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Springfield police arrest Forest Park neighborhood barber, Alexander Dominguez, on cocaine and marijuana charges

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The suspect and others associated with Flo Barbershop did not have barber licenses.

alexanderdominguez23crop.jpgAlexander Dominguez

SPRINGFIELD – Detectives, surveilling a Forest Park neighborhood barbershop Thursday night, arrest a barber after they allegedly saw him selling crack cocaine between cuts.

Sgt. John M. Delaney said the Flo Barbershop, 278 Oakland St., has been the focus of a police investigation for into drug-dealing and gang activity for several months.

Officers Norberto Diaz, Tim Flanagan and Roberto Flores set up their surveillance about 5:45 p.m. and observed a barber, later identified as Alexander Dominguez selling crack, Delaney, aide to Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said.

Police arrested the suspect and found seven bags of crack cocaine, four larger bags of powdered cocaine, a bag of marijuana and $325 in cash.

Dominguez, 23, told police that he did not have a barber’s license and the three other barbers in the shop did not have licenses as well, Delaney, aide to Commissioner William J. Fitchet, said.

When police summoned the owner of the business to the scene he too could not produce a license, Delaney said.

The barbershop, meanwhile, was full of customers, Delaney said.

Dominguez. of 109 Abbe Ave., was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and violation of a drug-free zone (Kensington School).

Delaney said police are powerless to shut down such illegal barber operations and that police have asked the state’s Division of Licensure, located at 436 Dwight St. to immediately shut the shop down.

The state Division of Licensure of has no records on Flo Barbershop.


Massachusetts U.S. Senate race profile: Marisa DeFranco

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DeFranco, an immigration attorney, is seeking the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Scott Brown.

Marisa DeFrancoDemocratic candidate for the U.S. Senate Marisa DeFranco participates in a forum at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011. (AP File Photo)

Marisa DeFranco

Biographical notes

Age: 41

Hometown: Erie, PA

Current Position: Attorney at Law, Immigration Lawyer

Past Positions: Chair, Massachusetts Bar Association Immigration Section Council, 2008-2011 | Chair, New England Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) | Director, AILA National Board of Governors | VP of Legislative Policy Committee for Massachusetts NOW | Chair, Violence Against Women Task Force | Commissioner, Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women

Education: University of Dayton B.A., 1992 | Suffolk University Law School, J.D. cum laude, 1996


Online Resources

On the Issues

Jobs: “I propose and support a Real Deal Jobs Bill, a Green Jobs bill and call for direct investment that puts people to work now—half measures that may or may not percolate through the system do not cut it. In the short-term, if we invested $100 billion over two years, we could create 2 million green jobs and with $500 billion over 10 years, we could create 5 million green jobs.”

Healthcare: “I am the only candidate on the record in support of Single Payer.[…] Why do we pay more for less? Because 31% of every dollar goes to administrative waste. My father is a retired physician (internal medicine) and my mother is a retired RN—administration takes doctors and nurses away from what they do best, treating and healing patients.[…] No cuts to Medicare. If we had good healthcare for the first 65 years of our life, we would see Medicare costs come down significantly.”

Immigration: “I support reform modeled on our current system of sponsorship-based immigration. I do NOT support a point-system, which both Ds and Rs supported during the last reform discussions.[…] Create permanent category for essential workers. […]Provide adequate funding for border and port security.[…] Create legalization for undocumented—must pay fine of ~$4000.[…] Erase discrimination in asylum law by creating categories for women and LGBT as their own recognized group.[…] Increase funding for immigration court system.”

Energy and Environment: “We must once and for all put serious money into renewable energy and get off of fossil fuels.[…] Investing our federal dollars into renewable resources will have multiple benefits, starting with the building of new high tech manufacturing plants in the U.S., which will in turn create good green jobs and bring back a healthy economy”


Massachusetts U.S. Senate race profile: James Coyne King

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King is a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Scott Brown.

Jim KingDemocratic candidate for the U.S. Senate Jim King participates in a forum at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011. (AP File Photo)

James Coyne King

Biographical notes

Age: 63

Hometown: Saratoga Springs, NY

Current Positions: President and co-founder, Murphy and King, professional corporation counselors at law

Past Positions: Government Trial Attorney Antitrust Division of U.S. Department of Justice | Special Assistant to the U.S. Attorney’s for the Districts of Colorado and Washington | Attorney in Office of Chief Counsel at IRS | Academics Adjunct Faculty Member, Center of International Legal Studies, University of Salzburg Austria

Education: Georgetown University, A.B., 1970 | Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1973 | Georgetown University LL.M. (Taxation), 1978

Online Resources

On the Issues

From the candidate's statement, "What I'm All About":

"I’m running because I believe passionately in Massachusetts’ extraordinary tradition of leadership and innovation.

I’m proud of our pioneering health care law, the excellence of our public education, and our record on human rights, like marriage equality. I’m also proud of our economic leadership in areas like energy, health care, and our vigorous entrepreneurial culture.

I’ve been fortunate to spend the last thirty years running my own law firm in Boston, a real window into business and an education in how to create jobs. You know, working in business the last the thirty years, has given me a common sense, practical approach. Getting things done, and watching Washington these days, it can drive you nuts.

I actually got my start as a young attorney working at the Department of Justice, around people who had a very different idea of public service contrasted to today. My mentor worked with Bobby Kennedy, actually. Those folks believed—and nobody ever embodied this better than Kennedy by the way—that we should aim high, and that we can achieve things as a country."

Massachusetts U.S. Senate race profile: Elizabeth Warren

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Warren is a candidate in the race for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Scott Brown.

120111 elizabeth warren.JPGDemocratic Senate hopeful Elizabeth Warren chats with an attendee of the the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association luncheon in Boston Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Elizabeth Warren

Biographical notes

Age: 52

Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK

Current positions: Professor of Law, Harvard Law School | Member, Commission on Economic Inclusion, FDIC, 2007-present | Member, Research Advisory Board, Community Affairs, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, 2008-present

Select past positions (see below for link to full resume): Government Chair, Congressional Oversight Panel for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) | co-creator, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | Academic The University of Pennsylvania Law School. 1990-1995: William A Schnader Professor of Commercial Law; 1987-1990: Professor of Law | Professional Vice-President, Council of the American Law Institute, 2000-2004 | Chief Adviser to the National Bankruptcy Review Commission, 1995-1997 | Board of Trustees, American Bankruptcy Board of Certification, 1992-1996

Education: J.D. Rutgers School of Law, Newark, 1976; B.S. University of Houston, 1970


Online Resources:

On the Issues:
Excerpts from the “Priorities” page of Warren’s website:

Education: "Good public schools, good public universities, and good technical training can give us a workforce better than any in the world. Well-trained workers are cost effective, and they can give us a powerful competitive advantage in world markets. Investments in our people pay the highest dividends."

Construction: "We need to upgrade our aging roads, bridges, mass transit, and water and sewage lines—the basic pieces it takes to manufacture goods and to get them to market. My brother-in-law Steve operates a Gradall out of Plymouth. He tells me that he digs up water and sewage pipes in some parts of the state that were laid in the late 1800s and now are crumbling. We could be upgrading right now—creating good jobs and investing in our future."

Renewable energy: "If we invest now in 21st century energy, we can lower the costs of production for all of our future work. Right now, renewable energy competes with old energies that get lots of special breaks in Washington. Massachusetts can lead the world in using green technology to cut production costs and make our products competitive around the world. Again, we could do this right here, right now—and create jobs here in Massachusetts."

Research: "Massachusetts is a world leader on the research that produces new products and new industries—and creates the demand for new technical jobs. Increasing our support for this kind of research helps Massachusetts and helps the country."

A "level playing field": "Our self-employed and small businesses, and the community banks that fund them, are drowning in complicated regulations. Long, complex rules create loopholes that the big companies can take advantage of, but they leave little guys out in the cold. We need rules that are written with small businesses in mind. We need straightforward rules that any small business can deal with, like the short and streamlined mortgage form the consumer agency is putting into law."

Workers’ rights: "We need to make it easier for workers who want to organize to have the chance to do so. If people want to work together for better wages, for better health care, and for better working conditions, they should have the right to do so."

Fair trade: "If we are going to sell our products to the rest of the world, we need to strengthen trade laws and ensure their enforcement. We need to make sure that those we compete with also respect workers’ rights and environmental rules."


Massachusetts U.S. Senate race profile: Scott Brown

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Scott Brown was elected to the U.S. Senate in a 2010 special election following the death of Ted Kennedy.

Scott Brown official portraitScott Brown | Click here for Brown's official biography.

Scott P. Brown

Biographical notes

Age: 52

Hometown: Wrentham, MA

Current position: United States Senator, Massachusetts | Elected January 19, 2010 | Committee on Armed Services; Committee on Veterans' Affairs; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Previous elected positions: Massachusetts State Senate | Massachusetts House of Representatives | Board of Selectmen, Town of Wrentham | Assessor, Town of Wrentham

Other public service: Massachusetts Army National Guard (currently holds rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps)

Education: Wakefield High School; Tufts University; Boston College Law School

Online resources
Senate record, social media and more:

On the Issues
Excerpts from the "Key Issues" section on Brown's website:

Jobs: "We should enact policies that reduce taxes and cut government bureaucracy in order to create real, private sector jobs so that America’s entrepreneurs and businesses can put our citizens back to work."

Healthcare: "[T]he recently enacted Federal health care legislation does not accomplish these goals and instead raises taxes on individuals and businesses, increases government spending, and will result in higher costs for consumers. I believe we must focus on fixing and replacing the worst parts of this law with common-sense health care reforms that drive down costs, make it easier for people to purchase affordable insurance, and strengthen the existing private market system."

Immigration: "I have always been a strong proponent of legal immigration and we should immediately streamline the process for those who are seeking citizenship through legal and proper channels. It is also true that we have always been and must remain a nation of laws. We must secure our borders as this is vital to our national security and the safety of all Americans. I believe government should not adopt policies that encourage illegal immigration. I have opposed proposals that include amnesty or access taxpayer-funded benefits for those who are in this country illegally."

Education: "We should focus on policies that increase accountability and hold our schools, teachers, and administrators to the highest standards so that every child has the opportunity to receive the best education possible. [. . .] We must take a hard look at how we fund public schools in this country and control the rapidly escalating costs of higher education. I also support providing students and parents with a choice through the expansion of charter schools."

Energy and environment: "I believe the U.S. should develop a diverse range of clean energy technologies, including the deployment of clean, safe nuclear power, wind, solar, hydro-electric, and geothermal. I also believe we should increase America’s energy efficiency in our homes, businesses, and vehicles."

Pioneer Valley officials lobby state for transportation, highway funds

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The requests were presented during a Department of Transportation budget hearing held in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD – The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority and Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Thursday lobbied state Department of Transportation officials for additional funds to support public transportation and highway projects in the region in next year’s state budget.

Timothy Brennan 2010.jpgTimothy W. Brennan

PVPC executive director Timothy W. Brennan called for more revenue to help address nearly $1.2 billion in area highway projects in backlog since 2002 and another $279 million in regional transit projects.

Highway projects include a $358 million estimate to replace the Interstate 91 viaduct in Springfield.

Mary L. MacInnes, PVTA administrator, told DOT secretary Richard A. Davey that operating expenses for her agency have increased by 17 percent over the past five years but state financial assistance is down.

She said the authority is projecting a $2.5 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2013 which begins July 1.

“The capital projects backlog is expanding and currently lists 151 projects region-wide,” Brennan said. In 2002 there were 128 projects with a combined estimated cost of $140 million.

He suggested that Gov. Deval L. Patrick and the Legislature seek a statewide referendum to consider additional or new taxes to finance infrastructure repairs.

“More revenue is needed in the system,” Brennan said.

The PVTA current budget is $37 million including about $16 million in state contract assistance, MacInnes said. But, she also noted that the majority of regional ridership has an annual income of less than $10,000.

To address PVTA’s budget woes, MacInnes said the transit authority will “test fare scenarios, introduce a debit type card payment system for riders and review routes.”

She indicated a reduction in routes is a last resort.

Davey and other DOT representatives were in Springfield Thursday for the last of three public hearings on the Department of Transportation’s FY2013 budget.

Davey said a draft transportation budget will be submitted to the governor in about two weeks. DOT’s current operating budget is $1.5 billion and he was less than optimistic concerning any increases for the new fiscal year.

“We have been asked to tighten the belt,” he said, adding that much of the current transportation budget, about $1 billion, is spent on debt service.

“Despite a recovering economy, taxes will grow modestly with emphasis on modest next year,” he said. “Expenses will exceed revenue,” he said.

Davey suggested a balanced state budget in FY2013 will require a reduction in services and programs.

Final goodbye: Roll call of some who died in 2011

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Perhaps no two deaths in 2011 transfixed the world more than those of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi.

Gallery preview

ATLANTA — They lived by the sword, both inspiring fear and acts of bloodshed around the world. And in the end, they both suffered violent deaths befitting their fearsome reputations. Perhaps no two deaths in 2011 transfixed the world more than those of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi.

Photo gallery: Notable deaths of 2011 »

Bin Laden became the most wanted man in the world after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed almost 3,000 people. Nearly a decade later, he was shot dead by U.S. commandos in May after being tracked to his hideout in Pakistan. His body was buried at sea. For Gadhafi, the end came after he was captured by rebels, his final moments shown in gruesome, shaky handheld video that was seen across the globe.

If relief and even celebration by many greeted their demise, the deaths of other notables in 2011 brought reflection on lives of achievement.

The world of science and innovation lost Steve Jobs, the Apple founder who invented and marketed sleek gadgets that transformed everyday technology from the personal computer to the iPod, iPhone and iPad.

Science also said goodbye this year to Christian J. Lambertson, Norman Ramsey, William Nunn Lipscomb, Jr., Boris Chertok and Ralph Steinman.

Political figures who died in 2011 included R. Sargent Shriver, Warren M. Christopher, Jiri Dienstbier, Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Geraldine Ferraro, Max van der Stoel, Necmattin Erbakan, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu, Leonidas Kyrkos, Hugh Carey, Garret FitzGerald and Betty Ford.

In entertainment, the world lost Elizabeth Taylor, a woman whose sultry screen persona, stormy personal life and enduring fame made her one of the last of the classic movie stars. The year also saw the passing of soul singer Amy Winehouse, whose death at age 27 left many wondering what works of musical brilliance the world might have seen from the troubled, young star.

Others in the arts and entertainment field who died include: Peter Falk, Jane Russell, Clarence Clemons, Pinetop Perkins, Annie Girardot, Harry Morgan, Ferlin Husky, Susannah York, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, David Nelson, Sidney Lumet, Richard Hamilton, Bil Keane, Poly Styrene, M.F. Husain, Heavy D, Jackie Cooper, Robert Tear and Betty Garrett.

Here is a roll call of some of the people who died in 2011. (Cause of death cited for younger people if available.)

JANUARY:

Maj. Richard "Dick" Winters, 92. The man who fought in several major battles in World War II and whose quiet leadership was chronicled in the book and television miniseries "Band of Brothers." Jan. 2.

Malangatana Ngwenya, 74. A Mozambican painter, poet and politician who became one of Africa's most famous artists for his work drawing on the country's rocky history. Jan. 5.

Vang Pao, 81. A revered former general in the Royal Army of Laos, who led thousands of Hmong guerrillas in a CIA-backed secret army in the Vietnam war. Jan. 6.

Jiri Dienstbier, 73. A reporter turned dissident who joined Vaclav Havel to help topple one of Eastern Europe's most repressive regimes, then served under Havel in Czechoslovakia's first post-communist government. Jan. 8.

Peter Yates, 81. A British film maker who sent actor Steve McQueen screeching through the streets of San Francisco in a Ford Mustang in "Bullitt." Jan. 9.

Margaret Whiting, 86. A sweet-voiced performer known for sentimental ballads who sold millions of records in the 1940s and 1950s. Jan. 10.

David Nelson, 74. He starred on his parents' popular American television show "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet." Jan. 11. Colon cancer.

Mississippi Winn, 113. A former domestic worker believed to be the oldest living African-American in the U.S. and the seventh oldest person in the world. Jan. 14.

Susannah York, 72. One of the leading stars of British and Hollywood films in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Jan. 15. Cancer.

Don Kirshner, 76. A rock promoter who helped launch performers such as Prince, the Eagles, Lionel Ritchie and Ozzy Osbourne. Jan. 17.

R. Sargent Shriver, 95. First Peace Corps director, ambassador and leader of the War on Poverty in the U.S. but best known as a Kennedy in-law. Jan. 18.

Ed Mauser, 94. The oldest living member of a 101st Airborne Division company that became known as the "Band of Brothers" and fought some of the fiercest battles of World War II but kept his Army service secret even from his family. Jan. 21. Pancreatic cancer.

Jack LaLanne, 96. The fitness guru who inspired U.S. television viewers to trim down, eat well and pump iron for decades before diet and exercise became an American obsession. Jan. 23. Respiratory failure due to pneumonia.

Samuel Ruiz, 86. A retired Roman Catholic bishop and staunch defender of Indian rights who served as a mediator in talks between the Mexican government and leftist Zapatista rebels. Jan. 24.

Nora Sun, 72. A former U.S. trade counsel and granddaughter of the founder of Asia's first republic in China, Sun Yat-sen. Jan. 26. Injuries suffered in a car accident.

FEBRUARY:

Maria Schneider, 58. A French actress who was Marlon Brando's young co-star in Bernardo Bertolucci's steamy "Last Tango in Paris." Feb. 3.

J. Paul Getty, 54. The troubled grandson of one of the world's richest men who lost an ear in a grisly kidnapping in Italy. Feb. 3.

Maria Altman, 94. A refugee from Nazi-occupied Austria whose successfully fought to recover Gustav Klimt paintings looted from her Jewish family. Feb. 7.

Ratu Josefa Iloilo, 91. A Fijian tribal chief who as president made crucial decisions backing the military takeover of the South Pacific country. Feb. 7.

Christian J. Lambertson, 93. A scientist and doctor who invented a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus used by the military in World War II and later coined the term "scuba," an acronym by which such systems are widely known. Feb. 11.

Betty Garrett, 91. The vivacious Broadway star who played singer Frank Sinatra's sweetheart in two MGM musicals before her career was hampered by Hollywood's blacklist in the 1950s. Feb. 12.

George Shearing, 91. A Britsh-born jazz pianist who wrote the standard "Lullaby of Birdland" and headed a famed quintet. Feb. 14.

Suze Rotolo, 67. Artist and girlfriend of singer Bob Dylan, who was his lyrical muse when he came to prominence in the early 1960s. Feb. 25.

Judith Coplon, 81. Convicted of being a Soviet spy after she was caught with secret U.S. documents at a meeting with a Russian agent in 1949 but later acquitted. Feb. 26.

Necmattin Erbakan, 85. A longtime leader of Turkey's Islamic political movement and briefly the country's prime minister in the first Islamic-led coalition in the country's modern history. Feb. 27.

Duke Snider, 84. Baseball Hall of Famer for the "Boys of Summer" who helped the Dodgers bring their only World Series crown to Brooklyn. Feb. 27.

Frank Buckles, 110. The last surviving American veteran of World War I who also survived being a civilian prisoner of war in the Philippines in World War II. Feb. 27.

Jane Russell, 89. The voluptuous actress who starred in the controversial film "The Outlaw" and who, as a pin-up girl, set GIs' hearts to pounding during World War II. Feb. 28.

Annie Girardot, 79. The perky, gravelly voiced actress who became one of France's most enduring and modern stars. Feb. 28.

MARCH:

Mikhail Simonov, 81. An aircraft designer whose heavily armed and far-flying Sukhoi fighter jet became the star of the Soviet defense industry and a cash cow for post-communist Russia. March 4.

Alberto Granado, 88. He accompanied Ernesto "Che" Guevara on a journey of discovery across Latin America that was immortalized in Guevara's memoir and on the screen in "The Motorcycle Diaries." March 5.

Owsley "Bear" Stanley, 76. A 1960s counterculture figure who worked with the Grateful Dead and was a prolific LSD producer. March 12. Injuries suffered in a car crash.

Joe Morello, 82. A legendary American jazz drummer whose virtuosity and odd time signatures made him an integral part of the Dave Brubeck Quartet on such recordings as "Take Five." March 12.

Carel Boshoff, 83. Founder of an all-white separatist community who sought to preserve the culture of Afrikaners as South Africa moved from a white-ruled apartheid government to a democracy. March 16.

Michael Gough, 94. The British actor best known for playing Bruce Wayne's butler in a series of Batman movies. March 17.

Ferlin Husky, 85. A pioneering American country music entertainer in the 1950s and early '60s known for hits like "Wings of the Dove." March 17.

Farley Granger, 85. The 1950s American teen screen idol who starred in Alfred Hitchcock classics such as "Rope" and "Strangers on a Train." March 20.

Pinetop Perkins, 97. Grammy-winning bluesman, who for years played the rickety bars of the Mississippi Delta and performed with musicians such as Ike Turner, Sonny Boy Williamson and slide guitarist Robert Nighthawk. March 21.

Mayhew "Bo" Foster, 99. A World War II U.S. Army pilot who transported Nazi official Hermann Goering for interrogation in an unarmed, unescorted plane. March 21.

Elizabeth Taylor, 79. The violet-eyed American film goddess whose sultry screen persona, stormy personal life and enduring fame and glamour made her one of the last of the classic movie stars and a template for the modern celebrity. March 23.

Warren M. Christopher, 85. The attorney-turned-envoy who tirelessly traveled to Bosnia and the Middle East on peace missions as U.S. secretary of state in the Clinton administration. March 25. Complications from bladder and kidney cancer.

Olga Ulyanova, 89. A chemist and niece of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin who wrote books praising her uncle and family. March 25.

Geraldine Ferraro, 75. A relatively obscure Democratic congresswoman who became the first woman on a major U.S. party ticket when she ran for vice president in 1984 and emboldened American women to seek office. March 26. Complications from blood cancer.

Harry Wesley Coover Jr., 94. Known as the inventor of the popular adhesive Super Glue. March 26.

Jose Alencar, 75. A former vice president and millionaire textile magnate who shared eight years of government with Brazil's first working-class President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. March 29.

Robert Tear, 72. A versatile Welsh tenor who appeared in opera houses around the world and made more than 250 recordings. March 29.

APRIL:

Ange Felix Patasse, 74. He led the desperately poor Central African Republic for a decade before being ousted in a coup in 2003. April 5.

Dr. Baruch S. Blumberg, 85. He shared the Nobel Prize in medicine for his discovery of the hepatitis vaccine. April 5.

Sidney Lumet, 86. The award-winning director of such American film classics as "Network," ''Serpico," ''Dog Day Afternoon" and "12 Angry Men." April 9.

William Nunn Lipscomb, Jr. 91. A Harvard professor who won the Nobel chemistry prize in 1976 for research on the structure of molecules and chemical bonding and mentored several future Nobel laureates. April 14. Pneumonia and complications from a fall.

Juan Pedro Domecq Solis, 69. One of Spain's foremost breeders of fighting bulls and a descendant from a famous sherry producing family. April 18. Vehicle collision.

Pietro Ferrero, 47. Chief executive of the Ferrero Group holding company that produces Nutella, Tic-Tac mints and other confections and a scion of one of Italy's richest families. April 18. Fall from a bicycle.

Grete Waitz, 57. The Norwegian runner who won nine New York marathons and the silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. April 19. Cancer.

Tim Hetherington, 49. A British-born, Oscar-nominated film director and photojournalist. April 20. Killed while covering fighting between rebels and government forces in Libya.

Hubert "Hub" Schlafly, 91. A key member of a team that invented the teleprompter and rescued soap opera actors, newscasters and politicians from stumbling over their words on live television. April 20.

Jess Jackson, 81. The founder of the Kendall-Jackson winery and owner of two most widely recognized thoroughbreds in recent years. April 21.

Norio Ohga, 81. As chairman he transformed the Japanese electronics maker Sony into a global software and entertainment empire. April 23.

Max van der Stoel, 86. A former Dutch foreign minister and a U.N. human rights representative who became a thorn in the side of the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. April 23.

Sathya Sai Baba, 84. A Hindu guru revered by millions worldwide. April 24.

Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu, 86. The outspoken beauty who served as South Vietnam's unofficial first lady early in the Vietnam war and earned the nickname "Dragon Lady" for her harsh criticism of protesting Buddhists and communist sympathizers. April 25.

Poly Styrene, 53. The braces-wearing British singer who belted out the punk anthem "Oh Bondage, Up Yours" with the band X-Ray Spex. April 25.

Orlando Bosch, 84. A Cuban exile militant who was acquitted in Venezuela in the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner. April 27.

Ernesto Sabato, 99. An Argentine writer who led the government's probe of crimes committed by the military dictatorship. April 30.

MAY:

Henry Cooper, 76. One of Britain's most popular sportsmen who was best known for knocking down Muhammad Ali when he was still known as Cassius Clay. May 1.

Osama bin Laden, 54. Terrorist leader whose money and preaching inspired the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. May 2. Killed during a raid by U.S. Navy SEALs in Pakistan.

Rene Emilio Ponce, 64. A Salvadoran army general and former defense minister accused of ordering the 1989 killing of six Jesuit priests and two others during the country's civil war. May 2.

Jackie Cooper, 88. One of the most popular child movie stars of the 1930s who later had a successful career as a television director and still appeared in films. May 3.

Arthur Laurents, 93. The director, playwright and screenwriter who wrote such enduring productions as "West Side Story" and "'Gypsy" as well as the film classics "Rope" and "The Way We Were." May 5.

Claude Stanley Coules, 110. The last known combat veteran of World War I who had a 41-year-military career that extended into World War II. May 5.

Seve Ballesteros, 54. A five-time major champion whose incomparable imagination and fiery personality made him one of the most significant figures in modern golf. May 7. Complications of a cancerous brain tumor.

Robert Stempel, 77. A former General Motors chief executive and engineer who led the development of the catalytic converter but was ousted in a boardroom coup. May 7.

Lidia Gueiler, 89. The only woman ever to have been Bolivia's president. May 9.

Burt Reinhardt, 91. One of CNN's first presidents and an American television pioneer who is credited with helping to build the global news network in its formative years. May 10.

Wallace McCain, 81. A billionaire frozen food mogul and philanthropist who helped turn a small Canadian french fry plant into the global McCain Foods empire and later went on to control meat processor Maple Leaf Foods. May 13.

Michael William Coplestone Dillon Onslow, 73. The 7th earl of Onslow and a cheerful advocate of removing nobles such as himself from the House of Lords. May 14.

Harmon Killebrew, 74. The baseball slugger for the Minnesota Twins and for many years the face of the team. May 17. Esophageal cancer.

Garret FitzGerald, 85. A beloved figure who as Ireland's prime minister in the 1980s was an early architect of peace in Northern Ireland. May 19.

Randy "Macho Man" Savage, 58. A larger-than-life personality from professional wrestling's 1980s heyday known for his raspy voice and brash style. May 20. Car crash.

Bill Hunter, 71. The archetype of a working class Australian with a distinctive accent, weather-worn face and a no-nonsense style who starred in films and on television. May 21. Cancer.

Leonora Carrington, 94. A British-born painter, writer and sculptor considered one of the last of the original surrealists. May 25.

Gil Scott-Heron, 62. Widely considered one of the godfathers of rap music with his piercing social and political prose laid against the backdrop of minimalist percussion, flute and other instrumentation. May 27.

Sergei Bagapsh, 62. Leader of Abkhazia, a separatist region of Georgia aligned with Russia. May 29. Lung cancer.

JUNE:

Albertina Sisulu, 92. A veteran of the anti-apartheid movement who was married to Nelson Mandela's mentor. June 2.

Sammy Ofer, 89. A billionaire Israeli shipping magnate and philanthropist at the center of a scandal involving trade with Iran. June 2.

Jack Kevorkian, 83. Defiant proponent of doctor-assisted suicide who said he oversaw the deaths of 130 gravely ill people. June 3.

James Arness, 88. An actor who towered over the American television landscape for two decades as righteous Dodge City lawman Matt Dillon in "Gunsmoke." June 3.

Harry Bernstein, 101. Wrote acclaimed memoir of an English childhood haunted by anti-Semitism "The Invisible Wall," published when he was 96. June 3.

Lawrence Eagleburger, 80. The only career U.S. foreign service officer to rise to secretary of state and whose exuberant style masked a hard-driving commitment to solving tangled foreign policy problems. June 4.

Jorge Semprun, 87. A writer and politician who chronicled his own experience in the Nazis' Buchenwald death camp, struggled against dictatorship in his native Spain and later became that country's culture minister. June 7.

M.F. Husain, 95, a former movie billboard artist who rose to become India's most sought after painter before going into self-imposed exile during an uproar over nude images of Hindu icons. June 9.

Brian Lenihan 52. A former finance minister who oversaw Ireland's struggle to avoid national bankruptcy even as he battled cancer. June 10.

Sir Patrick Michael Leigh Fermor, 96. A British travel writer who tramped across Europe in his teens and captured a German general in Nazi-occupied Crete during World War II. June 10.

Clarence Clemons, 69. The saxophone player for the E Street Band who was one of the key influences in Bruce Springsteen's life and music. June 18. Complications from a stroke.

Frederick Chiluba, 68. Zambia's first democratically elected president who became increasingly autocratic during his decade in office. June 18.

Yelena Bonner, 88. A Russian rights activist and widow of Nobel Peace Prize winner Andrei Sakharov. June 18.

Peter Falk, 83. The American stage and screen actor who became identified as the rumpled detective title character on "Colombo," which spanned 30 years in primetime U.S. television. June 23.

Christiane Desroches Noblecourt, 97. A pioneering Egyptologist who prodded Gen. Gamal Abdel Nasser to help salvage Nubia's vaunted antiquities. June 23.

JULY:

Itamar Franco, 81. A former Brazilian president who in the 1980s tamed inflation in Latin America's largest country. July 2.

Otto Von Habsburg, 98. The oldest son of Austria's last emperor and head of one of Europe's most influential families. July 4.

Manuel Galban, 80. An award-winning Cuban guitarist who rose to international fame as a member of the Buena Vista Social Club musical collective. July 7.

Betty Ford, 93. The former U.S. first lady whose triumph over drug and alcohol addiction became a beacon of hope for addicts and the inspiration for her Betty Ford Center in California. July 8.

Facundo Cabral, 74. One of Latin America's most admired folk singers who was also a novelist. July 9. Killed in Guatemala City when gunmen ambushed his vehicle.

Leo Kirch, 84. A German media mogul whose television empire collapsed in a spectacular bankruptcy nearly a decade ago. July 14.

Juan Maria Bordaberry, 83. Former president-turned dictator whose coup launched more than a decade of military rule in Uruguay. July 17.

Lucien Freud, 88. A towering and uncompromising figure in the art world for more than 50 years known for his intense realist portraits, particularly of nudes. July 20.

Elliot Handler, 95. With his wife, he grew Mattel Inc. from a small home-based picture-frame business into the largest U.S. toy maker and created the Hot Wheels brand. July 21.

Charles T. Manatt, 75. A former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and former U.S. ambassador to the Dominican Republic during the Clinton administration. July 22.

Nguyen Cao Ky, 80. The flamboyant former air force general who ruled South Vietnam for two years with an iron fist during the Vietnam war. July 23.

Amy Winehouse, 27. A dazzling, versatile singer who produced bitterly honest lyrics but who made headlines because of drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders and destructive relationships. July 23. Alcohol poisoning.

John Shalikashvili, 75. A retired U.S. Army general who was the first foreign-born chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and counseled President Bill Clinton on the use of troops in Bosnia and other trouble spots. July 24.

John Stott, 90. A minister who led a resurgence of evangelism in Britain and went on to become one of the most influential evangelical thinkers of the 20th century. July 27.

Pietro Sambi, 73. An archbishop and papal ambassador to the United States who helped bring about a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and clerical sex abuse victims. July 27.

AUGUST:

Delois Barrett Campbell, 85. A member of the award-winning Barrett Sisters who electrified audiences around the world with their powerful gospel harmonies. Aug. 2.

Baruj Benacerraf, 90. A Venezuelan-born immunologist who shared the 1980 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Aug. 2.

Bubba Smith, 66. Former NFL star and actor best known for playing Moses Hightower, the soft-spoken officer in the "Police Academy" films. Aug. 3

Jean-Claude Bajeux, 79. A former culture minister, scholar and steadfast human rights activist who targeted both Haiti's long-ruling family dictatorship and the governments that followed. Aug. 5.

Andrzej Lepper, 57. A pig farmer-turned-firebrand populist who was briefly deputy prime minister in a shaky Polish government and who was later disgraced in a bribery and sex scandal. Aug. 5. Suspected suicide.

Hugh Carey, 92. A former New York governor who saved New York City from bankruptcy in the 1970s, staring down President Gerald Ford in the process. Aug. 7.

Marshall Grant, 83. The last surviving member of Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two who helped change the future of American music and popular culture with their boom-chicka-boom beat. Aug. 7.

Billy Grammer, 85. His 1958 hit "Gotta Travel On" hit the top of American pop music charts and led to a long career at the Grand Ole Opry. Aug. 10.

Ctirad Masin, 81. A controversial anti-communist fighter in the former nation of Czechoslovakia who eluded a massive East Bloc manhunt during the Cold War. Aug. 13.

Raoul Ruiz, 70. A Chilean-born filmmaker who made more than 100 films and rebelled against the conventions of movie-making. Aug. 19.

Albert "Doc" Brown, 105. A survivor of the Bataan Death March, a harrowing 65-mile (105 kilometer) trek in which 78,000 prisoners of war were forced to walk from Bataan, a province near Manila, to a Japanese prisoner camp. Aug. 21.

Jack Layton, 61. A folksy and charismatic political leader who guided his leftist New Democrat party to become the dominant opposition group in Canada's Parliament while battling severe health problems. Aug. 22. Cancer.

Vicco von Buelow, 87. A humorist known as "Loriot," often cited by Germans as proof of their sense of humor. Aug. 22.

Frank Dileo, 63. An American music industry executive, who managed Michael Jackson's career in the 1980s and returned as his manager in the superstar's final days. Aug. 24.

Leonidas Kyrkos, 86. A veteran leftist politician who once nearly faced a firing squad and eventually became one of Greece's most respected politicians. Aug. 28.

David "Honey Boy" Edwards, 96. An award-winning American musician believed to be the oldest surviving Delta bluesman, in Chicago. Aug. 28.

Betty Skelton Erde, 85. An aviation and auto racing pioneer once called the fastest woman on Earth. Aug. 31.

SEPTEMBER:

Sandor Kepiro, 97. A former officer in the Hungarian security force who was acquitted of Holocaust-era war crimes. Sept. 3.

Julio Casas Regueiro, 75. An accountant who fought in Cuba's revolution and became a general, then used his training to run the military's lucrative enterprises for two decades before becoming defense minister. Sept. 3.

Vann Nath, 66. An artist who was among only seven people to survive Cambodia's most notorious prison of the 1970s Khmer Rouge regime and who later depicted the facility's horrific torture. Sept. 5.

Salvatore Licitra, 43. A tenor known in his Italian homeland as the "new Pavarotti." Sept. 5. Motorcycle accident.

Cliff Robertson, 88. Actor who portrayed President John F. Kennedy in the film "PT-109" and won an Oscar for playing a mentally disabled man in "Charly." Sept. 10.

John Calley, 81. He ran three Hollywood studios that made such hits as "The Exorcist" and "Spider-Man." Sept. 13.

Richard Hamilton, 89. A British pop artist pioneer who depicted former Prime Minister Tony Blair as a cowboy and designed a Beatles' album cover. Sept. 13.

Charles H. Percy, 91. A Chicago businessman who became a U.S. senator and was once widely viewed as a top presidential contender. Sept. 17.

Robert Whitaker, 71. A photographer who shot some of the most famous — and infamous — images of The Beatles. Sept. 20. Cancer.

Aristides Pereira, 87. Fought Portugal's colonial rule in the Cape Verde islands and became the West African nation's first president. Sept. 23.

Wangari Maathi, 71. The first African woman recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, who combined environmentalism and social activism. Sept. 25. Cancer.

Phillip Matthew Hannan, 98. The popular former New Orleans Roman Catholic archbishop who sought to console a grieving U.S. with his eulogy for slain President John F. Kennedy. Sept. 29.

Anwar al-Awlaki, 40. An American-born Muslim preacher and savvy Internet operator, who became a powerful al-Qaida tool for recruiting in the West. Sept. 30. Killed in what was believed to be a U.S. airstrike in Yemen.

Ralph Steinman, 68. A pioneering cell biologist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for his discoveries about the immune system. Sept. 30. Pancreatic cancer.

OCTOBER:

Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., 92. He led the company that grew into an international firm that produces the TV ratings known as "The Nielsens." Oct. 3.

Steve Jobs, 56. The Apple founder and former chief executive who invented and master-marketed ever sleeker gadgets that transformed everyday technology, from the personal computer to the iPod and iPhone. Oct. 5.

Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth, 89. Civil rights activist who endured arrests, beatings and injuries from fire hoses while fighting for racial equality in the segregated South of the 1960s. Oct. 5.

Bert Jansch, 67. A virtuoso acoustic guitarist who was at the center of the British folk revival of the 1960s and 1970s. Oct. 5.

Robert Galvin, 89. He was Motorola's chief executive for 29 years and took it from maker of police radios and television sets to one of the world's leading electronic companies. Oct. 11.

James Van Doren, 72. The co-founder of Vans canvas shoes that were embraced by the skateboard culture and became a sensation in the U.S. when Sean Penn wore a checkerboard pair in the 1982 film "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Oct. 12. Cancer.

Dan Wheldon, 33. Race car driver who moved from his native England to the United States with hopes of winning the Indianapolis 500 race and went on to do so twice. Oct. 16. Wreck at the Las Vegas Indy 300.

Tadeusz Sawicz, 97. A Polish World War II airman believed to be the last surviving Polish pilot from the Battle of Britain. Oct. 19.

Moammar Gadhafi, 69. The last of the old-style Arab strongmen who ruled Libya for nearly 42 years with an eccentric brutality. Oct. 20. Died after being captured by rebels in Libya.

Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, 80. Crown prince of Saudi Arabia who as defense minister closed multibillion-dollar deals to establish the modern Saudi armed forces. Oct. 22.

Jimmy Savile, 84. A veteran British broadcaster and famously eccentric culture figure. Oct. 29.

NOVEMBER:

Dorothy Rodham, 92. Mother of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President Bill Clinton's mother-in-law. Nov. 1.

Norman Ramsey, 96. Shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in physics for his research into atomic energy levels that led to the creation of the atomic clock and imaging machines. Nov. 4.

Andy Rooney, 92. The curmudgeonly commentator who spent 30 years talking about the oddities of life on American television. Nov. 4.

Alfonso Cano, 63. A bespectacled intellectual who rose from chief ideologist to maximum leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known as the FARC. Nov. 4. Killed in combat.

Joe Frazier, 67. One of the great heavyweight boxers of his era who was forever associated with three bouts he had with Mohammad Ali, including the "Thrilla in Manila." Nov. 7.

Bil Keane, 89. Creator of the comic strip "Family Circus," which entertained readers with a mix of humor and traditional family values for more than a half century. Nov. 8.

Heavy D, 44. He became one of rap's top hit makers in the late 1980s and early 1990s with his charming combination of humor and positivity. Nov. 8. Died after collapsing outside his home.

Francisco Blake Mora, 45. Mexico's interior minister and point man in the country's deadly war against organized crime and drug cartels. Nov. 11. Helicopter crash.

Evelyn Lauder, 75. An executive at cosmetics giant Estee Lauder Cos. who helped create the pink ribbon campaign for breast cancer awareness. Nov. 12.

Karl Slover, 93. One of the last surviving actors who played one of the Munchkins in the 1939 classic film "The Wizard of Oz." Nov. 15.

Basil D'Oliveira, 80. A South African-born cricket player for England who became a pivotal figure in the sport's battle against apartheid. Nov. 19.

Anne McCaffrey, 85. Her vision of an interstellar alliance between humans and dragons spawned the science fiction "Dragonriders of Pern" novels. Nov. 21. Stroke.

Eli Hurvitz, 79. The one-time laboratory dishwasher who transformed Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from a small Israeli medical company into the world's largest genetic drugmaker. Nov. 21.

Danielle Mitterrand, 87. The widow of France's first Socialist president, Francois Mitterrand, and who joined the World War II French resistance and later advocated many left-leaning causes and vociferously opposed capitalist excess. Nov. 22.

Svetlana Alliluyeva, 85. Known later in life as Lana Peters, she was Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's daughter whose defection to the West during the Cold War embarrassed the ruling communists and made her a best-stelling author. Nov. 22.

Tom Wicker, 85. The former New York Times political reporter and columnist whose career soared after his acclaimed coverage of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Nov. 25.

Judy Lewis, 76. Conceived out of wedlock by movie stars Clark Gable and Loretta Young while they filmed "Call of the Wild" in the 1930s, for years one of the best kept secrets in Hollywood. Nov. 25.

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, 78. A millionaire's son who became leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra in eastern Nigeria, plunging the country into civil war that killed a million people and brought television images of starving African children. Nov. 26.

Ken Russell, 84. An iconoclastic British director whose daring films blended music, sex and violence in a potent brew seemingly drawn from his subconscious. Nov. 27.

Ante Markovic, 87. The former Yugoslavia's last prime minister who tried to prevent the country's bloody breakup in the 1990s. Nov. 27.

DECEMBER:

Francois Lesage, 82. The heir of the legendary Maison Lesage embroidery atelier which has been long embellishing Paris' couture houses' most fantastic creations. Dec. 1.

Dev Anand, 88. A charismatic and flamboyant Indian film star for more than half a century. Dec. 3.

Socrates, 57. A former Brazilian soccer star known for his elegant style and deep involvement in politics. Dec. 4. Septic shock from an intestinal infection.

Patricia Dunn, 58. The former Hewlett-Packard chairwoman who authorized a board room surveillance probe that ultimately sullied her remarkable rise from investment bank typist to the corporate upper class. Dec. 4. Ovarian cancer.

Violetta Villas 73. A Polish coloratura soprano who spurned opera for popular music and became a cabaret star in Las Vegas and then got trapped behind the Iron Curtain when she returned to care for her dying mother. Dec. 5.

Harry Morgan, 96. An actor best known for playing the fatherly Col. Sherman Potter on the TV show "M-A-S-H." Dec. 7.

Jerry Robinson, 89. A comic book industry pioneer who helped create Batman sidekick Robin the Boy Wonder and their arch-nemesis The Joker. Dec. 7.

Diana Joy Colbert, 41. The wife of author Charles Bock whose battle with leukemia inspired widespread sympathy and support among the New York literary community. Dec. 8.

Cardinal John Foley, 76. For 25 years, he was the voice for American viewers of the Vatican's Christmas Midnight Mass and he led an ancient Catholic order in the Holy Land. Dec. 11.

Boris Chertok, 99. A Russian rocket designer who played a key role in engineering Soviet-era space programs. Dec. 14.

George Whitman, 98. A pillar of Paris' literary scene, whose eclectic bookshop Shakespeare and Company was a beacon for readers. Dec. 14.

Joe Simon, 98. He co-created Captain America along with Jack Kirby and was one of the comic book industry's most revered writers, artists and editors. Dec. 14.

Christopher Hitchens, 62. An author, essayist and polemicist who waged verbal and occasional physical battle on behalf of causes left and right. Dec. 15. Complications from esophageal cancer.

Obituaries today: John Kieffer, 63, of Feeding Hills; founded Kieffer Landscape Services, formerly owned Westwood Court, Valley View Apartments

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Obituaries from The Republican today

12_16_11_Kieffer.jpgJohn A. Kieffer

FEEDING HILLS - John A. Kieffer, 63, of Feeding Hills, died Wednesday at Mercy Medical Center. Born in Springfield on January 6, 1948 he graduated from West Springfield High School in 1965, and moved to Feeding Hills in 1972. He worked at Perkins Machine & Gear then started his own business, Kieffer Landscape Services. He was the former owner of Westwood Court and Valley View Apartments.










Obituaries from The Republican:


Westfield philanthropist Albert Ferst dies; leaves huge legacy

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“Al Ferst gave a new meaning to philanthropy,” former Mayor Richard Sullivan said. “He touched generations of kids here and will continue to do so.”

Al Ferst 121611.jpgWestfield philanthropist Albert F. Ferst greets a Girl Scout Thursday during Daisy Girl Scout Troop 11405's Christmas caroling trip to Reed's Landing retirement complex in Springfield, where Ferst lived, He died on Friday.

WESTFIELD – Albert F. and Amelia A. Ferst made a world of difference to Westfield, especially its children.

Albert Ferst died Friday morning at the age of 92. Amelia Ferst died in 1997.

Ferst’s passing was called a “great loss to the city of Westfield” by everyone who knew him. Both have left an enormous legacy that Westfield will benefit from generations to come, from the Amelia Park complex off South Broad Street that supports Amelia Ice Rink, Children’s Museum, Amelia Park Garden, the Albert and Amelia Ferst Boys and Girls Club and an outdoor skateboard park to the Interfaith Center on the campus of Westfield State University and Samaritan Inn homeless shelter on Free Street.

“Between Al and Millie, they did more for Westfield, especially the kids, than any other individual,”said former Mayor Richard K. Sullivan, who is now the state's energy and environmental secretary. “Al’s first love was Millie but his second was Westfield,” he said.

Mayor Daniel M. Knapik characterized Ferst as “a legend and a giant in Westfield. this city is much better off because of his presence.

“It is a real sad day in Westfield,” Knapik said.

State Sen. Michael R. Knapik, R-Westfield, said “as sad a day it is, we know that Al is now with the lover of his life Millie.”

“Al Ferst gave a new meaning to philanthropy,” Sullivan said. “He touched generations of kids here and will continue to do so.”

“He was a long time supporter of youth teams and youth programs and he and Millie have left a legacy that will benefit Westfield forever,” former mayor Sullivan said.

“Westfield has lost a philanthropist of the highest caliber,” Sen. Knapik said. “He was a stellar citizen. He was a local boy done good, created a great business and then giving back to his community.” In 1952 Ferst and his wife purchased Camfour Inc., a wholesale sporting goods company, here and later sold it.

Boys and Girls Club director William R. Parks said “the Boys and Girls Club has lost a great friend. The city and all the charities he was involved in have lost a great friend.”

City Council member Bret B. Bean II, who served on the Amelia Park board of directors, called Ferst “a man dedicated to the city of Westfield. He was extremely kind and just a generous person.”

One thing Ferst became to be known for in the last 10 years was his gift giving to children at every function he attended. It started with passing out sliver dollars, then gold coins, Beanie Babies, and most recently $2 bills in certificate folders.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete.


More details coming in The Republican.

PM News Links: Worcester firefighter Jon Davies remembered, Connecticut soldier returns in time for son's birth, and more

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Thousands came together in the Worcester community to mourn the loss of firefighter Jon Davies.

Cape WindPictured is a 660kV wind turbine in Bourne, Mass. (Photo courtesy of Cape Wind)

Cases dismissed against 4 Springfield men accused of firing up to 11 shots

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Judge Jeffrey Kinder dismissed the cases, with prejudice, because three witnesses could not be found.

SPRINGFIELD – Four Springfield men had their cases dismissed Friday in a serious shooting case because the two shooting victims and another witness can’t be located by the prosecution.

The four were arrested and charged with multiple crimes after as many as 11 shots were fired into a car on Sept. 22, 2010, hitting two men and putting one in critical condition for a time.

Craig McNair 2010.jpgCraig McNair

Assistant District Attorney Donna S. Donato asked Hampden Superior Court Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder to continue Friday’s scheduled trial date, while four defense lawyers asked Kinder to dismiss the cases.

Kinder dismissed the cases against Craig McNair, Alberto Ramos, Dashua Lopez-Cardona and Roberto Ayala. But he did it “without prejudice,” meaning the state could seek to indict the men on the charges again if the situation changed.

Donato said the state wanted the trial date continued because the three men in the car, two that were hit and another that wasn’t, are “eluding” officers attempting to serve them to appear as witnesses in the case. She asked for more time.

McNair, 22; Ramos, 21; Lopez-Carona, 20; and Ayala, 19, all of Springfield, have been held in area jails since their arrests.

The charges dismissed Friday against each were: two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon; three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon; and two illegal firearms counts.

The shooting happened about 5 p.m. in the parking lot of the Honeyland Farms convenience store at 766 Liberty St.

Three of the men were arrested right after the shooting while McNair turned himself into authorities in mid-October 2010.

High school students suspended for organizing 'Tebowing' in hallway

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The school Superintendent said in a statement that the students' kneeling in the hallway created a potential safety hazard.

tebowing suspensionDenver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (15) prays in the end zone before the start of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011, in Denver.

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — Two New York athletes have been suspended by school administrators for organizing several "kneel-downs" in tribute to NFL sensation Tim Tebow, who said Friday that while he appreciates their boldness, the students have to obey their elders.

"I think if they had good intentions, then good for them for having the courage to do something different," the Denver Broncos quarterback said when told of the suspensions this week on New York's Long Island.

The devout Christian, who has led his team to a 7-1 record, often kneels in prayer after a success on the gridiron.

He added: "You have to respect the position of authority and people that God's put as authority over you, so that's part of it, and just finding the right place and the right time to do things is part of it, too."

Riverhead High School administrators suspended 17-year-old twins Connor and Tyler Carroll this week after they organized several "Tebowing" tributes to the NFL star in their school hallway.

Connor Carroll said in a telephone interview on Friday afternoon that he and his friends — nearly 40 took part in the last of three demonstrations on Wednesday — merely wanted to pay tribute to Tebow as a "role model, leader and winner."

He conceded that although kneeling for Tebow has a religious connotation, their intent was simply to honor a sports hero.

Riverhead School Superintendent Nancy Carney said in a statement that the students' actions created a potential safety hazard.

"I think it's wonderful that our students look up to sports heroes such as Mr. Tebow, but we can't allow students to create unsafe situations in school," Carney said in a statement. "Students cannot block hallways and prevent other students from getting to class."

She said the Carroll brothers, who play on the Riverhead football and baseball teams, were disciplined because of prior warnings about disruptions in the hallway. Connor Carroll said that he and his brother and others had been creating "human walls" in the hallways about six weeks ago and conceded they were told to stop, but argued that the "Tebowing" tribute was different.

School administrators did not see it that way.

"Two students who were spoken to previously did not heed to the warning given by administrators, and they were disciplined accordingly," Carney said.

She added: "We hope that these students and all of our students continue to look up to the positive role models in public life; we just encourage them to do it in a responsible way."

Tebow learned of the suspensions Friday when told of it by an AP reporter.

"I don't know the whole context, but I guess if they were told not to, then obviously you have to respect them and wait until you get off property because you have to respect people who are in charge of you and obey the rules."

The Tebow tempest has garnered the Carroll brothers unexpected attention, Connor Carroll said, noting he was interviewed live on ESPN's SportsCenter on Thursday night.

"I really can't believe all this," he said.

Connor served his suspension on Friday, sitting in a tiny room doing his schoolwork, he said. Tyler's in-school suspension will be served Monday.

When he got bored, Connor Carroll says, he ranked all the top professional sports teams and players as a mental exercise.

Where did he rank Tebow?

"He was in the Top 15," he said.

Westfield philanthropist Albert Ferst, who died at age 92, recalled for commitment to community

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Mayor Daniel Knapik characterized Ferst as “a legend and a giant in Westfield.

This is an updated version of a story posted at 3 this afternoon.


Westfield philanthropist Albert F. Ferst greets a Girl Scout Thursday during Daisy Girl Scout Troop 11405's Christmas caroling trip to Reed's Landing retirement complex in Springfield, where Ferst lived. He died on Friday.

WESTFIELD – Albert F. and Amelia ‘Millie’ A. Ferst dedicated themselves to children and making their lives better through philanthropic initiatives, most notably, the $6 million Amelia Park ice skating arena and adjacent Amelia Garden.

Albert Ferst, 92, died Friday morning at Reeds Landing in Springfield. Amelia Ferst died in 1997.

“The park was his greatest and proudest achievement,” Barbara H. Braem-Jensen, a longtime friend, said of Albert Ferst. “It was just so special to him,” she added.

Ferst’s passing was called a “great loss to the city of Westfield” by everyone who knew him. Both have left an enormous legacy that Westfield will benefit from generations to come, from the Amelia Park complex off South Broad Street that supports Amelia Ice Rink, Children’s Museum, Amelia Park Garden, the Albert and Amelia Ferst Boys and Girls Club and an outdoor skateboard park to the Interfaith Center on the campus of Westfield State University and Samaritan Inn homeless shelter on Free Street.

“Between Al and Millie, they did more for Westfield, especially the kids, than any other individual,” former Mayor Richard K. Sullivan said. “Al’s first love was Millie but his second was Westfield,” he said.

Braem-Jensen described Ferst as “a legend in his one time. His death is a huge loss for me, the community and all the rest who cared about him. His inspiration came from his wife and the great love he had for her.”

Mayor Daniel M. Knapik characterized Ferst as “a legend and a giant in Westfield. This city is much better off because of his presence.

“It is a real sad day in Westfield,” Knapik said.

State Sen. Michael R. Knapik, R-Westfield, said “as sad a day it is, we know that Al is now with the love of his life Millie.”

“Al Ferst gave a new meaning to philanthropy,” Sullivan said. “He touched generations of kids here and will continue to do so,” he added.

“He was a long time supporter of youth teams and youth programs and he and Millie have left a legacy that will benefit Westfield forever,” former mayor Sullivan said.

“Westfield has lost a philanthropist of the highest caliber,” Sen. Knapik said. “He was a stellar citizen. He was a local boy done good, created a great business and then giving back to his community.” In 1952 Ferst and his wife purchased Camfour Inc., a wholesale sporting goods company, here and later sold it.

David A. Amanti, a close friend, regarded Ferst as “a teacher, mentor, philanthropist...someone who our generation tries to emulate. Al taught us that monetary value means nothing. He wanted to be able to share his good fortune.”

Amanti said today should be a happy day. “Al got his wish. Al is where he wants to be - with Millie.”

Boys and Girls Club director William R. Parks said “the Boys and Girls Club has lost a great friend. The city and all the charities he was involved in have lost a great friend.”

City Council member Brent B. Bean II, who served on the Amelia Park board of directors, called Ferst “a man dedicated to the city of Westfield. He was extremely kind and just a generous person.”

One thing Ferst became to be known for in at least the last 10 years was his gift giving to children at every function he attended. It started with passing out sliver dollars, then gold coins, Beanie Babies, and most recently $2 bills in certificate folders.

In 2000 when he was honored with the William Pynchon Award because of distinguished public service. In 2005 when he was inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of fame because of his creation of Amelia Park ice arena which many called the ‘Taj Mahal’ of ice rinks.

Ferst leaves a son Bradley A. Ferst of Dallas Tx., a daughter Patricia f. Kanzinger and her husband Russ of Wilbraham, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by a son Dr. Jeffrey A. Ferst, MD, three brothers, Julius, William and Henry Ferst and a sister Helen Laxton.

The funeral will be Sunday at 2 p.m. in St. John’s Lutheran Church, 60 Broad St., Westfield. Burial will be at St. John’s Cemetery and will be private. There are no calling hours.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Albert and Amelia Ferst Charitable Foundation, in care of Berkshire Bank, 31 Court St., Westfield, Ma. 01085 or the Amelia Park Ice Arena, 21 South Broad St., Westfield.

Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad St., Westfield is handling the of arrangements.

The next Ann Coulter? College student's welfare column is a hit

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20-year-old Christine Rousselle wrote a column about her experiences with welfare recipients as a Wal-Mart cashier.

SCARBOROUGH, Maine — A 20-year-old college student has developed a following and gotten at least five marriage proposals after writing a column about her experiences with welfare recipients as a Wal-Mart cashier. She says she wants to be the next Ann Coulter.

Christine Rousselle, who attends Providence College in Rhode Island, wrote on the website The College Conservative about her experiences working as a teenager at a Wal-Mart store in her hometown of Scarborough, Maine.

In the column this week, Rousselle described customers using welfare money to buy toys, lobsters and jewelry, and welfare recipients yakking on expensive iPhones. She suggested that a hot dog stand operator used food stamps to supply his business.

She came to a startling realization after a Massachusetts customer showed her a welfare card with former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis' signature. That meant the man had been on welfare as long as Rousselle had lived, since she was born in 1991, the same year Dukakis' last term ended.

Readers have left more than 2,000 comments and shared it thousands of times on Facebook.

Rousselle told the Bangor Daily News that her former Wal-Mart co-workers largely have applauded her for pointing out what has frustrated them for years.

But she's also received some negative feedback, something the political science major will need to get used to if she makes a profession out of her commentary.

"I'm having the time of my life," Rousselle said. "I would love to do this full-time. My dream job is to be Ann Coulter."

Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation to donate $1.1 million artificial turf field at Springfield's Central High School

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The field will replace the Fred Berte grass football field at Central.

SPRINGFIELD – The nonprofit Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation announced Friday that it will build a $1.1 million artificial turf field at Central High School on Roosevelt Avenue, with Springfield selected as the foundation’s newest “youth development park” project.

The field will replace the Fred Berte grass football field at Central, and is scheduled to be completed in time for the fall sports season in 2012. It will be home to Central High School’s outdoor sports program while also serving as an outdoor classroom for after-school and weekend programs designed to meet community needs, officials said.

The foundation, which serves at-risk youth in underserved communities, has raised about 70 percent of the funds needed for the project including a commitment of $130,000 from MassMutual Financial Group of Springfield, and will continue raising funds, officials said.

Dennis M. Murphy, a Springfield native and representative of the foundation, said the new field will be “state of the art.” Murphy said Springfield was chosen from among hundreds of communities nationwide, and he praised Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Patrick J. Sullivan, director of parks and recreation, for making a compelling case for the city and the needs of its at-risk youth.

The foundation works with local partners to attract and make a positive impact on the lives of at-risk youth, according to its mission. It is named after the late Cal Ripken Sr., a former professional baseball player and was formed by his sons, Cal Jr., a Hall of Fame baseball player, and Billy, also a retired professional ballplayer.

Youth involved in sports programs receive “life lessons” that includes building teamwork, respect and discipline, Murphy said, during a press conference at the school.

Sarno was among local officials thanking the foundation, saying the gift will help provide a great field for the teams and a positive learning environment for youth.

“Our dream and wishes are now being answered and it is due to the formidable work that is provided by the Cal Ripken foundation,” Sarno said.

“I feel pretty good,” said Shawn Lockett, a junior at the high school and member of the football team. “I’m glad they gave back to the community and hopefully we can use it in a positive way.”

Soccer Coach Chris Zguro said a lot of area communities have artificial turf, and Central can now become more accustomed to the more durable surface.

Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe, whose department participates in the foundation’s “Badges For Baseball” program, said the Cal Ripken Sr., Foundation “is all about prevention, particularly in the inner city.” The programs are “trying to give you the best tools to have the opportunity to succeed,” he said.

Nicholas Fyntrilakis, MassMutual’s assistant vice-president of community responsibility, said the company is “proud to play a small role” in the project, and said the foundation is a “terrific organization.”


Wall Street: Early rally fades, stock market down for the week

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The Dow Jones industrial average closed down about two points at 11,866.93.

Earns Research In Motion 121611.jpgMike Lazaridis, co-CEO of Research in Motion gestures at the end of his keynote address to the BlackBerry DevCon Americas conference in San Francisco in October. Research In Motion Ltd. plummeted 11 percent Friday after the company announced late Thursday that new phones seen as critical to its future will be delayed until late next year. (Photo by Eric Risberg)

NEW YORK - An early rally faded on the stock market Friday, leaving indexes down about 3 percent for the week as worries resurfaced about a breakup of the euro. BlackBerry maker Research in Motion plunged after slashing its forecast for holiday sales.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 2.42 points Friday, less than 0.1 percent, at 11,866.93. It had been up as many as 99 points after the Italian government won a confidence vote on austerity measures. That gain evaporated around midday after Fitch warned that it might downgrade the debt of Italy, Spain and four other countries that use the euro.

Materials and industrial companies rose, signaling that traders expect the economic recovery to remain on track. Utilities, health care and consumer staples companies lagged the market as traders sold stocks that are considered to be safer when the economy is weak.

The Dow Jones industrial average broke a three-day slump Thursday on news that claims for unemployment benefits plunged last week and measures of manufacturing in the Northeast improved dramatically. The Dow lost 360 points over the first three days of the week as investors questioned whether Europe’s agreement to closer coordinate fiscal policy would be enough to save the euro from a catastrophic breakup.

Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors, said investors are holding back until they get a “firmer resolution” to Europe’s debt morass and more progress in Washington on reforming entitlements, balancing the budget and getting the country growing again. “Right, now we don’t have anything to offer them,” he said.

Some analysts believe nervousness about Europe this fall and winter pushed stock prices lower than their fair value. Investment adviser Uri Landesman, president of Platinum Partners, expects stocks to rise into next year because of the growing likelihood that economic news and European headlines will remain positive.

“The odds are, the news is going to be better than the market is discounting,” Landesman said. He said the market is near the low end of its recent trading range, and a dose of positive news could set off a mini-rally. Any market moves next week could be sharp as trading volume thins out before the Christmas holiday, Landesman said.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 3.89, or 0.3 percent, to 1,219.65. The Nasdaq composite index rose 14.32, or 0.6 percent, to 2,555.33 The Dow is down 2.6 percent for the week; the S&P 2.8 percent. The Nasdaq lost 3.5 percent.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note plunged to 1.85 percent from 1.93 percent earlier Friday after the government said consumer prices were unchanged last month, suggesting that inflation remains low. Low inflation makes bonds more attractive because it doesn’t diminish the buying power of the fixed return a bond provides over time.

Seven of the 10 industry groups in the S&P 500 index rose, with the only declines showing up in health care, consumer staples, and utilities. The biggest gains were in energy, materials and industrial companies. U.S. factories in some regions have had higher shipments and orders month, according to two surveys released Thursday. Materials companies are benefiting from soaring commodity prices.

Research In Motion Ltd. plummeted 11 percent after the company said late Thursday that new phones seen as critical to its future will be delayed until late next year. RIM also is taking a big loss on unsold tablet computers and predicted that its BlackBerry sales will fall sharply during the holiday sales season.

Online game developer Zynga Inc. fell 5 percent in its first day of trading on the Nasdaq. The maker of Farmville’s initial public offering was priced late Thursday at $10 per share, raising $1 billion. That means the San Francisco company can boast the biggest Internet IPO since Google Inc. first offered shares in 2004.

Among the other companies making big moves:

New York-area cable TV provider Cablevision Systems Corp. plunged 9 percent following the sudden departure of its chief operating officer, Tom Rutledge.

Adobe Systems Inc. jumped 6.6 percent after the software maker reported earnings and revenues that were far better than what analysts had expected. Analyst Walter Pritchard at Citigroup said the quarter was a “blow-out when most expected weakness.”

Man dies in accident at Tribe hummus plant in Taunton

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The death does not appear to be suspicious, authorities said.

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TAUNTON — Authorities say a Massachusetts food plant worker has died after getting his arm stuck in a grinding machine he was cleaning.

A spokesman for the Bristol district attorney's office says 28-year-old Daniel Callazo, a native of Fall River, was pronounced dead at the Tribe Mediterranean Foods plant in Taunton at around 2 a.m. Friday. The plant makes hummus, a popular Middle Eastern chickpea dip. Callazo was part of the plant's sanitation crew.

The spokesman says his death doesn't appear suspicious, but is being investigated by local police and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Tribe said is working with those authorities on the investigation.

The company said in a statement it is "terribly saddened" by Callazo's death, and has made counselors available to help his family and co-workers.

Wilbraham selectmen scheduled to vote on new police chief

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The selectmen's meeting is Monday at 7 p.m. at the Wilbraham Town Offices building.

WILBRAHAM – The Board of Selectmen has interviewed four finalists for the position of police chief and could vote to offer the job to one of the finalists at its meeting on Monday.

The selectmen are scheduled to meet Monday at 7 p.m. at the Wilbraham Town Offices building.

The four finalists are: Police Capt. Edward Lee of the Woonsocket, R.I., Police Department, Lt. Mark Dubois of the Shrewsbury Police Department, Police Chief Jeff Farnsworth of the Hampden Police Department and Captain Roger Tucker of the Wilbraham Police Department.

Selectmen Chairman Patrick J. Brady said selectmen would like to make the decision before the end of the year because that is when Police Chief Allen M. Stratton retires.

Big E' s Wayne McCary to retire as president: Eugene Cassidy of Longmeadow to take over

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The fair itself draws about 1.2 million people a year during its 17 days. The exhibition grounds also host more than 120 shows and events other than the fair.

This is an updated version of a story posted at 10:18 this morning.


G. Wayne McCary, left, president and chief executive officer of the Eastern States Exposition is seen with the man who will be replacing him, Eugene J. Cassidy, in June.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – More than 40 million people have visited the Eastern States Exposition Grounds in West Springfield since G. Wayne McCary became the president and CEO in 1991.

At his retirement announcement Friday, McCary said he strives to think of each of visitor as an individual making memories that will last a lifetime.

“You can get too caught up in the 1.2 million visitors we get for the fair each year and start thinking of them as just a big crowd,” McCary said.

“But it is in the faces: the look on a 2-year-olds face who might be riding a and amusement ride for the first time, the look on a 4-H member’s face who has just given her prized steer at the auction.”

McCary will step down June 26 following a 36-year-career with the fair in various jobs. By the time he steps down, he’ll be 70 years old.

His successor, also named Friday, will be Eugene J. Cassidy of Longmeadow who will be the seventh CEO in the fair’s history. Cassidy said it was bittersweet following his longtime mentor.

“The notion that he will be retiring gives me pause,” Cassidy said.

After all, in McCary’s time at the fair he introduced innovations that are now Big E staples like the cream puff, a 17-day operating schedule up from 12 days, free entertainment, the Big E Super Circus and the nightly Mardi Gras Parade.

“People wanted to know why I would bring a New Orleans parade to a New England Fair,” McCary recalled Friday. “It’s to bring the excitement. Not a lot of people from New England get a chance to go to new Orleans.”

The fair itself draws about 1.2 million people a year during its 17 days. The exhibition grounds also host more than 120 shows and events other than the fair.

The Big E has a staff of 1,000 with another 1,000 volunteers. Another 2,250 people work for vendors and concessionaires at the fair.

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The 17-day fair alone generates $225 million in economic impact with an annual revenue of $20 million. More than $36 million of improvements to the grounds have been completed in McCary's tenure.

Cassidy said an early priority for him will be marketing the fair property as exhibition space for events held year-around.

“There is a lot of competition for these events,” he said. “We are in competition with venues that are taxpayer-subsidized. We are an independent organization.”

Donald R. Chase, chairman of the board of the Eastern States Exhibition, said that when the McCary made his plans to retire known earlier this year, the board contacted fair-industry groups to do a national search for McCary’s successor.

“They told us we had such a fabulous staff here, did we really want to go outside? But we wanted to make sure we had the best leadership possible,” Chase said.

Cassidy was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Big E back in March. Cassidy has served as the Big E’s director of finance since 1993.A graduate of West Springfield High School, Cassidy is a native of the community. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from Western New England College.

He freely admits he’s a numbers guy succeeding McCary who came up through the entertainment side of the business and counts daredevil clown Bello Nock as a personal friend.

“I might need to call Wayne to get Bello’s number,” Cassidy joked.

McCary said he’ll continue planning for the 2012 fair and plans to line up the acts for the 2012 circus.

A native of New London, Conn., he grew up working at a place called Ocean Park that hired a lot of circus performers in the summer. He developed an interest in that world and pursued it into booking country music acts. The Big E was an early client.

McCary said he’ll stay on as America’s representative to a world circus organization headquartered in Monaco.

Sibley Avenue fire probe in West Springfield focuses on fireplace

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The identity of the person whose body was recovered from a Sibley Avenue house fire has not been determined.

agct fire.jpgWest Springfield detective Scott Talbot, left, state police arson investigators Michael Mazza and Joseph Gura and West Springfield Deputy Chief Steven O'Connell, from left, survey the scene of the fire at 332 Sibley Ave. Thursday.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – The investigation into a fatal fire Wednesday on Sibley Avenue by state and local officials continued Friday with the focus on a fireplace.

The 2:20 a.m. blaze claimed the lives of a person whose body was found in a first floor bedroom at 332 Sibley Ave. along with the body of a deceased dog.

Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal’s Office, said investigators are waiting for the state Medical Examiner’s Office to identify the person whose body was found in the building. Dental records may be required to do that, according to Mieth.

Mieth said investigators are still probing the cause and origin of the fire, which took down the building to its wooden framework.

Upon arriving at the scene early Wednesday morning, firefighters found the raised ranch’s roof destroyed and parts of the building were falling into the basement.

Investigating the blaze are the state fire marshal, the West Springfield police and fire departments, and investigators attached to the office of Hampden County District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni.

Assessors’ records show that the building was constructed in 1962 and lists the owner as Michael R. Stump. A neighbor said Stump is one of the residents of the house along with a woman and child.

Neighbors have said the household moved into the house two to three years ago and kept to themselves.

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