Springfield, Massachusetts News

Routine traffic stop turns violent in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) A Springfield police officer shot an 18 -year-old male Saturday night during a traffic stop on Kensington Avenue in Springfield.
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4th of July Celebration Turns Deadly
A Palmer man was killed Friday night after a car smashes into him.
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Police charge Hartford man in alleged kidnapping
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) A Hartford man reportedly forced a 20-year-old Springfield woman into the truck of his car Friday night and drove to Hartford where state police were waiting.
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Current, past mayors say more security wise at Springfield City Hall
Mayor Domenic Sarno said the discussion was started by former Mayor Charles Ryan.File photo by Christopher Evans / The RepublicanFormer Springfield Mayor Charles V. Ryan, left, and current Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, are seen in a debate prior to last year's election. Sarno says it was Ryan who started the discussion about the need for greater security at City Hall. By MIKE PLAISANCE mplaisance@repub.com SPRINGFIELD - Former Mayor Charles V. Ryan says it was the realities of today, though nothing in the way of a blatant physical threat, that prompted him to consider security measures for the mayoral office in City Hall. "It's like any public facility," he said earlier this week. "Every once in a while, somebody is there who may be disturbed or erratic. But for the most part, I never thought it was that serious a problem." Ryan was asked to discuss the situation after current Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said that he was reviewing security options for the mayor's headquarters on the second floor of City Hall. Sarno said the security discussion began during Ryan's administration. Ryan was mayor for two terms, from 2004 to 2007. Sarno defeated him in the November election, and took office on Jan. 7. Ryan also was mayor in 1962-67. Occasionally, Ryan said, a visitor who was bizarre or threatening would appear in his office. "But we'd shake our heads and go back to work," he recalled. But, he said, the truth is that the entrances of many public facilities, such as the nearby Federal Court and the Hampden County Hall of Justice, have guards and metal detectors. "It's a sobering question," said Ryan. Sarno said during an interview and in the text of the mayoral office budget contained in Springfield's fiscal 2009 budget book that he is considering a guard, a metal detector, or a silent emergency alarm. Sarno also said that no threats of bodily harm have occurred, but he wants his staff to feel secure. "None of us can predict the future, but we're probably not far off from when security would have to be institutionalized," Ryan added.
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4th of July celebration turns fatal in Palmer
PALMER, Mass (WWLP) A 4th of July celebration in Palmer turned tragic late Friday night. Police say a resident was struck and killed by an out of control teenage driver, while the victim was setting off fireworks in the street.
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A father's grief inspires maker of military robots
Associated Press - July 5, 2008 4:34 PM ET TYNGSBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - The Tyngsborough father of an Army private killed in Iraq has used his outrage over his son's death to start a company he...
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Chicopee reviewing bids for $2.9 million in drainage repairs
Like several other sewer project, this one is eligible for a state low interest loan. By PAMELA H. METAXAS pmetaxas@repub.com CHICOPEE - Bids for an estimated $2.9 million project to repair eroded pipes, culverts and drainage areas throughout Chicopee are being reviewed with construction set to begin soon. City Purchasing Director Brian G. Salamon said the city has received bids were from the apparent low bidder, Heller and Smith at $1,894,000, Ludlow Construction at $2,303,510, Bruschi Brothers at $2,326,100, Revoli Construction at $2,976,916.48 and Mass-West at $3,440,000. Tighe and Bond Inc. of Westfield, engineering and design consultants, are reviewing the bids. Department of Public Works Superintendent Stanley W. Kulig said the "bids came in right around what we expected. We are going to try and get this work started as soon as we can and we are hoping it will be done this year. These are all areas where drainage pipes are eroding and where there are problems with collapsed pipes and drainage structures. This should not involve road closures or disruption to traffic since most of the construction will be off road work." "This is part of attempts by the city to do preventive work before we have huge problems in drainage," said Kulig. Wastewater Treatment Plant Chief Operator Thomas M. Hamel agreed the bids came in close to original estimates. "This involves Phase 1 of this project doing 13 sections. We will be doing the worst ones first. This is preventive before we have serious failures," said Hamel. Hamel and Kulig said this project will be funded through a low-interest loan from the state revolving fund. Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette has said the 2 percent loan package will save the city millions of dollars in interest and prevent further erosion and damage. In 2007, Wastewater Treatment Plant employees walked wooded and isolated problem areas and cataloged the erosion in piping and drainage areas that carry rainwater with many located in off-road, sloped wooded areas. Kulig said there are approximately 20 areas citywide that require work so a priority list was presented for this round of bidding. The erosion has already caused some road and backyard erosion in the Exchange/West street vicinity, Abbey Memorial Drive in rear Szot Park entrance and in numerous Fairview locations. Two other ongoing sewer upgrade projects have been granted low interest state loans. One if the $14 million Fairview sewer upgrade, the largest in Chicopee's history, which is separating storm and sanitary sewers and involving other sewer related upgrades. The second is the $14.2 million Jones Ferry combined sewer overflow facility which will screen and disinfect 143 million gallons annually into the Connecticut River. These two are being mandated by the federal Environmental Protection Agency as part of a process to eliminate all combined sewer overflows into rivers, backyards and basements as well as to separate storm and sanitary sewers.
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New modular classrooms ready for use in East Longmeadow schools
The 12 classrooms will be in full use during the 2008-09 school year.Photo by Michael S. Gordon / The RepublicanModular classrooms at the Mountain View Elementary School in East Longmeadow are ready. By ELIZABETH ROMAN eroman@repub.com EAST LONGMEADOW - After more than nine months of construction and repairs, the 12 modular classrooms at the Mountain View, Meadow Brook, and Mapleshade Elementary Schools are ready for use. "We actually had students in some of the rooms for the last four weeks of school," said Superintendent Edward W. Costa earlier this week. The rooms, which were expected to be completed last August, were not put into use until May. The delay was due in part to the merging of two companies - Resun and ModSpace, a contractor based in Dulles, Va. Costa said the company had constant delays and problems with construction. "We refused to put students and staff in those rooms until we had 100-percent approval from our building inspector," said Costa. "There were serious problems with the rooms, including electrical issues and other code violations, which we felt needed to be addressed before allowing children to use those rooms." The School Committee is now negotiating with ModSpace to gain partial reimbursement on the $2.87 million project. "We certainly feel that the town is due some reimbursement for the extra delay," Costa said. The classrooms are being paid for through a debt exclusion override approved at a Town Meeting in 2006. Costa is confident that the town will have significant reimbursement for the project, in part by ModSpace and also by the state School Building Authority. The authority has agreed to reimburse the town for up to 40 percent. School Committee Chairman Robert A. Mazzariello said the town was placed on the authority's funding list because of its continued growth in the past few years. "We are one of the few communities in this area which has seen an increase in population, and the School Building Authority took that into account," he said. The town has 2,941 students, and the projected enrollment for fiscal 2009 is 2,950. "Most of our growth is at the elementary school level, which is why these rooms have been so necessary to us," Costa said. Each classroom covers 1,000 square feet, has the same design, and will hold an average of 20 pupils. The numbers vary depending on grade. Every two classrooms share a bathroom. At Meadow Brook, there will be two preschool rooms, a room for the reading staff, and a room for speech and language professionals. At the three schools, rooms were so crowded that some pupils took classes in the library, hallways, and converted closets. "The rooms are spacious, they are beautiful, and, most importantly, they are safe now," Mazzariello said.
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Historic Shaker grave stones being given to museum
Associated Press - July 5, 2008 2:24 PM ET ENFIELD, Conn. (AP) - Three historic grave markers from Enfield's old Shaker religious community have been removed from a prison walkway.
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At least 1,000 Holyoke students expected to participate in summer school starting Monday
Despite budget cuts, the programs will be running pretty much the same as they have in the past, the summer school director said. By JEANETTE DeFORGE jdeforge@repub.com HOLYOKE - Despite widespread budget cuts, summer school will go on as planned. Between 1,000 and 1,200 of the city's about 6,500 students are expected to attend the program that will run four days a week starting Monday through Aug. 7. The programs will be running pretty much the same as they have in the past, we are in a few different buildings," said John F. Cavanaugh, principal of the Holyoke Alternative Program and the summer school director. Because three schools were closed in June due to budget cuts, programs are not being held in the usual schools so custodians can spend time making renovations and moving furniture and supplies. Students who would typically attend summer school at H.B. Lawrence School will instead be bused to Dr. Marcella Kelly School. The middle school program, which is usually held at William R. Peck School will be held at E.N. White this year, he said. Most of the summer school programs are funded with federal Title 1 grants, so classes can continue as usual. Special education programs are funded with regular school money, but are mandated by students' education plans, Cavanaugh. Teachers are planning to continue a science and nature themed curriculum which worked math and reading into lessons about subjects such as insects and amphibians. Schools will also continue the hugely-popular field trips to Mount Tom Reservation where students spent several days learning about water creatures by doing things such as catching water bugs with nets and examining them. They will take hikes to learn about leaves and trees and rocks, he said. Some districts invite only students who are struggling academically, but in Holyoke any child in kindergarten through grade 8 can attend the program. "Anybody is welcome to summer school," Cavanaugh said. Not all children who attend need extra academic help but many like the structured day and it can help those whose parents are working. Holyoke will also continue Kindercamp, which began as an experiment about three years ago to give children who had never attended a formal pre-school a boost before starting school, Cavanaugh said. That program teaches children basic rules and routines of a classroom and also focuses on enhancing students language skills to prepare them to begin learning to read. Students with disabilities will also be attending summer school in the traditional program held at Jericho on Northampton Street. There students may swim and participate in a variety of outdoor activities in between academic classes.
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