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President Barack Obama says he wants second term 'badly'

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Obama says he will try as hard as he can to win re-election in interview with Diane Sawyer of ABC News.

Barack Obama.jpgPresident Barack Obama speaks at the House Democratic Issues Conference, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Cambridge, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama said he wants a second term "badly" and that the United States needs him to have a second term.

The country is in a position where it's recovering from the economic recession, but work remains to be done on the economy, Obama said in an interview with Diane Sawyer that aired on ABC News, with segments airing on Nightline Thursday night and Good Morning America Friday morning.

Obama continued on, saying the vision of the Republican presidential candidates is that people are on their own and the most powerful people can play by different rules. He noted that he doesn't watch the Republican presidential debates.

He added that Americans are going to look at the candidates through the prism of which one has a plan that is going to make their lives easier.

Sawyer also asked about Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's comment that Obama is a "food-stamp president."

"First of all, I don't put people on food stamps. People become eligible for food stamps," Obama responded. "Second of all, the initial expansion of food-stamp eligibility happened under my Republican predecessor, not under me."

The interview took place in Las Vegas while Obama has been touring five states key to his re-election to emphasize the policies he laid out in his State of the Union address Tuesday. Some have called it an unofficial start to his re-election campaign, but White House spokesman Jay Carney denied that claim.


PM News Links: Principal jumps in river to save boy, Joshua Komisarjevsky gets death sentence in Connecticut slayings and more

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A former MBTA bus driver accused of faking an attempted shooting and then collecting worker's compensation was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court Friday.

Home InvasionSteven Hayes, left, and Joshua Komisarjevsky were both were separately convicted for killing the wife and two daughters of Dr. William Petit during a home invasion in Cheshire, Conn., July 23, 2007. Click on the link, above right, for a report from the New Haven Register about Komisarjevsky being sentenced to death Friday.

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

Costa Concordia passengers offered $14,460 restitution in wake of ocean liner's grounding off coast of Italy

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Many passengers, however, refused to accept the deal, saying they can’t yet put a figure on the costs of the trauma they endured.

Italy Cruise AgroundItalian Financial police scuba divers sail around the grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Friday.

By NICOLE WINFIELD

ROME – How much is it worth to suffer through a terrifying cruise ship grounding?

Italian ship operator Costa Crociere SpA on Friday put the figure at $14,460 plus reimbursement for the cost of cruise tickets and extra travel expenses, seeking to cut a deal with as many passengers as possible to take the wind out of class-action lawsuits stemming from the Jan. 13 grounding of its Costa Concordia cruise liner off Tuscany.

But many passengers are refusing to accept the deal, saying they can’t yet put a figure on the costs of the trauma they endured. And lawyers are backing them up, telling passengers it’s far too soon to know how people’s lives and livelihoods might be affected by the experience.

“We’re very worried about the children,” said Claudia Urru of Cagliari, Sardinia, who was on the Concordia with her husband and two sons, aged three and 12, when it capsized.

Her elder son is seeing a psychiatrist: He won’t speak about the incident or even look at television footage of the grounding.

“He’s terrorized at night,” she told The Associated Press. “He can’t go to the bathroom alone. We’re all sleeping together, except my husband, who has gone into another room because we don’t all fit.”

As a result, she said, her family retained a lawyer because they don’t know what the real impact – financial or otherwise – of the trauma will be. She said her family simply isn’t able to make such decisions now.

“We are having a very, very hard time,” she said.

Costa’s offer, which covers compensation for lost baggage and psychological trauma, was the result of negotiations with several consumer groups who say they are representing 3,206 passengers from 61 countries who suffered no physical harm when the massive cruise ship hit a reef off the island of Giglio.

It’s not clear, though, how many of those passengers will take the deal, even though they’re guaranteed payment within a week of signing on.

In addition to the lump-sum indemnity, Costa, a unit of the world’s biggest cruise operator, Miami-based Carnival Corp., said it would reimburse uninjured passengers the full costs of their cruise, their return travel expenses and any medical expenses they sustained after the grounding.

Costa said the $14,000 figure is higher than current indemnification limits provided for by law, and added that it wouldn’t deduct anything that insurance companies might kick in.

The deal does not apply to the hundreds of crew on the ship, many of whom have lost their jobs, the roughly 100 people who were injured in the chaotic evacuation, or the families who lost loved ones.

Sixteen bodies have already been recovered from the disaster and another 16 people who were on board are missing and presumed dead.

On Friday, the first known lawsuit was filed against Costa and Carnival by one of the Concordia’s crew members, Gary Lobaton of Peru. The suit, filed in Chicago federal court, accuses Carnival and Costa of negligence because of an unsafe evacuation and is seeking class-action status.

In Italy, some consumer groups have already signed on as injured parties in the criminal case against the Concordia’s captain, Francesco Schettino, who is accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the ship before all those aboard were evacuated.

Schettino, who is under house arrest, deviated from the ship’s charted course to bring the Concordia closer to Giglio, gashing the hull on a reef a few hundred meters offshore. He has said the reef wasn’t on his nautical charts.

In addition, Codacons, one of Italy’s best-known consumer groups, has teamed up with two U.S. law firms to launch a class-action lawsuit against Costa and Carnival in Miami, claiming that it expects to get anywhere from $164,000 to $1.3 million per passenger.

German attorney Hans Reinhardt, who currently represents 15 Germans who survived the accident and is in talks to represent families who lost loved ones, said he is advising his clients not to take the settlement.

Instead, he along with Codacons is working with one of the U.S. law firms to pursue the class-action suit in Miami.

“What they have lost is much more than ($14,000),” he said of his clients.

But Roberto Corbella, who represented Costa in the negotiations with consumer groups that led to the offer, said the deal provides passengers with quick and “generous” restitution that with all the reimbursements could amount to some $18,500 per passenger, even non-paying children.

“The big advantage that they have is an immediate response, no legal expenses, and they can put this whole thing behind them,” he told AP.

Melissa Goduti, of Wallingford, Connecticut, is trying to do just that but hasn’t quite been able to. The 28-year-old, who was traveling with her mother aboard the Concordia, says she can’t sleep at night – “nothing works, even meds” – and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

She said Costa had offered to pay for three to five counseling sessions for the PTSD, but that she’ll need more.

“That will not fix my problem,” she said in an email. “No one is going to get over this tragic event in 3-5 counseling sessions.”

Passenger Ophelie Gondelle of Marseille, France, said the offer was paltry “especially considering the psychological” trauma she endured. She said she and her boyfriend are taking part in a French class-action effort underway instead.

Urru, the Sardinian mother of two, said her family was so traumatized by the grounding that when it came time to go home the day after, they flew to Sardinia from Rome rather than take the ferry because everyone was too terrified to go near a ship.

“It was impossible,” to go by boat, she said.

For the past several days, she has kept busy by preparing a box of goods to send to a resident on the island of Giglio who let her family and their friends – a total of 10 people – stay in a holiday apartment the night of the grounding.

Urru said she was sending seven sweaters and two blankets to make up for the things that her family took from the apartment, since they had nothing to guard against the freezing Tuscan chill. She said she was also sending the homeowner some cheese and salami and typical Sardinian sweets.

“Inside this apartment, it was so warm, so welcoming. They gave us everything that was inside the house,” Urru said. “They were truly, truly wonderful.”

Demi Moore could be heard convulsing on night she was rushed to hospital, 911 recording reveals

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When the operator asks what the actress had ingested or smoked, the friend replies, but the answer was redacted.

Demi Moore 2011.jpgView full sizeDemi Moore

LOS ANGELES — Actress Demi Moore smoked something before she was rushed to the hospital on Monday night and was convulsing and "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a frantic 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.

The woman tells emergency operators that Moore, 49, had been "having issues lately."

"Is she breathing normal?" the operator asks.

"No, not so normal. More kind of shaking, convulsing, burning up," the friend says as she hurries to Moore's side, on the edge of panic.

The recording captures the 10 minutes it took paramedics to arrive as friends gather around the collapsed star and try to comfort her as she trembles and shakes.

Another woman is next to Moore as the dispatcher asks if she's responsive.

"Demi, can you hear me?" she asks. "Yes, she's squeezing hands. ... She can't speak."

When the operator asks what Moore ingested or smoked, the friend replies, but the answer was redacted.

"Some form of ... and then she smoked something. I didn't really see. She's been having some issues lately with some other stuff. So I don't know what she's been taking or not," the friend says.

The city attorney's office advised the fire department to redact details about medical conditions and substances to comply with federal medical privacy rules.

Asked if Moore took the substance intentionally or not, the woman says Moore ingested it on purpose but the reaction was accidental.

"Whatever she took, make sure you have it out for the paramedics," the operator says.

The operator asks the friend if this has happened before.

"I don't know," she says. "There's been some stuff recently that we're all just finding out."

Moore's publicist, Carrie Gordon, said previously that the actress sought professional help to treat her exhaustion and improve her health. She would not comment further on the emergency call or provide details about the nature or location of Moore's treatment.

The past few months have been rocky for Moore.

She released a statement in November announcing she had decided to end her marriage to fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, 33, following news of alleged infidelity. The two were known to publicly share their affection for one another via Twitter.

Moore still has a Twitter account under the name mrskutcher but has not posted any messages since Jan. 7.

During the call, the woman caller says the group of friends had turned Moore's head to the side and were holding her down. The dispatcher tells her not to hold her down but to wipe her mouth and nose and watch her closely until paramedics arrive.

"Make sure that we keep an airway open," the dispatcher says. "Even if she passes out completely, that's OK. Stay right with her."

The phone is passed around by four people, including a woman who gives directions to the gate and another who recounts details about what Moore smoked or ingested. Finally, the phone is given to a man named James, so one of the women can hold Moore's head.

There was some confusion at the beginning of the call. The emergency response was delayed by nearly two minutes as Los Angeles and Beverly Hills dispatchers sorted out which city had jurisdiction over the street where Moore lives.

As the call is transferred to Beverly Hills, the frantic woman at Moore's house raises her voice and said, "Why is an ambulance not on its way right now?"

"Ma'am, instead of arguing with me why an ambulance is not on the way, can you spell (the street name) for me?" the Beverly Hills dispatcher says.

Although the estate is located in the 90210 ZIP code above Benedict Canyon, the response was eventually handled by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

By the end of the call, Moore has improved.

"She seems to have calmed down now. She's speaking," the male caller told the operator.

Moore and Kutcher were wed in September 2005.

Kutcher became a stepfather to Moore's three daughters — Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle — from her 13-year marriage to actor Bruce Willis. Moore and Willis divorced in 2000 but remained friendly.

Moore and Kutcher created the DNA Foundation, also known as the Demi and Ashton Foundation, in 2010 to combat the organized sexual exploitation of girls around the globe. They later lent their support to the United Nations' efforts to fight human trafficking, a scourge the international organization estimates affects about 2.5 million people worldwide.

Moore can be seen on screen in the recent films "Margin Call" and "Another Happy Day." Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on TV's "Two and a Half Men" and is part of the ensemble film "New Year's Eve."

Carlos Torres charged with break-in at tornado-damaged property in Springfield

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Police were called to 175 Maple St. at about 4 a.m. for a report of a break-in. They spotted a broken window and there were signs of blood on the glass, police said.

0127carlostorres44crop.jpgCarlos Torres

SPRINGFIELD – Police arrested 40-year-old Carlos Torres early Friday after finding him inside a tornado-damaged apartment building on Maple Street that was being refurbished, police said.

Police were called to 175 Maple St. at about 4 a.m. for a report of a break-in. They spotted a broken window and there were signs of blood on the glass, said Sgt. John Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William Fitchet.

The apartment was unoccupied while it was being repaired from damaged sustained in the June 1 tornado.

As officers Clay Canning and Daniel Huard searched the building, they spotted Torres, of no known address, crouched in a corner. When they spotted him, Torres charged at them in an attempt to get away but he was restrained and handcuffed, Delaney said.

He was charged with felony nighttime breaking and entering, larceny, malicious damage of more than $250, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest.

He denied the charges at his arraignment Friday in Springfield District Court. He was ordered held in lieu of $1,000 cash bail and is due back in court on Feb. 24.


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Massachusetts economy grows at slower rate than rest of country, MassBenchmarks says

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The last time the state’s economy grew more slowly than the U.S. was in the second quarter of 2010.

By BOB SALSBERG

BOSTON – The Massachusetts economy grew at a slower clip than that of the U.S. during the final three months of last year, marking the first time in six quarters that the state’s growth failed to outpace the nation’s, according to a new report.

MassBenchmarks, a collaboration of the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, released estimates Friday showing the gross state product growing at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. The Commerce Department reported Friday that the U.S. economy, as measured by the gross domestic product, or GDP, grew at a 2.8 percent annual rate over the same three-month period.

The last time the state’s economy grew more slowly than the U.S. was in the second quarter of 2010.

Economists, however, said they did not believe Massachusetts was headed for a long-term slump.

“The rise in the stock prices of leading Massachusetts firms, improved consumer confidence, and sharp increases in discretionary consumer spending in recent months are all encouraging signs that the recovery under way can maintain its momentum,” said Martin Romitti, director of economic and public policy research at the institute and managing editor of MassBenchmarks.

Economists projected that the state’s economy would rebound to 3.5 percent growth in the first quarter of 2012 and 4 percent in the second quarter, based on an analysis of the report’s leading index.

Three principal factors were cited for the fourth quarter slowdown in Massachusetts compared to the nation.

The report said worldwide demand for information technology products, a staple of the state’s economy, peaked in the early part of 2011 but softened during the latter portion of the year.

Alan Clayton-Matthews, a Northeastern University economist and MassBenchmarks analyst, said the timing of business expansion in the state also appeared to be a factor.

“To the extent that businesses accelerated their hiring during the first half of the year, they may have shifted employment and income growth from the second half of the year to the first half,” Clayton-Matthews said.

The state’s job growth fell to 0.8 percent in the third quarter and just 0.4 percent in the fourth quarter, compared to growth rates of 1.7 percent and 3.1 percent during the first two quarters of the year, respectively.

The declining job growth was also borne out by the most recent employment figures issued by the state Division of Labor and Workforce Development. The report showed a decrease of about 6,200 jobs in Massachusetts in December, while November was revised downward to show a gain of 300 jobs as opposed to the original estimate of a 5,000 job gain.

The state’s unemployment rate was 6.8 percent in December – the lowest rate in three years – and remained well below the national jobless rate of 8.5 percent. The state uses two different methods for calculating the unemployment rate and the total number of jobs.

European debt problems were also cited in the MassBenchmarks report for the slowdown in the Massachusetts economy. The report said it appeared the crisis had already begun to have a negative impact on the state’s exports.

Exports of Massachusetts merchandise increased 5.7 percent during the first 11 months of 2011, but that compared to 11.5 percent export growth in the previous year.

The state’s overall economy grew 1.9 percent in last year’s first quarter, 4.1 percent in the second quarter and 3.2 percent in the third quarter, according to MassBenchmarks. The corresponding rate of growth in the nation’s GDP over the first three quarters was 0.4 percent, 1.3 percent and 1.8 percent.

Joshua Komisarjevsky sentenced to death in home invasion, Petit family slayings in Cheshire, Conn.

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Komisarjevsky, 31, described his regrets and the devastating consequences of his decisions as he spoke in court, but also denied having any part in the killings.

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By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A Connecticut man expressed regret but steadfastly blamed his accomplice as he was sentenced to die Friday for a deadly home invasion that unsettled suburbia and halted momentum to abolish the state's death penalty. The sole survivor of the attack called the loss of his wife and two daughters a "personal holocaust" as the final chapter closed on the case.

Joshua Komisarjevsky, 31, described his regrets and the devastating consequences of his decisions as he spoke in court, but also denied having any part in the killings. He said he has family and supporters who don't want him to die. He also said being sentenced to death was a "surreal experience."

"I know my responsibilities, but what I cannot do is carry the responsibilities of the actions of another," Komisarjevsky said. "I did not want those innocent women to die."

Komisarjevsky joins the accomplice, Steven Hayes, and nine other men on Connecticut's death row. The state's last execution in 2005 was the first since 1960, and Komisarjevsky will likely spend years, if not decades, in prison.

The two paroled burglars tormented a family of four in the affluent New Haven suburb of Cheshire before killing Jennifer Hawke-Petit and leaving her daughters, 17-year-old Hayley and 11-year-old Michaela, to die in a fire.

The only survivor, Dr. William Petit, was beaten with a baseball bat and tied up but escaped.

Hayes was convicted in 2010 of raping and strangling Hawke-Petit and killing the girls. The girls were tied to their beds and doused in gasoline before the house was set ablaze; they died of smoke inhalation. Komisarjevsky was convicted of the killings and of sexually assaulting Michaela.

Komisarjevsky insisted on Friday that he didn't kill anyone, that he didn't rape Michaela and that he didn't start the fire. Talking about his death sentence he said, "I wonder when the killing will end."

William Petit and his relatives left the courtroom before Komisarjevsky spoke.

Petit called the crime a "personal holocaust" as he testified earlier during the sentencing hearing. He said his wife was his friend and confidant, and a wonderful mother. He also noted that Hayley would be in medical school by now and that Michaela loved to cook and sing.

"I lost my family and my home," he said. "They were three special people. Your children are your jewels."

Earlier, Jennifer's sister, Cynthia Hawke-Renn, said via video played in court that everyday items like gas, rope, bed posts and gas conjure horrific memories.

"There is no escaping the horrors of that night," she said.

The sentencing, which was earlier recommended by a jury, concluded two long trials that subjected jurors to grim evidence including charred beds, rope used to tie up the family and autopsy photos. The 2007 attack led to the defeat of a bill to outlaw the death penalty in Connecticut and sparked tougher state laws for repeat offenders and home invasions.

In arguing for a life sentence, his lawyers said he was repeatedly sexually abused as a child by his foster brother and he never got proper psychological help as his problems worsened. He suffered from a mood disorder since he was about 9 that included bouts of profound depression, according to a defense psychiatrist.

Prosecutors said the rape claims emerged years later when Komisarjevsky faced prison time for 19 nighttime residential burglaries committed a decade ago.

In closing arguments, a prosecutor said the two men created "the ultimate house of horrors" by inflicting extreme psychological and physical pain on the victims that amounted to torture.

Komisarjevsky admitted in an audiotaped confession played for the jury that he spotted Hawke-Petit and Michaela at a supermarket and followed them to their house. After going home and putting his own daughter to bed, he and Hayes returned to the Petit house in the middle of the night to rob it.

In the morning, Hayes took Hawke-Petit to a bank to withdraw money, promising her no one would be hurt if she complied. Komisarjevsky took cellphone pictures of Michaela while her mother and Hayes were out.

The men, who blamed each other for escalating the crime, were caught fleeing in the family's car.

Komisarjevsky did not testify during his trial but objected unsuccessfully to an effort by his attorneys to play a videotaped interview of his 9-year-old daughter. Speaking outside the presence of the jury, he said he didn't want his daughter to feel compelled to help "one of the most hated people in America."

His family and other witnesses described him as remorseful and in shock over his role in the crime. Prosecutors tried to raise doubts about his remorse, noting he blamed Petit for not doing more to help his family even though Komisarjevsky had beaten him with a bat and tied him up.

Wall Street: Stock market slumps after government reports slower economic growth than expected

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The Dow Jones industrial average fell 74 points, snapping a three-week winning streak.

AP F NJ USA Earns AltriaA Marlboro cigarette burns as it sits on a pack of Marlboro cigarettes in Trenton, N.J. Marlboro maker Altria Group Inc. reported Friday that its fourth-quarter profit fell about 9 percent on lease and restructuring charges. The owner of America's biggest cigarette maker, Philip Morris USA, also said CEO Michael E. Szymanczyk will retire in May following the company's annual shareholder meeting.

By BERNARD CONDON

NEW YORK – The stock market closed mostly lower Friday, capping its first losing week of 2012, after the government reported that economic growth was slower at the end of last year than economists expected.

The Dow Jones industrial average spent the whole day in the red. It ended down 74 points, or 0.6 percent, at 12,660.46. The loss snapped a three-week winning streak for the Dow, which is still up 3.6 percent for the year.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 struggled above even with an hour to go in trading, but it lost the gains and finished down 2.10 points at 1,316.33. The Nasdaq composite, which has more than doubled the Dow’s gain for the year, edged up 11.27 to 2,816.55.

Economic growth for October through December came in at an annual rate of 2.8 percent. That was the fastest of 2011 but lower than the 3 percent that economists were looking for.

Massachusetts, whose economy has recently been outpacing the rest of the country, released estimates Friday showing the gross state product growing at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Utility companies led the way down with a fall of 1.3 percent. Most of the other nine industries in the S&P also fell, but only slightly, continuing a curious trading pattern this year: Trading has been calm in the past four weeks, a big change from the violent moves up and down that marked much of 2011.

Friday was the 17th day in a row of moves of less than 100 points up or down for the Dow. The last time the index had a longer period of such small moves was a 34-day stretch that started Dec. 3, 2010.

Despite the drift lower, investors displayed some bullishness.

Roughly two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. And the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks rose nearly 2 percent for the week. Investors tend to sell stocks in the Russell when they’re worried, not buy them, because smaller firms often don’t have much cash and other resources when times get tough.

“Risk-taking is picking up,” says Jeff Schwarte, a portfolio manager at Principal Global Equities. He says his firm has been buying small firms since late last year. “We’re still finding attractive stocks.”

Next week, investors will turn their attention to Facebook, the powerhouse social network, which appears headed for the most anticipated initial public offering of stock in years.

The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, said Friday that Facebook could raise as much as $10 billion in an offering that would value the company at $75 billion to $100 billion.

That would vault Facebook into the largest public companies in the world, on par with the likes of McDonald’s, Amazon.com and Visa. The Journal said Facebook could file IPO papers as early as Wednesday.

Among stocks making big moves Friday:

• Chevron fell more than 2 percent, the most of the 30 stocks in the Dow average, after its quarterly profit and revenue came in well below what analysts were expecting. Oil and natural gas production declined.

• Ford fell 4 percent after reporting disappointing earnings because of weak sales in Europe. The company said its results were also hurt by problems at parts suppliers in Thailand because of flooding there.

• Starbucks fell 1 percent after reporting late Thursday that that full-year results were likely to come in less than expectations.

• Procter & Gamble, which makes Tide, Crest and other consumer products, fell less than 1 percent after cutting its earnings outlook.

• Legg Mason dropped 5 percent after the investment management company’s earnings fell by half as clients pulled money out. Legg Mason posted earnings of 20 cents per share. Analysts expected 25 cents, according to FactSet.


Obituaries today: Joseph Broadbent, 86, formerly of Longmeadow; production manager for Smith & Wesson, Navy veteran of World War II

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Obituaries from The Republican.

Joseph Broadbent 12712.jpgJoseph G. Broadbent

STUART, FL - Joseph Gabriel Broadbent, 86, of Stuart, Fla., died Saturday at Treasure Coast Hospice in Stuart. Born in Springfield, Mass., he lived in Longmeadow for 30 years before relocating to the Stuart area. He was a graduate of Classic High School, received a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University and an MBA American International College. He worked at Smith & Wesson in Springfield as a production control manager and also at Package Machinery Co. in West Springfield. He was a veteran of the United States Navy proudly serving in the pacific theater on a mine sweeper during World War II. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Stuart.

Obituaries from The Republican:

State police arrest 6 in raid on two apartments in Springfield's North End

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The simultaneous raids on units 310 and 712 at 101 Lowell St. were the result of an ongoing investigation by the state police Special Projects Team.


SPRINGFIELD - State police and members of the Hampden County Narcotics Task Force on Thursday night executed search warrants on two Lowell Street apartments in the city’s Brightwood neighborhood, and arrested six people and confiscated heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and cash, officials said.

The simultaneous raids on units 310 and 712 at 1010 Lowell St. were the result of an ongoing investigation by the state police Special Projects Team, which was formed to work with residents of the North End in identifying criminal and public safety problems in the Brightwood and Memorial Square neighborhoods.

Prior to the raids, police working undercover purchased drugs in and around the apartment complex that police said were linked to units 310 and 712.

In unit 310, police arrested resident Raul Santiago, 48, on four counts of distribution of heroin, and Avis Quinones, 40, of 51 Vandeen Ave., West Springfield, on outstanding warrants.

In unit 712, police arrested resident David Rodriguez, 23, Christian Andujar, 36, of 81 Abbe Ave., Springfield, Alexander Carrasco Jr., 19, of 198 Fibreloid St., Springfield, and Jose Estella, 48, of 101 Lowell St., unit 922.

Rodriguez was charged with possession of a crack cocaine with intent to distribute. Estella was charged with possession of distribution of heroin. Carasco was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Andujar was charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct.

At their arraignments in Springfield District Court Friday, each of the defendants denied the charges.

Santiago was ordered held in lieu of $25,000 bail, and Estella in lieu of $10,000 bail. Each is due back in court on Feb. 27 for a bind-over hearing to determine if they should be tried in superior court.

Rodriguez was ordered held in lieu of $2,500 bail and is due back in court on March 6.

Arraignment information for Quinones and Andujar was not available.

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Stafford, Conn. artist Olof Aspelin charged with spray-painting railroad car in Palmer

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A public defender previously said Olof Aspelin has a compulsion to paint graffiti.

PALMER - A 33-year-old Stafford, Conn. man, who gained notoriety for painting graffiti all around his town six years ago, was arrested in Palmer after he allegedly spray-painted the word "resist" on a railroad car off North Main Street.

Police Chief Robert P. Frydryk said Thursday morning's arrest of Olof W. Aspelin, of 44 East Main St., marked the second time he was arrested in town since November.

Aspelin was arrested along with Erica L. Hulme, 31, of 13 Carillon Drive, Rocky Hill, Conn. They denied changes of tagging property, vandalizing property and walking on railroad tracks at their arraignments Thursday in Palmer District Court, where they were released and were ordered to return March 21 for pretrial conferences.

Frydryk said Aspelin is considered an artist in some circles.

He said Aspelin and Hulme were arrested after officer Brian McNally saw them walking in the area of Fletcher Street, and noticed they had spray paint cans. Frydryk said McNally could smell the odor of fresh paint.

In November, Aspelin and two other individuals were charged with vandalizing property and walking on the railroad tracks.

According to a 2008 article in the Hartford Courant, Aspelin, who studied art at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, pleaded guilty to seven counts of felony criminal mischief, for which he received a five-year suspended jail sentence and four years' probation, for painting graffiti all over Stafford. He was the founder of the Stafford Arts Collective, and told the newspaper that the art going on in the building spilled out onto the streets.

Then he was arrested in 2009 in Connecticut after he was found on top of the Stafford Springs Congregational Church - while he was facing 15 months in prison for violating his probation on numerous vandalism charges, according to the Courant.

"He has a compulsion, your honor. ... The only thing he does that has any validity in his life, your honor, is this graffiti. The only way he can express himself artistically, which has any artistic validity, is these illegal acts," Aspelin's public defender, David Channing, told the judge in Rockville Superior Court, the Courant reported.

Elizabeth Warren talks about STOCK Act, Romney's wealth and tax reform during MSNBC appearance

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Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren said she is in agreement with incumbent Sen. Scott Brown on pending insider trading legislation, but the agreements end there.

During an appearance on MSNBC's The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell on Thursday, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren said she is in agreement with incumbent Sen. Scott Brown on pending insider trading legislation, but the agreements stopped there.

When O'Donnell asked Warren her opinion of the Brown co-authored STOCK Act, and it's ability to limit members of Congress from buying and selling stocks based on non-public information, she said she supports it, but would take legislation one step further.

"I think it's great to ban insider trading. What I'm asking though, is can't you just make it a little bit tougher?" Warren said. "I don't think members of Congress ought to own stock in companies that they're writing laws that can make a difference in their financial outcomes. What I'd like to do is tweak it up a little bit, but I'm really glad to see it."

The second part of the statement was likely referring to Brown, who she is looking to unseat in the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts, as he held Bank of America stock while working on the 2010 financial industry reforms.

Warren said that if she had it her way, members of Congress would have two options for stock ownership once elected.

"Either don't own it or put it in a blind trust where someone else manages it. I realize there's some wealthy individuals, I'm not one of them, who have a lot of stock portfolios," Warren said. "I don't understand how people can be out there in the House, in the Senate, and they get inside information and they're making critical decisions. We need to feel like they’re making those decisions on our behalf, not as an investor who would do better if the law goes this way instead of that way."

The second sentence in that statement, which is italicized for clarity, brought Warren some grief on Friday as the video clip circulated the Internet.

Critics charge that Warren was downplaying her own stock ownership, which is significant when considering individual stocks and mutual funds, according to her financial disclosure reports.

The financial disclosure report shows that Warren owns between $100,000 and $250,000 in individual IBM stock and between $2.8 million and $7.9 million in mutual funds.

Kyle Sullivan, a spokesman for the Warren campaign, told the Boston Globe that she was only referring to individual stocks sold for single companies.

“Elizabeth was making the point that unlike many members of Congress, she does not have a broad portfolio of stocks in individual companies," Sullivan said in the statement. “If elected she’ll get rid of the one stock she does own."

Later in the interview, Warren was asked about a statement Brown made a week ago, when he said that GOP Presidential hopeful W. Mitt Romney's wealth was in a category that most people, himself included, "can't understand." Warren acknowledged Romney's wealth and said the real inequity lies in his income tax rate.

"Mitt Romney pays 14 percent of his income in taxes and people who get out there and work for a living pay 25, 28, 30, 33 percent. I get it," Warren said. "Mitt Romney gets a better deal than any of the rest of us because he manages to earn his income in a way that's been specially protected for rich folks. I think that's wrong."

Warren also said that she would support closing tax loopholes which large corporations use to duck "paying their fair share" while giving tax breaks to small businesses.

To see the full interview, check out the embedded video courtesy of MSNBC.

Western Massachusetts casino proposals share access concerns

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Michael Verseckes, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said an exit cannot be built off the Massachusetts Turnpike - or any state road for that matter - just for a private business.

Brimfield casino map.jpg

All four casino proposals for the lone Western Massachusetts casino license pose traffic problems and share uncertainty over how exactly patrons would access the resorts.

In northwest Brimfield, where MGM Resorts International wants to build the "Rolling Hills Resort" it was announced at a press conference earlier this month that the only public access would be from the Massachusetts Turnpike exit, with the exception of emergency vehicles, which would be allowed through town.

Casino representatives repeatedly said they wanted to protect the rural town, and not change it in any way, which is why traffic would be routed to the designated turnpike exit.

But according to Michael W. Verseckes, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, an exit cannot be built off the Massachusetts Turnpike - or any state road for that matter - specifically for a private business.

"We cannot construct any ramp or any other access to anything but a public way," Verseckes said.

Verseckes could not comment on the Brimfield proposal, or Mohegan Sun's proposal to create a "flyover" ramp from the Massachusetts Turnpike 8 in Palmer because he said the state has not received any proposals to review.

Meanwhile, Alan M. Feldman, senior vice president for Las Vegas-based MGM, said on Friday that the plan is to have the turnpike exit hook into the town of Warren's road system. What road would be used has not been determined yet, he said. Traffic is a top concern among Brimfield residents, and he said the company has not yet talked with Warren officials.

"We have a ways to go here," Feldman said.

Brimfield casino site 2012.jpgView full sizeThis artist's rendering shows where the proposed Rolling Hills Resort Casino would be located in Brimfield, just north of the Massachusetts Turnpike

David J. Callahan, the chief executive officer of Palmer Paving who is a principal with Rolling Hills Estates Realty Trust, owns more than 1,000 acres in Warren. The adjacent Brimfield parcel is 150 acres. MGM has a contract to purchase the 150-acre tract from Rolling Hills.

Robert W. Souza Jr., vice-chairman of the Warren Board of Selectmen, said his town does not want extra traffic any more than its neighbor, the town of Brimfield. While he said the idea of a turnpike exit is appealing, he does not want casino traffic traveling through the heart of the town. Souza said there are a lot of roads near the proposed site in Brimfield, but said many of them are dirt, and not well-traveled.

Souza said the selectmen are waiting to hear from MGM, "especially since they have ideas like this." He said the town's Casino Study Committee is drafting a list of concerns relative to the MGM proposal.

If access is going to be through Warren, he said the casino should be in Warren. Souza said he has not seen any proposals, but said it's possible a hotel or retail establishment could be built in Warren as spin-off businesses.

In Palmer, traffic has been a top concern of casino detractors, as Connecticut-based Mohegan Sun wants to construct its resort across from the turnpike on the wooded hillside off Thorndike Street (Route 32). The exit backs up regularly during rush hour, and Mohegan officials have long been touting a "flyover" ramp as its solution to the traffic problem.

Paul I. Brody, Mohegan's vice president of development, said he has no reason to believe that the flyover could not be built, but would not say anything more about it, such as potential cost, due to a non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement Mohegan has signed with the town as part of the Host Community Agreement process.

In Springfield, Nevada-based Ameristar Casinos this week purchased the 41-acre former Westinghouse site off Page Boulevard for $16 million. The site is off Interstate 291.

Se  casino site.jpgCrews the from NASDI demolition company work to clear the former Westinghouse Electric Company property on Page Boulevard in Springfield last week.The site has been proposed for a possible casino and hotel by Ameristar Casinos Inc.

Roxann M. Kinkade, Ameristar's communications director, said the company is working with the firm, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., on access issues. She said it is too early to tell how exactly traffic would be funneled into the site, but said the company will release information as soon it is available, as its goal it to be transparent throughout the process.

"We want easy access, just like everybody else," Kinkade said.

In Holyoke, Hard Rock International and Paper City Development want to build a casino on the site of Wyckoff Country Club, which is off Route 141. In 2010, John J. O'Neill, at the time the city councilor for Ward 7, where Wyckoff is located, said he was told by a Paper City Development official that the developers would seek to get a ramp built off Interstate 91 specifically for casino traffic. The golf course property borders I-91 for more than half a mile.

The Holyoke proposal is in question now that the new mayor, Alex Morse, has expressed his opposition.

1 a.m. curfew on entertainment in Springfield nightclubs still under review

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Mayor Domenic Sarno proposed that music and other entertainment stop at 1 a.m., unless the owners obtain an annual "late night" permit.

SPRINGFIELD – A 1 a.m. curfew on entertainment in bars and restaurants, proposed more than a month ago in an effort to reduce late-night violence, remains under study by city officials.

Domenic Sarno 123111.jpgDomenic Sarno

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who is considering the 1 a.m. curfew, has not yet issued new entertainment licenses for 2012 as the issue of the curfew remains under review by his hearing officer and the Law Department, said Thomas T. Walsh, the city’s communications director.

“The entertainment licenses from last year are still in effect for this year,” Walsh said.

Under the mayor’s proposal, any type of music and other entertainment must cease in liquor-serving establishments at 1 a.m., unless the club or restaurant obtains a Special Late Night Entertainment Permit from the mayor through an annual application process.

The proposal drew spirited opposition on Dec. 23 from bar owners, employees and patrons of the downtown entertainment district during a hearing at City Hall. Those raising concerns said it would create economic hardships for clubs without achieving the goal of reducing late-night violence.

Sarno is awaiting the findings of his assigned hearing officer, Associate City Solicitor Alesia Days, Walsh said.

The delay is due in part to wanting to get “appropriate feedback from bar and restaurant owners who have entertainment licenses,” and to allow additional time for people to submit written comments who were unable to attend the pre-Christmas hearing, Walsh said.

“The Law Department is in the process of reviewing all those comments and reviewing applicable state statute and case law before formalizing final written findings to be presented to the mayor,” Walsh said.

There was no timetable regarding when a decision will be made.

The process is similar to when the city conducted a hearing to determine a new policy for “under-21” events in city bars, Walsh said. The new rules, approved by Sarno in 2009, require club owners submit detailed applications two weeks in advance of under-21 events including their security plans.

Former Boston Mayor Kevin White dead at age 82

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The family of former Boston Mayor Kevin White, who led the city from the late 1960s through the mid 1980s, has died at age 82.

statue.jpgA statute near Faniuel Hall in downtown Boston serves as a tribute to longtime mayor Kevin White. White's family announced Friday he died at age 82.


BOSTON - The family of former Boston Mayor Kevin White, who led the city from the late 1960s through the mid 1980s, announced he has died at age 82.

His family announced his death Friday night through a spokesman, George Regan. White was 82.

Regan says White died peacefully at his Boston home surrounded by his family. White had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2003.

White suffered a heart attack in 2001 while at a Florida restaurant and spent several days in the hospital when he had a pacemaker implanted.

While mayor in 1970, he had major surgery to remove two-thirds of his stomach.

White was mayor of Boston from 1968 through 1984, a 16-year span that saw civil unrest in the late 1960s, the court-ordered integration of city schools that resulted in busing, and the redevelopment of downtown Boston and the waterfront.

Boston's current mayor, Thomas M. Menino, told the Globe he considered White's leadership instrumental in making Boston what it is today

“He was a giant among mayors,” Menino said."Kevin left an indelible mark that will never, ever, be replaced.”

The Herald featured long-time city councilor Mike Ross reminiscing how White led Boston at a time when many major American cities were experiencing decline. “His ability to move Boston forward, in large part due to the creation of Faneuil Hall, is part of the reason for Boston’s success today."

While the busing crisis brought a black spot to the city, White was also revitalizing the city's downtown, especially the shops and restaurants of Quincy Market, which to this day remain one of the city's top tourist attractions. He thought the downtown renaissance would make Boston a "world-class city."

A statue of White was unveiled near Quincy Market in 2006.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. on Friday night issued the following statement on White's passing:

“This is one of those passings that really marks the passage of time for my generation. We all came of age in Kevin White’s Boston. For 16 years, the mayor shepherded the city through the turbulence of the late 60’s and mid-70’s and in the process ushered in the remarkable city we know today. He was a pied piper who drew idealistic, brilliant young people from Barney Frank to Micho Spring into public citizenship and into City Hall. He was a great and gentle intellect who knew how to wisely wield the power of the Mayor's office for the public good. Kevin White’s own slogan is now almost a postscript, because now we all remember a leader who was ‘in love with the city.’ You think of Kevin White’s two great loves tonight, his wife of 55 years Kathryn, and the city of Boston.”

White, an Irish Catholic from a family of politicians, is credited with revitalizing Boston's downtown and seeing the city through court-ordered busing, but he ended his four-term tenure in 1983 under a cloud of ethics suspicions.

White, a Democrat, was elected Massachusetts secretary of state three times before running for mayor for the first time in 1967 against antibusing activist Louise Day Hicks. He defeated her with support from the black community and liberals.

After losing a 1970 bid for governor, White was re-elected mayor in 1971, again defeating Hicks. He won again narrowly in 1975 and 1979.

White was considered as a vice presidential running mate to Sen. George McGovern in 1972 but was passed over for Missouri Sen. Thomas Eagleton, who was later shunted aside for R. Sargent Shriver Jr.

After U.S. District Court Judge W. Arthur Garrity ordered busing to desegregate public schools in 1974, White protected schoolchildren from violence with federal and state assistance during the period of crisis and in 1976 led a march of 30,000 to protest racial violence.

White was never totally comfortable with busing, however, and called Garrity's plan "too severe."

"I wish I knew a way to have taught Garrity or convinced Garrity to be more generous ... or softer in his implementation of that order," White said after his time as mayor.

Materials from the Associated Press were used in this report.


Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich focus on Hispanic voters in Florida

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Both men delivered speeches to the same group of Hispanic leaders gathered in Miami but avoided criticizing each other in what now looks like a two-man race for the nomination.

Mitt Romney, Luis Fortuna, John McCainRepublican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. W. Mitt Romney, campaigns with Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., at Lanco Paint Company in Orlando, Fla., Friday.

By STEVE PEOPLES
and BRIAN BAKST


DORAL, Fla. – Newt Gingrich and W. Mitt Romney urged conservatives to back off aggressive anti-immigration policies as the Republican presidential candidates vied for Hispanic votes Friday, a day marked by heightened tensions entering the final weekend before Florida’s primary.

“I’m very concerned about those who are already here illegally and how we deal with those 11 million or so,” Romney said. “My heart goes out to that group of people. ... We’re not going to go around and round people up in buses and ship them home.”

The compassionate approach, like Gingrich’s calls for politically practical reform, was aimed at improving the Republican Party’s tarnished reputation among Hispanics. Both men delivered speeches Friday to the same group of Hispanic leaders gathered in Miami but avoided – at least briefly – criticizing each other in what now looks like a two-man race for the nomination.

Any calls for temperance on immigration didn’t apply to personal attacks elsewhere.

The former House speaker released a new television ad in Florida using former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to question Romney’s integrity. “If a man’s dishonest to get a job, he’ll be dishonest on the job,” Huckabee says in the ad.

However, Huckabee said he didn’t approve of his appearance in the ad and had been quoted out of context. Reiterating his stand against making a primary endorsement, he wrote on his PAC website: “My hope is to defeat Barack Obama and win majorities in both the House and Senate, not to attack any of the presidential candidates who might be our nominee.”

Romney flashed a newfound confidence as he campaigned the day after delivering a strong debate performance. “I’ve had the fun of two debates where I had to stand up and battle, and battling was fun and battling was won,” he told cheering supporters gathered at Cape Canaveral.

He later likened Gingrich’s complaints to “Goldilocks,” the fairy tale character who complained of the temperature of her porridge.

Tensions boiled over between the Gingrich and Romney representatives at a stop in Delray Beach. Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond confronted Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who is among several high-profile Romney surrogates tailing the former House speaker.

Surrounded by reporters and cameras, Hammond goaded Chaffetz for employing a tactic that even 2008 presidential nominee John McCain has called into question. McCain is a Romney backer who on Friday said he would discourage that type of infiltration.

“What you’re saying is you’re disregarding the advice of one your top endorsers?” Hammond asked Chaffetz.

“Speaker Gingrich has routinely said he would follow the president from place to place. We think it’s a good idea,” Chaffetz responded, referring to Gingrich’s threat, if he wins the GOP nomination, to follow President Barack Obama from city to city to get the last word.

The outburst overshadowed a detailed discussion about immigration, in which the rivals called for democracy in Cuba and across Latin America, touching a theme that caused clashes between the GOP front-runners at Thursday night’s debate in Jacksonville.

Immigration is a flashpoint issue in Florida for the GOP candidates, who are trying to strike a balance between sounding compassionate toward immigrants and firm about stemming the tide of illegal workers. The state has roughly 1.5 million Hispanic voters.

Gingrich pushed for a measured approach to revising the nation’s immigration laws, “because any bill you write that is comprehensive has too many enemies.” The former House speaker says he wants stricter border control, faster deportation proceedings and a guest-worker program for certain immigrants.

If elected, Gingrich said he would bring to bear “the moral force of an American president who is serious about intending to free the people of Cuba and willingness to intimidate those who are the oppressors and say to them, ‘You will be held accountable.’”

Romney said the United States needs to work harder to promote democracy across Latin America and elsewhere. He compared it to selling soda: “We convince people around the world to buy a brown, caramel-colored water called Coca-Cola and to pay like a half day’s wage for it. And they’ll buy it. It’s unbelievable. We’re able to convince people of things that sometimes you scratch your head. ... And yet democracy, we don’t sell that so well.”

Military dictatorships allied with the United States ruled much of South America in the 1970s, but most nations returned to democracy in the 1980s.

Romney also pledged to appoint a Latin American envoy and to create a task force to focus on drug trafficking and other issues.

Hours after the speech, Romney also won the coveted endorsement of Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno, who joined Romney at an Orlando campaign stop late in the day. Romney and Gingrich said earlier that Puerto Rico should be granted statehood if local voters approve a looming referendum.

Opinion polls show a close race, with a slight advantage for Romney. Two other contenders, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, were far behind.

Paul has already made clear his intention to skip Florida in favor of smaller states that cost less to campaign in. On Friday, he began a two-day visit to snowy Maine.

Santorum, who had been campaigning aggressively here, conceded that he’s better off at home, sitting at his kitchen table Saturday doing his taxes instead of campaigning in a state where he can’t keep up with the GOP front-runners.

Outside advisers were urging him to pack up completely and not spend another minute in Florida, where he is cruising toward a third straight loss.

Springfield police: Man shot in back in city's entertainment district

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Police were looking for a small, gray SUV that was seen fleeing the area of Dwight and Taylor streets, the site of an early Saturday morning shooting in the city's downtown club quarter.

taylor street shooting 3.jpgA uniformed Springfield police officer and detective comb the scene of a shooting early Saturday at the intersection of Taylor and Dwight streets.

SPRINGFIELD – Police responded to an entertainment district shooting that injured a man early Saturday morning, just as city bars and nightclubs were emptying out for the evening.

"We got shots fired. We got shots fired," shouted a Springfield police officer, triggering a frantic series of reports from the crime scene.

As officers tended to a man who was shot in the back shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday near the corner of Dwight and Taylor streets, police also hunted for a small SUV that was seen fleeing the area.

The vehicle – described as gray and possibly an Infiniti or other small-model SUV – was last spotted on East Columbus Avenue heading toward an Interstate 91 ramp. Authorities said the vehicle may have been bound for Agawam or Connecticut, and police in those jurisdictions were notified.

Investigators were still trying to piece together details of the shooting, including whether the gunfire and fleeing vehicle were linked to a disturbance outside The Kush, a nightclub at 90 Worthington St. Police also received a report of a gun inside a car, but it was unclear if that weapon was tied to the shooting.

No information was available on the victim, who was rushed to Baystate Medical Center for treatment. Additional details will be posted on MassLive as they become available.

taylor street shooting 1.jpgUnmarked police cruisers blocked the entrance to Taylor Street at Dwight Street early Saturday morning, as detectives looked for shell casings and evidence from a shooting that seriously injured a man just before 2 a.m.

Saturday's shooting was the second involving an injured victim in less than 24 hours. Early Friday morning, a 24-year-old man was shot during a home invasion at 38 Malden St. in the city's Forest Park neighborhood. The man sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh and was treated at Baystate Medical Center, police said.

Authorities said the assailants, at least one of whom was armed with a gun, ransacked the Malden Street home but apparently didn't find what they were looking for – a "fanny pack" containing marijuana and more than $6300 cash and marijuana. The drugs and large sum of cash likely triggered the home invasion, according to police.

Investigators were looking in to charges for the illegal drugs, said Sgt. John M. Delaney, a spokesman for the Springfield Police Department.

Saturday's shooting marks the latest violence in the city's downtown entertainment district, and it comes as Springfield officials are mulling whether to move the closing time for bars and clubs from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m.

DJSarno127.jpgSpringfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno proposed the idea late last year in response to a rash of violence linked to the entertainment district, including a Worthington Street homicide about 3½ months ago.

The proposal calls for requiring alcohol-serving establishments to close at 1 a.m., unless they obtain a Special Late Night Entertainment Permit from the mayor. Businesses would have to apply annually for the permit.

The idea drew strong opposition from entertainment district bar owners, employees and patrons at a City Hall hearing in late December. Critics said the proposal would create economic hardships for club owners without achieving the goal of reducing crime and violence. Opponents created a Facebook page, Keep Entertainment 'til 2 in Springfield, to share information on the issue and to urge people to fight the proposal.

Springfield firefighters respond to Indian Orchard house fire

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Residents of 105 Berkshire St. were safely evacuated, and there were no reported injuries.

SPRINGFIELD – A fire broke out early Saturday morning at 105 Berkshire St. in the city's Indian Orchard neighborhood.

Authorities received a 4:22 a.m. report of a structure fire and were on scene within minutes.

Springfield fire officials could not immediately be reached for details, but initial reports from the scene indicated residents of the Berkshire Street home and a neighboring building were safely evacuated.

Firefighters quickly had the fire under control.

he cause of the blaze was not immediately known. More information will be posted on MassLive as it becomes available.


THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of an Indian Orchard house fire that was reported early Saturday morning:


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Springfield police probing machete attack on man

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The victim received staples to close a wound to his head, according to Springfield Police Capt. Cheryl Clapprood.

UPDATE at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28: The victim was treated for a head injury at Baystate Medical Center and later released. The wound required staples to close, according to Springfield Police Capt Cheryl Clapprood. No arrests have been made.

SPRINGFIELD – A man was treated at Baystate Medical Center after he was struck in the head with a machete during an altercation in the city's North End late Friday night, police said.

The attack occurred in the vicinity of 16 Grove St., just off Main Street, and the victim is expected to recover, according to Springfield Police Capt. Cheryl Clapprood.

The man "received some staples" to close the wound to his head, she said.

No arrests have been made in connection with the assault, which remains under investigation. It was unclear what prompted the machete attack, Springfield's third since July and one of several in recent years. Other incidents include assaults in January 2011, May 2010, November 2009 and February 2008.


THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of a North End machete attack on a man late Friday night:


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Springfield man shows up at hospital with gunshot wound

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The shooting apparently stemmed from an earlier dispute near Hancock and Hickory streets in the city's Six Corners neighborhood.

SPRINGFIELD – Police are probing a shooting that injured a man in the city's Six Corners neighborhood early Saturday morning.

The victim, whom police declined to identify, showed up at Baystate Medical Center at about 5:45 a.m. with a gunshot wound to the leg, according to Springfield police Capt. Cheryl Clapprood.

Initial police reports indicated the wound was already several hours old by the time the man arrived at Baystate's Emergency Room for treatment. "That's a six-hour wound," a police department official said when dispatching officers to the hospital.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the shooting apparently stemmed from a fight in the vicinity of 15 Hancock St., which is near the corner of Hancock Street.

Authorities said the city's ShotSpotter activation system detected gunfire in that area around 12:39 a.m. Saturday, which they believe is the shooting that injured the man.

"He said he didn't realize he was shot," Clapprood said.

Further information was not immediately available.

THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of a Six Corners shooting that occurred early Saturday:


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