A former employee of Brookline public schools has been charged aggravated statutory rape involving a juvenile and district officials are now trying to determine how many students he had contact with.

BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — A former employee of Brookline public schools has been charged aggravated statutory rape involving a juvenile and district officials are now trying to determine how many students he had contact with.

Carlos Morales was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing after pleading not guilty Wednesday in Brookline District Court. The hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday.

Court documents have been sealed and no additional information was released.

School superintendent Bill Lupini says the 29-year-old Morales no longer works for the school district and the alleged crime did not occur on school property. School officials are reaching out to families of students who had worked with Morales.

Morales worked as a paraprofessional with special needs students at two schools.

An early-morning Amtrak train bound for Boston collided with a motor vehicle this morning in Waverly, Va.

BOSTON — An early-morning Amtrak train bound for Boston collided with a motor vehicle this morning in Waverly, Va.

The incident involving the 174 Northeast Regional train occurred approximately an hour after it left Norfolk at 5 a.m. according to local news reports.

The train was carrying 46 passengers though it is unclear at this time how many of them, if any, were bound for Boston, as the Northeast Regional makes several stops in major cities on its way to South Station.

No injuries to any passengers were reported on the train this morning. The driver of the train was reportedly airlifted to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.

Amtrak's train status site has the train arriving in Boston later tonight at 17 minutes ahead of schedule.

#Virginia: Amtrak train hits car on Main Street in #Waverly #Amtrak #train #collision (PICTURE) pic.twitter.com/7ARLt1EUcy

— Geoffrey Hulsens (@GHulsens) December 12, 2013

No further information is available at this time.

Police said the armed robbery occurred outside the East Main Street store shortly before midnight Monday.

 

WESTFIELD -- Police continue to search for two gun-wielding suspects who allegedly robbed employees of the Dollar Tree store on East Main Street at closing time late Monday night.

The armed robbery happened shortly before midnight when one of the employees briefly left the store at 301 East Main St., Capt. Michael McCabe said.

The suspects, described as Hispanic, dressed in black and wearing masks, forced the man to the ground. One allegedly said, “Give me what you got,” McCabe said.

The suspects rifled through the victim’s pockets and took $60, McCabe said.

A female employee, leaving the store, came upon the struggle. One of the suspects allegedly pointed a handgun at her and again said “Give me what you got,” McCabe said.

The female handed over a cell phone and the two suspects were last seen running toward T.J. Maxx.

The victims were not seriously injured.

Roughly 40 employees have been laid off by UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester with more cuts to come, reports the Worcester Business Journal.

Roughly 40 workers have been laid off by UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester with more cuts to come, reports the Worcester Business Journal.

The cuts follow an October announcement that UMass Memorial Health Care is expected to post $57 million in operating loss. Rising costs and reduced volume are contributing to these losses, according to hospital spokesman Robert Brogna.

The latest cuts will not be the last, he told the Journal, saying that the laid-off employees were "non-medical" staff in administrative departments. He declined to provide the Journal with a timeline of future layoffs.

UMass Memorial Health Care employs roughly 12,350 people, according to their website, with three campuses in Worcester as well as locations in Marlborough, Palmer, Spencer, Clinton, Leominster and Fitchburg.

The victim is not believed to have suffered serious injuries.

 

Updates story posted at 5:38 a.m.

CHICOPEE – A Meadlowlark Lane man, apparently locked out of his home early Thursday, was taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation after he lit a small fire in the garage to stay warm, a fire official said.

Capt. Mark Galarneau said the victim, a middle-aged man, misplaced his keys and took shelter in the garage at 50 Meadowlark Lane. “It got a little chilly so he lit some paper products on fire,” Galarneau said.

The ensuing smoke prompted the victim to open the garage door and push the burning paper outside, Galarneau said, adding that residents inside, alerted by the sounding of a smoke detector, called the fire department.

Firefighters, arriving on scene shortly aftet 3:30 a.m., extinguished a small fire outside the garage. The structure, part of the Doverbrook condominium complex, was not damaged, Galarneau said.

Galarneau said he believed the man’s injuries were not serious.

Firefighters with Engine 8, Engine 5 and Ladder 5, ledby Deputy Chief Robert Kosiorek responded to the fire.

As of 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning, the organization received just over $500,000, one-fourth of the way to its $2 million goal.

Members of the Western Massachusetts community have given over just over $500,000 to local non-profits as of 9:30 a.m. Thursday morning through the organization Valley Gives.

At midnight, Valley Gives kicked off its second flash fundraiser, asking members of the Pioneer Valley to donate within a 24-hour time period.

The organization hopes to raise over $2 million throughout the course of the day.

Editorial: Be part of Valley Gives; Meet midnight deadline

Leading up to the donation drive, much of the Valley supported giving on social media.

Tweets about "Valley Gives"

In addition to online support, local nonprofits have scheduled events draw attention to the fundraiser today.

For more information, or to make a donation, go to Valley Gives' website.

It wasn't exactly a roast, but the men who described Richard Kennedy's tenure as the president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce did so with humor, respect and admiration.

WORCESTER - It wasn't exactly a roast, but the men who described Richard Kennedy's tenure as the president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce did so with humor, respect and admiration.

In the end, Kennedy thanked his friends for going easy on him, offering each a brief piece of advice as a jovial parting shot.

Kennedy was honored on Dec. 3 during the chamber's 138rd Annual Meeting as having served the chamber as its helm for nine years.

To recognize his accomplishments, such as stabilizing and increasing membership and engagement, the chamber unveiled a portrait that will hang in the chamber's conference room, which will be renamed in his honor, and the establishment of a new annual award in his name to be given to a business that exemplifies what it means to be successful in the community and industry.

During the luncheon Ralph Crowley, Sr., president of Polar Beverages Corp., Sumner 'Tony' Tilton, a director with the law firm FletcherTilton, and John Budd, attorney with Mirick O'Connell, praised Kennedy for his organizational skills

Tilton said that he once asked Kennedy for his secrets to success. After thinking for a moment, Kennedy said that "superior results are only attained if you take care of the details at the beginning."

Tilton said Kennedy then shared as an example how he would call to make a reservation at a wonderful restaurant, at the best table in the house when he traveled to Paris with his wife of 44 years, Mary Ann.

Tilton said Kennedy's formula was simple: call and tell them what you want on the busiest night and at the best table "because you are married to a wonderful woman who would expect nothing less."

While this comment elicited some "awws" from the nearly 600 people who attended the luncheon, the punch line to the example brought the room to laughter. "And when they asked you who you were, you merely said, 'I'm Mr. Kennedy from Massachusetts,'" Tilton said to applause.

Richard Kennedy, former presidents and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Edd Cote I MassLive.com 

Crowley said for him, personally, it was always a challenge when he left his front light on too late because it meant that Kennedy would be there asking to stop by for a visit, and a request for him to sponsor another event.

"I can't tell you how much money it is going to save me now that Richard is retired," Crowley said to laughter.

Although many of the stories shared were lighthearted, all praised Kennedy for his dogged determination in improving the chamber and making it an essential voice in the city and region's business community.

Kennedy said that his goal was to reenergize the chamber, serve as the business's voice in the community and create a strong membership base. He stressed that he would still be active in the Worcester business community and looks forward to continue working with various agencies and the city's business research bureau.

Kennedy thanked the chamber for the recognition and credited the staff with which he worked for nine years as been essential components in the chamber's success.

Wilbraham Fire Chief Francis Nothe said he believes the agreement with MGM Springfield is the best the town could hope for.

WILBRAHAM — The Board of Selectmen on Thursday night signed an agreement with MGM Springfield that would give the town $100,000 per year for 15 years for impacts from the proposed $800 million Springfield casino.

The agreement also provides that in the first and fifth years of the casino operation, the town would receive a $100,000 consultant fee to examine whether the financial impacts to the community from the Springfield casino are larger than $100,000.

Jonathan Silverstein, an attorney hired by the town to negotiate the agreement with MGM, said the town should be vigilant about documenting any impacts on traffic, school population and public safety so it can seek additional payments from either MGM or the state.

“This is the most protective contract we could negotiate,” Silverstein said.

Selectmen Robert Russell said the proposed Springfield casino is expected to generate $400 million in revenues per year and $100 million in taxes to the state.

From that the state will have an annual mitigation fund of $6.5 million, he said.

There will be money available for the surrounding communities to seek mitigating funds for unanticipated impacts, Russell said.

“What if MGM fails?” Selectman Robert Boilard asked.

MGM representative Dennis Murphy said that MGM is a Fortune 500 company and bases its decisions to build on marketing opportunities. MGM continues to feel confident about the Springfield location, he said.

Fire Chief Francis Nothe, who served on the negotiating committee for the town, said he believes the agreement is the best the town could hope for. Nothe said Wilbraham should experience less traffic impacts than some of the other surrounding communities.

Russell urged MGM to be a good neighbor. He said Wilbraham residents are not only MGM’s neighbors, but also potential customers.

Russell said he is very concerned about the impact of the proposed casino on the small business community, including restaurants, on Boston Road.

Other communities which have approved mitigating impact agreements with MGM Springfield are Ludlow, East Longmeadow and Agawam.

Longmeadow continues to negotiate with MGM.

Anticipating more health care disruptions, the Obama administration Thursday announced a batch of measures intended to help consumers avoid lapses in their care and coverage as the president's overhaul takes effect in January.

WASHINGTON — Anticipating more health care disruptions, the Obama administration Thursday announced a batch of measures intended to help consumers avoid lapses in their care and coverage as the president's overhaul takes effect in January.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also announced a one-month extension of a special insurance program created by the law for people who cannot get coverage because of health problems. Scheduled to expire at the end of the year, the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan will remain in place through January.

Some of the measures are binding, such as requiring insurers to provide coverage on Jan. 1 for any customer who pays by New Year's Eve. Others are recommendations, like urging insurers to let customers temporarily keep filling prescriptions covered by a previous plan.

The steps are the policy counterpart to the technical repairs that finally got the HealthCare.gov website working reasonably well. They're intended to help make sure anyone who needs and wants coverage by Jan. 1 can get it, even if they got trapped by website woes. That includes some of the more than 4 million people whose existing health individual health plans have been cancelled because the plans didn't meet the new law's requirements.

"That is frankly the big question right now," said Larry Levitt, an insurance market expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. "Can the system handle signing up everyone who wants coverage by Jan. 1? I'd say the highest priority is avoiding a gap in coverage for people who are already insured."

Although intended to help, the new measures may just make things more confusing for consumers since some are mandatory and others voluntary. And the 14 states running their own insurance markets — including California and New York — can make their own tweaks.

Among the provisions:

—Strongly encouraging insurers to refill prescriptions covered under previous plans through January. Along with that, the administration also encouraged insurance companies to allow patients dealing with an acute illness to keep their current doctor. Even if the doctor is not part of the network, the administration says the insurers should treat the physician as if he or she were.

— Following through on a previous announcement by formally setting Dec. 23 as the last day to apply so coverage will take effect Jan. 1. The administration also said it would consider moving the deadline even later under "exceptional circumstances."

— Advising consumers who got bogged down with the HealthCare.gov website that they still may be able to enroll after Dec. 23 and get coverage on an expedited basis, if the issue was caused by technical problems.

— Encouraging insurers to allow people who sign up after Dec. 23 to still get coverage at the first of the year, even retroactively. Officials said this would also be in the interest of the insurance company because it would get that month's payment.

— Requiring insurers to provide coverage for enrollees who pay as late as Dec. 31. Addressing questions about the exact timing of the Dec. 31 deadline, administration spokeswoman Joanne Peters said payment is due at the time of day the insurer sets, customarily local time. Insurance companies can set a later payment deadline. The administration also encouraged them to accept partial payment.

Mike Hash, health reform director for the Health and Human Services Department, told reporters that "it's quite common" for insurers now to make accommodations for patients switching coverage.

But insurers weren't happy.

"With only weeks to go before coverage begins, continued changes to the rules and guidance could exacerbate the challenges," Karen Ignagni, president of the industry trade group America's Health Insurance Plans, said in a statement.

The federal pre-existing conditions plan extended Thursday was designed as a temporary lifeline to get uninsured patients with serious conditions through to 2014. Starting next year, insurers no longer may turn away people with health problems. Nearly 86,000 people are still in the plan, including many patients with serious conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

The Holyoke City Council is scheduled to set the new tax rate Tuesday, if councilors balance the budget the night before.

HOLYOKE — The merits of raiding the city's rainy day fund to balance the budget spurred much of the debate Thursday among officials considering millions in proposed transfers, with time tight.

Mayor Alex B. Morse has called a special meeting of the City Council for Monday at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall in the hope the council will act on the transfers and balance the budget.

The budget must be balanced in order for the City Council to set the new tax rate on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The transfers are for the wastewater treatment plant, the fire and police departments and other expenses.

Morse has recommended the council approve a one-time tapping of the $11.5 million stabilization, or rainy day, fund for $790,697 to pay for property tax abatements to Macy's department store and Verizon.

The stabilization fund is by definition used rarely. But this step would be a one-time expense and leave the city's bond rating and financial status in the eyes of Wall Street unchanged, Morse and City Treasurer Jon D. Lumbra said in a meeting of the council's Finance Committee at City Hall.

Using money from the stabilization fund for the $790,697 budget balancing instead of further exploiting free cash would let the city head into the back half of the fiscal year with about $1.5 million in free cash to deal with snowstorms, overtime for employees and other expenses, officials said.

"This request is the best financial move for the city at this time," Morse said.

But council President Kevin A. Jourdain said the issue highlights the need to reduce spending and carve the $790,697 out of the general fund instead of tapping the stabilization fund.

"If we are (using the stabilization fund), then we're not making the difficult decisions that have to be made," Jourdain said. "We need to inject fiscal austerity now and not wait. Now."

The other option is to use free cash for the $790,697. Free cash is money the city has left over from the previous fiscal year. The state Department of Revenue in September certified that Holyoke's free cash for the current fiscal year was nearly $4.5 million.

But some officials are concerned the free cash might be stretched thinner than in other years. One reason is property values have decreased – which the Board of Assessors will cover in the annual tax classification public hearing at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday – and the lower the value a property has, the lower the taxes the city can reap in revenue unless the tax rate is increased.

If all of the proposed transfers are approved, the free cash total would drop to $727,000, City Auditor Brian G. Smith said. A few major snowstorms and the resulting overtime costs for employees would consume that, officials said.

That's why the decision was made to use the stabilization fund to cushion the city for the rest of the fiscal year by leaving free cash at about $1.5 million instead of less than half that, Morse said.

"It was not done arbitrarily," Morse said.

But Jourdain said the bind shows the need to cut general fund spending and resist using the stabilization fund.

"We need to do business in a different way," Jourdain said.

Police and firefighters are on the scene of an accident on Mountain Road, or Route 141, and both directions of travel are blocked off until the scene can be cleared.

 

EASTHAMPTON -- Police and firefighters are on the scene of an accident on Mountain Road, or Route 141, and both directions of travel are blocked off until the scene can be cleared, officials said.

No information was available on the accident or the number of cars involved. The crash did cause the road to be closed off, according to a police dispatcher.

Route 141 is the main route between Easthampton and Holyoke over Mount Tom.

It was not clear when the road would be reopened.

The accident was reported at about 9:45 p.m.

Over 24 hours on Thursday, Western Massachusetts non-profits raised $2,012,089 through the 2nd annual Valley Gives, an online fundraising effort spearheaded and hosted by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

12.12.13 | Northampton --Republican staff photo by Don Treeger-- "Valley Gives" , a 24 hour e-philanthropy event in Western Massachusetts, took place in various places in the Pioneer Valley. This is the entrance to Thornes Marketplace where volunteers gathered to take donations. 

SPRINGFIELD — The Valley Gives ... and then some.

Over 24 hours on Thursday, Western Massachusetts non-profits raised $2,012,089 through the second annual Valley Gives, an online fundraising effort spearheaded and hosted by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. The total, achieved through 20,640 gifts made by 11,436 donors, exceeded the fundraising goal of $2 million and included a prize pool of $225,000 offered by Valley Gives.

Last year, Valley Gives raised $1,174,737, including a prize pool of $200,000, from 6,646 donors who made 10,606 gifts.

Nonprofits in two categories – budgets over $300,000 and budgets under $300,000 – competed for bonus grants given to the top three fundraisers in "Most Money Raised" and "Most Donors" competitions. First place in each category was $10,000, second was $7,500 and third was $5,000. Nonprofits in 12th place in each category won a $1,200 bonus grant (Valley Gives annually takes place on Dec. 12 – 12.12).

Here are the bonus grant winners:

Most Money Raised

Budget over $300,000

1. Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society Inc., $68,965
2. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc., $61,682
3. New England Public Radio Foundation Inc., $56,099
12. Hitchcock Center for the Environment, $20,487

Budget under $300,000

1. New Spirit Inc., $42,255
2. Flying Object, $33,130
3. Kestrel Land Trust, $27,555
12. Pioneer Valley Symphony Inc., $11,288

Most Unique Donors

Budget over $300,000

1. Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society Inc., 712
2. Whole Children, 662
3. New England Public Radio Foundation Inc., 631
12. Northampton Survival Center Inc., 186

Budget under $300,000

1. New Spirit Inc., 468
2. Pioneer Valley Symphony Inc., 355
3. Friends of the the Hilltown Cooperative Charter School Inc., 311
12. Arise Inc., 137

To view the full list of nonprofits and their totals raised, visit www.valleygivesday.org.

For more information, visit Valley Gives' Facebook page or follow Valley Gives on Twitter.

Partners with the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts in the Valley Gives fundraiser are the United Ways of Franklin County, Hampshire County and Pioneer Valley; Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts; Jewish Endowment Foundation; Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts; Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation; and The Beveridge Family Foundation.

In the span of just one college semester, Assumption College, a tiny, Catholic college in a quiet corner of the city, has had to weather the death of two bright young graduates.

WORCESTER -- In the span of just one college semester, Assumption College, a tiny, Catholic college in a quiet corner of the city, has had to weather the death of two bright young graduates.

The young women were separated by one class year; Colleen Ritzer graduated in 2011, Erin Rodriques in 2012.

Ritzer became a high school teacher, passionate about her chosen field and popular with her students. On Twitter, she identified herself as a "Math teacher often too excited about the topics I'm teaching."

Rodriques was a mental health professional and amateur photographer who double majored in German and Anthropology. She was taking graduate classes at Assumption and working at a Worcester nonprofit that provides services for the mentally ill, homeless and disabled, among others.

In many ways, the two women were exactly the sort of graduates a college hopes for, said Fr. Dennis Gallagher, the school's Director of Campus Ministry.

"You're happy that the college is able to continue to educate people of this caliber," Gallagher said. "But it only deepens the sorrow when you do lose someone."

Ritzer, 24, was found with her throat slashed in October in the woods behind Danvers High School. Her student, 14-year-old Philip Chism, has pleaded not guilty to her rape and murder.

Rodriquez, 23, died sometime Monday, when her car left Paxton Road near her home in Spencer and rolled into a small pond, state police said. Her body was found in the car by emergency responders on Tuesday.

Gallagher, at Ritzer's memorial 

"To have two deaths so close to one another," Gallagher said, "I don't recall ever having to deal with something like that."

With an undergraduate enrollment just above 2,000, Assumption is comfortably a small school. Bad news creates ripples across campus.

It's the kind of place where the entire faculty gets an email when a staff member's relative dies, said associate professor of English Mike Land.

Land is an advisor to the school's newspaper, Le Provocateur. Rodriques was its first photo editor.

Rodriques wasn't an attention-seeker, Land said, but was involved in so much across campus -- the newspaper, the Merely Players theater group, Campus Ministry, plus working in the school's Graduate Studies Office -- that she was well known.

"Obviously, people are still in shock," Land said. "You really do become friends with some students, and she was someone who faculty could easily become friends with."

Classes for the semester ended on Wednesday, so there wasn't much time for grieving. Land said remembrances were piling up on Facebook, and the newspaper is planning to run some of Rodriques' work in its next edition at the start of the spring semester.

Rodriques will be remembered further on Friday, during a quiet service closed to the public. The ceremony will help members of the Assumption community -- including her fiance, Joshua Moore, who worked in the Assumption College bookstore -- grieve together, Gallagher said.

Gallagher presided over a similar memorial just two months ago, when Ritzer was remembered in a service at the school's Chapel of the Holy Spirit.

"It's just been a very, very difficult semester for us here," Gallagher said.

A Chicopee man, apparently locked out of his home, was taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation after he lit a small fire in the garage to stay warm, a fire official said.

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) Springfield police raid Pine Point neighborhood home, seize 622 marijuana plants, Oxycontin, more than $17,000 in cash [George Graham] Photo gallery above.

2) State police charge 3 with drug trafficking after I-91 stop uncovers 'molly,' heroin in car [Patrick Johnson]

3) Chicopee man, locked out of home, treated for smoke inhalation after lighting fire in garage to warm up [George Graham]

4) The Stephen Drew Conundrum: Would the Red Sox really forfeit a draft pick? [Jason Mastrodonato]

5) Westfield police search for gun-wielding suspects who allegedly robbed Dollar Tree employees [George Graham]

Worcester, like most of the rest of southern New England, is in for its first big snowstorm of the season this weekend.

Worcester County, like most of the rest of southern New England, is in for its first big snowstorm of the season this weekend.

Starting Saturday afternoon, the area will be hit by a storm that is expected to bring between 6 to 12 inches of snow.

Snowfall will gain intensity Saturday night, before tapering off into sleet and freezing rain in some areas Sunday morning, the National Weather Service said.

The weather service said it was unclear how far north the changeover would occur. Rhode Island, Connecticut, coastal and southern Massachusetts up to the Massachusetts Turnpike were expected to see the change sometime Sunday morning. A change from snow to a wintry mix could affect snowfall totals.

Travel is likely to be treacherousstarting Saturday evening.

Winds between 15 and 25 miles per hour, with gusts up to 35 mph, are expected to blow snow and hamper visibility.

Vermont State Police identified the woman as Jennifer Strohl of Jim Thorpe, Penn.

 

KILLINGTON, Vt. – A 21-year-old Pennsylvania woman lost her life while skiing on Killington Mountain Thursday.

Friends of the victim, Jennifer Strohl of Jim Thorpe, Penn., contacted the ski patrol about 3 p.m. after they could not contact her, state police said.

They had last seen Strohl skiing on the Great Northern Trail at about 10:45 a.m. Killington's website lists the trail under the easiest of its four-tiered difficulty rating.

Ski patrol members began a search and found her about ten feet off the side of the trail at approximately 4:45 p.m. Strohl was not wearing a helmet and sustained head injuries as a result of an apparent collision.

State police continue to probe Strohl’s death; however, it is not considered suspicious.

The private Christian school in Quincy has approved a policy that clarifies an ambiguous stance that for decades kept students from dancing at school-sponsored events.

QUINCY, Mass. (AP) — It's now OK to dance at Eastern Nazarene College.

The private Christian school in Quincy has approved a policy that clarifies an ambiguous stance that for decades kept students from dancing at school-sponsored events.

The college had been adhering to the Church of the Nazarene Manual, which bans "all forms of dancing that detract from spiritual growth and break down proper moral inhibitions and reserve."

The Patriot Ledger (http://bit.ly/1b1X5cj ) reports that dancing is now permitted as long as the Student Development Office approves the event and the music in advance. The new policy says songs can't be "vulgar or overtly suggestive in nature," and dance movements "must be appropriate and not sexually suggestive."

With a policy now in place, the school will host its first student dance this winter.

Two Boston College students studying in Rome had an up-close encounter with Pope Francis and came away with a treasured souvenir.

Katie Rich of Minnetonka, Minn., and Ethan Mack of Portland, Maine, were along the barricade for an audience with Pope Francis on Wednesday when they held out a white zucchetto — or skullcap — they had purchased the day before as his vehicle passed.

Inside was a note that read "Boston College loves our Jesuit Pope!"

The pope had his driver stop and a guard took the skullcap from the juniors at the Jesuit university.

Mack says Pope Francis checked the skullcap for size, nodded and smiled at them, then put it on. He handed the zucchetto he had been wearing to the guard, who gave it to Rich and Mack.

Massachusetts Gaming Commission chairman Stephen Crosby will be on the sidelines when the panel takes up questions surrounding a land deal for a proposed casino in Everett.

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Gaming Commission chairman Stephen Crosby will be on the sidelines when the panel takes up questions surrounding a land deal for a proposed casino in Everett.

Crosby recused himself from the review after revealing that a friend and one-time business is a part-owner of the site along the Mystic River in Everett where Wynn Resorts hopes to develop the casino.

Friday's meeting was called after investigators discovered the possibility of hidden investors in the property. The four other commissioners will conduct the meeting and possibly vote on whether Wynn can amend the land deal.

Caesars Entertainment has sued Crosby, claiming he failed to disclose the potential conflict of interest with the Everett land. Caesars had previously partnered with Suffolk Downs on a separate casino proposal but withdraw after issues surfaced during a background check.

The winner receives a $100 check and a pizza party for their class.

BOSTON – State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, announced the winner of his 17th annual Christmas Card Contest.

This year’s winner is Brynne Goodfield, of Hardwick, a sixth-grade student at Hardwick Elementary School. Brynne’s entry features Christmas bells ringing. Brynne was selected out of more than 800 entries from 11 district schools.

This is the winning Christmas card entry.Submitted Photo 

Brewer also announced two honorable mentions for the contest: seventh-grader Zoe Westberg, of Tantasqua Junior High School in Sturbridge, and sixth-grader Hunter Marion, of Narragansett Regional Middle School in Templeton.

“Each and every year, this contest gets my staff, family and me into the holiday spirit. I am constantly amazed by the creativity and talent displayed by our students. All the credit in the world goes to the students and their teachers for putting their time and energy into such delightful submissions,” said Brewer.

The Christmas card contest is held annually for Grades 6 through 8 in Brewer’s 28-town Senate district. The winner of the contest receives a $100 check and a pizza party for their class, while the honorable mentions each receive a $25 check.

Notices announcing the contest are sent out in September to the superintendents and principals of the schools in the district, which encompasses parts of Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, and Middlesex Counties.

“I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to each and every student who submitted a card for the 2013 contest. You truly captured the meaning of Christmas,” said Brewer. “On behalf of my family and staff, please accept my most sincere wishes for a happy, safe holiday season!”