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

Springfield officials seek delay of MCAS testing, citing weather disruptions

0
0

The City Council will consider a home rule bill on Monday to push for the MCAS delay. .

SPRINGFIELD – The City Council and local legislators are hunting for ways to give Springfield students additional time before taking MCAS exams this year due to multiple disruptions in their studies due to intense storms including a June tornado and late October snowstorm.

Dating back to June, Springfield students have faced 10 canceled school days triggered by a tornado, hurricane and snowstorm.

On Monday, the City Council will consider approving a home rule bill to delay the MCAS – Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Systems exam – if approved by the council, mayor, state Legislature and Gov. Deval L. Patrick.

Currently the MCAS tests are scheduled during March and April statewide. The Springfield Education Association is lobbying for a delay until April and May, aided by the Massachusetts Teachers Association and city councilors by way of a non-binding resolution passed in December.

During a council subcommittee meeting Friday, some local legislators and legislative aides said they stand ready to push for passage of the home rule bill if approved by the council, while also looking for other ways including direct discussions with Patrick to push for the added time.

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has not approved an extension of time for the testing.

This story will be updated with more details later today.


Springfield bars invited to apply for permits to keep entertainment going past new 1 a.m. limit

0
0

The nightclub applications for late-night permits need to include what the bar has for entertainment, crowd capacity and security.

SPRINGFIELD – Applications are now available online and hearings will be scheduled soon to determine what bars in Springfield will be permitted to keep their music and other entertainment going past a new time limit of 1 a.m.

Sarno.jpgDomenic J. Sarno

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announced Tuesday that he is proceeding with plans to restrict the entertainment licenses of bars and nightclubs to 1 a.m., unless the establishments apply for and receive an annual “Special Late Night Entertainment Permit.” Without the permit, the bars can still stay open until 2 a.m., but must stop the entertainment such as music, television, billiard tables and live shows an hour earlier.

Sarno said the 1 a.m. limit is intended to reduce late night violence. The proposal drew strong opposition from bar owners, employees and patrons during a Dec. 23 hearing, saying it would hurt business and not reduce crime.

A two-page application can be found on the city’s Web site at: www.springfieldcityhall.com. The mayor, by law, is the permit granting authority, but the applications are submitted to him through the License Commission office, Room 204, City Hall, Springfield, MA 01103.

The application seeks information about: the type of entertainment to be offered; the allowed crowd capacity; conditions and set-up of the premises; measures to prevent over-service of alcoholic beverages; and details of security.

There is no fee charged for the late-night permit.

Sarno, who annually issues entertainment licenses, said Thursday that each late-night entertainment permit application will be considered on a “case by case” basis.

“It always pertains to the public safety of our residents and visitors, and public order,” Sarno said.

The 1 a.m. limit is scheduled to take effect after a 30-day waiting period.

dan kelly.JPGDaniel D. Kelly

Daniel D. Kelly, a local lawyer who represents a number of bars in the downtown district and neighborhoods, including adult clubs, said his clients will be seeking the later hour on entertainment.

He and his clients disagree with the mayor that the 1 a.m. stop on entertainment will curb crime, he said. Kelly said he understands the mayor’s intent in reducing crime, calling it “laudable,” but does not agree that shutting down the music an hour earlier accomplishes that goal.

Representatives of the Police Department said that late night violence, particularly in the downtown entertainment district, is a burden on police resources and draws away cruisers from other areas of the city.

The city’s hearing officer, Associate City Solicitor Alesia Days, recommended the permit process be implemented. Her findings cited the arguments offered by both sides of the issue but stated:

“The encouragement of economic development and the city remaining ‘business friendly’ must be balanced by the need for public safety of all city residents. Clearly, it is potentially detrimental to citizens who reside in other parts of the city if police resources are consumed during the late night hours by issues related to crowd control, investigations and arrests occurring in the entertainment district.”

Obama: Birth control policy meets everyone's needs

0
0

"Religious liberty will be protected and a law that requires free preventative care will not discriminate against women," Obama said Friday in an appearance in the White House briefing room.

021012birthcontrol.jpgPresident Barack Obama, accompanied by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, announces the revamp of his contraception policy requiring religious institutions to fully pay for birth control, Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama declared Friday he's found a solution to a birth-control uproar that will protect religious liberty but also ensure that women have access to free contraception, as he rushed to defuse an election-year issue that threatened to overtake his administration.

Capping weeks of growing controversy, Obama announced he was backing off a newly announced requirement for religious employers to provide free birth control coverage even if it runs counter to their religious beliefs. Instead, workers at such institutions will be able to get free contraception directly from health insurance companies.

"Religious liberty will be protected and a law that requires free preventative care will not discriminate against women," Obama said in an appearance in the White House briefing room.

"I understand some folks in Washington want to treat this as another political wedge issue. But it shouldn't be. I certainly never saw it that way," Obama said. "This is an issue where people of good will on both sides of the debate have been sorting through some very complicated questions."

Obama's abrupt shift was an attempt to satisfy both sides of a deeply sensitive debate, and most urgently, to end a mounting political nightmare for the White House.

Although the administration had originally given itself more than year to work out the details of the new birth control coverage requirement for religious employers, the president acknowledged that the situation had become untenable and demanded a swift solution.

Congressional Republicans as well as GOP presidential hopefuls were beating up on Obama relentlessly over the issue, and even Democrats and liberal groups allied with the Roman Catholic church were defecting.

"After the many genuine concerns that have been raised over the last few weeks, as well as frankly the more cynical desire on the part of some to make this into a political football, it became clear that spending months hammering out a solution was not going to be an option. That we needed to move this faster," Obama said. He said that he directed the Department of Health and Human Services last week to speed up the process from a matter of months to days.

Women will still get guaranteed access to birth control without co-pays or premiums no matter where they work, a provision of Obama's health care law that he insisted must remain. But religious universities and hospitals that see contraception as an unconscionable violation of their faith can refuse to cover it, and insurance companies will then have to step in to do so.

The leader of a Catholic organization and a prominent women's group both expressed initial support for the changes.

"The framework developed has responded to the issues we identified that needed to be fixed," Sister Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association, a trade group representing Catholic hospitals that had fought against the birth control requirement, said in a statement.

Planned Parenthood also backed the revisions, saying the Obama administration was still committed to ensuring all women have access to birth control coverage, no matter where they work.

"We believe the compliance mechanism does not compromise a woman's ability to access these critical birth control benefits," Cecile Richards, the women's group president, said.

By keeping free contraception for employers at religious workplaces — but providing a different way to do it — Obama was able to assert he gave no ground on the basic principle of full preventative care that matters most to Obama.

Yet, it also was clear that the president felt he had no choice but to retreat on a three-week-old policy in the face of a fierce political furor that showed no signs of cooling.

Officials said Obama has the legal authority to order insurance companies to provide free contraception coverage directly to workers. He will demand it in a new rule.

Following an intense White House debate that led to the original policy, officials said Obama seriously weighed the concerns over religious liberty, leading to the revamped decision.

Before announcing the revamped policy at the White House, Obama called Keehan, Richards and Archbishop Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

But the change just led to more criticism from some of Obama's opponents. Texas Republican Rep. Kevin Brady said the revamped rule marked a "full scale retreat by a disconnected president who now knows that Washington shouldn't force American to abandon their religious convictions."

It was just on Jan. 20 that the Obama administration announced that religious-affiliated employers — outside of churches and houses of worships — had to cover birth control free of charge as preventative care for women. These hospitals, schools and charities were given an extra year to comply, until August 2013, but that concession failed to satisfy opponents, who responded with outrage.

Catholic cardinals and bishops across the country assailed the policy in Sunday Masses. Republican leaders in Congress promised emergency legislation to overturn Obama's move. The president's rivals in the race for the White House accused him of attacking religion. Prominent lawmakers from Obama's own party began openly deriding the policy.

The sentiment on the other side, though, was also fierce. Women's groups, liberal religious leaders and health advocates pressed Obama not to cave in on the issue.

The furor has consumed media attention and threatened to undermine Obama's re-election bid just as he was in stride with improving economic news. Political reality forced the White House to come up with a solution to a complex matter must faster than anticipated.

Under the new policy, religious employers will not be required to offer contraception and will not have to refer their employees to places that provide it. Instead, the employer's insurance company must provide birth control for free in a separate arrangement with workers who want it.

The change will still take affect with an extra year built in, in August 2013.

Already, 28 states had required health insurance plans to cover birth control before the federal regulations were issued.

However, they appear to have differing exemptions for religious employers.

Obama's health care law requires most insurance plans to cover women's preventative services, without a co-pay, starting on Aug. 1, 2012. Those services include well-women visits, domestic violence screening and contraception, all designed to encourage health care that many women may otherwise find unaffordable.

The White House says covering contraception saves insurance companies money by keeping women healthy. But the plan is likely to meet resistance from insurers. Although administration officials are right that contraception is cost effective, insurers may well argue that it's not free, either. And the industry might balk at what amounts to a coverage mandate on it.

Without adjusting his stand, Obama has risked alienated Catholics who have become courted swing voters in such pivotal political states as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. In 2008, Obama won 54 percent of the total Catholic vote, compared to 45 percent for Republican John McCain.

As the week wore on, the White House increasingly signaled that a change was coming.

Vice President Joe Biden, a Catholic, said in a radio interview Thursday that "there is going to be a significant attempt to work this out and there is time to do that."

Outside advocates were urging a quick resolution.

"As a Catholic I don't want to hear about this in Mass every week until the election," said Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats For Life of America. "I don't think it's good for the party and I don't think it's good for Obama's re-election chances."

Obituaries today: Franklin Wenzel worked on Pinetuft Farm in Belchertown, owned bus company

0
0

Obituaries from The Republican.

021012_franklin_wenzel.jpgFranklin Wenzel

Franklin D. Wenzel, 67, of Belchertown, died on Wednesday. He was born at home on Pinetuft farm on Bardwell Street, and was never idle – he kept busy on the farm, raising both dairy and beef cattle. For 21 years, he and his wife owned and operated FD & DL Inc. Bus Company, which served the Belchertown School System. He also did trucking for 31 years, both for the town, and for Mount Holyoke College. Wenzel plowed snow for both the school and highway departments, and he served on the committee to build the new high school. He was a longtime member of the 4-H Club, the Belchertown Pitch League, the Western Mass. Model A Restorers and the Mill Valley Snowmobile Club.

Obituaries from The Republican:

Nonotuck Land Fund merges with Kestrel Land Trust

0
0

By joining the larger trust, they can take advantage of Kestrel’s greater fund-raising capability and its more permanent organization.

HFCT_MINERAL_HILLS_01_5685076.JPGThe Mineral Hills Conservation Area has expanded with help from the Nonotuck Land Fund.

NORTHAMPTON – The Nonotuck Land Fund, a grassroots organization formed to protect open space in Northampton, is dissolving to become part of the larger Kestrel Land Trust.

The Nonotuck Land Fund was founded seven years ago with the specific goal of preserving the wildlife corridor that connects the Mineral Hills on the western border of the city with other forested areas. Its members will now be part of Kestrel’s Northampton Committee, continuing in that capacity to protect land in the city. By joining the larger trust, they can take advantage of Kestrel’s greater fund-raising capability and its more permanent organization.

“Working in a large organization makes it easier,” said Kristen DeBoer, the executive director of Kestrel. “We’re the bridge between land-owners and public and private funding.”

Adele Franks, a Nonotuck Land Fund board member, said the group is delighted to become part of Kestrel.

“We have long admired the work of the Kestrel Trust,” she said.

Kestrel, which merged last year with the Valley Land Fund, is among the biggest land trusts in the area. It covers a 19-community region surrounding Northampton and Amherst. This week, it reached an agreement with Northampton to hold conservation restrictions on more than 400 acres of land in eight city-owned conservation areas that were purchased with the help of Community Preservation Act funds. The state legislation that created the act mandates that a third party hold the conservation restrictions on such land. DeBoear said Kestrel will tour the areas each year to ensure that they comply with the terms of the conservation restrictions.

Kestrel has also begun giving guided tours of conservation land. The next will take place on Sunday at the Mineral Hills tract. DeBoer said the tours are a good way to get people connected with the land.

“Our goal is to be more engaged in the community,” she said.

Tractor-trailer rollover prompts state police to close section of Route 2 in Erving

0
0

The driver was not injured in the rollover.

ERVING - Both sides of Route 2 in Erving remained closed early Friday afternoon following a tractor-trailer rollover near Christina’s restaurant at about 9:30 a.m., state police said.

Traffic was routed around the accident scene as heavy-duty wreckers work to remove the truck.

The driver, a 62-year-old Keene, N.H. man was not injured. The tractor-trailer is owned by Car Guyz Auto Recyclers of New Hampshire.

Troopers from the Athol barracks and the State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section are investigating the accident.

Massachusetts state representative and senator payroll database Feb. 2012: What's your legislator's salary?

0
0

Ever wonder how much the ladies and gentlemen who represent you on Beacon Hill make?

Ever wonder how much the ladies and gentlemen who represent you on Beacon Hill make?

Find out by searching this database that lists what those who work under the state's legislative branch earned last year, what their annual salary is and how much they've earned so far this year.

If you find anything interesting, please share it in the comment section.

Information comes from the Massachusetts Open Checkbook and was last updated on Feb. 5.

Online Database by Caspio
Click here to load this Caspio Online Database.

UMass police looking for help identifying more involved in post-Super Bowl disturbance

0
0

More students could face charges following the disturbance outside the Southwest Residential Area.

Gallery preview
Gallery preview

AMHERST – While 13 University of Massachusetts students were charged this week following the disturbance after the New England Patriots Super Bowl loss Sunday night, more students may yet be charged.

Photos have been posted on the UMass police crime alert website asking for help from the community in identifying those individuals who were at the Southwest Residential Area the night when 1,500 gathered.

Anyone with information about the identity of those in the photos is asked to contact the UMass police detective bureau TIPS line at (413) 577-8477.

“There are a number of cameras down (at Southwest),” UMass spokesman Daniel J. Fitzgibbons said. He said police have been reviewing the images to “identify other people. We may see additional charges.”

UMass police ordered those who gathered outside the residential complex at 10:08 p.m., just minutes after the game ended, to disperse. The order came after fights broke out and the crowd became unruly. Amherst Police and units from the Massachusetts State Police backed up the university police force, Fitzgibbons said.

Order was restored at about 11:30 p.m., he said. There were no injuries or property damage reported, and the disturbance was contained to Southwest.

Dean of Students Enku Gelaye on Tuesday began disciplinary procedures for those charged. All pleaded not guilty to charges ranging from failure to disperse or disorderly conduct Tuesday in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown.

Federal law prohibits the university from commenting on specific sanctions, but students could face suspension or expulsion under the Code of Student Conduct.


West Springfield Town Council seeks more input on Union Street zoning proposal

0
0

A two-thirds majority vote of the nine-member West Springfield Town Council is needed to effect a zone change.

Severe Weather CleanupWarning tape is seen in front of homes in the Merrick section of West Springfield two days after the June 1 tornado hit.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

- The Town Council plans resume a public hearing in two weeks on a proposal to rezone half of Union Street to allow for more people to comment on the measure.

“I know there are a couple of people involved in the area waiting to rebuild who could not make the meeting,” City Council President Kathleen A. Bourque said Tuesday of the public hearing held during the council’s regularly scheduled meeting Monday. The hearing will resume Feb. 21.

The Planning Board has recommended that the city change the zoning of the west side of Union Street from Industrial to Business B because Business B allows more uses than does the industrial designation. It allows for such concerns as retailing, banking and professional offices as well as all the uses permitted under industrial zoning. The measure is expected to help businesses affected by the June 1 tornado to rebuild.

However, although the Planning Board has recommended changing the zoning, both the mayor and the Redevelopment Authority have asked that action be postponed until the Pioneer Valley Planning Commissions finishes a zoning study of the area. It is expected to be finished by June 30. The $50,000 study is being funded by the state Department of Housing and Community Development.

Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger said earlier this week he would like the city to benefit from the commission’s expertise before making any zone changes as the city may end up rezoning other areas of the neighborhood as well. Merrick was heavily hit by the June 1 tornado and many property owners are still in the process of rebuilding.

“The study may say various other things,” Neffinger said. “There are many things that might happen because of the study.”

Changing zoning requires a two-thirds vote of the nine-member Town Council.

Sen. Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren spar over earmarks

0
0

Sen. Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren's campaigns have sparred over earmarks recently, but it seems the two candidates stances aren't that different after all.

Brown Warren 92111.jpgU. S. Senator Scott P. Brown is seen with Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren.

The issue of earmarks, or federal dollars which elected officials funnel to their home state for local projects, has hit the spotlight in the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts.

The issue has been mentioned in recent campaign press releases, but it seems Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic rival Elizabeth Warren's stances on earmarks are different, but not as much as one may think.

Brown's campaign had been critical of a statement Warren made in November during an interview with Boston's CBS affiliate WBZ.

In the interview, Warren said “I think there are a lot of people who have objections to earmarks, and for good reason. I think they’re creating some real problems in our system. But so long as we live in an earmark system, it is part of the job of each delegation to protect its home state. That’s how the game works."

Following a Washington Post report this week that showed a number of federal legislators had supported earmark projects that improved the places they lived, Brown issued the following statement, which, at the end, jabs Warren for her previous comment.

“Today’s Washington Post study is another disturbing revelation about the insidious role that earmarks play in our political system, and a classic example of why Washington is so distrusted by the American people," Brown said. "That is why I have refused to sponsor earmarks, and have co-sponsored legislation to permanently ban this wasteful and corrupting practice. Not everyone feels that way, unfortunately. I was disappointed in Professor Warren’s comments that she would play ‘the game’ with respect to earmarks. This is what’s wrong with Washington and why we need more leaders who will stand against earmarking, not participate in it.”

Warren's campaign issued a statement on the topic of earmarks Friday, saying that she would also work to end the practice if elected.

"Elizabeth will work to end earmarks permanently and supports legislation introduced by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) to do that," Warren's campaign said. "But until that happens, she’s going to play by the rules that exist, because that will help Massachusetts."

Brown's campaign spokesperson Colin Reed took issue with Warren's statement, noting that Brown has not taken any earmarks since taking office. Reed said that the idea of using earmarks until they are barred by law is "exactly what is wrong with Washington today."

A report by WBZ Friday highlighted a Brown interview from 2009, when he was running for the seat against Attorney General Martha Coakley following the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy.

In the interview, Brown said that as a senator, he would "fight for every dollar to come back to Massachusetts as I fought for my district, not only to get the dollars but to retain them."

But since he won the seat in 2010, Brown has supported legislation calling for an end to the practice, but none of the bills have passed. This week, Brown signed on as a co-sponsor to new legislation to end earmarks, legislation similar to that which Warren said she would support if elected.


What is your take on earmarks? Is it wasteful spending or an important method to get things done at home from Washington?

Chime in below and let us know what you think.

Wall Street stocks fall as Greek bailout deal is held up

0
0

The decline in U.S. stocks was broad, with all 10 industry categories in the S&P 500 down.

By BERNARD CONDON | AP Business Writer

020812_wall_street_traders.jpgSpecialist Michael O'Mara, right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stock markets fell Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, after Greece's crucial international bailout was put on hold by its partners in the 17-nation eurozone, a day after it seemed that the country's tortuous journey to pacifying its creditors had reached a conclusion. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK — Stocks had their worst day of the year Friday after Greece hit a roadblock on its way to a critical bailout.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 89.23 points, or 0.7 percent, at 12,801.23. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 finished down 9.31 points to 1,342.64. It was the first losing week for S&P this year.

Just a day earlier, investors had bought stocks after Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and the heads of the three parties backing his government agreed to slash wages, lay off civil service workers and cut government spending.

That was seen as a step toward Greece's securing a €130 billion international bailout that it must have to avoid defaulting on its debt next month and sending a shock through the world financial system.

On Friday, European finance ministers insisted Greece agree to deeper cuts in wages and spending. More than 15,000 people swarmed the streets of Athens, some hurling paving stones at police. Four cabinet ministers have resigned over the cuts.

"The economy in Greece is deteriorating faster than anticipated, and the austerity measures aren't particularly popular," said Mark Luschini, chief investment analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott. "There could be a disorderly default."

The decline in U.S. stocks was broad, with all 10 industry categories in the S&P 500 down. Materials stocks fell the most, down 1.8 percent. Energy and financial stocks both fell more than 1 percent.

The Nasdaq composite closed down 23.35 points at 2,903.88.

Since the start of the year, stocks have been generally rising on small daily gains because of good economic news and a sense that the worst of the debt crisis in Europe might be over. The Dow has risen 4.8 percent in 2012 and seemed poised earlier this week to break 13,000 for the first time since 2008.

At its low point Friday, the Dow was down 145 points. Its largest intraday loss so far this year was 159 points, on Jan. 13, but the Dow has not closed down more than 100 points since Dec. 28.

Aluminum producer Alcoa dropped 3.3 percent, the biggest fall among the 30 stocks in the Dow.

The euro, which had risen Thursday to its highest level against the dollar in two months, fell by a penny and was trading at just under $1.32. U.S. Treasury yields fell, a sign that investors were buying bonds as a safer investment than stocks.

The price of gold fell $16, or nearly 1 percent, to settle at $1,725 an ounce. Gold usually rises when stocks fall because it's seen as a safe place to park money when markets are volatile, but that relationship has broken down recently. Many investors now worry that gold is too expensive after a 26 percent surge over the past year.

"People are speculating, and so the drop could get bigger," said Mark Matson, CEO of Matson Money, which manages more $3 billion in assets. "Gold is good for jewelry, not in your portfolio."

In other commodity news, the price of oil fell $1.17 to $98.67 a barrel.

Among stocks making big moves:

• LinkedIn rose 18 percent. The online networking company announced that fourth- quarter earnings had soared and revenue doubled.

• Jeans maker True Religion Apparel plunged 28 percent. The company reported earnings that were far below what analysts were expecting. Analysts slashed their ratings on the stock, citing weak sales and big markdowns.

• NYSE Euronext, parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, rose 4.5 percent, best among stocks in the S&P 500. It beat Wall Street estimates for revenue and profit. CEO Duncan Niederauer said the company would focus on growth and perhaps small acquisitions after a failed attempt to merge with a German exchange company.

• Telecom gear maker Alcatel-Lucent rose 12 percent after announcing it made its first annual profit in 2011 after years of losses.

• First Solar, a solar panel maker, fell 10 percent. The company said a construction delay is threatening to undo the sale of a large solar project to power producer Exelon Corp.

Stocks were lower in much of Europe. The benchmark stock index in Athens fell 3.2 percent. Germany's DAX was down 1.4 percent. The CAC-40 in France was down 1.5 percent.

On the New York Stock Exchange, three stocks fell for every one that rose. Volume was light with just 3.5 billion shares trading hands.

With foreclosure abuse settlement complete, Coakley aims at Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae

0
0

Coakley said that unless Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac agree to begin modifying loans for borrowers victimized by fraud, an untold number of Massachusetts homeowners could be left without any relief.

fannie mae freddie mac.JPGAttorney General Martha Coakley said that unless Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac agree to begin modifying loans for borrowers victimized by fraud, an untold number of Massachusetts homeowners could be left without any relief.


By Matt Murphy, STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

BOSTON - The ink is not yet dry on a $25 billion national foreclosure settlement with five major banks, but Attorney General Martha Coakley has already trained her sights on two more targets.

Coakley, on Friday, told the News Service that unless Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac agree to begin modifying loans for borrowers victimized by fraud, an untold number of Massachusetts homeowners could be left without any relief.

“People are recognizing that we’d love to get the same relief we were able to accomplish through the 50-state settlement for these homeowners caught in the middle because Fannie and Freddie are not willing to entertain loan modifications or principal write downs,” Coakley said.

Massachusetts on Thursday became one of 49 states to sign on to the national settlement with the country’s five largest lenders netting roughly $318 million in relief for Bay State homeowners through loan modifications for borrowers at risk of default or “under water” because they owe more than their home is worth.

Coakley also retained the right as part of the settlement to pursue additional Massachusetts specific claims against the banks as part of lawsuit she filed in December that could bring additional relief.

Those homeowners that borrowed through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, however, are not covered under the settlement. Coakley said it’s unclear how many loans backed by Fannie and Freddie are active in Massachusetts, but nearly 60 percent of mortgages nationwide are held by the two agencies, and 45,000 Massachusetts owners have faced foreclosure since 2008.

Martha Coakley.JPGAttorney General Martha Coakley

Many more borrowers, according to Coakley, could be ineligible for relief under the new settlement if their mortgages are serviced by one of the five banks, but owned by Fannie or Freddie.

“It’s not an insignificant part of the problem, but it’s certainly not the whole puzzle,” Coakley said, referring to the national settlement.

Coakley sent a letter last week to Edward Demarco, the director of the Federal Housing and Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, urging the FHFA to expand its loan modification program.

“FHFA has the authority and the tools to change current loan modification programs to allow for principal forgiveness in addition to principal forbearance. More loan modifications will be achieved if FHFA would allow principal forgiveness, which in turn would work to stabilize our housing market and the economy,” Coakley wrote.

While the housing agency has maintained that it does not have the authority to engage in principal mortgage reductions or debt forgiveness, U.S. Reps. Barney Frank, Michael Capuano and Stephen Lynch wrote a subsequent letter to Demarco backing up Coakley.

“We disagree flatly with the notion there is anything in that statute – or any other federal law – that requires you to withhold your cooperation from this effort to the extent that you have,” the Congressmen wrote, noting there service on the Financial Services Committee that wrote the law.

Massachusetts has been placed on a federal strike force, along with Justice Department investigators and attorneys general from other states, to investigate any potential criminal liability for the housing and foreclosure.

Coakley said that in addition to the strike force, she is “in discussions with like-minded states” about options to remedy the Freddie and Fannie dilemma, but said she could not talk about any specific actions they might be exploring.

She also said the state Legislature could help protect borrowers by passing a bill (S 868/H 3516) she filed this session that would requires mortgage servicers to file papers certifying the “commercial reasonability” of foreclosing on a property.

Coakley said the bill would go a long way toward protecting Massachusetts borrowers not covered under the national settlement with loans guaranteed through Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae or any of the other nine lenders in the state.

“We hope and assume they will follow the practice and foreclose only on the properties they should, and if it doesn’t make sense seek a loan modification,” Coakley said.

Former Springfield mobster Albert "Baba" Scibelli dies at age 91

0
0

Albert A. "Baba" Scibelli, a member of the mob family that used to run Springfield, has died at age 91.

baba.JPGDec. 11, 1987 file photo of Albert "Baba" Scibelli

SPRINGFIELD – Albert A. “Baba” Scibelli, a member of the mob family that used to run Springfield, has died at age 91.

He was the brother of the late Anthony “Skyball” Scibelli, a regional boss for the New
York-based Genovese crime family.

Anthony Scibelli served as a mob lieutenant from the early 1980s until about two years before he died of natural causes in 2000 at the age of 87.

Albert Scibelli, who had succeeded his brother, was said to have quietly made millions with illegal poker machines until he was caught up in a broad federal racketeering indictment in 2000 along with a dozen other mobsters and associates.

At the time, he was ailing and shocked law enforcement and the underworld by conceding his membership in the Genovese family under his plea deal. He escaped prison and slipped quietly into retirement.

Forastiere Family Funeral Homes is handling the funeral, but as of Friday night no information about any services or calling hours was available.

German Gerena Elementary School in Springfield badly needs repairs, parents, officials agree

0
0

A meeting organized by the North End Organizing Network was held to bring attention to problems with water, mildew at the school.

Gallery preview

SPRINGFIELD – A building with water coming down the walls and ventilators coated with filth and mildew is not a healthy environment for school children, parents and officials said.

“Clearly it is not acceptable, and there are major problems and contaminants that need to be addressed immediately,” said state Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, during a meeting Wednesday where more than 100 residents gathered at the German Gerena Elementary School to demand action from elected officials.

The meeting officially launched “Al Rescate de la Escuela Gerena” (To the Rescue of Gerena School), a resident-driven campaign organized by the North End Organizing Network with the purpose of having the school building returned into a safe and healthy environment.

“I’m worried about the mold, the water flood and the health of our students,” said Rosa Serrano, mother of a kindergarten student.

The meeting was conducted in Spanish, and translation was provided.

City officials as well as local residents agreed the school has been neglected for too long. “It’s long overdue,” said Norman Roldan, a member of the School Committee.

“Gerena has the highest percentage of students with asthma, and the water leak in the tunnel is not helping by causing more growth of mold in the area,” he said. “The community space is not open for community activity because of the problem with the mold on the walls and the bad smell in the air,” he said.

Gerena, a community elementary school located at 200 Birnie Ave., was built in 1972. A tunnel was created within the property as a passageway for pedestrians after the construction of Interstate 91 removed the original connecting streets between Memorial Square and Brightwood neighborhoods.

There are several open spaces at the end of the tunnel that were once used for community programs, but these areas are not being used due to damage at the facility.

Environmental problems have been happening at the school for several years. In 1994, a water main broke on Birnie Avenue and 2.5 million gallons of water flooded the school building.

The cost of renovations to the school grounds was estimated at $13.9 million.

In January 2000, a burst pipe flooded the ground floor of the school with 6 inches of water that seeped into the basement. Currently, water seepage from walls and ceilings is chipping paint in classrooms and hallways.

Renovations for the current problems are on the way, said Patrick Sullivan, executive director of the Springfield Parks and Buildings Department.

“We are going to start this summer. With a building like this, you will always need repairs,” Sullivan said. During the past five years, the school has undergone several renovation projects, including fixing damage to the water pipe system and air ventilation system, he said.

The city is applying for funds from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and will release more details about this project within a month or so, Sullivan said.

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, along with School Committee members and elected officials, applauded NEON and the local residents for taking action and said he will continue working to fix the school.

While Gerena is considered by the state to be underperforming academically, the School Department said it has shown significant improvement. Azell Cavaan, Springfield chief communications officer, stated in an email, “Gerena showed significant gains on the 2011 MCAS, improving more than 18 points in math and English Language Arts, combined. Gerena’s progress has been so significant that Massachusetts Education Secretary Paul visited the school in November to learn more about its success by speaking with the principal, teachers, students and staff and visiting classrooms.”

As part of the process to restore the school’s community center facilities, WGBY will launch the North End Center for Literacy and Learning on Feb. 24. The center, to be located on school grounds, will host workshops, trainings and programs to benefit students, parents and teachers.

UMass police confident 'embarrassed' campus community will aid post-Super Bowl disturbance investigation

0
0

"There's a population of folks out there who are very embarrassed by this and would like to see the people involved held accountable," Deputy Police Chief Patrick Archibald said. Watch video

Gallery preview

AMHERST – University of Massachusetts Deputy Police Chief Patrick Archibald said Friday he is confident students, faculty and staff angered by the negative light cast over the university following a post-Super Bowl disturbance will step forward to aid the ongoing investigation.

UMass police directed campus faculty, staff, and students to the department’s website in an email Friday afternoon, requesting help identifying five individuals photographed and recorded by security cameras during the disturbance following the New England Patriots’ loss to the New York Giants on Sunday night.

The five photographed individuals UMPD has requested help identifying would likely face similar charges to those already arraigned, such as inciting a riot, failure to disperse and assault and battery, according to Archibald.

Archibald said the individual donning the #81 New England Patriots jersey in the photos released on the UMPD website is wanted for punching a New York Giants fan in the back of the head, which was caught on video. He would likely be charged with assault and battery, Archibald said.

Archibald stressed that 1,500 individuals were estimated to have been involved, only a portion of the approximately 26,000 students who attend the university or the 5,000 students who live in the direct vicinity of the disturbance.

“There’s a population of folks out there who are very embarrassed by this and would like to see the people involved held accountable,” Archibald said.

Ahead of last week’s Super Bowl, administration warned members of the campus via email that while celebrations would be allowed, misbehavior and violations of the Student Code of Conduct would not.

“We’re following through on that message,” said University spokesperson Edward Blaguszewski.

Following the arraignment in Eastern Hampshire District Court Tuesday of 14 people, including 13 students, arrested in the disturbance, Blaguszewski told The Republican the school could punish the students “based on the preponderance of the evidence” before the cases are resolved in court.

On Tuesday, Dean of Students Enku Gelaye began disciplinary procedures for those charged.

“It’s a different standard and a different set of rules against which people are being judged,” Blaguszewski said Friday. “That’s the deal you live under to be a part of this community.”

UMass has ascended the ranks of the nation’s top public research institutions in recent years. In 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranked the University at No. 42 among all public universities, and No. 94 among all U.S. universities public or private.

“People need to be held accountable,” said Yevin Roh, UMass Student Government Association President.

Roh said members of the community have been less tolerant of those involved in Sunday’s disturbance than past ones because of the emails sent out beforehand.

Gallery preview

Dave Neely, a UMass doctoral candidate in the school of education, said the light Sunday night’s event cast over the community is unfortunate.

“I hope that people think more about the impact they have on the UMass community as a whole,” Neely said, adding he hoped the administration determined a way to discipline those involved in a productive manner, as opposed to suspension or expulsion.

Evan Ralph, a junior architecture undergraduate from Colts Neck, N.J., worries the effect the event is having on the school’s reputation.

“They’re chipping away at the party reputation, but I’m surprised they’re cracking down now when it’s been a common occurrence for 20 years,” Ralph said.

UMass police previously have appealed to the community using the campus alert system for help with ongoing investigations.

“In 2006 after the UMass football loss we only made a small number of arrests at the actual event, but then we used all the techniques we’re using here and I want to say all-in-all there were 102 people that we summonsed using video footage,” Archibald said.

Blaguszewski emphasized the sentiment expressed by students on campus.

“This doesn’t paint a fair picture of the university as a whole, and that’s why we’ll be steadfast and prompt about pursuing efforts to sanction students involved,” said Blaguszewski. “Student’s here and in the future will understand that we’re serious.”


2 Monson police officers cleared of brutality complaints in U.S. District Court in Springfield

0
0

Rafael Garcia-Chevrestt was charged with drunken driving, but the charges were later dropped when the evidence from the stop was suppressed because Monson officers had crossed town lines to make the arrest.

SPRINGFIELD – Jurors in U.S. District Court deliberated for less than two hours on Thursday before clearing two Monson police officers of brutality allegations in connection with a 2007 traffic stop.

Plaintiff Rafael A. Garcia-Chevrestt, 64, of Springfield, sued three Monson police officers: Sgt. Nicholas J. Gasperini and officers Brian Allenberg and Christopher Arventos for civil rights violations, illegal arrest and using excessive force during the arrest.

According to court filings, Garcia-Chevrestt left the Springfield Sportsman’s Club in Monson on March 12, 2007 after finishing target practice with an AK-47. Gasperini began tailing the plaintiff’s Ford Explorer after he spotted it holding up traffic, swerving across center lines and the sidewalk and narrowly avoiding causing an accident.

Their trail spilled into Palmer, and Gasperini argued he tried to wait for back-up police from that town before removing the plaintiff from the car.

“The Plaintiff complied, but appeared intoxicated and was making unintelligible sounds,” police said in court filings. Police noted the automatic weapons (for which Garcia-Chevrestt had a license) and found nine partially empty liquor bottles in his car.

Garcia-Chevrestt was charged with drunken driving but the charges were later dropped when the evidence from the stop was suppressed because Monson officers had crossed town lines to make the arrest.

Both parties agreed officers had their guns drawn at some point during the stop. Police said Garcia-Chevrestt got a gash over his eye when he crumpled to the ground in a drunken stupor, while the plaintiff argued he was pushed and officers beat him.

U.S. District Judge Rya W. Zobel dismissed the charges against Arventos at the close of evidence.

Monson Police Chief Stephen Kozloski referred a reporter’s questions about the verdict to a Boston attorney, who did not return a call for comment.

West Springfield Mayor Gregory Neffinger fires assessor Christopher Keefe following abatement argument

0
0

Neffinger denied Keefe’s claim that the firing was tied to a contentious meeting about abatement hearings for social clubs.

Neffinger Keefe 21012.jpgWest Springfield Mayor Gregory Neffinger, left, is seen in this composite photo with principal assessor Christopher Keefe, who he fired Wednesday.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger fired Principal Assessor Christopher Keefe and had him escorted from his office by police Wednesday, an action Keefe said came about because he refused the mayor’s push to hold tax abatement hearings for four social clubs.

Neffinger denied the firing was tied to a contentious meeting about the social clubs on Tuesday, saying there have been a series of instances in which he felt Keefe had not been forthcoming with information.

“I fired him because I thought it was not in the best interests of the town for him to remain the town assessor,” Neffinger said.

Both sides agree the abatement issue was argued at the assessors meeting Tuesday.

At issue are property tax bills issued for the first time to the non-profit Tatham Memorial Club, Dante Club, West Springfield-Agawam Massachusetts Elks Club Home Inc. Lodge 2174, and the Verdi Club.

Keefe, who is also president of the Westfield City Council, said Neffinger came to the meeting Tuesday as an advocate for the clubs, all of which had sought abatements on the bills.

Keefe and Kathleen Cooley, the other member of the city’s Board of Assessors, said Neffinger wanted the board to act on the requests for abatements. They said they told the mayor they could not consider an abatement until the clubs paid taxes, which they had not done.

Keefe and Cooley also said the mayor told them he had directed the clubs not to pay the property taxes. Neffinger denied that.

Cooley said there are policies and procedures for challenging assessments. “You can’t just say my taxes are too high,” she said.

Keefe said he instituted the policy of taxing the city’s social clubs for fiscal 2012, which began July 1. A directive from the state Department of Revenue states they must be taxed if their primary purpose is not charitable, Keefe said.

Keefe and Cooley said Neffinger told Keefe to find a way around the directive, no matter how obscure, a claim the mayor disputes.

When Keefe refused, Cooley said, the mayor became irate and yelled at Keefe for at least five minutes, calling him “incompetent.”

“Chris was calm, trying to state the law to the mayor,” Cooley said.

Keefe said the yelling was so loud it could be heard at the other end of the hallway in the municipal building.

Keefe said he had anticipated Neffinger’s request and earlier Tuesday had asked the DOR if the board could act on the abatement requests. He said he had not heard back before the meeting.

Keefe said he and Cooley stood their ground, refusing to act on the abatement request unless a DOR official said they could.

“I asked him point blank, Do you want me to break the law?” Keefe said, adding that the mayor told him to find a case, no matter how obscure, that would let them act on the requests.

“I think the dismissal was totally unjustified,” Keefe said.

Neffinger disputes Keefe’s and Cooley’s account of the meeting, saying he told Keefe to get an opinion from the town attorney about the abatement hearing issue.

“I repeated over and over again that I was concerned that clubs got a fair hearing. I felt that Mr. Keefe was trying to circumvent the authority of the mayor,” Neffinger said.

The mayor said prior to the hearing Keefe had told him that requests for abatements had to be filed by Feb. 1, and that hearings could be held without the taxes having been paid. Then at the meeting, Neffinger said, Keefe said the taxes had to be paid before a hearing could be held.

As to whether he yelled at Keefe, Neffinger said, “I showed a certain amount of passion to Mr. Keefe.”

Neffinger fired Keefe late Wednesday afternoon, having him escorted by a police officer to the personnel office where Human Resources Director Sandra MacFadyen gave him a letter of dismissal from the mayor.

Neffinger, now in his first term, made the point of eliminating the new taxes for the clubs an issue in his campaign for mayor last year. He is not a member of any of those organizations.

Robert R. Bliss, spokesman for the state Department of Revenue, said Friday that social clubs are taxed if their main business is not charitable.

“The local assessor determines that, not the state Department of Revenue,” Bliss said. Nonprofit groups are exempt from taxes only if they are charitable, he said.

Property taxpayers who want their bills abated must first bring the issue before their local assessors for a hearing. If they are unhappy with that board’s determination, they have recourse to the state Appellate Tax Board.

Bliss said that people disputing their tax bills must have first paid them before an abatement hearing made be held.

Taxing social clubs has been a longstanding practice in Massachusetts, according to Bliss. But the practice appears to be inconsistent.

In Agawam, The Mawaga Sporting Club, the Polish-American Club, the West Springfield Fish and Game Club and the Italian Sportsmen’s Club all pay local real estate taxes.

In Springfield, Richard J. Allen, chairman of the Board of Assessors, said there is no exemption in that city for social clubs. The portion of the Springfield Lodge of Elks that is used for socializing purposes, like the banquet room and bar, are taxed, Allen said.

Northampton’s Principal Assessor Joan C. Sarafin said her city does not tax social clubs. The Elks Club in that city is exempt because it is a charitable organization, she said.

In Holyoke, assessors tax the banquet hall portion of the Elks Club.

Keefe, 45, the city’s principal assessor for the past two years, has been paid about $71,000 a year. Previously, he worked for six and a half years with the DOR as a community advisor with jurisdiction over boards of assessors.

Keefe said he was recruited to work for the city by former Mayor Edward J. Gibson, who stepped down in January.

Neffinger, meanwhile, said the city is developing an advertisement for a new principal assessor and is looking for someone to do the job until a permanent replacement is found.

Springfield excluded from rising high school graduation rate trend in Massachusetts

0
0

Superintendent Alan Ingram said the declining graduation rate was tied to the state’s boosting of standards for passing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test, a requirement for graduation.

083010 alan ingram mug small.jpgAlan Ingram

SPRINGFIELD – High school graduation rates rose in 2011 for the fifth year statewide, but Springfield was excluded from the trend.

A report by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education showed that 83.4 percent of four-year high school students graduated last year, an increase of 1.3 percent from 2010.

The statewide dropout also improved last year, with 2.7 percent of students quitting school – the lowest figure in 20 years, according to the study.

In terms of race, 43 percent of dropouts were white, 36 percent Hispanic, 15.5 percent African American, and 3.3 percent Asian, according to the report, which found 56.4 percent of dropouts were from low income families.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick said the trends are encouraging, but more needs to be done.

“I’m proud of the progress we have made, but we won’t be satisfied until we have a system that closes the achievement gap and prepares all of our students for success,” Patrick said.

In Springfield, the graduation rate was 52.1 percent, down from 53 percent last year. The dropout rate was 11.7, higher than the 10.5 figure from 2010.

Superintendent Alan J. Ingram said the declining graduation rate was tied to the state’s boosting of standards for passing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test, a requirement for graduation.

“We expected that would likely have a short-term effect on the graduation rate,” said Ingram, adding that reversing the trend is a top priority.

“We cannot and will not make excuses,” the superintendent said, adding: “It is important for all of us to understand the strength of the tide we are swimming against.

In Holyoke, the high school dropout rate increased slightly in 2011 from the previous year, to 9.8 percent from 9.5 percent. The graduation rate has hovered near 50 percent in recent years, and was 49.5 percent in 2011.

Mayor Alex B. Morse, who is chairman of the School Committee, said changes obviously are needed at the city’s two high schools because the low rates show the status quo isn’t working.

“The numbers aren’t improving because we keep doing things the same way over and over,” Morse said.

West Springfield High School Principal Michael J. Richard said the 5.1 percent dropout rate his school had last year is something educators want to work on.

“That is not the direction we want to move in. We are looking to lower than number, not increase it,” Richard said.

In Agawam, where the dropout rate was 1.9 percent for the last two years, high school principal Steven P. Lemanski said the school monitors students at risk.

“We set up a net to help kids so they don’t fall,” Lemanski said.

Ludlow School Committee member James P. Harrington said Ludlow traditionally has a low student drop-out rate.

“Even if there is one student, you wonder what went wrong,” he said.

Harrington said Ludlow officials are more concerned with tracking who goes to two-year versus four-year colleges and whether they complete their degree programs.

“It’s difficult to find out what happens to our students after they leave here,” he said. “We have been trying to work with HCC and STCC.”

“We find that a lot of our students choose two-year schools because of the cost,” he said.

In Monson, Superintendent Patrice L. Dardenne said he was pleased to see the dropout rate drop, from 2.7 to 1.4.

“This is the lowest they’ve been in the last three years,” Dardenne said. “It’s a good sign.”


Staff writers Mike Plaisance, Sandra Constantine, Lori Stabile and Suzanne McLaughlin contributed to this story.

Massachusetts state trooper denied bail on extortion charge

0
0

John Analetto has been in detention and suspended from the state police since his arrest last month.

BOSTON — A 20-year veteran Massachusetts state trooper has been ordered held until his trial on charges that he threatened to kill a bookmaker he was working with in a gambling ring.

Forty-eight-year-old John Analetto has been in detention and suspended from the state police since his arrest last month on an extortion charge.

The Boston Globe reports Judge Marianne Bowler ruled Friday that Analetto is a danger to the community.

Prosecutors say Analetto was secretly videotaped threatening the bookie, a cooperating witness for the FBI. Analetto allegedly felt the man wasn't trying hard enough to collect money bettors owed to them. Prosecutors said Analetto also made a threatening call to one of the bettors.

Analetto's lawyer has argued his client's threatening language was just tough-guy talk after heavy drinking.

3 more dolphins die in Cape Cod strandings

0
0

160 dolphins have stranded on Cape Cod since Jan. 12; of those, 120 have died and 40 have been rescued.

Gallery preview

WELLFLEET — Animal rescuers say they have successfully herded more than 50 common dolphins out of Wellfleet Harbor on Cape Cod to avoid strandings.

But the International Fund for Animal Welfare said Friday three more stranded dolphins died Thursday night on the Barnstable harbor side of Sandy Neck. Two found stranded in that area were rescued and released off Town Neck Beach in Sandwich.

The organization says it's keeping an eye out for more dolphins in the Barnstable and Wellfleet areas.

The IFAW says 160 dolphins have stranded on Cape Cod since Jan. 12. Of those, 120 have died and 40 have been rescued.

That's far more than the yearly average of 37 common dolphin strandings over the last 12 years. Scientists say geography, weather changes or behavior of the dolphins' prey may explain the increase.

Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images