Quantcast
Channel: News
Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live

Feds say Catherine Greig, Mass. mobster Whitey Bulger's girlfriend, lied about secret bank account

0
0

Federal prosecutors say the girlfriend of former Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger should not be released on bail because she lied about her wealth, including a secret bank account "with a substantial balance."

Whitey Bulger Catherine Greig.jpgJames 'Whitey' Bulger and Catherine Greig are seen in these police booking photos.

BOSTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors say the girlfriend of former Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger should not be released on bail because she lied about her wealth, including a secret bank account "with a substantial balance."

Catherine Greig is charged with conspiracy to harbor a fugitive by helping Bulger evade capture for more than 16 years. Bulger is accused of participating in 19 murders. They were caught in Santa Monica, Calif., in June. They have pleaded not guilty.

On Nov. 4, a judge said Greig had shown a willingness to leave home and family when she fled with Bulger in 1995.

Prosecutors argue in court documents filed Tuesday that Greig has failed to provide a sworn statement showing her wealth, preventing court officials from determining a forfeiture amount that would assure she meets bail conditions.


Missing Maine teens found at Occupy Wall Street protest

0
0

Two teen girls reported missing from Buxton, Maine last week were found safe alongside protesters at the Occupy Maine camp in Portland's Lincoln Park.

Missing Maine girls.jpgDominique Sproul, left, and Rachel Fuller were found in Portland, Maine on Saturday Nov. 19 protesting alongside others as part of the Occupy Maine movement. (Photos courtesy of Facebook)

PORTLAND, Maine - Two teen girls reported missing from Buxton, Maine last week were found safe alongside protesters at the Occupy Maine camp in Portland's Lincoln Park.

Rachel Ann Fuller and Dominique Lee Sproul, both 14, were last seen on Nov. 15 after school let out for the day. Authorities said that although it was believed to be a run-away situation, concern was growing with each passing day primarily due to their young age.

Police received tips that they may have run off to Portland, and they monitored social networking websites to look for clues.

Police found the girls this past weekend protesting with the Maine division of the Occupy Wall Street movement. After being checked out at a hospital, the youths were returned to their worried parents, according to the Portland Press Herald.

Their removal from the Lincoln Park camp came a day before someone threw a chemical bomb into the camp's kitchen area, the newspaper reports. Although no one was injured in that attack, it has put protesters on edge and increased police visibility at the site.


Navy Blue Angels fly into era of budget questions

0
0

A new era of deficit cutting has some raising questions about the millions it costs to produce Blue Angels shows.

navy-blue-angels.jpgIn this Nov. 2, 2006 file photo, members of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels precision flying team rehearse at Little Rock Air Force base in Jacksonville, Ark.

PENSACOLA NAVAL AIR STATION, Fla. (AP) — The Navy's Blue Angels have been thrilling audiences for more than six decades with their acrobatic flying in fighter planes, but a new era of federal budget worries and proposed deficit cutting has some inside and outside the military raising questions about the millions it costs to produce their shows.

Some want the popular shows grounded and some readers of the Air Force Times newspaper — most of them active or retired service members — recently listed eliminating the Blue Angels and similar programs as one way to cut defense spending.

The Pentagon spends $37 million for the Blue Angels, whose mission is to enhance recruiting for the Navy and Marines and to be their public goodwill ambassador. That's a fraction of the Pentagon's $926 billion annual budget, but that's not the point, critics say. They argue that lots of smaller programs will have to be eliminated to meet required spending reductions.

Automatic cuts triggered by the collapse of the debt supercommittee in Washington this week combined with spending reductions previously hammered out by President Barack Obama and Congress mean that the Pentagon would be looking at nearly $1 trillion in cuts to projected spending over 10 years.

The Air Force's Thunderbirds and the Army's Golden Knights paratroopers also perform big public shows.

"It goes to show the scale of the Department of the Defense budget — the defense department always goes big," said Laura Peterson, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based group Taxpayers for Common Sense. She said the money could be better spent on other programs. "The point is to look at all federal spending. We can no longer afford the wants; we have to look at the needs."

But Capt. Greg McWherter, the Blue Angels' commander, said his team fills a vital national security role by improving morale, helping with recruiting and presenting a public face for the nation's 500,000 sailors and Marines. The Navy says about 11 million people see the squadron's F/A-18 fighter jets scream and twist overhead during each year's show season, from March through November.

"We still live in a country that has an all-volunteer force. Everyone that signs up to join the military does so because they were motivated and inspired; maybe it was an aunt or an uncle, maybe it was a teacher or maybe it was the Blue Angels, you never know," he said.

"It is difficult to put a price on that and on the number of young men and women inspired by a performance." But, he said, it helps ensure "that the Navy and the Marine Corps is strong 10 to 15 years from now."

Loren Thompson, a military analyst with the conservative think tank Lexington Institute in Washington's Virginia suburbs, said it is very unlikely anyone in Congress would specifically target the Blue Angels because the team is so popular.

"I think any legislator who called for eliminating the Blue Angels would be digging and digging through emails filled with outrage," he said.

But he said it is possible spending for the Blue Angels, Air Force Thunderbirds and other military promotional programs could be curtailed under a larger umbrella bill as Congress and the administration look for ways to cut federal spending.

"No provision specifically aimed at cutting the Blue Angels will ever pass, but that doesn't mean the Blue Angels are safe from budget cuts," he said.

Republican Congressman Jeff Miller, who represents the Pensacola base and serves on the House Armed Services Committee, said it's the popularity of the Blue Angels that will keep the program alive.

"You can ask the hundreds of thousands of people who come out each weekend and see them fly and know they aren't going anywhere," he said.

It's already been a tough 65th year for the Blue Angels, who are based at Pensacola Naval Air Station on the Florida Panhandle.

McWherter, who commanded the team from November 2008 through 2010, returned in May when his replacement, Cmdr. Dave Koss, resigned after flying below minimum altitude at a Virginia air show. Koss realized the mistake and pulled out of the maneuver but the error, which could have caused a crash, prompted an internal investigation and a monthlong safety stand-down, which forced the Blue Angels to cancel their traditional fly-over at the Naval Academy's graduation in Annapolis, Md.

Koss resigned from the team, saying he had not met "the airborne standard that makes the Blue Angels the exceptional organization that it is." The Blue Angels last had a fatal accident in 2007 when a pilot lost control of his F/A-18 and crashed outside a Marine base in Beaufort, S.C.

A September crash of a civilian plane at a Nevada air race killed 11 spectators and the pilot, raising the public's awareness of what can go wrong when airplanes and spectators mix.

McWherter told The Associated Press in a recent interview that safety has to be the team's primary goal. The air shows in which the Blue Angels perform are different from air races like the one in Nevada, he said. Blue Angels follow strict FAA guidelines for each show and maintain a standard safety zone from crowds, he said. The Blue Angels performances are designed to appear dangerous and exciting for those watching from the ground, but the shows are carefully choreographed and performed by experts.

The Navy demonstration team began after World War II when Adm. Chester W. Nimitz wanted to continue support for naval aviation during peacetime and spotlight the Navy and Marines for potential recruits who live far from Navy bases.

The 2011 budget funded 70 performances at 35 cities around the United States, including Great Falls, Mont., Millington, Tenn., and Ypsilanti, Mich. The blue and gold jets twist, turn, drop from the sky and roar into the clouds in perfect formation for 45 minutes.

More than 100,000 people attended the Blue Angels end-of-season performance on Nov. 11 and 12 at Pensacola Naval Air Station.

U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said the Blue Angels are important because they show the incredible skill level of U.S. military.

He said he thinks of the Blue Angels as "ambassadors for not just the Navy but for the entire American military across this country and around the world."

"We get way more than our money's worth for what they do," he said.

Fans who watched the team perform this summer at the team's annual Pensacola Beach show agreed.

Bryan Johnson and his family from Lubbock, Texas, watched from beneath a beach umbrella as the team streaked over the Gulf of Mexico.

"I think (The Blue Angels) are a good way to get guys to want to join the military, especially those with college education who want to go in and fly the planes," Bryan Johnson said.

The only proof of the Blue Angels appeal and success that Lori Johnson needed was the crowd on the beach.

"This airshow is more popular today than it was 20 years ago. Everyone is here to support the military in some fashion," she said.

Steady rains to ease in Western Massachusetts as Thanksgiving travelers get underway

0
0

Thanksgiving Day will be sunny and seasonably cool.

geese.JPGHadley, 11/22/11 - Canada Geese line up the classic vee formations as the flock heads south for the winter.

SPRINGFIELD – The steady rains that have been slowing commuters and Thanksgiving travelers Wednesday morning should taper off before noon, abc40 / Fox 6 meteorologist Dan Brown said.

“The worst will be over in the next few hours,” said Brown, speaking shortly before 8 a.m. “It’s moving pretty quickly.”

State police on the Massachusetts Turnpike reported smooth-flowing traffic as the busiest travel day of the year got underway.

Shortly after midnight, however, snow falling in Blandford and points west caused a number of spinouts and minor accidents, Sgt. Timothy P. Sicard said. That snow, however, has since turned to rain, he said.

“It’s all back to normal,” Sicard said, adding that so far holiday traffic has been relatively light. “We will have some extra patrols out there this afternoon.”

State police in the Shelburne barracks also reported a flurry of early-morning minor accidents due to snow, which has since changed over to rain.

“The roads are wet,” Sgt. Richard Cadran said, adding that some 4 inches of snow fell overnight in Shelburne.

Brown said gusty winds could cause isolated outages Wednesday afternoon. “With all those tree limbs that are hanging, you get some gusty winds and those limbs could pop out.” he said.

The winds will abate overnight and Thanksgiving Day will be sunny and seasonably cool with highs of 45 to 50 degrees.

Friday will be sunny and milder with highs approaching 60 degrees, Brown said.

Northampton's 'truck-eating' bridge' - which boasts new piece of art - claims another victim

0
0

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held early last month to celebrate the new installation.

brridgeeast.JPGNorthampton - Artist David Teeple addresses those gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Bridge Street last month where his art 'Water Music' hangs on the overpass. The blue represents the Connecticut River. Police report that the bridge. long a target for trucks, claimed another victim Wednesday morning.

NORTHAMPTON – The “truck-eating bridge” - which boasts a new (and now slightly-damaged) piece of art - is apparently up to its old tricks.

Northampton police report that a westbound tractor-trailer truck got stuck under the old iron trestle over Main Street shortly before 9:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month for “Water Music,” the new piece of art by Holyoke artist David Teeple, which adorns the bridge.

Bob Cilman, Arts Council coordinator, said at least one of the piece’s oanels will have to be replaced.

“It’s only been up a month,” Cilman said. “We were hoping it would go longer than that.” The city has initiated the process to get insurance money to cover the damage, he said

The bridge has served as an art easel since 1991 when local artist Leland Johnson installed his popular piece “Dream” on it. Time and the impacts from innumerable wayward truckers took their impact on Dream and the Northampton Arts Council put out a request for proposals last year for a new art work to replace it.

Teeple’s “ Water Music” was chosen from among 28 applications to decorate the trestle, which is the first thing drivers see coming into downtown Northampton on Route 9.

The installation features 18 stainless steel panels separated by spaces that are meant to evoke railroad ties. Suspended a few inches out from the panels is a blue curlicue spanning the length of the trestle that represents the Connecticut River. According to Teeple, the wavy line is an accurate depiction of the river’s span from Deerfield to Springfield as seen from space.

Teeple was on-scene Wednesday morning to inspect the damage, Cilman said.

“One panel has been bent beyond what can be bent back and will have to be replaced,” Cilman said. “Another panel we are still looking at.”

The piece was set a few inches higher than “Dream,” to avoid the impact of trucks that regularly miscalculate the 11-foot clearance. This particular truck was 13 feet 6 inches high, police said.

The damaged occurred, however, as the truck continued under the bridge after the initial impact, Cilman said. A section of the trailer’s roof peeled off and rose up to damage the installation.

Police Capt. Scott A. Savino said the driver, Alexander K. Baffour, of Auburn, was issued a $500 citation for failure to obey warning signs.

The truck, registered to M&M Transport out of Indianapolis, Ind. was hauling retail clothing, Savino said.

Cilman said that a clearance warning sign posted on the bridge itself was removed when the new installation was put up. “It was never effective anway,” he said, adding that new warning signs posted in advance of the bridge are now in place.

Supermarket chains, large retailers to be allowed more liquor licenses under law approved by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick

0
0

Patrick also signed a law banning insurance companies from using credit scores in setting auto insurance premiums.

massachusetts seal massachusetts state seal.jpg

BOSTON - It didn’t merit a signing ceremony, but scores of Massachusetts residents in the years to come will likely be directly affected by legislation signed Tuesday by Gov. Deval L. Patrick.

After alcohol industry insiders struck a deal to permit supermarkets and other large retailers to gradually acquire more alcoholic beverage licenses, their proposal sailed through the Legislature this month and Patrick has agreed to it.

Under the new law, sponsored by Sen. Michael Rodrigues, D-Westport, the cap on licenses per corporation would be lifted from three to five in 2012, up to seven in 2016, and to nine in 2020. The bill also would assess applicants $5,000 for every license in they obtain in excess of three.

In 2006, Massachusetts voters by a 53-41 margin rejected a ballot question permitting sales of wine at food stores. That question divided the electorate, drawing opposition from package stores and others fearful of increased underage drinking and increased drunk driving. But the latest proposal, while potentially even more far-reaching, spurred no debate or controversy on Beacon Hill.

John Stasiowski, president of the Beer Distributors of Massachusetts, which opposed the 2006 ballot question, said last month that the bill does not create a new category of licenses, stays within the existing quota system and preserves the authority of local officials to approve licenses.

"Consumers want choice and consumer want convenience," he said last month. "In most states beer and wine are available anywhere, anyplace."

Patrick on Tuesday also signed a law banning insurance companies from using credit scores in setting auto insurance premiums. Supporters of the credit score ban and the alcoholic beverage license proposals had both eyed 2012 ballot questions before dropping those efforts and instead focusing on trying, and succeeding, in passing bills through the Legislature.

University of Massachusetts professor Lynn Margulis dies at age 73

0
0

Margulis, elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1983, was a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Geosciences.

MARGULIS-2002.JPGLynn Margulis delivers a lecture in 2002.

AMHERST -- University of Massachusetts professor Lynn Margulis died Tuesday at her home in Amherst, according to a statement released by campus officials. She was 73.

Margulis, a Chicago native whose career at the university's Amherst campus began in 1988 after 22 years at Boston University, was a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Geosciences, according to a biography posted to her department's website.

"She leaves us a legacy of academic accomplishment brought about by her original thought and tireless inquiry into multiple fields of science that look at how the world functions and how that magnificent world has developed over time," said UMass Amherst Chancellor Robert C. Holub. "Her passing is a great loss for the entire campus family."

Margulis enrolled at the University of Chicago at the age of 14, earned a doctorate in genetics at the University of California at Berkeley in 1965, and distinguished herself as a leading scientist in the field of evolutionary biology.

Margulis2.jpgPresident William J. Clinton awards Lynn Margulis the 1999 National Medal of Science in a ceremony at the White House.

Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1983, Margulis was one of 12 researchers to receive the 1999 Presidential Medal of Science. "Lynn is one of the premier scientists of the century and we are very proud of her," Frederick Byron, who served as the university's vice chancellor for research from 1994 to 2004, told The Republican after president William J. Clinton bestowed the award in March of 2000.

She was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) and the World Academy of Art and Science, an elected foreign member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, and a fellow of the Massachusetts Academy of Sciences, according the the university's statement.

Renowned for research on endosymbiosis and her theory of symbiogenesis, Margulis is also known for her contributions to James E. Lovelock's Gaia concept, which characterizes the Earth itself as a living organism.

According to her department biography, the theory of symbiogenesis challenges a "central tenet" of neo-Darwinism: the theory that one of the catalysts of evolution -- inherited variation -- is born of random mutation. Rather, symbiogenesis argues that "new tissues, organs, and even new species evolve primarily through the long-lasting intimacy of strangers," her biography reads.

Among the many books Margulis published during her career is Acquiring Genomes: A Theory Of The Origins Of Species, which she co-wrote with son Dorion Sagan. Margulis was married for a time to the late astronomer Carl Sagan, who died in 1996.


Massachusetts Treasurer Steven Grossman pledges to implement thorough process in naming Gaming Commission member

0
0

Gov. Deval Patrick, Attorney General Martha Coakley and Grossman will select the members of the new gaming commission.

SteveGrossman2010.jpgSteven Grossman

BOSTON - Massachusetts State Treasurer Steven Grossman, granted the authority Tuesday to name one of five members of a newly established Gaming Commission to help develop the casino industry, said Tuesday he intends to implement a thorough process for identifying his pick.

"It is my responsibility to the people of the commonwealth to identify a candidate who best exemplifies the appropriate vision, managerial experience, and ethics necessary to carry out the significant duties of this appointment," he said in a statement. "We only have one opportunity to get this right. Therefore, I’ll soon be outlining a comprehensive and transparent selection process for choosing a commissioner."

Gov. Deval L. Patrick and Attorney General Martha M. Coakley will also get to pick members to the commission, and the three leaders will combine to fill the remaining two seats.


University of Massachusetts community reacts to death of renowned scientist and professor Lynn Margulis

0
0

Colleagues recalled Margulis as a scientist who had a passion for teaching.

MARGULIS-2002.JPGLynn Margulis delivers a lecture in 2002.

AMHERST - Internationally renowned evolutionary biologist and Distinguished University Professor Lynn Margulis died Tuesday at her home here. She was 73.

Margulis joined the University of Massachusetts faculty in 1988 after teaching at Boston University for 22 years.

She wrote hundreds of research papers and many books, including “Symbiotic Planet: A New Look at Evolution” and “Acquiring Genomes: A Theory of the Origin of the Species.”

Her death surprised her colleagues who said that Margulis was healthy and rode her bike to work almost everyday.

"She was a wonderful colleague and a close friend. She was always stimulating; she always had a new idea, some new connection she had seen and she couldn't wait to tell you about what it was," said Steve Goodwin, Dean of the College of Natural Resources
 and the Environment. For example, Goodwin said, Margulis had recently discovered a new organism at Puffer’s Pond and wanted to talk about.

“She had an incredible memory. She would make connections to things you’d marvel at,” Goodwin added. “Her enthusiasm for science was infectious."

R. Mark Leckie, geosciences department head, said, “She was a very a dynamic colleague a huge inspiration to her students. She was a very collegial faculty member she was a pleasant person to have as colleague."

Margulis taught a class in environmental evolution for 38 years.

"She loved teaching, it was really her passion," Leckie said. "She introduced her students to lectures and interviews with many “famous scientists. She was able to bring some of those connections to her students."

Leckie described Margulis' impact on the field of biology as "huge."

Margulis2.jpgPresident William J. Clinton awards Lynn Margulis the 1999 National Medal of Science in a ceremony at the White House.

Her work, though, was not without controversy. She was a skeptic of neo-Darwinian evolution, and admitted in a recent interview in Discover magazine that many of her criticisms of neo-Darwinism are the same as those made by proponents of intelligent design. However, she said, she was not a proponent of intelligent design.

Goodwin said Margulis, in her research, would “take the theory of evolutionary biology and see how far she could push it.”

In a statement issued Wednesday, Chancellor Robert C. Holub called her death "a great loss for the entire campus family."

"She leaves us a legacy of academic accomplishment brought about by her original thought and tireless inquiry into multiple field of science that look at how the world functions and how that magnificent world has developed over time," Holub said.

Margulis also wanted the layperson to understand science and wrote the "Luminous Fish: Tales of Science and Love" to help.

The book featured four fictional tales and her account of her encounter as a young woman with J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist who helped develop the atomic bomb.

"I quit my job as a wife twice. It's not humanly possible to be a good wife, a good mother, and a first-class scientist," wrote Margulis, who was once married to astronomer Carl Sagan.

Margulis was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1983 and received the National Medal of Science from President Bill Clinton in 1999.

She was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) and the World Academy of Art and Science, an elected foreign member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, and a fellow of the Massachusetts Academy of Sciences, according to a UMass press release.


Northampton Community Preservation Committee recommends $1.2 million for new playing field complex in Florence

0
0

A 15-year bond for $1.2 million would take $130,000 off the top in Community Preservation funds, with payments diminishing thereafter over the life of the loan, planner Sarah LaValley said.

ACADMARQUEE1_6529775.JPGCommunity Preservation funds paid for the new marquee at the Academy of Music.

NORTHAMPTON – The Community Preservation Committee is recommending three projects in its latest round of funding, including the biggest allocation of Community Preservation Act funding to date: $1.2 million for a new complex of playing fields in Florence.

The record allocation could increase to close to $2 million if the project fails to win a state grant of $757,000. The committee is also recommending $302,000 for the purchase of 100 acres of wildlife habitat near the Mineral Hills Conservation Area and $275,000 to replace the roof at the Academy of Music.

The City Council, which has ultimate approval over the spending, will consider the recommendations at its next meeting. Should it okay the Florence Fields spending, the city would bond for the project, with annual payments coming from the Community Preservation fund.

According to committee member Frances Volkmann, there was intense discussion about the Florence Fields allocation because of the amount of the request. In the end, however, the committee approved it unanimously. The next costliest project the committee has endorsed were $1 million for exterior work on Forbes Library and $990,000 to help purchase the Bean/Allard farms in Florence. Part of that parcel has been set aside to create Florence Fields, a complex that will include new playing fields for baseball, soccer and other sports.

Community Preservation money comes from a 3 percent property tax surcharge that the city was allowed to impose after voters adopted the Community Preservation Act in 2005. The money is targeted specifically for projects involving affordable housing, conservation, historic preservation and recreation. Opponents of the tax put the matter to a vote in a special ballot question earlier this month that asked if voters they wanted to rescind the act. Residents opted overwhelmingly to keep it.

Volkmann said the sheer cost of the Florence Fields project generated debate among the committee.

“There was a lot of discussion about all aspects of it, because it was really huge,” she said. “But everyone is committed to having Florence Fields built and be part of the community.”

According to Sarah LaValley, the Planning Department liaison to the Community Preservation Committee, the committee started with a pot of about $700,000 in this round and expects to have some $375,000 to distribute for the next round of funding. The amount varies from round to round depending on the number of projects funded and the amount of matching state money available.

A 15-year bond for $1.2 million would take $130,000 off the top in Community Preservation funds, with payments diminishing thereafter over the life of the loan, LaValley said. Should the project not receive the state money, a $1.9 million bond would diminish the pot by $200,000.

The Academy of Music has already benefited from Community Preservation money, using it to restore its marquee and install new doors. Without Community Preservation money, the Academy would be hard-pressed to replace its roof, Volkmann said.

“It seems like often there isn’t anyplace else to go,” she said.

Agawam School Committee considers raising school lunch prices 25 cents

0
0

The federal government wants school districts to raise their lunch prices to the level at which it reimburses them for giving out free lunches.

Town of Agawam Seal

AGAWAM – The School Committee is considering increasing the price of school lunches by 25 cents to meet a federal mandate to bring prices up over the next five years to the amount it reimburses the School Department for free lunches.

It currently reimburses the school district $2.46 for each free lunch it gives to needy students.

Patricia A. Cavanaugh, the district’s financial director, outlined a proposal before the School Committee Monday with Director of Food Services Joseph R. Lecuyer.

“The federal government says you can’t charge less than we give you for a free meal,” Cavanaugh said, adding that the federal government has given schools five years to increase prices to parity with the amount it reimburses for free lunches.

If adopted, the price hike would mean lunch prices of $2 for elementary and middle school students and $2.25 for junior high and high school students as of Jan. 1.

Cavanaugh and Lecuyer also proposed increasing prices by 10 cents as of Sept. 1, 2012 and by 15 cents by Sept. 1, 2013 to continue working to meet the federal mandate.

Other school districts in the area are also faced with increasing their school lunch prices for the same reason. Last month, East Longmeadow decided to increase its prices by 25 cents effective in January. That will increase the price of lunch for elementary school students to $1.75 and for middle school and high school students to $2.25.

West Springfield also increased its prices starting this past September to $2 for elementary school students and $2.25 for junior and senior high school students.

The last time Agawam increased its school lunches prices was the 2006-2007 academic year, when all prices were raised by 25 cents.

Cavanaugh told the committee another reason the increase is needed to avoid letting the lunch program run a deficit because it must now cover $72,000 a year in health insurance costs for food service employees. In addition, Cavanaugh said more money is needed to comply with the state school nutrition bill requiring schools to provide healthier meals.

Because the agenda did not list a resolution calling for a vote on the matter, the School Committee had to table action on the proposal until its Dec. 13 meeting.

Westfield School Department craftsmen prepare new office space

0
0

The relocation of School Department administrative offices is scheduled for next month.

WESTFIELD – School Department craftsmen are busy creating office space in a former medical facility that will house the school administrative offices for the next three years.

“There is a lot of overhaul,” said head carpenter Bernard J. Lusa this week as he worked on framing new offices at 1029 North Rd.

The former Riverbend Medical Center at Hampton Ponds Plaza has been leased by the School Department for the next three years with two additional one-year extensions options.

The relocation, from the former Ashley Street School, is being made to clear the way for construction of a new $36 million elementary school at Ashley and Cross streets. Construction is scheduled to begin next spring.

“We are framing new walls, installing some new electrical service, some floor tiles and replacing counter tops,” Lusa said. Some plumbing upgrades and changes to the main entrance of the building will also be made.

The lease at Hampton Ponds Plaza will cost the department $2,750 per month and the School Committee last week approved $25,000 to cover moving expenses and the cost of renovation work. The plaza owner, Gem Trust of Wayland, is paying for materials for that renovation, officials said.

The relocation of school offices and the demolition of Ashley Street School will save the city an estimated $4.5 million in necessary repairs and energy improvements to the former school.

Lusa said craftsmen began renovations last week and work will continue for an estimated three more weeks.

School Director of Operations Frank B. Maher Jr. said work is not expected to be completed until at least three more weeks and that schedule will allow offices to move during Christmas school vacation.

Not all administrative offices will move to the plaza. School lunch, payroll and volunteers in Public Schools will relocate to City Hall.

PM News Links: Black Friday shoppers warned of possible cyber scams, Sturbridge braces for traffic overflow onto Route 20 and more

0
0

A Enfield furniture store popular with Western Massachusetts customers is closing its doors.

Sticky goo 112311.jpgA car with its wheels covered in driveway sealant sits in a parking lot in Harmar, Pa., after exiting the Pennsylvania Turnpike Tuesday night. Click on the link, left, for a report from MassLive's sister website, PennLive.com about the flood of the gooey material that disabled more than 100 cars.

NOTE: Users of modern browsers can open each link in a new tab by holding 'control' ('command' on a Mac) and clicking each link.

Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities announces hearings on Oct. 29 snow storm

0
0

The state investigations, announced on Nov. 8, focus on the companies’ efforts to restore electric power, including their communications with cities and towns.

National Grid 11411.jpgA National Grid truck surveys damage to power lines on Ledgewood Road in Belchertown in early November.

BOSTON -- The state Department of Public Utilities announced it will hold a series of eight public hearings -- including four in Western Massachusetts -- to air concerns about electric-companies' response to the freak Oct. 29 snow storm.

The historic storm leveled the region with heavy, wet snow and strong winds, knocking out power for tens of thousands of homes and businesses.

Commissioners and staff of the department will take testimony from the public and local officials.

Separate hearings will be held at 7 p.m. on Dec. 5 at East Longmeadow High School and at the Duggan Middle School in Springfield.

The East Longmeadow hearing will focus on National Grid response and preparation, while the Springfield hearing will look at Western Massachusetts Electric Co.

Other hearings in Western Massachusetts are set for 7 p.m. on Dec. 7 at Belchertown High School and 7 p.m. Dec. 13 Greenfield High School.

The Greenfield hearing is part of the investigation for Western Massachusetts Electric and the Belchertown event will zero in on National Grid.

Some people in Western Massachusetts lost power for five to seven days. Weighed down by moist snow, leafy tree limbs fell on power lines across the region.

The state investigations, announced on Nov. 8, focus on the companies’ efforts to restore electric power, including their communications with cities and towns.

The investigations will determine if the companies followed state regulations and fully put into effect their emergency response plans, which were last filed in May.

Gov. Deval Patrick signs transgender protection bill

0
0

The bill also expands the state's hate crimes statutes to include violence perpetrated against transgender men and women.

Gov. Deval Patrick signed legislation Wednesday adding the words “gender identity” to the state’s non-discrimination laws, a bid to prevent discrimination against transgender residents seeking housing, employment, credit or post-secondary education.

The bill also expands the state's hate crimes statutes to include violence perpetrated against transgender men and women. Patrick said he signed the bill as a matter of “conscience” even though lawmakers had stripped a provision that would have required all “sex-segregated facilities” to grant admission to people based on their gender identity, rather than their biological gender.

The provision, viewed as a key component by advocates of the legislation, was removed to build consensus among lawmakers. “It gave me pause, and it gave the advocates pause, and it gave transgender people pause,” Patrick said in an interview inside his State House office. “There’s a lot of good in this bill, and after consulting with them and my team and my own conscience, I wanted to sign this bill. And then, we’ll come back around to public accommodations.”

Patrick said he didn’t want to risk sending the bill back to lawmakers with an amendment, particularly as they embark on a seven-week recess. “I’ve had the experience before of sending something back when they go out and then it never comes back complete,” he said. “Witness gaming a year ago.”

The governor signed the bill quietly Wednesday morning, without any of the fanfare that accompanied bill signings for expanded gambling, anti-human-trafficking and collective bargaining legislation earlier in the week. He said he anticipates a ceremony for the bill to occur after the holidays. Clad in jeans and wearing a hat with “Sweet P Farm” written across the front – a reference to his western Massachusetts home – Patrick spoke to the News Service as he prepared to depart for Atlanta, where he intends to celebrate Thanksgiving with relatives.

Patrick has largely cleared his desk of legislation sent to him by lawmakers last week. Among the bills he signed was a proposal to gradually increase the limit on alcohol licenses for chain stores, a plan to avert a more sweeping ballot question on the topic.

Patrick said he signed the bill at the unanimous recommendation of members of his administration. “I just don’t view it as that big a deal, to tell you the truth,” he said. “I want to offer respect to folks who have strong feelings about it. Our whole team vetted it and the unanimous recommendation was to go ahead and sign it.”


Jeffrey Leporati, struck by car on Route 20 in West Springfield, dies from injuries at Baystate Medical Center

0
0

Leporati was hit around 9:30 p.m. Friday on Route 20

030911 West Springfield Police Car Police Cruiser 203.09.11 | Photo by Julian Feller-Cohen – A West Springfield Police Department cruiser.

WEST SPRINGFIELD - A man struck by a car on Route 20 Friday night has died, abc40 and Fox 6 has reported.

Family members have told abc40 and FOX 6 that Jeffrey Leporati has died as a result of his injuries. Leporati was hit around 9:30 p.m. Friday on Route 20 near Lions Package Store.

Leporati was taken to Baystate Medical Center with what police described as “potentially life-threatening injuries” and later passed away, according to a hospital spokesman.

Police were not immediately available for comment.

South Hadley's Holiday Stroll has a new day and time

0
0

Santa Claus and his elves will arrive at the Common, led by the Tiger Pride Marching Band from South Hadley High School.

HOLIDAY-STROLL-2010.JPG12.03.2010 | SOUTH HADLEY - The Michael E. Smith Middle School Opus Singers perform at the gazebo at last year's Holiday Stroll.

SOUTH HADLEY – The annual Holiday Stroll will be a little different this year, though visitors can still look forward to live music, Santa’s grand entrance, a dramatic tree lighting, shopping at the Village Commons and other familiar traditions.

The family-friendly event will still take place on the Town Common, but on a Saturday afternoon, not the usual Friday night. The date is Dec. 3.

Admission is free.

The new daylight schedule avoids the need for parents to hurry home from work and quickly bundle up the children for the outing.

“I have small kids,” said Katherine (“Kay”) Sordillo, president of the Chamber of Commerce of South Hadley & Granby, which sponsors the event, “and I have to admit it was always a rush to get dinner for them and get up there to the Town Common.”

On the new Saturday schedule, the nearby Gaylord Library will still offer a crafts workshop for children from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., followed by music at the Gazebo at 2:30 p.m. Raymond Wingate, administrator of Wingate at South Hadley, will serve as master of ceremonies for the event.

At 3 p.m., Santa Claus and his elves will arrive at the Common, led by the Tiger Pride Marching Band from South Hadley High School.

Children can take turns sitting on Santa’s lap all afternoon. Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras, as the professional photographer who used to perform that service has retired.

The role of Santa’s elves will be played by members of the South Hadley Leo Club, the junior branch of the Lions Club.

Meanwhile, a series of live music performances in the Gazebo will begin at 3:15 with vocalist David Mandell, followed by the Lifepoint Church Choir. At 4:30 p.m., John Bobbin will direct the South Hadley Community Band.

The tree-lighting will take place at 5 p.m. as darkness descends on the Town Common. Shortly after, Santa will disappear into the night.

Sordillo encourages people to walk through the Village Commons, a charming and popular multi-level complex of shops and eateries that will be decorated for the season.

Visitors can also bring donations of non-perishable food, as the Christmas Basket Program will be collecting for the South Hadley Food Bank.

First Congregational Church on the Common will be offering a Holiday Cookie Sale and a Rose Window Crafters’ Sale from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

The Holiday Stroll is made possible by PeoplesBank; Easthampton, Chicopee and Florence Savings Banks; Berkshire Bank; South Hadley Electric Light; the Fire, Police and Public Works Departments in South Hadley, Wingate at South Hadley, the South Hadley Lions Club, the Village Commons and Brighter Beginnings Child Care.



Nevada casino company to pitch plans for $500 million gambling resort in Springfield

0
0

Troy Stremming, a senior vice president with Ameristar, said he will emphasize jobs and economic development in attempting to win support of people.

westinghouse-aerial.jpgAn aerial view of the Westinghouse site in November, 2010. Most of the buildings on the property have been demolished over the past several weeks.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Nevada-based company is set to field questions from the public about its plans for a $500 million casino and hotel at the former Westinghouse site in Springfield.

Officials with Ameristar Casinos are scheduled to speak at a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Mary Mother of Hope church at 840 Page Blvd. in Springfield, according to Kathleen Brown, president of the East Springfield Neighborhood Council, which will host the meeting.

Ameristar on Nov. 16 unveiled plans to build a casino and hotel on 41 acres off Page Boulevard it purchased for $16 million. The company said the project would create 2,000 construction jobs and 2,800 permanent jobs.

Troy Stremming, a senior vice president with Ameristar, said he will emphasize jobs and economic development in attempting to win support of people.

Stremming said it will be the company's job to find a way to direct traffic to the site without disrupting nearby residents. Stremming has said the site was picked partly because of its access from Interstate 291 and close proximity to the Massachusetts Turnpike.

The meeting comes after Gov. Deval Patrick Tuesday signed a bill to authorize up to three casino resorts in the state including one for anywhere in the four counties of Western Massachusetts.

The Mohegan Sun of Connecticut is planning a casino for Palmer and Hard Rock International of Florida is proposing a casino for Holyoke.

Springfield police to offer free skating lessions at Cyr Arena for city children

0
0

Springfield police officers are donating their time to offer instruction and skating tips for children and their parents.

copskate.JPGSpringfield police officers will again be providing free skating lessons at Cyr Arena every Saturday through the end of December, beginning Saturday at 1 p.m. In this file photo from last December, police officers John Aberdale, left, and Ed Arroya teach Victoria Surreira of Springfield to to skate.


SPRINGFIELD
- The Springfield Police Department will be offering its "Learn to Skate" program for city children and their families, beginning this Saturday, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Cyr Arena in Forest Park.

The program will continue each Saturday until after the Christmas holidays.

Springfield police officers are donating their time to offer instruction and skating tips for children and their parents.

The session is free. There is no charge for ice time or for skate rental.

Children who will be participating are asked to bring a bike helmet.

For more information, contact Sgt. John Delaney at (413) 787-6313.

Springfield police have provided the classes for the last several years. Last year, approximately 50 children took part.

Former Holyoke interim fire chief William Moran to face criminal charges in connection with false 911 call

0
0

Moran filed retirement papers in September.

SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield District Court Clerk's office has found probable cause to issue criminal complaints against former Holyoke interim fire chief William Moran, Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni announced in a press release.

Mastroianni sought the complaint accusing Moran of sending a fire truck on a fake call to the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside June 15. The clerk's decision paves the way for Mastroianni to pursue charges against Moran alleging disorderly conduct and willful and malicious communication of false information in an emergency.

Moran filed retirement papers in September, and his retirement was approved in October.



This is a developing story. Details will be added as our reporting continues today. The criminal complaint, determination of probable cause and Mastroianni's press release are embedded below.

Criminal Complaint and Determination of Probable Cause Against Former Holyoke Fire Chief William Moran

Hampden DA press release on William Moran criminal complaint

Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images