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Discarded cigarette cause of blaze that prompted evacuation of apartment building in North End of Springfield

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No injuries were reported in the blaze, which broke out shortly before 11 p.m.on Wednesdy at at 6 Portland St.

SPRINGFIELD -- A carelessly discarded cigarette was the cause of a fire that prompted the evacuation of a North End apartment complex late Wednesday night.

“It caused a lot of panic,” said Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant. No injuries were reported.

The blaze at 6 Portland St., a four-story brick building, was reported shortly before 11 p.m.. It was confined to a rear wooden porch on the third floor and caused about $1,000 in damage, Leger said.

Leger said the porch railing had been covered with plywood, perhaps in an attempt to make it safer for children, and that the cigarette had fallen in between the railing and the plywood.

It was clear from the number of discarded cigarette butts in the area that the porch served as a kind of smoking area.

“Any fire in a building like that is a dangerous situation,” Leger said. “People should be more careful with cigarettes."


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Chicopee police probe robbery of Alden Credit Union on Grattan Street

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The robbery was reported about 3 p.m. at 710 Grattan St. No weapon was shown.

CHICOPEE -- Detectives continue to probe a Wednesday afternoon robbery of the Alden Credit Union at 710 Grattan St.

Capt. Daniel Sullivan said the robbery was reported about 3 p.m. A white male entered the bank, handed a teller a note and made off with an undetermined amount of cash.

The suspect was described as being in his late 20s to early 30s, about 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall and with a medium build.

Sullivan said no weapon was shown. He declined to divulge the contents of the note.

Detectives are reviewing surveillance video and witness statements, he said.

Images of the suspect taken from surveillance video have not been released to the media.

Massachusetts high court: Judges get discretion on ordering GPS monitoring for certain juveniles

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A judge denied the boy's request to be free of the GPS monitoring.

BOSTON -- The state's highest court ruled Thursday that a judge in Springfield did have the discretion to determine if GPS monitoring should be ordered as a condition of probation for a juvenile found responsible for committing a sex offense.

The state Supreme Judicial Court issued the six-page decision in the case of a 15-year-old boy from Hampden County who rubbed his fingers over the clothing covering the genital area of a girl who was his classmate in a physical education class.

gants.jpg Ralph D. Gants  

In July 2011, the boy pleaded delinquent in Hampden Juvenile Court in Springfield to indecent assault and battery on a person less than 14.

He was placed on supervised probation for six months and ordered to stay away from the victim and accept counseling. The judge also had granted the boy's request to be relieved from registering as a sex offender, saying he did not pose a risk of offending again and was not a danger to the public.

During his plea, the boy was not advised that GPS monitoring would be required as a condition of probation.

But in August, the judge ordered that the boy be forced to wear the GPS monitoring device during his probation. The judge cited state law, saying she had no discretion to allow him not to wear the device.

Judge Judith J. Phillips denied the boy's request to be free of the GPS.

But the court said it could find no clear legislative intent in the law. The court said it is not apparent that the state Legislature meant to eliminate the discretion of a judge to make individual decisions consistent with the best interests of a child.

In a decision written by Judge Ralph D. Gants, the court said that it was unconvinced that the state lawmakers intended to impose "the stigma of a criminal" on a child found delinquent because of a sex offense when there is no finding that GPS monitoring is needed to protect a victim and that the need for the device also trumped the possible damage on the juvenile's rehabilitation.

The court said mandatory GPS monitoring does not apply to juveniles found delinquent.

The court cited state law that says juveniles shall be treated, as far as practical, as children in need of aid, encouragement and guidance, not as criminals.

Since the juvenile has completed his probation, the case is moot, the court said. But the issue is likely to come up again in similar circumstances, so the court issued a decision on the merits of the case.

The decision is limited to juveniles placed on probation as a result of being found delinquent on a complaint.

Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Stephen Lynch lands Western Massachusetts endorsement

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Donald E. Ashe, the Hampden County register of deeds, announced on Thursday that he was supporting Lynch over his Democratic competition, U.S. Rep,. Edward Markey.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch has landed an endorsement from a Western Massachusetts politician in his run to become the next U.S. Senator from the Bay State.

Donald E. Ashe, the Hampden County register of deeds, announced on Thursday that he was supporting Lynch over his Democratic competition, U.S. Rep,. Edward Markey.

"I have been in public office for over 30 years and have rarely been afforded the opportunity to endorse a candidate more qualified and able to do the good battle for the middle class than Steve Lynch," Ashe said in a statement. "I offer my enthusiastic support for his candidacy on all of the pressing issues and concerns of the middle class."

The primary battle between Lynch and Markey has split the Democratic base, with many traditional establishment politicians and organizations. Markey emerged early on as the liberal candidate of choice while both candidates have been dueling for the support of labor unions, which proved to be ground armies of sorts in the 2012 U.S. Senate election where Democrat Elizabeth Warren toppled the Republican incumbent, Scott Brown.

The largest labor union in Massachusetts, the AFL-CIO, recently decided by member vote to sit out endorsing either candidate in the primary, as did the SEIU Local 888.

Lynch, a former iron worker and union member himself, has received nods of support from several unions including the Massachusetts Building Trades Council, the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Nurses Association. The United Steelworkers local 12003 - the largest steelworkers local in Massachusetts - also endorsed Lynch and has been working on his behalf.

Markey has landed endorsements from unions including the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, the American Federation of Teachers, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants and the Service Workers International Union.

The two Democrats squared off at a debate in Lowell on April 8 and are scheduled to debate again in Springfield on April 18.

On the Republican side, former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, state Rep. Daniel Winslow and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez are competing. The primary election is scheduled for April 30 with the general election to take place on June 25.


US Sen. William 'Mo' Cowan of Massachusetts to hold 'Commonwealth Coffee' event for Bay State residents visiting Washington DC

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According to Cowan's office, the senator and his team will be available then to meet and answer questions from any Bay State residents passing through the nation's capitol.

If you are passing through the nation's capitol next week and looking to catch up with the junior senator from Massachusetts, you are in luck.

On Thursday, April 18 from 9:30-10:30 a.m., U.S. Sen. William "Mo" Cowan, D-Mass., is welcoming Massachusetts residents visiting Washington D.C. to stop by for a cup of coffee.

According to Cowan's office, the senator and his team will be available then to meet and answer questions from any Bay State residents passing through the nation's capitol.

The event is set to take place in room 218 of the Russell Senate Building, second floor, in Washington, D.C. To RSVP for a visit, call (202) 224-2742.

Cowan was appointed as the interim U.S. Senator from the state earlier this year following John Kerry's resignation to become Secretary of State. The special election to fulfill the remainder of Kerry's term is underway with two Democrats and three Republicans competing.

Cowan is the first U.S. senator from Massachusetts to sit on the on Agriculture Committee since 1879. In February, he visited several farms in western and Central Massachusetts as preparation for debate on a new Farm Bill.


Springfield officials seek public feedback regarding lighting improvements pursued in downtown, other areas

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Springfield has three test sites for new lighting in the downtown, North End, and Forest Park, and city officials are seeking public feedback

light.phot.JPG A worker from the Western Massachusetts Electric Co., attaches a new, high illumination lamp to one of the two new overhead street lights at the entrance to Forest Park off Sumner Avenue.

SPRINGFIELD -- City officials and the Western Massachusetts Electric Co. are pursuing plans to improve lighting in some areas of the city including the downtown district, but will be asking for public feedback first regarding a few trial sites.

The lighting initiatives are aimed at enhancing public safety, promoting nighttime activity and having a more unified lighting program for cost savings, officials said.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno praised the initiative, saying the city and WMECo are teaming up for “increased security, reliability and financial savings.”

Rather than just light up the roadway, the new lights under consideration in the central business district enhance the lighting of the sidewalk, said Kevin E. Kennedy, the city’s chief development officer.






04.08.2013 | SPRINGFIELD -- The two new street lights at the Sumner Avenue entrance of Forest park.


“Lighting up where the people are creates a secure sense of where they are,” Kennedy said. “We need to send the message to everyone that downtown is well lit and safe.”

The new lighting has been installed on a trial basis on a section of Main Street downtown between Worthington Street and Taylor Street.

The Springfield Chamber of Commerce has volunteered to collect public comments regarding that program. Those wishing to comment can go to www.myonlinechamber.com, and click the link to submit feedback electronically. Comments can also be submitted by phone by calling (413) 755-1310.

The Chamber's link should be ready for comment by Friday afternoon.

A second test location for a new model light is in front of Medina’s Supermarket, 2705 Main St., in the North End, that is aimed at providing increased illumination along the Main Street corridor as well as increased energy efficiency.

The New North Citizens Council has volunteered to collect feedback from any residents and business people. The council can be reached at (413) 747-0090.

A third site with a new style of light is at the entrance to Forest Park on Sumner Avenue. Public feedback is welcomed by contacting the Chamber of Commerce special web site or by calling the chamber.


Additional details will be added to this story as our reporting continues.

Obituaries today: Kathleen Mineo, former Springfield, East Longmeadow resident, was real estate agent in Florida

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Obituaries from The Republican.

 
041113-kathlee-mineo.jpg Kathleen Mineo  

Kathleen M. (Dale) Mineo, 60, of Bradenton, Fla., passed away on Sunday. She was born in Brookline and raised in Springfield. She graduated from Cathedral High School and most recently worked as a real estate agent for Simpson South Realty in Holmes Beach, Fla. She and her family resided in East Longmeadow, Granville, Ohio, Fairmont, W.Va., and Bradenton. She traveled the world with her husband, enjoyed her family and many friends, cared for her rescued dogs Harley, Hoops and Savannah, and volunteered to teach English as a second language.

Obituaries from The Republican:


Gun control bill clears first hurdle in US Senate with bipartisan support

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With teary-eyed relatives of the Newtown school massacre watching, gun control supporters in the Senate won the first showdown over how to respond to the December shootings in Connecticut, defeating an effort by conservatives to derail firearms restrictions before debate could even start.


By ALAN FRAM, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — With teary-eyed relatives of the Newtown school massacre watching, gun control supporters in the Senate won the first showdown over how to respond to the December shootings in Connecticut, defeating an effort by conservatives to derail firearms restrictions before debate could even start.

The 68-31 roll call gave an early burst of momentum to efforts by President Barack Obama and lawmakers to push fresh gun curbs through Congress. The National Rifle Association, along with many Republicans and some moderate Democrats, say the proposals go too far, and the road to congressional approval of major restrictions remains rocky.

"The hard work starts now," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said after the vote. As he spoke, relatives of Newtown victims watching from the visitors' gallery above the Senate floor wiped away tears and held hands, and some seemed to pray.

The vote came four months after a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six staffers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, spurring Obama and legislators to attempt to address firearms violence. Congress hasn't approved sweeping gun restrictions since enacting an assault weapons ban 19 years ago, a prohibition that lawmakers failed to renew a decade later.

On Thursday, 50 Democrats, 16 Republicans and 2 independents opposed the conservative effort, while 29 Republicans and 2 Democrats supported it. Gun control supporters needed 60 votes to block the conservatives.

The vote opened the door to an emotion-laden debate on the legislation, which would subject more firearms buyers to federal background checks, strengthen laws against illicit gun trafficking and increase school safety aid. Advocates say the measures would make it harder for criminals and the mentally ill to get weapons.

Opponents argue that the restrictions would violate the Constitution's right to bear arms and would be ignored by criminals. Despite their defeat, conservatives were threatening to invoke a procedural rule forcing the Senate to wait 30 hours before it could begin considering amendments.

Before the vote, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who was supporting the conservative effort, said the legislation would restrict the constitutionally protected rights of relatives and friends to sell firearms to each other.

"This bill is a clear overreach that will predominantly punish and harass our neighbors, friends, and family," McConnell said.

The roll call came a day after Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., two of the most conservative members of their parties, unveiled a less-restrictive compromise on federal background checks, requiring them for gun shows and online transactions but exempting noncommercial, personal transactions.

"Those two leaders stepping up is a very good way to start," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who is seeking re-election next year and has stressed her support for both the right to bear arms and reducing gun bloodshed. "How it ends, I don't know."

Toomey said Thursday he believes supporters of the proposal that he and Manchin have advanced will be able to beat back any filibuster attempt. "Beyond that, I just don't know yet," he said in a nationally broadcast interview hours before the critical vote.

"The problems that we have are not law-abiding gun owners like Joe and myself," Toomey said on "CBS This Morning."

But he conceded, "There's no panacea here."

Expanded background checks are at the core of the Democratic gun control drive. Other top proposals — including bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines — will be offered as amendments during Senate debate but seem destined for defeat.

The compromise between Toomey and Manchin, both owners of guns who have "A'' ratings from the NRA, was likely to improve the prospects that the Senate might expand background checks by attracting broader support. But debate could last weeks, and it was not known what amendments to the overall bill, either constricting or expanding gun rights, senators might approve.

Neither Toomey nor Manchin predicted the Senate would approve gun legislation, and each said his vote on final passage would depend on what the measure looked like when debate ends. Manchin said he would vote against the overall legislation if his compromise with Toomey was defeated.

Reid said the first amendment will be to add the Manchin-Toomey compromise to the legislation.

The senators' agreement also has language expanding firearms rights. That includes easing some restrictions on transporting guns across state lines, protecting sellers from lawsuits if buyers passed a check but later used a firearm in a crime and letting gun dealers conduct business in states where they don't live.

Underscoring the difficult path gun curbs face in the GOP-run House, Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, repeated his plan to wait for the Senate to produce something and pointedly noted that the background check agreement had yet to pass Senate muster.

"It's one thing for two members to come to some agreement. It doesn't substitute the will for the other 98 members," he told reporters.

Said Toomey: "Criminals and the dangerously mentally ill shouldn't have guns. I don't know anyone who disagrees with that premise." He said expanding the checks wasn't gun control, "just common sense."

Background checks currently apply only to transactions handled by the country's 55,000 licensed gun dealers. Advocates of expanding the system say too many sales — the exact proportion is unknown — escape the checks, which are supposed to keep weapons from going to criminals, the seriously mentally ill, and others.

In a written statement, Obama said, "This is not my bill," adding that he wished the agreement was stronger. Still, he praised it as significant progress, saying, "We don't have to agree on everything to know that we've got to do something to stem the tide of gun violence."

Gun control groups gave the deal warm but not effusive praise, noting that unknown details and some pro-gun provisions gave them pause.

The NRA said it opposed the agreement.

And in a letter to senators, NRA lobbyist Chris W. Cox warned that the organization would include lawmakers' votes on the Manchin-Toomey deal and other amendments it opposes in the candidate ratings it sends to its members and supporters.

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Associated Press Writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.


Holyoke, Easthampton police participate in multi-agency sweep stretching from Florida to Western Massachusetts; details to be announced at press conference

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Police will announce details of the sweep at the police station at 2 p.m.

UPDATE, 3:43 p.m.: Nine people were arrested in Holyoke this week as part of the sweep. A new story has been posted »

HOLYOKE -- Police here participated in a multi-agency sweep led by the Drug Enforcement Administration Wednesday that stretched from Orlando, Fla. to Holyoke and Easthampton and yielded several arrests on gun and drug charges.

Police plan to release details of the sweep during a 2 p.m. press conference at Holyoke Police Department headquarters at 138 Appleton St.

Along with Holyoke and Easthampton police, participants included more than a dozen state and federal agencies, according to a release issued by Holyoke police.

The lead agency was the Drug Enforcement Administration, Holyoke police Lt. Matthew Moriarty said. Other agencies involved included state police, the U.S Attorney’s office, the Hampden District Attorney’s office, the Department of Homeland Security. FBI, IRS and the U.S. Marshal Service and the U.S. Postal Service.

Worcester police release mobile app with crime maps, real-time alerts and more

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The Worcester Police Department released a free mobile app on Monday that gives residents in the city access to news, crime maps, social media, alerts, the scanner frequency and it gives citizens the ability to submit anonymous tips to the department.

Worcester PD Mobile App Screenshot.png The Worcester Police Department released a mobile app in the hopes of giving residents another way to connect with the department.  
WORCESTER - The Worcester Police Department released a free mobile app Monday that gives residents in the city access to news, crime maps, social media, alerts, a police activity scanner and the ability to submit anonymous tips to the department.
 

The Worcester Police Department already uses social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to get out press releases and other information. The department also uses a website that tracks crime in the city on a map -- the information can be emailed to someone regularly or checked on the site. The app will streamline all those outlets into a citizen's hand if they chose to download it from the iTunes store or the Google Marketplace.

Capt. Paul Saucier, the officer who communicated with the app maker MobilePD, said Worcester police started looking into different online features to help get information out to the public and found MobilePD. 

"After going to several crime watch meetings, people are always saying they want more information," says Capt. Saucier. "We did a little research and found a company making apps branded for the police department."

MobilePD is a a Silicon Valley–based company developing mobile apps for several police departments across the country. Worcester is one of the first departments on the East Coast to have a specific branded app for its department. The app borrows heavily from the one MobilePD developed for the Santa Cruz, Calif. police, Saucier said.

“We believe that applications like this build bridges between the community and their local government,” said MobilePD CEO Kushyar Kasraie in a press release. “We are excited to play a role in connecting Worcester with their police department and assuring there are no barriers to access of information.”


What the App Can Do

  • Citizens can provide anonymous crime tips right from their phone.
  • There are real-time crime maps.
  • The latest press releases on arrests, crime, updates and events are sent to the app.
  • The department will release video productions on programs and initiatives, events and behind the scenes glimpses into the department from Worcester police’s YouTube channel.
  • There will be surveillance photos of suspects who police are attempting to identify in connection with recent crimes.
  • View instant alerts directly from the Worcester Police Department (integrated with Nixle).
  • The Worcester Police Department's Twitter account - @WorcesterPD - and its Facebook page are also integrated into the app.
  • The live scanner feed will tell listeners what is going on in their neighborhood (phone cannot be on vibrate).

The app is free and available at the iOS App Store and the Google Play Marketplace by searching for “Worcester PD Mobile."

United Auto Workers union of Massachusetts endorses Democrat Ed Markey in U.S. Senate race

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A union representative said in a statement that Markey's support for President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, his pro-choice position and support for the auto industry bailout helped sway the group's decision.

As Democratic U.S. congressmen and Senate hopefuls Stephen Lynch and Edward Markey continue to duel over endorsements, Markey's campaign announced Thursday that the United Auto Workers have endorsed the Malden native.

A union representative said in a statement that Markey's support for President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, his pro-choice position and support for the auto industry bailout helped sway the group's decision.

"The United Auto Workers enthusiastically endorse Ed Markey for Senate," said UAW Region 9A Director Julie Kushner in a statement. "Ed Markey is a lifelong fighter for the people of Massachusetts, whose strong support of the auto rescue helped save 1.45 million auto industry jobs and protect one of this country's most successful and important industrial bases," Kushner said. "Pairing Ed Markey with Elizabeth Warren in the Senate would give Massachusetts one of the strongest and most fearless Senate delegations in the country."

The UAW said the union represents 18,000 active and retired members and their families across the commonwealth.

In accepting the endorsement, Markey commended the union for its place in American labor and reiterated his support for the federal government's financial bailout of General Motors and Chrysler in the wake of the financial collapse of 2008.

"The United Auto Workers have spent decades fighting to advance the cause for workers and the middle class, and I am honored to have their support in this election," Markey said. "The auto rescue was one of the most important votes I've taken in Congress. I'm proud to have voted for it, and proud of the 1.45 million auto industry jobs it helped to protect. If elected to the Senate I will stand up to opponents of the Affordable Care Act, protect a woman's right to choose and fight for a level playing field for all workers to build upon the success of the resurgent American auto industry."

On Thursday, Lynch announced that he was endorsed by Hampden County Register of Deeds Donald Ashe.

The largest labor union in Massachusetts, the AFL-CIO, recently decided by member vote to sit out endorsing either candidate in the primary, as did the SEIU Local 888.

Lynch, a former iron worker and union member himself, has received nods of support from several unions including the Massachusetts Building Trades Council, the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Nurses Association. The United Steelworkers local 12003 - the largest steelworkers local in Massachusetts - also endorsed Lynch and has been working on his behalf.

Markey has landed endorsements from unions including the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, the American Federation of Teachers, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants and the Service Workers International Union.

The two Democrats squared off at a debate in Lowell on April 8 and are scheduled to debate again in Springfield on April 18.

On the Republican side, former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, state Rep. Daniel Winslow and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez are competing. The primary election is scheduled for April 30 with the general election to take place on June 25.


Racing helps Holland, Mass. father, disabled son forge bond as they prepare for the Boston Marathon

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Dick pushes Rick in a specially designed wheelchair when they run together. When swimming, Rick wears a life jacket and is belted into a seat that's towed by a rope attached to Dad's wetsuit vest. For biking, the younger Hoyt sits in a chair at the front of Dad's bicycle.

Father Son Marathon_Gene1.jpg Rick Hoyt's personal caregiver Lori Templeman, left, helps him put on gloves at his home in Holland, Mass. Hoyt's father Dick has pushed Rick, who is a quadriplegic and has cerebral palsy, in a specially-designed wheelchair along the 26.2-mile Boston Marathon route for more than 30 years. They plan to compete again in Monday€'s race.  
By RODRIQUE NGOWI

HOLLAND, Mass. — The year was 1992, and Dick Hoyt and his son, Rick, wanted to run and bike across the country to raise funds for a charity for cerebral palsy — a condition 30-year-old Rick developed at birth.

But the charity didn't want anything to do with a trek across the United States.

"And, uh, so this insurance company that was going to finance us backed out with four weeks to go before — so we had to refinance our house here so we are able to pick up the expenses," Dick Hoyt recalled recently, sitting next to his quadriplegic son at their home in the hills of western Massachusetts.

Father Son Marathon_Gene2.jpg In this circa 1980's black and white photo, Dick Hoyt, rear, pushes his son Rick as they compete in the Boston Marathon, passing along Heartbreak Hill in Newton, Mass. Dick has pushed Rick, who is a quadriplegic and has cerebral palsy, in a specially-designed wheelchair along the 26.2-mile marathon route for more than 30 years.  
Twenty-one years later, after running, biking and swimming together in some of the world's highest-profile competitions, the 73-year-old father and 51-year-old son are among the most recognized faces at the granddaddy of them all — the Boston Marathon.

One of the race's sponsors recently unveiled a life-size statue in their honor in the town where the race starts. Another backer, Timex, pushed so strongly to be identified with the duo that it would allow them to talk to The Associated Press only if the article mentioned the two are promoting the watch maker's social media campaign.

They've gone from being skeptics dogged by veiled references about abuse to visionaries, even heroes, mirroring how perception and treatment of people with disabilities have changed over the years.

"When we started running in road races and stuff, I used to get a lot of phone calls and letters from other families that had disabled people, and they were very upset with me; they said, 'What are you doing dragging the disabled son through all these races? Are you just looking for glory for yourself?'" Dick Hoyt said. "What they didn't realize: He was the one dragging me through all these races."

Father and son had to get creative to race together.

Boston Marathon Hoyts_Gene3.jpg Dick Hoyt, left, pushes his son Rick past their statue to a waiting van after the statue was dedicated in their honor in front of Center School in Hopkinton, Mass. (AP Photo/The Metro West Daily News, Allan Jung)  
Dick pushes Rick in a specially designed wheelchair when they run together. When swimming, Rick wears a life jacket and is belted into a seat that's towed by a rope attached to Dad's wetsuit vest. For biking, the younger Hoyt sits in a chair at the front of Dad's bicycle.

Rick developed a severe form of cerebral palsy, a condition that limits motor skills, during birth, when the umbilical cord became wrapped around his neck and cut oxygen to his brain.

Dick rejected doctors' suggestions that he put his infant son in an institution. Rick later went to public school and joined Boston University.

"This would prove one of the most difficult tasks I'd ever endure, but, finally, after nine long years, I became the first quadriplegic to graduate from the Boston University School of Education," Rick said through a computer synthesizer he uses for communication. "This has been my greatest personal accomplishment to date because I have shown to disabled people that they don't have to sit back and watch the world go by."

Rick has run, biked and swum with his father in 1,092 races — including 252 triathlons, 70 marathons and 95 half-marathons — over the past 34 years, including a wartime race in El Salvador in which they had to be escorted by armed men.

Kim Rossiter, of Virginia Beach, Va., a major in the U.S. Marines, says the Hoyts inspired him to go running with his 9-year-old daughter, Ainsley, after she was diagnosed with an incurable neurological disorder that keeps her in a wheelchair.

"Immediately, my family found a therapy. It's a therapy like no other," said Rossiter, who has run in at least 42 races with Ainsley. "You cannot imagine the look on her face as the wind blows in her face while running."

Tammy Stapleton, of Reading, Mass., is a mother of three girls who will be running Boston for the third time this year, after raising more than $12,000 for the nonprofit Hoyt Foundation Inc., which helps disabled people get specialized wheelchairs and communication equipment, as well as access to therapeutic animals.

"The Hoyts are my heroes, and the girls look up to them," Stapleton said. "Dick is doing it not for his own glory."

It all began at a college basketball game where Rick, 19 at the time, heard an announcement about a benefit run for an athlete who had become paralyzed in an accident. Rick said he felt he had to participate in the 5-mile race to show the victim "that life goes on and he could still lead a productive life."

His father, who was then 40 and whose athletic feats were limited to the occasional run of a couple of miles, said he agreed to push Rick's clunky wheelchair, not realizing a streamlined racing chair would have made the experience less painful.

"After that race, I was really hurting," he said. "I could hardly walk for about two weeks, and so that's when I talked to Rick and told him that we were going to have to get a new chair so I won't be hurting as badly."

Rick's reaction after the race, his dad said, was inspiring and made it impossible to quit.

"What he told me is, 'Dad,' he says, 'when I'm out running it feels like my disability disappears' — which is a very powerful message to me," Dick said.

So the Hoyts traveled to Greenfield, N.H., where an engineer designed and built a custom racing chair.

Rick says the Boston Marathon is his favorite race — despite the bugs in his face and the sometimes-cold New England spring winds.

"His body doesn't move, where I can stay warm, you know, because I'm out there running, competing and stuff," Dick said.

Their journey has not been without pain, both physical and emotional. Rick's parents divorced and his mother later died of cancer. And while father and son were participating in the Ironman race in Hawaii in 2003 — a famously grueling test of swimming, biking and running — they crashed at the 85-mile mark of the bicycle ride and spent five hours in the emergency room.

"He had stitches all over his head, he had cuts all over himself, he was all bruised up," Dick said of his son. "But he's got a great attitude about it, too, because the Ironman finishes at midnight and we didn't get out of the hospital until 2 o'clock in the morning — and he wanted to go out and finish the Ironman."

The races have taken a toll on Dick, too, who suffered a heart attack while training for Boston in 2002. Doctors discovered two major arteries were largely blocked, and he had three stents inserted.

Besides, pushing a wheelchair for 26.2 miles can be excruciating.

"You are out there pushing your own weight, and then you've got the weight of the running chair, and then Rick's weight," Dick said. "And when you are out there going up hills, it's really terrible."

Still, the experiences are priceless, Rick said.

"I have thought long and hard about what I would do if I weren't in a wheelchair. I really don't know what I would do first. I love sports, so maybe I would play hockey, basketball or baseball," Rick said. "But then I thought about it some more and realized that what I would probably do first is tell my dad to sit on the wheelchair — and now I'd push him."

PM News Links: Boston area police, Massachusetts welfare officials launch fraud crackdown; Boston councilor Mike Ross announces run for mayor; and more

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FBI and police in northeastern Massachusetts are searching for a bank robber dubbed the "Merrimake Valley Bandit."

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

Monson sixth-grader David Martin recognized as 'Young Hero' for calling 911 after his mother had medical problem

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Public safety officials commended the sixth-grader for his quick-thinking.

David F. Martin IV Granite Valley Middle School sixth-grader David F. Martin IV, of Monson, was recognized as a 'young hero' by the state Fire Marshal's Office for calling 911 after his mother had a medical emergency in February.  


MONSON - When his mother suffered a medical emergency at their Carpenter Road home, 11-year-old David F. Martin IV thought quickly and dialed 911.

His actions have earned him the honor of being named a "Young Hero" by the state Fire Marshal's Office, and he was recognized on Thursday during an assembly at Granite Valley Middle School, where he is a sixth-grader, by representatives of the marshal's office, and town fire and police departments.

David said he was in his bedroom when he heard his mother, Kimberly A. Martin, fall down on the night of Feb. 27. He found her in the kitchen, breathing heavily, and unresponsive. He raced to find the telephone to call 911.

"I was like, shocked. I forgot what to do at first . . . Then I called 911," David recalled.

His father, David F. Martin III, is a Monson fire captain and emergency medical technician. When young David called 911 and explained his mother's condition, the dispatcher told him his father would be on his way. The elder Martin was working on the ambulance that night.

"He went over to her and said, 'Kim, it's me,'" David remembered.

He said his father sat his mother up and she was brought to Wing Memorial Hospital in Palmer by ambulance.

David's parents both attended the school assembly. Kimberly Martin said she is very proud of her son.

"He's a very brave young boy. He heard me fall off the chair and he called for help. He remembered everything he learned. He stayed very calm. His father was at work, but he knew to call 911. I'm very proud he did the right thing and didn't call his father's cell phone," she said.

Capt. David Martin, who helps teach the department's Student Awareness in Fire Education classes, said the incident shows that the classes are beneficial. His son remembered how to use 911, something taught in the classes.

"It took me back a bit," Martin said about responding to a call at his own home, dialed by his youngest child.

"I think he did a real good job," Martin said about his son.

According to information from Monson Fire Department, the SAFE classes are funded by a grant through the state Fire Marshal's Office.

"Although David was initially upset he calmed down and acted like a professional in light of seeing his mom in distress . . . David acted correctly as he had been taught. David stayed on the phone with (Dispatcher William) Chaiffre answering every question and staying at his mother's side comforting her until the Monson Police Department and the Monson ambulance arrived. David's actions that night definitely provided his mother with a positive outcome," reads a press release from Fire Department SAFE Educator Patricia C. Emerson.

David received a "Young Hero" shirt, the "Young Hero" award from the state Department of Fire Services and a citation from state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre.

Multi-state drug sweep: Police arrest 9 in Holyoke, including school cafeteria worker

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One of those arrested in Holyoke was Idalis Morales, 54, a cafeteria worker at Kelly School on West Street, Police Chief James Neiswanger said.

Updates a story posted Thursday at 12:44 p.m.


HOLYOKE — Nine people were arrested this week in Holyoke in a sweep that originated in Florida with oxycodone pain killer being purchased in Florida and distributed in Holyoke.

One of those arrested in Holyoke was Idalis Morales, 54, who is a cafeteria worker at Kelly School on 216 West St., where she was arrested, Police Chief James M. Neiswanger said.

Jacqueline Glasheen, principal at Kelly School, said she was unable to comment about Idalis Morales because personnel matters are confidential.

Six people were arrested in Puerto Rico in relation to the investigation, Neiswanger said.

Police seized 80 grams of pure heroin worth $2,400.

The lead agency in the investigation was the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

The arrests were made in Holyoke at 179 Oak St., which Neiswanger said was kind of distribution center, and at 205 Walnut St.

This is a developing story and will be updated as our reporting continues



Brandon Sparks identified as victim of fatal shooting on Kent Road in Springfield

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Police responded to a report of shots fired on Kent Road at 11:50 p.m.

Updates a story posted at 8:32 a.m. Thursday.


SPRINGFIELD -- Police have identified the victim of a fatal overnight shooting on Kent Road as 29-year-old Brandon Sparks.

brandon-sparks-facebook.jpg Brandon Sparks

Sgt. John M. Delaney, aide to Police Commissioner William Fitchet, said police responded to a report of shots fired on Kent Road at 11:50 p.m. Officers found Sparks in the driver's seat of an Acura in the driveway of a duplex at 121 Kent Rd.

A man who answered the door at 121 Kent Road said he awoke to the sound of a vehicle crashing into his car, which was parked in the driveway.

"I was expecting a drunk driver," said the man, who declined to give his name

The man said he called 911 and when he went outside he saw the victim laying face down on the ground, with one of his legs still inside the car. Police, arriving on the scene, performed CPR on the victim. The man said he saw four bullet holes in the driver's side window and a fifth in the right rear window.

Sparks had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, Delaney said, and he was taken to Baystate Medical Center by ambulance where he was pronounced dead.

"Officers on the scene discovered a large amount of drugs inside the Acura along with money," Delaney wrote, adding that detectives determined the killing may be drug related.

A passenger inside the Acura at the time of the shooting ran into the woods but was eventually located and interviewed by investigators.

ae kent shoot 2.jpg 04.11.2013 | SPRINGFIELD -- The shooting scene on Kent Road. Police said the incident began as the victim, Brandon Sparks, sat in a car in a driveway at right. After the shooting, Sparks crashed into a vehicle parked in a driveway of the home at left.

Delaney said detectives, led by Capt. Thomas Trites, determined the Acura had been parked in a driveway at 123 Kent Rd. Investigators believe Sparks was waiting for someone to meet him there, Delaney said, as neither Sparks nor the passenger, who was not identified, live on Kent Road.

The passenger told detectives the man he and Sparks were waiting for arrived in a dark-colored vehicle, parked at the end of the driveway, walked up to the Acura and pulled a gun on Sparks.

When the gunman ordered Sparks from the Acura, Delaney said, Sparks put the car in drive and attempted to flee.

"The subject outside the car fired several shots at the driver causing him to crash into a car in the driveway located at 121 Kent Road," Delaney wrote, adding that the gunman fled the scene.

Police continue to investigate the shooting.

"If anyone has any information about this murder please call the Springfield Police Department's Detective Bureau at 413-787-6355 or please pass on information through 'Text-a-Tip'," Delaney said. To send a text, messages should be addressed to "Crimes" (274637), and should begin with the word "Solve."

According to previous reports by The Republican, Sparks was wounded nearly four years ago in an apparent drug-related shooting on Quincy Street that left a close friend dead.

The friend, Hasson A. Duncan, was gunned down outside his home at 181 Quincy St. on July 21, 2009, as Sparks arrived to pick him up.

Sparks was shot five times as he sat in his car but drove himself to an Island Pond Road business where a customer drove him to Mercy Medical Center.

Police investigating the shooting found marijuana, packaged for sale, in the vehicle.

Duncan's murder remains unsolved, and is listed among Hampden County's open homicide cases on the Hampden County District Attorney's website.

On the three-year anniversary of the shooting, Sparks posted a memoriam to Facebook: "Take a moment for Hason r.i.p he was like my brother words can't explain my pain I still hear ur voice everyday I wish we could play 2k blow something loud and kick jokes all day I miss u bro."

More recently, Sparks posted a photo of a rainbow over Mason Square, writing, "We not bout 2 die look at the rainbow."


Staff writer George Graham contributed reporting.

Victim in critical condition after Worcester shooting incident

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A 21-year-old man was shot while in a vehicle with his friend on Coral Street early Friday morning. The victim was driven to the hospital where, according to police, he is listed in critical condition.

WORCESTER - A 21-year-old man was shot while in a vehicle with his friend on Coral Street near Clarkson Street early Friday morning. The victim was driven to the hospital where, according to police, he is listed in critical condition.

Officers responded to the hospital's emergency room around 3 a.m. when they were notified a shooting victim arrived. According to police, the vehicle the victim was shot in was towed to police headquarters to be inspected.

Investigators then located the scene of the shooting on Coral Street and the Worcester Police Crime Scene Unit searched the scene for evidence.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Officers are still working on identifying a suspect as well as the motive for the shooting.

Anyone who has information about this incident can send an anonymous text to 274637 TIPWPD and a message or send an anonymous web based message at worcesterma.gov/police. Calls can also be made to the Worcester Police Detective Bureau at (508) 799-8651.

Wilbraham police: Officers forced to fatally shoot pit bull after it charged; owner says dog posed no danger

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The incident occurred late last month after officers were summoned to the Boston Road home for a domestic disturbance.

WILBRAHAM – Police say they were forced to fatally shoot a pit bull late last month after it attempted to attack an officer who was responding to a domestic dispute reported at a Boston Road home.

Family members, distraught and angered over the incident, have created a Facebook page to mourn their beloved dog, a 3-year-old named Jäger Michael. They say he was rushing to greet the officers and posed no danger to them.

“He loved my (nephews), he loved my cats, he loved anybody that walked right up to the house,” said Whitney Russo, Jäger’s owner. “My dog was excellent with strangers.”

Police Chief Roger Tucker, while mindful of the family’s loss, said this week that the two responding officers acted correctly in their response to a dangerous situation. The officers were not injured, he said.

“We can appreciate that,” he said of the family’s grief and anger. “The two officers who went there both own dogs....I understand it’s an emotional issue.”

Tucker said the incident began on March 29 at about 1:20 p.m. when officers Peter Laviolette and Thomas Korzec were summoned to what he described as a “boyfriend / girlfriend dispute” at 3264 Boston Rd.

The officers, arriving at the property, saw no sign of either the residents or the dog outside the home, Tucker said. The dog came at them, apparently from inside the home and out through a side door, after they walked through a gate into a fenced-in area.

The dog charged at Laviolette, who reacted by bending over and offering a hand for the dog to sniff, Tucker said.

“It appeared that the dog was going to do way more than that,” Tucker said, adding that the dog attempted to bite the officer's forearm, Tucker said.

Korzec, to protect his partner and himself, shot the dog twice, Tucker said. “They didn’t see any immediate way of controlling the animal that was attacking,” he said.

Russo said the officer shot the dog once in the shoulder at close range and again in the neck as it ran away.

Russo said she called 911 because of a dispute she was having with her ex-boyfriend as he moved his possessions out of their home. She said she made no effort to secure Jäger before police arrived because he had no history of aggression.

“My dog loved company, that’s how he was,” said Russo.

Russo, who said she followed Jäger outside as he ran towards the officers, said her dog jumped on one of the officers but then sat down.

“My dog jumped on him,” Russo said. “He would jump and give you kisses, that’s how Jägey was.”

Russo said Jäger took about two minutes to die and that police refused to shoot the animal to put it out of its misery.

Tucker said the dog did not unduly suffer. “The dog was shot twice at close range,” he said.

Tucker said that given the layout of the property, which sits close to Boston Road, police were not able to see a “Beware of dog” sign that had been posted near the side entrance to the home.


Fire that critically injured woman at senior housing complex in Lenox was deliberately set, investigators say

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Law enforcement personnel say the public is not in any danger.

This updates a story that was originally posted at 9:01 a.m.

LENOX -- A fire that critically injured a woman at a senior housing complex and forced the evacuation of nearly 50 residents Thursday night was deliberately set, a spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal’s office said.

Law enforcement personnel know where the suspected arsonist is and the public is not in danger, Jennifer Mieth stated in a release.

Additional information on that person was not immediately available.

The blaze at the former Curtis Home at 6 Main St. was reported about 7:15 p.m. Damage is estimated at $500,000 and several businesses and approximately 59 people were displaced.

Firefighters rescued and revived an unresponsive woman who was taken to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield and then flown via LifeFlight helicopter to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester. She remains in critical condition, Mieth said.

An additional civilian and a firefighter suffered minor injuries, Mieth said.

The fire started in a second-floor apartment.

The fire was jointly investigated by the Lenox Fire Department, Lenox Police Department, state police assigned to the state Fire Marshal ‘s office and state police assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney’s office.

Assistance was received from the Code Compliance Unit of the Office of the State Fire Marshal and State Police Crime Scene Services.

Bipartisanship breaks out on Capitol Hill, for now

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A filibuster averted. A likely accord on immigration reform. A former Republican presidential candidate thanked — publicly! — by the Senate's top Democrat. Lawmakers of both parties lunched together for the first time many could remember, agreeing to agree on the heroism of Sen. John McCain and the tragedy of the Newtown, Conn., massacre.

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A filibuster averted. A likely accord on immigration reform. A former Republican presidential candidate thanked — publicly! — by the Senate's top Democrat. Lawmakers of both parties lunched together for the first time many could remember, agreeing to agree on the heroism of Sen. John McCain and the tragedy of the Newtown, Conn., massacre.

Bipartisanship broke out on Capitol Hill on Thursday, a newsy development after years of polarization that infuriated the public, brought Congress to a near-halt and the country to the brink of economic disaster. It could all blow to pieces by the time you read this article — fierce disputes remain on gun control and immigration, among others issues. And looming over it all is a midterm election next year with big implications for the divided government and President Barack Obama's legacy.

But let history record that for a full day in battle-scarred Washington there it was: legislative progress, bipartisan bread-breaking and the emotional stuff of human relationships long-mourned and little-seen in recent years.

Obama helped set the harmonic tone in his budget Wednesday, calling for cuts that Republicans have been urging in benefit programs for years. The gesture was widely seen as an effort to preserve the prospects of immigration and gun control legislation.

John McCain In this Sunday, April 7, 2013 file photo provided by CBS News, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., appears on CBS' "Face the Nation" in Washington. Bipartisanship broke out on Capitol Hill on Thursday, a newsy development after years of polarization that infuriated the public, brought Congress to a near-halt and the country to the brink of economic disaster. At the center of all of the civility was McCain, the president’s vanquished GOP opponent from the 2008 presidential election. (AP Photo/CBS News, Chris Usher)

But at the center of all of the civility was McCain, the president's vanquished GOP opponent from the 2008 presidential election. The gruff Washington veteran, Vietnam war hero and, lately, scolder of would-be obstructionists in his own party threw cold water on a filibuster threat by 13 conservative senators who oppose gun control.

"What are we afraid of?" the Arizona senator said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation." ''Why not take it up and amend it and debate?"

A bipartisan gun control deal by freshman Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., inspired Senate conservatives to drop their filibuster plans, even though many Republicans who allowed the legislation to advance said they were unlikely to vote for its passage. Also helping to remove the obstruction were the family members of some of the 20 children and six adults murdered by a gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School who had spent days lobbying lawmakers for stricter gun control laws. Several lawmakers said they were brought to tears in those meetings.

On Thursday, the Senate departed from its streak of legislating by filibuster. Under the grim gaze of Sandy Hook victims' relatives, 16 Republicans voted with 50 Democrats and two independents to begin debate on tightening the nation's gun laws. In the gallery over the chamber, some in the delegation wiped away tears, held hands and appeared to pray as each senator cast a vote.

Much emotional debate lay ahead and the Toomey-Manchin bill's fate was far from certain. But after the vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid gave Republicans — "especially John McCain" — some rare, nationally televised credit for the progress.

"There have been many things written in the last several months about how the Senate cannot operate," Reid, who frequently decries congressional dysfunction, said on the Senate floor. "John McCain has been a leader in this country for 31 years. People respect his opinion."

Senators then adjourned to spend time together at a lunch for McCain to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his release from captivity in Vietnam. In a gilded room named for John, Robert and Edward Kennedy, surrounded by black-and-white photos of a young McCain returning on crutches, Republicans, Democrats and independents dined on enchiladas and tilapia as McCain revealed harrowing details of his captivity and torture.

The account of McCain's five years as a POW was new to some in attendance. Several said they were moved to tears by it, reminded again of bigger matters than how this or that vote would go over with certain constituents back home.

"It makes you think about the human condition," Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said.

Even Sen. Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican tea partyer whose 12-hour filibuster delaying the confirmation of John Brennan as CIA director inspired a rebuke from McCain, emerged reporting good times.

"He got a standing ovation from both parties," Paul said. "The idea of defending the country brings everybody together."

Late in the day, there was even more apparent progress: Four Democratic and four Republican senators reached agreement on all the major elements of sweeping legislation to remake the nation's immigration laws, and expect to unveil the bill next week.

Don't get used to all this civility and forward motion, Reid warned.

"The hard work," he said, "starts now."


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