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

Maine officials looking for public's help with ID of young boy found dead by side of road

0
0

Two days after the startling discovery, state police detectives had investigated about 100 leads from northern Maine to as far away as the Midwest but hadn't had any luck in identifying the boy.

maineboy.jpgView full sizeThis computer generated image released by the Maine State Police Sunday, May 15, 2011, shows the likeness of a young boy found dead along a remote road in South Berwick, Maine, Saturday afternoon, May 14, 2011. The boy is believed to have been between 4 and 6 years old, less than 4-feet tall and about 45 pounds with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a gray camouflage hooded sweat shirt with the brand name "Faded Glory," tan pants, and "Lightning McQueen" black sneakers. There were no missing-person reports filed for a boy fitting the description, and state police appealed to the public to help identify him. (AP Photo/Maine State Police)

By DAVID SHARP
Associated Press

SOUTH BERWICK, Maine - He was wearing a gray camouflage hoodie, tan pants and black sneakers adorned with the character Lightning McQueen from the Disney movie "Cars." He had blue eyes and dirty blond hair, and he was covered by a blanket.

But police still do not know the name of a boy whose body was found over the weekend alongside a dirt road by resident who lived nearby. His age was estimated to be between 4 to 6 years old.

Two days after the startling discovery, state police detectives had investigated about 100 leads from northern Maine to as far away as the Midwest but hadn't had any luck in identifying the boy.

"We're pleading to the public to help us identify this boy," said Col. Robert Williams, state police chief. "Somebody out there knows who this boy is."

In addition to checking out tips, state police were reviewing surveillance video from businesses on both sides of the Maine-New Hampshire border, as well as looking for a blue Toyota Tacoma pickup that was spotted in the area where the body was discovered on Saturday.

Investigators believe the boy died a couple of hours before his body was placed along the road Saturday morning; he was discovered around 5 p.m., said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

The death was deemed suspicious, but investigators withheld autopsy findings. Identifying the boy is a key step to moving the investigation forward.

Tips began pouring in after investigators released a computer-generated depiction of the boy on Sunday. By Monday, however, his identity remained a mystery.

"Everybody in New England knows the boy's face. Now we need a name to go with the face," McCausland said.

The same person who found the body also reported the blue pickup truck, said state police Lt. Brian McDonough.

While expressing frustration with the difficulties in identifying the boy, McDonough said he was confident that state police were handling the case by the books and that someone would eventually report him missing.

State Police Sgt. Chris Harriman said the boy appeared to be healthy and cared for before his death. He was 3 feet, 8 inches tall and weighed 45 pounds.

Police hoped the boy would be missed at school, kindergarten or pre-school, but that didn't happen Monday.

Neighbors, meanwhile, were unnerved by the death in this town that borders New Hampshire.

Lorraine Tuttle, who lives on a farm 300 yards from the site where the boy was found, said neighbors love the peace and quiet. It was unsettling to have dozens of police cars and television news trucks on their road.

"I'm very upset about the loss of such a young life," she said. "No one wants to have something like that happen in their neighborhood. It does change your life one way or another."


Tech company troubles and concerns about Europe's debt weigh on stocks

0
0

European finance ministers approved $110 billion in rescue loans to Portugal, but have yet to decide on a second rescue package for Greece.

By DAVID K. RANDALL and MATTHEW CRAFT | AP Business Writers

051611_nyse.jpgTraders and specialists work on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange a short time after the beginning of trading on Monday. (AP Photo/David Karp)

NEW YORK — Technology company troubles and renewed concerns about Europe's debt dragged stocks lower for a second day.

European finance ministers approved $110 billion in rescue loans to Portugal on Monday, but have yet to decide on a second rescue package for Greece.

The arrest of the head of the International Monetary Fund is expected to make solving Greece's problems more difficult. The official, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, had been heavily involved in trying to fix the debt crises in Portugal and Greece. He is being held without bail on charges of sexually assaulting a hotel employee in New York City.

Technology companies sustained the largest losses in Monday trading. Yahoo! Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. fell by more than 4 percent. Yahoo is in a dispute with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. over its online payment business. Yahoo owns a 40 percent stake in the company, which transferred its online payment business to another company without consulting Yahoo.

Investors are growing increasingly concerned over the prospect of an unprecedented U.S. default on its debt. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told Congressional lawmakers in a letter Monday that the agency is taking steps to postpone a default.

"The main thing hanging over most financial markets right now is what's going to happen with the debt ceiling and government borrowing and spending," said Tim Courtney, the chief investment officer at Burns Advisory Group in Oklahoma City.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 47.38 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 12,548.37. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 8.30 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,329.47. The Nasdaq fell 46.16, or 1.6 percent, to 2,782.31.

Commodity prices were mostly lower. Oil prices fell $2.28 to settle at $97.37 a barrel Monday as worries eased that Mississippi River flooding could disrupt refineries and slow demand.

Commodities have been falling broadly over the last two weeks because of concerns that the global economy is showing signs of weakening. A series of margin-hikes that were meant to curb the influence of speculators, whose heavy trading sent commodities like silver up more than 11 percent for the year, have also sent commodities lower.

"People are coming back into the commodity markets because they think that, in the back of their minds, the global growth story will continue," said Zahid Siddique, an associate portfolio manager at Gabelli Equity Trust, a money manager based in New York.

The stock market has lost some of its momentum in the last few weeks after finishing its best first quarter since 1998. Companies in so-called defensive industries like health care, utilities and consumer staples have outperformed lately due in part to concerns that high gas prices will slow the economy and cut into corporate profits.

Two well-known retailers in the U.S. fell after reporting quarterly results Monday. Home improvement company Lowe's Cos. fell 2 percent in after its quarterly report missed Wall Street's estimates and the company cut its outlook for the year. Bad weather and a decline in consumer spending combined to drive its profit down 6 percent in the first quarter.

J.C. Penny Co. Inc. lost 1.5 percent despite raising its full year profit estimates.

One of the most talked-about deals on Wall Street was officially nixed as well. The parent company of the New York Stock Exchange dropped nearly 11 percent after competitors Nasdaq OMX Group and ICE announced that they had withdrawn their hostile bid for the company. NYSE Euronext had angered its shareholders by refusing to meet with the two companies, which offered a higher price than what NYSE received from a German exchange operator. The withdrawn offer clears one hurdle to the proposed combination of the NYSE and its German counterpart.

More than two shares fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading volume was 3.5 billion shares.

Springfield City Council approves keeping $75 annual trash fee

0
0

The fee, initially created by the Finance Control Board in 2007, was scheduled to expire June 30 unless extended by the council.

2009 springfield trash fee.jpg

SPRINGFIELD – The City Council on Monday voted to extend the annual $75 trash fee beyond June 30, with supporters saying the fee is needed to prevent severe budget cuts and to partially cover the cost of trash collection and disposal.

The fee, initially established by the state-imposed Finance Control Board in 2007 at $90 per year, was scheduled to expire on June 30, unless extended by the council.

The vote was 8-5 in favor of the trash fee, the same vote taken April 25, when the fee extension received first-step approval.

Even with the fee, which generates $3.3 million annually, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno has presented a city budget for next fiscal year that calls for 33.5 city layoffs, the de-funding of 48.5 vacant employee positions, and a reduction in library hours.

In addition, non-bargaining employees will receive no pay raise and 12 unpaid furlough days, under the budget plan.

If the trash fee failed, additional cuts would have been needed to offset that loss of revenue, Sarno said.

Councilors voting in favor the trash fee were Melvin A. Edwards, Clodovaldo Concepcion, Timothy C. Allen, Thomas Ashe, Amaad I. Rivera, E. Henry Twiggs, Michael A. Fenton and Kateri B. Walsh.

Those voting against the fee were John A. Lysak, Timothy J. Rooke, Zaida Luna, James J. Ferrera and Council President Jose F. Tosado.

Opponents have argued that the trash fee is double taxation and a burden on homeowners.

With the trash fee finalized, the council can turn its attention to other pressing matters including hearings on the mayor’s budget, Tosado said.

The ordinance that was approved to extend the trash fee includes a $25 discount for qualifying senior citizens, veterans and blind and indigent homeowners. In addition, the city can attach liens on properties in cases of prolonged nonpayment.

Belchertown voters oust Selectman James Barry; recalls against selectmen George Archible, Kenneth Elstein fail

0
0

The recall drives were started by people who said they were responding to votes taken against keeping Francis Fox as police chief.

belchertown recall archible barry elstein.jpgAttempts to recall Belchertown selectmen George Archible, left, and Kenneth Elstein, right, failed Monday night, but voters recalled Selectman James Barry, center, from the final hours of his current term and then chose Brenda Aldrich over Barry in his bid for re-election.

BELCHERTOWN – Selectmen Kenneth E. Elstein and George D. Archible fought back recall drives in the town election Monday and will stay in their positions, but James A. Barry, the third selectman who voted in February against keeping Police Chief Francis R. Fox Jr. on the job was defeated in his re-election bid by Brenda Q. Aldrich.

Barry was recalled from the final hours of his current term and then was defeated by Aldrich in a scheduled election for his seat. The vote to recall Barry was 1,182 in favor to 1,155 against.

In the regularly scheduled election for a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen, Aldrich won the seat with 1,157 votes to Barry's 1,017. Curtis B. Carroll received 126 votes.

"I knew it would be close,'' Aldrich said after the results were announced Monday night in the Belchertown High School gymnasium. "Now the work begins.''

Residents voted 1,244 to 1,069 against a proposal to recall Elstein, whose term expires in 2012, and 1,312 to 1,013 against a recall of Archible, whose term ends in 2013.

The election drew 2,398 of Belchertown's 9,295 registered voters, or 25.8 percent, a turnout that is higher than annual town elections typically produce.

The recall drives were started by people who said they were responding to the votes taken initially against keeping Fox on as police chief, but Elstein and Archible changed positions on that issue and a new contract was offered to and accepted by Fox, who has agreed to stay on as chief of police through 2014.

In the only other contested item on the ballot Monday, residents voted 1,429 to 576 in favor of a proposal to eliminate the excise tax on animals and equipment at working farms in town.

Elstein called the election results bittersweet, expressing thanks for the voters keeping him on the Board of Selectmen but disappointment that Barry will be leaving the board after six years as a selectman and several years before that of town government service.
"Jim Barry has been a towering figure in Belchertown,'' Elstein said.

"I am very glad that I won and that Archie won, but this is now a time to mend and a time to heal,'' Elstein said.

Archible, who was elected to public office for the first time just a year ago, said that even though he won the votes to stay on the Board of Selectmen, going through the process of a recall hurts.

"You should not be recalled on something you did which is not against the law,'' Archible said. "Even after this, I am still not at liberty to tell the people what I want to tell them (about his decisions on the police chief position),'' Archible said.

Selectmen Chairman Ronald E. Aponte, who was not up for election this year or subject to a recall drive, said the process was divisive for the town.

"Hopefully after today Belchertown can pull together,'' Aponte said.

"As for the three selectmen who were subject to the recall drive, I never saw it affect their decisions or their work. It had to be weighing on their minds, but they did their jobs. They were professional,'' Aponte said.

Aldrich and some leaders of the recall efforts said the process resulted in bringing out an unusually high turnout for a town election.

Holyoke set to continue renting space for school offices, but officials say it's only for another year

0
0

No one likes paying rent for school offices, but finding a city-owned space for those offices has been equally vexing.

annex.JPGThe Holyoke City Hall Annex needs costly renovations, such as improved heating and cooling systems.

HOLYOKE – The School Department is likely to continue renting space for its administrative offices on Suffolk Street, a source of frustration for decades, for at least a year.

The push has been on from city councilors and others to move the school administration to a city-owned site and shed the rent that now costs $311,000 for space at 57 Suffolk St.

But where to move the School Department has been the accompanying issue, and that remains unresolved.

Superintendent David L. Dupont told the School Committee Monday the city’s request for proposals for space for the school administration drew only one bid. The bid came from O’Connell Development here, the company from which the city has been renting space at 57 Suffolk St.

The School Committee referred the matter to its finance subcommittee.

What it means is the School Department probably will enter into a lease for 57 Suffolk St. But that will be for only up to a year and then the school administration would find a long-term space, preferably one that the city owns, officials said.

“We should not even consider taking longer than a year,” said Mayor Elaine A. Pluta, chairwoman of the School Committee.

The issue has prompted criticism of the School Committee from city councilors over the years. It led to the formation of a new committee consisting of members of both boards designed to try to resolve such issues.

The city for the past year has been renting 57 Suffolk St. month to month without a written agreement, Dupont said.

Before the meeting, city Purchasing Director David A. Martins said the month-to-month rental cannot continue.

One reason the arrangement must stop is it violates state procurement laws, in which, when the city issues a request for proposals from property owners, a time limit is supposed to be specified and followed, Martins said.

Also, lack of a written agreement puts the city at risk because the property owner can eject a tenant or increase rent at will, he said.

One idea has been to move the school administration to City Hall Annex. One argument against that was where to put the departments that now occupy the annex such as the Board of Health and the Law Department.

But a further problem came to light Monday when Pluta told the School Committee it was likely the annex’ future for any city use was limited because renovating the old building would be too expensive.

Another option that has been discussed is the basement of the War Memorial, 310 Appleton St. The Council on Aging and senior now occupy that space, but a new senior center is being built at Beech and Sargeant streets.

But Councilor John J. O’Neill, a member of the City Council-School Committee Subcommittee, said the War Memorial basement is better suited for the Holyoke Public Library, which is undergoing a renovation at 335 Maple St. and will need temporary space.

Another option for the school administration is 728 Main St., which is currently used to store school supplies, officials said.

Connecticut man who ran $100 million Ponzi scheme gets prison

0
0

Authorities said Michael Goldberg kept $1 million to $2 million for himself over the 12 years but didn't lead a flashy lifestyle.

By DAVE COLLINS

HARTFORD, Conn. — A man who tricked hundreds of investors into giving him more than $100 million on a promise of fat profits on diamonds and distressed properties was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison.

Michael Goldberg, 40, of Wethersfield, was also ordered by a federal judge in Hartford to pay at least $500 a month in restitution after he's released, based on what he can afford, and to undergo substance abuse and mental health evaluations and treatment. He remains free on bail and must report to prison July 18.

Two of Goldberg's victims testified during the daylong hearing while a prosecutor read comments from other victims. Some people lost their homes, some lost their retirement savings and others lost their children's college money.

Yvonne Logan, a 68-year-old retiree from Guilford, said she lost more than $200,000 to Goldberg, about half her retirement savings. She said the investment had every appearance of being legitimate and her lawyer even looked over the contract.

"He gained my confidence and it was all lies," Logan told Judge Robert N. Chatigny. "It was a very bad thing Michael did. I was hurt by it. I may have to sell my house. I'm trying to work."

Goldberg pleaded guilty last year to three counts of wire fraud in a scheme that lured more than 350 investors over 12 years. He told people he would buy diamonds at very low prices in New York City and then resell them at a profit of up to 25 percent. He also claimed to be buying foreclosed and seized business assets from a bank and reselling them to companies. He promised investors returns of 20 percent per quarter.

But Goldberg didn't buy the diamonds or properties, and he paid promised returns to earlier investors with money he received from new investors, prosecutors said. About $100 million changed hands during the scheme. About 120 investors were cheated out of more than $30 million while others made profits.

"This was a case of what I consider epic narcissism, epic ego," said federal prosecutor David Novick, who sought a 12- to 15-year prison sentence. "He needed to feel like he was important. He needed to feel like he was these people's economic savior."

Goldberg on Monday apologized to victims for his fraud, and to his family for the pain and shame he has put them through. He called the scheme a "runaway nightmare" and pledged to do what he can to repay the victims.

"For the rest of my life, I will be pursuing a law-abiding lifestyle," he said. He declined to comment after the hearing ended.

Authorities said Goldberg kept $1 million to $2 million for himself over the 12 years but didn't lead a flashy lifestyle. Goldberg's lawyer, Richard Brown, said his client did occasionally take trips and gamble at casinos, but prosecutors said he bet thousands of dollars on sports. They also said he spent up to $500,000 on a music promotion business. He's now in bankruptcy.

Prosecutors said Goldberg also exposed his friends to possible criminal charges by recruiting them to get investors. No one else has been charged in the scheme, but federal authorities are still investigating.

Authorities also say they're trying to collect millions of dollars from investors who made money in the Goldberg deals. A court-appointed receiver in the case estimated that officials could recoup $10 million to $15 million and that people who lost money could get about a third of their money back.

Goldberg turned himself in to authorities in 2009. There were no criminal investigations into the scheme at the time, but one investor filed a $9 million lawsuit against Goldberg around the same day he surrendered. Brown said the guilt became too much for Goldberg, so he turned himself in. He ended up spending more than 200 hours cooperating with authorities.

But after his arrest and while he was out on bail, authorities said they learned in July of last year that Goldberg tried to lure investors on a promise of big profits on gold, only this time a prostitute named Rain who was solicited to invest alerted authorities.

Goldberg claimed the gold investments were legitimate, but prosecutors said it appeared he made misrepresentations to the prostitute to try to get her to invest. He was not charged in connection with the gold investments.

Chatigny said Goldberg needed a significant prison sentence to deter him and others from committing similar crimes. He said Goldberg deserved credit for his cooperation but called him a danger to people's psychological and financial well-being.

"All these people have been significantly harmed," the judge said. "That's outrageous criminal conduct for which you need to be severely punished."

Another victim, 38-year-old Jason Pierce of East Hampton, wept as he testified about losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. He said he refinanced his house and invested the money with Goldberg after hearing about others' huge profits, with the goal of paying off his, his father's and his brother's debts. He said he asked for some of the money back at one point to pay some bills and Goldberg didn't comply.

"I begged for the money, but I got no response. He was in a position to be judge, jury and executioner in who got the money," Pierce said.

Rey Martinez Jr. to seek Holyoke Ward 5 School Committee seat

0
0

Rey Martinez Jr. is 18, attends Holyoke Community College and is a security guard at the mall.

rey.JPGRey Martinez Jr., School Committee candidate

HOLYOKE – Newcomer Rey Martinez Jr. said he is 18 and ready to be on the School Committee.

“I can offer new ideas that will restore academic success in all schools throughout Holyoke,” Martinez, of 14 Sterling Road, wrote in an email May 9.

He works as a security guard at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside and attends Holyoke Community College, he said.

He is running for the Ward 5 School Committee seat currently held by first-term member Devin M. Sheehan.

“What Holyoke needs is a representative that will be interactive with schools, teachers, parents, and students alike to come up with innovative ideas that will improve the overall quality of every single student’s academic career providing them with the necessary tools to prosper in both college and the work force,” Martinez said.

He graduated from Holyoke High School in 2010. His age can be a benefit, he said, because he can bring a younger generation’s perspective to issues.

He would work to improve the high school drop-out rate and restore academic integrity to Dean Technical High School and Morgan School, he said. Both schools have been cited by the state as being chronically underperforming.

Regarding the drop-out rate, he said, “We need to instill the value of a good education starting at a young age ...”

The high school graduation rate is 52.5 percent, with Dean’s only 37 percent, compared to the statewide rate of 82.1 percent.

“I plan to be as dynamic as possible in promoting the welfare of our student’s academic achievement,” Martinez said.

Fire and police chief jobs will not be consolidated in East Longmeadow

0
0

At East Longmeadow's annual Town Meeting, voters approved a $51.9 million budget and nearly $1 million in capital projects.

east longmeadow town hall.JPGEast Longmeadow Town Hall

EAST LONGMEADOW- The controversial warrant article that proposed the consolidation of the fire and police chief jobs in town was not voted on during the annual Town Meeting Monday.

Article 20, which was proposed by Board of Selectmen member James D. Driscoll, was met with resistance from firefighters and residents in town. Many attended a public forum about the consolidation to express their concerns about the possible merger.

Driscoll, who conducted the forum and submitted the article, did not attend the annual Town Meeting on Monday. The article would have joined the positions of fire and police chiefs into one public safety administrator position.

Fellow members Enrico J. Villamaino and Paul Federici voted to take no action on the article during their meeting held an hour before the Town Meeting. Villamaino and Federici never endorsed the article.

"There was such an overwhelming distaste for the article among residents that we decided it would be best to pull it," Villamaino said. "We will certainly continue to look for ways to save money in town, but not at the expense of the residents' sense of safety and security."

Residents voted on more than 20 warrant articles, including the $51.9 million fiscal 2012 budget, which was approved.

Frank Iovine, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said the town presented a balance budget. Iovine said he expects the town to use free cash reserves to balance the fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2014 budgets. However, he expects the town to be in good financial shape.

Voters approved Article 3, which asked for $919,410 for various capital projects, including two police cruisers for $60,000 and two Department of Public Works vehicles for $211,760, as well as East Longmeadow High School maintenance projects and sewer projects.

Residents also voted on two special Town Meeting articles. The special Town Meeting was held during the regular meeting.

Voters approved Article 1, which allocates $1.3 million for a public safety radio update for the police and fire departments and the Department of Public Works.

Information Technology Director Ryan Quimby said the system will include new hand-held and mounted radios as well as a new computer for the fire department dispatch center among other features.

Article 2 asked residents to appropriate $335,200 to purchase equipment for the new high school athletic field through a Proposition 2½ override.

Board of Public Works member John Maybury said the $1.5 million the town approved for the field during the 2010 Town Meeting will not be enough to get the best use of the field.

The additional money will allow the town to get better lighting, a midfield logo, a four-foot vinyl fence around the track, permanent striping, some hurdles, poll vaults and high jump equipment, 500-person bleachers for the visitors side and several other additions, Maybury said.

East Longmeadow High School track and field coach Michael Budd sent a letter asking residents to vote in favor of the additional funds. He said the school produces great athletes who are training on substandard fields. He also said the town has not been able to host track meets in years because of the poor conditions of the field.

Residents approved the article. It will now go before the town in a special election to be held in June.


Wilbraham annual Town Meeting voters approve lighting for Spec Pond Recreational Area

0
0

Voters also approved the purchase of Gazebo Park on Main Street.

WILBRAHAM – Voters at Monday’s annual Town Meeting approved $163,201 to light the fields at the Spec Pond Recreational Area and $125,000 to purchase Gazebo Park on Main Street from Wilbraham United Methodist Church.

Both appropriations will come from Community Preservation Act funds, raised through a 1.5 percent surcharge on the tax rate. Both appropriations were approved by a majority show of hands.

Frederic Fuller, a member of the Community Preservation Act Committee, said the $163,000 will light two baseball fields and a softball field now being completed.

In prior years, Fuller said, $480,000 in Community Preservation Act funds have been appropriated to help with private fundraising to develop the fields. Fuller said it is legal to use the Community Preservation Act funds to light the fields for recreational purposes.

Fuller also said that the purchase of Gazebo Park on Main Street would “enhance the center of Wilbraham.” Fuller said the $125,000 is a good price to pay for the 67,000-square-foot property, which would be large enough to create two house building lots fronting on Main Street.

Donald Flannery, a local realtor, said he favored keeping the property as open space.

Llewellyn Merrick said the property originally was the site of a church which burned 100 years ago.

Also at the annual Town Meeting voters approved the appropriation of $110,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for the renovation of the barn at Fountain Park.

Jules Gaudreau urged voters to appropriate $110,000 to renovate the barn, which was the 20-year home of the Wilbraham Peach Festival.

“We want to stabilize and renovate a historic, New England barn,” Gaudreau said. He said the project is a good project for Community Preservation Act funds.

Springfield police investigate mugging near Springfield College campus

0
0

The victim was thrown to the ground and robbed of $400 in cash and a cellphone.


SPRINGFIELD - Police are investigating a report that a man was mugged Monday night while walking to his car from a classroom building at Springfield College, said Capt. William Collins.

The man, whose name was not released, told police he had just come out of a class at around 10 p.m.when he was thrown to the ground by one or more assailants and robbed, Collins said

He told police he was robbed of $400 in cash and a cell phone. Collins said the man may have suffered a dislocated shoulder in the attack, but it was not clear if he needed to go to the hospital.

Officers were on scene with the man taking his statement, and Collins was awaiting additional information. He said he did not know if the man was a student or a member of the faculty.

Granby elects former police chief Louis Barry to selectboard

0
0

Barry said both he and Nally have the best interests of the town in mind.

LOUIS_BARRY(2).JPGLouis M. Barry, former Police Chief, is now on the Granby Selectboard.

GRANBY – Louis M. Barry, the town's former police chief, won a seat on the Selectboard in the town election Monday. His opponent was Steven R. Nally, treasurer for the town.

Barry will replace Wayne Tack, who served on the Selectboard for nine years.

Barry described the race as “quiet and non-controversial. Both of us have the best interests of the town in mind,” he said of himself and Nally.

Town Clerk Katherine Kelly-Regan said 665 residents voted, which represents about 15 percent of registered voters in Granby.

She attributed the low voter turnout to the fact that the selectboard seat was the only one contested, although she said a few people may have been discouraged by the bad weather.

Barry, who received 457 votes, retired as police chief in September. He teaches at Holyoke Community College and at the Reserve/Intermittent Police Academy in Springfield.

He also serves on the Library Building Committee and the Council on Aging.

He has said the major issues facing Granby include the landfill, which is about to close, the deterioration of some of the town buildings and the need to attract business that’s compatible with the town.

Although others on the ballot ran unopposed, there will be a few other changes in town government. Lynn Snopek Mercier will be the new town moderator. She is replacing Albert Bail, who stepped down this year.

“I hope to continue running the meeting smoothly,” said Mercier, a lawyer and adjunct professor at Bay Path College and Holyoke Community College.

Mercier said she was brought up in a family of public servants. “I thought this was a way I could serve my town,” she said.

Also new to elected office is Jessica Boardway, who will serve in the three-person Recreation Department.

“It’s very exciting,” said Boardway. She is also athletic director at Granby High School, and said the two roles have a natural connection for her.

“I just hope we continue to grow,” she said of Granby’s recreation potential, adding that she is especially interested in offering more summer activities for kids in her town.

Others new to their positions, though uncontested in the election, are Susan B. Haas of the Housing Authority, Lisa A. Anderson of the Planning Board and Robert F. Sheehan Jr. as commissioner of Trust funds.

Jerry Lewis retiring from Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day telethon

0
0

The 85-year-old comedian said it was time for a "new telethon era."

Jerry Lewis In this Sept. 1, 2008 file photo, Jerry Lewis listens to the final tally of donations during the 43rd annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Sun)

LAS VEGAS (AP) - After 45 years, Jerry Lewis is retiring as host of the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Labor Day telethon.

The 85-year-old comedian and Las Vegas resident issued a statement through the Muscular Dystrophy Association calling it time for a "new telethon era."

He says he'll make his final appearance on the six-hour primetime telethon Sept. 4 by performing his song "You'll Never Walk Alone."

Lewis says he'll continue as the association's national chairman, a role he's held since the early 1950s.

Pioneer Valley women among winners of Massachusetts Unsung Heroines awards

0
0

The honorees, chosen from hundreds of nominations this year, will each be recognized for outstanding contributions to their organizations and communities.

070708 lucinda williams hatfield.JPGLucinda Williams of Hatfield, a farmer who has served as chair of the Cattlemens' Beef Board, is among 100 women from across the commonwealth will be recognized this week by the state Commission on the Status of Women with its annual Unsung Heroines awards.

BOSTON - One hundred women from across the commonwealth will be recognized this week by the state Commission on the Status of Women with its annual Unsung Heroines awards.

The honorees, chosen from hundreds of nominations this year, will each be recognized for outstanding contributions to their organizations and communities.

A recognition ceremony is set for Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Statehouse.

“The Unsung Heroines are women who don’t make the news, but make the difference,” according to the commission.

They include individuals like Lucinda Williams, of Hatfield, a farmer who has served as chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, and Janet Crimmins, of East Longmeadow, co-founder of the Link to Libraries which promotes literacy in the region by supplying new and gently-used books to elementary-school libraries and non-profit organizations.

051809 Janet Crimmins.JPGJanet M. Crimmins of East Longmeadow, co-founder of Link to Libraries Inc., reads to pupils at Talmadge Elementary School in Springfield.

Says Susan Jaye Kaplan, Crimmins’ co-founder in Link to Libraries, “Janet is a thoughtful, meticulous woman in all that she does. She is always mindful of what she says and how it will be taken and in that vein is ever the gentle-woman.”

“It has been my good fortune and blessing to have her as my partner as she brings to the organization a passion unequaled to anything I have seen and expertise in the subject of reading,” said Kaplan. “She is also a loving mother, wife and grandmother of three.”

In addition to Williams and Crimmins, the other women from Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties who will be honored include: Bertha Baranowski, of Hadley; Cynthia Brubaker, of Amherst; Lisa Felty, of Southampton; Nicole LaChapelle, of Easthampton; Haydee Lamberty-Rodriguez, of Springfield; Ann Lentini, of Westfield, Dale Melcher, of Amherst; Kathleen Plante, of Springfield, Laurie Sanders, of Westhampton; and Linda Warner Young, of South Hadley.

Their work represents a broad range of community activities. Lamberty-Rodriguez, for instance, is involved with the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, while Sanders has been a director on the board of the Westhampton Public Library as it went through a major expansion project. Plante is development director at Human Resources Unlimited in Springfield.

“They are the women who use their time, talent and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others and make a difference in their neighborhoods, cities and towns,” said the commission’s announcement. “They are mentors, volunteers and innovators who do what needs to be done without expectations of recognition or gratitude. These women are the glue that keeps a community together and every community has them."

The commission’s annual Unsung Heroine initiative is underwritten a group of private sponsors and the commission’s trust fund. No tax dollars are used to fund the event.

The state Commission on the Status of Women is an independent state agency that was legislatively created in 1998 to advance women to full equality in all areas of life and to promote their rights and opportunities.

Southwick Town Meeting lists budget issues

0
0

A Special Town Meeting will have 7 articles and the Annual Town Meeting includes 24 articles.

SOUTHWICK – When voters head to the Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday they will be asked to decide the fate of 24 warrant articles, as well as seven additional articles slated for the Special Town Meeting scheduled to begin first.

The Special Town Meeting will be held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. with the Annual Town Meeting scheduled to begin immediately afterward.

Special Town Meeting articles include using current year monies to pay for a contractual expense for the Chief of Police Department Head Level that was settled last summer; settling ice and snow removal debts and computer hardware upgrades for the fire department

Officials are also asking townspeople to consider the transfer of $30,000 from water-retained earnings to supplement the construction budget for the new water tank; the transfer of $5,000 from the Sewer Retained Earnings Account to supplement Sewer Capital Grinder Pump maintenance account and the re-appropriation of the remaining bond funds from the repair of the culvert on South Longyard Road at Great Brook, which is complete, to projects of a similar nature, specifically on Depot and at the culvert on Fred Jackson Road at the Shurtleff Brook Culvert.

Article seven states that “the above projects were either not undertaken if grants not received or were completed below the dollar amount authorized to be borrowed,” and the outside town auditor has recommended the unissued or unused balances that could be borrowed be rescinded.

Among the “general housekeeping” articles included in the 24 Annual Town Meeting questions, residents will have the opportunity to cast their votes on the town’s $8.5 million proposed budget, as well as re-authorize funding to keep both town boat ramps at Point Grove Road and Berkshire Avenue running for the next fiscal year; approve the town’s $8.2 million assessment of the Southwick-Tolland Regional School District’s $19.1 million budget.

Get ready for a soggy week in the Pioneer Valley

0
0

An extended wet forecast for Western Massachusetts means the region won't see much sunshine -- if any -- this week.

Spring weather, flowersThis week's wet weather may help your gardens grow, but don't expect to see the sun anytime soon: Showers and clouds could last through the weekend, according to the extended forecast.

PIONEER VALLEY -- If April showers bring May flowers, what do may downpours bring?

Hopefully not flooding, which isn't in the immediate forecast for the Pioneer Valley, although Berkshire County remains under a flood watch until 8 a.m. Tuesday.

The rest of this week's forecast for greater Springfield calls for rain showers, with temperatures in the lower 50s slowly rising into the high 60s by the weekend, which also is expected to feature overcast skies.

As much as 2 to 3 inches of rain could fall on Tuesday, according to ABC40. The National Weather Service in Taunton predicts a 100 percent chance of showers again on Wednesday in the Pioneer Valley and a 70 percent chance on Thursday, when a slight drying trend may begin.

The prospect of even a glimmer of sun improves by the end of the week, as the chance of rain diminishes to 30 percent for both Friday and Saturday.

The reason for all this gloomy spring weather: A low-pressure system has stalled over the Northeast, and it's not going anywhere anytime soon -- so break out the galoshes and umbrellas.

As temperatures gradually rise throughout the week, there's a chance of thunderstorms Wednesday night and Thursday before 1 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Tuesday morning's heavy rain hadn't caused any problems on local roadways as of 7:30 a.m., according to local police.

"The roads are draining well; we have no problems out there right now," said Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Michael Imelio, who's stationed at the Northampton barracks.

The Springfield barracks also reported no weather-related traffic accidents or road mishaps so far this morning.


Sunrise report: Forecast, poll and more for Monday May 16

0
0

Today's poll: Are you disappointed that Donald Trump isn't running for president?

View full size05.16.2011 | CHICOPEE - Mompoloki O. Nkhumane, 2, plays in a puddle in front of his home on Chicopee St.

The Forecast

The cold, hard rain in Holyoke early this morning was the kind that made you want to go back home and read all day.

My favorite books you can read in one long sitting: The Great Gatsby; Ethan Frome; Heart of Darkness. What are yours? Post suggestions to the comments.

If you do find yourself curled up with a good book, crack a window and keep a blanket handy: the high's only going to be 52 today, according to the National Weather Service. Tomorrow's high is expected to reach toward the upper 50s.

ABC 40 / FOX 6 meteorologist Dan Brown explains the current weather pattern:

Every so often a storm will get cut off from the main jet stream causing it to stall. This is one of those times. An area of low pressure over us now will sit and spin across the northeast keeping us unsettled through the week.

Find the full forecast here.




Today's Poll

Donald Trump announced yesterday that he won't be running for president after all.

"I will not be running for president as much as I'd like to," Trump told an audience at a Manhattan hotel, where NBC was hosting an event to announce its fall lineup.

Instead of diving headfirst into politics, Trump will be back to host another season of "The Celebrity Apprentice."

What do you think -- are you disappointed that Trump isn't running? Vote in our poll, and check back tomorrow for the results.

Monday's results: Yesterday, we asked, "Would Massachusetts benefit from greater political diversity in its state legislature?" 14 people voted. 71.43% said, "yes," and 28.57% said "no."




Monday's Top 5

The top 5 headlines on MassLive.com on May 16 were:
  1. 2011 South Hadley High School prom [photo gallery]
  2. 2011 Easthampton High School prom [photo gallery]
  3. 2011 Chicopee High School Prom [photo gallery]
  4. 2011 Somers High School prom [photo gallery]
  5. 34-year-old woman, cut with box cutter during robbery in East Longmeadow, reflects on experience, impact on her family



Quote of the Day

"Now the work begins.''
— Newly elected Belchertown select board member Brenda Q. Aldrich, after defeating James A. Barry. Barry was recalled from the final hours of his current term and then was defeated by Aldrich in a scheduled election for his seat. Read John Appleton's story here.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, separated from wife Maria Shriver, acknowledges fathering a child with household staff member

0
0

Schwarzenegger and Shriver jointly announced May 9 that they were splitting up after 25 years of marriage.

SHRIVER SCHWARZENEGGERFILE - This file photo taken Oct. 7, 2003, shows Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver ,as they celebrate his victory in the California gubernatorial recall election in Los Angeles. The two announced Monday, May 9, 2011, they were separating. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has acknowledged that he fathered a child with a member of his household staff, a revelation that apparently prompted wife Maria Shriver to leave the couple's home before they announced their separation last week.

Schwarzenegger and Shriver jointly announced May 9 that they were splitting up after 25 years of marriage. Yet, Shriver moved out of the family's Brentwood mansion earlier in the year after Schwarzenegger acknowledged the child is his, The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

"After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," Schwarzenegger told the Times in a statement that also was sent to The Associated Press early Tuesday. "I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry.

"I ask that the media respect my wife and children through this extremely difficult time," the statement concluded. "While I deserve your attention and criticism, my family does not."

Schwarzenegger's representatives did not comment further. A spokesman for the former first lady told the Times she had no comment.

The Times did not publish the former staffer's name nor that of her child but said the woman worked for the family for 20 years and retired in January.

In an interview Monday before Schwarzenegger issued his statement, the former staffer said another man — her husband at the time — was the child's father. When the Times later informed the woman of the governor's statement, she declined to comment further.

The child was born before Schwarzenegger began his seven-year stint in public office.

Shriver stood by her husband during his 2003 gubernatorial campaign after the Los Angeles Times reported accusations that he had a history of groping women. Schwarzenegger later said he "behaved badly sometimes."

In his first public comments since the couple announced their breakup, Schwarzenegger said last week that he and Shriver "both love each other very much."

"We are very fortunate that we have four extraordinary children and we're taking one day at a time," he said at a Los Angeles event marking Israeli independence. Their children range in age from 13 to 21.

Since his term as California governor ended in early January, Schwarzenegger, 63, has hopscotched around the world, his wife nowhere in sight. While the "Terminator" star appeared confident about the future since exiting politics, cutting movie deals and fashioning himself as a global spokesman for green energy, Shriver, known for her confidence, seemed unsettled.

Shriver, 55, maintained her own identity when her husband entered politics, though she gave up her job at NBC. Their union was often tested in Sacramento, where the former action star contended with a rough seven years of legislative gridlock, a budget crisis and lingering questions about his fidelity.

Collins Tuohy, depicted in 'The Blind Side,' to give commencement address at Westfield State University graduation

0
0

WSU president Evan Dobelle will present 1,200 graduates with degrees.

2011 collins tuohy.jpgCollins Tuohy, 24, a member of the Tuohy family depicted in the book and movie "The Blind Side," will give the commencement speech at Westfield State University graduation ceremonies on Saturday.

WESTFIELD – Collins M. Tuohy, 24, a member of the Tuohy family depicted in the book and movie "The Blind Side," is the commencement speaker at Saturday's graduation ceremony at Westfield State University.

The graduating class selected Tuohy because of her outlook on life and with the expectation that she will address life experiences that relate to members of the class, 2011 class president Courtney E. Sarantos said.

“We picked Collins Tuohy because of her attitude about approaching the world with an open mind and to never let race or gender come between making relationships with anyone,” said Sarantos, 21, of Scituate.

“We can relate to her because of her age and success and we are hoping she might share her experiences with us,” said Sarantos.

Tuohy’s family adopted African-American Michael Oher, who originally lived in public housing with his crack-addicted mother. Collins Tuohy was first introduced to Oher while attending Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis. She helped Oher adapt to college life and her family. He went on to become a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in the 2009 National Football League draft.

Tuohy is a board member of the Making It Happen Foundation created by her family because of the book and movie.

“The commencement will aim at community service. She will bring a message of opportunity and community service,” said Sarantos, who will receive her bachelor's degree in communications. After a brief vacation, Sarantos will head to Disney World for an internship.

Graduation for the 1,200-member Class of 2011 will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday on the Western Avenue campus.

WSU President Evan S. Dobelle will award honorary degrees to Tuohy; David Carter, Connecticut State University chancellor; John A. DiBiaggio, former University of Connecticut, Tufts University and Michigan State University president; Marilynn Monahan, executive director of Reading Assist Institute and former secretary of National Education Association; and Laura Dubester and Alan Silverstein, both of Pioneer of Green Movement and co-founders of the Center for Ecological Technology.

AM News Links: Mitt Romney flexes his fundraising muscles, pot smokers gather for Karaoke night at Oregon cafe, and more

0
0

The Queen of England in Ireland during a Dublin bomb scare, the GOP field for president comes into focus, and more of this morning's news.

pot head.jpgCher Nuttall, 65, laughs during a recent karaoke night at the Cannabis Cafe in Portland, Ore. The cafe features donated weed-laden goodies, a weekly comedy show and even an employees' night. Karaoke night has become a popular gathering spot for pot smokers, many of whom say they need marijuana to fight severe pain for various ailments.

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

3 convicted in Massachusetts auto insurance fraud scheme

0
0

Trio from the Lawrence area are convicted of participating in a $130,000 insurance fraud scheme.

SALEM, Mass. (AP) — An Andover lawyer, a North Andover chiropractor and one of his employees have been convicted of participating in a scheme to defraud auto insurers out of $130,000.

A jury on Monday convicted attorney James Hyde and Dr. Michael Kaplan of dealing with clients referred to them by so-called "runners" who they knew set up "paper" accidents that never happened.

The jury also convicted one of Kaplan's van drivers, Omar Castillo, who was accused of helping to set up one of three crashes in late 2002 which were the basis of the 2008 indictments.

Hyde and Kaplan were each sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail. Castillo also received a 2 1/2-year sentence, with nine months to serve.

Lawyer for all three said evidence was weak and plan to appeal.

___

Information from: Eagle Tribune, http://www.eagletribune.com

Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images