The fire in Building 2 started in the basement and spread through other parts of the building, according to Fire Chief Brian Duggan.

Updates a story posted at 1:56 p.m. Monday.

NORTHAMPTON -- Some residents of Meadowbrook Apartments will have to find temporary living quarters after a fire closed one of the buildings Monday.

The fire in Building 2 started in the basement and spread through other parts of the building, according to Fire Chief Brian Duggan. Some ten fire vehicles arrived at the scene of the second degree alarm shortly before 2 p.m. Duggan said the fire was still smoldering in the walls, but the building had been evacuated.

During a preliminary sweep, firefighters found a single resident with minor injuries. Duggan said he believes about 20 people live in the building. Northampton Building Commissioner Louis Hasbrouck was also at the scene.

Duggan did not estimate how long the building will be uninhabitable.

The complex, owned and managed by the nonprofit Preservation of Affordable Housing, was the site of a major fire in 2009 that destroyed a 12-unit building and left 22 people homeless.

The complex was also the site of a raid by the Northwestern District Attorney’s Anti-crime Task Force Monday morning that resulted in the arrest of a man on drug and firearm charges. It was not immediately clear if the raid and the fire took place in the same building.

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A handful of town officials voiced strong support for creating a South Hadley Redevelopment Authority following a state expert's presentation.

John Fitzgerald, Urban Development Coordinator for the state Department of Housing & Community Development at South Hadley selectmen's meeting July 16Jim Russell 

SOUTH HADLEY — There is a new idea percolating at Town Hall to foster economic development in the South Hadley Falls neighborhood.

A handful of town officials voiced strong support for creating a South Hadley Redevelopment Authority following a state expert’s presentation on Tuesday to the planning and selectboards, members of the municipal Community and Economic Development Commission and the public.

» State document: How to Organize a Redevelopment Authority [pdf]

John Fitzgerald, Urban Development coordinator for the state Department of Housing & Community Development, said a redevelopment authority is the best option to spur reinvestment in specified area.

He said community will is required to create one and that an authority's power of eminent domain to seize the land of private owners is the biggest obstacle to a municipality saying yes.

Fitzgerald said town meeting has authority to approve a five-person authority. He said four of the initial appointments are made by selectboard and one by the state. Thereafter, town meeting would vote in the four municipal-appointed members. All must be residents of town including the state appointee.

A total of 2,000 jobs have disappeared in South Hadley Falls in the past 30 years, Town Planner Richard Harris said at the July 16 meeting.

“That’s a big economic loss,” he said.

Fitzgerald said the “purpose of urban renewal is to redevelop decadent and blighted” areas. He said government involvement is needed because development by private investment has been absent, usually due to obstacles.

Impediments include multiple owners of buildings and land, he said. The purpose of an authority is to remove the obstacles.

Because a redevelopment authority possesses legal authority granted by Mass. Generals Laws Chap. 121B to acquire land -- including via eminent domain as a last resort -- and to convey land, a master plan can be put in place for a specific area, Fitzgerald said. South Hadley Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said, "redevelopment authorities rarely use eminent domain across the state."

“There is a dearth of private investment” in South Hadley Falls, Harris said.

To be eligible for a redevelopment aukthority, a designation of “decadent” is required – a term that officials said is offensive.

Fitzgerald and Sullivan said the term is archaic, but decadent boils down to buildings not up to code, infrastructure needing attention -- the sorts of things abandoned and neglected properties are prone to.

“Obvious signs of dis-investment” define decadent in the authority context, Sullivan said.

Selectman Ira Brezinsky said that with so many positives, why would a community decline a redevelopment authority.

“Two words,” Fitzgerald said. “Eminent domain.”

Jeffrey LaBrecque, chairman of South Hadley Community and Economic Development Commission, said that his panel “is very excited about” creating a South Hadley Redevelopment Authority.

“The eminent domain thing is something I have been staring at for a while.” He said it appears doubtful the investment officials are seeking cannot happen “without a redevelopment authority.”

“You can target a small area and be successful,” Fitzgerald said.

“The best solution is a redevelopment authority,” Selectman Frank DeToma said.

The surcharge could be used to improve the town's soccer fields, Rooney said.

 

LUDLOW - Selectmen's Chairman William Rooney, who says he opposed the adoption by the community of the Community Preservation Act 10 years ago, now says he favors the act.

“I was opposed then,” Rooney said at a selectman’s meeting.

“I was 100 percent dead wrong. I think we should move forward.”

Selectmen on July 16 voted to place an article on the Oct. 7 special Town Meeting warrant calling for a spring ballot question asking residents whether they would favor a one percent Community Preservation Act tax surcharge on residents’ property tax bills.

The first $100,000 of property value would be exempted from the tax.

Residents who qualify as low income and seniors who qualify as moderate income would be exempted from the tax.

The Community Preservation Act is a Massachusetts state law passed in 2000.

It enables adopting communities to raise funds to create a local dedicated fund for open space preservation, preservation of historic resources, development of affordable housing and the acquisition and development of outdoor recreational facilities.

Rooney said there are things the town needs which the Community Preservation Act surcharge could help fund.

He said the town is known for its strong soccer teams, but the condition of the town’s soccer fields is shameful.

The pie of available funds is only so big, Rooney said.

He added, “This is something we need.”

There are playgrounds in town that also need to be renovated, Rooney said.

Ten years ago the town tried to approve a three percent Community Preservation Act surcharge, but it was voted down.

This time, the committee is recommending a one percent surcharge.

Raymond Phoenix, a member of the Community Preservation Act Committee, said the state is expected to match the funds spent from the surcharge at a 40 percent rate.

Other communities have made good use of the funds, Angie Tierney, a member of the committee, said.

She said Wilbraham used the funds to help preserve the Rice Fruit Farm.

Phoenix said in his opinion having some funds available to help pay for town projects which are needed will help stabilize the tax rate.

Tierney said the Community Preservation Act Committee has calculated that the average family in Ludlow will pay an additional $19 per year if the Community Preservation Act surcharge is approved.

The impact of the proposed legislation in Western Massachusetts would vary, since towns across the Commonwealth have come up with a patchwork of ways to address the state’s recent lack of funding for the decades-old Quinn Bill.

BOSTON — Legislation that would limit the responsibility of Massachusetts cities and towns’ to pay the cost of education incentives to police officers is reigniting debate between organized labor and municipal government over funding the so-called Quinn Bill.

The impact of the proposed legislation in Western Massachusetts would vary since communities across the commonwealth have come up with a patchwork of ways to address the state’s recent lack of funding for the decades-old program.

“This bill attempts to bring some clarity to this issue, to say that a municipality is not responsible for the missing state share of this program,” said state Rep. Stephen Kulik, D-Worthington, who sponsored the bill. “The purpose is really to try to bring some uniformity to communities around the state that are in different situations.”

The Quinn Bill, officially the Police Career Incentive Pay Program, was passed by the state Legislature in 1970. It requires participating municipalities to provide 10 to 25 percent salary increases to police officers who obtain advanced degrees in criminal justice. Traditionally, the state and the municipality split the cost of the salary increase.

But in 2009 and 2010, the state drastically cut, then eliminated its portion of the funding.

Since then, the 254 municipalities which adopted the Quinn Bill, have had myriad approaches. Some negotiated clauses into collective bargaining agreements requiring the municipality to pay the state’s share. Others paid only the 50 percent municipal portion, leading to a drop in police salaries. Some created new education incentive programs.

In March 2012, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that cities and towns are not required to pay the state’s portion of the Quinn Bill if they include such language in their contracts.

Kulik’s bill would clarify that cities and towns – even those with no contractual language, will only have to cover their half of the costs. If a collective bargaining agreement requires municipalities to cover the full cost, that provision would be eliminated at the expiration of the contract, even if no subsequent contract is signed. The provision can be renegotiated. Kulik submitted the same bill previously, and it was sent to study.

Geoffrey Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which supports the bill, said municipalities opted into the Quinn Bill based on the state’s promise to pay 50 percent. “They never would have adopted the program to begin with if the state had raised the prospect of failing to meet its promise,” he said.

The state’s total obligation, he said, is around $50 million. Beckwith said if municipalities were required to pay the additional money, they would either have to lay off police officers or make other cuts in their budgets. The Quinn Bill becomes “a massive unfunded mandate,” he said.

However, Jim Machado, executive director of the Massachusetts Police Association, said the bill allows municipalities to renege on a commitment, by dropping the Quinn money as soon as a contract expires, weakening a union’s bargaining position.

“They’re trying to have the Legislature be the bogeyman and undermine the collective bargaining agreement that’s in place,” Machado said.

In Western Massachusetts, some communities, like Chicopee, West Springfield and Northampton, already replaced the Quinn Bill with their own educational incentive programs.

Through a collective bargaining agreement, Chicopee phased out the Quinn Bill bonus for new employees, replacing it with a less generous incentive, which tops out at $5,000.

Mayor Michael Bissonnette said the change was made in response to the state’s decision to stop funding the Quinn Bill. Over time, he expects the change will reduce the city’s educational incentive costs from the current $900,000 to a maximum of $150,000.

For officers hired under the Quinn Bill, which Chicopee adopted in the 1970s, Bissonnette said, Chicopee will continue to pay 100 percent of the benefits, even if Kulik’s bill passes. “It’s my view that the city has a contractual and a moral obligation to those officers,” Bissonnette said.

However, Bissonnette criticized the state for costing city taxpayers $450,000 a year. “It’s another unfunded mandate by the state that was forced upon cities and towns under a bait and switch,” Bissonnette said. “They baited us by saying we'll split this with you, then switched it to nothing.”

West Springfield police chief Donald Campurciani said his department opted out of the Quinn Bill four or five years ago, when the debate over funding heated up. During contract negotiations, the city created its own version of police education incentives.

West Springfield now pays 75 percent of what state law had required. New hires are not paid an annual salary increase but a one-time bonus for degrees. While Campurciani could not put a price tag on the savings, he said the education incentives the city pays out will decrease each year with retirements and attrition. The plan is not subject to future negotiations.

“It was one of the selling points,” Campurciani said. “We’d have to take a reduction, but we’d never have to argue over this again,” and would not be subject to the whims of state lawmakers.

Campurciani said he occasionally receives emails from prospective candidates asking about education incentives, and he wonders whether the city’s program affects recruiting leverage.

Northampton also established its own incentives for officers hired in fiscal year 2014. For those already receiving benefits under the Quinn Bill, the city signed a two-year agreement with the patrol officers union in which it agreed to pay both the city and state share.

In some cities, like Springfield, the city has been supportive of the Quinn Bill.

Joseph Gentile, president of the Springfield patrolmen's union, said Springfield covers Quinn Bill costs through its collective bargaining agreement. Patrolmen are currently in the midst of negotiating a new contract for the first time since the state yanked its support.

Gentile said the city has historically recognized the benefits of Quinn Bill incentives and having an educated police force. According to the mayor’s office, the city pays $3.7 million in Quinn Bill costs, covering both the city and state portions.

“The bill just doesn’t make sense to me,” Gentile said. “Most cities and towns have already dealt with this issue because they’ve recognized the fact that the state is probably never going to live up to their obligation. This is a political move at a time when public employees are under attack.”

In other communities, like Holyoke, Quinn Bill funding is causing discord. Questions about whether Holyoke should continue funding 100 percent of Quinn Bill costs were the most controversial part of recent budget deliberations between the City Council and Mayor Alex Morse.

Morse included a $1 million line item to fully fund Quinn Bill in his $123.6 million budget for the current fiscal year. The council voted 9-5 against a proposal to cut $200,000 from that.

During budget debates, some Holyoke councilors argued the city should pay only the $500,000 municipal portion of the costs because rising expenses and a diminished capacity to raise revenue through property taxes. Morse and other councilors said the city owes it to police officers to abide by the contract and continue paying the incentives.

Holyoke City Council president Kevin Jourdain, who led the effort to cut Quinn Bill spending, supports Kulik's bill.

"It is common sense. Holyoke taxpayers are in no position to fund an extra $500,000 a year," Jourdain said. Jourdain said it would be unfair if the city had to lay off employees in other departments to keep paying "the exorbitant benefits in place for a select few, very highly paid workers."

However, Police Capt. Frederick Seklecki, president of the Holyoke police supervisors' union, said inclusion of the educational incentives has been specified in union contracts for years. Unions accepted smaller or no pay raises in negotiating sessions as the city argued that police were benefiting from Quinn Bill pay. Passage of Kulik's bill would be a jolt, he said.

"Over the years, you negotiated in good faith on all these contracts, so I think it's kind of a scummy thing to do," Seklecki said.

Seklecki said police officers hired in the past two or three years do not get Quinn Bill incentives, so as older ones retire, that pay will come off the books. Seklecki estimated that a third of the 120 uniformed personnel getting Quinn Bill pay will retire within five years.

Staff writers Stephanie Barry, Fred Contrada and Mike Plaisance contributed to this story.

Rosa had just been released in lieu of $250 cash bail following his arraignment on drug charges last Friday.

 

CHICOPEE — A 28-year-old city man, one of two suspects charged with invading a home on Rivers Avenue Saturday night, had just been released in lieu of $250 cash bail following his arraignment on drug charges the day before.

Police charged Jose Antonio Rosa, of 46 Rivers Ave., Apt. 2L, and Jessica B, Reed, 23, same address, with home invasion after they allegedly entered a neighbor’s apartment and threatened to harm the occupants.

Capt. Daniel Sullivan said the incident began shortly before 7:45 p.m. when police were summoned to an apartment complex on Rivers Avenue for a dispute between neighbors.

Officers quelled the disturbance but were summoned again to the same complex about 20 minutes later after Rosa allegedly threw a can of vegetables at a neighbor’s vehicle, damaging the windshield.

Along with home invasion, Rosa was charged with vandalizing property. Reed had an outstanding warrant, issued out of Springfield District Court, for breaking and entering, Sullivan said.

Rosa and Reed denied the charges pertaining to the alleged home invasion during their arraignments in District Court on Monday. Rosa was ordered held in lieu of $1,000 cash and Reed was ordered held in lieu of $1,000 personal surety.

Both were ordered to return to court on Aug. 21 for bindover hearings which will determine whether the cases will be tried in District or Superior Court.

Prior to the home invasion case, Chicopee police arrested Rosa on charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace.

Evan Falchuk want to be the next governor of Massachusetts as he believes the traditional two-party system continues to fail the people of the commonwealth each day. Watch video

Newton resident Evan Falchuk want to be the next governor of Massachusetts in part because he believes the traditional two-party system is failing to properly represent and serve the people of the commonwealth each day.

"Today, more than half of voters are not in a political party but almost all the legislators and the governors have been either Democrats or Republicans; so there is a disconnect," Falchuk said. "I've created the United Independent movement to create a platform for people who have socially progressive ideas but want to have fiscally sensible solutions. It's a place where I think most voters are. Most voters have that combination (of values) and look at the two parties and say 'I don't have any place to go.'"

He has filed the paperwork needed to make United Independent a political party.

Falchuk, a married father of three, has held various leadership positions with Best Doctors, Inc., a Boston-based global health company that offers a benefit through employers and health insurers in which members can get their medical diagnosis reviewed by top doctors. Previously, he was an attorney in Washington doing SEC enforcement work.

When asked about how he would address the rising cost of health care, should he become the new governor following the 2014 election, Falchuk said addressing the business practices of the health care companies in the commonwealth is a good start.

"The state has been doing a lot of really good things to address coverage and to address costs, but there are some bigger issues at play here. Among them is the fact we've got a small number of insurance companies and an increasingly small number of hospital systems; they're all acquiring each other. And what that leads to... is monopolistic practices. It's the part of our health care system that's not talked about- the over-concentration of power within these organizations."

On the topic of transportation funding, which has been a major point of contention between Gov. Deval Patrick and the state legislature, Falchuk said he supports investing in such projects but he feels Patrick's pitch is what complicated the chance for any meaningful investments in 2013.

"As a state, we've systematically under-invested in transportation infrastructure for a number of years not just in the Boston area, but also out here and state-wide," Falchuk said. "The governor was right to raise the issue but if you remember him making it part of his state of the state address, he presented it by saying this is about investing in the future. And if you don't support this, the implication is that you don't believe in our future. But a as voter, you resent that approach and wonder why someone didn't just explain and ask for your support. I agree that something needs to be done, but I would be insistent on articulating the facts to the voters and asking for their support to get things done."

In Massachusetts, 51 percent of registered voters don't belong to a political party while 36 percent are registered Democrats and just 11 percent registered Republicans.

Falchuk is hoping that as his campaign grows and he travels across the commonwealth talking to people about his views which vary between the typical political designations of liberal and conservative, the voters who've already ditched their party will choose him over the other candidates.

The only other declared candidates in the race are Democrats. Dr. Donald Berwick, a Boston pediatrician and ex-administrator of the Medicare and Medicaid programs; state Sen. Dan Wolf, D-Harwich, who announced his run recently in Boston, and state treasurer Steve Grossman.

On the Republican side, no official candidates have emerged yet speculation includes Charlie Baker, the former CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care; Scott Brown, the former U.S. senator; and Gabriel Gomez, who lost the recent special U.S. Senate election to Democrat Ed Markey.

Leary testified under questioning from his lawyer Aaron W. Wilson he was driving down Dewey Street and saw something out of the corner of his eye at the side of the road.

SPRINGFIELD – Daniel Leary Jr. said from the witness stand Tuesday he believes it is David Laduzenski’s own fault he got killed.

“You think this was Mr. Laduzenski’s fault?” Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni asked on cross-examination.

“Yes,” Leary said clearly.

Leary took the stand in his own defense in the Hampden Superior Court case in which he is charged with motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of alcohol and negligent driving.

Leary, 37, of Southwick, is charged in the death of 29-year-old David Laduzenski, a Somerville resident and West Springfield native, who was back home March 25, 2011, to visit family and friends when he was struck by Leary.

Leary testified under questioning from his lawyer Aaron W. Wilson he was driving down Dewey Street and saw something out of the corner of his eye at the side of the road.

He said he tried to swerve and stopped the truck as quickly as he could, although he didn’t know he had hit a person.

Leary’s blood alcohol reading at the West Springfield police department after the crash was .19, more than twice the legal limit of .08.

The defense has pointed to the fact West Springfield police did not follow proper protocol for giving the test, including having the machine operator observe Leary for 15 minutes before the test.

Leary, on the stand, said the only alcohol he had that day was two beers at the garage of his cousin’s friends before he and Peter Desrosiers got back into the truck and he began to drive back to the Southwick motocross location. That is when the crash happened.

Under cross-examination by Mastroianni Leary said he never drinks when he is working on his children’s motorbikes, which he was at the motocross site before he and Desrosiers left for the cousin’s friends to get a motorbike.

He said he took two beers which he drunk at the garage before he drove back to the motocross since his day was almost finished.

When Mastroianni questioned Leary about why he let his son get in the truck Desrosiers was driving earlier that day, after seeing Desrosiers drinking beer, Leary said, “It’s not against the law to drink and drive.”

He later testified he never drinks and drives.

Mastroianni asked Leary about his use of different language when he was describing what he saw. He said at different times he saw something “jump,” “walk” or “come out” from the right side of the road.

He told Mastroianni those terms did not contradict one another.

Testimony from West Springfield police officer David Gawle showed Laduzenski had been hit by the passenger side of the front of the truck, with his hip leaving a dent in the front of the hood and his head leaving a dent in the hood right near where it meets the windshield.

Leary said he did not see Laduzenski’s body come onto the hood of the truck at all. He said he didn’t know he had hit a living thing.

Leary said he doesn’t know where he saw the person come out into the road, and doesn’t know if it was after he left the road, went over a lawn and two driveways and took out two mailboxes or after.

He said he swerved to the right when he saw the person come out, jump, or walk out.

“Your swerve would have taken you in the direction of Mr. Laduzenski?” Mastroianni asked.

“Yeh, I guess,” Leary said. He said he swerved to the right because Laduzenski was moving to the left.

Gawle had testified he believed Laduzenski was by the mailbox in the driveway at 161 Dewey St., where he had been visiting friends, when Leary left the road and struck the two mailboxes and Laduzenski.

The only other living witness to the crash was Desrosiers, who took the stand Tuesday for the defense.

Desrosiers, 37, said he was drinking heavily from afternoon on and had eight to 10 beers at the motocross locale before he let Leary take his truck to go to West Springfield and went with him.

He said “a kid came out from right to left and Dan tried to serve and miss him.” Later he said the man was probably close to the mailbox where he was hit.

But under cross-examination he said he didn’t hear or see the truck strike anything.

He agreed he was flat out drunk, probably couldn’t talk, and was probably not the best person to be a witness about a very important thing that happened quickly.

Desrosiers said he was drinking to get totally drunk that day, as he does about twice a month.

He said he doesn’t know when Laduzenski was hit and didn’t see him hit the top of the hood right where he was sitting.

When Leary did not remember things at the crash scene, he told Mastroianni it was probably because he was traumatized because he held a bleeding man in his lap.

There appears to be a preliminary election needed in September in Springfield to whittle down candidates for the City Council in Wards 1 and 5.

Gladys Oyola 

SPRINGFIELD – Thirty-three people returned nomination papers by Tuesday’s deadline to qualify for the 2013 election ballot, including all 13 incumbents on the City Council and the six School Committtee members up for re-election.

Just two races — the Ward 1 council seat held by Zaida Luna and the Ward 5 council seat held by Clodovaldo Concepcion — appear to have sufficient potential candidates to force a September preliminary election to reduce the field.

“I am surprised by how few people have returned nomination papers out of the large number who initially took out papers,” Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola said.

Forty-two people took out nomination papers, including 41 by mid-June.

A preliminary election is anticipated Sept. 17, and the general election is Nov. 5. The mayor, who also serves on the School Committee, is not up for re-election this year.

In Ware 1, Luna and three challengers — Jose Claudio, Miguel Rivas Jr., and Stephen C. Daly, met the requirement for at least 100 signatures of voters to be certified for the ballot. The two top votegetters in September will advance to the Nov. 5 ballot.

In Ward 5, Concepcion was joined by challengers Kyle Burns and Michael Belanger in being certified for the September ballot. The top two votegetters would move on to the November ballot.

A preliminary election featuring two ward races would cost approximately $40,000 for personnel, supplies and other expenses, Oyola said.

Meanwhile, four city councilors — Michael A. Fenton in Ward 2; E. Henry Twiggs in Ward 4; Kenneth E. Shea in Ward 6, and Timothy C. Allen in Ward 7, have no opposition this fall. No challengers submitted the required signatures.

School Committee incumbents Barbara Gresham of Wards 4 and 5, and Christopher Collins of Wards 6 and 7, are also unopposed for re-election.

The deadline to return nomination papers was Tuesday at 5 p.m., at the Election Office.

Others returning nomination papers by the deadline were Ward 8 Councilor John Lysak and a repeat challenger Orlando Ramos, who will be on the November ballot. Ramos ran against Lysak twice before in 2009 and 2011, losing both contests.

In addition, Ward 3 Councilor Melvin A. Edwards and challenger Salvatore S. Circosta were certified for the November ballot.

All five incumbent at-large councilors returned their papers, and face four potential challengers on the November ballot. Those returning papers were incumbents James J. Ferrera, Thomas M. Ashe, Timothy J. Rooke, Kateri B. Walsh and Bud L. Williams, and challengers Ernesto Cruz, Jeffrey P. Donnelly, Justin Hurst and Joshua Carpenter.

A preliminary election for the at-large race was needed only if there were more than five challengers — two candidates per seat.

At-large School Committee members Antonette Pepe and Denise M. Hurst face challengers Brenda J. Hammerle and Calvin McFadden in the November election.

School Committee member Norman Roldan, representing Wards 1 and 3, faces a challenger, Rosa Perez in November.

School Committee member Peter M. Murphy of Wards 2 and 8 is opposed by Zaida Govan in the November election.

Sarno is recommending the planning board adopt a moratorium on allowing any dispensaries until the city can fully assess what is permissible under state and to put in the proper safeguards to prevent abuse.

Partial decriminalization of pot is complicating matters for the Massachusetts law enforcement community.AP photo 

SPRINGFIELD — Mayor Domenic J. Sarno announced Tuesday he is recommending Springfield go slowly before allowing medical marijuana dispensaries to operate in the city.

Sarno is recommending the planning board adopt a moratorium on allowing any dispensaries until the city can fully assess what is permissible under state law and to put in the proper safeguards to prevent abuse.

Springfield becomes to third Western Massachusetts city, after Chicopee and Agawam, seeking to apply the brakes to the medical marijuana issue following voter approval in November of a statewide referendum allowing the sale of the drug for medicinal purposes.

The Chicopee City Council in June voted to restrict medical marijuana dispensaries to a small section of the city’s industrial park.

Agawam is considering adopting an 8-month moratorium on any such dispensaries until it could get regulations in order.

Following voter approval of a state medical marijuana referendum in November, Attorney General Martha M. Coakley ruled towns and cities cannot ban dispensaries for medical marijuana, but can adopt measures to regulate or postpone them.

The law currently permits up to 35 dispensaries across the state, but final regulations on them are still being worked out by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The dispensaries also must grow their own marijuana.

Domenic SarnoThe Republican [file] 

“In meeting with City Solicitor Ed Pikula, Health Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, Police Commissioner William Fitchet, and Deputy Director of Planning Phil Dromey, I have asked for a review as to how this law will locally affect us as it pertains to zoning, public health and public safety issues,” Sarno said in a prepared statement.

He said he has directed the city’s Deputy Director of Planning, Phillip Dromey, to begin working with the Planning Board to draft zoning regulations for medical marijuana facilities.

The Planning Board is responsible for developing local controls related to zoning

Sarno said that before any such facilities can be allowed to open in the city, it is essential for Springfield to have in place regulations for zoning and permitting. There are also matters with health and public safety to be considered, he said.

Currently, regulations have been published by the Department of Public Health to administer the law at the state level. Under the state regulations, municipalities and local boards of health maintain the authority to further regulate Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers.

“We need to ensure that the City of Springfield is ready to implement the law locally and will have appropriate local oversight protections in place for the protection of the residents of the city," Sarno said.

Registry branch offices in Chicopee and Easthampton would be consolidated into a proposed Springfield regional center and the North Adams office would be integrated into regional centers in Greenfield and Pittsfield.

BOSTON -- The state Registry of Motor Vehicles is considering closing branch offices in Chicopee, Easthampton and North Adams as part of a plan to consolidate its 30 branch offices.

The consolidations, which are drawing fire from opponents, are part of a proposal to drive more customers online for services such as registration renewals and to reduce the use of buildings and leases.

According to "Modernizing the Registry of Motor Vehicles," a report unveiled on July 17 by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the 30 branch offices would be consolidated into 16 regional centers including ones in Greenfield, Pittsfield and Springfield. In Western Massachusetts, only Greenfield would keep its current size and location.

In this 2008 photo, Kevin E. Ross, treasurer of Ross Inusrance in Holyoke, is shown with a spread sheet of the discount rates for the various car insurance companies. Dave Roback/The Republican file 

Chicopee and Easthampton would be combined into the proposed Springfield regional center and the North Adams office would be integrated into Greenfield and Pittsfield.

Sara Lavoie, press secretary for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, said the report is "a concept" for the future of the Registry. Branch closures or new openings are not imminent, she said. "This is a concept that is years away from reality," she wrote in an e-mail.

The proposed closures of Chicopee, Easthampton and North Adams branches would come after the 2009 shutdowns of Registry branches at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield and in Hadley.

The proposal is already generating opposition in Chicopee and Easthampton.

Chicopee Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette said he would like to keep open the Chicopee branch, which is located in a municipally-owned building at 1011 Chicopee St. in the Willimansett section of the city. The Registry only pays $1 a year for rent for the building.

Bissonnette said the city pays for upkeep and maintenance of the building. He said the city is negotiating to extend the lease, which has expired.

"We think it is a real convenience for residents of Chicopee and Holyoke and also insurance agents," Bissonnette said.

Kevin E. Ross, treasurer of Ross Insurance Agency Inc. in Holyoke, said the Registry is hoping to dramatically expand the number of people using online services, thereby reducing the number of people using branches.

Ross said more people would already use online services if they could since it can be agonizing to stand in line at the Registry.

"I think this is a dream at this point," he said. "I don't see how they will accomplish it."

In its report, the department suggests that unmanned kiosks could be located at supermarkets, drug stores or retailers such as Wal-Mart or Target.

Rachel Kaprielian, registrar of Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.Mark M. Murray/The Republican file 

Richard A. Perras, senior partner of Finck & Perras Insurance Agency Inc., which has an office in downtown Easthampton near the Registry, said he believes there will be a battle over the proposed closure of the Easthampton branch, located at 116 Pleasant St.

“It would be a great impact on our business, and I think a bigger impact on our clients,” said Perras, who is chairman of the statewide board of the Independent Agents Association.

The building is privately owned but the rent to the Registry is only $1 a year, the state report said.

The Easthampton office is always busy, Perras said. If the agency has an employee go to the branch for an insurance client, the employee is there when the door opens in the morning. “If you show up at 9:30 a.m. you are going to wait,” Perras said. “It is always busy.”

Betty Duprey, owner Nicky D’s Used Cars on Northampton Street, said the Easthampton registry is often full of international students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who have to take a driving test to drive in this country. “Are you going to send those people to Greenfield?” she said.

On a busy month, she does about 60 transactions at the registry. “My runner would have to go to Greenfield or Springfield,” she said.

Duprey said older customers or even younger people who are not computer-savvy will find themselves shut out if the Easthampton branch is closed and they are required to seek online services.

“It’s like checking in at the airport,” she said. “Sometimes even I have to stop and go ‘Wait, what am I doing.’ It’s confusing.”

She said the Easthampton Registry can’t be expensive to operate. The state only pays $1 in rent.

Eric Snyder, executive director of the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce, said the Registry helps bring business to the town.

“Anything that brings traffic is appreciated,” Snyder said. “I know it s a boon to people who have businesses in Eastworks.”

The new 16 regional centers "would provide a menu of essential services and pursue such economies of scale that they could accommodate more customers at lower wait times," the department of transportation report said.

Registrar Rachel Kaprielian said the report is just the start of a process about how the Registry can change the way it services people.

Kaprielian said the Registry needs to rely more on Internet services and have fewer brick and mortar branches.

"We're at the very advent," she said. "This is years down the road."

The report said the proposed 16 regional centers are all near major metropolitan areas, along key highways, and within service areas of regional transit or MBTA in the eastern part of the state. They are also distributed evenly enough to place most Massachusetts’ residents within 15 to 20 miles of a Registry branch, the report said.

The Registry also could reduce wait times at branches by eliminating time-consuming in-person transactions such as registration renewals, the report said. This would reduce the number of customers, thereby cutting wait times, the report said.

Registration renewal is one of the top two transactions done in-person at a branch – in 2011 over 400,000 customers visited a branch for registration renewal.

There are currently four other ways to renew your registration: online, by mail, by phone, at certain AAA offices, or insurance agent.

The report recommends expanding services to all AAA offices in Massachusetts and possibly including more services such as plate returns or permit testing.

"As our customers demand more, faster, and mobile service from their government, we must reform the Registry of Motor Vehicles to ensure that its past progress remains strong," the report said.

In order to improve services, the Registry is planning to replace its 27-year-old computer mainframe system, which processes 6 million transactions a day. A redesigned website was also launched.

Staff writer Jim Kinney contributed to this report.

William Moran won't be among the slate of five candidates for Holyoke mayor.

Updated at 8:43 p.m. to include registrar of voters saying Ward 4 School Committee incumbent Cesar A. Lopez did file nomination papers and probably will be certified as candidate, but staff have yet to review all of Lopez' papers.

HOLYOKE - The passage of Tuesday's filing deadline yielded a preliminary election Sept. 17 that will feature races for mayor, city clerk and City Council Ward 4, the registrar of voters said.

 

William P. Moran will not be among those challenging Mayor Alex B. Morse as the former provisional fire chief failed to file nomination papers with the Registrar of Voters by the 4:30 p.m. deadline despite vowing since early May that he would be a candidate.

The preliminary election will narrow the fields in each race to the top two vote getters, who will then complete - along with a full slate of City Council and School Committee races - on election day Nov. 5, said Suzanne Mead, who is registrar of voters and city clerk.

Morse seeks a second, two-year term against Jim Santiago, who has worked in real estate and image processing and is a U.S. Air Force veteran, former mayor Daniel J. Szostkiewicz, Daniel C. Boyle, who writes for the Holyoke Sun and was co-owner of the former Diamond Fiber Products Co. in Palmer, and Jeffrey A. Stanek, an accountant and former chief financial officer with CWL Investments in Ferndale, Mich.

Vying for city clerk will be Assistant Clerk Louise K. Bisson, Dori Dean, former campaign manager for Morse and briefly his chief of staff, and Councilor at Large Brenna Murphy McGee.

Former City Clerk Susan M. Egan retired March 1 after 43 years.

In the race for Ward 4 City Council, the candidates are John P. Lecca, of 388 Pleasant St., who is a former councilor, L. Dorothea Macneil, of 226 Beech St. and Jossie M. Valentin, of 25 Linden St.

Incumbent Ward 4 Councilor Jason P. Ferreira, who is in his first term, didn't file papers to seek re-election, Mead said.

Incumbent Treasurer Jon D. Lumbra is running unopposed.

Turnover on the 10-member School Committee will be substantial. At-large member Michael J. Moriarty isn't seeking re-election. At -large member Howard B. Greaney Jr. is running for City Council at large.

Ward 1 School Committee member Joshua A. Garcia is seeking the Ward 6 school board seat, against 38-year incumbent William R. Collamore. Ward 2 incumbent Yvonne Garcia and Ward 7 incumbent Margaret M. Boulais aren't seeking re-election. Mead said. She said she hasn’t had a chance to review Ward 4 incumbent Cesar A. Lopez’ papers, which were filed minutes before 4:30 p.m., but Lopez probably will be certified as a candidate.

To place their names on the ballot, candidates for mayor must file nomination papers with signatures of at least 250 registered voters. Candidates for all other city seats must submit papers with at least 50 signatures of registered voters.

At 11.9 percent unemployment, Springfield has the fourth-highest jobless rate in the state behind Lawrence, New Bedford and Fall River. Holyoke is the next highest local city at 11.7 percent, up from 10. 4 percent last month ad 10.2 percent last year, giving Holyoke the sixth-highest unemployment rate in the state

SPRINGFIELD - The city's unemployment rate rose a full percentage point last month, to 11.9 percent from 10.9 percent the month before, and one analyst called the increase over a year ago "demoralizing."

There were 57,509 employed in the city in June, down from 57,835 in May.

Single-family home sales in the city, meanwhile, fell 27 percent year-to-date, but the median price rose 18 percent.

At 11.9 percent unemployment, Springfield has the fourth-highest jobless rate in the state behind Lawrence, New Bedford and Fall River.

Holyoke is the next highest local city at 11.7 percent, up from 10. 4 percent last month and 10.2 percent last year, giving Holyoke the sixth-highest unemployment rate in the state.

As a region, Greater Springfield has an unemployment rate of 8.7 percent, up from 8 percent last month and 8.1 percent a year ago in June 2012.

The statewide unadjusted average unemployment rate is 7.4 percent. Once the marginally employed - those working part-time who would rather work full-time and those who are not looking for jobs - are included, the statewide average shoots up to 12.8 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The national average was 7.6 percent in June.

It is all part of a disappointing set of employment numbers released Tuesday by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

As a region, employment in greater Springfield fell from 290,600 in June 2012 to 285,300 in May 2013, a drop of 4,500 jobs or 1.5 percent of the employment base.

"The demoralizing part of these numbers is the year-over-year numbers," said Robert A. Nakosteen, professor of economics and management at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Local jobless numbers are not adjusted for seasonal changes in the economy, so month-to-month comparisons are sometimes faulty. But year-over-year numbers are painting a picture of a stagnant job market, Nakosteen said.

"I think this part of of the world is having a little bit harder time. Western Mass is not going to have a recovery until the nation truly gains traction," he said.

Also on Tuesday, The Warren Group said single-family home sales in the city of Springfield were down, but median prices were up, which fits with trends described earlier by The Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley. Realtors have said that a lack of supply is hurting sales.

In Springfield, sales are down 27 percent year to date, having fallen from 461 homes through June 2012 to 338. The median price has risen 18.1 percent in the city, from $105,000 to $124,000.

On the jobs front, Greater Springfield is up 800 jobs on the month, according to state figures released Tuesday, with large gains in some sectors offset by job cuts in other parts of the economy.

Breaking it down by sector of the economy: leisure and hospitality added 900 jobs over the month; professional, scientific, and business services added 400; other services added 400; mining, construction and logging added 300; manufacturing added 300; trade transportation and utilities added 100, and information added 100.

Two sectors lost jobs in the month. Education and health services lost 1,300 jobs, which might be seasonal changes at private schools. Government also lost 700 jobs.

Even with hiring gains in some sectors, business is not strong at FutureWorks, a one stop career center in Springfield.

"We are seeing a lack of confidence on the part of employers to hire," said Kevin E. Lynn, manager of business services at the jobs center . "That is the message. Employers are very, very cautious about adding to payroll."

Wendy's and United Technologies surged after posting stronger results than financial analysts expected.

By MATTHEW CRAFT
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK — Uneven corporate earnings news left the stock market mixed on Tuesday.

Most major indexes closed slightly lower, except for the Dow Jones industrial average. Yet even there the gain was due to the increase in one stock, United Technologies.

Better earnings from big banks, health insurers and other companies have helped drive the stock market higher this month. On Tuesday, however, the encouraging and the discouraging seemed evenly matched. Wendy's and United Technologies surged after posting stronger results than financial analysts expected. Netflix and the Altria Group, maker of Marlboro cigarettes, sank after their results fell short.

"In the absence of major economic news, the focus is on earnings this week," said David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. "And there's nothing today to drive the market dramatically one way or another."

The Dow rose 22.19 points, or 0.1 percent, to 15,567.74. If not for a 3 percent gain in United Technologies, the Dow would have closed down a point.

United Technologies rose $3.01 to $105.12 after the conglomerate said strong orders for commercial airline parts and elevators helped lift its profit.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 3.14 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,692.39. The Nasdaq composite fell 21.11 points, or 0.6 percent, to 3,579.27.

It was a busy day for earnings as 35 companies in the S&P 500 were scheduled to turn in results. The second-quarter scorecard looks good so far. More than six out of every 10 companies have posted earnings that surpassed Wall Street's expectations, according to S&P Capital IQ.

Analysts forecast that second-quarter earnings for companies in the S&P 500 increased 3.8 percent over the same period last year.

"The bar has been set pretty low," said Joel Huffman, senior portfolio manager at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. So, it's hardly a surprise that many companies are able to jump over it, he said.

Sales are another story. Analysts expect revenue to shrink 0.7 percent in the second quarter. Huffman said he's encouraged that many banks and makers of consumer-discretionary goods have reported stronger U.S. sales. "It's an indication of the underlying growth in the U.S. economy versus other parts of the world," he said.

Apple rose $21, or 5 percent, to $439.99 in after-hours trading, when the company reported earnings and revenue that beat Wall Street's forecasts.

Among other stocks making big moves:

— Wendy's jumped 55 cents, or 8.2 percent, to $7.23. The fast-food company's net income came in above Wall Street's expectations. Wendy's also announced plans to sell 425 restaurants as franchises and raised its quarterly dividend by a penny to 5 cents.

— Marlboro maker Altria Group said its quarterly results fell short of analysts' expectations. Altria's stock sank 89 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $35.99.

— Netflix dropped $11.70, or 4.5 percent, to $250.26. The company said late Monday that it signed up fewer subscribers than financial analysts had projected. Big expectations have propelled Netflix's stock up 170 percent since the start of the year, adding more pressure on the company to deliver amazing numbers.

In the market for U.S. government bonds, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.50 percent from 2.48 percent late Monday. Long-term interest rates have swung in a wide range since May, a result of traders speculating over when the Federal Reserve will begin pulling back on its bond-buying program.

The rate on the 10-year note, a benchmark for most loans, was trading at 1.61 percent on May 1. It rose as high as 2.75 percent by the second week of July.

Some councilors and the developer working on Hard Rock International Hotel & Casino's $800 million plan to build a casino in West Springfield want a referendum on the project sooner rather than later.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Town Council Tuesday night voted unanimously to set Sept. 10 as the date for a referendum on Hard Rock Hotel & Casino New England’s proposal to build an $800 million casino project here.

In a 5-minute meeting the council approved the date for the vote on the referendum, which asks, "Shall the city of West Springfield permit the operation of a gaming establishment licensed by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to be located at, and in the vicinity of, the grounds of Eastern States Exposition on Memorial Avenue?"

Last week, six members of the Town Council used a special provision of the town charter to call a meeting for Tuesday for the board to vote to set a date . In doing that, they rejected an Aug. 5 special meeting set for that purpose by Town Council President Kathleen A. Bourque.

Town Councilor George R. Kelly, who initiated the special meeting set for Tuesday with Town Councilor John R. Sweeney, has said he wanted the council to vote on a date earlier to give residents lots of time to consider the proposal before voting on what he believes will be a Sept. 10 referendum. Hard Rock officials have requested a referendum on that date.

Kelly has said he sees no reason to delay the vote until August.

Bourque has said she set the Aug. 5 date to give the public plenty of notice of the council’s vote.

Tuesday’s special council meeting was set to start at 7 p.m.

Kelly said he, Sweeney and Town Councilors George D. Condon III, Bruce L. Gendron, Robert M. Mancini, and Angus M. Rushlow signed a form last week to call the Tuesday meeting.

Sweeney said Hard Rock officials wanted to have the council set a date earlier the one set by Bourque to give them more time to order signs advertising a Sept. 10 referendum vote.

Mark Rivers the developer working with Hard Rock and the Eastern States Exposition to put a casino on the exposition’s fairgrounds, has expressed appreciation that councilors want to set a referendum date sooner rather than later.

Rivers has said that he wants the maximum length of time to engage and educate voters about the project.

Hard Rock would like to construct a destination resort casino project on 38 acres on the Eastern States Exposition campus off Memorial Avenue. Plans include a 12-story hotel, a Hard Rock Cafe and a parking deck. Hard Rock has also taken out options to buy property along Circuit Avenue, which would be on of the egresses to the project, to use for additional parking.

Jesus David Mendez Sequeda, who was born without arms and legs, uses his mouth and his heart to paint.

SPRINGFIELD — When he is working on a painting, Jesus David Mendez Sequeda is in another zone.

"I love thinking of the landscapes and making them real on canvas," said the 17-year-old artist and patient at Shriners Hospital for Children.

Sequeda, who is from Bucaramanga, Colombia, was born without arms or legs. He is currently getting fitted for prosthetic limbs at the hospital.

"We are so thankful to Shriners for all they have done for us," said his mother, Myriam Sequeda. She is her son's main caregiver.

Although it had some financial troubles in 2010, the hospital, which provides orthopedic surgery and prosthetic limbs to children from all over the world free of charge, is surviving.

After generous donations from the community and opting to accept health insurance in some cases, the hospital continues to operate in the city.

This is the second visit to Shriners for the family. Sequeda received his first prosthetic arms and legs when he was 13 years old. He has grown since then and is being fitted for new ones.

Sequeda may have no arms or legs, but his family his mother, father and three sisters, treat him as if he did.

"I didn't want him to be limited or to think that he couldn't do things," said his mother, who taught Sequeda how to hold a pen and later a brush when he was 5 years old. He uses his mouth or his cheek and shoulder to hold brushes and pens.

"Initially, I just wanted him to be able to write well. I never thought he would become this talented painter," she said.

Sequeda is now taking online university courses in computer engineering from a school in Colombia called Multicomputo. He has a Facebook page to communicate with friends he has made all over the world.

"I like working with computers. I like talking to my friends online, and I love painting," he said.

Sequeda and his mother are staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield where Enix Zavala is the house director.

"We have families here from all over the world at no cost to them," Zavala said. "We are so happy to have Jesus David and his mom here. He truly is an inspiration."

He has even made a friend, 14-year-old Juan Piccharo, from the Dominican Republic who stayed at the home along with his father, Felipe Picharro, until last week.

"We are so happy to meet another family going through similar struggles. Our two families have formed a lovely friendship," Felipe Picharro said. The family hopes to remain in touch through Facebook.

Sequeda's paintings are inspired by his home in the countryside. He is hoping to have an exhibition of his work before he heads back to Colombia with the help of the man they call their angel, Rodolfo Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is the founder and executive director of Open Hearts, Open Doors Inc., a non-profit organization that helps children all over the world dealing with life-threatening illnesses or cases like Sequeda's.

The Colombian born man said he knows from experience what it is to live a life of privilege and also what it means to live a life of poverty.

"There is something within me that makes me want to help these families," he said. "When I see a young man like Jesus David who strives to make a difference in this world, how can I turn away from him? I just can't. Everyone deserves a chance, an opportunity to find fulfillment in their lives."

Sequeda's mother said Rodriguez has helped transport them to the United States, allowed them to stay in his home, connected them with Shriners and changed their lives overall.

"I don't know where we would be without his help. Where we come from, these things are not possible. There is not a lot of consideration for handicapped people, and life is very hard," she said.

Seuqeda said he is so grateful to Rodriguez and all of the people who have helped him achieve his goals.

When he is not in physical therapy at the hospital Sequeda paints.

"I want to live my life fully. I want to finish my education, and I want to be a painter and have my paintings sold and hanging in people's houses," he said.

Although he loves to paint, it is very difficult to purchase materials, including canvas and oil paint, which is his favorite medium.

To donate painting supplies to Sequeda or to the Ronald McDonald House, contact Zavala at (413) 794-5683.

Proponents and opponents of a biomass project proposed in East Springfield are awaiting the outcome of legal challenges.

SPRINGFIELD — A proposed biomass project on Page Boulevard remains stalled and in litigation while opponents cheered a new federal court decision they hope will provide another hurdle.

Palmer Renewable Energy, which is proposing a $150 million biomass plant at the East Springfield site, continues to pursue special permits for the project through litigation, said Peter F. Durning, a Boston lawyer representing the developer.

The suit is pending in Land Court in Boston, and Palmer Renewable Energy has an air quality permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection, Durning said Tuesday.

A special permit was granted by the City Council in 2008 for the biomass project, but was revoked in 2011 after concerns were raised by residents, organizations and councilors. Building permits for preliminary construction were issued by the building commissioner in 2011, but were overturned by the Springfield Zoning Board of Appeals, leading to the Land Court lawsuit.

Project opponents have argued that the biomass plant would worsen air pollution and harm public health.

Palmer Renewable Energy has stated that its biomass plant would involve state-of-the-art technology and would not harm public health.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Court of Appeals, in a recent ruling against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is requiring the agency to evaluate carbon dioxide emissions from biomass power plants rather than defer action for further study, opponents said.

Durning said the impact of the court decision is still under review and declined further comment.

“We are studying the case,” Durning said.

Mary Booth, director of Partnership for Policy Integrity, among those who have criticized the Springfield biomass proposal, said the federal court case affects how biomass projects are evaluated and could have an impact on their pursuit of renewable energy subsidies and tax breaks.

Most new biomass power plants fueled with wood emit 40 percent to 50 percent more carbon dioxide than a coal plant, per megawatt-hour of electricity generated, Booth said.

The court’s decision “could affect how states choose to incentivize biomass energy in the future,” Booth said in a prepared release.

“The court’s reversal of EPA’s deferral will require these highly polluting biomass plants to use better emission controls,” she said.

An EPA spokeswoman declined comment except to say the agency is reviewing the ruling.

Arrested were Jose Rodriguez, 34, Anthony Hudson, 45, and Meaghan Cowles, 28, all of Hartford.

 

SUFFIELD - Three Hartford residents were arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of a 56-year-old man whose body was found last week stuffed inside a duffel bag near a Suffield hiking trail, according to Connecticut media reports.

According to the Hartford Courant, Hartford police arrested the three, charging them for their roles in the murder and then disposal of the the victim, identified as Peter Boateng.

Boateng was killed earlier this month at a residence in Hartford, the Courant reported. His body was packed inside a duffel bag and then dumped in a wooded area only to be discovered Friday by some hikers alerted police about a foul smell.

Arrested were Jose Rodriguez, 34, Anthony Hudson, 45, and Meaghan Cowles, 28, all of Hartford.

Rodriguez was charged with murder, conspiracy, hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence.

Hudson was charged with being an accessory to murder, conspiracy, and tampering with physical evidence. Cowles was charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence.

WFSB Eyewitness News 3 reported police believe Boateng was killed at 171 South Marshall St., Hartford and the body moved to Suffield.

Jose Rodriguez, 34, is charged with murder, conspiracy, hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence. Anthony Hudson, 45, is charged with accessory to murder, conspiracy and tampering with physical evidence. Meaghan Cowles, 28, is charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence.

The Courant reported Rodriguez had bail set at $1 million, while Hudson and Cowles were being held in lieu of $750,000 bail.

Cabral accused the Patrick administration of misleading the public by suggesting that tolls on the western turnpike from Rte. 128 to the New York border will come down in 2017 when the remaining $70 million in bonds are paid off.

By MATT MURPHY
and MICHAEL NORTON

BOSTON — Senior transportation officials on Tuesday cautioned that major expansion projects prioritized by the Patrick administration could be in jeopardy if tolls on the western portion of the Massachusetts Turnpike come down in four years, but one House lawmaker called the warning “scare tactics.”

Rep. Antonio Cabral, a New Bedford Democrat and chair of the House Bonding Committee, accused the Patrick administration of misleading the public by suggesting that tolls on the western turnpike from Rte. 128 to the New York border will come down in 2017 when the remaining $70 million in bonds are paid off.

The toll issue was used by Gov. Deval Patrick last week as the rationale for vetoing a $500 million tax bill that will ultimately dedicate $805 million in new spending to finance transportation investments over the next five years. Patrick says the $135 million in lost toll revenue will undercut the financing plan, and limit the ability to borrow for long-term projects. The House and Senate have votes scheduled for Wednesday to override Patrick’s veto.

“I believe the $805 million will be there in 2017 because I don’t see how those tolls are going to come down,” Cabral said during an oversight hearing Tuesday. “To use the scare tactic, if you will, that if we don’t have the $135 million we won’t be able to fund South Coast or the Green Line is a little disingenuous.”

Cabral referenced a 1952 law that stipulated tolls on the western turnpike will come down when the bonds are paid off and if the highway is in a state of good repair.

“It’s unlikely a responsible secretary of transportation will make the decision to bring those down, so I think we’re focusing too much on this hypothetical possibility,” Cabral said.

Later in the hearing, Cabral tried to get MassDOT Chief Financial Officer Dana Levenson to estimate the cost of getting the Mass. Turnpike into a state of good repair in 2017, describing that cost as the “magic number.”

Levenson declined to provide an estimate, saying it was “not easy” to speculate. He described the toll road as “in reasonably good condition” currently but said road use causes deterioration over time.

“I’d like to come back to you with that specific number,” Levenson said.

“I’ll be patient. I’ll wait for you to come back with that,” Cabral responded.

But Cabral did not relent. Noting the MBTA’s backlog of state of good repair projects is estimated at between $4 billion and $6 billion, Cabral said he would speculate that the turnpike’s costs are more than zero and Levenson responded “absolutely.”

Levenson then explained that state transportation officials in April 2012 embarked on a $900 million capital maintenance program for the Metropolitan Highway System, the term used to describe the turnpike as it heads east from Route 128 into Boston and the network of Big Dig tunnels and bridges. State of good repair costs for the state’s overall highway system, which included the turnpike, are in the “billions of dollars,” Levenson said.

“It’s becoming clearer and clear to me that it’s unrealistic they will come down in 2017,” Cabral responded.

Only three lawmakers on the 11-member House committee showed up for the oversight hearing, including Rep. Carl Sciortino, of Medford, and Rep. Paul Heroux, of Attleboro.

Cabral apologized for being 10-minutes late, citing traffic on Route 24 and the lack of other commuting options. “Maybe the lack of commuter rail to New Bedford,” Cabral said, suggesting he might have an easier commute if South Coast rail becomes a reality.

Levenson said that once a transportation financing plan is in place, MassDOT will take a comprehensive look at the list of priority projects and make determinations on which will go forward and what needs to be “tabled” based on the finances available.

Those projects include major expansions like South Coast rail, the Green Line extension, and the expansion of South Station, as well as maintenance projects and purchases such as the purchase of new Orange and Red Line cars and 480 new buses.

MBTA Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Davis said he believed the financing plan passed by the Legislature would be sufficient to balance the MBTA’s budget for the next five years and purchase new Red and Orange Line cars, which he described as “critical” given that cars currently in service are 35 to 45 years old.

Davis said the T was “hopefully” done with larger fare increases but reminded lawmakers that the state’s plans, even with the infusion of new revenue from tax hikes, call for more regular fare increases.

“It’s 5 percent in 2015 and it’s 5 percent in 2017,” Davis said.

Davis also said shoring up the MBTA’s financial outlook by eliminating the structural deficit and moving employees off the capital budget by 2016 through the financing legislation would “greatly enhance” the state’s application for federal funding through the New Starts program for the Green Line extension to Medford.

Sciortino supported Patrick’s request for higher funding for transportation but voted for the scaled back legislative proposal at $800 million. At Tuesday’s hearing, he queried Levenson on how the possible takedown of the tolls would impact MassDOT’s bond capacity for future projects.

“We will anticipate a decrease in revenue starting in 2017, not before that,” Levenson said, predicting a diminished borrowing capacity and a continued need for maintenance on the western turnpike that will have to be funded with another revenue source when the tolls come down.

Though Levenson said the toll issue would not create any immediate problems for ongoing capital projects, it could make long-term planning difficult. “Yes, it will be a challenge,” he said.

Levenson acknowledged that MassDOT’s bond capacity will grow after 2016 when the 1,680 employees paid through the capital budget are moved to the operating side of the ledger, freeing up an estimated $234 million.

Heroux also raised concerns about a preliminary plan at the Registry of Motor Vehicles to close branches and relocate to more centralized, regional locations as business shifts online. Citing the Attleboro branch as an example where MassDOT’s only expenses are the three employees, he said moving the branch to Raynham will be a inconvenience to residents. “This won’t be customer centered,” he said.

Registrar Rachel Kaprielian called the report Heroux referenced a “visionary document” that would streamline the registry as more transactions are conducted online. She said the regional branches would be chosen based on factors like geography and proximity to public transit so that no customer has to drive more than 20 to 30 minutes.

“At this moment in time. I’m not locking up any doors on Monday. There’s no implementation plan,” she said, citing the need to first update the Registry’s technological capacity to handle more online business.

Heroux responded: “I’m happy there’s no implementation plan.”

In a statement, police said they were investigating whether a large fight that occurred at Roberto Clemente Field earlier in the evening on Sunday may have been related to the shooting.

MassLive.com photo [file] 

WORCESTER — Police continue to investigate the shooting death of a 28-year-old Worcester man.

The victim of the shooting on Constitution Avenue Sunday night has been identified as Igor Busanet, who relatives said was gunned down in front of his two young sons.

In a statement released on Tuesday, police said they were investigating whether a large fight that occurred at Roberto Clemente Field earlier in the evening on Sunday may have been related to the shooting.

Police said there may have been numerous witnesses in the area at the time of the shooting and they are asking anyone with information about the case to contact them.

Niko L. Rodriguez was injured by his own Jet Ski and had to be pulled from the river by a passing boater.

 

HADLEY — A 21-year-old Springfield man who was injured Sunday in a Jet Ski accident on the Connecticut River near Mitch’s Marina was charged with negligent operation of a boat, according to a spokeswoman with the Massachusetts Environmental Police.

Niko L. Rodriguez had to be pulled from the river by another boater and brought to shore following the 2 p.m. accident, said spokeswoman Amy Mahler.

Rodriguez was taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. His injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Mahler said Rodriguez was operating recklessly before losing control and injuring himself on his own Jet Ski.

Marina employee Phil Brocklesby, quoted in The Daily Hampshire Gazette*, said the people who rescued Rodriguez told him that they saw him become airborne as he jumped waves. He apparently came down and struck his head on the watercraft and was knocked unconscious, Brocklesby said.

*-Daily Hampshire Gazette articles may require a subscription

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