Florence resident Steven Coughlin, a 28-year-old nurse at the hospital, was charged after allegedly assaulting a man in the hospital's emergency room.

File photo | The Republican 

NORTHAMPTON — A nurse is due back in court next month in connection with a criminal case alleging he physically assaulted a patient at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

Officers responded to the hospital at 30 Locust St. for a trespassing incident at 8:23 p.m. Thursday, according to Northampton Police Department records. When they arrived, they found an injured Easthampton man who claimed he was assaulted by a hospital staff member.

As a result, Steven J. Coughlin, a 28-year-old nurse at the hospital, was taken into custody and charged with assault and battery for allegedly knocking the man's head against an emergency room sink, the Daily Hampshire Gazette reports.

The man, whose identity was not released by police, was reportedly a patient at the hospital, though it was unclear why the initial call was reported as a "trespassing/unwanted guest" incident.

Coughlin, a resident of Stilson Avenue in the city's Florence section, was released without bail and ordered to return for a Sept. 11 pretrial hearing after denying the charge at his arraignment Friday in Northampton District Court.

Coughlin's employment status with the hospital was unavailable. Cooley Dickinson representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.

A spate of shootings kept Springfield police busy, while no arrests had been made in a State Street incident involving an ambulance struck by gunfire.

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) State police identify man fatally injured after trooper shooting and crash on Interstate 291 in Springfield as Wayne Edwards ll [By George Graham]

2) Turnpike tolls in Western Massachusetts to be reinstated on Oct. 15 [By Dan Ring]

3) Shootings keep Springfield police busy; no arrests yet in State Street incident involving ambulance struck by gunfire [By Conor Berry]

4) Westfield woman shocked to discover boa constrictor inside her Washington House apartment [By George Graham]

5) Father kills son, himself at YWCA offices in New Hampshire [By Associated Press]

Photos: A slideshow of photos from the Miss Polonia Massachusetts Pageant held Sunday at Pilsudski Park in Holyoke.

Nicholas Jefferson, 21, of Jacob Ladder Road, Becket, is expected to be charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on an elderly person, according to authorities.

 

BECKET — An elderly Becket woman was treated at a hospital after an alleged assault by her grandson Monday evening.

Authorities said they are looking for 21-year-old Nicholas Jefferson, who was last seen around 9 p.m. fleeing the Jacobs Ladder Road home he shares with his grandparents. He is expected to be charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on an elderly person, police said.

Jefferson had yet to surrender as of early Tuesday morning, according to a Becket police officer. He is accused of assaulting both grandparents, one of whom was treated at a local hospital and later released, the officer said.

Jefferson is a white male with blonde hair, who is about 6 feet tall and weighs around 130 pounds, according to authorities. Becket police have asked anyone with information about his whereabouts to call the department at (413) 623-6010.

The program aims to help commonwealth cities and towns lower costs, improve services and increase accountability through the use of CitiStat and other tools to create data-driven performance management systems.

Westfield Mayor Daniel Knapik and Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz are among the municipal officials expected to attend a roundtable discussion Tuesday at Somerville City Hall, pictured here, about a grant-funded program to help Bay State create data-driven performance management systems to help lower their costs, improve services and increase accountability.Wikimedia Commons 

SOMERVILLE — Western Massachusetts mayors are among the leaders slated to participate in a roundtable discussion on the Municipal Performance Management Program Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Ave.

Westfield Mayor Daniel M. Knapik and Northampton Mayor David J. Narkewicz will attend today's session, which is being hosted by Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and state Administration and Finance Secretary Glen Shor. Mayors and municipal officials from Amesbury, Revere and Woburn also are slated to attend.

The Massachusetts Municipal Performance Management Program is a project led by the cities of Amesbury, Lowell, Somerville, Woburn and Worcester and funded through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’s Community Innovation Challenge Grant Program.

The program aims to help Massachusetts cities and towns use CitiStat and other tools to create data-driven performance management systems to help municipalities lower costs, improve services and increase accountability. CitiStat, used locally by the cities of Northampton and Springfield, among others, is a municipal management system that originated in Baltimore and has spread to other communities throughout the country.

Communities in the performance management program are working with the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at UMass Boston.

The Collins Center, meanwhile, will host the StatNet Third Annual Conference: Managing Performance Using Data in Municipal Government on Aug. 20. StatNet is a network of municipal officials using CitiStat or other data-driven performance management approaches. The conference will include interactive training on how municipalities can improve management efforts by using data more strategically.

The executive director of the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners says it may revisit rules regarding headwear after a Muslim woman was mistakenly asked to remove her headscarf during an exam.

BOSTON (AP) — The executive director of the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners says it may revisit rules regarding headwear after a Muslim woman was mistakenly asked to remove her headscarf during an exam.

Board rules require prior approval for headwear to prevent people from concealing materials that could be used to cheat on the lawyers' exam.

Iman Abdulrazzak tells The Republican newspaper she had received that approval prior to taking a portion in Springfield on Aug. 1.

But in the middle of the exam, a proctor asked her to remove her hijab because it had not been approved. The problem was cleared up during a break with a call to the board, which confirmed Abdulrazzak's request for a religious exemption.

The board's director told The Boston Globe the mix-up was "unfortunate"

Police said minor injuries were reported in the 7 a.m. crash

03.09.11 | Photo by Julian Feller-Cohen – A West Springfield Police Department cruiser.Republican file photo 

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Brush Hill Avenue is closed at Piper Road Tuesday morning as emergency personnel deal with a single vehicle accident that caused minor injuries, police said.

The accident, reported about 7 a.m. at Brush Hill Avenue, occurred when the vehicle -- reportedly a pickup truck -- hit a utility pole and brought down wires, Sgt. Michael Reed said.

Western Massachusetts Electric Co. personnel are responding to the scene, Reed said, adding that he had no information on when the roadway might be cleared.

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Shocked to be named Miss Polonia Massachusetts, Sucharski, 19, was one of five contestants in the pageant and will now move forward to the national competition in New York City.

HOLYOKE – After being crowned Miss Polonia Massachusetts 2014 Aneta Sucharski said winning the pageant on Sunday was a feat that can be accomplished by anyone if they try hard enough to overcome their fears and personal obstacles.

“I’m super shy,” she said. “I hope to show that no matter what, if you really try, you can do anything.”

Shocked to be named Miss Polonia Massachusetts, Sucharski, 19, was one of five contestants in the pageant and will now move forward to the national competition in New York City. The winner of that contest will go on to compete in the Miss Polonia World pageant.

“I was so nervous, and I’m shocked,” she said. “I was not expecting this at all.”

Also competing in the contest were Amanda Konieczny, of West Springfield, recognized for having the best personality and named the second runner-up; Ursula Galecki, of Chicopee, voted most glamorous; Shelley Kusnierz, of Westfield, named most photogenic; and Joanna Sadkowski, of Chicopee, winner of the swimwear competition and named the first runner-up.

Prior to being named Miss Polonia Massachusetts, Sucharski was voted by the audience at Pilsudski Park as the people’s choice winner, but was still not prepared to hear her name called as the winner of the pageant.

“I’m really shocked,” she reiterated, and added that she is looking forward to all the opportunities that await her in the coming year.

Born in the United States to Polish immigrants, Sucharski speaks, reads and writes the language fluently and has visited Poland twice, once when she was 5 and again last year. As the winner of the contest, she will receive air fare for another trip to the country and is looking forward to traveling to Warsaw, a city she has not yet visited.

Her fluency in the Polish language, she speculated, might have played a role in the judges choosing her to be Miss Polinia Massachusetts 2014.

“I guess the judges wanted to show that knowledge of the Polish language is important,” Sucharski said. “I want to show that my Polish heritage is important.”

The contest was judged by Marcin Bolec, editor-in-chief of White Eagle Newspaper; Marie T. Jablonski, an attorney and member of the Polish Center of Discovery and Learning; Zenon Lemanski, owner of SIGN Techniques in Chicopee; Joanna Sudyka, Miss Polonia Massachusetts 2012; and Carl Zieminski, member of the Heritage Pops Orchestra.

A pharmacy student at Western New England University, Sucharski plans to also earn a doctorate degree in the field and is interested in sports, fashion and photography.

There will be no layoffs or fees for students with the cuts.

CHICOPEE – Using money left over from prior years, salary savings and borrowed funds from schools, the School Committee was able to make up a projected deficit of about $800,000 in the budget.

When creating the budget this spring, school administrators were advised to base it on state assistance estimates proposed by the governor. But when the state budget was passed in early July, funding to the city was nearly $800,000 less than expected, said Superintendent Richard W. Rege Jr.

“We were able to work out a solution that is good for kids,” he said.

With the change, the state is providing nearly $57 million in assistance to fund a large part of the $76.5 million school budget. The unexpected cut at the start of the fiscal year was difficult to weather but the schools still managed to avoid staff layoffs or student fees, said Stephen N. Nembirkow, finance and human resources director.

To balance the budget, about $365,000 was taken from savings from prior year budgets, about $200,000 in salary savings has been realized by hiring new teachers at a lower salary who are replacing those who retired at a higher pay, and some money has been taken from each school account, he said.

Making the cuts weren’t easy but it still provides all the programs that educators and the School Committee wanted, member Michael J. Pise said.

“It is a tight budget yet it allows us to move forward with rigor in our classrooms,” he said.

Pise reminded members that there are still many needs that are going unfunded including requests to replace high school books, purchase more iPads and add intervention programs for struggling students.

School Committee member Sandra A. Peret said she was happy to see two new programs for the high schools will survive the cut. In September the schools will add a computer design and visual communications program to the career technical division and Chinese 3 to both high schools.

Member Donald J. Lamothe agreed that there are still plenty of things on the wish list that will not be able to be done, but said the school’s so-called rainy day fund prevented officials from making more drastic cuts.

“We tried to create a rainy day fund. We held back spending when we could,” he said. “If they keep cutting us we will not have a rainy day fund soon.”

The study included a lot of recipes iinvolving Spam. The canned meat was a common ingredient in suggested recipes because of its shelf-life , which is critical during lengthy space travel.

HONOLULU (AP) — Six researchers have spent the past four months living in a small dome on a barren Hawaii lava field at 8,000 feet, trying to figure out what foods astronauts might eat on Mars and during deep-space missions.

They emerged on Tuesday with their recipes and without the space suits they were required to wear each time they ventured onto the northern slope of Mauna Loa — an active volcano that last erupted in 1984.

"It's a moment I'm going to remember for the rest of my life," said Oleg Abramov, a research space scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology branch in Flagstaff, Ariz. "Walking out ... experiencing the sunshine and wind on our faces."

The six researchers were selected by the University of Hawaii and Cornell University for the NASA-funded study to prepare meals from a list of dehydrated, preserved foods that are not perishable. They examined pre-prepared meals similar to what astronauts currently eat, and concocted meals themselves in an attempt to combat malnourishment and food boredom.

Members did their cooking in a two-story dome with small sleeping quarters, an exercise room and of course, a kitchen.

Team commander Angelo Vermeulen said Tuesday the problem with ingredients that aren't perishable is they're usually highly processed and lack fiber. He said he was impressed with how freeze dried products taste very similar to fresh produce.

But what is also important for future space missions is comfort food, he said. A favorite among the crew: Nutella, the chocolate-hazelnut spread. "It's something we craved," he said. "We had a limited supply so we had to ration it."

Dr. Yajaira Sierra-Sastre, one of the participants in the HI-SEAS study, shows a plate of SPAM musabi, one of the many recipes developed using the canned processed meat during the 4-month project to recreate living conditions on Mars.Photos by Sian Proctor / Courtesy of 2013 HI-SEAS 

The researchers prepared several dishes using Spam, including a Cajun jambalaya and a fried rice noodle dish.

She said Hawaii's temperate weather and Mauna Loa's geological features were a perfect setting for the study. The area is isolated, yet accessible, and has no visible plant or animal life.

"It looks like Mars," she said.

Team members will spend several days in debriefings after they emerge from the dome. They'll likely be disoriented from the experience, Binsted said, and they have requested a beach outing before returning to their regular lives.

"I'm not used to large crowds anymore," said Vermeulen, a biologist, space researcher, filmmaker, visual artist, community organizer and author. "We need to get used to people again."

One of the first things they did when they came out of the habitat was have a buffet breakfast. "They went straight to the fruits and vegetables," Binsted said. "They seemed delighted to have fresh fruits and vegetables."

It will take several months to process all the data gathered. Binsted hopes to present findings at the International Astronautical Congress later this year in Beijing.

___

Police are impressed with traffic improvements Hard Rock Hotel & Casino New England has proposed with its $800 million casino project.

An artist's rendering of the $800 million casino complex proposed for the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds in West Springfield.Republican file photo 

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The city’s two police unions have joined the local chamber of commerce in endorsing Hard Rock Hotel & Casino New England’s proposal to build an $800 million casino complex here.

Both Local 365S and 365 of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, the collective bargaining units for supervisors and patrolmen, respectively, voted Monday to back the venture.

“The whole Hard Rock thing is good for the town,” Jeffrey Harlow, president of the supervisors' union, said Tuesday. “They are committed to doing the right thing. They are going to invest in the town, improve the infrastructure.”

Hard Rock has proposed a $35 million traffic mitigation plan as part of the project, including refurbishing and adding turning lanes to Memorial Avenue. The project has been proposed for 38 acres on the campus of the Eastern States Exposition, which is located off Memorial Avenue.

“We’ve looked at their plan and feel it meets the public safety needs,” Matthew J. Mattina, president of the patrolmen's union, said. “It’s going to be a win-win for West Springfield.”

The patrolmen's union official said Hard Rock has met all of the public safety concerns regarding the project raised by police.

Hard Rock officials have stated they will build a police substation at the site and will provide $4 million at the start of the project for public safety.

“We appreciate the support of the police unions, as we build momentum and grassroots support throughout West Springfield,” Tim Maland, president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino New England, stated in a press release. “ Over the last several months, we have built a terrific working relationship with the chief and members of the department, as we all work together to create a safe facility that is also a good neighbor and catalyst for new economic opportunities.”

The project will be the subject of a local Sept. 10 referendum vote because to operate, a casino must win support from residents of a community as well as a state license. The state Gaming Commission is expected in April to grant a license to one of the three casino projects proposed for Western Massachusetts. There are also proposals to build casinos both in Springfield and Palmer.

Hard Rock recently opened headquarters for West Side Yes!, a local group working to get residents to vote in favor of the project in the referendum. It has proposed a destination resort casino that would include a 12-story hotel, a parking deck, a Hard Rock Cafe and a galleria of restaurants and shops.

Northeast is seeking two liquor licenses for the first phase of its "Gateway to Western Massachusetts" project.

PALMER — Northeast Realty representatives went before the License Commission on Tuesday night to discuss a request for two additional liquor licenses for the 20-acre property known as the "triangle" at Thorndike and Shearer streets.

Commission member Robert P. Frydryk, also the police chief, said there are four liquor licenses available for that corridor that are available to anyone, but he told Northeast's manager Leon Dragone that historically both the License Commission and the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission frown upon issuing licenses where businesses do not exist.

"We've been through that before. You need a building," License Commissioner Ted C. Simard said.

"We support what you're doing but we're not going to entertain any requests for 'pocket licenses,'" Frydryk said, referring to the name the state commission gave to licenses that have been issued but are not in use. Sometimes, these licenses are sold by their owners for exorbitant sums in other communities.

A liquor license costs $800 in the town of Palmer, Frydryk said. He said a building would have to exist for the License Commission to grant a liquor license, and said his desire would be to have the business that is occupying the building make the request.

Frydryk said he supports development of the land in question, a project Dragone is calling the "Gateway to Western Massachusetts."

"I think you're right on the money when you say Palmer is really the only (turnpike) exchange that doesn't really have any level of commercial development," Frydryk said.

Dragone said he has signed a lease with Pride Convenience Stores as part of phase 1 of the project, and said he expects to submit plans to the Planning Board for that project next month. Other development possibilities include two sit-down restaurants, a medical office building and a small hotel for the 20 acres, he said.

Northeast also owns the 152 acres across the street where Mohegan Sun wants to build a nearly $1 billion resort casino. Northeast has an additional 110 acres next to the proposed casino site where it plans to build the second phase of this development project, featuring indoor and outdoor amenities and retail.

Dragone said he controls the 20 acres along Thorndike Street and is in the process of purchasing individual parcels.

He also recently acquired the former icehouse property on Shearer Street. While that was granted a liquor license years ago, because it was given to a different owner, Dragone was told by Frydryk that it cannot be transferred, but he could ask the Town Council to petition the Legislature for another license for that site.

Leon Dragone, Northeast Realty's manager, speaks at the Palmer License Commission meeting on Tuesday. Behind him is his community liaison, James L. St. Amand. The Republican / Lori Stabile 

Last week, Dragone met with state Department of Transportation representatives about his plans for Thorndike Street. In the event Mohegan does not win the lone Western Massachusetts casino license, Dragone said he hopes to "at least provide some exciting things" in terms of development.

"We'll be here with or without the casino issue," Dragone said.

The four licenses that are available were granted seven years ago due to a request made by Northeast for a venture that failed to happen.

Dragone explained that the liquor licenses were requested for a 10-acre development next to the Bertera car dealership and at the front of the proposed casino site. The project did not occur because Mohegan wanted the entire parcel, including that 10-acre site, for its casino project.

An alleged shoplifter led police on a 45-minute chase before he was grabbed.

HOLYOKE -- A Connecticut man was accused by police of pulling a knife on store detectives at Macy's after he was caught trying to shoplift Tuesday at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside.

Andrew Hall, 25, of Hartford, was charged with armed robbery, assault and battery, larceny over $250, furnishing a false name at booking, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, Lt. Manuel T. Reyes said.

The knife wasn't recovered and no one was injured, though police had to chase Hall for 45 minutes in woods around the mall before catching him. State police assisted, Reyes said. It happened about 6 p.m.

Hall was being held in the Police Station lockup at 138 Appleton St. He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Holyoke District Court, Reyes said.

Gandara Center wants to house a 12-bed detention facility for young males awaiting court dates.

HOLYOKE — More than two hours of public testimony Tuesday night failed to resolve whether a detention facility for low-risk males can lease space at the Holyoke Geriatric Authority.

The City Council Finance Committee voted 4-0 to table consideration of the proposed lease so councilors can get more information.

Among details councilors want is proof whether the state Department of Public Health has approved having such a facility on the campus of the 80-bed nursing home at 45 Lower Westfield Road. The authority also serves 80 senior citizens in its daycare program.

The committee could recommend that the full City Council approve or reject the lease that the authority wants to have with Gandara Center, of West Springfield.

The meeting, with all of the seats in City Council Chambers filled and residents and officials standing in the doorway and corridor, featured praise and criticism of authority officials over the project.

Neighbors asked why they weren't notified a detention facility could be moving in.

Other neighbors praised Gandara and said such a facility to help young males was needed.

The proposed lease calls for Gandara to pay the authority $52,000 a year to run a facility called "Alternative Options." It is to be located in the authority's unused B Building, officials said.

Boys between the ages of 12 and 18 would live and attend school in the facility until court dates for offenses such as trespassing and disturbing the peace, officials said.

Patricia C. Devine, chairwoman of the authority board of directors and a former city councilor, apologized for failing to notify neighbors about the project.

"In no way did we try to deceive anyone, nor did (Gandara). I sincerely apologize," Devine said.

But, Devine said, even though mayoral candidate Daniel C. Boyle has said decisions regarding the Gandara lease were done in secret, that was untrue.

"That could not be further from the truth," Devine said.

That set up the odd pairing in the crowded room of Devine standing beside the microphone as Boyle stepped up to speak.

Boyle said Devine should be fired as board chairwoman.

"I believe Patti Devine has violated the public trust and should be removed from the board for just cause," Boyle said.

Others, including board member Fred Glidden and Finance Committee Chairman Todd A. McGee, praised Devine. But McGee joined the chorus of critics saying authority officials failed by not notifying neighbors.

Mary Hurley, of Lower Westfield Road, said she has lost trust in councilors over the issue.

"This is going directly across the street from where I live and we were never notified," Hurley said.

But Suzanne Sickler, of Farnum Drive, said she welcomed the Gandara facility to the neighborhood.

"I think it's a wonderful outfit. They've done a lot of good things in the community over the years," Sickler said.

Council support or opposition to the proposed Gandara lease was hard to gauge. Ward 5 Councilor Linda L. Vacon said she wanted every authority resident and daycare client and their families informed about the plan for the detention facility.

Councilor Peter R. Tallman said authority officials' mishandling of the proposal left him dismayed. "For me, as one councilor voting for this, I'm really going to have a tough time," Tallman said.

Councilor at Large James M. Leahy said he wouldn't bring an elderly family member to a facility that leased space to a youth detention center on its grounds.

Two men were shot on East Hooker Street after a confrontation with three other men, according to Springfield police.

Updated story available at MassLive.com.

SPRINGFIELD — Two men were shot on East Hooker Street at about 10 p.m. Tuesday after a confrontation with three other men, according to police.

Springfield Police Capt. Cheryl Clapprood said the two men, whose names were not publicly disclosed, were taken to Baystate Medical Center. She said their conditions were unknown, but their injuries were not considered to be life threatening.

One man was shot twice in the left arm, and the other was struck in the lower midsection, she said.

The men were located on Main Street, but the shooting occurred around the corner on East Hooker, she said.

Police were searching the neighborhood for three suspects.

Clapprood said it was not yet clear what the confrontation was about.

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The council is expected to vote on the zone changes at its September meeting.

PALMER — The Town Council held public hearings at its meeting on Monday night on two proposed zone changes related to the nearly $1 billion Mohegan Sun casino project, but no one from the public showed up to talk about them.

Votes will take place at the council's next meeting in September.

The first proposal, to rezone a 12-acre parcel from rural residential to highway business owned by Mohegan Sun landlord Northeast Realty, is needed so that the land could be used for the proposed water park associated with the resort casino planned for Thorndike Street (Route 32), explained lawyer James P. Rooney, who represents Connecticut-based Mohegan Sun.

Rooney said the parcel borders Breckenridge Street. The only access to the project from Breckenridge would be for emergencies, Rooney said.

The second zone change proposal would increase building height regulations for large-scale conference-entertainment facilities within the highway district from 50 feet to 150 feet. At last month's council meeting, councilors asked for more detail regarding how tall a 150-foot hotel would appear.

Initially, councilors suggested floating a balloon to test the height request, but decided against that idea after Rooney told them there would be better ways to measure it, namely through a visual impact analysis, required as part of the Planning Board's site plan review process.

John E. Thomas, vice president of Beals & Thomas, one of Mohegan's consultants, attended the meeting to discuss how the casino would appear from different vantage points.

He said it would be difficult to see the project from Breckenridge Street, as there are wetlands and there wouldn't be clearing on that part of the property.

Drivers on Thorndike Street near the turnpike exit would have obscured views due to the topography of the site and existing trees. Thomas said the resort would be able to be seen from some points on the turnpike, in both directions, and that's what Mohegan wants.

Visibility from major highways and routes is key because drivers would see the resort casino and think about visiting it, Thomas said.

Rooney explained that they are asking for the zone change to ensure everything is in place for the state Gaming Commission, the agency that will determine the company that will receive the sole Western Massachusetts casino license.

"We're going to be faced with unusual things like the potential widening of the highway," Rooney said, "so we widen the highway, we change where the public way is, and we want to make sure that we don't do all this and not be able to build what you require."

"We want to be able to tell in the application that zoning is in place," Rooney said.

Mohegan is competing with MGM Resorts in Springfield and Hard Rock in West Springfield for the Western Massachusetts casino license.

Detectives are reviewing video surveillance footage from Christopher's Package Store, located at the corner of Main and East Hooker streets, to learn more about what prompted the shooting, Springfield Police Capt. Trent Duda said.

 

Updates story published at 10:27 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13.

SPRINGFIELD — Police are reviewing surveillance footage from a North End package store as part of their investigation into a double shooting that wounded two men Tuesday night.

Both victims were expected to survive injuries sustained in the incident, which was reported shortly before 10 p.m. in the vicinity of Main and East Hooker streets, police said. Shell casings were found outside 17 Hooker St., a 4-story brick apartment building, and Christopher's Package Store at the corner of East Hooker and Main streets.

At least one of three suspects opened fire on the men, whose identities were not publicly disclosed. The victims were taken to Baystate Medical Center for treatment, Springfield Police Capt. Trent Duda said. One was struck in the arm, the other in lower midsection.

"Several shell casings were found," Duda said, adding that it was not immediately clear if the casings came from more than one weapon.

Police have not determined what precipitated the shooting, which apparently involved a confrontation between the victims and a trio of men. Detectives were still reviewing video footage from the package store to learn more about the suspects, preliminarily described as three black men.

There have been numerous gunfire reports in the area around the package store in recent years, including a fatal shooting in the store's parking lot in October 2009.

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Investigators have yet to determine what caused the fire that claimed the life of the 66-year-old woman.

 

SPRINGFIELD — Authorities are investigating a fatal house fire that claimed the life of a Tumbleweed Road resident early Wednesday, according to Springfield Fire Department Public Information Officer Dennis G. Leger, executive aide to fire Commissioner Joseph A. Conant.

Dorothy Lee, 65, died from injuries sustained in the 12:26 a.m. fire at 24 Tumbleweed Road, located in a section of Sixteen Acres bounded by Bradley Road and Watershops Pond.

Lee's daughter, who lived at the ranch house with her mother, and a pet dog managed to escape, but Ladder 8 firefighters had to rescue Lee through a front window of the home. "Unfortunately, she perished from her injuries," Leger said of the older woman, who likely succumbed to smoke inhalation.

Investigators from Massachusetts Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan's office were called to assist with the probe, which is standard protocol for fatal fires, Leger said.

The blaze appears to have started in the kitchen of the 1-story home, causing an estimated $80,000 in damage, Leger said. "They're still investigating the exact cause," he said.

Red Cross officials responded to the fire and assisted Lee's daughter, who reportedly was in the basement when the fire broke out, Leger said.

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Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens wrote a letter to all former C's, according to Kenny Anderson.

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) Cooley Dickinson nurse accused of assaulting man at Northampton hospital [By Conor Berry]

2) Head coach Brad Stevens writes letter to all former Boston Celtics, according to Kenny Anderson [By Jay King]

3) Off-duty Springfield police officer Daniel Quigley, out on daily run, spots burglary in progress, tackles suspect Jesse Sands [By George Graham]

4) Turnpike tolls in Western Massachusetts to be reinstated on Oct. 15 [By Dan Ring]

5) Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno urges State Department to stop influx of refugees into city [By Peter Goonan]

Photos: A slideshow of photos from Foxborough as New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was met by wife Gisele Bundchen and son Benjamin after Patriots practice.

Jessica's Boundless Playground will be built to accommodate all ages and people with disabilities.

Team Jessica logo 

BELCHERTOWN — There will be free cupcakes when supporters of Jessica's Boundless Playground unveil their new sign for the proposed playground at an event on Aug. 21.

The sign unveiling ceremony is scheduled to take place 6 p.m. near the lower parking lot of Chestnut Hill Community School, adjacent to where the facility will be built.

Team Jessica, Inc. and the Belchertown Playground Committee, besides revealing the official playground location, will pass out project information fliers.

Jessica’s Boundless Playground will be built to accommodate all ages and people with disabilities. Organizers say it is a "100 percent all-inclusive activity center."

Cupcakes for the Aug. 21 event will be donated by Patty Cakes Gourmet Cupcakes.

The town and the School Department recently announced donation of land at the school for the playground. Jessica’s Boundless Playground is being named in memory of Jessica Martins.

The 19-year-old Martins, wheelchair-bound from Rett Syndrome, a disorder affecting the nervous system, died Oct. 25, 2009.

Team Jessica and friends also plan a Sept. 8 fundraiser called “No Boundaries Ride Poker Run and Classic Car Show.” Details are at http://teamjessicaonline.com/.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen tells The Associated Press the A300 plane crashed on approach to the airport before dawn Wednesday.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A federal aviation official says a large UPS cargo plane has crashed near an airport in Birmingham, Ala.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen tells The Associated Press the A300 plane crashed on approach to the airport before dawn Wednesday.

Bergen says the plane was en route from Louisville, Ky., to Birmingham as UPS Flight 1354.

Toni Bast, a spokeswoman for Birmingham's airport authority, says the plane crashed on the outskirts of Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.

Bast says the area is outside the perimeter fence of the airport. She says the crash hasn't affected airport operations.

Neither Bergen nor Bast had any information on injuries.