Quantcast
Channel: News
Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live

Bondsville dog deemed dangerous after bite, owner ordered to keep it restrained at all times

0
0

The dog owner also must build a securely enclosed and locked pen or dog run area.

PALMER - The owner of a dog which bit a woman was ordered to keep the dog humanely restrained at all times, and to confine it to her property, after it was found to be dangerous.

The dangerous dog hearing was supposed to be held on Jan. 3, but was rescheduled to Jan. 17 due to a storm.

The dog's owner, Danielle Brodeur, of Bondsville, was notified in writing on Jan. 22 by Police Chief and Public Safety Director Robert P. Frydryk that her dog was found dangerous. She also was informed of the conditions she must follow as its owner.

The letter states that resident Elaine J. Boone was walking with her two dogs on the sidewalk on High Street in Bondsville in November when she was attacked and bitten on the hand by the dog, a Labrador mix named "Jacks." She needed medical treatment, the letter stated.

"This attack occurred without provocation when your dog broke free from its restraints in your yard and charged at Mrs. Boone," Frydryk wrote.

The letter stated that if the dog is removed from the property, it must be "humanely muzzled and restrained with a chain or other tethering device” and also outlined what will happen if Brodeur is found in violation of the order - the dog would be seized by a police or animal control officer, and she could face criminal charges.

Brodeur also must build a securely enclosed and locked pen or dog run area. Until that time, the dog must be confined indoors, or must be restrained, she was told.


Attorney General Martha Coakley to spend Sunday on gubernatorial campaign trail in Western Massachusetts

0
0

Attorney General Martha Coakley is spending the weekend on the campaign trail as she pursues the corner office on Beacon Hill.

Attorney General Martha Coakley is spending the weekend on the campaign trail as she pursues the corner office on Beacon Hill.

Coakley, who appeared along with the other Democrats running for governor at a forum in Hampshire County Wednesday, will spend Sunday campaigning in at least four towns and cities in Western Massachusetts.

From 10:30-11:30 a.m., she is scheduled to attend a house party on Ridgewood Avenue in Holyoke. At noon, she is spending an hour holding a meet-and-greet at Springfield's Classical High Condominiums on State Street.

Coakley will then attend a Northampton house party at 2 p.m. before heading to the Amherst Brewing Company around 3 p.m. for another meet-and-greet.

On Saturday, Coakley is making her rounds on the Massachusetts coast. At 11 a.m. Saturday, she is scheduled to appear at the Ipswich Democratic Town Committee's annual breakfast before heading to the Gloucester House restaurant for a meet-and-greet.

Then at 3:30 p.m. she is at a house party in her honor in Beverly before concluding the day at another house party in Swampscott.

This week, state Senate President Therese Murray offered Coakley her support, citing their common views on topics ranging from raising the state's minimum wage to protecting pro-choice laws and combating illegal foreclosures, in endorsing the attorney general.

Other Democratic candidates running include Juliette Kayyem, a former national security advisor; Don Berwick, the former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid; state Treasurer Steven Grossman and Joe Avellone III, a surgeon and former Wellesley selectman.

A WBUR poll released just over a week ago concluded that while there is a crowded field of candidates, Coakley has the strongest name recognition among them.

The primary election in the gubernatorial race will take place on Sept. 16, with the general election slated for Nov. 4.


Gallery preview 

Winter Olympics 2014: IOC to review Sochi's final preparations, security

0
0

The buildup to Sochi has been overshadowed by Western criticism of Russia's law banning gay "propaganda" and the threat of terrorist attacks by Islamic insurgents from the North Caucasus region.

SOCHI, Russia (AP) -- Five days before the opening ceremony, new IOC President Thomas Bach will convene his inner cabinet to review final preparations and security plans for the Sochi Games and push his agenda for future policy changes in the Olympic movement.

Bach will chair a scheduled two-day meeting of his 14-member executive board in Sochi starting Sunday, the first stage of a weeklong gathering of the International Olympic Committee on the eve of Russia's first Winter Games.

Bach, a 60-year-old German, will be overseeing his first Olympics as IOC president. The former Olympic fencer was elected in September to succeed Belgium's Jacques Rogge, who served for 12 years.

The buildup to Sochi has been overshadowed by Western criticism of Russia's law banning gay "propaganda" and the threat of terrorist attacks by Islamic insurgents from the North Caucasus region. The pair of suicide bombings in late December that killed 34 people in Volgograd, 400 miles (600 kilometers) from Sochi, has ramped up the security worries ahead of the Olympics.

The Sochi organizing committee will be reporting to the IOC board on Sunday, and Russia's security operation will be high on the agenda. Russia is deploying more than 50,000 police and soldiers to protect the games, the biggest security apparatus in Olympic history.

IOC leaders, who have repeatedly expressed confidence in Russia's ability to secure the games, will be looking for last-minute reassurances.

"I understand the sports facilities are ready and magnificent and I hope that that the necessary security operation can be managed in such a way that safe games are delivered with a happy Olympic ambience," IOC vice president Craig Reedie of Britain told The Associated Press.

Sochi organizing committee leader Dmitry Chernyshenko said this week that the host city was the "most secure venue at the moment on the planet." He said security measures would not be obtrusive or detract from the Olympic atmosphere for athletes and spectators.

"You can be sure the Russians will be doing everything to welcome everybody and make everybody feel comfortable," Bach told reporters this week.

President Barack Obama, meanwhile, said he believes the Olympics will be safe. He told CNN that the U.S. is coordinating with Russia and officials have looked at the Russian security plans.

Bach is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week before the opening of the games on Friday. The two men met last year in Sochi when Bach visited the host city.

Organizers say the venues -- the indoor arenas in the Olympic Park on the Black Sea coast and the snow facilities in the nearby mountains -- are all ready to go. They were built from scratch in a massive building project whose cost has soared to an Olympic record $51 billion, a figure that includes long-term investments in road, railways, hotels and other infrastructure.

"There are last touches to be made in the last couple of days, but this is not new," Bach said. "I think overall we can say Sochi is ready to welcome the best winter athletes of the world."

The impact of Russia's anti-gay law is also likely to be discussed in the meeting between the IOC and Sochi organizers. Russia has repeatedly said the law will not discriminate against gay athletes or spectators at the games.

The IOC has reminded athletes to comply with Rule 50 in the Olympic Charter, which states: "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."

Bach said, while athletes cannot demonstrate on the podium, they are free to express their opinions at news conferences. Chernyshenko initially took issue with Bach, saying athletes could not speak out at press conferences, but later backed off.

Also reporting to the IOC executive board will be Brazilian organizers of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. IOC leaders are concerned about the construction delays and other organizational issues dogging Rio's preparations, underlined by Bach's visit to Brazil last week to remind organizers they have "no day to lose."

Sochi and Rio organizers will also deliver updates to the full IOC general assembly when it holds its three-day session in Sochi starting Wednesday.

Most of the session, however, will be set aside for debate on Bach's vision for the future of the IOC and the Olympics. Bach has launched his "Olympic Agenda 2020" to push through possible changes in the bidding process, the sports program, the 70-year age limit for IOC members and other areas. The IOC is also considering creating an Olympic TV channel.

The board members held a four-day "brainstorming session" convened by Bach in Montreux, Switzerland, in December. They will now put the issues up for wider discussion by the 100-plus IOC members, with recommendations to be submitted for approval at an extraordinary session on Dec. 6-7 in Monaco.

Dozens gather in downtown Springfield to raise Black American Heritage Flag above city hall, observing start of Black History Month

0
0

Dozens gathered inside Springfield City Hall on Saturday to reflect on the many victories which emerged from the Civil Rights era, while not neglecting the fact that to many in the black community, the struggle continues. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD — Dozens gathered inside Springfield City Hall on Saturday to reflect on the many victories which emerged from the Civil Rights era, while not neglecting the fact that to many in the black community, the struggle continues.

The crowd of nearly 50 was as diverse as the collective of people represented by the term "black community." There were people of various ages, professions, and a variety of countries of origin. But everyone came together to raise the Black American Heritage Flag and to kick off Black History Month.

At the center of the celebration was Dr. Ruth B. Loving, a 99-year-old city resident who is as well known for being the mother of the Civil Rights fights in Springfield as she's known for being a fiery, yet sweet and brilliant fixture in Western Massachusetts.

"It's been a long, long road and here we are. For 28 years we've been renewing what a great man Martin Luther King was," Loving said. "For 28 years we've flown this flag. But for the African-American community, the black American community, it's still a struggle. Despite having a black president, which I never thought I'd live to see, we're still fighting for the equality, the dignity."


Black History Month's origins can be traced back to 1926 when the second week of February, chosen to honor President Abraham Lincoln, was first designated "Negro History Week." Carter Godwin Woodson, a Virginia native who came to be known as the father of black history, first introduced the concept to a mixed response around the Untied States.

But despite the reluctance to observe the week universally, black communities across the country fought against the odds to get the week recognition in the places they lived. Negro History Week becoming Black History Month was a slow transition, first suggested by black students attending college at Ohio's Kent State University in 1969. But it wasn't until 1976, the United States Bicentennial, when the federal government via then-President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month.

At the ceremony on Saturday, the Black American Heritage Flag, as designed in 1967 by Melvin Charles and Gleason T. Jackson in Linden, N.J., was raised high above city hall, thanks to the hands of Loving, who will celebrate her 100th birthday this May. City Councilman Bud Williams served as the master of ceremonies, calling on various people in attendance to come up and speak throughout the event.

State Rep. Benjamin Swan, D-Springfield, was among an older generation of leaders in the black community urging the younger generation to actively seek the knowledge of their shared history in America.

"Marcus Garvey said that people without knowledge of their history and culture are like trees without roots," Swan said. "And anyone who has tried their hand at gardening knows that a plant can't live without its roots."

Helen Caulton-Harris, Springfield's director of health and human services, also addressed the crowd, specifically telling the black students of Westover Job Corps in attendance that they need to learn their history, for one day, the baton will be passed to them.

In Springfield, city schools all recognize Black History Month with events and lessons centered around furthering the understanding of just how far the country has come considering its beginnings when slavery and institutional degradation of black people was commonplace.

Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick reflected on a story about how the 1934 American Legion Post 21’s junior baseball team from Springfield traveled to North Carolina for a championship game only to find that their sole black player, Ernest “Bunny” Taliaferro, would not be allowed to play.

"Instead of playing for a national championship, they left and came back to Springfield," Warwick said. "And they say it wasn't that they did the right thing, but rather that it was the only thing to do."

The team's legendary story is also the subject of a new children's book, "A Home Run for Bunny," written by Springfield College professor Richard Andersen. Springfield Public Schools announced last week that the book will soon be available in every elementary school library in the city, so the next generation will better understand the struggle of those who came before them.


John Kerry: Ukraine should be free to align with Europe

0
0

"Nowhere is the fight for a democratic, European future more important today than in Ukraine," Kerry said at a security conference in Munich.

MUNICH (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday that Ukraine, confronting a political crisis and massive anti-government protests, should be free to align with Europe if it wants and not feel coerced by more powerful neighbors such as Russia.

"Nowhere is the fight for a democratic, European future more important today than in Ukraine," Kerry said at a security conference in Munich. "While there are unsavory elements in the streets in any chaotic situation, the vast majority of Ukrainians want to live freely in a safe, prosperous country."

In a meeting later with opposition leaders, Kerry affirmed U.S. support for "the democratic, European aspirations" of Ukrainians and the leaders' efforts "to speak out to defend democracy and choice," according to the State Department. He urged the opposition to keep up talks with the government.

The department said Kerry also told Ukraine's foreign minister, Leonid Kozhara, to release political prisoners, address the deteriorating human rights situation, safeguard democratic principles and form a "technical government" that can address the country's economic problems and European aspirations of its citizens.

The crisis in Ukraine began after President Victor Yanukovych backed out of an agreement to deepen ties with the European Union in favor of getting closer to Russia. Protests quickly came to encompass a wide array of discontent over corruption, heavy-handed police and other grievances.

In his speech, Kerry said protesters are "fighting for the right to associate with partners who will help them realize their aspirations — and they have decided that means their futures do not have to lie with one country alone — and certainly not coerced."

He said the U.S. and EU "stand with the people of Ukraine in that fight."

In the audience were U.S., European and other diplomats, lawmakers, military officers, think tank and academic specialists and former government officials such as Henry Kissinger.

Kerry did not directly criticize Russia, which has accused the West of fanning the flames of unrest in Ukraine. But he said "Russia and other countries" should not view the European integration of their neighbors as a process that hurts them.

"In fact, the lesson of the last half-century is that we can accomplish much more when the United States, Russia, and Europe work together. But make no mistake: We will continue to speak out when our interests or values are undercut by any country in the region," Kerry said.

Kerry cast his remarks about Ukraine in the broader context of a "disturbing trend" toward despotism among governments in central and eastern Europe.

"The aspirations of citizens are once again being trampled beneath corrupt, oligarchic interests — interests that use money to stifle political opposition and dissent, to buy politicians and media outlets, and to weaken judicial independence and the rights of non-governmental organizations," he said.

Addressing the conference before Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov slammed Western support for Ukraine's opposition, suggesting it was leading to the escalation of violence.

"Why don't we hear condemnations of those who seize and hold government buildings, burn, torch the police, use racist and anti-Semitic and Nazi slogans?" Lavrov asked.

Kerry made his remarks alongside U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who did not directly mention Ukraine.

Hagel did echo Kerry's call for a "trans-Atlantic renaissance," or redoubling of efforts to improve all manner of cooperation between the United States and its European allies in NATO.

A subtle but significant element of Hagel's speech was his assertion that he and Kerry are intent on giving relatively more weight to diplomacy in U.S. foreign affairs and less to the military.

This is a reference to what some have called Washington's militarization of foreign policy in the years following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the two American wars that followed.

Hagel said this means advancing a "renewed and enhanced era of partnership" with allies, including those in Europe who were troubled by what they saw as unwise and even arrogant U.S. use of force in Iraq. It also means working mostly behind the scenes in troubled areas of the globe, including in Africa, to help unstable countries defend their lands without direct U.S. military intervention.

"The United States will engage European allies to collaborate more closely, especially in helping build the capabilities of other global partners," Hagel said.

Europeans also have come to question the depth of America's defense commitment in light of the Obama administration's promised but limited shift toward the Pacific.

Hagel offered assurances that the administration is determined to strengthen its ties to Europe and not retreat from the continent.

To underscore that commitment, Hagel spent parts of two days in Poland prior to arriving in Munich on Friday.


Indonesia volcano erupts again, killing at least 14

0
0

An Indonesian volcano that has been rumbling for months unleased a major eruption Saturday, killing 14 people just a day after authorities allowed thousands of villagers who had been evacuated to return to its slopes, saying that activity was decreasing, officials said.

MOUNT SINABUNG, Indonesia (AP) -- An Indonesian volcano that has been rumbling for months unleased a major eruption Saturday, killing 14 people just a day after authorities allowed thousands of villagers who had been evacuated to return to its slopes, saying that activity was decreasing, officials said.

Among the dead on Mount Sinabung were a local television journalist and four high-school students and their teacher who were visiting the mountain to see the eruptions up close, said National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. At least three other people were injured, and authorities feared the death toll would rise.

Sinabung in western Sumatra has been erupting for four months, sending lava and searing gas and rocks rolling down its southern slopes. Authorities had evacuated more than 30,000 people, housing them in cramped tents, schools and public buildings. Many have been desperate to return to check on homes and farms, presenting a dilemma for the government.

On Friday, authorities allowed nearly 14,000 people living outside a five-kilometer (three-mile) danger zone to return home after volcanic activity decreased. Others living close to the peak have been returning to their homes over the past four months despite the dangers.

On Saturday, a series of huge blasts and eruptions thundered from the 2,600-meter (8,530-foot) -high volcano, sending lava and pyroclastic flows up to 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) away, Nugroho said. Television footage showed villages, farms and trees around the volcano covered in thick gray ash.

Following the eruption, all those who had been allowed to return home Friday were ordered back into evacuation centers.

"The death toll is likely to rise as many people are reported still missing and the darkness hampered our rescue efforts," said Lt. Col. Asep Sukarna, who led the operation to retrieve the charred corpses some three kilometers (two miles) from the volcano's peak.

Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. Mount Sinabung is among about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia and has sporadically erupted since September.

In 2010, 324 people killed over two months when Indonesia's most volatile volcano, Mount Merapi, roared into life. As now in Sinabung, authorities struggled to keep people away from the mountain. Scientists monitor Merapi, Sinabung and other Indonesian volcanos nonstop, but predicting their activity with any accuracy is all but impossible.

The latest eruptions came just a week after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited displaced villagers in Sinabung and pledged to relocate them away from the mountain. Villagers are attracted to the slopes of volcanoes because the eruptions make for fertile soil.

Sinabung's last major eruption was in August 2010, when it killed two people. Prior to that it had been quite for four centuries.

Adam Quenneville buys Discount Auto Glass

0
0

Discount Auto Glass services cars, trucks, RVs, limos, boats, heavy machinery and more. Whether they install glass onsite or in-shop, they offer same day service with 24-hour emergency service available. To make things easier for customers, Discount Auto Glass has established relationships with many area insurance companies and can handle the whole process for you.

discount.jpg 
SOUTH HADLEY - Many people know the name Adam Quenneville from his successful home improvement company, Adam Quenneville Roofing, Siding & Windows, or from being a part of the community for years. Adam is pleased to announce he has recently purchased another area business, Discount Auto Glass.


Discount Auto Glass services cars, trucks, RVs, limos, boats, heavy machinery and more. Whether they install glass onsite or in-shop, they offer same day service with 24-hour emergency service available. To make things easier for customers, Discount Auto Glass has established relationships with many area insurance companies and can handle the whole process for you.

For more information on Discount Auto Glass, log on to www.DiscountAutoGlass.biz or contact the Office Manager, Jessica Miner at 413-533-5368.

19-year-old killed in skiing accident at Sugarbush Ski Resort in Vermont

0
0

A 19-year-old female was killed Saturday while skiing at the Sugarbush Ski Resort at Mount Ellen in Warren, Vermont.

WARREN, Vt. — A 19-year-old female was killed Saturday while skiing at the Sugarbush Ski Resort on Mt. Ellen in Warren, Vt.

According to Vermont State Police, the woman was skiing with friends and family on the Lower Rim Run trail around 10:50 a.m. Saturday when she apparently lost control near the intersection with another trail. Troopers say she went off the right side of the trail striking a sign, sustaining injuries which would ultimately claim her life.

The Sugarbush Ski Patrol and EMTs responded to the area treating the victim until she was taken to Central Vermont Hospital in Berlin. Police say the woman was dead on arrival to the hospital, and an autopsy with the Chief Medical Examiner’s office in Burlington in pending.

Troopers say her identity won't be made public until Sunday, after all family members are notified.

On Jan. 17, 22-year-old Skyler Ormond of Canandaigua, N.Y. was killed in a snowboarding accident at Killington Ski resort in Killington, Vt. When in the area of Mouse Trap Trail, police say one of Ormond's friends fell in front of him.

Ormond swerved to miss him, lost control and tumbled through a wooded area, striking a tree, sustaining fatal injuries.



Obituaries today: Thomas Quinn was auto wholesaler, led group that aided Shriner's Hospital

0
0

Obituaries from The Republican.

 
020114-thomas-quinn.jpgThomas Quinn 

Thomas W. Quinn, "Quinny", 56, passed away on Friday. Born in Springfield, he grew up in Agawam, where he excelled in sports. In high school, he lettered in football, basketball and baseball, graduating in 1975. He played baseball and basketball at Suffield Academy and later earned a full baseball scholarship to the University of Maine. He then went to work for the U.S. Postal Service for six years before leaving in 1984 to enter into auto sales. He did auto wholesaling for the rest of his working career. He spearheaded an organization called Forever in Our Hearts, which was able to donate over $27,000 for the Shriner's Hospital for Children.

To view all obituaries from The Republican:
» Click here

Sen. Elizabeth Warren blasts profits on student loans

0
0

Warren says she's shocked the federal government earned about $66 billion in profits from student loans originated between 2007 and 2012.

BOSTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she's shocked the federal government earned about $66 billion in profits from student loans originated between 2007 and 2012.

The Massachusetts Democrat was reacting to a government report Friday. A previous congressional report estimated the government will pocket an additional $185 billion in profits on new student loans made over the next 10 years.

Warren said Saturday the latest report shows the government is squeezing profits out of young people and adding to the mountain of debt they will spend the rest of their lives struggling to repay.

Warren and eight other U.S. senators committed to wring government profits out of student loans and address a $1.2 trillion in outstanding student loan debt they say is crushing families and putting a strain on the economy.


Massachusetts beaches imperiled by budget cuts, report says

0
0

A new report is warning that improvements in the quality of beaches in the metropolitan Boston area in recent years are being threatened by budget and staffing cuts to the state agency overseeing them.

BOSTON (AP) — A new report is warning that improvements in the quality of beaches in the metropolitan Boston area in recent years are being threatened by budget and staffing cuts to the state agency overseeing them.

A draft report by the Metropolitan Beaches Commission obtained by The Associated Press is calling for the hiring of more full-time and seasonal employees, from beach managers to workers who help clean the sand.

The report also makes a series of recommendations about ways to improve the seaside experience, including instituting trolley shuttle services to some beaches, allowing kayak rentals and enhancing bicycle and pedestrian connections between beaches.

State Sen. Thomas McGee, co-chairman of the commission, said many of the beaches were in rough shape before the commission issued its first recommendations in 2007. He said the state was able to make real progress, and the investments made a difference.

McGee said it's important not to let those improvements slip away.

"We need to go from beaches that are good to beaches that are great," he said. "We heard that loud and clear. If they can go to the beaches and really enjoy them, people understand that we are doing the right thing."

Bruce Berman of the group Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, which worked with the commission, said staffing levels at the Department of Conservation and Recreation have slipped in recent years as the state faced tighter budgets.

"The bad news is that the gains we made are at risk because of the erosion of DCR's budget during the recession," Berman said.

The report warns that "chronic underfunding of DCR as a whole challenges its ability to meet its commitments to public and its mission as an agency" and that an extra $7 million to $10 million made be needed in annual operating funds to meet those commitments.

The report also looked at other ways to improve the beach-going experience.

One long-standing bone of contention has been the question of dogs and dog owners who want to take advantage of the beaches. Berman said the public is split between those who think there should be opportunities for dogs on the beaches all the time and those who think dogs and the problem of dog waste should be banned.

He said one possible solution is the adoption of beach dog parks — areas where dogs would be allowed and where there would be pressure on dog owners to clean up after their pets.

The report also suggested offering more commercial concessions like refreshment stands and kayak rentals on the beaches.

Another source of frustration for some beachgoers are the piping plovers that nest on two of the beaches in Revere and Winthrop, forcing officials to cordon off the nesting areas. Berman said instead of using police caution tape, the areas could be identified in a more appealing way to designate the nests.

"That way it won't look like a crime scene," he said.

The report also makes specific recommendations for improvements to each of the dozen or so beaches looked at by the commission.

The Massachusetts Legislature formed Metropolitan Beaches Commission in 2006 to take an in-depth look at beaches that the Department of Conservation and Recreation manages in Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.

Berman said the commission will accept public comments through March 1 before releasing a final version of the report.

Steve Grossman says governor's campaign has $1M on hand

0
0

The Democrat says the money expands a significant financing lead among his opponents to succeed outgoing Gov. Deval Patrick.

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts state Treasurer Steve Grossman says his second campaign for governor has more than $1 million in the bank at the beginning of February.

The Democrat says the money expands a significant financing lead among his opponents to succeed outgoing Gov. Deval Patrick.

Grossman said Saturday that his campaign cash on hand includes January contributions.

Grossman and Attorney General Martha Coakley are considered among the top tier Democratic candidates for governor.

Like Coakley, Grossman hasn't won every race, including an unsuccessful campaign for governor in 2002.

Five Democrats running for governor. They include Newton pediatrician Don Berwick, former federal Homeland Security official Juliette Kayyem and former Wellesley Selectman Joseph Avellone.

Former gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker and Shrewsbury business owner Mark Fisher are seeking the Republican nomination.

Two independents candidates, Jeffrey McCormick and Evan Falchuk, are also in the mix.


Police investigating after body discovered on campus of Smith College in Northampton

0
0

Police are investigating after a dead body was found on the campus of Smith College in Northampton Saturday afternoon.

NORTHAMPTON — Police are investigating after a dead body was found on the campus of Smith College in Northampton Saturday afternoon.

According to Mary Carey, communications director for Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan, the body of a white man estimated to be in his 30s was discovered on college property Saturday morning by a passerby. She said that the man doesn't appear to have a connection to the college other than being found deceased on its campus.

Northampton police and the Massachusetts Stats Police are investigating and awaiting results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death, but Carey says that at this point, foul play isn't suspected.

Smith College is a private, liberal arts school exclusively for women with an approximate enrollment of 2,700 students.


This is a developing story and additional information will be published as it becomes available.

Springfield City Council considers final passage of pawn shop regulations

0
0

The City Council on Monday will consider final passage of an ordinance that would require pawn shops and junk dealers to keep a computerized record of used jewelry and other merchandise, and keep them on hold for 30 days to aid police investigations of housebreaks and stolen property.

SPRINGFIELD — The City Council on Monday will consider final passage of an ordinance that would require pawn shops and junk dealers to keep a computerized record of used jewelry and other merchandise, and keep them on hold for 30 days to aid police investigations of housebreaks and stolen property.

The ordinance has been debated for nearly a year, triggering a mix of support and opposition, and returns for a final vote after multiple amendments in recent months.

The council meeting is at 7 p.m., at City Hall.

“I am certainly hopeful it will get the final two steps (for passage) on Monday,” At-large Councilor Thomas Ashe, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said Friday.

“No one is saying this is going to be a cure-all for crime in the city,” Ashe said. “But what we are suggesting is this is a valuable tool for police to properly conduct their investigations. And it gives residents of the city a fair opportunity to recover their rightful property.”

Currently, pawn shops and jewelry stores must hold secondhand jewelry and gold for 10 days. In addition, the owners keep a book that logs the goods purchased by the shops. Police, however, have stated that the logs are typically scant in detail and sometimes illegible.

Some shop owners, however, say the new ordinance would be a burden on those businesses, with added administrative work, and that the proposed computerized records being shared with the police and other law enforcement agencies would be an invasion of privacy.

The new regulations, if passed, would require a full description of the secondhand items being offered for sale, including all marks, model names, serial numbers and a photograph. The seller of such items would also be identified in the computerized log.

In addition, the owner must photograph any jewelry items that are pawned, sold or pledged, under the new regulations.

Dealers of secondhand books, clothing and furniture are exempt from the new requirements, under the ordinance.

Police and some residents have said that the 10-day hold is inadequate on used jewelry, because an item could be sold before police have time to investigate a crime. The electronic records will also serve to help investigations because a unique item might be seen online quickly, police said.

The ordinance has failed in the past, but Ashe pledged to bring it back again in 2014. On Jan. 13, the 13-member council gave first-step approval to the ordinance, with just a few councilors heard to say “no,” not needing a roll call vote.

“It certainly looks like they are going to pass it,” said Euclide Desrochers, owner of Coin Exchange on Allen Street, among shop owners opposed to the ordinance.

Desrochers said it will mean more administrative work to keep a detailed record of all items, and he believes it is an invasion of privacy. With the added work, shops will not be able to pay as much for secondhand jewelry and goods, he said.

Former Council President James J. Ferrera was among the past opponents, but was not re-elected in November. His replacement, Justin Hurst, is among supporters.

Mayor Domenic Sarno said he anticipates adding his approval if the current proposal is passed.


Groundhog Day prediction 2014: Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow?

0
0

Did the groundhog see his shadow? Get the answer to Groundhog Day's most pressing question.

It's Groundhog Day 2014, and don't think for a second that Punxsutawney Phil is taking the day off just because it's Super Bowl Sunday. No way, this is Phil's time to shine. It's prediction time.

You know the rules: if the groundhog sees his shadow, we're all in for another 6 weeks of winter. No shadow, an early spring is "just around the corner."

So, what's the prediction for 2014? After emerging this morning from his fabled home on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the country's most famous rodent DID see his shadow. Six more weeks of winter.

March 20 is the first day of Spring, according to the calendar -- six and a half weeks away.

Here are the results of Phil's 5 most recent predictions:

• 2013: No shadow
• 2012: Shadow
• 2011: No shadow
• 2010: Shadow
• 2009: Shadow

According to the records of Phil's so-called Inner Circle, historically Phil has seen his shadow about 80 percent of the time.

An estimated 25,000 people attended this year's event, which dates back to 1897.


Do you believe the groundhog's prediction? Are you partial to the prognosticating powers one of Phil's rodent rivals, such as Dunkirk Dave or Staten Island Chuck? Leave a comment on these or other pressing matters in the comments below.


Despite safety emphasis after Newtown, school shootings continue

0
0

There's been no real reduction in the number of U.S. school shootings despite increased security put in place after the rampage at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- There's been no real reduction in the number of U.S. school shootings despite increased security put in place after the rampage at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012.

In Pennsylvania and New Mexico, Colorado and Tennessee, and elsewhere, gunfire has echoed through school hallways, and killed students or their teachers in some cases. "Lockdown" is now part of the school vocabulary.

An Associated Press analysis finds that there have been at least 11 school shootings this academic year alone, in addition to other cases of gun violence, in school parking lots and elsewhere on campus, when classes were not in session.

Last August, for example, a gun discharged in a 5-year-old's backpack while students were waiting for the opening bell in the cafeteria at Westside Elementary School in Memphis. No one was hurt.

Experts say the rate of school shootings is statistically unchanged since the mid- to late-1990s, yet still remains troubling.

Ronald Stephens, executive director of the National School Safety Center, said there have been about 500 school-associated violent deaths in the past 20 years.

The numbers don't include a string of recent shootings at colleges and universities. Just last week, a man was shot and critically wounded at the Palm Bay Campus of Eastern Florida State College, according to police.

Finding factors to blame, rightfully or not, is almost the easy part: bad parenting, easy access to guns, less value for the sanctity of life, violent video games, a broken mental health system.

Stopping the violence isn't.

"I think that's one of the major problems. There are not easy answers," Stephens said. "A line I often use is do everything you can, knowing you can't do everything."

Bill Bond, who was principal at Heath High School in West Paducah in 1997 when a 14-year-old freshman fired on a prayer group, killing three female students and wounding five, sees few differences in how shootings are carried out today. The one consistency, he said, is that the shooters are males confronting hopelessness.

"You see troubled young men who are desperate and they strike out and they don't see that they have any hope," Bond said.

Schools generally are much safer than they were five, 10 or 15 years ago, Stephens said. While a single death is one too many, Stephens noted that perspective is important. In Chicago there were 500 homicides in 2012, about the same number in the nation's 132,000-plus K-12 schools over two decades.

"I believe schools are much safer than they used to be but clearly they still have a good ways to go," Stephens said.

The recent budget deal in Congress provides $140 million to support safe school environments, and is a $29 million increase, according to the office of Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

About 90 percent of districts have tightened security since the Newtown shootings, estimates Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers.

Many schools now have elaborate school safety plans and more metal detectors, surveillance cameras and fences. They've taken other steps, too, such as requiring ID badges and dress codes. Similar to fire drills, some schools practice locking down classrooms, among their responses to potential violence.

The incident involving the 5-year-old in Memphis led to the use of hand-held metal detecting wands inside elementary schools in Shelby County's school district.

Attention also has focused on hiring school resource officers, sworn law enforcement officers who are trained to work in a school environment, said Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers. He said his organization estimates there are about 10,000 of them in the U.S.

Canady said it was such an officer who helped avert more bloodshed at Arapahoe High School in the Denver suburb of Centennial when an 18-year-old student took a shotgun into the building on Dec. 13 and fatally shot another student.

Since the shootings at Colorado's Columbine High School in 1999, in which two students killed 12 classmates and a teacher and wounded 26 others before killing themselves, police nationwide have adopted "active shooter" policies where officers are trained to confront a shooter immediately.

"The goal is to stop it, from the law enforcement side, stop it as quickly as you can because we know with an active shooter if you don't stop it, more lives will be lost," Canady said.

Confronting a shooter certainly carriers risks.

In Sparks, Nev., math teacher Michael Landsberry was killed in November after calmly approaching a 12-year-old with a gun and asked him to put the weapon down, witnesses said. The boy, who had wounded two classmates, killed himself.

Weingarten said more emphasis needs to be placed on improving school cultures by ensuring schools have resources for counselors, social workers and after-care programs. Many of these kinds of programs were scaled back during budget cuts of recent years.

Experts have said a healthy school culture can prevent such incidents and even lead students to tell adults about classmates who display warning signs that they could commit such violence.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan told reporters Thursday that he also believes strong mental health support systems in schools are important. But he said schools are doing a "fantastic" job with school security and often schools are the safest place in a community.

He blames easy access to guns as a root cause of the problem, but that's a contention that doesn't have widespread agreement as gun control continues to be a hotly debated topic.

"This is a societal problem, it's not a school problem," Duncan said.

Bond, who is now the safe schools specialist with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, said there was a time when he believed school shootings would stop. He's come to a sad realization that gives him a "sick pit in my stomach" that they won't end, he said.

"Schools are still part of the American society and the American society is violent," Bond said.

Massachusetts craft beer industry reports good year

0
0

Growth was driven by increased sales from both existing breweries and the acquisition of new breweries and cider companies.

RANDOLPH – Craft beer sales grew 97 percent in 2013 versus 2012, finishing up 91,312 cases for a total of 185,744 cases sold, according to the Massachusetts Beverage Alliance .

Growth was driven by increased sales from both existing breweries (up 43.8 percent, or 41,188 cases) and the acquisition of new breweries and cider companies, which accounted for an increase of 50,124 cases.

Committed to the craft category, the MBA has announced that it has hired Keith O’Hara as state sales manager effective Jan. 6. Keith brings great experience and knowledge about the craft category and the Massachusetts craft beer market, having spent nearly four years as northeast regional manager for Dogfish Head Brewery and the prior year-and-a-half with Magic Hat.

The alliance also announced distribution partnerships with new breweries for early 2014, including Spencer Trappist Ale from St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer. The abbey is home to a community of Trappist monks and the first American Trappist brewery.

The other is Coronado Brewing of California.

RE/MAX of New England donates to Susan G. Komen, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals

0
0

In 2013, RE/MAX agents across New England donated nearly $155,000 to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals through the Miracle Home program in which RE/MAX associates donate a portion of their commission with each closed transaction.

remax-agent-sale3In 2013, RE/MAX of New England donated $192,000 to community partners throughout New England.  

NATICK – In 2013, RE/MAX of New England donated $192,000 to community partners throughout New England. At the forefront of supporting the local communities in which they do business, RE/MAX of New England actively participated with several organizations including the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, the Boston Celtics and many other local groups.

Throughout 2013, RE/MAX of New England participated in seven Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure events in Portsmouth, N.H.; Hartford and Westport, Conn; Boston; Manchester, Vt; and Bangor and Portland, Maine; raising more than $38,000 for the fight against breast cancer.

At their 2013 annual Fall Agent Conference in October, RE/MAX of New England partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Massachusetts Affiliate in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. More than 1,200 RE/MAX Agents attended the conference and raised a combined total of nearly $20,000 in just one day through various fund-raising activities that took place throughout the event.

RE/MAX of New England’s work with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is also a key priority for the real estate franchise. RE/MAX Agents across New England donated nearly $155,000 in 2013 through the Miracle Home program in which RE/MAX associates donate a portion of their commission with each closed transaction.

Leading the Miracle Home program effort in 2013 was RE/MAX On The River, with offices in Newburyport and Amesbury, raising $14,865 to benefit the Boston Children’s Hospital. They were also recognized with RE/MAX of New England’s Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ Office of the Year Award for their philanthropic work.

Smith & Wesson donates to veterans organizations

0
0

Friends of Ward 8 Inc. will use the money to purchase cameras and equipment for a newly developed photo therapy class for veterans recovering from post traumatic stress disorder at the Northampton Va Medical Center .

SPRINGFIELD - Gunmaker Smith & Wesson has donated $5,000 each to two veterans organizations, the company said in a news release this week.

Friends of the Springfield Vet Center Inc. will use some of the funds to expand an equine therapy program for combat veteran clients at the Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Holyoke.

Friends of Ward 8 Inc. will use the money to purchase cameras and equipment for a newly developed photo therapy class for veterans recovering from post traumatic stress disorder at the Northampton Va Medical Center .

In November, Smith & Wesson announced plans to repair and restore the Roosevelt Avenue Veterans Flagpole Memorial located across the street from the company. The flags will be open on Memorial Day.

Braman Termite and Pest Elimination Specialists wins award

0
0

Braman, which has service centers all across southern New England, is proud of its level of training of management and employees, a number of whom have degrees in biology and entomology.

AGAWAM - Braman Termite and Pest Elimination Specialists, a provider of pest management services in southern New England since 1890, has earned the service industry’s Angie’s List Super Service Award for the second year in a row. The award reflects an exemplary year of service provided to members of the consumer review service in 2013.

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2013 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade and review period grade; also, the company must be in good standing with Angie’s List, have a fully complete profile, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. Members can find the 2013 Super Service Award logo next to company names in search results on AngiesList.com.

Braman, which has service centers all across southern New England, is proud of its level of training of management and employees, a number of whom have degrees in biology and entomology. The company takes an integrated approach to pest elimination that includes both nonchemical treatments and state-of-the-art chemical methods that are safe for people, pets and plants.

Viewing all 62489 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images