Every summer, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern tours farms in his district. On Oct. 27, 2017, the Worcester Democrat will take his first tour to highlight the growing success of local craft breweries.

HADLEY -- Every summer, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern tours farms in his district. On Friday, the Worcester Democrat will take his first tour to highlight the growing success of local craft breweries.

McGovern's first stop is Valley Malt in Hadley, where he will be joined by members of several chambers of commerce as well as state Rep. John W. Scibak, D-South Hadley.

McGovern plans to talk about his work to pass a bipartisan bill that would reduce the federal excise tax to $3.50 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels for domestic brewers producing fewer than 2 million barrels annually.

The legislation would also reduce the amount domestic brewers pay on 60,001 to 2 million barrels to $16 per barrel or reduce the federal excise tax to $16 per barrel on the first 6 million barrels for all other brewers and all beer importers.  

McGovern on Friday will also visit Berkshire Brewing Co. in South Deerfield, Honest Weight Brewery in Orange, followed by stops at Stone Cow Brewery in Barre, and Wormtown Brewery and Kretschmann Brewery in Worcester.

The Republican will be streaming video on Facebook Live from McGovern's Hadley stop.

Sarai Nazario bragged about her shoplifting exploits and used the hashtag #boosterlivesmatter on her Facebook page, a probation officer said.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Springfield woman placed on probation after a strip club disturbance is facing new charges for allegedly pepper spraying a security guard at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside.

Sarai Nazario, 19, allegedly sprayed the guard in the mouth after being caught shoplifting at Macy's earlier this month, probation officer Jenifer Muscaro said  Wednesday in Springfield District Court.

The guard suffered a severe allergic reaction and needed an epinephrine injection on the way to the hospital, according to Muscaro, who said Nazario escaped with the stolen merchandise.

She asked Judge John Payne to find probable cause that Nazario had violated her probation in the strip club case and detain her for a full violation hearing.

"She has shown a blatant disregard" for probation, Muscaro said.

In addition to missing appointments and flunking a drug test, Nazario bragged about her shoplifting exploits on Facebook, using the hashtag #boosterlivesmatter -- a reference to professional shoplifters who resell items at reduced value, the probation officer said.

In April, Nazario was charged with disorderly conduct and drug possession after allegedly fighting outside the Center Stage Gentlemen's Club. While being booked, cocaine was found in her bra, according to the arrest report.

"I'm no snitch, but that's coke," she allegedly told police.

The charges were continued without a finding and Nazario was placed on probation for one year, with drug testing and other requirements.

On Wednesday, defense lawyer Patrick Goodreau said his client is two months pregnant and was startled by the security guard.

"This plainclothes person came up and grabbed her very hard," said Goodreau, who said Nazario denies shoplifting and assaulting the guard and could be the victim of mistaken identity.

Nazario, unaware that a warrant had been issued for her arrest, showed up Wednesday for her regular probation appointment, said Goodreau, who urged the judge to not detain her until the proposed probation hearing.

Payne found probable cause that Nazario had violated her probation, but refused to detain her for a violation hearing on Dec. 12. Instead of releasing her, the judge  ordered court officials to transport Nazario to Holyoke District Court to face her new case.

"These are very serious charges," Payne said, noting that the guard suffered a medical emergency after being sprayed.

Every year Westover officials calculate the overall economic impact the base has on the Western Massachusetts economy.

CHICOPEE -- Construction at Westover Air Reserve Base boosted its economic impact on the community by $15 million for the last fiscal year, but the overall budget still has not rebounded since a series of Department of Defense cuts that started in 2012.

Westover poured $212 million into the community during the 2017 federal fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, a gain of $15 million from the previous year's $197.2 million.

"We dropped last year and the comeback this year was driven by new construction. We have a 77-year-old base that needs updating and this demonstrates that," said Senior Master Sgt. Andrew S. Biscoe, acting chief of public affairs for Westover.

Every year the base finance office uses an Air Force formula to tally the economic impact the base has on the local community. The formula figures everything from salaries and construction costs to smaller amounts such as supplies purchased at local businesses and haircuts for base employees.

Deborah Heady, Westover budget analyst, figured out the impact for fiscal year 2017, Biscoe said.

The study focuses on the economic impact of Westover's 439th Airlift Wing. It does not include the impact from the 28 other military units located at Westover, which collectively employ about 1,700 people. Those units, which include 10 Army divisions and three U.S. Marine Corps units, are considered tenants at the base, Biscoe said.

"The $15 million increase speaks to Westover's continued economic influence in the Pioneer Valley," said Col. D. Scott Durham, 439th Airlift Wing commander. "Though military budgets have decreased in recent years, our base continues its relevance as a key strategic partner within the Department of Defense. Closer to home, this installation is a stable employer and economic engine in Western Massachusetts."

The increase in the economic impact this year is mainly due to the ongoing work to renovate the main base hangar, which is one of the original buildings at Westover. The hangar has never been large enough to pull in a C-5M Galaxy jet and work is now being done to add offices and other work space to the building for flight squadrons and operations crews, Biscoe said.

The economic impact of the base has been declining since 2010 when the base set a record by pumping $266 into the economy, in part because of construction projects and an increase in the number of reservists activated and sent to Afghanistan.

In the last fiscal year the impact dipped to $197.2, the lowest it has been since 2008, when the impact was calculated at $195 million. The impact in 2009 was $231 million.

The numbers stayed steady in 2011 and 2012, with a nearly identical $237 boosting the local economy. Then the impact started to decline. In 2013 the base had an about $224 million impact, in 2014 it dropped to $220.8 million and in 2015 the impact remained steady at $221.1 million.

"Around 2012 and 2013 sequestration began and then there was the reduction in the airplanes and in 2014 we lost positions and it has had an effect," Biscoe said.

Sequestration cut the federal budget and required Westover staff take a series of unpaid days off, or furloughs. Then in 2014, 59 full-time and 275 part-time positions were eliminated, mostly through attrition and transfers. During that time the Department of Defense also cut Westover's fleet of C-5s from 16 to the current eight. All eight have been or are in the process of being upgraded to more modern C-5M models.

"When you lose airplanes, you don't need as many people," Biscoe said.

Although there was an increase in the construction budget, there was $1.6 million decrease in the payroll in fiscal 2017. There were fewer civilians working at Westover and fewer military members were deployed in the last fiscal year, Heady said in a written statement about the impact.

The number of base employees also decreased from 3,371 in 2016 to 3,248 in 2017 and the estimated value of the jobs declined by about $500,000, she said.

Westover remains the largest employer in Chicopee and one of the largest in Western Massachusetts. Although its economic impact fluctuates, the amount of money pumped into the economy is large and vital to the region, City Planner Lee Pouliot said.

"I don't think it can be understated, the importance of Westover to Chicopee and the surrounding region," he said.

The Planning Department is working with Westover and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission on a joint land use study that examines how land around the base and in the flight paths is zoned and used to ensure private, community and military uses and needs do not conflict, Pouliot said.

"We do this study because of the importance of making sure the land uses around the base are compatible with Westover," he said.

Mayor Richard J. Kos was out of the office Thursday and unavailable for comment.

Cellphone video showed Domenic Murdock "swinging violently with the razor. Any one of the strikes could have caused serious injury or death," Officer Scott Stelzer wrote in his report.

SPRINGFIELD -- A Springfield man who allegedly got into an argument with his cousin and sliced him with a box cutter has been ordered to undergo an extended psychiatric evaluation.

On the recommendation of a court psychologist, Domenic Murdock, 22, was committed Wednesday to the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital for 20 days.

The order, issued by Judge John Payne in Springfield District Court, came two days after a police officer spotted two shirtless men chasing each other around the gas  pumps outside the Cumberland Farms on Belmont Avenue, according to the arrest report.

As the cruiser pulled into the parking lot, Officer Scott Stelzer saw a man bleeding from a wound to his back and Murdock walking away, the report said.

"He cut me," the man told the officer. When Murdock refused to stop, the officer drew his firearm and eventually got him down on the pavement, the report said.

Once his alleged assailant was handcuffed, the victim began yelling "words to the effect that he would beat his ass," the report said.

Murdock claimed he scratched the victim's back with his fingernails, but a box cutter was found in the trash can next to one of the gasoline pumps, the report said.

Several customers watched the fight and one used his cellphone to record it, according to the report. The video showed Murdock "swinging violently with the razor. Anyone of the strikes could have caused serious injury or death," Stelzer wrote.

Murdock was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. His arraignment, scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed after defense lawyer Travaun Bailey requested a mental health evaluation to determine if Murdock is competent to stand trial.

The evaluation, conducted Wednesday by the court clinic, raised questions about his competency and called for a more extensive review at the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital.

The men are homeless, cousins by marriage and spend most of their days together, according to court documents. No reason for the argument was listed in the report. Murdock said he has been diagnosed with psychiatric problems and refuses to take medicine prescribed to treat them, the report said.

Massachusetts legislators approved a bill calling for sweeping changes to the state's criminal justice system early Friday.

Massachusetts legislators approved a bill calling for sweeping changes to the state's criminal justice system early Friday. 

The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 27-10 in favor of the measure around 1:30 a.m. Friday morning, after hours of debate over the many amendments proposed in the legislation. 

Such reforms include the repeal of mandatory minimum sentences for low-level drug offenses, a stricter set of guidelines for judges regarding the bail system, raising the age at which someone can be charged in adult court, and allowing for the compassionate release of elderly or weak inmates.

The bill also proposes allowing low-income defendants to pay lower court fees and fines, to eliminate what Senate President Stan Rosenberg's office calls a "modern day 'debtor's prison.'"

"It's time Massachusetts joins the national let's get smart on crime movement," Rosenberg (D-Amherst) said in a statement. "This bill protects public safety and makes commonsense reforms while improving outcomes with our precious tax dollars."

Advocates for the bill believe the state has long-needed to change the process to address recidivism and over-incarceration.

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The measure eliminates the majority of mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders and increases penalties for trafficking fentanyl into Massachusetts. It also changes bail procedures in the state, reducing court fees and fines over time for defendants with limited financial resources.

Hours after the sun set, the Massachusetts Senate passed legislation that calls for an overhaul of the criminal justice system in the state. 

The measure eliminates the majority of mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders and increases penalties for trafficking fentanyl into Massachusetts. It also changes bail procedures in the state, reducing court fees and fines over time for defendants with limited financial resources. 

What would the Massachusetts Senate's criminal justice reform bill do? An explainer

The 113-page bill passed 27-10 in the Senate at approximately 1:30 a.m. Friday, sending it to the House of Representatives for consideration. 

Read the full bill below. 

An Act relative to criminal justice reform by mnwillia on Scribd

Narcotics detectives and members of the street crimes unit began surveilling Boston Road and Parker Street following complaints of drug dealing, Ryan Walsh, spokesman for Springfield police, said.

SPRINGFIELD - Complaints from Boston Road neighborhoods about increased drug activity yielded the arrest an alleged heroin dealer and a customer Thursday night.

Narcotics detectives and members of the street crimes unit began surveilling Boston Road and Parker Street following the complaints, Ryan Walsh, spokesman for Springfield police, said.

Police saw 32-year-old Pendleton Avenue resident Brandon Blanks sell five bags of heroin to 33-year-old city resident Melisa Larace in the area of Bexhill Street at about 8:15 p.m.

Blanks was charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Police seized an additional 50 bags of heroin, 1.5 grams of raw heroin, a digital scale and more than $1,200 in cash.

Larace was charged with possession of heroin.

Two Springfield police officers have been released from the hospital after a 20-year-old man rammed into their cruiser during a chase Thursday evening.

Two Springfield police officers have been released from the hospital after a 20-year-old man rammed into their cruiser during a chase Thursday evening.  

Springfield police spokesman Ryan Walsh on Friday identified the suspect behind the wheel of the Lexus SUV police were after as Robert Hernandez, who was known to have outstanding arrest warrants.

Hernandez allegedly refused to stop when police attempted to pull him over, instead leading a string of police cruisers on through the Old Hill and McKnight neighborhoods for 10 to 15 minutes. 

The head-on crash occurred in the area of 71 Colton St. 

According to Walsh, both officers in the cruiser suffered minor injuries and Hernandez -- despite himself being injured, as he was later transported to the Baystate Medical Center -- jumped out of the Lexus and attempted to flee on foot. 

Hernandez faces charges of two counts assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop for police, resisting arrest, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and operating an unregistered, uninsured vehicle. 

yrell Mitchell, 24, of 4 Berbay Circle, Springfield, was arrested at Baystate Medical Center in that city early Thursday night. He faces charges of armed assault with intent to murder and other charges.

CHICOPEE - Police have made a second arrest in an incident on Longwood Drive Monday night in which a woman and two men allegedly threatened homeowners with a gun over the purchase of a dog.

Tyrell Mitchell, 24, of 4 Berbay Circle, Springfield, was arrested at Baystate Medical Center in that city early Thursday night.

Mitchell was charged with armed assault with intent to murder, disturbance while carrying a dangerous weapon, carrying a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without an FID card.

Detectives continue to work the case. "It's still an active investigation into the third party that was involved, Michael Wilk, public information officer for the department, said.

Initially police were called to Longwood Drive just before 6:30 p.m. over a complaint about a disturbance involving a firearm. Multiple officers responded to find a crowd gathered in the street, Wilk said.

The victims told police a woman and two men arrived to collect money for the purchase of a dog. An argument started and the woman is being accused of handing a small silver handgun to one of the men. As the argument continued one of the three allegedly threatened the victims with the gun, Wilk said.

One of the residents then chased the two men from the area, he said.

Nashaly Charisse Russell, 19, of 69 Tyler St., Springfield was charged with committing a disturbance while caring a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without a permit, Wilk said.

Massachusetts Senators debated into the early hours of Friday morning a measure to overhaul criminal justice reform in the state.

The William G. Dwight Award was presented to Holyoke resident Barbara C. Bernard during a formal dinner and award ceremony presented by Rotary Club of Holyoke, South Hadley and Granby, at the Delaney House Thursday.

HOLYOKE - The William G. Dwight Award was presented to Holyoke resident Barbara C. Bernard during a formal dinner and award ceremony presented by Rotary Club of Holyoke, South Hadley and Granby, at the Delaney House Thursday.

The William G. Dwight Distinguished Service Award is presented to someone who exhibits a deep commitment to the City of Holyoke. William G. Dwight helped transform the Transcript Telegram into a successful and a highly respected newspaper for Holyoke and the surrounding area.

The Holyoke Rotary Club took over presentation of the award after the Dwight family ceased being involved in the newspaper business.

The North Adams native began her journalism career at Drury High School where she was a reporter, writer and editor.

In 1944 she started her broadcasting career while a freshman at Mount Holyoke College. Then in 1948, while enrolled in Mount Holyoke College, she received her bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in English.

In the years following her marriage to George J. Bernard Jr., the couple moved to Holyoke where she hosted "It Happened in Your Own Backyard" and "Today's Woman," on WHYN-AM radio.

Her resume includes writing assorted columns for The Daily Union and Sunday Republican, The Daily Hampshire Gazette, The Holyoke Transcript Telegram, and a weekly food column for Hello Holyoke.

Bernard has a long list of volunteer projects and was the founder of the Holyoke Golden Age Club.  

The William G. Dwight Distinguished Service Award is presented to someone who exhibits a deep commitment to the City of Holyoke. William G. Dwight helped transform the Transcript Telegram into a successful and a highly respected newspaper for Holyoke and the surrounding area.

The Rotary Club of Holyoke has the responsibility to maintain the prestigious award through the coming years. More than 100 people attended the three-hour event.

A tip campaign -- dubbed "Hope for Holly -- underway in Brimfield seeks information on the 1993 abduction and murder of Holly Kristen Piirainen, a day after town police claimed "new information" related to the cold case has come to light.

This is part of an ongoing series from the MassLive Unsolved Case Files, a look at families of victims and the investigators who continue to dig for answers. 

_________________

The 10-year-old Grafton youth disappeared from the Sturbridge cottage she and her family were vacationing at on Aug. 5, 1993. Hunters found her remains in a wooded area off of Five Bridge Road in Brimfield on Oct. 23, 1993. 

Sarah Stein, a cold case consultant and co-founder of The Center for the Resolution of Unsolved Crime, held a press conference Friday morning at Infinite Granite -- 310 Sturbridge Rd. in Brimfield -- where the tip campaign will continue until 3 p.m.

Tipsters may visit the store or call Stein at 203-507-6352. An email box has also been established where anyone can leave a tip, anonymously or by name: hopeforholly080593@gmail.com. 

"Let's give Holly and her family the justice they deserve," a Brimfield police press release on the campaign said. "All relevant information will be given to the Hampden County District Attorney's Office."

Anyone with information can also contact the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney's Office at 413-505-5993. One can utilize text-a-tip by texting the word CRIMES (2-7-4-6-3-7) and type the word SOLVE into the body of the message followed by your tip.

In 2012, then Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni linked a dead Springfield man who used to hunt and fish in the vicinity of where Piirainen's remains were found to the case, saying forensic evidence tied David E. Pouliot to the scene.

Authorities never identified Pouliot as a suspect, even after holding tip campaigns seeking information on his whereabouts and companions in August 1993 and in the weeks and months which followed.

"The nature of the (evidence) suggests either Mr. Pouliot or people associated with him were in the area at a time relevant to the disappearance of Holly and the discovery of her remains," Mastroianni said at the time.

Pouliot died of congestive heart failure in August 2003 at the age of 49.

Sgt. Daniel Valadas said Rachael Melanson was head of the Ludlow Youth Cheerleading Association and a founder and had control of its debit card. Valadas said he believes Keith Melanson was a board member.

LUDLOW - Police arrested a Chicopee couple Thursday night and charged them with embezzling over $5,000 from the Ludlow Youth Cheerleading Association.

Keith D. Melanson, 32, and his wife, Rachael C. Melanson, 32, both face five counts of larceny over $250 (felony embezzlement) and a single count of larceny under $250 (misdemeanor embezzlement).

Sgt. Daniel Valadas said police began their investigation after members of the Ludlow Youth Cheerleading Association suspected fraudulent cash withdrawals and debits from the LYCA account. An estimated $5,400 was taken.

Valadas said Rachael Melanson was head of the association and a founder and had control of its debit card. Valadas said he believes Keith Melanson was a board member.

The association disbanded on Sept. 23 as a result of the alleged thefts, Valadas said. Its remaining funds were transferred to a new organization called Ludlow Lion Youth Cheer.

The Melansons are slated to be arraigned Friday in Palmer District Court.

Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Geoff Diehl pledged this week that he will oppose any policies that would raise Americans' taxes if sent to represent Massachusetts in Washington D.C. next fall.

Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Geoff Diehl pledged this week that he will oppose any policies that would raise Americans' taxes if sent to represent Massachusetts in Washington D.C. next fall.

Diehl, a state representative from Whitman, released a campaign video touting his signing of the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge," an Americans for Tax Reform-backed document in which candidates make a written commitment to oppose any and all tax increases.

Specifically, the Republican pledged to oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and businesses, as well as any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits unless matched by further reduced tax rates, his campaign said.

Diehl, who is among several Republicans looking to unseat U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, in 2018, stressed that his pledge to oppose tax increases is important given the incumbent's stance on overhauling the American tax code. 

"Elizabeth Warren, my opponent, said that she is going to be the main opponent of all tax reform down in Washington D.C., so it's more important to me now than ever to make sure that I commit to the voters of Massachusetts to not raise taxes while I'm your senator down in Washington D.C.," he said in 30-second campaign video.

Diehl's campaign noted that the Republican has earned a 100 percent rating from Citizens for Limited Taxation for his work in the state legislature, including his opposition to increase gas and utility taxes, among others. 

Despite Warren's opposition to President Donald Trump and Republican leaders' tax overhaul plans -- proposals which she's argued could raise taxes for middle class Americans -- the Democrat has repeatedly called for simplifying the tax system.  

US Sen. Elizabeth Warren ready to work with President Donald Trump on simplifying tax filings, questions GOP commitment to bipartisanship

She has further urged Republicans to join Democrats in finding bipartisan solutions to fixing the U.S. tax code, adding that she's ready to work with Trump and GOP leaders on such policies. 

Diehl's announcement came as fellow 2018 Republican U.S. Senate hopefuls Beth Lindstrom and John Kingston released their own campaign videos. 

Lindstrom, a former aide to Mitt Romney and manager of Scott Brown's 2010 Senate bid, touted the "new tone" she would bring to congressional politics as she made her case to Massachusetts voters in a Wednesday campaign video.

2018 Republican Senate candidate Beth Lindstrom makes case to voters in new campaign video

Kingston, a businessman who has publicly weighed the idea of running for Senate since July, meanwhile, announced his entrance into the 2018 U.S. Senate race in a Wednesday morning email and video to supporters. 

Aside from Lindstrom and Kingston, entrepreneur Shiva Ayyadurai, of Cambridge;  Allen Rodney Waters, of Mashpee; Darius Mitchell, of Lowell; and Heidi Wellman, of Braintree, have also filed paperwork to run as Republicans in the 2018 U.S. Senate contest. 

Businessman John Kingston announces 2018 Republican US Senate bid

Neal predicted that Republicans will succeed only in passing an unpaid-for tax cut.

BOSTON - As President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans begin a full-court press to pass a tax reform bill, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, predicted that Republicans will only go part of the way.

"I think you have an unpaid-for tax cut," Neal told reporters after delivering a speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on Friday. "I think it's going to be very hard for them to do tax reform only because the margins for paying for it aren't there."

An unpaid-for tax cut would increase the deficit and leave government with less revenue. "We're all the losers if that happens," Neal said.

Neal, as the ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee, will be one of the key Democrats involved with any tax deal. In September, Neal joined other committee members meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House to talk about tax reform.

On Thursday, the U.S. House passed a budget resolution, which already passed the U.S. Senate, which was a precursor to passing a tax plan. An initial tax reform proposal is expected to be released next week.

Republicans are under pressure to have a legislative accomplishment, after they failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But Neal predicted that a full-fledged reform of the tax system will be difficult.

Republicans already signaled that they are likely to use a process called reconciliation, which would mean they only need 51 votes in the Senate rather than the 60 required to avert a filibuster. The implication is that Republicans, who control 52 Senate votes, and a majority in the House, will develop their own tax reform plan without needing Democratic support.

But, Neal argued, "If you really want to do meaningful tax reform in America, the two parties have to do it together."

The problem, Neal said, is, "When you do tax reform, it's like squeezing toothpaste with the cap on." There is only a limited amount of money, so lowering taxes on one group of people means increasing taxes on others.

Trump and the Republicans already said they want to lower the top tax bracket from 39.6 percent to 35 percent; eliminate the estate tax; and repeal the alternative minimum tax. These changes would cost $1.5 trillion - money that would need to come from other tax changes or that would increase the deficit.

Although Trump has said he does not support any changes to 401(k) retirement plans, congressional Republicans have said they are considering changes - for example, lowering the cap on how much someone could contribute to a retirement plan pre-tax. Neal said he would oppose any changes that affect retirement savings.

"People are going to live longer, and that means we need to figure out in retirement how to allow them to live longer," Neal said.

"Undoing retirement savings is going to be very controversial," Neal warned.

Another potential way to pay for the tax cuts, eliminating the federal tax deduction for state and local taxes, is already splitting the Republican Party. Many of the states where taxpayers would be most hurt are states that lean Democratic - such as New York and California, as well as Massachusetts. But Neal noted that some Republican states, like South Carolina, would also be affected. A group of New York and New Jersey Republicans already voted against the GOP budget resolution in the House because of their opposition to eliminating the state and local tax deduction.

Neal made clear that Democrats "do not intend to be helpful on that issue."

Neal said when he met with Trump at the White House, Trump warned Republicans that if they failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Trump would work with Democrats on tax reform. As to whether that might actually happen, Neal said, "I'm doubtful."

Asked whether Democrats can find allies in Republican deficit hawks in opposing a GOP tax plan that increases the deficit, Neal responded, "What happened to them? I was surprised at how easily they surrendered, and it reminds me that apparently deficits only count if Bill Clinton's sitting the White House or Barack Obama's sitting in the White House."

Neal argued that the way to increase economic growth is to build infrastructure and invest in "human capital." That means improving education. On a tax front, Neal said increasing the earned income tax credit or increasing childcare tax credits could spur economic growth by giving individuals more spending money.

"This notion that is theological that if you cut the corporate rate to 20 percent (from 35 percent) you're going have extraordinary economic growth, there's no evidence to support that," Neal said.

A former bus driver who has been on the run for 17 years has returned to Massachusetts to face charges for the alleged rape and kidnapping of one of his passengers in 1998, officials said Friday.

A former bus driver who has been on the run for 17 years has returned to Massachusetts to face charges for the alleged rape and kidnapping of one of his passengers in 1998, officials said Friday.

Henry Gonzalez, 44, was a Saugus bus driver for children with special needs, according to Massachusetts State Police. 

Saugus police received a report on Dec. 16, 1998, that a 13-year-old special needs student had been kidnapped and sexually assaulted by her bus driver earlier that day, state police said. Gonzalez was arrested.

Gonzalez was supposed to face trial at Essex Superior Court in June 2000, state police said, but he did not appear in court.

He was on the run until his capture in the Dominican Republic in May. Gonzalez's extradition was completed when he returned to Massachusetts Thursday night.

"I hope this arrest brings some measure of closure to the victim and affected family members who have waited 17 years for justice in this case," said John Gibbons, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts. 

Gonzalez lived in Lynn at the time of the alleged crime and was added to the Massachusetts State Police Most Wanted list in 2001. He was also featured on the former America's Most Wanted television show.

The office of Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett says that Gonzalez will now face the charges of rape of a child with force, kidnapping, and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.

"No one on the investigative team ever forgot the victim who was so seriously harmed by this violent criminal, and no member of the team ever wavered in their dedication to hauling him out of the shadows where he was hiding and into the light of justice," said State Police Superintendent Colonel Richard D. McKeon.

The investigation continued for years and authorities eventually learned that Gonzalez was staying in the Dominican Republic, state police said.

Gonzalez was flown into Logan International Airport Thursday night under the guard of United States deputy marshals, State Police said. He is being held at the Saugus Police Department until he will return to Essex Superior Court to face charges.

"This man committed a heinous act, betraying the trust placed in him by the victim, her family and the community as a whole," said Saugus Police Chief Domenic DiMella. "For nearly 20 years, he's evaded the law, and it is through the hard work and tireless efforts of Saugus Police Detectives, the Massachusetts State Police, the United States Marshals Services and the Essex County District Attorney's Office that this man is now being held accountable for his actions today."

Punishments for drug dealers, wiretapping laws and revenge porn were all part of the discussion.

By Andy Metzger
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, OCT 27, 2017...The Senate passed legislation early Friday that could make drug traffickers in Massachusetts liable for murder while substantially reducing other criminal penalties for drug dealing in an effort to reduce the state's prison population and give offenders a better chance at turning around their lives.

Four Democrats - Sens. Eileen Donaghue, Anne Gobi, Kathleen O'Connor Ives and Mike Rush - joined the chamber's six Republicans in opposing the final version of the bill (S 2185), which passed 27-10. Sen. Marc Pacheco, a Democrat, was not in the chamber for the final vote.

"The final vote shows that people were willing to vote for the package," said Sen. William Brownsberger, co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee, noting it was a "veto-proof majority."

Gov. Charlie Baker in August proposed enhanced punishments for drug dealers whose illicit products kill users, and the Democrat-controlled Senate was at first poised to fend off a Republican attempt to include that proposal in the omnibus criminal justice bill.

Midway through debate, which began late Thursday morning and ended at 1:30 a.m. Friday, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr altered his amendment so that it would cover only drug traffickers - as opposed to those who might share a bag - and Brownsberger said the changes satisfied his concerns with the earlier version.

The potent synthetic opioid fentanyl has aggravated the deadly scourge of overdose deaths in the Bay State, and on the Drug Enforcement Agency reported this week that Massachusetts was behind only Ohio in the number of fentanyl reports in 2016. Massachusetts had 3,911 fentanyl reports that year, according to the DEA data.

Other matters - criminalizing revenge porn and including 18-year-olds in the juvenile justice system - were decided by razor thin margins.

The idea of criminalizing the malicious distribution of nude photos and video merits further consideration, Brownsberger said before the Senate voted down Weymouth Republican Sen. Patrick O'Connor's revenge porn amendment 18-19.

Sixteen senators joined Sen. Michael Moore, a Millbury Democrat, in his unsuccessful attempt to treat 18-year-olds as adults in the justice system within the bill. The legislation, which has not yet been considered by the House, would move 18-year-olds into the juvenile justice system.

The Senate voted 14-22 to reject an O'Connor amendment that would expand state law enforcement's ability to wiretap suspects who are not part of organized crime.

Other aspects of the legislation would restrict the use of solitary confinement in prisons, decriminalize sex between minors of similar age, and repeal mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug dealing crimes, including for dealing near a school.

While the Senate was debating the bill, Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants gave an annual address to attorneys and members of the Judiciary, where he pushed his case for granting judges more leeway in sentencing.

"School zone mandatory minimums in drug cases are the most random of the mandatory minimums because they depend solely on the proximity of the defendant to a school or park at time of arrest regardless of whether the defendant had any intention of selling to anyone on or near school or park grounds," Gants said, according to his prepared remarks.

The Senate agreed to a Tarr amendment that would give so-called good Samaritan protections to underage drinkers who seek medical attention for someone experiencing an alcohol overdose.

The legislation will next move to the House, where leaders have generally favored more modest changes to laws than their Senate counterparts.

Brownsberger said he was confident the legislation would progress in the other chamber.

"That's all I'm hearing from the House is seriousness on this issue," Brownsberger said.

The court will consider the motion to suppress access to the phone and decide by Dec. 19.

BELCHERTOWN - Attorneys for Ryan Fellion, an 18-year-old Belchertown man who is charged in the February car crash that killed Larry Kelley of Amherst are petitioning the court to deny the prosecution access to his cellphone.

According to the office of Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan, a pre-trial hearing planned for Friday in Eastern Hampshire District Court has been continued until Dec. 19.

Judge Michael E. Mulcahy announced the postponement in order to consider the motion from the defense to suppress the search and seizure of Fellion's cellphone.

Prosecutors have previously filed a motion requesting that the court order Fellion to provide state police investigators with his phone's password.

Fellion is charged with negligent motor vehicle homicide in the Feb. 17 crash.

He is alleged to have crossed over the center line and into the eastbound land in the area of 293 Federal Street in Belchertown. His car stuck the Kelley vehicle head-on, killing Kelley at the scene.

Fellion and his two passengers were injured.

At his Aug. 16 arraignment, Fellion entered an innocent plea.

He was released on his own recognizance on the condition that he not drive, surrender his passport, and not leave the state without contacting the probation department.

Prosecutors contend that Fellion was using his cellphone at the time of the accident. Witnesses told police they saw his car drift across the center line and did not recall seeing any brake lights prior to the crash.

At the arraignment, prosecutors told the court that state police have been attempting to examine the phone to determine if it was being used at the time of the crash. The examination is thwarted because police have not been able to get pass the password.

If convicted, Fellion faces up to 2 1/2 years in jail and a loss of his driver's license for 15 years.

Kelley was an Amherst businessman who gained recognition as a "citizen blogger" through his "Only in the Republic of Amherst" blog.

A pair of kittens, found drenched and barely clinging to life beside the bridge on West Main Street Thursday morning are now recuperating in an incubator at Dakin Humane Society in Springfield.

WARE - A pair of kittens, found drenched and barely clinging to life beside the bridge on West Main Street Thursday morning, are now recuperating in an incubator at Dakin Humane Society in Springfield.

Animal Control Officer Sara Prideaux said Friday an anonymous caller reported seeing a person in a black pickup truck stop at the bridge at about 8 a.m. that morning and toss a bag into the Ware River.

The caller reported the incident after learning of the discovery of the two kittens near the river's edge later that morning. At the time, the caller thought the person in the pickup was tossing a bag of trash and did not contact authorities.

The caller believes the pickup in question is a Ford but did not get a plate number, Prideaux said.

Ware police, investigating the apparent dumping of the kittens, are working to see if the any surveillance cameras in the area picked up images of the pickup.

Those with information can contact Ware police at 413-967-5901.

A bright spot in an otherwise dark story, according to a post made by Dakin on MassLive.com's Facebook page, is that a "loving person" has already committed to adopting kittens, dubbed Puddles and Rain, when they are ready.

It was, however, a close call for the kittens, which are three or four months old. A Good Samaritan found the pair and brought them into his home and attempted to warm them up.

"They were literally on the brink of death," Prideaux said.

An animal control volunteer, summoned there, placed the kittens on a heat pack which further ensured recovery.

It's not clear if any other kittens were dumped, Prideaux said.

Those convicted of animal cruelty in Massachusetts face as much as 21/2 years in jail and a $5,000 fine. A second offence carries a penalty of as much as 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Prideaux stressed, however, that those who can no longer care for their pets can contact animal control through the police department.

"We do what we can for them," said Prideaux. "We work with local shelters."

Winds up to 60 miles per hour and heavy rains are expected to swipe through New England this weekend.

Winds up to 60 miles per hour and heavy rains are expected to swipe through New England this weekend. 

According to the National Weather Service, the potential for high winds is highest in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The storm is expect to hit hardest Sunday afternoon and continue into Monday morning.

The NWS warned said the storm might result in some street and river flooding.

Impressive storm center continuing to develop over New England; from this water vapor satellite, can clearly see the tropical connection pic.twitter.com/C0O0kHm6LF

-- NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) October 26, 2017

According to NWS, the storm is being bolstered by tropical storms in the Caribbean. 

While the eastern region of the state is expected to see the heaviest winds, the NWS is also predicting heavy in the westernmost part of Massachusetts.

The NWS expects three to four inches of rainfall in Berkshire County on Sunday. Central Massachusetts will see an average of two to three inches of rain, according to the NWS. 

However, weather analysts say the area of heavy rainfall could shift as the storm is still several days out.