Obituaries from The Republican.

Doris Prophett  

Doris (Jackson) Prophett, 84, of Springfield passed away on Wednesday. She was born in Manchester, England. She worked as a nanny in England and came to the United States to continue as a nanny. She resided in Springfield for 52 years, was a member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, and the British Wives Club. She worked as a CNA at the former Hampden House for 35 years.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Aycock, Charles W.
  



• 
  Brodeur, Carl P.
  



• 
  Dowling, John F.
  



• 
  Drummey, Charles E.
  



• 
  Gonet, Janice M.
  



• 
  Jablonski, Stella M.
  



• 
  Marchese, Frank L.
  



• 
  McManamy, Walter C.
  



• 
  Prophett, Doris
  



• 
  Quigley, Diana M.
  



• 
  Rogers, Albert P.
  



• 
  Runquist, Joan M.
  



• 
  Schmaelzle Jr., George J.
  



• 
  Smith, Virginia M.
  



• 
  Troie, Horace F.
  



• 
  Webber, Rose
  



• 
  Wright, Helen R.
  

CBS3 meteorologist Nick Morganelli said moderate-to-heavy rain is expected early Friday afternoon.

WESTFIELD - State police warn that icy conditions on the Massachusetts Turnpike, especially between Blandford and Lee, have caused numerous accidents.

Icy conditions on Interstate 91, north of Hatfield, are also starting to cause some problems for motorists, state police said.

Sgt. David Douthwright, who is attached to the Westfield barracks on the Massachusetts Turnpike, said police have responded to at least 16 accidents between Blandford and Lee Friday morning and early afternoon. Some of those accidents have caused injuries, including a broken arm, Douthwright said.

“I don’t think they expected it to get this bad,” Douthwright said.

Motorist Wayne Michaud, who was driving east on the New York Thruway just west of the Massachusetts Turnpike late Friday morning, said hail was falling and turning into slush on the roadway.

“It’s pretty hairy,” Michaud said. “There are a lot of cars flipped over in the median.”

CBS3 meteorologist Nick Morganelli said moderate-to-heavy rain is expected in Western Massachusetts early Friday afternoon.

First Assistant District Attorney Michael Pelgro will take over the top prosecutorial duties in Middlesex County for outgoing District Attorney Gerry Leone, accepting an acting appointment on Friday that could be short lived as Gov. Deval Patrick plans to make a permanent selection soon.

By Matt Murphy
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

BOSTON - First Assistant District Attorney Michael Pelgro will take over the top prosecutorial duties in Middlesex County for outgoing District Attorney Gerry Leone, accepting an acting appointment on Friday that could be short lived as Gov. Deval Patrick plans to make a permanent selection soon.

Patrick on Friday announced that Pelgro would become acting Middlesex County district attorney until a permanent replacement is named, stepping in for Leone who leaves his office Friday after 20 years as a state and federal prosecutor to take a job at the law firm Nixon Peabody.

“I am very grateful that the Governor has exhibited the confidence in me, to appoint me to such an important position of public trust,” Pelgro said in a statement. “I am extremely honored to be chosen to help maintain the tradition and legacy of excellence which is the hallmark of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.”

Leone’s mid-term departure gives Patrick the authority to name a new district attorney until the next biennial election in 2014. The governor is expected to make his permanent selection next week, according to people close to the process.

Pelgro has worked alongside Leone as his top deputy since 2012 after spending 17 years as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston in the major crimes unit and with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Prior to becoming an assistant U.S. attorney, Pelgro spent six years in the Middlesex District Attorney’s office prosecuting homicides, sexual assaults, armed robbery and other felonies in Superior Court. He also has experience on the defense side of the bar at Foley Hoag and Mintz Levin.

“I commend the Governor for taking a deliberative and contemplative approach to naming my successor, and in doing so making a prudent choice in entrusting the position of Middlesex District Attorney to Michael Pelgro in the interim period until a District Attorney is appointed,” Leone said in a statement. “I have full faith and confidence in Mike’s ability to lead the office through this brief transition period. His depth of experience and knowledge as a lawyer and manager will serve him and the county of Middlesex well in this position.”

Pelgro is a graduate of Boston College and Boston College Law School.

Patrick has not yet settled on who he would like to tap for the district attorney’s job, but whomever he selects could have an advantage in the election running as an incumbent.

It was not immediately clear on Friday whether taking the acting job meant Pelgro would not be considered for the permanent posting. Patrick also has other options within the district attorney’s office, the legal community in Middlesex County and within the Legislature, a body he has looked to before to fill vacancies such as Peter Koutoujian’s appointment as Middlesex County sheriff in 2011.

Recapping some of the major stories from Springfield for the week:

Brandon Sparks

Crime:

• The city's ShotSpotter system activated twice overnight indicating two shooting incidents at the same place – but about three hours apart. Police investigators say they have yet to find a victim if anyone was, in fact, injured.
• Police have identified the victim of a fatal overnight shooting on Kent Road as 29-year-old Brandon Sparks.
• Retired city police officer George W. Stuart must serve three years' probation and continue mental health counseling on charges in connection with a July standoff with police at his home in Ludlow.

City News:

• Firefighters on Thursday night extinguished a fire in a boarded-up, single-family house at 17 Adams St. in the city’s South End.
• Local developer Peter Pappas has asked the city to disqualify the two groups chosen to redevelop the former Visitor Information Center on Hall of Fame Avenue and a six-story building at Court Square because of the extended time it is taking to move forward with the projects.
• Spirit of Springfield has selected James Murren, chief executive officer of MGM Resorts International, as the honorary chairman of the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast.
• The city has reached an agreement with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department to provide two female inmate crews for maintenance and mowing at approximately 120 terraces and to help reopen 10 small parks.
• Casino vetting explained by Bruce Stebbins, Massachusetts Gaming Commission member.
• The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1459, representing more than 5,000 employees in the region, has announced its endorsement of Penn National Gaming’s proposed $807 million casino project in the North End of the downtown district.
• State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, and state Sen. Patricia D. Jehlen, D-Somerville, are working with the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition for passage of legislation that would provide access to driver’s licenses for immigrants who cannot obtain Social Security documentation.

A New York State Supreme Court Justice ruled that the plaintiffs could not show they lost money on the deal.

Republican File Photo 04/14/09 Springfield- Staff Photo by Mark M.Murray- Exterior of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company home office on State Street in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD -- A judge in New York City dismissed a $767 million lawsuit this week against OppenheimerFunds Inc., a unit of the MassMutual Financial Group.

The suit alleged that OppenheimerFunds concealed problems in a trading strategy known as AAArdvark. Lenders, backed by funding agents including the National Australia Bank Ltd., Bank of Nova Scotia and HSBC Holdings Plc., agreed to provide up to $1.3 billion for the trading strategy in exchange for interest payments, according to court documents on file with the New York State Courts system.

But New York State Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Ramos said the plaintiffs could not show they lost money on the deal.

“Remarkably, it is not disputed by the lenders that the portfolio is still performing as expected,” Ramos wrote. “The lenders’ present theory of money damages is simply too speculative. ... The lenders have failed to demonstrate that they have suffered an actual, as opposed to a possible, injury.”

A lawyer for the plaintiffs didn't return an email Friday asking for comment.

In a prepared statement, Tanya Valle, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Communications at OppenheimerFunds Inc., wrote: “We are gratified by the court’s ruling, and we look forward to final resolution of the litigation.”

The news service Reuters reports there are two other lawsuits related to AAArdvark. Those suits involve France’s Credit Agricole SA and Dutch lender Rabobank.

According to its website, New York City-based OppenheimerFunds offers products and services to individuals, corporations and institutions. Those products and services include mutual funds, separately managed accounts, investment management for institutions and qualified retirement plans.

MassMutual bought oppenheimerFunds in 1990 for $150 million.

On Wednesday, Mayor Joe Petty sent out an endorsement of 10 of the 11 city councilors who support authorizing City Manager Michael O'Brien to negotiate a community host agreement with the developer, Mass Gaming & Entertainment LLC., interested in putting a slot casino in Worcester. If a host agreement is reached, voters in Worcester will get a chance to vote on the referendum, which will include the host community agreement. If the city manager is not authorized to negotiate the agreement or can't come to one he feels would make the slot parlor beneficial for the city, then the slot casino referendum would stop there. For City Councilor Konstantina Lukes, having the referendum squashed would be ideal because she believes bringing a slot parlor to Worcester ins't a positive thing.

WORCESTER — On Wednesday, Mayor Joseph Petty sent out an endorsement of 10 of the 11 city councilors who support authorizing City Manager Michael O'Brien to negotiate a community host agreement with the developer interested in putting a slot casino in Worcester, Mass Gaming & Entertainment LLC. If a host agreement is reached, voters in Worcester will get a chance to vote on the slot casino referendum, which will include the host community agreement. If the city manager is not authorized to negotiate the agreement or can't come to one he feels would make the slot parlor beneficial for the city, then the referendum would stop there.

For City Councilor Konstantina Lukes, having the referendum squashed would be ideal. She believes bringing a slots parlor to Worcester would be a negative thing for the city.

"[A slots parlor casino] should not be here," said Lukes. "It's not the kind of industry or economic development that is going to be productive in the long-run. Short-term, dangling money in front of a community that is losing money to non-profits and to a 14-acre eyesore is tempting. But what I'm saying is the the city has other economic tools. We don't have to go to economic development based on a vice that's not productive and foots money out of its citizens and sucks life out of the neighborhood."

The memo from the mayor came after Tuesday's City Council meeting where Lukes exercised her right under council rules to put off the authorization vote until the council's next meeting. The motion has been tabled for April 23rd, but that hasn't stopped Lukes from asking her fellow city council members to tell the public where they stand on the idea of bringing a slot parlor to Worcester.

"What I am asking, simply, from the other councilors is stand up and be counted," said Lukes. "If you have an opinion on this, you have an obligation to tell the voters what your opinion is — positive or negative, pro or con."

District 5 Councilor William Eddy feels it is not the council's place to tell the voters how they feel about the issue. He says it's the public's decision and the city should go through the process put in place by the state.

"We have consistently said we are not going to substitute the will of the city council on this matter for the will of the community," said Eddy. "A project this big and on an issue that is clearly such a public issue that the city should decide this [with a vote]. The state put a process in place that calls for that, and the council is not going to get in the way of the state law or try to influence how the people of this community are going to vote."

Part of the problem, according to Lukes, is election year politics. Plus, the slot proposal has a lot of potential money for the city riding on it, including a new luxury hotel.

"We have a lot of money being dangled in front of us and you add that to the fact that it's an election year and everyone is going to be emotional and reactive and we're going to have these dust-ups going on from now to the vote," said Lukes. "It's unfortunately a political fact of life."

Tabling a Vote

In response to Lukes' tabling of the vote, Mayor Petty's office, with the support of 10 of 11 councilors, sent out the following statement in a press release:

Last night a motion was made on the floor of the City Council, “That the City Council of the City of Worcester in accordance with state law, does hereby authorize the City Manager to negotiate a community host agreement with the intention of placing this document before the people of this community so that they may exercise their right to be educated and to vote on this all important topic.”

This order is endorsed by: Mayor Petty, Councilor Economou, Councilor Eddy, Councilor Germain, Councilor O’Brien, Councilor Palmieri, Councilor Rivera, Councilor Rushton, Councilor Russell, Councilor Toomey.

This order is not an endorsement by the council of the proposed slot parlor. This order is to request the City Manager to negotiate the best host agreement on behalf of the residents.

It is not our purview to decide if gaming is right or wrong or should or shouldn’t happen. Gaming is coming to Massachusetts - that is a fact. What is our purview is to make sure the developers who have selected Worcester as their preferred location have a full understanding of our community.

This decision will not be one forced down upon anyone. Nor will it be without significant public participation and nor will it be anyone but the voters who ultimately decide if we have a slot parlor in the City.

What we pledge to you is that we will fight for the best agreement we can get. We pledge we will make sure every voter in the City of Worcester has the accurate information to make an informed decision at the polls."

Councilor Palmeiri, speaking about Monday's Public Hearing on the host community agreement, echoed the statement sent out by the mayor.

"I think what we're interested in was or is the continuation of a discussion from those that live in the city about what they would want in an agreement that could be voted on," said Palmieri. "We know there is a particular part of the population that is against it, but if it passes we'd like to know what infrastructure issues that they're concerned about that they'd like part of the package -- transportation issues, or if not transportation, pedestrian and street traffic issues and the interconnection to the community."

When asked what she would put in the host agreement, Lukes told MassLive.com she'd like to see the developers give the residents in the neighborhood who have lived there for at least one full year $25,000 each year as long as the slot parlor is operational. She also suggested switching the proposed hotel and the slot parlor locations.

"If they really think the slot parlor is such a good idea, let's put the hotel in Green Island and put the slots parlor in City Square," said Lukes.

When will the city host a gaming referendum?

Under Massachusetts Gaming Commission regulations, a referendum election on the gaming question must be scheduled no less than 60 days and not more than 90 days after the signing of the community host agreement by the city manager. This means if the city wanted to the issue to be voted upon the same day as the June 25 Senate election, the city manager would have to have a signed host agreement by April 26. The council will vote on April 23rd to let him begin negotiating with Mass Gaming & Entertainment LLC, potentially leaving just a three-day negotiating window.

This is all unlikely to take place so quickly, as the Worcester Telegram & Gazette* reported. The city manager has told the council he wants them to review the agreement before signing it.

*Worcester Telegram & Gazette articles may require a subscription.

A collision reconstruction expert investigating the accident had determined that the truck driver was not operating negligently and committed no criminal act.

This memorial to Margaret A. "Meg" Sanders, of Easthampton was left near the site of her accident Sept. 22, 2005. Republican file photo  

NORTHAMPTON — A Hampshire Superior Court jury in a civil lawsuit has found the driver of an armored car that struck and killed a 23-year-old Easthampton woman in 2005 negligent in the operation of the vehicle but also found that negligence was not “a substantial factor” in her death.

Margaret "Meg" Sanders, an Easthampton resident who had devoted herself to helping others after her parents died of AIDS when she was 9, was killed Sept. 22, 2005, while riding her bicycle on Route 9 in front of Smith College.

Sanders was struck by a 26,000-pound armored truck owned by AT Systems New England and driven by Rafael Sevilla, who at the time was 24, and an Indian Orchard resident. He told police he did not see Sanders. He was not charged in connection with the accident.

A collision reconstruction expert investigating the accident had determined that Sevilla was not operating negligently and committed no criminal act.

The jury, which issued its findings Thursday, also determined that Richard F. Delany, who was working in the truck with Sevilla that morning, was not negligent.

The jury also found that AT Systems New England was not negligent in its training and supervision of the two men.

Laura Arbeitman, a Northampton lawyer, filed the suit on behalf of Sanders’ estate. She was seeking damages for Sanders’ sisters Mary Beth Sanders and Laura Sanders. She could not be reached for comment Friday.

A regional manager for the non-profit organization said the boxes may be removed if the problem continues.

SPRINGFIELD – A recent spate of illegal dumping outside the Planet Aid collection boxes in the parking lot of Duggan Middle School has prompted the non-profit organization to consider removing them.

Wayne Michaud, northeast regional manager for Planet Aid, said Friday that the boxes were placed there with Duggan’s blessing in 2011 and that the school receives a percentage of the revenue they generate.

“It hurts them too,”Michaud said of the dumping problem at the school and the potential removal of the boxes.

School officials were not immediately available for comment. Michaud said, however, that the school contacted him about the sprawling mess of furniture, luggage and other items on Tuesday and that Planet Aid removed the items later that day.

“We went there the same day and cleaned up the mess,” said Michaud, adding that Planet Aid personnel collected about 900 pounds of junk and trash including three decrepit couches, luggage, tables and chairs.

Each of the bright yellow boxes bears a message stating "Clothes Shoes" and “No dumping please!”

Planet Aid, which maintains some 2,300 boxes in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island and 18,000 nationwide, primarily collects used clothing and shoes.

Such items as furniture and luggage are not solicited and Michaud said that leaving such items by Planet Aid boxes is nothing more than illegal dumping.

Michaud said Planet Aid has maintained the boxes on the school grounds since 2011. He said that dumping hasn’t been a major concern there until recently.

Michaud said he is surprised that the problem has cropped up at Duggan because the boxes are highly visible to motorists traversing the busy intersection. “You would think the general public would see somebody illegally dumping from some sort of truck and call the police,” he said.

Planet Aid will step up its regular visits to the boxes from two days a week to three to better monitor the problem, Michaud said. The organization will also contact school personnel to determine if they want the boxes to remain there.

If the dumping persists, Planet Aid will consider removing the boxes, Michaud said. Three other Springfield schools have similar arrangements with Planet Aid to maintain collection boxes on their grounds.

Michaud, who was on the road Friday, could not immediately provide the names of the other schools or further details on the revenues that the boxes generate for them.

Planet Aid generates revenue by selling the clothing it collects to both domestic buyers, who often resell the clothing to thrift stores, and to overseas buyers, primarily in developing countries. The organization uses the proceeds to support an array of charities and development projects around the world.

The dumping at Duggan showed no sign of abating Friday. A morning visit showed that a framed picture, a suitcase and what appeared to be a used diaper disposal system had been dumped in front of the boxes.

Planet Aid, according to its website, supports community-based projects that improve health, increase income and provide other benefits to people throughout the world.

Penn National Gaming will make a presentation before the Hungry Hill Neighborhood Council.

SPRINGFIELD — The public is invited to attend a meeting of the Hungry Hill Neighborhood Council on Thursday, April 18, that will include a casino project presentation by Penn National Gaming.

The meeting is at the Raymond Sullivan Public Safety Complex at 1212 Carew St. A beat management meeting begins at 6 p.m., followed by the Penn National presentation.

Parking is available in the Van Sickle Middle School/Renaissance School parking lot.

Penn National is proposing an $807 million casino in the north end of the downtown district that includes plans to purchase The Republican newspaper property and Peter Pan Bus Lines property on Main Street along with the Kittredge building and some riverfront properties.

A casino is also proposed in the South End by MGM Resorts International.

Investigators are looking for any information the public may have to develop additional leads that will help them determine the origin and cause of the fire.

HAMPDEN — State investigators looking into the cause of the fire that last week destroyed a 6,000-square foot home announced on Friday they are seeking assistance from the public in trying to piece together what happened prior to the fire.

The April 5 fire burned the house at 283 Somers Road to the ground. No one was injured.
Fire departments from around the area were dispatched to the scene to combat the fire.

The state Department of Fire Services on Friday issued a statement that said the fire remains under investigation by Hampden police and fire departments, and state police assigned to the office of Massachusetts Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan.

Evidence has been secured by the investigative team for laboratory analysis, according to the statement. In the meantime, investigators are looking for any information the public may have to develop additional leads that will help them determine the origin and cause of the fire.

Anyone who was in the area of Somers Road between 6 and 10 p.m. on April 5 is being encouraged to call the state Arson Hotline at (800) 682-9229. The hotline is used to gather information from the public on fire investigations. Calls are confidential.

Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for state Fire Marshall Stephen D. Coan, said the request for assistance from the public does not mean the fire is considered suspicious in any way.

She said it has not been declared an arson.

Investigators are merely reaching out to see if anyone saw anything that may aid the investigation, she said.

The house and 50 acres of land were purchased in March by Craig J. Morel, the owner of C.J.’s Towing Unlimited Inc., for $850,000.

Morel on the day after the fire told a Republican reporter that investigators told him that a malfunction with the furnace may have been the cause. No one associated with the investigation has publicly commented on possible causes.

A cell phone video of the incident went viral after being posted to YouTube.

The Hartford Courant reports that Hartford police are investigating an incident on a Connecticut Transit bus where a woman apparently tossed her baby to another passenger in order to engage in a fistfight.

A cell phone video of the incident went viral after being posted to YouTube.

In the video, the fight transpires after a prolonged argument between the woman in question and another passenger. The video shows the two arguing from opposite ends of the bus for about 90 seconds, while the first woman holds a baby on her lap. After apparently reaching the tipping point in the argument, the woman thrusts the baby into the arms of a bewildered passenger seated across the aisle.

Warning: Video contains strong language.

The Courant writes that anyone with any information about the event, including the identities of either woman involved, should call the Hartford police at 860-757-4000.

Police search for a possible abductor

The Republican / File photo  

Lt. William Sowa said Friday, that two girls reported that they were approached by a man in a Black Jeep, possibly a Wrangler model, as they walked along San Souci Drive Wednesday afternoon. Sowa described the driver of the Jeep as perhaps in his 20s with a goatee or similarly styled facial hair. The girls told police the man called out for them to get into his car. The girls became frightened and fled the area before noting the license number of the vehicle.

Sowa asked that anyone having information about the suspect or his vehicle to call the South Hadley Police detective Bureau at 538-8231.

Irving was captured in Gorham, Maine, last month after fleeing Massachusetts in 1979; he was convicted of 3 counts of rape and kidnapping but went on the run after a judge allowed him to return home to make final arrangements before sentencing.

By DENISE LAVOIE
AP Legal Affairs Writer

DEDHAM — A man who eluded justice for decades after being convicted of raping three women in Massachusetts may seek a new trial, his lawyer said Friday.

Gary Alan Irving was captured in Gorham, Maine, last month after fleeing Massachusetts in 1979. He was convicted of three counts of rape and kidnapping but went on the run after a judge allowed him to return home to make final arrangements before sentencing.

After Irving appeared briefly in Norfolk Superior Court on Friday, his Boston lawyer, Neil Tassel, said he was looking into the case and may file a motion for a new trial.

"It's certainly something that we're investigating," Tassel told reporters outside court.

Irving was a teenager when he was convicted of raping the three women. When authorities finally caught up with him in Maine 34 years after he fled, he was a 52-year-old man with a wife and two grown children.

Tassel said local authorities were under a "tremendous amount of pressure" to solve the rapes at the time. He said identification procedures then consisted largely of police showing victims photo arrays, which have since been shown to be overly suggestive.

Tassel, who said he was hired by Irving's wife and children, said people who know Irving in Maine are "astounded" that he was convicted of three rapes.

"In general terms, he strikes me as a very gentle and kind individual," Tassel said. "It certainly strikes me as improbable that he could have committed these crimes back then."

Judge Kenneth Fishman scheduled Irving's sentencing for May 23. He faces a possible life sentence.

Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey responded to Tassel's suggestion that he may file a motion for a new trial.

"These victims have waited 34 years to have this man sentenced on his rape convictions," Morrissey said. "Our focus now is the victims' concerns and having them addressed, and to have the justice denied 34 years ago delivered at sentencing on May 23."

Irving, who lived in Rockland, Mass., was on Massachusetts' Top 10 Most Wanted list for decades.

In one of the attacks, he was convicted of knocking a woman off her bike and bringing her to a secluded area, where he repeatedly raped her, according to Massachusetts State Police.

In another attack, he was convicted of forcing the victim into his car as she was walking and threatened to use a knife if she didn't comply.

During Friday's court hearing, Tassel asked prosecutors to give him a copy of the transcript from Irving's 1979 trial, but Assistant District Attorney Michele Armour said prosecutors and court clerks have been unable to locate it so far.

Fishman ordered prosecutors to "exhaust efforts" to find the transcript.

Armour said the victims are "very eager to have a resolution in this case as quickly as possible."

Fishman ordered Irving's court file to be released publicly after prosecutors said they did not object to a request from The Boston Globe, provided the names of the victims and the jurors who convicted Irving were blacked out.

Under a state law, Irving, as a convicted felon, was required to submit a DNA sample. Authorities can use the sample to try to match it to samples from other crimes in a national database, but Tassel said he "quite confident" Irving did not commit any crimes while he was a fugitive.

Irving's court file does not contain any detailed descriptions of evidence against Irving in the rape cases.

A court docket shows that his lawyer filed motions to suppress photo and in-court identifications of Irving, and to suppress statements he made to police. His lawyer at the time, Joseph F. Killion, of Quincy, died in 2011.

Irving was convicted on June 27, 1979.

Marathoners join Boston runners in "shadow" marathons where ever soldiers are

A runner completes the 26.2 mile "shadow" Boston Marathon in Baghdad. The Boston Athletic Association backs several marathons run at the same time as the original. AP  

Goodbye, Heartbreak Hill.

Hello, Ziggurat of Ur.

"I was planning to run, and the government had a different idea," said Freeman, who gathered some friends together for a "shadow marathon" at their military base outside Nasiriyah, Iraq.

"At that time, Iraq wasn't a very friendly place. Everything coming out of Iraq was negative," Freeman said this week. "It's not the T-shirt. It's not the medal. It's not the marathon. It's the fact that Mom and Dad could see something back home that's positive."

The plans for that first race grew from a handful of buddies following a Humvee with a cooler of water to more than 350 runners, escorted by gun trucks, through the dusty Iraqi streets. The Boston Athletic Association, which organizes the marathon, has supported a shadow race for members of the military each year since then.

For inspiring a new tradition in the world's most traditional road race, the B.A.A. presented Freeman with its Patriots' Award on Thursday night during the annual marathon kickoff party.

A high school athlete while growing up in Maine, Freeman wasn't willing to give up on his dream of running Boston after he was deployed overseas. He gathered a few friends for a 26.2-mile run on Marathon Monday and sent off an email to the B.A.A. to let them know his plan.

The marathon organizers promised support, but they also encouraged Freeman to see if he could get more people involved. Soon, he had enlisted hundreds of runners and arranged for a course that took them off the base and to the Ziggurat of Ur, a 4,000-year-old pyramidal platform built by the Mesopotamians.

Leaving the base meant an escort of two gun trucks and scheduling that part of the run in the morning, before the heat and the locals were out in full force. Portable bathrooms and mobile hospitals were set out along the course. The Humvee with a cooler grew to eight tractor-trailers full of water.

Instead of New England spring rain, Freeman had to worry about a sandstorm that hit two days before the race and prepare for sweltering heat. The run started at 6 a.m. to avoid the hottest part of the day; by noon that day, the temperatures had climbed to 130 degrees.

The B.A.A. sent over T-shirts and bibs for all the runners and finishers' medals just like the ones they hand out in Copley Square at the end of the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton. A banner with the organization's unicorn logo was hung over the start and finish line.

"Just like Boston shuts down for the day, the base shut down for the day," Freeman said. "It became something bigger than me."

In fact, the event grew so large that Freeman was too busy to run in it. After he returned to the States, he was invited back to run Boston; he finished the 2006 race in about 4 hours, 30 minutes.

Since the 2005 race at Camp Adder, thousands of runners have participated in shadow marathons each year in Iraq and Afghanistan; the 2008 race on the supercarrier USS Nimitz was delayed for several days because of 50-knot winds and 14-foot waves.

"We would have blown several folks overboard to their deaths," Lt. Cmdr. Spencer Moseley told the B.A.A.

In his dress blue uniform, his chest covered with military medals, Freeman accepted the crystal Patriots Award and presented it to his wife of 16 years, Missy, noting that military families make just as many sacrifices as the soldiers and sailors sent abroad. He also thanked the long distance-running community, saying their dedication to the event was a form of patriotism, too.

"Patriots aren't people who wear uniforms. Patriots are people that live every day and have dreams and aspirations," Freeman said. "Patriots are people that fight for something they believe in. The people in this room, you are all Patriots."

___

Follow Jimmy Golen on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/jgolen

Drug bust nets 2,000 pounds of pot

.

Mass. State Police




 

Authorities say a trooper pulled over a box truck after it abruptly switched lanes without signaling on Friday afternoon in Everett. Investigators say the trooper saw a duffel bag containing a large bundle wrapped in cellophane and obtained permission to search the vehicle.

That's when police say more than 100 similar bundles of suspected marijuana were found in the rear of the rental truck. A K-9 unit called to the scene also indicated the presence of narcotics.

Twenty-eight-year-old driver Luis Barrios, of Tucson, Ariz., faces charges including trafficking in marijuana and use of a motor vehicle without authority. Police say he will be arraigned Tuesday

South Hadley police are asking for public help to find a Jeep and its driver, suspected of trying to abduct 2 minor females from a town street earlier this week.

These were the most-read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now.

1) Wilbraham police: Officers forced to fatally shoot pit bull after it charged; owner says dog posed no danger [George Graham]

2) 9 Holyoke arrests part of multi-agency East Coast bust of oxycodone ring centered in Florida and including Puerto Rico [Mike Plaisance]

3) South Hadley police search for vehicle used in attempted abduction [Dave Canton]

4) Police investigate two shooting incidents at same place, no victims found [Dave Canton]

5) Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke, who signed a $147 million contract, breaks collarbone in brawl with Padres (Video) [Associated Press]

Photos: A slideshow of photos from the 2nd annual DevelopSpringfield Celebrate Springfield Gala (above)

Some officials believe the city would save money and avoid redundancy by merging personnel departments.

Holyoke City Councilor Daniel B. Bresnahan has proposed reducing the 15-member council to perhaps 11 or nine, with a discussion set for Wednesday. John Suchocki, The Republican  

HOLYOKE — Reducing the size of the City Council from 15 members to 11 or nine will be among the changes set for discussion Wednesday by a council committee.

The council's Charter and Rules Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall in City Council Chambers.

Besides the potential council shrinkage, the committee will discuss a proposal to merge the various municipal personnel departments to save money, and a request to require that chairmen comply with the council rule that items referred to committee be dealt with in 30 days.

Making a smaller City Council, as well as another city charter change proposal to increase the mayor's term to four years from the current two, are likely to generate public interest, Chairwoman Brenna M. McGee said Friday.

"We're going to definitely have a discussion. If the public comes down, we're going to open it up for public discussion. That's why the committee was formed, so the public can have a say in these things," McGee said.

Councilor at Large Daniel B. Bresnahan proposed the reduction. He was on a review commission that was established by voters in 2009 and proposed a new charter to replace the document created in 1896 that outlines the parts of government.

Voters in 2011 defeated the proposed new charter, with 57 percent voting no and 43 percent yes.

One reason the council should shrink is to reflect the city's smaller population compared to decades ago, Bresnahan has said.

The population has dropped steadily to about 40,000 from its height of 60,000 people in 1920.

Also, Bresnahan said, revenue shortages likely mean spending will have to be cut and with budget preparations to begin soon, the council should do its part by trimming costs. Each councilor is paid $10,000 a year.

He had no specific new council size in mind, he said, but 11 or nine members were options.

Ward 6 Councilor Todd A. McGee and Mayor Alex B. Morse have made proposals for a centralized human resources division that would merge the personnel departments of the city, the School Department and the Holyoke Gas and Electric Department.

Proponents have said such a merger would save money and cut redundancy. Devin M. Sheehan, School Committee vice chairman, said officials should bear in mind that overseeing school personnel requires knowledge of often-changing state and federal certifications for teachers and other staff.

Ward 5 Councilor Linda L. Vacon filed the order asking that heads of committees abide by council Rule 61 that requires that referrals be brought up within 30 days. Committees have had backlogs of orders that go back years and whose sponsors are no longer on the City Council.

Warren police will host a prescription drug take back day on April 27 at the fire station on Main Street.

Palmer Public Library  

PALMER - The 9th annual Palmer Public Library Poetry Pageant will be held on April 25 at 6:30 p.m. Listen to friends and neighbors read or recite original or favorite poems, limericks or ditties.

Admission is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Register in advance to participate as a reader. Registration is $25 and is limited to 25 readers. For information, contact Paul Wisnewski, event coordinator, at (413) 283-6561. All proceeds benefit the Palmer Public Library Association, Inc.

PALMER - A puppet show - "A Woodland Cinderella" - by puppeteer Deborah Costine will be held April 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Old Mill Pond Elementary School cafeteria on Main Street; $5 admits a family of up to five people, and payment can be made at the door starting at 6 p.m.

The event is sponsored by the Recreation Department. The show is recommended for ages 3 and up. For information, call (413) 283-2603.

STURBRIDGE - On April 26, from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m., “Discovering your Joy Quotient,” with guest speaker Richard Fabozzi will be featured at Old Sturbridge Village in the Tavern as part of Community Business Associates networking/referral group meeting.

Business and professional people are welcome. Free admission. Visit www.communitybusinessassociates.org or email info@communitybusinessassociates.org for information.

WARREN - On April 27, the Warren Police Department will participate in its fourth Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The drop-off site will be Warren Fire Station at 1012 Main St. This national initiative provides an opportunity for the public to surrender pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications to law enforcement officers for destruction.

Expired, unused or unwanted controlled substances in homes are a potential source of supply for the increasing abuse of pharmaceutical drugs, according to the Police Department. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards, a press release from the department states.

Organized independently from TED – the semiannual global conference that attracts speakers from around the world to share their innovative ideas and projects in lectures lasting no longer than 18 minutes – TEDx events are organized locally in the spirit of "ideas worth spreading," the non-profit's tagline.

AMHERST — A CEO, a best-selling author, a formerly drug-addicted NBA basketball player turned motivational speaker, a State Department musical ambassador, and a handful of others will speak today at TEDxUMassAmherst.

Organized independently from TED – the semiannual global conference that attracts speakers from around the world to share their innovative ideas and projects in lectures lasting no longer than 18 minutes – TEDx events are organized locally in the spirit of "ideas worth spreading," the non-profit's tagline.

Speakers at the Amherst conference – which is set to be held at the Mahar Auditorium near the center of the state's flagship campus – include Chris Herren, a former player for the Boston Celtics whose career was complicated by drug addiction, Toni Blackman, who traveled to Africa delivering lectures on hip-hop music and culture on behalf of the State Department, and Steve King, one of Facebook's first 20 employees.

Tickets are no longer available but a live-streaming of the event will be held next door in the Flavin Auditorium, room 137 in the Isenberg School of Management, according to the event's Facebook page. Attendees to that event will be given priority to fill any empty seats at the conference.

Stay with MassLive.com for a wrap-up of the event later this weekend.

The 3-level elevator behind LA Fitness, attached to an observation deck and a bridge that crosses active railroad tracks to the trail, has been mostly inoperable since it was built in 2002.

The elevator that helps provide access to the Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway was working last week, but local and state officials are seeking a permanent solution to chronic mechanical problems. Mark M. Murray / The Republican  

SPRINGFIELD — The Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway reopened April 1 for a new season, but the state is continuing to call on the city to provide a permanent solution for handicapped accessibility to the 3.7-mile paved trail in light of a long-troubled elevator.

The three-level elevator, attached to an observation deck and a bridge that crosses active railroad tracks to the trail, was working last week, but the elevator has been mostly inoperable since it was built in 2002, officials said. The elevator and bridge cost $1.5 million.

Sheila McElwaine, a bikeway user and enthusiast who filed a complaint with the state’s Architectural Access Board over the handicap accessibility issues, said the city needs to act now on a permanent solution.

“The city overall has been negligent when it comes to this facility,” McElwaine said. “The public has a right to have this entire facility maintained.”

The elevator, located behind the LA Fitness on West Columbus Avenue, has been plagued by chronic water leaks and other problems, officials said.

Patrick J. Sullivan, the city’s director of parks and facilities, said he is pleased the elevator is working, and said the city will do everything it can to keep it operational.

The Architectural Access Board, in a letter on March 18, directed the city to provide a timetable for a proposed permanent solution: replacing the elevator with a new extended ramp that would allow people, including the handicapped, to safely access the trail.

The new ramp on the east side of the rail tracks could connect to the existing bridge and ramp structure on the other side, according to the proposal.

The board also directed the city to provide a maintenance plan for the elevator until it can be replaced and for a temporary alternate route to access the river walk during ramp construction.

The board stated that a response from the Law Department is required by May 1. City Solicitor Edward M. Pikula was not available for comment on Friday.

The state board warned last year that it could issue fines of up to $1,000 a day if there was “willful noncompliance with its regulations.”

Sullivan said the elevator is operational, and providing access.

“It is something we will continue to monitor,” Sullivan said. “As repairs are needed, we will continue to make those repairs. We will do the best we can.”

In addition, Sullivan said his department will work with the public regarding “the best means of access to the riverfront.”

The city has asked Amtrak to make some repairs to a rail bed that provides an alternate crossing to the trail at Riverfront Park, Sullivan said. In addition, there is an underpass just north of Riverfront Park that provides an access option, he said.

The bikeway is “a great asset to the community,” Sullivan said.

“The more people that use it, the better,” he said.

McElwaine said that she had filed her complaint in 2011, after stalled action in prior years. A complaint was filed by another individual prior to her complaint, she said.