams dorm.

AMHERST - University of Massachusetts police are reminding students not to allow non-residents to follow them into their dorms after a report of a breaking and entering and larceny from a dorm room in the John Q. Adams residence hall Monday.

A laptop computer and an IPOD Touch were reportedly stolen in the incident.

The resident was not present but a witness described the suspect as a white male, six feet two inches tall with a thin build wearing a green Celtics logo T-shirt, black jacket, blue jeans, brown shoes and a black and gray back pack.

A photo of the suspect entering the residence hall has been posted on the police Crime Alert web site. Police are investing two other reports where laptops were stolen in the Southwest Residential Area. The suspect description was similar.

In at least one of these cases the suspect entered the building by so-called “tailgating” behind a student.

People are asked if they have information to contact the police detective bureau at (413)-545-0893 or (413)-577-TIPS (8477).

Obituaries today: Genevieve Wickles developed Colonial Acres in Hatfield, Coachlight Apartments in Northampton

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Obituaries from The Republican.

04_13_11_Wickles.jpgGenevieve F. Wickles

Genevieve F. Wickles, 85, of Hatfield, died on April Sunday. Born in Chicopee, she attended St. Stanislaus Parochial School and was a graduate of Cathedral High School in Springfield. Wickles was employed at N.E. Telephone and Telegraph before concentrating on developing Colonial Acres in Hatfield and Coachlight Apartments in Northampton with her husband. She was also employed at Wickles Fine Print in Chicopee. She was a devoted communicant of Our Lady of Grace parish in Hatfield and a member of the Rosary Altar Society. Wickles served on the board of the Hatfield Education Foundation, was a member of the Hatfield Book Club and The Polish Junior League and volunteered at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

Obituaries from The Republican:

Westfield River Canoe Club to host its 58th annual Westfield River Wildwater Races

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The races are scheduled April 16 and 17 beginning in Huntington.

Westfield River Canoe RaceDouglas Goodale of Middletown, Conn., negotiates the Hill and Dale rapids on the first day of the 2010 Westfield Wildwater Canoe Races.

WESTFIELD – Between 230 and 250 area canoeists and kayakers are expected to compete this weekend when the Westfield River Canoe Club hosts its 58th annual Westfield River Wildwater Races.

Novice races will take place Saturday beginning in Huntington and racing to Russell, while expert classes will take to the river Sunday.

Organizer Jeffrey M. DeFeo, of Chester, said participation is expected to equal last year’s, if not increase. “In each of the past three years we have had at least 250 boats in the water on Saturday,” DeFeo said.

“It is always difficult to get participants to pre-register for the race, but this year we have 65 who have signed early,” he said.

Heavy winter snows are not expected to affect the race, DeFeo said. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers always does an excellent job in controlling water flow from Knightville Dam. There will be no problems in that area despite the long winter,” he said.

Snow was still on the ground in several locations in the Huntington area last week, DeFeo noted.

The races are the oldest continuously run canoe races in the country.

Westfield River Canoe RaceSpectators watch paddlers navigate the Hill and Dale rapids on the first day of the 2010 Westfield Wildwater Canoe Races.

Novice races begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at the state’s Department of Transportation yard at Norwich Bridge on Route 112 in Huntington. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m.. Novices follow an eight-mile course running from the DOT yard to just short of the Woronoco Dam near the Russell-Westfield line.

Expert racers will compete on a 12-mile course that starts at the base of Knightville Dam and ends at the Woronoco Dam.

Registration for experts will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the race start Sunday. Competition will begin at 11 a.m.

For more information about the races visit www.westfieldriverraces.com

Springfield officials praise federally funded energy efficiency program

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The program includes using van-mounted thermal imaging equipment to evaluate potential energy improvements in thousands of homes in the target area.

Commercial Building IR Image - Sagewell (2).jpgAn infrared image of a commercial building provided by Sagewell Inc. Thermal imaging technology will be used to evaluate the energy efficiency of 45,000 homes in the greater Springfield area through a pilot program launched by the state Department of Energy Resources.

SPRINGFIELD – City and state officials gathered this week to praise a three-year pilot program that will assist area homeowners in evaluating the energy efficiency of their homes, aided by thermal imaging, and then help them make improvements.

The state Department of Energy Resources is overseeing the pilot program in Springfield and six other area communities, and has nearly completed the use of van-mounted thermal imaging to analyze the energy efficiency of approximately 45,000 homes, said Ian J. Finlayson, manager of buildings and climate programs for the state agency.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, City Councilor Clodovaldo Concepcion, and several city department heads praised the program during a press conference with Finlayson at City Hall on Tuesday, saying it should be of great help to homeowners trying to reduce their energy costs and utility bills.

121310 domenic sarno mug.jpgDomenic Sarno

In addition to Springfield, the program targets Palmer, Belchertown, Hampden, Wilbraham, Longmeadow and East Longmeadow. Finlayson said the state will work with local officials in the seven communities to further publicize the program in coming months.

“It is a chance for homeowners to learn about energy efficiency opportunities,” Finlayson said. “We think this could be huge.”

The thermal imaging is the first phase of the program, costing about $325,000 from within a $2.6 million, three-year federal grant.

The state uses Sagewell Inc. of Woburn to measure heat loss on the outside of houses, identifying where additional insulation and sealing can occur. The imaging is done during the nighttime hours, using equipment mounted on a hybrid van, with results shared with homeowners. The imaging can be followed by energy assessments through the Mass Save program, officials said.

The state will also provide training in the spring and summer for home energy assessors and building contractors that wish to participate in the program, along with interested homeowners and real estate agents.

The program helps homeowners evaluate and choose energy conservation improvements, assisted by existing and expanding rebates and zero-interest loans, Finlayson said.

The state will also establish a list of contractors online.

The program is expected to leverage an additional $8 million to $10 million in energy conservation funding from the utilities and private sector, he said.

There is no obligation by homeowners to follow recommendations.

concepcion.JPGClodo Concepcion

Residents can contact Sagewell via email at optout@sagewell.com, or by calling (888)-586-1726, if they wish to “opt out” by having images of their homes deleted.

In Palmer, some town councilors had expressed concern about the thermal imaging component, citing privacy concerns. Councilors delayed its implementation in Palmer because they wanted to make sure that there would be a way for residents to opt out of the program, which the state provided.

Acting Town Manager Patricia A. Kennedy said the opt-out information is on town’s website.

In addition to reducing costs, energy measures can improve the value of a house, Finlayson said.

Concepcion, who also serves as president of the Sixteen Acres Civic Association, said he supports any initiative that is “beneficial to the community and especially to senior citizens.”

Staff writer Lori Stabile contributed to this report.

Springfield finance official releases $351.7 million 5-year capital improvements plan

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Springfield officials warn that items in the plan have not yet been funded, and some have been on the drawing board for more than 10 years.

Springfield City HallSpringfield City Hall.

SPRINGFIELD – The city’s top finance official has released a five-year, $351.7 million capital improvement plan for Springfield, but with the warning that projects are not yet funded and will be limited by what the city can afford.

The five-year plan, presented by Chief Administrative and Financial Officer Lee C. Erdmann, includes $10.5 million for a new senior center at Blunt Park and a total of $20.8 million proposed for new school technology, school information technology projects and equipment and school security cameras.

Erdmann is required by state law to annually revise and submit the five-year plan to the mayor and City Council. At a recent council meeting, Councilor James J. Ferrera III said many of the projects have been discussed and debated for the last 10 to 15 years without being funded.

“I don’t want to give residents false hope,” Ferrera said.

Erdmann said the city is not able to bond during the current year, due to budget constraints, but will evaluate options in the coming year including shorter term bond anticipation notes, grants, and the city’s reserve funds to help determine what projects can be initially afforded.

A Capital Improvement Committee evaluated all projects and submitted its list of recommended “Priority A” projects.

The priority projects total $117.5 million over the five-year period, with a first-year cost estimated at $40.7 million, contingent on funding.

The Priority A projects will be reviewed again when funding is available, Erdmann said.

The costs for the priority projects, in the first year, are estimated at $3 million for public and private road improvements, $1 million for sidewalks, the full $15 million for the energy improvement projects, $3.5 million for the first phase of removing oil tanks, and a $2.2 million project to renovate and enlarge the Clifford A. Phaneuf Environmental Center in Forest Park.

Erdmann said he welcomes City Council input.

Patrick J. Sullivan, the city’s director of parks and buildings, said he is pleased that Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and the finance team are striving to find funding to help build a new senior center.

“This is necessary to properly serve our seniors with programs,” Sullivan said. “We have an aging population and this building is critical in serving the needs of our seniors.”

Regarding a proposal to spend $1.3 million to improve the lower dam at Van Horn Park, Sullivan said the dam has been rated in poor condition by the Office of Dam Safety.

Projects are rated based on their overall fiscal impact, legal obligations, impact on service to the public, and urgency, among other factors, Erdmann said.

In fiscal year 2010, the city, aided by federal stimulus funds, borrowed $17.8 million for school projects.

The funds are being used to assist with construction of the new Putnam Vocational Technical High School and for renovations at Forest Park Middle School and STEM Middle School.

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