On Dec. 12, all of the books in the Heritage series including, "The Irish Legacy," "The Struggle for Freedom," "Our Stories," and "Nuestra Historia," will be sold at the International Biergarten, 1600 Main St. from 6-8 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD — Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen's family arrived in Springfield more than 100 years ago, his story as well as countless others are highlighted in the latest book of The Republican's Heritage Series.

"Our Stories: The Jews of Western Massachusetts" is a look at the Jewish families, religious leaders, business owners and more that make up the vibrant Jewish community in Western Massachusetts.

The book's editor and lead writer Jane Kaufman met with fellow contributors, friends, family and community members Sunday at the Jewish Community Center to celebrate the release of the book.

"This is one of the most moving projects I've ever worked on," she said. "The most inspiring thing to me was to be able to hear people's stories and to hear how Judaism intersected with their lives and how their lives informed their Judaism, and that is what I hope the book is about."

Cohen was interviewed for the book and was at the JCC event along with his twin brother, Alan Cohen.

"I think it turned out extremely well, and it tells the wonderful stories of Jewish people in Western Massachusetts," he said. " It was an honor to be a part of this story along with other prominent personalities."

Executive Director of the JCC Michael Paysnick has always been supportive of the project.

"One of the wonderful things Jane was able to do was to get a lot of the senior members of our community together to tell their stories and share their vast knowledge of the region," he said.

On Dec. 12, all of the books in the Heritage series including, "The Irish Legacy," "The Struggle for Freedom," "Our Stories," and "Nuestra Historia," will be sold at the International Biergarten, 1600 Main St. from 6-8 p.m.

"We are hoping that as a group these books will tell the stories of the people that live here and some of the good and bad that has happened over the past 375 years," said Wayne Phaneuf, executive editor of The Republican and the creator of the series.

Obituaries from The Republican.

Mario Magnani  

Mario Magnani, 89, died on Friday. Born in Springfield, he was 4 years old when his family moved to Italy. He lived Gambolò in northern Italy. He served in the Italian army and was a German prisoner during World War II. He worked as a barber in Italy, and after his family moved back to the U.S. in 1948, he continued to work as a barber in the Springfield area. In 1960, he opened Mario's Barbershop in Longmeadow. He retired in 1989, turning the barbershop over to his son, who still runs it today.

Obituaries from The Republican:

• 
  Aubin, Keith Alan (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Barbato, Joseph and Rose (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Barbato, Joseph P. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Baron, Frances S. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Baron, Naomi S. Baniel
  



• 
  Belton, Rose V. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Blokland, Henry J.
  



• 
  Bobrowski, Joan (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Bobrowski, Joan (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Borchers, William (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Caputo, Albert F. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Carney, Diane (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Chmael, John (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Cimini, David A.
  



• 
  Curylo, Joseph H.
  



• 
  Czupryna, Aniela
  



• 
  Da Silva, Fernanda
  



• 
  Dialessi, Evelyn I. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Ennaco, Mary (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Ennaco, Ralph (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Fessenden, Sheryl B. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Fontaine, Richard E.
  



• 
  Fratamico, Thomson (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Galavotti, Elizabeth L.
  



• 
  Gillette Jr., Greg A. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Gillette Jr., Greg A. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Gingras, Martha (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Gomes, Manuel J.
  



• 
  Guidi, Anna M. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Henderson, Agnes "Nan" (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Isham, Wesley and Lillian (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Jones, Emma (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Katz, Jerry P.
  



• 
  Kelly, Brian P. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Kittridge Jr., Paul Hendrick
  



• 
  Kornacki, Kevin (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Kozub, Genevieve A.
  



• 
  Kuzontkoski, Charles F.
  



• 
  Labrecque, Stella
  



• 
  Laliberte, Gladys Laliberte (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  LaPierre, Dr. Hilda Marta (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Lemanski, Zofia Bernat
  



• 
  Lepine, Beatrice (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Luiz, Jeanne A.
  



• 
  Magnani, Mario
  



• 
  Mulligan, Thomas L.
  



• 
  Mullings, Norman M.
  



• 
  Myers, Virginia M.
  



• 
  Olson Jr., Algot V. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Pallatino, Josephine (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Paradzick, Avilda M.
  



• 
  Penna, Michael (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Placanico, Giorgio (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Rodriguez, Rafael
  



• 
  Santaniello, Nicholas (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Santos, Julieta D. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Sawa, Stella M. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Stache, Richard B.
  



• 
  Stomski, Joan F. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Talbot, Evelyn H.
  



• 
  Weiner, Seymour (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Withers, Paul F.S.
  



• 
  Wrobleski, Edward J. (In Memoriam)
  



• 
  Zulkiewicz, Frank "Pop" (In Memoriam)
  

Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president, died Thursday at the age of 95.

SPRINGFIELD – Andrea Dixon and Delores Culp typically attend Mt. Zion Baptist Church, but Sunday they were compelled to head to Our Lady of Sacred Church to hear a Roman Catholic service.

They were among about 60 to join together for a memorial Mass for Nelson Mandela, which featured traditional African singing, music and dancing as well as prayers in several languages.

“Nelson Mandela...He was a great man of peace and a great man of God. I just had to be here,” Dixon said.

Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, died Thursday at the age of 95. Famous as a peacemaker, Mandela is probably best known for his long fight against apartheid which landed him in prison for 27 years.

His death coincided with the twice-monthly Mass held on Sundays in the language of Rundi to serve a small group of immigrants mainly from Burundi and Rwanda, so the church decided to expand the Mass and invite others to attend, said Rev. William Pomerleau, pastor of Our Lady of Sacred Heart who also oversees Catholic outreach to the African community.

Looking out at a sea of faces that ranged from young children to the elderly, Pomerleau said he saw people from Uganda, Congo, Kenya, Senegal and Burundi, as well as a number of people who grew up in Western Massachusetts.

Mandela is especially revered by the people of Burundi because he brokered talks that led to the end of a long and bloody civil war that included genocide and the installation of a transitional government.

“Without him, the talks were not working. He was the one who gave it the kick to end the fighting,” said the Rev. Fidele Ingiyimbere, a Jesuit priest, graduate student at Boston College and native of Burundi who travels to Springfield twice a month to say the Mass in Rundi.

Ingiyimbere said he did not know much about Mandela when he was a child, but as he grew older, he began studying in school and reading works of the leader.

“When Nelson Mandela came in to Burundi, the first thing he did was to visit the prison, and he cried there,” Ingiyimbere said.

In death, Nelson Mandela unified South Africans of all races and backgrounds Sunday on a day of prayer for the global statesman — from a vaulted cathedral with hymns and incense to a rural, hilltop church with goat-skin drums and barefoot dancing.

People hold burning candles beside tributes laid outside the home of former president Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. South Africans of all races flocked to houses of worship Sunday for a national day of prayer and reflection to honor Nelson Mandela as a large contingent of foreign dignitaries, including royalty, begin arriving in the country to pay their final respects to the liberation struggle icon.  

By ALAN CLENDENNING, CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA, JASON STRAZIUSO and
JON GAMBRELL

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — In death, Nelson Mandela unified South Africans of all races and backgrounds Sunday on a day of prayer for the global statesman — from a vaulted cathedral with hymns and incense to a rural, hilltop church with goat-skin drums and barefoot dancing.

Mandela was remembered in old bedrocks of resistance to white domination as well as former bastions of loyalty to apartheid.

"May his long walk to freedom be enjoyed and realized in our time by all of us," worshippers said in a prayer at the majestic St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town, where the first white settlers arrived centuries ago aboard European ships.

South Africa's reflection on Mandela's astonishing life was a prelude to a massive memorial in a Johannesburg stadium Tuesday that will draw world leaders and luminaries. They will gather to mourn, but also to salute the achievements of the prisoner who became president and an emblem of humanity's best instincts.

The extended farewell — a bittersweet mix of grief and celebration — ends Dec. 15, when Mandela is to be buried in his rural hometown of Qunu in Eastern Cape province.

The anti-apartheid campaigner wanted to die in those modest, traditional surroundings; instead, he died Thursday at age 95 in his home in an exclusive Johannesburg area. He was surrounded by family after months of a debilitating illness that required the constant care of a team of doctors.

Family friend Bantu Holomisa told The Associated Press that Mandela wasn't on life support in his final hours. He appeared to be sleeping calmly but it was obvious that he was finally succumbing, added Holomisa, who said he saw Mandela about two hours before his death.

"I've seen people who are on their last hours and I could sense that he is now giving up," said Holomisa, who is the leader of the United Democratic Movement in parliament.

"You could see it is not Madiba anymore," Holomisa added, using Mandela's clan name.

The government and Mandela's family have revealed few details about Mandela's death. Ahmed Kathrada, who was sentenced to life in prison with Mandela in 1964, said he was informed shortly before Mandela's death that his old friend had little time left.

Kathrada said Graca Machel, Mandela's wife, conveyed the message to him through another person that Mandela "will be leaving us that night" and "the doctors have said, 'Anytime.'"

The death still came as a shock to many South Africans, so accustomed to the enduring presence of the monumental fighter, even when he retired from public life years ago and became increasingly frail.

"He was more than just an individual soul. He was the exposition of the African spirit of generosity," said the Rev. Michael Weeder, dean of St. George's Cathedral.

But he cautioned that the country still has so much to do.

"The strength of the new South Africa will be measured in the distance that the poor and the marginalized travel from the periphery to the center of our society," Weeder said.

In Johannesburg, hundreds swayed and sang at the Regina Mundi Church that was near the epicenter of the Soweto township uprising against white rule in 1976 and served as a refuge from security forces who fired tear gas around the building and whose bullets have pockmarked the outside walls.

The Rev. Sebastian J. Rossouw compared Mandela to the biblical figures Isaiah and John the Baptist as men who led in dark times, calling him "that moonlight in the dark night."

God "sent us this man to show us the depths of the human heart, he sent us this man to show us that despite what was going on at the time, light could shine," Rossouw said. He warned of the flaws of modern life in South Africa, preaching against the "corruption and crime" that plague the country.

Mandela's ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, joined one of his grandsons, Mandla Mandela, and South African President Jacob Zuma in a prayer service in Johannesburg.

Inside a church behind Mandela's property in the eastern village of Qunu, where he will be buried, about 50 people held a raucous, celebratory service. A robed man banged on a drum. Clapping men huddled as women danced on the concrete floor.

The Rev. Joshua Mzingelwa, the leader of Morians Episcopal Apostolic Church, delivered a loud, throaty sermon.

"There is still hope in the hardship that you are facing daily," Mzingelwa told the congregation.

In an affluent, predominantly white suburb of the capital, Pretoria, parishioners prayed for Mandela at what was once a worship center for pro-apartheid government and business leaders.

A picture of Mandela was beamed onto the wall above the pulpit, highlighting the enormous changes in South Africa, which elected Mandela as its first black president in an all-race vote in 1994.

The Rev. Niekie Lamprecht, pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church of Pretoria East, said Mandela was the driving force behind changes of attitude in the congregation's overwhelmingly white parishioners.

"He said, 'Let's forgive,' and he forgave. That created a space for people to feel safe ... at a time when the expectation was that there was going to be a war," Lamprecht said.

Foreign dignitaries began arriving Sunday, and the government said more than 50 heads of state were expected. Those attending include U.S. President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

After the stadium memorial on Tuesday, Mandela's body will lie in state at the Union Buildings, the seat of government in Pretoria, from Wednesday to Friday, followed by the burial in Qunu.

Torchia reported from Cape Town, Gambrell from Johannesburg, Straziuso from Qunu, and Clendenning from Pretoria. Ray Faure in Johannesburg also contributed to this report.

One woman took the keys from her car.

Republican photo 

LUDLOW – Police arrested a 33-year-old woman and charged her with drunken driving after several bystanders intervened and stopped her from driving.

Amy L. Lagasse was arrested at about 7:25 p.m. Saturday and charged with drunken driving second offense, reckless endangerment of a child and driving on a suspended license, police Sgt. Daniel Valadas said.

The woman was first observed at the F.L. Roberts Sunoco station at 425 Center St. Several customers saw her either falling asleep or acting disoriented in her car while her 2-year-old child was sitting in the back seat, Valadas said.

One couple who tried to help her called police and took away her keys so she could not drive away. A third person also intervened and asked the gas station clerk to call police.

When police officers arrived they determined the woman was drinking and arrested her. The Department of Families and Children was called and turned custody of the child over to the father, Valadas said.

The local officials said that investments in early education will pay off later in improved academic and graduation success

SPRINGFIELD – Local officials announced a public-private fundraising effort on Monday, including the use of future casino revenues, to increase access by Springfield children to early education programs.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, following a meeting with various city and schools officials and early childhood education advocates, said he is committed to using a portion of casino revenues to expand access to quality preschool programs. MGM Resorts International, if awarded a casino license in Springfield, will provide $2.5 million annually for community programs including educational programs, as part of its host community agreement.

Sarno said the specific amount he will pledge for the early education initiative is not yet determined, but will be used to leverage additional funds from philanthropic organizations, the business sector and the state.

“If we are ever going to knock down poverty and public safety issues in urban America, education is the key,” Sarno said.

The research shows that investment in early education — both in providing access for children and providing high-quality programs — is critical for those children’s future, Sarno and local early education advocates said.

The funds raised will help needy families afford the cost of preschool, officials said.

In addition, the school system has amended the curriculum, and will provide professional development and classroom coaching to help improve the quality of early education programs, to be shared with public and private providers, Superintendent of Schools Daniel J. Warwick said.

Mary Walachy, executive director of the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation, joined in praising the early education initiative, saying it has been a top priority of the foundation.

“What we know, particularly in communities where families have economic and educational challenges, pre-school is a huge opportunity for kids to get a head start on education,” Walachy said.

Warwick and Walachy said children do better throughout school and in graduation rates and other factors if they receive a quality early education start.

The state provides vouchers to help families with pre-school costs, but there are thousands of children statewide on the waiting list, and hundreds in Springfield, officials said.

Walachy estimated that at least 60 percent of children in Springfield do not receive some type of early education program. Full-day, full-year early childhood programs cost $10,000 to $20,000 per child, per year, she said

“The research is very clear,” Walachy said. “Children who attend a quality pre-school program, especially children from the low income communities, arrive at school better prepared to be successful and more closely aligned with their more middle income peers.”

Kevin Kennedy, the city’s chief development officer, said the business community continuously urges the city to focus on public safety and education, particularly early education.

The announcement of the public-private effort occurred after Sarno, Warwick and advocates attended a meeting at the Greater Springfield YMCA on Monday, for a discussion of early education challenges with Massachusetts Early Educational And Care Commissioner Thomas Weber.

Weber met with educators, program officials, families and other stakeholders about the priority of closing the achievement gaps in part by improvements in early education efforts.

In his order Monday, Neiman gave the Freeland and the other defendants until Jan. 7 to respond to any new material submitted by Dobelle.

WESTFIELD – A federal judge has given ex-Westfield State University president Evan S. Dobelle a two-week extension to file additional documents in his lawsuit against the university and state education officials.

In a ruling Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Kenneth P. Neiman granted Dobelle’s request to push the deadline for amending his lawsuit back from Dec. 9 to Dec. 23.

One of Dobelle’s lawyers, Katherine M. Romel, stated in a motion last week that events occurring after the lawsuit was filed on Oct. 24 will bolster his case and eliminate the need to respond by Dec. 13 to the defendant’s motion to dismiss.

No description of the new material was included in the motion and Neiman expressed skepticism Monday that it would render the motion to dismiss moot.

“The court has no reason to accept at this time (Dobelle’s) assertion,” Neiman said, adding: “Time, of course, will tell.”

Dobelle, 68, filed the lawsuit after Westfield State trustees placed him on paid leave Oct. 17 and hired a Boston law firm to investigate his travel and spending habits.

He resigned Nov. 8, nearly 6 years after arriving at Westfield State with a resume that included serving as president at Trinity College and the University of Hawaii.

The suit alleges that Higher Education Commissioner Richard M. Freeland and three trustees – chairman John F. Flynn, III; Kevin R. Queenin; and Elizabeth D. Scheibel - conspired to force Dobelle from office for personal reasons, and used his extensive travel on behalf of the university as a pretext.

Also named as defendants were the Braintree-based auditing firm of Drew & O’Connor, the school’s attorney, James B. Cox and the Boston law firm of Rubin & Rudman.

In his order Monday, Neiman gave the defendants until Jan. 7 to respond to any new material submitted by Dobelle.

The dispute over Dobelle’s spending flared in August when O’Connor & Drew released the first public summary of his travel, including visits to China, Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong and 15 trips to San Francisco.

The auditors found that he repeatedly violated Westfield State policies by charging personal travel expenses for himself and family members to school-related credit cards.

Dobelle said the university benefited from his travel, and all personal expenses charged to the school were eventually reimbursed.

The Amherst Regional School Committee would draft the amendment to the current agreement.

AMHERST – The board looking at creating a regional school district is proposing to amend the current agreement rather than start from scratch.

Amherst, Shutesbury, Pelham and Leverett form a regional school district for children in middle and high schools. Amherst Regional Superintendent Maria Geryk supervising the district in addition to elementary schools in Amherst and Pelham.

Leverett and Shutesbury elementary schools belong to Union 28, a region that includes Erving, New Salem and Wendell and is supervised by interim Superintendent Robert A. Mahler.

The 12-member Regional School Planning Board has been investigating since June 2012 whether to regionalize the entire school district.

The planning group had been looking at whether to create a regional district and if so would it be a kindergarten through grade 12 for all four communities or a regional for elementary and regional for middle and high schools as it is now.

The proposal would amend the current agreement to a prekindergarten through 12th grade district with the option that one of the four existing towns (other than Amherst) can remain in the district for grades seven through 12 only, can seek shared superintendency for elementary grades, and can expand to include prekindergarten through grade 7th.

While the proposal does not mention which district might not participate, during previous discussions, the town of Shutesbury was the most hesitant to join the region at the elementary level.

Andrew Steinberg, the chair of the board, said the proposal has been sent to the state Department of Elementary & Secondary Education to see if the state would allow it. He said the concept “is unusual, but not unique.” The Mohawk Regional School District operates in a similar matter.

He said the board will meet next month and the proposal will be then be discussed by the regional committee because it’s an amendment to the current agreement. “When were talking about creating a new region it was spelled out in the statute,” that three members from each community were appointed to the board. “Now that we’re talking about amending regional agreement it becomes a new kind of process."

Kip Fonsh, chairman of the Amherst Regional School Committee, said provided the state agrees the regional committee would likely create a subcommittee to draft an amendment. That subcommittee could include members of the planning board who have a long history with the district’s creation.

Steinberg said, “There’s a lot of work (to do.)” The committee needs to look at how it would structure a new School Committee and “the methodology for allocating assessments for the schools.”

Currently there’s a formula in place for the assessments for just the middle and high school region. Also each elementary district has its own school committee in addition to the regional committee.

The proposal could come before the communities for a vote by next fall’s town meetings and for a general vote before Amherst voters. He doesn’t think the proposal would be finished in time for the spring town meetings. Amherst would need a town-wide vote because it is a representational town meeting while the other three are open town meetings.

There is no plan to close any of the elementary schools. Steinberg said there “are six really good elementary schools. The goal of this (agreement) is to strengthen the elementary.”

If approved, changes in the district could begin in September 2015.

Although the ZBA hearing is scheduled for Dec. 16, the town’s lawyer, Ilana M. Quirk, asked Rivercrest to seek an extension of the strict ZBA public hearing time frames, in order to bring the matter in front of the planning board.

South Hadley Town Moderator Edward Ryan, who has been involved with the condominium proposalJim Russell 

SOUTH HADLEY – A public hearing on the Rivercrest Condominium proposal to build 60 units off Ferry Street is scheduled for Dec. 16 under the auspices of the South Hadley Zoning Board of Appeals.

The company’s plan to build 27 units on the Ferry Street parcel was unanimously rejected by the Planning Board in 2011.
South Hadley selectboard had urged the state to reject the newer, larger project.

Local zoning rules prohibits building that many units in one place, but the condominium company earlier this year sought and was recently granted a state permit to use an affordable housing law, known as 40B, that exempts Rivercrest Condominiums from the town’s zoning bylaws for the larger 60-unit project. The reference 40B refers to a chapter in Mass. general laws. The company’s request to the ZBA using 40B is officially called a “comprehensive permit application.”

Typically, a municipality’s planning board decides whether to approve a housing project and often stipulates conditions a builder must adhere to in exchange for permission to build. The conditions require the builder to conform with local zoning.

But with the state 40B permit in-hand, known as a “site approval letter,” the developer has a right to a ZBA hearing, and the ZBA, by law, cannot enforce local zoning rules. But the Rivercrest project may get decided by the Planning Board after all.

Although the ZBA hearing is scheduled for Dec. 16, the town’s lawyer, Ilana M. Quirk, asked Rivercrest to seek an extension of the strict ZBA public hearing time frames, in order to bring the matter in front of the Planning Board. She belongs to the Boston firm Kopelman and Paige, P.C.

South Hadley’s planning director, Richard Harris, agreed with Quirk and the ZBA is expected to vote on the request.

However, the company says they are willing to go along with the Quirk-Harris idea only if the town agrees to extensive time delays – of up to a year or more -- in the ZBA hearing process. That would allow the Rivercrest condominium proposal to eventually go before the ZBA -- should the Planning Board process not work out for the company.

“We are attempting to work out a successful permitting process with the Planning Board – at the town’s request,” Rivercrest consultant Robert Engler wrote to the ZBA Chairman Martha Terry in a letter dated Nov. 18 and posted on the town’s website.

But “now that we have our Site Approval Letter from MassHousing we are entitled to file for a comprehensive permit with your board,” Engler wrote.

“We do not wish to relinquish our right to proceed timely with the comprehensive permit application, as filed – without a one year delay --, should we not achieve a timely and successful outcome with the Planning Board.”

Plans on file with the town shows the $10.5 million proposal aims to build 15 "affordable" 1,166-square-foot units to sell at $165,000 and 45 "market" rate condos at $195,000.

Paperwork Engler filed shows South Hadley Town Moderator Edward Ryan as a trustee for Ferry Street Nominee Trust, which had purchased the 10.8 acre parcel for $350,000 in 2007 from the Mildred Brockway Estate. The land was sold to Rivercrest Condominiums for $1 in June, with Ryan acting as counsel for the buyer and seller, according to Engler's Nov. 18 filings with the town.

Because less than 10 percent of South Hadley's total housing stock is deemed to "affordable" in accordance with state criteria, developers can use the 40B process here.

Officials in Newtown, Conn., are urging members of the media to stay away on the day that marks one year since the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Do you have news or a news tip to submit to MassLive.com for consideration? Send an email to online@repub.com.

Amherst property owners will pay a little more in fiscal 2014 for property taxes.

AMHERST – The fiscal 2014 tax rate will rise 58 cents to $20.97 per $1,000 up the fiscal 2013 tax rate of $20.39, pending Department of Revenue certification.

 

The average home here is valued at $320,100, up from the current value of $319,900.
The average homeowner will pay about $206 more a year, said Principal Assessor David Burgess. A homeowner with an average-valued home will see an annual tax bill of about $6,713.

The tax rate remained fairly constant, Burgess said because “we didn’t spend a lot of money.”

Also, he said, the values in property changed just slightly. New growth, however, was $455,000, down a little bit.

The Select Board, as recommended by the Board of Assessors, voted to keep the same tax rate for all property owners. Residential property comprises 89.76 percent of the tax base so it’s not large enough to warrant having commercial property owners pay more.

New tax bills should go out soon and Burgess expected the rate to be certified within a few days as well.

While Amherst has one of the highest tax rates in the area, Longmeadow recently set a rate of $23.15 per $1,000 of assessed value.

So far Agawam and Ludlow have approved mitigation agreements.

WILBRAHAM - A meeting between MGM-Springfield and Wilbraham selectmen to discuss proposed mitigation costs for the proposed casino in Springfield has been postponed by MGM from Tuesday until Thursday, Selectmen Chairman James Thompson.

This is the second time MGM has postponed the meeting. A meeting set for Dec. 2 was postponed by MGM until Dec. 10.

MGM has proposed to pay Wilbraham $100,000 a year in mitigation costs for the first 15 years of its license to operate a casino in Springfield.

Agawam last week announced an agreement whereby the city will receive $125,000 from MGM-Springfield for a study and $150,000 a year for 15 years, which would be reviewed after one and five years.

Wilbraham Selectman Robert Russell said he has questions about why Agawam’s payment is higher than the payment proposed to Wilbraham.

“I thought these were supposed to be uniform proposals,” he said.

Ludlow also has signed an agreement with MGM-Springfield for proposed mitigation costs for the proposed $800 million casino in Springfield.

Longmeadow so far has not reached an agreement with MGM-Springfield.

Select board member Paul Santaniello said MGM’s initial offer of $50,000 a year in mitigation is “not a fair agreement.”

Massachusetts is among many states that require commercial casinos to negotiate contracts with municipalities where the resort would be built. But unlike other states, Massachusetts also requires developers to reach separate, written mitigation agreements with each community that might border or be close to a “host” community.

This would involve reimbursing the town for impact studies and providing other compensation for the effects of a casino on that community.

Northampton also is seeking to negotiate a mitigating impact with MGM-Springfield.

Elaine Driscoll, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, said MGM-Springfield has until Dec. 31 to submit its final application. That application should include all mitigating agreements with surrounding communities. If a community such as Northampton believes it has been left out of this process, it had 10 days to petition the Gaming Commission, Driscoll said.

Originally 2,500 customers lost power and had it restored, but then it went out again for 1,200, an National Grid spokeswoman said.

AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek, File 

BELCHERTOWN - Some 1,200 electric customers in Belchertown remain without power Monday night as crews from the National Grid attempt to repair a stubborn outage, officials said.

Originally 2,500 customers in Belchertown and Granby were affected by an outage at 5:50 p.m., said National Grid spokeswoman Debby Drew. The problem was traced to a load break in the area of State Street in Granby.

The utility was able to restore power by about 6:40 for all affected by switching electrical feeds to the area, she said.

But a short time later, some of the new feeds also failed, causing some 1,200 customers to lose power again, she said.

National Grid crews are attempting to make repairs to bring people back on line, but she said the earliest projected restoration is sometime around 10:30 p.m.

The two subcommittees will meet with selectmen after the first of the year.

WILBRAHAM - The Board of Selectmen has appointed a Building Feasibility Committee to make recommendations on building a new senior center and police station.

 

The new members of the Building Feasibility Committee’s Senior Center Building Subcommittee are Norma Bandara, Dennis Lopata, Carolyn Brennan, Nicholas Manolakis, Gina Kahn, M. Trant Campbell, Paula Dubord and Thomas Sullivan.

Members of the Building Feasibility Committee’s Police Station Building Subcommittee are Edward Rigney, Kevin Moriarty, Patricia Diotalevi, Paul LaPlante, Roger L. Chapdelaine Jr., Roger Fontaine, Police Chief Roger Tucker and Thomas Sullivan.

Selectmen Chairman James Thompson said selectmen will meet with both subcommittees after the first of the year and give them their written charge.

Selectman Robert Boilard said the two committees will be bringing forward competing projects.

The Friends of the Wilbraham Seniors through private fund raising so far has raised $140,000 toward its goal of a new senior center.

Police Chief Roger Tucker said the town’s current police station is a former school and was built in 1908.

BELCHERTOWN - Some 1,200 electric customers in Belchertown remain without power Monday night as crews from the National Grid attempt to repair a stubborn outage, officials said. Originally 2,500 customers in Belchertown and Granby were affected by an outage at 5:50 p.m., said National Grid spokeswoman Debby Drew. The problem was traced to a problem with a load break...

BELCHERTOWN - Some 1,200 electric customers in Belchertown remain without power Monday night as crews from the National Grid attempt to repair a stubborn outage, officials said.

Originally 2,500 customers in Belchertown and Granby were affected by an outage at 5:50 p.m., said National Grid spokeswoman Debby Drew. The problem was traced to a problem with a load break in the area of State Street in Granby.

The utility was able to restore power by about 6:40 for all affected by switching electrical feeds to the area, she said.

But a short time later, some of the new feeds also failed, causing some 1,200 customers to lose power again, she said.

National Grid crews are attempting to make repairs to bring people back on line, but she said the earliest projected restoration is sometime around 10:30 p.m., she said.

A needle exchange program has been operating in a downtown office since August 2012.

HOLYOKE -- Needle exchange saves lives and medical studies prove the program works.

Needle exchange promotes drug use and studies doubt the program helps.

More than a dozen speakers at a public hearing Monday declared a range of views on a needle exchange program to the City Council Public Safety Committee at City Hall.

The committee will forward hearing results to the full City Council for a vote on needle exchange, committee Chairman Anthony Soto said last week.

Tapestry Health has been operating a needle exchange program at 15-A Main St. since August 2012. A lawsuit filed by seven of the 15 city councilors is pending in Hampden Superior Court over approval given for that program.

One unresolved question during the hearing was whether more or less discarded needles are present on the streets since the needle exchange program began here.

In a needle exchange program, people submit needles that have been used for intravenous drugs and get a clean, uninfected needle in return.

T. Stephen Jones, a retired commissioned officer with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during the hearing that studies by the World Health Organization and other respected organizations prove needle exchange works. It helps by reducing the sharing of infected needles and cutting the spread of diseases like HIV-AIDS and hepatitis C for which there are no cures, he said.

"I think the evidence is pretty conclusive," Jones said.

Mark Riffenburg, of Ridgewood Avenue, said needle exchange was a public health issue that specialists in that field, and not elected officials, should decide. He used a pop-culture phrase to make his point.

"I'm not a doctor but I play one on the City Council," Riffenburg said.

Edward F. Dupont, of Kane Road, said a needle exchange program makes no sense. Using heroin is illegal, he said, but someone can go to the Tapestry office and get a clean needle by exchanging a used one and then inject heroin.

"It's always been my impression that illegal drugs use is against the law," Dupont said.

Also, he said, voters here twice have rejected nonbinding questions asking if the city should have a needle exchange program. The most recent no vote was on Nov. 5.

"Listen to the citizens of Holyoke," Dupont said.

Paula Brunault, of Pleasant Street, said she fears for the safety of her grandchildren if they happen to be playing in parks littered with infected needles.

And why let Holyoke be known as a place where addicts can get needles to use drugs, she asked.

"It just doesn't make any sense to me," Brunault said.

The hearing was scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. but people weren't allowed to speak until more than 90 minutes later. Councilors in that time made remarks and discussed needle exchange with Police Chief James M. Neiswanger, William D. Fuqua, general superintendent of the Department of Public Works, and other officials.

One man was shot Monday night in the parking lot of a Hancock Street apartment complex, and police have blocked off the area of Hancock and Central as part of the investigation.

SPRINGFIELD — A man was shot Monday night in the parking lot of a Hancock Street apartment complex, and police have blocked off the area of Hancock and Central streets as part of the investigation.

The injured man was rushed by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center, according to police. His condition was not known.

The shooting occurred in the parking lot of the Hill Homes Housing Cooperative at 474-478 Hancock St. at about 9 p.m.

Detectives followed leads to an apartment in the complex and were interviewing four suspects, police said. Officers at the scene were waiting for a district court search warrant to enter the apartment, police said.

Police had the intersection of Central and Hancock blocked off and were urging people to keep back. Officers at the scene were describing it as an "active shooter" situation.

Police officials later revised that, saying there was no active shooter present. The area was being blocked off as a precaution and no members of the public were in danger.

More information will be posted as it becomes known.

Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said new bridge is constructed and major concrete work associated with the bridge was completed in mid November.

WESTFIELD – City officials anticipate a June opening of the Pochassic Street bridge that has been closed for nearly four years after it was deemed unsafe.

Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said new bridge is constructed and major concrete work associated with the bridge was completed in mid-November.

“They are now working on the sidewalk concrete approach and moment slabs which run down the hill,” he said. “They plan to have all major concrete pours completed by early 2014.”

With construction complete, workers must now install utilities including a water main, gas main and Verizon telephone lines to be relocated onto the bridge.

“Once the utility work is completed, they can construct the approach roadway and pave sometime in early spring,” Knapik said. “The official completion date is June 2014. If completion occurs prior to June, we will look to get permission to open to traffic when that occurs.”

Construction crews began the demolition of the Pochassic Street Bridge in March, and officials said the $2.7 million project to build the long-awaited new one will likely be complete by next year.

The bridge, located immediately north of the $57 million Great River Bridge construction and reconstruction project that took four years to complete, has been closed since 2010 when DOT officials determined structural deterioration made it unsafe for travel.

The closing of the Pochassic Street Bridge, a main artery to the Drug Store Hill neighborhoods, severed direct traffic flow to the that area of the city, forcing residents and motorists to detour to Notre Dame Street off North Elm Street to access Montgomery Road.

R. Bates & Sons, of Clinton, is the contractor for the project, which is being financed with federal and state funding, 80 percent of which is federal and 20 percent coming from the state as allocated in the Pioneer Valley Region’s 2011 Transportation Improvement Plan.

Federal officials said 18 current and former Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies saw themselves as being "above the law."

LOS ANGELES — Federal officials said 18 current and former Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies saw themselves as being "above the law" when they engaged in crimes that included beating inmates and jail visitors, falsifying reports, and trying to obstruct an FBI probe of the nation's largest jail system.

The investigation into corruption and civil rights abuses led to the arrests Monday of 16 of the 18 defendants. At least two no longer work for the department.

"These incidents did not take place in a vacuum. In fact, they demonstrated behavior that had become institutionalized," said U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. "The pattern of activity alleged in the obstruction of justice case shows how some members of the Sheriff's Department considered themselves to be above the law."

The 16 who were arrested appeared in court later Monday. Thirteen pleaded not guilty, and three did not enter pleas.

Flanked by some of his top command staff, Sheriff Lee Baca told reporters Monday he was troubled by the charges and called it a sad day for his department. He said the department would continue to cooperate with the FBI and that deputies who have been charged would be relieved of duty and have their pay suspended.

The Sheriff's Department oversees a jail system with more than 18,700 inmates and has a history of abuse allegations dating back to the 1970s.

Among allegations in a criminal complaint and four grand jury indictments unsealed Monday:

— Deputies unlawfully detained and used force on visitors to Men's Central Jail, included detaining and handcuffing the Austrian consul general in one instance, and in another, grabbing a man by the neck, forcing his head into a refrigerator, throwing him to the floor and pepper spraying his eyes.

— Deputies falsified reports to make arrests seem lawful or in one case, struck, kicked and pepper sprayed an inmate and made false reports to have the inmate charged with and prosecuted for assaulting deputies.

— Deputies tried to thwart the investigation by unsuccessfully seeking a court order to get the FBI to provide documents and attempted to intimidate a lead FBI agent by falsely saying they were going to seek a warrant for her arrest.

Those charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice include two lieutenants, one of whom oversaw the department's safe jails program and another who investigated allegations of crimes committed by sheriff's personnel.

They're accused along with two sergeants and three deputies with trying to prevent the FBI from contacting an informant by falsifying records to appear that he had been released when he had been moved to different cells under false names.

Birotte wouldn't say whether the lieutenant and two sergeants involved in the obstruction of justice probe were directed by their superiors. He declined to say if the alleged abuse was fostered by the department's top brass.

Others charged in the documents unsealed Monday are a deputy accused of possessing an assault weapon that was illegally modified, and three deputies — all brothers — accused of a $350,000 mortgage fraud scheme.

Baca, who has been sheriff since 1998, is facing his toughest race yet for re-election in 2014. Baca has acknowledged mistakes but also defended his department and distanced himself personally from allegations.

The sheriff said he has made improvements including creating a database to track inmate complaints. He has also hired a new head of custody and rearranged his command staff.

On Monday, Baca said he would accept the outcome of the FBI investigation, but strongly denied criticisms that abuse was rampant.

"You haven't seen me retire from the job," he said. "You haven't seen me blame somebody else besides me for whatever the challenges are."

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Sheriff's Department in 2012 claiming the sheriff and his top commanders had condoned violence against inmates. The organization released a report documenting more than 70 cases of misconduct by deputies.

The Citizens' Commission on Jail Violence, in its 2012 report, said deputies used force against inmates even "when there was no threat at all," and referred to "a culture of aggression among some deputies in the jails."

A federal jury in October found Baca personally liable for $100,000 for failing to stop inmate abuse by deputies in Men's Central Jail in a case brought by a man who said he was severely beaten while awaiting trial.

In June, a two-year Justice Department investigation found deputies discriminated against blacks and Latinos by making unconstitutional stops, searches, seizures and using excessive force in the Antelope Valley.

Baca disputed the findings but said he had instituted reforms.

By CHRISTOPHER P. GOUDREAU AGAWAM – Deborah Sanchez, president of the Agawam Dog Owners Group, a volunteer group dedicated to fund raising for a dog park in Agawam, said the project will receive a $245,000 grant representing most of the construction costs. Sanchez said during the summer, the city of Agawam applied for a grant from the Stanton Foundation, a...

By CHRISTOPHER P. GOUDREAU

AGAWAM – Deborah Sanchez, president of the Agawam Dog Owners Group, a volunteer group dedicated to fund raising for a dog park in Agawam, said the project will receive a $245,000 grant representing most of the construction costs.

Sanchez said during the summer, the city of Agawam applied for a grant from the Stanton Foundation, a private foundation known for their donations to dog-related public projects.

The grant has been approved and will be given to the town for the development of an off-leash dog park area at Shea Field, which is located near Armory off of Maynard Street, said Sanchez.

“The Stanton Foundation grant covers 90 percent of the hard construction costs,” she said.

Furthermore, Sanchez added that 10 percent of the costs are being donated from ADOG, which has raised $10,000 since it began its fund-raising efforts in 2011, and $14,000 in Community Preservation Act funds, unanimously approved by the Agawam Town Council in October.

Christopher M. Sparks, director of the Agawam Park and Recreation Department, stated that the town of Agawam is in the process of finalizing a contract and agreement with the Stanton Foundation.

“Once that is finalized, we will be given the design money to hire an architect for design and engineering of the park,” said Sparks. “So, right now, we have a conceptual plan but we’re going to turn that into a more realistic plan probably right after the first of the year.”

“It’s a win-win situation not only for the residents, not only of Agawam, but of the entire Pioneer Valley,” said Sanchez. “It is going to be a premiere off-leash area coming to Western Massachusetts and we are very proud to be a host city.”

She added that the dog park project’s target date for completion has yet to be finalized.

“Unfortunately, it’s a never-ending target date,” she said. “It’s just going to be a continuous fund-raising effort to support the off-leash recreational area to be developed by the town.”

Sanchez said there are several fund-raising initiatives and events that ADOG will be sponsoring in the near future such as a comedy show at the Polish American Club, 139 Southwick St., in Feeding Hills on Feb. 8.

“It can be a tremendous fund-raiser effort for us,” she said. “It’s a great night out to support a great cause. Tickets are $25 in advance, $25 at the door, and proceeds obviously go to benefit the Agawam Dog Owners Group.”