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

Blackwater suit ends 7 years after Fallujah deaths

0
0

The deal ends the families' hopes that a public trial would expose the events that led to Iraqi insurgents killing the four contractors in 2004.

blackwater.JPGIn this Feb. 20,2004 file photo, signs welcome visitors to the private North Carolina-based security company Blackwater USA's headquarters near Moyock, N.C.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Days after the last U.S. troops left Iraq, a federal appeals court ended a lawsuit over an episode that produced one of the more disturbing images of the war: the grisly killings of four Blackwater security contractors and the hanging of a pair of their bodies from a bridge in Fallujah.

Families of the victims reached a confidential settlement with the company's corporate successor, Arlington, Va.-based Academi, and the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the suit last week. The settlement was first reported Friday by The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk, Va.

The deal ends the families' hopes that a public trial would expose the events that led to Iraqi insurgents killing the four contractors in 2004 and hanging two of their corpses, said Jason Helvenston of Orlando, Fla., brother of slain Blackwater guard Stephen "Scott" Helvenston.

Images from the scene flashed around the world and triggered a massive U.S. military attack on Fallujah that featured street-by-street fighting.

"The lawsuit coming to an end is no surprise to me whatsoever. It was clear that this was going to be a cover-up from the beginning," Helvenston said Friday. "You just feel the injustice of this long enough, and see that these people are just so evil, all you can do is pray to God that he'll take care of it because that's all you've got left."

Helvenston, who was not a party to the lawsuit, said he read parts of the settlement but doesn't know all the details. He said the deal includes the company paying the families' attorney fees and a small death benefit to the heirs. Scott Helvenston's ex-wife, Patricia Irby of Virgina Beach, Va., confirmed those details but added how much their son and daughter will get hasn't yet been determined.

"I'm glad it's over. It's been a hard fight and the lawyers did a phenomenal job," she said Friday.

The men's estates are named as plaintiffs in the case filed in 2005, which said their survivors live in Oceanside, Calif.; Leesburg, Fla.; Statesboro, Ga.; Paauilo, Hawaii; Clarksville, Tenn., and Willoughby, Ohio.

Academi spokesman John Procter declined comment, citing terms of the confidential settlement. The families also dropped a state lawsuit dormant while the federal case was litigated, said Kirk Warner, an attorney representing the company.

Survivors of the contractors contend Blackwater failed to prepare the men for their mission into Fallujah in March 2004 and didn't provide them with maps and other appropriate equipment. Helvenston, Jerko "Jerry" Zovko, Wesley J.K. Batalona and Michael R. Teague were sent in Mitsubishi SUVs to guard a supply convoy. Their survivors argued they should have been given armored vehicles.

A congressional investigation concurred with that view, calling Blackwater an "unprepared and disorderly" organization on the day of the ambush.

Blackwater, formerly based in North Carolina, countered that the men were betrayed by the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and targeted in a well-planned ambush. The company said the ambush likely would have had the same result even if they had stronger weapons, armored vehicles, maps or even more men.

The lawsuit was appealed after a federal judge in North Carolina dismissed it nearly one year ago.

U.S. District Judge James C. Fox said arbitration efforts fell apart because neither side was paying the costs of that process, so he decided to shut down the case. Courts had previously ruled that employment contracts the four guards signed required that disputes be heard by arbitrators, not judges.

Blackwater hired prominent Washington attorney Ken Starr and fought the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing federal and not state courts should hear lawsuits stemming from dangerous deployments by contractors supporting U.S. military operations.

Helvenston's mother Katy said last year the families couldn't afford the litigation costs and feared their case was finished. She did not respond to messages seeking comment Friday.

"I guess this chapter is done but this story has not ended. We were outfinanced, outgunned, outmanned in a sad similarity to what happened to Jerry, Wes and Mike," said Zovko's brother, Tom Zovko of Timberlake, Ohio. "It's been an uphill battle the whole time."


Agawam planners approve plan for metal-extracting operation at Bondi's Island landfill

0
0

A metal-extracting operation proposed for Bondi's Island is not expected to be any noiser than the front-end loader already being used there.

AGAWAM – The Planning Board Thursday approved site plans for a metal-from-ashes extracting operation to be set up on a section of the Bondi’s Island landfill by an affiliate of the company that operates the trash-burning facility there.

The board voted 3-0 to allow Covanta LLC to set up a semi-portable, automated system of magnets, attaching only a few conditions.

Covanta LLC is affiliated with Covanta Energy Corp., which operates the Pioneer Valley Resource Recovery Facility on Bondi’s Island. The facility burns trash to generate electricity.

Plans call for recovering about 4,000 tons of ferrous (iron) metal and about 1,250 tons of non-ferrous metal a year. The metals would be hauled away to be recycled. They would be removed from ash residue from Covanta’s Springfield facility, the Covanta energy-from-waste facility in Wallingford, Conn., and Covanta’s Pittsfield Resource Recovery Facility.

The project would involve ash that is already being deposited at the landfill and not generate any more than two truck trips to the site to take away metal for recycling.

The operation would first be located on the southwest corner of cell 2 at the landfill, but would be semi-portable. Planning Board Michael J. Morassi stipulated that the applicant agree that the operation will not generate any noise louder than what is currently heard at the site.

Jack Thompson, a Covanta program manager, said the electric motor driving the system will not be any louder than the front-end loader that already operates at the site.

Planning and Community Development Director Deborah S. Dachos required that the city be notified if the operation is moved to another part of the landfill.

“It will be very exciting to see that up there,” Planning Board Chairman Travis P. Ward said.

The project still needs approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection as well as a special permit from the Board of Appeals to operate in an area zoned Industrial A. The Board of Appeals will take up the project when it meets Jan. 23.

“It’s a good environmental project and it is good for our business plan. It is good for everybody,” Thompson said.

Gary G. Pierce, environmental manager for Covanta’s Pittsfield operation, said the company is hopeful of getting its operation going by July 1.

Ron Paul rally draws hundreds of Republican supporters to airplane hangar in New Hampshire

0
0

Chants of "President Paul" shook an old airplane hangar to the core afternoon as hundreds of Ron Paul supporters took to the Nashua Airport to support their favorite Texas Republican.

Ron Paul.jpgTexas Rep. Ron Paul smiles as he takes the stage at a rally in an airplane hangar in Nashua, N.H., Friday. Hundreds of supporters arrived at Nashua Airport to hear the Republican candidate speak.

NASHUA, N.H. -- Chants of "President Paul" shook an old airplane hangar to the core Friday afternoon as hundreds of Ron Paul supporters took to the Nashua Airport to support their favorite Texas Republican in anticipation of the New Hampshire Primary.

"I've been supporting Dr. Paul since the 2008 campaign," said Natick, Mass., resident Dan Teepe. "It's for his stance on unfunded liabilities, his foreign policy, like ending the wars. He was the only Republican to vote against the war in Iraq. That says a lot. He is not your average politician."

Far from average, Paul's supporters at the Nashua rally ranged from middle school students to the elderly, with each of voting age pledging to vote for the Texas Representative this coming Tuesday in the nation's first Primary Election.

"If you understand liberty you should also know that you have the right to keep all the fruits of your labor," Paul said at the event. "The Constitution is barely hanging on by a thread."

Paul spoke for less than 30 minutes but his words were sharp and struck a chord with the supporters.

Among the issues he tackled was Internet privacy, an area which has divided the Congress along party lines in favor of increased protection for copyright law or personal privacy.

"Now they're planning on controlling the Internet. They say they going to control piracy on the Internet but what they're going to do is control your freedom and your privacy," Paul said. "The government becomes more secretive at the same time your privacy is being undermined. The Constitution was meant to protect your liberties and your privacy and the government was meant to be open."

Cheers and chants followed each remark Paul made from the stage, especially when he addressed remarks by other Republican presidential candidates criticizing his foreign policy.

"I have this strange idea that you shouldn't go to war until you declare war. It's the law of the land," Paul said. "If we the people want to change it we have to change it the only way it should be changed is to change the Constitution. Or else there's nothing left to the Constitution."

At a sign waving event at a busy intersection in West Manchester Friday evening, New Hampshire State Rep. Tammy Simmons, R-Hillsborough District 17, was among the "Paul for President" supporters.

"As a country, we keep whittling away at our freedoms all out of fear. I'm not afraid," Simmons said. "For years, both Democrats and Republicans have continued to get worse and I've seen people I voted for make terrible decisions. I'm a State Representative and I have to make decisions that are best for my constituents. We need a president that isn't going to bow to lobbyists and special interests and Ron Paul is that guy."

Although Paul isn't considered a front-runner in the Granite State, a Suffolk University/News7 poll released on Friday showed that he has the second-most support behind former Massachusetts Governor W. Mitt Romney with Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum coming in third.

The poll showed Romney in the lead with an estimated 40 percent of the vote, Paul in second place with 17 percent and Santorum in third with an estimated 11 percent.

The Iowa Caucus, with Romney winning by eight votes, showed that every vote can count. Through Tuesday evening's vote, each candidate in New Hampshire will make several public appearances across the state in an effort to sway the vote in their favor.

Stick with MassLive.com for continuing campaign coverage from across New Hampshire.

President Obama signs declaration to help Western Massachusetts pay for October snowstorm recovery

0
0

Counties covered are Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, Berkshire, Worcester and Middlesex.

Gallery preview

BOSTON – President Barack Obama has signed a major disaster declaration to help recovery from the late October snowstorm that affected central and western parts of Massachusetts.

State and local governments and some private nonprofits will get help covering the costs of emergency response and repair or replacement of damaged facilities.

Counties covered are Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, and Worcester.

The western Massachusetts counties that saw up to 2 feet of show will also get help for snow removal costs.

All counties in the state can get help with hazard mitigation under the declaration.

The Oct. 29-30 storm brought high winds and wet, heavy snow that downed trees and power lines and caused hundreds of thousands of power outages.

At least five deaths were blamed on the storm.


More details coming in The Republican.

Holyokers plan vigil for Jonathan Gray, Holyoke High School graduate who police say died at home

0
0

A friend said Gray, a 2011 graduate, was a good athlete who was nice to everybody.

gray.JPGJonathan Gray heaves shot put for Holyoke High School in May 2010.

HOLYOKE – Friends have arranged a candlelight vigil for Monday to honor Jonathan Gray, a 2011 graduate of Holyoke High School who died Thursday.

The vigil will begin at about 6 p.m. on the athletic field near the high school on Beech Street, said Amanda Soto, 19, who said she knew Gray from school.

Gray died while using exercise equipment at his family’s home at 35 Pynchon Road, Police Capt. Arthur R. Monfette Jr. said. Police received a call at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, and while the cause of death is awaiting the results of an autopsy, it was believed foul play wasn’t a factor, he said Friday.

Gray’s mother called him to dinner and when he didn’t come upstairs, she went down and found him, Monfette said. He said he believed Gray was on the rowing team at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Monfette said police records show Gray was 18 but Soto, daughter of Ward 2 City Councilor Anthony Soto, said she thinks he was 19.

“He was a really good kid. He was a good athlete. He was nice to everybody, he treated everybody the same,” said Soto, who said she last saw Gray when they graduated June 5.

Besides the vigil, people are asked to wear gray clothing in memory of Gray, she said.

Mayor Alex B. Morse said he knows the family, having attended Holyoke High School with Mackenzie Gray, Jonathan Gray’s older brother.

“It just reminds us all that we have to cherish every moment,” Morse said.

The Republican and MassLive.com files show Jonathan Gray was an honor roll student at Holyoke High and standout shot put athlete.

Mother of Wales hit-and-run victim Cory Cane recalls her son

0
0

Joan Cane of Southbridge said she does not understand how someone could leave Cory "like an animal on the side of the road."

010612 cory cane and family.JPGThis photo shows Cory Cane, who was killed by in a hit-and-run incident on Route 19 in Wales on Tuesday, with family members.

WALES – The mother of Cory Cane, who investigators believe was struck and killed by a car as he walking along Route 19 early Tuesday, said her son was kind and sweet and does not understand how someone could leave him "like an animal on the side of the road."

"It's not right," Joan Cane said through tears. "He was my baby."

The youngest of her four children, he sometimes stayed with her in Southbridge, she said. He was staying with a female friend in Wales, not far from where his body was found by a passing motorist, she said.

She said her son "would give you the shirt off his back" and was well-loved.

"He loved to ride bicycles. He played basketball," Cane said.

Investigators believe Cory Cane, 23, was struck sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 4:48 a.m., the time the driver reported seeing him on the roadway to police.

"There are a lot of questions. Why would he be walking on the road that late at night?" Cane said.

Cane said her son leaves behind a daughter, Anaya, who will turn 2 in May. She said a candlelight vigil will be held in his memory Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. on the Southbridge town common. She said the family hopes to sell T-shirts to raise money to help pay for a funeral and headstone.

Family friend Barbara Jackson described Cory Cane as a happy, funny person, who always had a smile and a good word to say. She recalled how he did 14 backflips in a row at his mother's 50th birthday party.

cross in memory of Cory Cane, 23, of WorcesterA cross has been placed off Route 19 in Wales to remember Cory Cane, the 23-year-old Worcester man who was the victim of an apparent hit-and-run Tuesday morning. The site is next to a wildlife sanctuary.
Cory Cane and his daughter, Anaya.jpgCory Cane is pictured with his daughter, Anaya, in this undated photo.

"The memories I have of him are sweet ... whenever I went to visit his mom he always gave me hugs," Jackson wrote in an email.

Hampden County District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni said on Friday that investigators want to hear from people who may have seen Cane walking on Route 19 (Stafford Road) before the apparent hit-and-run.

"It is my understanding that he was at the home of someone he knew, and was walking from that house," Mastroianni said.

Mastroianni said they are still trying to establish details, such as what side of the street he was walking on, and what the traffic patterns in the rural town are at that time of day.

Mastroianni would not say what time Cane left the home, or exactly where the home is located.

"That's part of the investigation – why he left and when he left," Mastroianni said.

Mastroianni said he is waiting for autopsy results. He said he does not think the medical examiner's office will be able to pinpoint the exact time of death.

He said anyone who has information can call Wales police at (413) 245-7222 or the state police Sturbridge barracks at (508) 347-3352. Anonymous tips can be texted to 274637. Type “solve” as the first word in the text and then the message.

A white cross was placed in the area of where Cane's body was found, which is approximately one mile from the Stafford, Conn., town line.

Three candles were placed by its base, along with two red roses, his photograph, a stuffed dog and a note telling him he was loved. "You'll be missed 4 eva," "Love you! Mom" and "I love you to the moon and back, love your big sis Trina" were some of the messages written on the cross.

The Cane family was interviewed by WCVB TV Boston Channel 5 this week in Wales at the site of the memorial. In the interview, Cane's brother, Nathan Cane, said that his brother was "his right hand man, his heart" and that he would have an emptiness inside of him now.

Cane's sister, Katrina Stoliker, said that her brother was starting a new job the next day.

"I don't know why he would be out here. Why he would be walking on a road that leads to nowhere?" Stoliker told Channel 5. "We just need to know that someone out there has a heart. We just need closure. My brother doesn't deserve this."

Declaring Washington broken, U.S. Sen. Scott Brown to officially kick off re-election bid

0
0

The communications director for the Massachusetts Democratic party said Brown is part of the problem in Washington.

scot2.jpgSen. Scott Brown, left, greets Army National Guard recruiter Sgt. William White of Falmouth, right., at Mul's Diner in Boston on Dec. 28. Brown may be the top Republican in Massachusetts, but ask the one-time tea party favorite about his political philosophy as he faces a tough re-election year and one word jumps out: bipartisan. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

Saying he wants to "fix a broken Washington," U.S. Sen. Scott P. Brown announced Friday that he will officially launch his campaign for re-election in Worcester this month.

In an e-mail to supporters, Brown said his re-election event will be held on Jan. 19 in Mechanics Hall on the two-year anniversary of his historic victory.

In a special election to fill the unexpired term of the late U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Brown, a Republican from Wrentham, defeated Martha M. Coakley, winning 52 percent of the vote to 47 percent for the Democratic attorney general.

“Representing Massachusetts in the Senate has been the honor of my life,” Brown said in his e-mail. “But after only two short years, there is still much work to do to fix a broken Washington, get our economy moving again, and put our nation back on the right track.”

Brown, 52, struck similar themes last week during an interview at Mul's Diner in Boston.

He called his likely Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Warren, a law professor at Harvard, "an extreme liberal" who has claimed to be the intellectual foundation for the Occupy Wall Street movement.

"She (Warren) says she doesn't want to go to Washington and just do little things," Brown said. "She wants to do big things. You know what? There's enough ideologues down there. We need problem solvers down there, people who are going to pick up the phone and work with the elders, the firefighters and the police who are concerned about their benefits. That's what I do each and every day and I'm going to continue to do it."

In often-polarized Washington, Brown said he is working to persuade politicians on both sides of the political aisle to compromise.

"I know I've been a fighter for jobs," Brown said when asked why he should be re-elected. "I've been an independent voice for the people of Massachusetts, working each and every day and every waking moment on trying to create certainty and stability and get them to talk, get them to work to try to find a solution to the tough economic times we are facing."

liz.jpgElizabeth Warren

Timothy L. Vercellotti , associate professor of political science and director of the polling institute at Western New England University in Springfield, said Brown is aiming to tap into widespread concerns that Washington is broken and government is incapable of taking up big problems.

Vercellotti said Brown is attempting to cast Warren as too strident and too blindly partisan to get things done.

Brown is also focusing on the need for Washington to work in concert to create jobs, but if the strong job growth in December continues, it could hamper his message.

"The addition of new jobs is always welcome news, but we can't forget that millions of Americans remain unemployed or underemployed. Washington continues to be grid locked with hyper-partisanship that is harmful to our economy," Brown said in a statement.

The nation’s dreary jobs outlook continued to improve as employers added 200,000 jobs last month, knocking the unemployment rate down to 8.5 percent, the Labor Department said.

Kevin Franck, communications director for the Massachusetts Democratic Party, said Brown is part of the problem in Washington.

"If he is interested in challenging hyper-partisan gridlock, he only needs to look in the mirror," Franck said.

Franck criticized Brown for voting against surcharges for the wealthy to create jobs. Last fall, Brown, for example, opposed a bill to establish a tax of 0.7 percent on gross income in excess of $1 million for married couples to fund infrastructure projects. He also voted against a surtax of 0.5 percent on income more than $1 million in order to raise money to block layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters, Franck said.

"He can complain all he wants, but truth is, Senator Brown has become just another Washington politician," Franck said.

In an interview, Brown defended his votes, saying the federal government is not a good steward of tax dollars. Brown said an overall strategy is needed to work on the tax code and to look at how the federal government taxes everybody.

"When you are looking to raise anybody's taxes in the middle of a three-year recession – as President Obama said in 2009 – it's not a good idea," Brown said. "It's a job killer."

Springfield diocese sells former St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Ludlow

0
0

The property was sold to the Church of the Nazarene.

2009 st. mary of the assumption ludlow.JPGThe former St. Mary of the Assumption church in Ludlow has been sold to the Church of the Nazarene.

LUDLOW – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield has sold the former St. Mary of the Assumption Church at 499 East St. to the Church of the Nazarene for $750,000.

Mark Dupont, spokesman for the diocese, said the church was sold after the diocese made a decision to merge the church with St. John the Baptist Church in Ludlow. The two parishes became the new parish of St. Elizabeth Church.

Dupont said Colebrook Realty handled the sale, which took place after the Protestant evangelical Church of the Nazarene expressed interest in the property.

No spokesman from the Church of the Nazarene could be reached for comment Friday.

The proceeds from the sale will go to the newly formed St. Elizabeth Parish, Dupont said.

He said there is a misconception that the proceeds from the sale of church property go back to the coffers of the diocese. Dupoint said that only happens if the closed church has debts which must be paid off.

St. Mary of the Assumption Church closed in January 2010.


Home engine repair in Springfield turns costly as fire consumes truck, spreads to building

0
0

The owner of the truck and some friends were working on the engine but when they tried turning it over, it backfired loudly and then the engine burst in flames.

SPRINGFIELD - An attempted repair on a pickup truck in a Mill Street driveway Friday afternoon ended with a fire that destroyed the truck and caused $5,000 damage to the siding of an adjacent building, fire department spokesman Dennis Leger said.

The fire was reported at 265 Mill St. just after 2 p.m. When firefighters arrived, they found the Dodge truck a ball of flame, and fire spreading to the building siding.

The building was evacuated but firefighters were able to stop the fire from getting into the outer walls, Leger said.

The owner of the truck reported that he and some friends were working on the engine, Leger said. When they tried starting it, it backfired loudly and then the engine burst in flames, he said.

View Larger Map

Ex-Massachusetts cop who boosted pension jailed over alimony

0
0

Charles Lincoln worked for Brockton police and the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department simultaneously for three years to amass a $140,000 state pension.

BROCKTON – A former Brockton police officer who was cleared in a pension-boosting case has been jailed after allegedly failing to pay nearly $14,000 in support to his ex-wife.

The Enterprise reports that Charles Lincoln was jailed Thursday on an order signed by the Plymouth County Register of Probate.

The order says Lincoln "neglected and refused to obey" an order to pay and he was being held in contempt.

Lincoln worked for Brockton police and the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department simultaneously for three years to amass a $140,000 state pension. Records show he called in sick more than 100 times. He retired from both jobs in 2004.

He was acquitted of federal mail fraud charges and cleared of state ethics charges.

His lawyer, Susan Neff, did not immediately return a call for comment.

Massachusetts police officer won't face charges in shooting

0
0

Police Investigator Timothy Sorrell shot Keith Carnute after the officer and several firefighters responded to a report that a body was lying on Silver Street in Lanesborough.

PITTSFIELD – A Western Massachusetts prosecutor says a Lanesborough police investigator who shot and wounded a man who advanced on him with a knife won't face criminal charges.

Berkshire District Attorney David Capeless announced his finding in the Sept. 28 incident on Friday but said wouldn't comment further because the man who was shot is expected to face charges.

Police Investigator Timothy Sorrell shot 46-year-old Keith Carnute after the officer and several firefighters responded to a report that a body was lying on Silver Street in Lanesborough.

Authorities said then that the emergency responders found Carnute at the edge of the road, wielding a knife. Sorrell shot him in the chest when he refused to drop the weapon.

Pioneer Valley communities hail President Obama's regional disaster declaration for October snowstorm

0
0

The declaration means federal funding will be available to the state and local governments, and some private non-profit organizations in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.


Gallery preview

This is a local update of an Associate Press story that was posted at 6:28 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD – President Obama has signed a disaster declaration, allowing Pioneer Valley communities hammered by the October snowstorm to seek up to 75 percent reimbursement in cleanup costs, which in Springfield exceeded $20 million.

The news was welcomed Friday night by municipal leaders, some who said earlier they are struggling to pay the nonreimbursed costs of the June 1 tornado occurring almost five months before the snowstorm.

“This is good news,” said Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, reached at his inaugural ball.

The declaration means federal funding will be available to the state and local governments, and some private non-profit organizations in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, as well as Berkshire, Middlesex and Worcester counties.

The storm, occurring Oct. 29 and 30, dumped a wet, heavy snow on the region, leaving a foot or more in some places. Leaf-laden branches and trees fell, downing power lines and blocking roads. In Western Massachusetts roughly 200,000 customers were left without power, some for as many as eight days, and 700,000 were without electricity statewide. Five deaths in the state were blamed on the storm.

The disaster declaration is the third for sections of the Pioneer Valley this year.

The others are for the ">June 1 tornado that swept through Hampden and Worcester counties, and flooding in Franklin and Hampshire counties associated with Tropical Storm Irene on Aug. 27 to 28.

Dennis Pinkham, the external affairs specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Administration Region 1 office that covers the New England states, said the declaration does not come with a set dollar amount. That will come later after the federal government receives a list of storm-related costs from cities and the state, and determines which is eligible for reimbursement.

Typically reimbursement is 75 percent federal money, he said.

Sarno said he had been in regular contact with the local FEMA office and with Gov. Deval L. Patrick and Rep. Richard E. Neal about reimbursement for snowstorm costs. Patrick requested the disaster designation.

Springfield had costs of more than $20 million for debris removal alone, Sarno said.

Patrick assured him that it was in the works and needed only the president’s signature, Sarno said.

“I’m very appreciative,” because the city sorely needs assistance with the cleanup costs, the mayor said.

The city had to remove more than 500,000 cubic yards of debris following the October snowstorm, he said. The total amount of debris from the June 1 tornado was about 160,000 cubic yards.

“There was three times the debris,” he said. “The tornado affected one-third of the city, but the freak October storm affected every part of the city.”

As a result of the declaration, Springfield is “starting the cycle again,” he said. “We’re just starting to get money from FEMA from the tornado, now we can push for the money from the snowstorm.”

In Monson, Selectmen Chairman Richard Smith called the signing of the major disaster declaration “great news for the town.”

“It definitely clears up some of our financial stress,” Smith said.

The cost of the storm in Monson is approximately $3 million, a figure that prompted selectmen to caution a worst-case scenario of a government shutdown for two years if no federal or state assistance came through. Smith said town crews are still cleaning up from the storm.

In Holyoke, a 75 percent reimbursement would mean $3 million, with city cleanup from the Oct. 29 storm costing $4 million, Mayor Alex B. Morse said.

“So that’s great news for the city of Holyoke,” Morse said.

William D. Fuqua, general superintendent of the Holyoke Department of Public Works, had said whatever was uncovered by government funds may be funded through cash reserves or borrowing. But, Morse said, “I’m also committed to trying to get the state to cover the remaining $1 million.”

In Chicopee, storm cleanup was estimated at about $6 million. That’s slightly more than the surplus of $5.9 million, meaning that storm cleanup costs could have wiped out the surplus and that the federal reimbursement will let the city maintain some cash cushion, Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said.

“It’s huge,” Bissonnette said.

Wilbraham Selectmen Chairman Patrick J. Brady said the federal disaster declaration is “very good news” for Wilbraham, which was hit by the tornado and a damaging July 26 microburst.

The cost estimate for the cleanup of the snowstorm in Wilbraham is $5 million, Brady said.

He said that if the federal government pays 75 percent of the bill, that will still leave the town with a sizable bill to pay.

Selectmen will receive a report from Town Treasurer Thomas Sullivan on how much must be borrowed to pay for the snowstorm and the microburst.

The town will then seek permission from the state Legislature to take more than the usual two years to repay the debt.

Brady said the town may incur debt from the storms, but he hopes the town will be able to manage the debt out of cash flow.
“We’ll manage it,” he said.
Reporters Mike Plaisance, Suzanne McLaughlin and Lori Stabile contributed to this report.

Massachusetts DEP fines house owner $31,000 for hazardous waste management violations

0
0

According to the DEP, Jeanne Golrick failed to complete the cleanup of an oil spill from an above-ground storage tank.

BOSTON – The state Department of Environmental Protection has issued a $31,000 penalty to the former owner of a vacant, two-family residence at 34 East Main St. in the Miller Falls section of Montague for violations of the hazardous waste management regulations.

According to the DEP, Jeanne Golrick failed to complete the cleanup of an oil spill from an above-ground storage tank and failed to eliminate the potential for spills of oil from other storage tanks and drums on the property.

In September 2010, DEP staff inspected Golrick’s property at the request of the Montague Board of Health and Fire Department. According to town officials, a detached garage on the property was being used by Golrick’s son to repair vehicles. DEP staff observed six 275-gallon above-ground fuel oil storage tanks and five 55-gallon drums, believed to contain oil, in the basement at the property. The legs of one of the storage tanks had sunk into the dirt basement floor, and oil was leaking from the tank.

DEP issued a notice to Golrick in October 2010, requiring her to take immediate steps to empty the drums and above-ground storage tanks and clean up oil-contaminated soil in the basement. Golrick failed to submit the required documentation within the required 60 days and failed to respond to a notice of noncompliance, issued in January 2011, that allowed an extension of the deadline to submit the required information.

Golrick also failed to attend a meeting with DEP in October 2011 to discuss the violations.

Since the initial inspection of the property, the Town of Montague has taken ownership of the property for non-payment of taxes. DEP is working with town officials to help them complete the required cleanup.

Kathryn Buckley-Brawner named director of Catholic Charities Agency of Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield

0
0

Catholic Charities has a long history of providing outreach and assistance to people in need.

SPRINGFIELD – Kathryn Buckley-Brawner has been named director of the Catholic Charities Agency of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, the diocese announced Friday.

030111 Kathryn Buckley-Brawner.jpgKathryn Buckley-Brawner

Buckley-Brawner had been serving as interim director of Catholic Charities since 2010.

She has worked for Catholic Charities for the last nine years. She began serving as coordinator of parish social ministry. She assumed the interim directorship of the agency following the departure of Vickie Riddle, who accepted a position in Kansas City.

In accepting her permanent appointment, Buckley-Brawner expressed her personal gratitude.

The Office of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Springfield has a long history of providing outreach and assistance to people in need. Working in partnership with other local social service agencies, it was instrumental in providing services and assistance to the victims of the June 1 tornado and the following microburst, Tropical Storm Irene and October snowstorm. In addition, the office regularly serves people seeking social services, direct assistance, immigration services, as well as those involved in parish social ministry.

A resident of Granby, Buckley-Brawner is married to Deacon William Brawner, they have one daughter. Buckley-Brawner is a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, also in Granby.

Kevin Benson sworn in as Easthampton fire captain

0
0

Benson, replaces Capt. John Phillips, who retired Jan. 1.

EASTHAMPTON – Firefighter Kevin Benson, of Southampton, was sworn in Friday as captain and Richard Aldrich, of Belchertown, as an on-call firefighter during ceremonies at the fire station.

Several dozen firefighters, police and family members attended.

Benson, 34, has been with the department more than 11 years. He replaces Capt. John Phillips, who retired Jan. 1.

Aldrich, 25, is a full-time firefighter in Belchertown.


Supporters of Mitt Romney show up in force at New Hampshire pasta party

0
0

Romney, buoyed by a new poll showing him with a decisive lead ahead of the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary, hosted a spaghetti dinner in Tilton, N.H. The former Massachusetts governor is expected to easily win Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.

Mitt Romney speaks at Spaghetti Dinner in Tilton, N.H.View full sizeMarcelle Livingston, who contributed to the Romney campaign in 2008, arrived at a spaghetti dinner in Tilton, N.H., with a Romney family holiday card in hand. (Photo by Brian Canova)

TILTON, N.H. – As pasta was being served to hundreds in the packed cafeteria of the Tilton School, a private college preparatory school here, news spread that GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney had seized the lead in South Carolina polling.

Republican South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who introduced Romney at the Friday evening event in New Hampshire, reminded the crowd of the results of the latest CNN poll, which shows the candidate with an 18-point lead over his nearest Republican rivals ahead of Tuesday's first-in-the-nation primary Tuesday.

According to Friday's CNN/Time/ORC poll, 37 percent of South Carolina voters said they would most likely support Romney if the primary were held today. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum were in a statistical tie for second with 19 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

While polls show Santorum as the only candidate to gain support for four consecutive days, putting him in double-digit percentage points heading into the weekend, many around New Hampshire said Romney is a virtual lock in the Granite State. Republican voters are expected to overwhelmingly support the former Massachusetts governor and part-time New Hampshire resident when they go to the polls on Tuesday.

The New York Times' math-savvy blog, FiveThirtyEight, forecasts Romney's chances of winning in New Hampshire at 98 percent. A Suffolk University/News 7 poll shows Romney with a decisive lead over his rivals, with 40 percent of voters saying they'll vote for him.

Socially conservative South Carolina is the first Southern state to hold a primary, and Romney's strong poll numbers bode favorably for him ahead of the the Jan. 21 vote. The former Massachusetts governor won in Iowa and is widely projected to win in New Hampshire.

Brandishing a holiday card from the Romney family in appreciation for her support in 2008's campaign, 83-year-old retired motel owner Marcelle Livingston said she plans to vote for Romney.

"I like everything about him. He has a nice family, and if anyone can beat Barack Obama, I'm sure he can," Livingston said at the spaghetti dinner, which was hosted by Romney.

In a speech with an "America the Beautiful" theme, where woven verses of the song complimented Romney's message, the candidate took aim at President Obama's decisions to fund risky clean-energy ventures such as Solyndra and Fisker Automotive, both of which were developed with separate half-billion-dollar loans from the Department of Energy.

Romney contrasted his own ability to help start the office-supply giant Staples with $5 million to Obama's inability to successfully orchestrate development of energy-efficient technologies with two $500 million federal loans.

Romney criticized the president for engaging in "crony capitalism," or rewarding political supporters with business perks, tax breaks or other benefits. Romney linked the hiring of 135,000 extra federal workers to the influence of government unions, which he said were Obama's chief campaign supporters in 2008.

Romney also reached out to college students, asking why they should be burdened with interests on debts to repay previous generations' obligations.

Gallery preview

"[In 2008] it was about Iraq, but now kids want to talk about jobs," Romney said. "We need to make sure kids don't get socked with taxes to pay for our obligations."

During a question-and-answer period, a woman asked Romney if he'd be willing to give up one of his four homes in order to lower taxes. The candidate answered that he didn't have four homes, then tiptoed around the question.

"That's a good idea. OK, that's right. Let's see, well, I don't have four houses, that's No. 1, although it's a good idea. ... Thank you for the idea," he said, without addressing the question.

Romney, whose worth has been estimated at as much as $250 million, owns three homes, including one on Lake Winnipesaukee, located northeast of where Friday's pasta supper was held.

"I thought he nimbled (sic) the question the woman asked on his houses," said 75-year-old Terrence Humphrey of Franklin, N.H., who wore a tie emblazoned with the Democratic Party donkey symbol.

Next to him was 70-year-old Bob King of Tilton, who said he would like a knowledgeable businessman such as Romney to manage the country.

"We don't need some community organizer from Chicago. My personal opinion is he couldn't run a one-car funeral," King said of Obama. "We need someone who has common sense and the knowledge to do this."

The Tilton event attracted a few hundred people. With the exception of one "Occupy" protestor, and a handful of attendees who refused to wear Romney stickers, most in attendance appeared to be Romney supporters.

Matthew Henderson, a 27-year-old public relations professional who took vacation time to fly from Columbus, Ohio, to volunteer with the Romney campaign, praised the candidate for his business acumen and for having a mindset focused on repairing the nation. Henderson said he believes Romney's real-world business experience is an asset he will use to improve the country's economy.

The appearance of Haley at Friday's event was a significant endorsement for Romney, whose campaign had coveted the conservative governor's support ahead of the South Carolina primary.

Haley, who rode into office on a wave of "tea party" support, could help bolster Romney's conservative credentials. Some Southerners, particularly Christian conservatives skeptical of Romney's Mormon faith and political record as Massachusetts governor, have questioned whether he's a true social conservative.

Romney is scheduled to square off against fellow GOP hopefuls in a televised debate on Sunday.


This report was supplemented with material from the Associated Press, Boston Globe and Los Angeles Times. Stay with MassLive.com for the latest from the campaign trail in New Hampshire.

THE MAP BELOW shows the location of Tilton, N.H., where GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney hosted a pasta dinner Friday night:


View Larger Map

Proposed 'distracted driving' legislation could get traction in Massachusetts

0
0

A state legislative committee will hear testimony on more than half a dozen new measures aimed at curbing distracted driving in Massachusetts, including the requirement of using hands-free devices for cellphones when driving.

distracted driving.jpgTexting while driving is already illegal in Massachusetts, but a state panel is poised to consider tougher regulations to curb distracted driving – a growing problem in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the nation.

BOSTON – Lawmakers are mulling tougher measures to clamp down on texting while driving in Massachusetts, a practice that's still common in the commonwealth despite being outlawed more than a year ago.

Because so-called "distracted drivers" continue to send and read text messages, the Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation is expected to hold a Statehouse hearing on Tuesday at 10 a.m. to consider an even stricter crackdown – an all-out ban on using cellphones while driving unless a hands-free device is used.

Such bans already are in place in neighboring Connecticut and New York, but Massachusetts continues to allow drivers to handle cellphones. That makes it difficult for Bay State authorities to enforce the ban, which took effect on Sept. 30, 2010.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick last month said an all-out ban on cellphones in cars would be "impractical," considering the central role of mobile phones in people's daily lives. But he also acknowledged the danger of distracted driving, which has become a national public safety issue.

The National Transportation Safety Board, citing highway deaths and injuries from distracted driving, last month called on all 50 states to implement a ban on using any non-emergency portable electronics while driving – including cellphones, BlackBerry devices and other handheld gadgets. The NTSB also called for a high-visibility enforcement campaign to crackdown on violators.

Massachusetts' anti-texting-while-driving law prohibits drivers from scanning the Internet or reading or sending text messages and emails from behind the wheel of a car. If caught, even while stopped at a red light, motorists face fines ranging from $100 for a first offense up to $500 for repeat offenses.

Massachusetts was the 30th state in the nation to implement a texting ban. During the debate leading up to passage of the law, state politicians rejected the idea of requiring hands-free devices.

On Tuesday, however, the Transportation Committee will meet in Boston to take testimony on eight bills, including two from one lawmaker, pertaining to various restrictions related to the topic, including the requirement of hands-free devices. Several of the measures call for banning cellphone use while driving through school zones, for example.

Patrick has called texting while driving "a serious problem," and he has acknowledged the dangers of distracted driving. But the governor has not publicly voiced support for banning cellphones while driving.

Jeff Larson, president of the North Andover-based Safe Roads Alliance – an advocacy group that supports laws aimed at curbing distracted driving – has said that Massachusetts' no-texting-while-driving law is difficult to enforce and should be strengthened.

Although the law bans texting, it still allows drivers to talk on their phone, which makes it tough for law enforcement officials to know when someone is illegally texting or legally dialing a phone number, according to Larson.

Hartford, Conn., saw a 57 percent drop in drivers talking on cell phones and a nearly 75 percent drop in texting after police launched a visible enforcement campaign to combat distracted driving, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study. More than 5,400 people were killed in so-called distracted-driving crashes in the U.S. in 2009, according to the NHTSA.

Mayor Domenic Sarno to be joined by HUD official for Springfield funding announcement

0
0

The city is also trying to unload three historic-but-dilapidated properties to bidders who are willing to renovate them into owner-occupied homes.

SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Barbara G. Fields, New England regional administrator of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will gather Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Marble Street Apartments in the city's South End for a funding announcement.

Additional information about the announcement was not immediately available. The apartments are located at 111-112 Marble St.

In other housing news, the City of Homes is accepting proposals to purchase and redevelop three historic homes in the Maple Street area.

"These vacant and deteriorated houses have been negatively impacting the neighborhood. We are excited to have the potential of their redevelopment while preserving Springfield’s historic assets," the mayor said in a release.

Sarno said the city would prefer to receive proposals to restore the properties as owner-occupied homes.

The homes – a pair of brick, four-story Victorian row houses at 174 and 176 Maple St. and a two-family, wood-frame Victorian house at 59-61 Avon Place – are being offered for a minimum price of $1,000. Each has $25,000 of Community Development Block Grant assistance available for exterior restoration, according to city officials.

The Maple Street homes will be open for public viewing on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 10 a.m. Proposals for the properties are due by 2 p.m. on Feb. 1.

Open houses for 59-61 Avon Place are scheduled for Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. and for Jan. 19 and 30 at 11 a.m. Proposals must be received by the city by 2 p.m. on Feb. 15.

Bid packets are available at the Office of Procurement in City Hall, 36 Court St. They also are available for free download at www.comm-pass.com.

Just Ask: Are rumors about Aldi grocery store, Five Guys Burgers and Fries opening in Chicopee true?

0
0

An Aldi’s spokeswoman said the company does plan to open a store on Memorial Drive.

Five Guys 2010.jpgThe site of the first Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant in this area is seen on Elm Street in Enfield last year.

Question: I have heard rumors that there are plans to open an Aldi grocery store on Memorial Drive in Chicopee where Casey Chevrolet and later Orr Chevrolet were located.

For a while, the property was fenced in, and construction appeared to have started. Then the work stopped.

What happened?

I also heard that there are plans to put a Five Guys Burgers and Fries on Memorial Drive. Is this true? If so, where would it be located?

– Bernie, South Hadley

Answer: The no-frills grocery chain company still plans to open a store at that location, an Aldi spokeswoman told us. However she would had no comment on any work interruption in work at the site.

As for Five Guys, James J. Dawson, assistant city planner, said he’s heard the same scuttlebutt.

But as of late last month, he didn’t have any formal proposals or plans for Five Guys.

Five Guys opened a location in Westfield just after Thanksgiving. It’s the first Five Guys in Western Massachusetts, although there is one nearby in Enfield.

In an email, the company would only confirm interest in a site on Riverdale Street in West Springfield but said other sites might be in earlier stages of planning and development.

Memorial Drive is known as a good location for chain restaurants. Witness the Chipotle Grill that opened in the Chicopee Crossing complex a few months ago.

New Springfield City Council President James Ferrera denies suggestions some committee assignments were vindictive

0
0

"I characterize the appointment he gave me as immature," said former Finance Committee chairman Michael Fenton, whose only assignment was to the Animal Control Advisory Committee.

council.phot.JPGSpringfield city councilors attending Thursday press conference to announce new committee assignments are from left: Kenneth E. Shea, Timothy J. Rooke, Zaida Luna, Bud L. Williams, Council President James J. Ferrera III, John A. Lysak, Melvin A. Edwards and Clodovaldo Concepcion.

SPRINGFIELD – City Council President James J. Ferrera III has denied suggestions that some of his appointments to council committees last week were unfair and vindictive.

Ferrera, chosen last week as council president by unanimous vote of the 13-member council, announced appointments to seven council committees and eight special committees on Thursday, drawing a mix of praise and criticism for his selections.

Councilor Michael A. Fenton was stripped of his Finance Committee chairmanship, and was handed just one assignment by Ferrera – the council’s designee to the Animal Control Advisory Committee.

michael fenton.jpgMichael Fenton

“I characterize the appointment he gave me as immature,” Fenton said Friday. “But it’s not going to affect the work I do on the council. I intend to continue to attend committee meetings regardless if I am a member or not.”

Ferrera said that he openly met with councilors and asked for their interests.

“I had to accommodate the individuals who supported me early on first,” Ferrera said. “Some councilors were last to commit to voting for me for president and they received whatever was left over.”

He denied it was politically motivated or unfair, adding that he openly offered to meet with every councilor.

“It was not a political process,” Ferrera said. “I wanted to include everyone in the process.”

Councilor Timothy J. Allen, who also vied for the council presidency behind the scenes, but realized he did not have the votes, also ended up with no chairmanship, and received one appointment. He is on the Human Services Committee.

010212 timothy allen.JPGTimothy Allen

Allen said he is happy to serve on Human Services but questions Ferrera’s theory in making appointments.

“There seems to be an uneven distribution of committee assignments,” Allen said.

Allen did not comment directly on whether he thought his assignment was a political payback for his attempt at the presidency.

“I got a few people to support me (for president), and then realized Jimmy already had eight votes locked up and I backed off,” Allen said.

While Fenton and Allen got one assignment each, other councilors received two or more appointments. Ward 1 Councilor Zaida Luna was appointed to five committees, the most granted.

Ferrera said Luna was among his early supporters and wanted an increased role on the council, and he obliged.

Allen had previously served as chairman of the Planning and Economic Development Committee among other committees during his two years on the council.

Fenton said he will be unable to accept the Animal Control appointment because its meeting times conflict with his job. He said Ferrera was aware of the conflict.

Ferrera, in announcing his committees, said he has “full confidence” in those committees and their abilities.

Each committee conducts meetings and reports back to the full council including any recommendations.

Councilor Timothy J. Rooke, the new chairman of the Finance Committee, and Councilor Thomas M. Ashe, chairman of the Public Health and Safety Committee, praised Ferrera’s appointments.

“That’s the way business is conducted and that’s the way politics is conducted,” Rooke said. “To the victor go the spoils. This process used by Jimmy Ferrera probably has been the most open process of any other caucus I have been involved in.”

“I am sure it is not a personal thing,” Ashe said of the appointments. “It is a difficult process and you try to please everyone but there is a limited number of committees.”

Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images