Ward 3 residents share tips, concerns

By Owen Boss
Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - The impact of Sunday's fires on area residents was evident at a neighborhood meeting Monday night that drew a throng of more than 500 residents to College Church, many of whom said they fear for their families in the city they once felt so safe in.

The meeting, which was organized by the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association, allowed members of the local police and fire departments as well as Mayor Clare Higgins the opportunity to reassure residents that all of the city's resources are being used to track down whoever is responsible for the fires, and that the best way to prevent future incidents is to remain vigilant.

"I know that a lot of people came here tonight wanting to know answers about the crime itself and, unfortunately, that is the thing we are not going to be able to give people answers about tonight," Higgins said. "We're not really here tonight to solve the crime; we are here to talk about how we can pull together as a community."

Higgins also said she has heard many rumors circulating in the city concerning the fires, and she urged residents "not to pass rumors along, but pass them up," to members of the local police and fire departments, no matter how insignificant they may seem.

While addressing Higgins, Deputy Fire Chief Chris Norris and Police Capt. Joseph Koncas, Naomi Cairns choked back tears as she announced that she may have to leave her home on Highland Avenue out of fear for her life.

"I came home to my house burning down for the second time the other night, and it just breaks my heart," Cairns said.

Another resident speaking at the meeting was Robert Davis, who said he watched helplessly Sunday night as a vehicle exploded twice outside of his Franklin Street home.

"I could not believe what was happening because this is Northampton, this is our home, this is the Happy Valley and I want it to stay the Happy Valley," Davis said. "Right now we may be paranoid about what has happened to us but I think it is better to be paranoid and safe than to be in any other position."

Before Gerald Budgar, president of the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association, addressed the crowd, he asked that a moment of silence be held for Paul W. Yeskie Sr. and Paul W. Yeskie Jr., both of whom lost their lives in a fire set at their Fair Street home.

"We are gathered here at a most difficult time for Ward 3. We are upset shocked, angry, fearful, enraged, traumatized and everything in between," Budgar said, "because we feel the safety and security that has defined our wonderful community has been stolen from us."

However, Budgar said the hundreds of phone calls, emails and willingness to help he has received from community members since Sunday has illustrated just how strong the neighborhood feels about the crime and that it is the strength of the community that will get residents through this difficult time.

"We are Ward 3 and our city stands with us," he said. "Tonight, we begin the process of confronting what has happened to us by channeling our energy and concern into programs and projects that will be of lasting benefit to the community."

Among those initiatives, Budgar said, was a donation of 300 smoke detectors from the Hampshire County Sheriff's Office, residents looking to donate vehicles to those who lost their cars, and three $1,000 donations, from the Northampton Rotary Club, the Three-County Fair Association, and an unnamed local resident, to add to the $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for setting the fires.

Another major theme at the meeting, raised by several residents, was the organization of a community crime watch that would enlist members of the neighborhood to keep an eye on the streets. Higgins said the city is considering this initiative and it is in the works.

Although many residents who spoke at the meeting applauded the fire department's response to the string of fires, Chris Karney, of 11 Hancock St., said the same firefighters told him a similar story six weeks ago when his Hancock Street home was set ablaze.

"The city told me that you would do everything in your power to prevent future fires. Apparently, everything in your power is not quite enough," Karney said.

Koncas offered residents tips about protecting their homes from future incidents, such as installating exterior motion detector lights, smoke detectors and cameras, and keeping car keys with alarm activation buttons on them near the bedside in case something unusual is spotted.

"I can assure you that the investigation is being vigorously pursued by members of the task force," Koncas said. "I know from our own perspective at the police department that our detectives, crime scene personnel and most of our patrol staff have been living on catnaps because they are committed to bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion. This is especially difficult thing for the Northampton Police Department, because this happened in our city and it is a personal affront to us and we are doing our best."

Other precautions Koncas suggested include removing trash and debris from porches, leaving outside lights on, checking smoke detectors to make sure they are functioning properly, and locking front doors.

"I encourage you, if you have any information whatsoever, please, please, call it in to us," Koncas said. "The smallest detail could be the missing puzzle piece that brings this investigation to a successful conclusion."

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

Greenfield woman faces rape charges

By OWEN BOSS

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON — A Greenfield woman denied allegations in court Wednesday that she engaged in sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old sophomore at Greenfield High School.

Stephanie M. Duclos, 38, of 166 Chapman St., Greenfield, pleaded innocent Wednesday in Northampton District Court to two counts of statutory rape of a child.

According to police, the alleged victim played on the same athletic teams as Duclos’ oldest child and had gone on several overnight trips with her to hotels for games. During those trips, Duclos reportedly made him feel uncomfortable with the way she dressed and interacted with him and got into a hot tub alone with him after one of the games, according to court documents.

In August, after having an argument with his mother’s boyfriend, the alleged victim reportedly left for a friend’s house on Chapman Street and was picked up by Duclos in her minivan around 11 p.m., according to court documents. The victim reportedly told police that Duclos took him to her house to stay the night and later had sex with him.

Judge Richard J. Carey ordered Duclos released on her own recognizance on the condition that she stay away from and have no contact with the victim or his family and have no unsupervised contact with children under 16. Duclos is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 4 for a probable cause hearing.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Northampton board votes to double trash sticker fees

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - Despite calls from a handful of local residents to reconsider, the Board of Public Works unanimously voted to double residential trash sticker fees Monday night.

The fee increase, effective Feb. 1, is one of several steps the city is taking to help offset a projected $1.3 million budget gap in its solid waste enterprise fund, a deficit board chairman Terry Culhane attributed to the purchase earlier this year of two homes on the landfill's perimeter to end costly litigation and an assortment of other unanticipated spending involving the landfill off Glendale Road.

Prior to the vote, area residents had the opportunity to weigh in on the proposal to raise fees from $1 to $2 for a sticker needed to dispose of a 40-gallon bag of trash at the landfill and the transfer station on Locust Street. Although a few residents came to speak in favor of the fee increase, Richard Gozowski, former chairman of the city's Recycling Committee, was among those against the plan because he saw it as the result of cavalier spending by the city.

"A year ago I came to a meeting here and the former chair of the BPW (David Reckhow) said the budget was awash with money," Gozowski said, adding, "which leaves me wondering where all that money went and whether it was spent just because you were taking it in, hand over fist."

Culhane said the deficit was the result of $2 million in litigation costs the board spent defending itself and the city against lawsuits, plus the cost of state-funded sniffers, which he said cost a "stunning amount of money," and the purchase of the two homes.

"At this point we are losing 80 cents for every bag disposed of at the transfer station," Culhane said. "What is driving us to consider doing something about this now is because the landfill is reaching the end of its life and it is pretty clear at this point, regardless of what is going to happen, the landfill is going to close in 20 months."

Also speaking against the increase was Henry Kowalski, a gate worker at the Locust Street transfer station, who presented a letter signed by station workers arguing that a change in the sticker price will place an unfair burden on employees and will generate extra funds from city residents struggling to make ends meet.

"The fee for trash drop-off is primarily paid for by middle-class residents because those who can afford it get curbside pickup.

The rates for those people and for commercial haulers will not be raised, thus the board is balancing out the BPW deficit on the backs of those who can least afford it," the letter read, adding that an increase will result in "double the work at the gate."

Board members decided to delay the start of the increase to Feb. 1 to allow ample time to alert area residents to the change.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Around Westhampton

By Owen Boss
Staff Writer

Library's new cupola a homegrown effort

As town residents watch the new public library take shape across from Town Hall, the building’s new cupola is being painstakingly constructed by a group of committed volunteers who hope the structure’s topper will prove to be the icing on the cake.

Phil Dowling, who heads the Library Building Committee, said the amount of detail going into the 6-by-6-foot cupola, which is being built in the Northwest Road workshop of woodworker and construction artist Douglas Thayer, is a true testament to the community’s commitment to the project.

“Some of our volunteers have been on the building committee for a long, long time and some people, like Doug, are just offering their help with this part,” Dowling said. “This is a situation that worked out really well with the nearby wood shop and good community involvement.”

Dowling says the wood-framed cupola is “not huge,” but the amount of detail that has gone into making it blend perfectly with a building originally built in 1814 has required some long hours in the shop.

“The building has some interesting trim, some parts of the exterior are decorated with what looks like arrowheads,” Dowling said. “So our town moderator, Ralph Hancewicz, took the time to replicate this dental work and now we’re putting in 208 matching pieces on the trim surrounding the cupola.”

Dowling said the group hasn’t figured out when the cupola will be completed, but said he can already picture what it will look like sitting on the new library’s roof.

“It will sit on the portion of the roof where the ridge and the top of it will be about 8-feet higher than the rest of the building,” Dowling said, adding he thinks the finished product “should look really good.”

•••
Westhampton grown

Each month, town residents who grow or manage some kind of plant life in Westhampton come together to share ideas and discuss growing strategies at the public library.

Kurt Heidinger of Stage Road, who helped organize the meetings in an attempt to start a dialogue among local growers, said they have generated a lot of fresh ideas between professionals and across mediums.

“Our basic mission is simply to invite people in the community that garden, farm or do forestry to come each month and present what they’ve been up to and have a discussion,” Heidinger said. “They can share information and we have been having an evolving discussion about food security and permaculture.”

Heidinger said all town residents are invited to join in the discussion and although they typically meet the first Monday of every month, the group’s next meeting will be held at the library on Dec. 28.

•••
Holiday concert

Hampshire Regional High School’s Music Department will ask the audience to help out at the school’s annual holiday sing-along concert on Dec. 22.

The school’s band, middle and high school choruses, and chamber singers are scheduled to perform at the concert, which organizers say will feature selected holiday songs and familiar favorites that will call for audience participation.

The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium on Stage Road. Admission to the event is free and any donations will benefit the school’s music department.

H1N1 vaccine open to all, clinics set

By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer

BOSTON — As reported cases of the H1N1 virus continue to decrease and vaccine shipments from the Center for Disease Control become larger, the state’s Department of Public Health announced plans Thursday to hold public swine flu clinics for all residents. Some of those clinics will take place this weekend.

Before Thursday, vaccines for the illness were being administered only to residents at high-risk for complications, including pregnant women, children, health care workers and the siblings of infants.

However, several large vaccine shipments over the last two weeks have increased the number of doses in the Bay State to over 2 million, with another 1.5 million expected before the end of January — spurring public clinics open to all residents, regardless of whether they are in a priority group.

“We will continue to distribute the vaccines to local health care clinics until we reach the anticipated 3.5 million doses,” said John Jacob, a spokesman for the department. “Our goal is to make the vaccine available to anyone who wishes to be vaccinated against the H1N1 virus.”

Although the department said it plans to hold the bulk of its large-scale flu clinics for all residents in early January, some local clinics targeting high-priority residents this month may expand participation to all residents.

Jacob said vaccinations at all flu clinics will be provided free of charge and that people with health insurance are encouraged to bring their insurance cards. Those who don’t have an insurance card, or forget to bring it, still will be vaccinated for free, he said.

To see a list of clinics planned for Hampshire County, residents are encouraged to visit www.mass.gov/flu or call 2-1-1.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Man badly hurt in car accident

NORTHAMPTON - A single-car accident between Florence Road and Pine Street Wednesday evening left the driver critically injured, police said.

According to Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Vanasse, at 6:25 p.m., local police and firefighters responded to the intersection of Ryan Road and Florence Road after it was reported that a motorist in a four-door sedan had driven through the intersection and slammed into a row of trees, trapping the car's only occupant.

Emergency responders initially thought the car had caught fire, Vanasse said, but later found that tires spinning after the accident caused the inside of the vehicle to fill with smoke.

Although police are still investigating the accident, Vanasse said, it appeared that road conditions were not the cause.

Police did not identify the injured man but said he had been taken by an advanced life support ambulance to Cooley Dickinson Hospital with serious injuries.

The accident forced police to reroute traffic around the intersection, and Pine Street and parts of Nonotuck Street were temporarily closed.

Vanasse said local and state police were still at the scene of the accident at 9 p.m., and a state police accident reconstruction team is investigating what caused the accident.

- OWEN BOSS

Maine woman faces charges in Southampton break-in, assault

By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer

SOUTHAMPTON — A Maine woman denied charges in court Tuesday stemming from an incident Monday night during which she allegedly broke into her ex-boyfriend’s apartment and broke several items before assaulting local police officers and paramedics.

Sara C. King, 27, of Dixmont, Maine, pleaded innocent to charges of vandalizing property, disorderly conduct, trespassing, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery on ambulance personnel and two counts of breaking and entering a building during the nighttime to commit a felony, according to court documents.

In court documents, police gave the following account of the arrest:

Officers responded to Wolcott Road at 8:35 p.m. Monday for a report that a man’s ex-girlfriend had broken into his apartment and was smashing glass items and verbally attacking him. After noticing that King's speech was slurred and she appeared to be under the influence of drugs, officers ordered her to leave the home. When being led from the premises, officers reported that King became combative and was subsequently arrested. While handcuffed, King again became combative, and violently bumped the two arresting officers, forcing all three to fall down a flight of stairs.

During booking, King spat on and attacked police, and after telling police she was having a medical emergency, she reportedly spit on an EMT three times while being transported to the hospital.

Judge W. Michael Goggins ordered King released on $500 personal surety; she is scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 20.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Vigil held in city to stem global warming

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - At least the irony of huddling together in the freezing cold to raise awareness about global warming wasn't lost on the brave souls who participated in a candlelight vigil Friday evening.

Those in attendance sang songs, shared ideas and rang the church's bell in an attempt to generate a public discussion about global warming and to let area residents know that people in their community care about the issue.

The gathering in front of First Churches, which was organized by the nonprofit group 350.org and the World Council of Churches, was just one of many taking place across the globe this week as world leaders gather to take part in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, according to Tina Clarke, a representative for 350.org.

"The idea here was that we wanted to present a public witness to the global warming crisis that we are in," Clarke said. "Compared to where we were three years ago, we have moved very fast and very far, and it is exciting to see what might happen."

The nonprofit group is committed to getting the world's carbon count down from 390 parts-per-million back to 350 ppm, a level scientists have deemed safe for the planet.

Jenny Fleming-Ives, who belongs to the Hampshire Interfaith Environmental Network and helped organize the vigil, said she was pleased to see so many people braving the elements.

"We want to stand with the negotiators in Copenhagen and send a message to our political leaders that people care about climate action and want to see more work on this," Fleming-Ives said, "and also to stand in solidarity around the world and say we want a plan that is fair and just."

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Police ID Dalton couple killed in crash

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

CUMMINGTON - Police have identified the elderly couple killed in a car crash on Route 9 Monday as Thomas J. Bowler, 93, and Frances S. Bowler, 81, of 22 Central Ave. in Dalton.

According to police, at 3:10 p.m., the pair were traveling west on Route 9 when their 2003 Toyota Camry veered off of the road and struck a rock ledge about three-quarters of a mile west of where the roadway intersects with Route 112 near the Old Creamery Grocery and Deli.

The scene of Monday's accident is about a half-mile from where another motorist left the road and became trapped inside their vehicle last month; Forgea said an initial investigation showed road conditions didn't play a role in the crash. "One of the contributing factors in that first accident was a buildup of ice on a bridge, and in this latest one that was not the case because the road was clear and dry," Police Chief Dennis Forgea said.

Forgea said a state police accident reconstruction team is investigating the cause of the crash.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

Man charged in Ponzi scheme held without bail

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD - A Holyoke man accused of perpetrating an elaborate Ponzi scheme to swindle area investors out of millions of dollars was ordered held without bail until his trial next month after a judge ruled he violated bail by contacting three of his alleged victims.

Last week, Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Goodwin filed a motion against Lewis Herrup Hoff, 48, of Holy Family Road in Holyoke, stating that while free on $50,000 unsecured bond, he violated a bail agreement by continuing to make and receive payments from victims of the alleged scheme.

Prosecutors say that Hoff posed as a financial advisor and lured several members of the Hickory Ridge Country Club in Amherst and a Connecticut golf club, as well as Holyoke acquaintances, into giving him millions of dollars for investments. Hoff, they allege, would then keep the money, using it for himself or to lure future investors.

According to Goodwin's motion, on Nov. 30 the federal government learned that two of Hoff's alleged victims had received payments from him on bank checks dated Nov. 25. The motion also alleges that a third victim was approached by Goodwin and asked for a $30,000 loan in his sister's name.

The same alleged victim reportedly received a check from Hoff for $400,000, the amount he owed her, and told her she could deposit it when the case was resolved, according to court documents.

Judge-magistrate Kenneth P. Neiman agreed to revoke Hoff's bail in U.S. District Court Monday afternoon, and he will remain in custody until his trial on Jan. 11.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

Bean Farm forum draws crowd

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - If the more than 300 residents who turned out for a community meeting about the city's potential purchase of the Bean Family Farm is any indication of how many will attend three future public forums, organizers may want to consider a larger venue.

The meeting, organized by members of the city's agricultural, recreation and conservation commissions, provided residents with a step-by-step analysis of the negotiation process so far, the stance of each individual commission, and some of the options that exist for the land's ultimate use.

According to Planning Director Wayne Feiden, the city has reached an agreement with the Bean family to purchase 47 acres of farmland, on both sides of Spring Street and about a quarter-mile north of Meadow Street, for $910,000. The Bean family, Feiden said, hopes to know the city's decision on the purchase by February, before considering an alternative option of developing a row of homes on the property.

If purchased, Feiden explained, the land could provide the city with much-needed space for a multi-purpose sports complex, quality community farmland, or a combination of both.

In opening remarks, Conservation Commission Chairman Kevin Lake said that although the final decision will be up to the City Council, the meetings organized by the three commissions are meant to be as constructive as possible, and residents should not let arguments over the use of the land spoil a great opportunity for the city.

"When (commission members) first met, we agreed to recognize that earnest and responsible people of equal goodwill and heartfelt commitment to the city can hold different views on this decision and that there are no bad guys and there are no wrong perspectives," he said. "In fact this is a nice problem to have, and we may be able to acquire some terrific land and put it to some good use."

Although all three commissions agreed that the land should be purchased and preserved as open space, before soliciting public comment, each had a chance to express hopes for its future use. Not surprisingly, the agricultural commission thought the land should be preserved for farming, the conservation commission as open space, and the recreation commission preferred the development of a sports complex.

Following the presentations, residents were asked to generate questions that commission members will answer at three future public forums. Questions produced included whether the land is on a floodplain, the potential environmental impact sports fields would have on the land, how the land would be managed, where parking would be located, and whether guidelines would exist for chemicals used to treat sports fields if located near farmland.

Among residents speaking in favor of the land's recreational use was John Stifler, of the Northampton Youth Soccer Association, who stressed the importance of using local sports as a way to teach children a host of necessary life lessons.

"It's well-established that youth athletics benefit kids by teaching them the self-respect, independence, dignity and leadership, but what is not often established is that all of these qualities are born on the practice field," Stifler said. "For our children, all these lessons are learned by being with each other on the practice field, and right now the problem is that there aren't any fields to practice on."

Steve Striver, of Park Avenue, took the time to research past deeds on the property and found records dating back to 1849, when the land was sold from the Northampton Association of Education to Able Ross. He said he hopes the land can be preserved because of its historical importance to future generations.

"I think that since the election we have become a more open-process community," he said, "and we should trust ourselves to do that process because this land is too important to let go."

More information about the potential purchase, as well as slides of the presentation made available at the meeting, is available from the city's Web site, http://www.northamptonma.gov.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Two die in crash on Route 9 in Cummington

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

CUMMINGTON - An elderly couple from Dalton died Monday after the car they were traveling in veered off Route 9 and struck a rock ledge, police said.

According to Police Chief Dennis Forgea, at 3:10 p.m., local police responded to an area about three-quarters of a mile west of where Route 9 intersects with Route 112 for a report that two motorists, who were traveling east, were badly injured and trapped inside their vehicle.

Forgea said it took emergency responders about 15 minutes to free the couple from the car using hydraulic cutting gear before they were rushed by Highland Ambulance to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, where they eventually died from their injuries.

Forgea declined to identify the victims because he was still trying to reach their family members Monday night.

No other motorists were injured as a result of the accident and the cause of the one-car crash is being investigated by a state police accident reconstruction team, Forgea said.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com

Luck didn't last for suspect in string of city thefts

By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON — An Amherst man freed by police after being stopped for driving with a revoked license and expired registration must have thought he got off easy.

That was Nov. 16. On Thursday, police arrested him in connection with a string of break-ins in Northampton and the theft of that very car.

Patrick M. Lynn, 27, of 170 E. Hadley Road, Amherst, pleaded innocent Friday to charges of larceny over $250, two counts of larceny of a motor vehicle, subsequent offense, seven counts of breaking and entering a vehicle during the nighttime, a felony, and five counts of larceny under $250.

The story began Nov. 16 when, police reports indicate, a state police officer based in Westfield pulled Lynn over after noticing the expired registration. Police would later learn that car Lynn was driving had been stolen, but in the meantime, they released Lynn and impounded the vehicle.

Meanwhile, on Nov. 17, Northampton Police Detective Craig R. Kirouac was assigned to investigate reports of two stolen cars and a string of thefts that had occurred in the city the night before, during which more than a dozen unlocked cars were broken into and cars were reported stolen on Washington Avenue and Fruit Street, according to court documents.
Both stolen vehicles, Kirouac reported, had been left unlocked with the keys inside. Meanwhile, the owners of the other cars that were broken into reported missing change, phone chargers, GPS systems and electronics.

During the investigation, Kirouac learned that at 11 p.m. on the night the break-ins occurred, state police had stopped Lynn and that he had been given a summons to appear in court, though the car he was in was towed to Red’s Towing on Riverdale Street in West Springfield, according to Kirouac.

When the car was reported stolen, Northampton police did a records search and found it at Red’s. A search of the vehicle yielded GPS system paraphernalia, missing electronics and the keys to the other car reported stolen in Northampton.

Lynn has an extensive criminal record, including multiple charges of larceny of a motor vehicle, breaking and entering, drug offenses and other crimes, according to court documents. In May 2007, he was sentenced in Hampshire Superior Court to serve two to three years in jail for stealing a car, according to court documents.

Judge Richard J. Carey set Lynn’s bail at $2,500 cash or $25,000 surety Friday. He is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 4 for a pretrial hearing.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

Former UMass football captain faces weapons charges

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

AMHERST - A former captain of the University of Massachusetts football team faces weapons charges Thursday after police reportedly found a loaded handgun and drugs in his car.

Sean R. Smalls, 22, of Richmond, Va., pleaded innocent Thursday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a firearm on school grounds and possession of a firearm without an F.I.D. card.

Smalls was stopped on Infirmary Way Wednesday after a UMass police officer reportedly saw him obstruct traffic on Sunset Avenue. The officer reportedly smelled marijuana when he approached the vehicle and when a K-9 unit was called to sniff for drugs, Alexander Jardin, the only passenger, admitted to having marijuana, a scale and Adderall, a stimulant medication, in a backpack in the back seat, according to court documents.

After the bag was removed and the drugs confiscated, police reportedly noticed that Smalls was fidgeting around under the front seat and a further search of the vehicle uncovered an unregistered black semi-automatic .380 pistol with a loaded magazine.

Judge Laurie MacLeod ordered Smalls released on $200 bail and he is scheduled to reappear in court on Jan. 25.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.

Hunter accidentally shot in Worthington

WORTHINGTON - State police are investigating a hunting accident near the Berkshire Park Camping Area Tuesday afternoon that left one man with a gunshot wound to the shoulder.

Shortly after 1 p.m., state police responded to a wooded area near the Harvey Road campground for a report that a 60-year-old male hunter had suffered an accidental gunshot wound, according to state police Trooper George Beaupre, of the Russell Barracks.

"It didn't happen on the campgrounds. It occurred in the woods nearby, and it was only a minor injury, nothing remotely close to life threatening," Beaupre said.

The injured hunter, whom Beaupre declined to identify, was taken by ambulance to Cooley-Dickinson Hospital in Northampton.

- OWEN BOSS

Obama decision on Afghanistan buildup brings out strong reactions locally

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By Owen Boss, Chad Cain, Kristen Palpini

Staff Writers

NORTHAMPTON - As President Obama prepared to lay out his mission for Afghanistan in a much-anticipated address to the nation Tuesday, Paki Wieland embarked on a mission of her own.

The longtime Northampton peace activist and three other Valley women traveled to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., the site for Obama's speech. As members of Code Pink, a national anti-war group whose membership comprises mainly women, Wieland and her companions joined others in a "visible protest" against the president's plan to increase the number of troops in the troubled Middle Eastern country by 30,000.

"It's part of the ongoing reminder to ourselves and to the world that everybody in this country is not behind an insane policy," said Wieland before she left Tuesday.

She and numerous others throughout the Valley believe that funneling more military personnel - and the accompanying price tag of $30 billion a year - into Afghanistan is not the solution to the country's long-running problems and will likely do more harm than good.

"A war brings with it bad things for everybody involved," said Jeff Napolitano, director of the western Massachusetts chapter of the American Friends Service Committee, an organization that conducts social justice and peace programs throughout the world.

In addition to reducing security stateside, a troop increase will mean less money for this country, especially at a time when more resources are needed at home, said Napolitano. It also could lead to the death of more troops and innocent civilians and further stoke anti-U.S. sentiment, others say.

Joel Dansky, a Northampton resident and member of the Northampton Committee to Stop the War in Iraq, said Obama is on the wrong path and will likely be back in six months asking for more troops or pushing for a different plan entirely.

The scholars' view

Area political scientists were more measured in their comments, noting that the surge may help in the short term but that it's unlikely to lead to long-term stability.

For that, the infrastructure of the Afghani government would have to shed the corruption that is plaguing its system, most noticeably in the recent presidential election. The central state would also have to become more able to provide its civilians with basic human services, including public education, a court system, health care and an agricultural plan that does not include poppy production. "The Obama administration is rightly connecting its troop surge strategy with efforts to stabilize the Afghani government, local social and economic capacity building projects and coordination with policy in Pakistan," said David M. Mednicoff, a professor of legal studies, public policy and Middle Eastern studies at the University of Massachusetts.

"It's hard to imagine what it (the surge) can do to stabilize an Afghani democratic government or destroy armed Islamist groups in the medium run," he said.

Although infrastructure building is a focus of the surge, Jon W. Western, a Five Colleges professor of international relations, pointed out that troops trained for combat might not be able to create and establish a stable government.

"The counterinsurgency strategy makes a whole lot of sense at the theoretical level, but when you actually go from the theory to apply it, it's an enormously complex process," Western said. "We have the best-trained and equipped fighting force assembled ... but it's a fighting force that is not a particularly strong instrument to build state institutions."

Or, as Napolitano put it, "Increasing the troop presence is not going to help unless they bring something other than guns. That's not the way to do it."

Vets weigh in

Inside the Michael Curtin VFW Post in Florence, local veterans had formed strong opinions on the surge long before Obama took the podium.

Mike McCarthy, 63, of Florence, who served with the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, said Obama is doing a good job given that he inherited a nightmare from the previous administration.

"The poor guy, he's going to age overnight," he said. "It really is a thankless job, and he seems to be doing well with it so far."

McCarthy's main gripe with the surge is that lasting corruption within the Afghan government could reverse progress after American troops pull out.

"If the Afghan government is corrupt, you just don't know what is going to happen once we pull the troops back out of there," McCarthy said. "You'd end up right back in the same place you were to begin with."

Joe Grabon, 66, of Florence, a past commander and current president of the post who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, supports America's change in approach outlined in a recent television interview by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top commander in Afghanistan.

"(McChrystal) was pretty clear about changing the strategy away from just putting more units on the ground, and he said accomplishing that goal would require this number of troops," Grabon said.

And while he may not fully support sending more troops, Grabon said he felt the American government owed it to the Afghan Army to give them enough time to train a security force that can eventually inherit the struggle with the Taliban.

Standing in adamant opposition to increased troop levels was Edwin Jaworski Sr., of Hatfield, a disabled World War II Navy veteran who served on the USS Carney.

"When Obama ran for president, he said he was going to send more troops over there and then cut it off and now he's shipping more of them out, instead of cutting them off like he said he would," Jworski said.

Protesting the plan

Numerous protests against Obama's plan took place throughout the country Tuesday, and more are on the way. One of those protests will take place locally this morning when members of the Northampton Committee to Stop the War in Iraq holds a 7:30 a.m. vigil at the Coolidge Bridge.

While the group's name singles out Iraq, its mission is to stop war in Afghanistan as well, said member Sally Weiss. The committee's ultimate goal is to see the country withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan, where the group views the U.S. presence as occupations.

"Occupations are doomed to create more problems than they're supposed to solve," Weiss said.

Michael T. Klare, a Five Colleges professor of peace and world security studies, expressed a similar concern that a military surge could lead to greater anti-American sentiments in the Middle East. "It will appear like America is performing an occupying role," Klare said. "There will be increased resentment."

But a quick withdrawal of troops would leave the area unstable, Mednicoff said, an undesirable situation that could also give rise to anti-American sentiment.

Both Klare and Mednicoff said the United State should focus on training Afghani forces to be self-sufficient and work to suppress governmental corruption. In addition, Klare suggested using American special air forces and unmanned drones to continue attacks on Al-Qaida as a way to address that threat.

"I'm just not sure I see the deployment of 30,000-35,000 troops on such a short time table to be an effective remedy, even if these models work," said Western, of the 2011 exit strategy. "He's asking to do a lot in a short period of time, and the U.S. doesn't have a good track record of building this type of institution for the level of stability that he's suggesting."