Police link efforts after Florence holdup
By OWEN BOSS
and DAN CROWLEY
Staff Writers
NORTHAMPTON — Police from two departments worked together to arrest three Worcester men who now face charges in an early morning armed robbery at the Cumberland Farms on Main Street in Florence.
Jesrial Morales, 21, Khai Quang Tran, 19, and Michael Emil Wright, 18, each pleaded innocent Wednesday in Northampton District Court to charges of armed robbery with a firearm while masked. Morales and Wright also pleaded innocent to two counts of assault with dangerous weapon and Morales and Tran both pleaded innocent to charges of possessing a firearm without an F.I.D. card and carrying a firearm without a license.
According to police, at 4 a.m. Wednesday morning, Northampton police officers Greg Koreptka, Justin Hooten and Brian Letzeisen responded to the convenience store after receiving a report that two store clerks had been robbed by a masked man with a handgun and that the man and a lookout had fled the scene on foot.
The clerks gave police a description of what the men were wearing and witnesses several blocks away reportedly told police they saw the two men jump into a black vehicle and speed away.
Less than a half hour later, Easthampton police, who were on alert, stopped Tran for speeding on Northampton Street in his black Honda Prelude, which police say was missing its front license plate.
After Tran reportedly consented to a search of the vehicle, police discovered clothing items matching those allegedly worn by the gunman and lookout, approximately $100 in loose bills and an unregistered loaded .357 magnum in the trunk, according to court documents.
Easthampton Police Captain Donald Emerson said a fold-down compartment leading to the trunk made the handgun readily accessible to the passenger in the back seat, making the traffic stop especially dangerous.
“They could have gotten at the weapon any time they wanted to,” he said.
Using the store’s surveillance video footage and the clothing worn by each man, police determined that Tran was the getaway driver and Wright acted as lookout while Morales entered the store with a torn T-shirt wrapped around his face and demanded money from the cash register while pointing a gun at one of the clerk’s faces, according to court documents.
The clerk reportedly gave Morales the $65 in the drawer and Tran was reportedly seen on surveillance footage casing the store before the robbery.
Judge W. Michael Goggins set bail for Morales at $100,000 cash; Wright at $20,000 cash; and Tran at $10,000 cash. All three men are scheduled to reappear in court on Oct. 29 for a bail hearing.
Staff Writer Matt Pilon contributed to this report.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Teen charged in crash
SOUTHAMPTON — A Holyoke teen is facing a number of charges after he allegedly crashed into a utility pole and a street sign while driving drunk early Tuesday morning.
Alexander C. Jalbert, 19, of Holyoke, pleaded innocent Tuesday in Northampton District Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
At 2:19 a.m., officers received two calls reporting a loud motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Wyben Road and Russellville Road and one of the callers said they heard the vehicle involved leave the area at a high rate of speed and head east toward Former Road, according to court documents.
Several minutes later, police reportedly stopped Jalbert on Former Road for having a headlight out and noticed that the front bumper was hanging off of his vehicle and there was a large amount of fresh damage to the driver’s side. Jalbert reportedly admitted to being involved in the crash and told police he had five drinks and smoked marijuana before driving.
Judge Richard J. Carey ordered Jalbert released on his own recognizance and he is scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 15.
— OWEN BOSS
Alexander C. Jalbert, 19, of Holyoke, pleaded innocent Tuesday in Northampton District Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
At 2:19 a.m., officers received two calls reporting a loud motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Wyben Road and Russellville Road and one of the callers said they heard the vehicle involved leave the area at a high rate of speed and head east toward Former Road, according to court documents.
Several minutes later, police reportedly stopped Jalbert on Former Road for having a headlight out and noticed that the front bumper was hanging off of his vehicle and there was a large amount of fresh damage to the driver’s side. Jalbert reportedly admitted to being involved in the crash and told police he had five drinks and smoked marijuana before driving.
Judge Richard J. Carey ordered Jalbert released on his own recognizance and he is scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 15.
— OWEN BOSS
Teen arraigned for string of robberies
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
EASTHAMPTON — Police believe a local teen is responsible for a recent string of late-night break-ins at several area businesses this month, during which he reportedly shattered windows, damaged vents and stole and destroyed two cash registers.
Thomas Welch, 17, of 58 Everett St., pleaded innocent Tuesday in Northampton District Court to charges of larceny over $250, larceny from a building, three counts of breaking and entering a building during the nighttime for a felony and three counts of malicious destruction of property valued above $250.
The first reported break-in allegedly occurred overnight on Sept. 11 at Salon FX on Union Street, after an owner reportedly found the salon’s cash register missing and noticed a broken window and vent in the back of the store, according to court documents. Police reportedly took photographs of two pairs of shoeprints found inside the store but at that time had no suspects in the case.
Then, on Monday morning, two more overnight break-ins were reported at Manchester’s Hardware on Union Street and La Casita Azteca Restaurant on Cottage Street. The owner of Manchester’s Hardware reported damage to one of the store’s windows and an interior door but said he found nothing stolen; and the owner of La Casita Azteca Restaurant found a smashed window and their cash register, which allegedly contained $270, missing.
Using footage from the restaurant’s surveillance cameras, officer Alan Schadel was able to identify Welch as the man breaking into the store and after being placed under arrest, he reportedly admitted to being involved in all three robberies, according to court documents.
Although Welch’s shoeprints only matched one of those found in Salon FX, he reportedly refused to identify the other individual involved. Welch later told police he threw Salon FX’s cash register over the dam on the Lower Mill Pond and that La Casita Azteca Restauarant’s register was in a pond area near St. Brigid’s Cemetery off of Everett Street, according to court documents. Police were able to locate both registers, but because Salon FX’s was wedged in a shallow canal, they were only able to retrieve the one belonging to La Casita Azteca Restaurant, police said.
Judge Richard J. Carey released Welch on his own recognizance and on the condition that he stay away from any of the businesses he allegedly robbed, avoid drugs and alcohol and submit to random screenings and stay at his current address; he is scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 15.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Staff Writer
EASTHAMPTON — Police believe a local teen is responsible for a recent string of late-night break-ins at several area businesses this month, during which he reportedly shattered windows, damaged vents and stole and destroyed two cash registers.
Thomas Welch, 17, of 58 Everett St., pleaded innocent Tuesday in Northampton District Court to charges of larceny over $250, larceny from a building, three counts of breaking and entering a building during the nighttime for a felony and three counts of malicious destruction of property valued above $250.
The first reported break-in allegedly occurred overnight on Sept. 11 at Salon FX on Union Street, after an owner reportedly found the salon’s cash register missing and noticed a broken window and vent in the back of the store, according to court documents. Police reportedly took photographs of two pairs of shoeprints found inside the store but at that time had no suspects in the case.
Then, on Monday morning, two more overnight break-ins were reported at Manchester’s Hardware on Union Street and La Casita Azteca Restaurant on Cottage Street. The owner of Manchester’s Hardware reported damage to one of the store’s windows and an interior door but said he found nothing stolen; and the owner of La Casita Azteca Restaurant found a smashed window and their cash register, which allegedly contained $270, missing.
Using footage from the restaurant’s surveillance cameras, officer Alan Schadel was able to identify Welch as the man breaking into the store and after being placed under arrest, he reportedly admitted to being involved in all three robberies, according to court documents.
Although Welch’s shoeprints only matched one of those found in Salon FX, he reportedly refused to identify the other individual involved. Welch later told police he threw Salon FX’s cash register over the dam on the Lower Mill Pond and that La Casita Azteca Restauarant’s register was in a pond area near St. Brigid’s Cemetery off of Everett Street, according to court documents. Police were able to locate both registers, but because Salon FX’s was wedged in a shallow canal, they were only able to retrieve the one belonging to La Casita Azteca Restaurant, police said.
Judge Richard J. Carey released Welch on his own recognizance and on the condition that he stay away from any of the businesses he allegedly robbed, avoid drugs and alcohol and submit to random screenings and stay at his current address; he is scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 15.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Monday, September 28, 2009
Hadley head-on crash injures two
By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
HADLEY - Two Belchertown residents were seriously injured in a head-on collision on Bay Road Monday morning that required local firefighters to use hydraulic tools to dislodge the men from their vehicles.
Both Eugene Blanchette, 73, and Robert Wilson, 66, were taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Because of the extent of his injuries, Blanchette was reportedly transported by Life Flight helicopter and Wilson by Amherst ambulance, Hadley police said.
According to Officer Mark Shlosser, the accident occurred around 10 a.m. when Blanchette, who was driving a 1978 Pontiac Firebird, collided head-on with Wilson, who was driving a 1996 Geo Tracker.
Shlosser said both vehicles appeared to be total losses and the accident tied up traffic for about two hours while a state police accident reconstruction team investigated the cause of the collision.
Wilson was in serious condition Monday night and Blanchette was listed as critical, a hospital spokesman said.
The cause of the accident, police said, remains under investigation.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Clerk's tip leads police to drug cache
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
NORTHAMPTON — Quick-thinking clerks at a Pleasant Street convenience store helped land three area residents in court Monday on charges of attempting to sell $2,500 worth of marijuana.
Miguel Angel Martinez, 22, of 320 Stebbins St., Belchertown, Nicole Marie Carron, 21, of 28 Eugene Drive, Belchertown and Josue Santiago, 24, of Westfield, each pleaded innocent in Northampton District Court to charges of possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute. Martinez also pleaded innocent to a charge of providing police with a false name, and Santiago pleaded innocent to charges of possessing a class B substance (Adderall), subsequent offense and possessing a class C substance (clonazepam), subsequent offense.
According to police, Detective Alan Borowski and officer Sean Casella responded at 8:42 p.m. to a call from workers at O’Connell’s Convenience Plus, who reported that people in a vehicle parked at their gas pumps had been acting suspiciously.
Employees said they had on several occasions seen one of the car’s occupants walk to the side of the building and return to the vehicle, which would then park at a different gas pump. They also reportedly told police one of the passengers in the vehicle entered the store twice looking to exchange a $10 bill for smaller denominations, telling the cashier “I have the munchies,” according to court documents.
When Borowski and Casella approached the vehicle, they reportedly smelled marijuana, saw remnants of the drug on the driver’s T-shirt and several gutted cigars or “blunts” lining the back seat. After determining that all three occupants of the vehicle were under the influence of marijuana and discovering that Martinez had a warrant for his arrest, they arrested Martinez and searched the car.
The search reportedly uncovered two backpacks, each containing 116 grams, or more than 4 ounces, of marijuana and 198 small plastic bags. One of the backpacks, which was lying closest to Santiago, also contained a digital scale, a clonazepam pill and several Adderall.
While in custody, police found that in March 2008, Santiago was found guilty on a charge of possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute in Springfield District Court; and Martinez had an active default warrant out of West Springfield Court for possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute.
Judge Richard J. Carey set bail for each of the defendants at $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety and they are all scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial hearing Oct. 26.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Staff Writer
NORTHAMPTON — Quick-thinking clerks at a Pleasant Street convenience store helped land three area residents in court Monday on charges of attempting to sell $2,500 worth of marijuana.
Miguel Angel Martinez, 22, of 320 Stebbins St., Belchertown, Nicole Marie Carron, 21, of 28 Eugene Drive, Belchertown and Josue Santiago, 24, of Westfield, each pleaded innocent in Northampton District Court to charges of possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute. Martinez also pleaded innocent to a charge of providing police with a false name, and Santiago pleaded innocent to charges of possessing a class B substance (Adderall), subsequent offense and possessing a class C substance (clonazepam), subsequent offense.
According to police, Detective Alan Borowski and officer Sean Casella responded at 8:42 p.m. to a call from workers at O’Connell’s Convenience Plus, who reported that people in a vehicle parked at their gas pumps had been acting suspiciously.
Employees said they had on several occasions seen one of the car’s occupants walk to the side of the building and return to the vehicle, which would then park at a different gas pump. They also reportedly told police one of the passengers in the vehicle entered the store twice looking to exchange a $10 bill for smaller denominations, telling the cashier “I have the munchies,” according to court documents.
When Borowski and Casella approached the vehicle, they reportedly smelled marijuana, saw remnants of the drug on the driver’s T-shirt and several gutted cigars or “blunts” lining the back seat. After determining that all three occupants of the vehicle were under the influence of marijuana and discovering that Martinez had a warrant for his arrest, they arrested Martinez and searched the car.
The search reportedly uncovered two backpacks, each containing 116 grams, or more than 4 ounces, of marijuana and 198 small plastic bags. One of the backpacks, which was lying closest to Santiago, also contained a digital scale, a clonazepam pill and several Adderall.
While in custody, police found that in March 2008, Santiago was found guilty on a charge of possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute in Springfield District Court; and Martinez had an active default warrant out of West Springfield Court for possessing a class D substance (marijuana) with intent to distribute.
Judge Richard J. Carey set bail for each of the defendants at $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety and they are all scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial hearing Oct. 26.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Friday, September 25, 2009
5 town car chase ends in arrest
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
HADLEY — A Missouri man was arrested after he led police on a high-speed chase through five towns Thursday night while behind the wheel of a red Cadillac.
Joshua Edward Frascello, 24, of Buffalo, Mo., pleaded innocent Friday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, disorderly conduct, two counts of failure to stop for police and being a fugitive from justice on a court warrant.
At 8:50 p.m., Hadley police officer Adam Bartlett stopped Frascello’s vehicle near the intersection of Route 9 and South Maple Street because it went through a red light, police said.
Bartlett had had a previous encounter with Frascello, and suspected that he was giving a false name. Bartlett had checked some information on the computer in his cruiser, and was returning to the vehicle when it reportedly took off.
The vehicle headed north on North Maple Street, to Rocky Hill Road and Route 116, police said. It was exceeding 100 miles per hour and crossing double yellow lines, causing oncoming motorists to have to swerve off the road to avoid collisions, police said.
Frascello reached the intersection of Routes 116 in 47 in Sunderland, where police deployed “stop sticks,” which are designed to slowly deflate tires, police said. But the vehicle proceeded over the Sunderland Bridge into South Deerfield and entered Whately, where the state police deployed more “stop sticks.” At this point the vehicle crashed into a guardrail and Frascello fled on foot into a swampy area near the river, where he was apprehended a short time later, police said. Members of the Hadley, Sunderland, Whately and state police departments assisted in making the arrest.
There were several warrants out for Frascello’s arrest, both locally and outside the Pioneer Valley. Frascello also pleaded innocent Friday to charges of larceny from a person, receiving stolen property valued above $250 and using a motor vehicle without authority.
Judge Richard J. Carey set Frascello’s bail at $10,000 cash or $100,000 surety, and he is scheduled to reappear for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 15.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Staff Writer
HADLEY — A Missouri man was arrested after he led police on a high-speed chase through five towns Thursday night while behind the wheel of a red Cadillac.
Joshua Edward Frascello, 24, of Buffalo, Mo., pleaded innocent Friday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, disorderly conduct, two counts of failure to stop for police and being a fugitive from justice on a court warrant.
At 8:50 p.m., Hadley police officer Adam Bartlett stopped Frascello’s vehicle near the intersection of Route 9 and South Maple Street because it went through a red light, police said.
Bartlett had had a previous encounter with Frascello, and suspected that he was giving a false name. Bartlett had checked some information on the computer in his cruiser, and was returning to the vehicle when it reportedly took off.
The vehicle headed north on North Maple Street, to Rocky Hill Road and Route 116, police said. It was exceeding 100 miles per hour and crossing double yellow lines, causing oncoming motorists to have to swerve off the road to avoid collisions, police said.
Frascello reached the intersection of Routes 116 in 47 in Sunderland, where police deployed “stop sticks,” which are designed to slowly deflate tires, police said. But the vehicle proceeded over the Sunderland Bridge into South Deerfield and entered Whately, where the state police deployed more “stop sticks.” At this point the vehicle crashed into a guardrail and Frascello fled on foot into a swampy area near the river, where he was apprehended a short time later, police said. Members of the Hadley, Sunderland, Whately and state police departments assisted in making the arrest.
There were several warrants out for Frascello’s arrest, both locally and outside the Pioneer Valley. Frascello also pleaded innocent Friday to charges of larceny from a person, receiving stolen property valued above $250 and using a motor vehicle without authority.
Judge Richard J. Carey set Frascello’s bail at $10,000 cash or $100,000 surety, and he is scheduled to reappear for a pretrial hearing on Oct. 15.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Around Westhampton
By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
Road race, music on tap for Fall Festival
Preparations for this year’s Fall Festival are ramping up and officials are glad to announce that residents have a lot to look forward to.
The festival, which will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 18, will be held in a field near the center of town behind the site of the future library. Kicking off the event is a repeat of the Westhampton Hills 5K race, which will begin at Town Hall. Throughout the afternoon, coordinators have planned to have a variety of snack foods and lunch before a community supper, scheduled for 4:30 p.m., and a bonfire sing-along in the evening.
Tours of the history museum, a guided walk around the historic town center, musical performances, games, crafts, a pumpkin-weighing contest, cow pie bingo and demonstrations from a blacksmith and woodsman are among the day’s scheduled events.
The Fall Festival is sponsored by the Friends of the Westhampton Memorial Library as part of its annual capital campaign. In the instance of rain, officials say they will hold as many events as possible using the Town Hall and nearby church as indoor venues.
•••
New library starts to rise
Construction on the town’s new library in the center of town is gaining steam and those in charge of the project say residents should expect to see a frame of the building by Thanksgiving.
Phil Dowling, chairman of the Westhampton Library Building Committee, said construction workers began setting the footing for the $2 million project on Tuesday in the hopes of laying the foundation sometime next week.
“By Thanksgiving there will be a frame of the structure there and hopefully we can have it weather-tight so that we can work on the inside of it all winter,” Dowling said. “Our expected completion date is around April or May next year.”
Although work on the project began in early August, Dowling said so far most of the effort has been focused on making preparations for the construction that will take place over the next two months.
“The next 60 days will bring with it a lot of changes,” Dowling said. “It’s just beginning, we’ve gone through the design phase and everything else but people don’t get to see anything until they start seeing something coming up out of the ground — and to have that starting to happen is very exciting.”
•••
Town positions open
Town Administrator Margie Parsons is calling on local residents to step up and fill several available positions in town government.
While a professional background in the given field is desired, Parsons said the most important thing to her is filling the open positions with committed residents.
“We need volunteers in a number of town positions,” Parsons said. “We are just looking for people who are interested enough to serve.”
The Zoning Board of Appeals, Recreation Committee, Board of Health and Open Space Committee are among those with vacancies.
Parsons says residents interested in signing up for the positions should contact a member of the town’s Select Board.
Staff Writer
Road race, music on tap for Fall Festival
Preparations for this year’s Fall Festival are ramping up and officials are glad to announce that residents have a lot to look forward to.
The festival, which will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 18, will be held in a field near the center of town behind the site of the future library. Kicking off the event is a repeat of the Westhampton Hills 5K race, which will begin at Town Hall. Throughout the afternoon, coordinators have planned to have a variety of snack foods and lunch before a community supper, scheduled for 4:30 p.m., and a bonfire sing-along in the evening.
Tours of the history museum, a guided walk around the historic town center, musical performances, games, crafts, a pumpkin-weighing contest, cow pie bingo and demonstrations from a blacksmith and woodsman are among the day’s scheduled events.
The Fall Festival is sponsored by the Friends of the Westhampton Memorial Library as part of its annual capital campaign. In the instance of rain, officials say they will hold as many events as possible using the Town Hall and nearby church as indoor venues.
•••
New library starts to rise
Construction on the town’s new library in the center of town is gaining steam and those in charge of the project say residents should expect to see a frame of the building by Thanksgiving.
Phil Dowling, chairman of the Westhampton Library Building Committee, said construction workers began setting the footing for the $2 million project on Tuesday in the hopes of laying the foundation sometime next week.
“By Thanksgiving there will be a frame of the structure there and hopefully we can have it weather-tight so that we can work on the inside of it all winter,” Dowling said. “Our expected completion date is around April or May next year.”
Although work on the project began in early August, Dowling said so far most of the effort has been focused on making preparations for the construction that will take place over the next two months.
“The next 60 days will bring with it a lot of changes,” Dowling said. “It’s just beginning, we’ve gone through the design phase and everything else but people don’t get to see anything until they start seeing something coming up out of the ground — and to have that starting to happen is very exciting.”
•••
Town positions open
Town Administrator Margie Parsons is calling on local residents to step up and fill several available positions in town government.
While a professional background in the given field is desired, Parsons said the most important thing to her is filling the open positions with committed residents.
“We need volunteers in a number of town positions,” Parsons said. “We are just looking for people who are interested enough to serve.”
The Zoning Board of Appeals, Recreation Committee, Board of Health and Open Space Committee are among those with vacancies.
Parsons says residents interested in signing up for the positions should contact a member of the town’s Select Board.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Medford man ordered held on $25,000 bail
AMHERST — A Medford man charged with threatening several groups of University of Massachusetts students with a knife Sunday night was ordered held on $25,000 cash bail Tuesday.
Brendan J. Daddario, 25, pleaded innocent Tuesday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to seven counts of armed assault to rob and nine counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.
At 2:40 a.m., campus police reportedly began receiving calls that a man outside of Crampton dormitory, at 256 Sunset Ave., was brandishing a 9-inch folding knife at students trying to get inside and was demanding money and cigarettes.
Daddario, who is not a student at the university, allegedly approached several groups of students before police located him and observed him throwing the serrated knife over a cement wall nearby.
No money or cigarettes were stolen and there were no reported injuries, according to court documents.
Judge W. Michael Goggins ordered Daddario held on $25,000 cash or $250,000 surety. He is scheduled to reappear in court on Oct. 21.
— OWEN BOSS
Brendan J. Daddario, 25, pleaded innocent Tuesday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to seven counts of armed assault to rob and nine counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.
At 2:40 a.m., campus police reportedly began receiving calls that a man outside of Crampton dormitory, at 256 Sunset Ave., was brandishing a 9-inch folding knife at students trying to get inside and was demanding money and cigarettes.
Daddario, who is not a student at the university, allegedly approached several groups of students before police located him and observed him throwing the serrated knife over a cement wall nearby.
No money or cigarettes were stolen and there were no reported injuries, according to court documents.
Judge W. Michael Goggins ordered Daddario held on $25,000 cash or $250,000 surety. He is scheduled to reappear in court on Oct. 21.
— OWEN BOSS
Wild ride leads to arrest of UMass students
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
AMHERST — Two UMass students are facing a slew of charges after they allegedly stole one of the college’s electric vehicles Tuesday night, rolled it down Orchard Hill in neutral and eventually crashed into a guardrail outside of Brooks dormitory before fleeing the scene.
The alleged driver, Edward F. Wolfersdorf, 19, of East Quogue, N.Y., pleaded innocent Wednesday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of larceny of a motor vehicle, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, disorderly conduct, wanton destruction of property valued above $250, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury. While the alleged passenger, Matthew C. Burgess, also 19, of Cohasset, Mass., pleaded innocent to charges of larceny of a motor vehicle, receiving a stolen motor vehicle and disorderly conduct.
At 11:55 p.m., UMass police responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident between the Brooks dormitory and the New Africa House, both of which are located on Infirmary Way next to the campus’ Health Services building, according to court documents.
Responding officers reportedly found a yellow and white GEM battery-electric vehicle, which belonged to the university, crashed into the railing that runs along the sidewalk between the dorms.
Police reportedly spoke with several eye-witnesses who were able to offer descriptions of the two men and identify Burgess, who they said was injured in the crash when he hit his head on the windshield and was ejected from the vehicle. Because of the reported injuries, police went to Burgess’ dorm room in Baker dormitory where he was reportedly attempting to treat the minor injuries he sustained in the crash, according to court documents.
Burgess reportedly told police that he and Wolfersdorf had stolen the vehicle while it was parked outside of Baker dormitory and without turning it on, tried to drive it down Orchard Hill from Baker to Brooks. Both men suffered only minor injuries and neither were taken to the hospital, according to court documents.
Judge W. Michael Goggins released Wolfersdorf on $500 cash bail and Burgess was released on his own recognizance. Both men are scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 3.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Staff Writer
AMHERST — Two UMass students are facing a slew of charges after they allegedly stole one of the college’s electric vehicles Tuesday night, rolled it down Orchard Hill in neutral and eventually crashed into a guardrail outside of Brooks dormitory before fleeing the scene.
The alleged driver, Edward F. Wolfersdorf, 19, of East Quogue, N.Y., pleaded innocent Wednesday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of larceny of a motor vehicle, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, disorderly conduct, wanton destruction of property valued above $250, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury. While the alleged passenger, Matthew C. Burgess, also 19, of Cohasset, Mass., pleaded innocent to charges of larceny of a motor vehicle, receiving a stolen motor vehicle and disorderly conduct.
At 11:55 p.m., UMass police responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident between the Brooks dormitory and the New Africa House, both of which are located on Infirmary Way next to the campus’ Health Services building, according to court documents.
Responding officers reportedly found a yellow and white GEM battery-electric vehicle, which belonged to the university, crashed into the railing that runs along the sidewalk between the dorms.
Police reportedly spoke with several eye-witnesses who were able to offer descriptions of the two men and identify Burgess, who they said was injured in the crash when he hit his head on the windshield and was ejected from the vehicle. Because of the reported injuries, police went to Burgess’ dorm room in Baker dormitory where he was reportedly attempting to treat the minor injuries he sustained in the crash, according to court documents.
Burgess reportedly told police that he and Wolfersdorf had stolen the vehicle while it was parked outside of Baker dormitory and without turning it on, tried to drive it down Orchard Hill from Baker to Brooks. Both men suffered only minor injuries and neither were taken to the hospital, according to court documents.
Judge W. Michael Goggins released Wolfersdorf on $500 cash bail and Burgess was released on his own recognizance. Both men are scheduled to reappear in court for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 3.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Mold, pollen getting up people's noses
By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
As residents with allergies prepare for the dreaded "haying season," local physicians are warning that because of an unusually wet summer, those runny noses, itchy throats and missing co-workers are more likely the result of heightened mold levels than weeds or pollen.
According to the National Allergy Bureau's Web site, weed and pollen levels across the region are lower than usual this time of year, while the mold count is above 2,600 per cubic meter, representing a high risk level for allergy sufferers.
Dr. Robert McGovern, an allergy specialist at Springfield's Baystate Medical Center, said that although physicians prepare for a sudden increase in patients between Aug. 15 and the first major frost of the fall, when the ragweed is in full bloom, the source and timing of the outbreaks can vary from year to year.
"There is a lot of mold out there this year because we had such a wet summer, and whenever kids go back to school they commonly develop upper-respiratory infections," McGovern said. "I think it is probably a combination of both the mold and weeds that is making everyone sick."
The best solution for those suffering this year, McGovern said, is to avoid being outside on particularly dry or windy days and to pinpoint the source of the allergy and the best way treat it, whether that be through the use of nasal drops, sprays or oral medication. Dry and windy conditions circulate airborne allergens such as tree, weed and grass pollen more heavily and farther than usual.
For Florence residents Kris and John Holloway-Bidwell and their two children, battling allergies to pollen, mold, dust and pet dander is a year-round struggle that requires annual allergy shots and a very cautious lifestyle.
"We have allergies to dust and fur, which carries us through the winter months, and then pollen and mold are the ones that we deal with for most of the year," Kris Holloway-Bidwell said.
Although they pay close attention to pollen and mold levels, use air-conditioning and avoid carpeting and drapes that may collect allergens, without proactively medicating themselves, she said, there would be little her family could do to avoid stuffy sinuses.
"We are both allergic to cats and we can avoid going into houses with people who own them, but with hay fever and other outdoor allergies sometimes you just can't help it because they're everywhere, and you can't avoid life," she said.
John Holloway-Bidwell, who works at Bidwell ID, a local marketing firm, said Monday was the first time this season that he noticed co-workers missing because of allergy-related illnesses.
"We have two people out sick today and we now have hand sanitizer on literally every desk," he said. "One of the things we have been talking about is how many sick days we allow, because we are anticipating a particularly bad flu season and it is important that people stay home if they are showing any signs that they are becoming sick."
Another physician corrrelating the high mold levels with a sudden increase in patients is Dr. Barry Elson, who works for Northampton's Wellness Associates on Pleasant Street.
"Mold levels are really high right now. They're not off-the-chart high, but where they're at can cause some significant problems for people with allergies," Elson said. "The typical symptoms might seem like a cold at first but there is usually an itchy quality to it and sometimes swelling will occur."
The best way to avoid getting sick in the first place, Elson said, is to see a doctor for an allergy screening in early spring. Once sick, he said he recommends that his patients avoid exposure to the outdoors on high-risk days and combine the proper medication with air treatment using air conditioners or dehumidifiers.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Around Williamsburg
By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
Art Center relocates, gears up
ArtStar, a creative art lounge formerly housed in the Brassworks building in Haydenville has found a new home in the center of town and workshops for residents of all ages kick off this week.
Marie Westburg, the local artist who opened the business in October 2007, said she hopes the lounge’s new Williams Street location will make it more accessible to residents who live closer to the center of the town.
“We offer programming for after-school and home-school students as well as sessions for adults, seniors and women’s creativity classes,” Westburg said. “We try to keep the groups small because we want to offer a high-quality experience and use good quality materials.”
Westburg, who said she started ArtStar to help people discover, recharge and celebrate their creativity, offers workshops that expose participants to a variety of artistic mediums, including clay, silk-screening, sculpture, fiber arts, drawing, printmaking and painting.
“I want them to use art to facilitate insight and help them work through personal stuff,” Westburg said. “My slogan has been, ‘you’ll make things that you’ll want to keep forever.’ ”
The lounge is housed in Westburg’s home. Classes start this week and the price is generally $10 per hour per person.
ArtStar’s Web site is artstarlounge.com.
•••
Barbecue for former Chief
Selectmen are inviting town residents to attend a send-off barbecue and concert this weekend in recognition of the town’s former part-time police chief, John Cotton.
The barbecue, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, will be held at the Snowmobile Club at 12 Laurel Road, and will feature speeches from police officers and town officials commemorating Cotton’s accomplishments during his four-year tenure as part-time chief.
“It’s our way of saying goodbye to him and commemorating his time spent on the force,” said event organizer and Select Board member Denise Banister.
The cost to attend the retirement party will be $20 for adults and $5 for children and will include dinner and live performances by four local bands; the Bad Daddies, Three Blind Moose, Mourning Fair and The Lonesome Brothers.
Cotton worked the majority of his 35-year career in law enforcement as a member of the Northampton Police Department, reaching the rank of senior lieutenant before becoming Williamsburg’s interim chief in July 2005.
•••
Teen, tween activities
Meekins Library is offering a new line up this fall of activities geared to teens and tweens.
Assistant Director Rochelle Wildfong said students in both the tween and teen groups have begun meeting to discuss what they would like to study or create at the library this fall.
“We are doing a whole new series of programming from what we did this summer and what that will be is going to be decided when we start having meetings with the kids,” Wildfong said.
The program, which is supported through a $20,000 grant, provides area teens the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of groups, parties and activities at the library; including movie nights, video games, card games, art, woodcarving and college prep workshops.
“We are really hoping to pull in kids who wouldn’t normally have come to the library and to let those of that age group know that they are very welcome here,” Wildfong said.
TeenTween meetings are held on the first Monday of the month. Tweens meet at the library at 3 p.m. and teens meet at 6 p.m. The first official meeting is Oct. 5.
For more information, check out the program’s Web site, www.meekins-library.org/teens.html.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Staff Writer
Art Center relocates, gears up
ArtStar, a creative art lounge formerly housed in the Brassworks building in Haydenville has found a new home in the center of town and workshops for residents of all ages kick off this week.
Marie Westburg, the local artist who opened the business in October 2007, said she hopes the lounge’s new Williams Street location will make it more accessible to residents who live closer to the center of the town.
“We offer programming for after-school and home-school students as well as sessions for adults, seniors and women’s creativity classes,” Westburg said. “We try to keep the groups small because we want to offer a high-quality experience and use good quality materials.”
Westburg, who said she started ArtStar to help people discover, recharge and celebrate their creativity, offers workshops that expose participants to a variety of artistic mediums, including clay, silk-screening, sculpture, fiber arts, drawing, printmaking and painting.
“I want them to use art to facilitate insight and help them work through personal stuff,” Westburg said. “My slogan has been, ‘you’ll make things that you’ll want to keep forever.’ ”
The lounge is housed in Westburg’s home. Classes start this week and the price is generally $10 per hour per person.
ArtStar’s Web site is artstarlounge.com.
•••
Barbecue for former Chief
Selectmen are inviting town residents to attend a send-off barbecue and concert this weekend in recognition of the town’s former part-time police chief, John Cotton.
The barbecue, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, will be held at the Snowmobile Club at 12 Laurel Road, and will feature speeches from police officers and town officials commemorating Cotton’s accomplishments during his four-year tenure as part-time chief.
“It’s our way of saying goodbye to him and commemorating his time spent on the force,” said event organizer and Select Board member Denise Banister.
The cost to attend the retirement party will be $20 for adults and $5 for children and will include dinner and live performances by four local bands; the Bad Daddies, Three Blind Moose, Mourning Fair and The Lonesome Brothers.
Cotton worked the majority of his 35-year career in law enforcement as a member of the Northampton Police Department, reaching the rank of senior lieutenant before becoming Williamsburg’s interim chief in July 2005.
•••
Teen, tween activities
Meekins Library is offering a new line up this fall of activities geared to teens and tweens.
Assistant Director Rochelle Wildfong said students in both the tween and teen groups have begun meeting to discuss what they would like to study or create at the library this fall.
“We are doing a whole new series of programming from what we did this summer and what that will be is going to be decided when we start having meetings with the kids,” Wildfong said.
The program, which is supported through a $20,000 grant, provides area teens the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of groups, parties and activities at the library; including movie nights, video games, card games, art, woodcarving and college prep workshops.
“We are really hoping to pull in kids who wouldn’t normally have come to the library and to let those of that age group know that they are very welcome here,” Wildfong said.
TeenTween meetings are held on the first Monday of the month. Tweens meet at the library at 3 p.m. and teens meet at 6 p.m. The first official meeting is Oct. 5.
For more information, check out the program’s Web site, www.meekins-library.org/teens.html.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Monday, September 14, 2009
McFaddens Pub reopens in Williamsburg
By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
WILLIAMSBURG - For the last three months, patrons of McFadden's Pub have been wondering if the owners were sincere when they said they would reopen in September. With today's grand reopening, they no longer need worry.
Tim Kastagir, 38, who co-owns the Main Street pub, said when he and fellow owner Jon McFadden sent out a newsletter in June announcing that they would close down for the summer to minimize financial losses, there were plenty of local skeptics.
"Some of the customers kind of entrusted in us when we said we were definitely coming back, but in this economy people are always going to be skeptical when you say something like that," Kastagir said. "They've heard the same thing from local businesses who have ended up closing in the past."
While he said the prospect of losing regular customers to other businesses during this summer's closure was something both owners worried about, Kastagir is confident that renovations to the building and identical food and drink specials will once again fill seats at the popular Route 9 bar and eatery.
"We paid off all of our bills with vendors and put any money we had left over right back into the bar itself," Kastagir said. "We have new commercial carpeting, our entire staff is coming back and we will offer the same specials and music on the weekends."
Although he said he's waiting to see how much business the pub generates this month before determining whether he and McFadden will repeat the seasonal closure next year, Kastagir said he thinks it was a good financial decision.
"My gut feeling is that we'll have a bump in business that we wouldn't have had otherwise and maybe a month of September that is busier than usual," Kastagir said. "We won't know until we reopen but my gut is telling me that closing was the right decision."
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Friday, September 11, 2009
UMass mourns a loss
Student hit by train was 19, from France
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
AMHERST — Staff at the University of Massachusetts are helping students on campus cope with the death Thursday of a UMass student, who died when he was struck by a train in Leverett early that afternoon.
The student was identified as Peter Boutarel, 19, a sophomore political science and philosophy major from Dax, France, who lived in Baker dormitory in the campus’ Central living area, according to the UMass News Office.
Diana Fordham, the residential area director for the Orchard Hill and Central living areas, said campus staff had notified and met with his former roommate and friends Friday afternoon and that further support would be made available to all other students.
There was no indication of foul play, and the medical examiner has not yet performed an autopsy, said Renee Steese, Northwestern first assistant district attorney. She declined to comment on whether the death was accidental or might be a suicide.
Steese said Boutarel’s relatives have been notified, she said.
The news of Boutarel’s death came as a shock Friday afternoon to UMass juniors Elliot Sicard and Mark Gazo, both of whom also live in Baker but said they didn’t know Boutarel personally.
“We’ve only been here for about a week, so we didn’t know him,” Sicard said. “All that I can say is that I am totally shocked.”
Boutarel attended UMass last year and lived in Webster Hall in the Orchard Hill living area, according to campus officials.
Daniel Fitzgibbons, a spokesman in the university’s news office, said a campus-wide email went out Friday with news of Boutarel’s death, advising students who may need assistance in dealing with his death to contact the dean of students office.
“The death of any member of our community is a loss to everyone. We particularly extend our deepest sympathy to Peter’s family and friends. Times like these remind us how fragile life is, and how, as a caring community, we need to reach out and support one another as we each deal with this loss in our own ways.”
Fitzgibbons said the Dean of Students is coordinating a response that makes available to his friends and acquaintances UMass mental health staff, chaplains and residence hall staff. The standard protocol involves working through the residence hall network to identify those who lived with Boutarel and knew him, and ensure that counseling is available.
No memorial service has been scheduled, according to the news office.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
AMHERST — Staff at the University of Massachusetts are helping students on campus cope with the death Thursday of a UMass student, who died when he was struck by a train in Leverett early that afternoon.
The student was identified as Peter Boutarel, 19, a sophomore political science and philosophy major from Dax, France, who lived in Baker dormitory in the campus’ Central living area, according to the UMass News Office.
Diana Fordham, the residential area director for the Orchard Hill and Central living areas, said campus staff had notified and met with his former roommate and friends Friday afternoon and that further support would be made available to all other students.
There was no indication of foul play, and the medical examiner has not yet performed an autopsy, said Renee Steese, Northwestern first assistant district attorney. She declined to comment on whether the death was accidental or might be a suicide.
Steese said Boutarel’s relatives have been notified, she said.
The news of Boutarel’s death came as a shock Friday afternoon to UMass juniors Elliot Sicard and Mark Gazo, both of whom also live in Baker but said they didn’t know Boutarel personally.
“We’ve only been here for about a week, so we didn’t know him,” Sicard said. “All that I can say is that I am totally shocked.”
Boutarel attended UMass last year and lived in Webster Hall in the Orchard Hill living area, according to campus officials.
Daniel Fitzgibbons, a spokesman in the university’s news office, said a campus-wide email went out Friday with news of Boutarel’s death, advising students who may need assistance in dealing with his death to contact the dean of students office.
“The death of any member of our community is a loss to everyone. We particularly extend our deepest sympathy to Peter’s family and friends. Times like these remind us how fragile life is, and how, as a caring community, we need to reach out and support one another as we each deal with this loss in our own ways.”
Fitzgibbons said the Dean of Students is coordinating a response that makes available to his friends and acquaintances UMass mental health staff, chaplains and residence hall staff. The standard protocol involves working through the residence hall network to identify those who lived with Boutarel and knew him, and ensure that counseling is available.
No memorial service has been scheduled, according to the news office.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Ward 7 City Council hopefuls offer views
NORTHAMPTON - More than 100 area residents filled the Leeds Elementary School cafeteria Wednesday night to hear from the three candidates vying to become Ward 7 city councilor - a position left vacant with the death of longtime incumbent Raymond L. LaBarge.
The forum, which was co-hosted by the Florence Business and Civic Association and the Leeds Civic Association, allowed candidates George J. Russell Jr., 7 Heffernan St., Eugene Tacy, 158 N. Maple St., and Deborah Jacobs, 82 Grove Ave., to introduce themselves, list their qualifications and inform residents of their positions on a variety of issues facing the city.
The first hour of the forum required the candidates to answer five prepared questions touching on how each would represent Ward 7; their view of the city's recently produced Sustainability Plan; the passing of the Community Preservation Act and the Proposition 2½ override; and what they would hope to accomplish in their first year as a councilor.
Russell, 69, a 46-year resident of the ward, retired city police sergeant and former member of the city's Board of Public Works and Planning Board, said his experience working with numbers and balancing budgets would make him an asset to the City Council, and, if appointed, he would focus on bringing businesses to the area.
"We're losing a lot of businesses both in the city and in Ward 7, and we have to be innovative to attract them here and keep them here," Russell said. "We need that for our tax base, and recently we have been losing businesses constantly."
Tacy too named attracting business to the city as one of his top priorities. A lifelong area resident and Vietnam-era veteran, Tacy, 53, said his many years working as a contractor for the city have given him a firm understanding of how the council works - and turned his office into a museum of city government documents.
"What sets me apart from the other candidates is really up to the voters," he said. "I'm very active with City Council, and my experience with the city goes back a long way."
Jacobs, 65, who has chaired the city's Tree Committee since its founding in 2003, said she moved to Leeds as a single mom in the '70s so her daughter could go to a neighborhood school. She said she would focus on rezoning and that her 30 years of experience in the health care field would prove beneficial when listening to the concerns of area residents and reaching compromises with other councilors.
"During my time working in health care, I learned to respect other people even when you don't agree with them," Jacobs said. "It was a hard lesson for me to learn, but one that would put me in good stead with city councilors."
The forum also featured a segment where residents could ask the candidates questions directly, during which Garson Fields wondered how each felt about the city using a zero-based, baseline budget for the upcoming fiscal year - where councilors would start from zero and go from there.
Both Russell and Tacy said they would support using the format to balance the budget because it would offer greater transparency and would highlight unnecessary positions that waste taxpayers' money, and Jacobs said if enough Ward 7 residents came forward in support of the plan she would definitely consider it.
All three candidates will appear on the Sept. 15 preliminary election ballot; the top two vote-getters will move on to November's general election. Voters in Ward 7's Precinct A will cast their vote next Tuesday at John F. Kennedy Middle School's Community Room; Precinct B voters will do so in the Leeds Elementary School gymnasium.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
One school, one president
By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
WILLIAMSBURG - President Barack Obama delivered his back-to-school address Tuesday to a rapt audience of Hilltown Cooperative Charter Public School students, many of whom said his words inspired them to work harder - and ask more questions - this year.
And if they'd had the chance, the students would have asked their president a question or two.
Sixth-grader Tori Laverdiere said she would have liked to ask the president what his goals were in school and what compelled him to work so hard.
Zach Dietz, also in sixth grade, said he'd like to know where Obama got the determination to wake up at 4:30 in the morning. (Hilltown students start school at 8:30 a.m.) Obama had explained during his talk how his mother would awaken him at 4:30 a.m. to do his schoolwork at the kitchen table.
Obama's speech was delivered from Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va., and aired live on C-SPAN. In the days leading up to the address, conservative groups, parents and teachers criticized the speech, saying it was an attempt to indoctrinate students.
There appeared to be no concerns of that nature at Hilltown.
Amy Aaron, a school administrator, said staff thought it was important that the students hear the president's message as he delivered it, and that they do so as a group.
"We do a lot of things here as a whole school. We all watched the inauguration here as a group," Aaron said. "There is just something about being together, seeing it in real time and having a shared experience when something of national importance is going on."
With the school staff and its 162 students gathered in the school assembly area, Obama took to the podium to say that every single student is special. He also said even if they don't realize it now, the skills they are developing as students will determine their future and the future of the country.
"At the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents and the best schools in the world," Obama said. "And none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities."
At one point during his speech, Obama mentioned several students from different parts of the country who overcame harsh odds to become successful professionals. He spoke of his own struggles with education during his childhood.
If there was an underlying message in the president's speech, it seemed to be that students should not give up when they don't accomplish their goals as quickly as they would like.
"Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures," Obama said. "J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, ¿I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.'"
Laverdiere heard that message loud and clear.
"I liked that he said that asking for help doesn't mean you're not smart," she said. "It just means that you have to ask questions and work harder to understand things."
Also moved by the reminder to ask more questions was fellow sixth-grader Renata Pepi, who said she will work harder not to get discouraged when she has trouble understanding something.
"I think it helped me have a different view of school. Sometimes I sit in class and think to myself, 'Wow that was dumb,' but now I won't think like that anymore," Pepi said.
Dietz said Obama's speech helped him appreciate that he will use everything he is learning now in the future, regardless of his career path.
"He pointed out that we learn things in some classes that you won't need right now, but you will eventually need to know those things later on," he said.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Erratic driving in Westhampton leads to gun charges
By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
WESTHAMPTON - A Huntington man faces weapons charges after leading police on a car chase through two Hilltowns Saturday night, after which police seized a loaded gun from his car, according to court documents.
Stephen A. Speckels, 27, of 96 Searle Road in Huntington, pleaded innocent Tuesday in Northampton District Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, failure to stop for police, threatening to commit a crime, carrying a firearm while intoxicated, carrying a rifle in public and three counts of improperly storing a firearm.
At 8:30 p.m., Westhampton police Sgt. Floyd Fisher responded to a call about a disabled Toyota Tacoma pick up truck on Laurel Hill Road. While en route, Fisher saw a truck matching the description speed by and followed it. The driver reportedly began honking the horn, swerving from one side of the road to the other and revving the truck's engine not realizing that the parking brake was on, according to Fisher.
Speckels reportedly accelerated to speeds over 60 mph and eventually stopped when his car broke down on Rattle Hill Road in Southampton.
After asking Speckels several times to leave the vehicle, he finally did so, after which police reportedly found three rifles and several rounds of ammunition on the front seat. All three rifles were reportedly found without trigger locks and one was fully loaded with a bullet in the chamber, according to court documents.
Speckels reportedly failed a series of field sobriety tests and police determined through a chemical breath test that his blood alcohol content was .25; more than three times the legal limit.
During the booking process, Speckels reportedly told an officer that if he had a gun he would "put it on him" while making a trigger-pulling gesture. He then asked for the officer's pen saying he wanted to stab him with it, according to court documents.
Judge Richard J. Carey ordered Speckels to appear in court for a Sept. 16 pretrial hearing and released him on his own recognizance.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Friday, September 4, 2009
Driver loses control of car, lands in pool
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
SOUTH HADLEY — A teen who allegedly had been smoking marijuana and taking painkillers and other pills lost control of his vehicle Thursday night and drove through a guardrail and wooden fence and into a private swimming pool, police said.
Kristoffer R. Breault, 19, of East Longmeadow, pleaded innocent Friday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, two counts of possessing a class E substance (Percocet and Klonopin) ; wanton destruction of property valued above $250 and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
At 8 p.m. Thursday, Breault reportedly lost control of his 1993 Nissan Maxima on Willimansett Street and crashed through a guardrail and a resident’s wooden fence and into the deep end of an in-ground swimming pool. The crash was seen by two witnesses who told police that before losing control, Breault was driving “very dangerously and all over the road,” according to court documents.
Lt. Steven Parentella said Friday that 10 minutes before the accident, Chicopee police reported an erratic operator on James Street in a similar vehicle but were unable to confirm whether it was Breault.
After police responded to the scene, Breault reportedly admitted that he was driving the car when it crashed and that earlier in the night he had smoked marijuana and taken drugs.
After Breault failed a series of field sobriety tests, police reportedly found his wallet floating in the pool near his car and inside found two small plastic bags; one with five loose pills and the other with three, according to court documents. The car was eventually towed out of the pool, Parentella said.
Judge Laurie MacLeod released Breault on his own recognizance; he is scheduled to reappear for a pretrial hearing Oct. 2.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Staff Writer
SOUTH HADLEY — A teen who allegedly had been smoking marijuana and taking painkillers and other pills lost control of his vehicle Thursday night and drove through a guardrail and wooden fence and into a private swimming pool, police said.
Kristoffer R. Breault, 19, of East Longmeadow, pleaded innocent Friday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, two counts of possessing a class E substance (Percocet and Klonopin) ; wanton destruction of property valued above $250 and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
At 8 p.m. Thursday, Breault reportedly lost control of his 1993 Nissan Maxima on Willimansett Street and crashed through a guardrail and a resident’s wooden fence and into the deep end of an in-ground swimming pool. The crash was seen by two witnesses who told police that before losing control, Breault was driving “very dangerously and all over the road,” according to court documents.
Lt. Steven Parentella said Friday that 10 minutes before the accident, Chicopee police reported an erratic operator on James Street in a similar vehicle but were unable to confirm whether it was Breault.
After police responded to the scene, Breault reportedly admitted that he was driving the car when it crashed and that earlier in the night he had smoked marijuana and taken drugs.
After Breault failed a series of field sobriety tests, police reportedly found his wallet floating in the pool near his car and inside found two small plastic bags; one with five loose pills and the other with three, according to court documents. The car was eventually towed out of the pool, Parentella said.
Judge Laurie MacLeod released Breault on his own recognizance; he is scheduled to reappear for a pretrial hearing Oct. 2.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Man and son arrested for golf club assault
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
BELCHERTOWN — An Enfield, Conn. man was ordered held without bail Thursday in connection with an assault last month, during which he and his juvenile son allegedly broke into a South Hadley home and beat a man with a golf club.
Gregory J. Williams, 45, pleaded innocent Thursday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of breaking and entering a building during the daytime to commit a felony, assault and battery and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
After South Hadley police applied for a warrant, Williams and his son were arrested at their Enfield apartment Saturday afternoon by members of the Enfield Police Department on a charge of being fugitives from justice, according to court documents.
Enfield Police Sgt. Mary Ann Christensen said Williams’ son was taken by state police to a juvenile detention center in Hartford, Conn. and Williams was transported to Belchertown for his arraignment Thursday.
South Hadley Lt. Steven Parentella said that at 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 22, Williams and his son reportedly entered a man’s Hillside Avenue apartment through an open sliding glass door and violently beat him while he laid in bed with a female acquaintance.
Both Williams and his son reportedly punched and kicked the victim in the face while he was on the floor trying to defend himself and struck him repeatedly in the head with a Spaulding Rebel 3-iron golf club until it was broken in half, according to court documents.
After sustaining a severe cut on his forehead above his left eye, Parentella said the victim managed to fight the pair off and forced them out of his apartment before calling for police.
Although Parentella said the attack was “not a random act of violence,” he declined to disclose the duo’s suspected motive.
Judge David Ross ordered Williams held without right to bail until his pretrial hearing, which is scheduled for Sept. 10.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Staff Writer
BELCHERTOWN — An Enfield, Conn. man was ordered held without bail Thursday in connection with an assault last month, during which he and his juvenile son allegedly broke into a South Hadley home and beat a man with a golf club.
Gregory J. Williams, 45, pleaded innocent Thursday in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of breaking and entering a building during the daytime to commit a felony, assault and battery and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
After South Hadley police applied for a warrant, Williams and his son were arrested at their Enfield apartment Saturday afternoon by members of the Enfield Police Department on a charge of being fugitives from justice, according to court documents.
Enfield Police Sgt. Mary Ann Christensen said Williams’ son was taken by state police to a juvenile detention center in Hartford, Conn. and Williams was transported to Belchertown for his arraignment Thursday.
South Hadley Lt. Steven Parentella said that at 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 22, Williams and his son reportedly entered a man’s Hillside Avenue apartment through an open sliding glass door and violently beat him while he laid in bed with a female acquaintance.
Both Williams and his son reportedly punched and kicked the victim in the face while he was on the floor trying to defend himself and struck him repeatedly in the head with a Spaulding Rebel 3-iron golf club until it was broken in half, according to court documents.
After sustaining a severe cut on his forehead above his left eye, Parentella said the victim managed to fight the pair off and forced them out of his apartment before calling for police.
Although Parentella said the attack was “not a random act of violence,” he declined to disclose the duo’s suspected motive.
Judge David Ross ordered Williams held without right to bail until his pretrial hearing, which is scheduled for Sept. 10.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Vigil highlights suffering, urges universal care
AMHERST - More than 100 area residents crowded onto the Town Common Wednesday night to hold a vigil in support of those suffering under the current health care system and to demand that a government-funded public option be enacted as quickly as possible.
The vigil, held at the same time as others in more than 300 locations across the country, was organized by local members of MoveOn.org, a political action committee with 5 million members nationwide.
As cars drove by and honked in support, residents held up signs, lit candles and spoke about how the state of American health care has affected their families.
As the sun began to set and people started to light their candles, Pat Fiero, a MoveOn member from Leverett who helped organize the vigil, held a megaphone to a laptop computer, allowing Sen. Edward Kennedy's speeches calling for health care reform to echo across the common.
Kennedy died Aug. 26; the speeches spanned the many years of the Massachusetts senator's crusade for universal health care.
"Almost 40 years ago Ted Kennedy introduced his first bill to provide health care for all Americans, and this year he introduced his last," she said after a long applause. "Let's hope this time it finally gets passed."
The first to speak at the vigil was Richard Knapp, a Belchertown resident who said his three sons have struggled to get the care they need.
His oldest son, who he said has a genetic condition affecting his kidneys that will require a transplant and has resulted in his losing most of his ability to see and hear, has had a difficult time finding a donor because he doesn't have health insurance.
"We all hear about the transplant list and say hooray for the list," Knapp said. "But you cannot get on the list if you are uninsured, period."
#Death panels already'
When his son looked to family members for a possible transplant match, Knapp said, he found his younger brother was willing, but unable to start the testing process because he, too, didn't have health insurance.
"We have death panels already. You and I have paid thousands of dollars out of our insurance money for little people who sit in cubicles and make the decision that thousands of people will not get insurance and they will die," Knapp said. "That is what we have and it is going to get worse if we don't do something right now."
Also sharing the story of her difficulties with health care was Leslie Elliott of Hadley, who said that after she and her husband both lost their jobs at a local supermarket, he began to suffer from chest pains. To be diagnosed, he needed to stay at Cooley Dickinson Hospital overnight.
"He stayed overnight for one night hooked up to tubes and monitors, and it ended up costing us $6,000," she said. "At that point, since we didn't work for the corporation anymore, we had no health insurance and we found ourselves in deep trouble."
To get the care they needed, Elliott said she and her husband began working part-time jobs and received coverage from MassHealth, a state-funded insurance option for middle- and low-income residents.
"That is where we are right now, 13 years later. We are still watching the number of hours we work because if we work any more than the amount MassHealth will give us, we will lose everything," she said. "My teeth are rotting while the CEO of an insurance company is getting $20 million a year for his salary. I don't think that is fair, and I think it's time that it stops."
One speaker said he was raised in Springfield but moved to Montreal for better health care coverage after seeing his father struggle with payments. Roy Wright said he has witnessed firsthand the benefits of government-funded health care in Canada.
"They have a compassion system. You get covered everywhere in Canada with one single card," he said. "In the Canadian system, there is no wing of a hospital devoted to billing, there is just one secretary for every hospital."
Before closing, Wright asked those in attendance to sign petitions and boycott companies that speak out against a public health care option.
"I hope that something can be done for Teddy's memory, for the memory of my father and for all of those people you know who haven't died because of problems with the system, but have suffered so much indignity because of it," he said.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Domestic dispute over toothbrush results in serious injury
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
EASTHAMPTON — A city man was ordered held without bail Tuesday pending a dangerousness hearing this morning after he allegedly bit part of his boyfriend’s ear off during a dispute over a toothbrush.
Judge W. Michael Goggins ordered Bryan L. Clarke, 19, of 15 Summer St., Apt. 2, held on charges of mayhem and assault and battery until this morning’s hearing because the victim was still being treated at Cooley Dickinson Hospital at the time of his arraignment.
According to police, at 9:32 a.m. officer Tammy Kaleta responded to Summer Street for a reported domestic dispute and found the victim on the front lawn holding a bloody shirt to the side of his head. The man reportedly told police that Clarke had punched him in the face several times before biting part of his ear off because his toothbrush was missing and he couldn’t brush his teeth.
The victim, also 19, told police he and Clarke had been in a relationship for two years and that Clarke was planning to see a doctor this week because he feared he suffered from bipolar disorder.
A search of the couple’s apartment, police said, revealed two marijuana plants and several smoking apparatus, which were confiscated for destruction, according to court documents.
Police later found Clarke in another apartment in the complex, where he reportedly admitted to biting and punching his boyfriend and told Kaleta that the dried blood on his hand wasn’t his but was ‘from when he bit Campbell’s ear off,’ according to court documents.
During Clarke’s arraignment Tuesday, his lawyer appealed to Goggins to have him released until today’s hearing because he had no prior criminal record and the victim could not be reached and was absent from court.
However, after looking over a police report including Clarke’s admission and viewing photos of the injuries, he deemed there was sufficient evidence to hold him.
The victim was treated for his injuries and released Tuesday night, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Staff Writer
EASTHAMPTON — A city man was ordered held without bail Tuesday pending a dangerousness hearing this morning after he allegedly bit part of his boyfriend’s ear off during a dispute over a toothbrush.
Judge W. Michael Goggins ordered Bryan L. Clarke, 19, of 15 Summer St., Apt. 2, held on charges of mayhem and assault and battery until this morning’s hearing because the victim was still being treated at Cooley Dickinson Hospital at the time of his arraignment.
According to police, at 9:32 a.m. officer Tammy Kaleta responded to Summer Street for a reported domestic dispute and found the victim on the front lawn holding a bloody shirt to the side of his head. The man reportedly told police that Clarke had punched him in the face several times before biting part of his ear off because his toothbrush was missing and he couldn’t brush his teeth.
The victim, also 19, told police he and Clarke had been in a relationship for two years and that Clarke was planning to see a doctor this week because he feared he suffered from bipolar disorder.
A search of the couple’s apartment, police said, revealed two marijuana plants and several smoking apparatus, which were confiscated for destruction, according to court documents.
Police later found Clarke in another apartment in the complex, where he reportedly admitted to biting and punching his boyfriend and told Kaleta that the dried blood on his hand wasn’t his but was ‘from when he bit Campbell’s ear off,’ according to court documents.
During Clarke’s arraignment Tuesday, his lawyer appealed to Goggins to have him released until today’s hearing because he had no prior criminal record and the victim could not be reached and was absent from court.
However, after looking over a police report including Clarke’s admission and viewing photos of the injuries, he deemed there was sufficient evidence to hold him.
The victim was treated for his injuries and released Tuesday night, a hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Alleged drunk driver faces charges in crash with trooper
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
WILLIAMSBURG — A state trooper was injured on his commute home Monday night when his cruiser was struck head-on by an alleged drunk driver on Route 9, according to police.
The crash occurred at 8:20 p.m., when Trooper Daniel Soto, who is assigned to the Hampden County State Police Detective Unit, was driving west on Route 9 in an unmarked 2006 Ford F-150 pick-up truck, according to police. A vehicle driven by Douglas M. Bardsley, 25, of Holyoke swerved across the dividing line and struck a car traveling in front of him before it accelerated and hit his truck head-on.
Bardsley pleaded innocent Tuesday in Northampton District Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol second offense and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
Judge W. Michael Goggins released Bardsley on the condition that he avoid drugs and alcohol, submit to random screenings and not operate a motor vehicle; he is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Oct. 2.
According to court documents, after hitting Soto’s vehicle, Bardsley reportedly continued to accelerate and pushed the truck onto the other side of the road before stopping.
Before being transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital with minor injuries, Bardsley reportedly told police on scene that he had three beers before driving and was resting his eyes when he crossed into oncoming traffic. While being treated at the hospital, physicians told police they believed Bardsley was “extremely intoxicated,” according to court documents.
Soto, a former Northampton officer, was also taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital with injuries to his knees and legs, according to police. A hospital spokeswoman said he was treated and released.
The driver of the other car, Richard Hillenbrand, 88, of Williamsburg and a passenger, Cholly Edwards, 63, of Dallas Texas were uninjured, but another passenger, Jacqueline Edwards, 64, of Dallas Texas, was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital with minor injuries, where she was treated and released, the spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Staff Writer
WILLIAMSBURG — A state trooper was injured on his commute home Monday night when his cruiser was struck head-on by an alleged drunk driver on Route 9, according to police.
The crash occurred at 8:20 p.m., when Trooper Daniel Soto, who is assigned to the Hampden County State Police Detective Unit, was driving west on Route 9 in an unmarked 2006 Ford F-150 pick-up truck, according to police. A vehicle driven by Douglas M. Bardsley, 25, of Holyoke swerved across the dividing line and struck a car traveling in front of him before it accelerated and hit his truck head-on.
Bardsley pleaded innocent Tuesday in Northampton District Court to charges of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol second offense and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
Judge W. Michael Goggins released Bardsley on the condition that he avoid drugs and alcohol, submit to random screenings and not operate a motor vehicle; he is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Oct. 2.
According to court documents, after hitting Soto’s vehicle, Bardsley reportedly continued to accelerate and pushed the truck onto the other side of the road before stopping.
Before being transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital with minor injuries, Bardsley reportedly told police on scene that he had three beers before driving and was resting his eyes when he crossed into oncoming traffic. While being treated at the hospital, physicians told police they believed Bardsley was “extremely intoxicated,” according to court documents.
Soto, a former Northampton officer, was also taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital with injuries to his knees and legs, according to police. A hospital spokeswoman said he was treated and released.
The driver of the other car, Richard Hillenbrand, 88, of Williamsburg and a passenger, Cholly Edwards, 63, of Dallas Texas were uninjured, but another passenger, Jacqueline Edwards, 64, of Dallas Texas, was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital with minor injuries, where she was treated and released, the spokeswoman said Tuesday.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Hilltown charter school gets elbow room
WILLIAMSBURG - Bursting at the seams, the Hilltown Cooperative Charter Public School has expanded into an additional section of its longtime home at the Brassworks Building to add classroom and computer lab space.
Amy Aaron, the school's administrator, said teachers are thrilled to have more space to settle into when school starts for the year Wednesday.
Aaron said increasing space was critical in part because enrollment grew by eight students from last year - from 154 to 162. In addition, students in the so-called prisms class, which includes seventh- and eighth-graders, have long been crowded in their quarters.
The prisms space is located in a freestanding building across the driveway from the main Brassworks building, in the former Squires Restaurant, overlooking the Mill River.
This year, Aaron said, some of the prisms classes will be taught in new space on the third floor of the Brassworks, means prisms students will go back and forth between the buildings.
Aaron said volunteers and paid helpers over the summer moved computers and other equipment from the school's cramped computer and technology lab to new quarters upstairs in an 1,800-square-foot section of the Main Street building.
"That space up there has been empty for a few years," Aaron said. "Half of the new space is going to be for seventh- and eighth-grade language arts and math and the other half is going to be used for our computer tech lab."
The old computer lab has been turned into office space for a new position of development coordinator and meeting space, "which we've been desperately short of," said Aaron.
To cope with budget cuts and funding decreases similar to those at other area public schools, Aaron said Hilltown teachers and staff have accepted pay cuts.
"We didn't give any raises, all staff members got a number of furlough days and we had to cut some hours for some of our positions," Aaron said. "Everybody compromised and it was a pretty good process."
In addition to returning to a school with more space, Aaron said students will enjoy new trips, performances and projects. For example, in September, each class will be visited by members of the Westfield River Watershed Association, a traveling group that spreads awareness about area waterways by performing a show called "The Watershed Waltz."
There will be familiar rituals too. Aaron said students new to the school will be greeted by returning students on the second day of classes in an all-school assembly, as is traditional. "The other students sing songs and welcome the new kids," Aaron said.
In other highlights, the school's fourth- and fifth-graders will work with members of the local Historical Society to follow the path of area residents who lived during and fought in the Revolutionary War; sixth-graders will attend Nature's Classroom in November, an environmental education program in Charlton; and seventh- and eighth-grade students will study Ancient Greece and travel to Washington, D.C., in the spring.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
HILLTOWN CHARTER FACTS
Administrative Coordinator: Amy Aaron
Education Coordinator: Dan Klatz
Community Coordinator: Deirdre Arthen
School phone number: 268-3421
Number of students: 162
Number of teachers: 14
Calendar: Sept. 2, first day of school, students dismissed at 12:30 p.m.; Sept. 4, Welcoming ceremony for new students; Sept. 7, Labor Day, no school; Sept. 29 and 30, school photos; Oct. 12, Columbus Day, no school; Oct. 13, professional day, no school; Nov. 11, Veterans' Day, no school; Nov. 25 to 27, Thanksgiving break; Dec. 23, Solstice Celebration, students dismissed at 12:30 p.m.; Dec. 24 to Jan. 1, Winter Break 1; Jan. 19, professional day, no school; Feb. 15 to 19, Winter Break 2; Feb. 22, professional day, no school; March 12, parent teacher conferences; April 19 to 23, Spring Break; May 31, Memorial Day, no school; June 9, half-day, staff luncheon; June 23, Graduation; June 25, projected last day of school.
School hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; on Wednesday, K-5 is 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lunch prices: $3.70 (they come from Blue House Cafe
Parent/Teacher organizations: Cooperative School Web site: http://www.hilltowncharter.org
Bourbeau remembered for dedication to Smith Voke
NORTHAMPTON - Those who served with David Bourbeau on Smith Vocational and Agricultural School's board of trustees say they will always remember him for his devotion to the students and to creating an agricultural program that would prepare them for the future.
Bourbeau, an artisan bookbinder and designer who died at the age of 67 last week, was acting chairman of the board and had devoted the last 12 years of his life to the school.
"David's third love was Smith School," board member John E. Cotton said. "His first and second were his wife and his daughters, but Smith School was certainly the third, and he gave his all to it."
Cotton, who served with Bourbeau on the board for eight years and will be taking over as chairman, said Bourbeau was always focused on making use of all of the school's available space.
"He wanted to use the land we have as effectively as possible, that was David's really big thing," Cotton said. "He wanted to make Smith School the best that it can be and I think we're getting there."
"He was the type of person that would go through information to make sure all the t's were crossed and i's were dotted, and we're all going to miss him," he added.
Despite Bourbeau's weakened condition - he had battled cancer for a number of years - Cotton said he remained active with the board to the end because of his strong-willed nature and his commitment to the school.
"If I could be blunt, he lived much longer than many people thought he would - he kept plugging on and endured," Cotton said.
Northampton Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez said she will always remember Bourbeau for fighting for students at the school as he would for his own children.
"I had the privilege of getting to know David as a parent first, and he was the kind of parent that would advocate strongly for his children," Rodriguez said. "When I became superintendent, I met him again as the chair of the board, and I saw him in that role advocating the same way for every single student at the school."
Frank Llamas, who served as the school's superintendent for six years and on the board with Bourbeau before his retirement last year, said he will remember Bourbeau's commitment to bringing the school's agricultural program back to the basics.
"We made a great many changes and improvements at the school, he fought very hard to improve and modernize the school's agricultural program," Llamas said. "He believed that things were reverting back to the way they used to be and that we needed to teach the kids about sustainability and alternative energies because all of that will be needed to run the farm of the future."
Cotton said he is disappointed that Bourbeau won't be around to witness the construction of the school's new science and agricultural building because it is a development he advocated strongly for and would have loved to see.
"We have some very important projects coming up, and they are all things that meant a lot to David," Cotton said. "They were the kind of things he dreamed of."
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)