Nuciforo Applauds House Speaker’s Health Care Coverage Bill

A bill filed on Beacon Hill Monday would charge Massachusetts companies that employ more than ten people a new payroll tax if they don't provide health insurance. The plan supported by House Speaker Sal Dimasi aims to cover 95 percent of the state's roughly 500-thousand uninsured residents within three years. Companies with fewer than 100 employees would be taxed at four percent of their payroll. Those with more than 100 workers would be taxed at six percent. The tax revenues raised from employers who don't insure their own employees will be pooled so the state can provide subsidized coverage instead.

State Senator Andrea Nuciforo says levying an assessment against employers that don’t provide health care coverage for employees will lead especially larger companies to seek ways to insure the low- and middle-income worker.

Nuciforo says another problem this addresses is that those currently in the ranks of the uninsured get most or all of their care in the emergency room, the most expensive type of care.

Business groups in Massachusetts are reportedly expressing opposition to DiMasi’s proposal. Berkshire Chamber of Commerce President Dave Bissaillon has been unavailable for comment.

By and large, business leaders oppose mandated coverage, saying it impedes job growth by increasing benefit costs.

Average Price For Gas Falls Again

If you drive a car, you've probably noticed that gasoline isn't quite so expensive lately.

The latest Triple-A survey of gas prices in Massachusetts bears that out.

The average cost for self-serve regular is two dollars, 41 cents a gallon. That's down 16 cents from last week and 45 cents from the beginning of October.

The average price has fallen 82 cents from the record three dollars, 23 cents a gallon in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Triple A says the lowest price it found for self-serve regular in the latest Bay State survey was two dollars, 17 cents a gallon. The highest was two dollars, 69 cents a gallon. Sen. Kennedy Blasts Alito Nomination

Senator Edward Kennedy is among the first Democrats to sharply criticize President Bush's choice of Samuel Alito to the U-S Supreme Court.

In a statement, Kennedy calls it a "nomination based on weakness, not on strength."

While acknowledging that Alito is intelligent and experienced on the bench, the Massachusetts senator says the nominee, if confirmed, could "fundamentally alter the balance" of the Supreme Court," and push the court "dangerously to the right."

After the failed nomination of Harriet Miers, Kennedy says Bush is trying to mend fences with Republican conservatives by choosing a nominee with "extreme" views.

Mass. Lawmakers Raise Millions For Reelection Campaigns

Members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation are reaping in campaign contributions, despite the current absence of any major challengers on the horizon.

According to the latest federal election filings, the all-Democratic delegation has accumulated more than 20 million dollars.

Leading the way with seven-point-seven million dollars is Senator Edward Kennedy. Four House members have amassed more than one million dollars in their campaign committee accounts.

State G-O-P officials hope to field challengers against all eleven incumbents up for re-election in 2006, but are still in the process of recruiting candidates.

Incumbents often try to raise large amounts of cash heading into re-election season in hopes of discouraging potential challengers. No Charges Brought In Death Of Baby Found In Car

The Bristol County District Attorney says no charges will be field in the death of a one-year-old girl in Fall River last month.

Brianna Correa was left in a parked S-U-V for much of the day until she was found by her mother, Marie Heyliger.

D-A Paul Walsh says Heyliger's boyfriend, Raul Padua, forgot to drop the baby off at day care after dropping Heylinger's two older children off at school. Heyliger then took the car to work, but did not notice the baby sleeping in the rear-facing car seat.

Walsh says while the actions of Padua or Heyliger may be considered negligent, they do not rise to the level of criminal conduct.

The D-A says a person must have known of the risk to the child and consciously disregarded that risk to warrant criminal charges.

Walsh says the investigation is closed. Former Top Mayoral Aide Charged In Corruption Probe

The man who served as chief-of-staff to former Springfield mayor Mike Albano has been released on ten-thousand dollars unsecured bond after pleading not guilty to tax fraud and other charges.

Anthony Ardolino is the highest-ranking former city official to be implicated in the four-year-old F-B-I probe of corruption in Springfield city government.

Ardolino's brother, former police officer Chester Ardolino, and Matt Campagnari, a former owner of four Springfield bars, were also named in a 30-page federal indictment unsealed today.

The men are accused of skimming money from bars. Anthony Ardolini is also accused of using his position to influence a city council vote on a development project that Campagnari was working on, and of fixing 14-thousand dollars worth of parking tickets for himself and others.

John Walsh, a contractor, was charged in a separate indictment with obstruction of justice and other charges.

VERMONT STATE NEWS

Leahy Calls Alito Nomination Needlessly Provocative

A needlessly provocative nomination. That's the reaction of Vermont U-S Senator Patrick Leahy to President Bush's nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the U-S Supreme Court.

Bush's nomination of the conservative appeals court judge comes just days after Harriet Miers withdrew her name as a nominee to the high court.

Leahy -- senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee -- says Alito's nomination raises several areas of concern.

Among them are the judge's record in discrimination cases.

The Vermont Senator says Alito appears to want to set an unreasonably high standard for someone to prove he or she is a victim of discrimination.

Markowitz: Republican Party Primary Rule Against State Law

Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz says a "sore loser" rule passed by the Republican Party at a state committee meeting this weekend appears to violate state law governing primary elections.

The rule says anyone who loses a Republican primary and then runs in the general election as an independent or with another party is banned from running as a Republican candidate for the next three election cycles.

Republican leaders say the party's rule follows five recent U-S Supreme Court decisions and that if it's tested in court, they will win.

But Markowitz says such party rules don't trump state law.

She says all that's required to get on the primary ballot are 500 signatures from registered voters. Packaged Apple Slices To Be Sold In Vermont Schools

Many Vermont school children will now be offerd sliced Vermont apples in their cafeterias during lunch.

The packaged fruit, which has a refrigerated shelf life of 21 days, will be sold in 250 schools and daycare programs around the state starting Tuesday.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture also is marketing the apple slices to convenience stores as a low-calorie, nutritious snack.

Agriculture officials say fresh-cut produce is a fast growing market.

McDonald's restaurants have been selling apple slices for about a year.

Imagine: No More Written Prescriptions, Waiting For Records

Better sharing of medical information is a common goal of those looking to reform Vermont's health care system.

Now Mount Ascutney Hospital in Windsor and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, are taking a step in that direction.

The small Windsor hospital and much larger medical center are joining to share patient prescription information across various types of computer software and hardware.

The aim is to make doctor's prescriptions more legible, and more easily shared among primary care doctors, specialists, clinics, pharmacies and hospitals. Drowning Victims Bodies Recovered From Hoosick River

The bodies of a 6-year-old boy who fell into the Hoosick River and a former North Adams man who tried to save him have been recovered in Hoosick Falls, New York.

Officials say 6-year-old Michael Hackett slipped into the river near the Vermont line Sunday morning while he and his mother's fiancé were watching the flooding.

The fiancé, identified as 39-year-old Robert Scanlon, jumped in to try and save him.

The boy's body was found on an embankment yesterday morning, while the man's body was found farther downstream.

Scanlon, a 1984 Drury High School graduate, was an attorney most recently living in Bennington, Vermont.

Calling hours will be held Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. at Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Funeral Home on West Main Street.

Scanlon will be laid to rest on Thursday

Connecticut Women Dies In Two-Car Crash In Sheffield

A two-vehicle crash in Sheffield Monday morning has claimed the life of a Connecticut woman.

Sheffield police say the accident occurred about 6:40 yesterday morning when a tractor-trailer and the victim's car crashed head-on about two miles north of the Sheffield-Canaan, Connecticut, town line.

Police say the truck was enroute from Herkimer, New York, to North Canaan, Connecticut. Sheffield Police have not released the victim's name pending notification of family

The truck carrying about 100 gallons of diesel fuel oil caught fire, and the fuel spilled onto the highway.

Maxymillian Construction Company of Pittsfield dispatched its haz-mat team to clean up the spill.

The accident and cleanup led to that section of Route 7 being closed most of the day Monday...it was re-opened around 5:00 last night.

Weather Conditions Reduce Greylock Ramble Turn-Out

Weather conditions reduced the turnout a bit, but the spirit was the same for each of the 12 hundred hikers who reached the top of the mountain in the 40th annual Mount Greylock Ramble in Adams.

2-year-old Keegan Barrows of Stephentown, New York was the youngest Rambler, while 84-year-old Thomas Hardy of Orange, Mass was the oldest to reach Bascom Lodge. Hardy says he's done the Ramble with his wife the past 8 years, and plans to do it until he's 90.

Not sure if the 12 hundred figure includes dogs, but there were plenty of them along the Cheshire Harbor Trail. Jim from the town of Florida brought along his canine companion, Nikita...and says the dog is the main reason he and his wife Amber have done the Ramble the past two years!

Conditions were a bit sloppy on the trail following the weekend rain, but fortunately, event organizers say no major injuries were suffered by any hikers.

NAPD Police Cruiser Totaled In 3 Car Crash

A North Adams police cruiser totaled and an officer suffers minor injuries in a 3-car accident early Sunday morning.

The crash occurred just after 1 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of River and Marshall Streets, where police say the blinking traffic light was out during the storm. Police allege 43-year-old Jesse Sykes of Lanesboro was going south on Houghton Street went through the light and struck the cruiser being driven by officer Toby Randall.

According to the report, the cruiser spun around, went into the opposite lane after impact, then was struck by a third car driven by 53-year-old Vern Shields of North Adams.

The officer was taken to North Adams Regional Hospital, where he was treated and released within a few hours.

Police say the accident remains under investigation and charges are pending.

Billings Focuses On Development, Jobs, Housing And Education In North Adams

North Adams city councilor Clark Billings says he's focusing on the same issues he always has in his bid for re-election this year - development, jobs, housing and education.

Since he was first elected in 1979, Billings says the city's economy has shifted from manufacturing to one that relies more of the arts and tourism for job growth. He says zoning changes to accommodate redevelopment of the Eclipse and Blackinton Mills were ways city council has embraced that change.

Looking forward, Billings says the city needs to encourage development in all different areas...noting at the same time, however, that job growth has to come through the private sector.

In addition Billing’s says knowing what city council can and can't do and doing proper research prior to voting on the council floor are the most important things a city councilor does...and with experience comes knowledge ability and expertise in those areas.

Billings says council avoided what he says would have been a black eye for the city by referring the nude art controversy on Eagle Street to the city solicitor's office. Billings says knowledge of basic parliamentary procedure was all it took to diffuse the situation.

Billings is finishing up his third consecutive 2-year term in office, his 19th year overall on council.

Former Governor Swift To Donate Personnel Papers And Photos To NA Library

Former Governor Jane Swift will donate thousands of her personal papers and photos to the North Adams Public Library later this month.

Swift, a North Adams native who now lives in Williamstown, says she has fond memories of the library from when she was a child...saying she was honored that the library wanted to create a Swift archive.

The October 22nd event in North Adams will also include a preview of her official gubernatorial portrait, which will be presented at the Statehouse two days later on October 24th.

Swift says the archives include materials from throughout her career including letters, congratulatory notes, speeches and other items.

NAFD Advises Residents Take a Pro-active Approach To Flooding

The North Adams Fire Department advising residents to take a pro-active approach and be prepared for the type of flooding that came over the weekend, especially those who live in low-lying areas or next to a body of water.

Lieutenant Joseph Beverly says buying a sump pump and a hose is the first step...then once you know a major storm is about to arrive, being prepared is the key to minimizing any damage.

Beverly says residents should contact the fire department if basement flooding is above 5 or 6 inches -- or if the water is rising up to the level of your furnace or electrical circuits.

Hybrid Or Alternative-Fuel Vehicles Paying Off In Some Cities

Higher fuel prices are affecting local governments across Massachusetts -- but there's been less need for penny-pinching in cities that have been purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicles are all included in municipal fleets in the cities of Boston, Cambridge, Newton and Medford, Mass. Jeremy Marin with the Sierra Club says advocating for the use of more fuel-efficient vehicles has been easy, since the benefits are readily apparent.

Earlier this month, the State Senate passed a bill that would provide incentives for municipalities, businesses and individuals to purchase the most fuel-efficient vehicles. The House plans to take up a similar measure in the coming weeks.

Assault And Battery Charged Filed Against Hoosac Valley Student

A charge of assault and battery is being filed against a Hoosac Valley High School junior for allegedly assaulting a freshman in the high school locker room Monday morning.

State Police at Cheshire responded after school officials reported a fight between two boys at 10:20 a.m. Monday. The victim was taken by ambulance to Berkshire Medical Center, where he was treated and released later that same day. Due to his age, the victim's name is not being released.

State Police say the alleged assailant, 17-year-old Timothy LeFave of Howland Avenue in Adams, will be served a summons to appear in district court on the assault and battery charge.

Hoosac Valley High School principal Henry Duval says the administration's response to Monday's event was immediate - saying they've already held assemblies with all the students to explain exactly what happened and to hear some of their concerns.

He says by and large, students feel safe in the high school, although he notes that in any high school, locker rooms traditionally represent an area where safety issues can arise.

Duval called Monday's incident quote- "extremely out of the ordinary," saying nothing like it has ever occurred in his 4 years as principal. He says a parents' forum is being planned for late April or early May to hear some of their concerns.

A specific date for the parents' forum has not yet been set.

The high school has already sent out letters to all parents explaining the Monday morning incident and what steps the administration took in response to it.

North Adams Magistrate Says Evidence Insufficient To Charge Teen

After reviewing reports from accident reconstructionists and police, Northern Berkshire District Court officials have ruled that negligence was not a factor in the February 22nd automobile crash that resulted in the death of a McCann Tech student.

17-year-old Heather Torres of Stamford, Vermont was killed in the one-car crash on Walker Street in North Adams. The driver of the car, 17-year-old Heather Randall of North Adams has been charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle...but a ruling from First Assistant Clerk Magistrate Dennis D'Arcangelo states that evidence is insufficient to charge her with operating to endanger or motor vehicle homicide by operating to endanger.

D'Arcangelo says the evidence he reviewed shows the accident was caused by speed and driver inexperience, which he says does not necessarily constitute negligence.

He says police can ask a judge to review his decision. North Adams Public Safety Commissioner John Morocco says no decisions have been made on whether to pursue further charges, saying police are reviewing their options.

Williamstown Police Association Endorse Town Managers Plan

The Williamstown Police Association has endorsed a plan from town Manager Peter Fohlin that would increase officers' contributions to health care premiums.

The proposal would only go into effect should unions representing elementary school teachers and town highway workers accept it as well. The town's obligation would be reduced from 90 percent to 75 percent of premiums for employees on an H-M-O plan, and from 85 to 70 percent for those on a P-P-O plan.

Police union spokesman Sergeant Scott McGowan says he can't discuss specifics of the negotiations, but he commented more generally on why the union is accepting the proposal.

Town Manager Peter Fohlin says if no changes are made to the current cost-sharing plan on health insurance, the town's cost would rise 18.6 percent next fiscal year. Contracts with all 3 bargaining units expire at the end of fiscal year 2005.

Former Assistant District Attorney Back In Court

33 year old Charles Stephen Dew, a former Assistant District Attorney who was taken into police custody last December after Williamstown police responded to the Purple Pub on Bank Street, was back in court Wednesday as his lawyer sought to have what she called an illegal personal search thrown out.

Attorney Elizabeth Quigley alleges police did not officially put Dew under arrest before searching him. According to court documents, the search turned up a small amount of cocaine.

Quigley further alleges that Dew was not given the opportunity to take a breathalyzer test before being taken into custody. Officers allege Dew was intoxicated, refused to identify himself, then shoved officers both at the bar and later at police headquarters.

Dew is free on personal recognizance - Quigley's motion will be taken under advisement.

North Berkshire School Union superintendent Staying Put

Dr. Jay Barry, who has been the superintendent for Clarksburg, Florida, and Savoy elementary schools since 1999, plans to stay a little longer.

Barry had been a candidate for superintendent jobs in Northampton and Hatfield. Last week, the Hatfield post went to someone else, and now he has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Northampton job.

When contacted by The Berkshire News Network, he said he has no other active applications and would be staying where he was as superintendent of the North Berkshire School Union.

Couple Wins Award After Accident With State Truck

A Manchester Vermont couple has been awarded 310-thousand dollars for injuries they suffered when a steel pole flew off a state dump truck and into their car.

A Bennington Superior Court jury deliberated just 15 minutes before awarding the damages to Edward and Margaret Tateosian.

The couple was driving on Route 11 in Andover in January 2000 when a chain guard came loose from a state highway truck and shattered their windshield.

It broke through the Tateosian's windshield and split Edward Tateosian's hand.

Proposed House Budget Includes Increases In Healthcare Spending

A budget proposed by House leadership today on Beacon Hill includes spending increases for several healthcare items.

MassHealth would see a 363 million dollar hike to help low-income residents get access to health care. That would bring total Medicaid spending to more than seven-point three billion dollars.

The House budget also provides more than 90 million dollars for the Prescription Advantage program, which offers prescription drug coverage to low-income seniors.

More than 96 million dollars is earmarked to maintain a home care program for the elderly.

The proposal also reinstates MassHealth coverage to patients who exceed 20 cumulative acute days in the hospital.

Here are some highlights from the $23.7 billion state budget proposal unveiled by House lawmakers on Wednesday. The spending plan, which still must be debated, would:
- Boost local aid spending by $100 million;
- Provide an additional $77 million for local school districts;
- Raise spending on adult mental health services by $13 million;
- Pay for an extra 350 child care vouchers;
- Set aside an additional $2 million for kindergarten grants;
- Increase spending on state and community colleges by $10.7 million;
- Boost spending on the University of Massachusetts by $5 million;
- Dip into state savings by $380 million;
- Create a new autism division to help families with autistic children;
- Provide an additional $5 million for emergency shelter services;
- Spend $12.5 million to help reduce MWRA water and sewer rates;
- Spend $10 million on a pay raise for 30,000 direct care workers.
----
Source: House Ways and Means Committee

Illegal Dumping In Pittsfield Parks On The Upswing

A city official says illegal dumping in Pittsfield parks seems to be on the upswing.

And Director of Community Services James McGrath says this costs taxpayers hundreds -- if not thousands -- of dollars a year.

McGrath says televisions and computer monitors -- both of which carry a hefty disposal fee -- have been popping up in city parks with increasing frequency. And building materials, such as wallboard, tiles, and lumber also are commonly dumped.

McGrath points out that illegal dumping carries a 250-dollar fine, and those caught can also be held liable for removal of the debris.

Becket Man Has 250 Bottles Of Dust From All Over The World

Dust doesn't just collect in David Giannini's home -- he collects dust from all over the world. And Giannini recently showed a portion of his collection of 250 bottles of dust at the Milne Public Library in Williamstown.

Giannini's collection includes dust samples from Nebraska to Vietnam, the Rocky Mountains to Finland, and includes samples of "Los Angeles smog," "prairie dog dust," and some dust collected from a funeral urn in Costa Rica. He also has dust from the Great Wall of China and King Tut's tomb.

Giannini has been collecting dust since 1975. He says most of his growing collection is now sent to him by people who have heard of his rather strange hobby.

Deval Patrick Formally Announces For Governor

Citing a "failure of leadership," Deval Patrick has announced that he is a candidate for governor of Massachusetts.

In a statement issued this morning, the Democrat from Milton says Massachusetts is not only losing jobs and population, but also losing faith in itself.

Patrick is the first candidate to formerly declare for governor, but Attorney General Tom Reilly is also expected to seek the Democratic nomination in 2006.

Republican Governor Mitt Romney has said he plans to seek reelection. Patrick is a 48-year-old attorney who was born into poverty on the South Side of Chicago. He attended Milton Academy on a scholarship and eventually graduated from Harvard Law School.

Patrick served as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the Clinton administration. He has never held elective office.

If elected, Patrick would be the state's first black governor.

Some Ay Rise In Lay Leadership Will Create Pressure For Ordaining Women

After a 26-year papacy that shut down talk of changing the all-male priesthood, progressive Catholics are hoping for a change.

They're convinced that the ongoing clergy shortage and rising number of female lay leaders in American churches will eventually create pressure for the Vatican to ordain women.

Boston College theologian Lisa Sowle Cahill believes the next generation will see the ordination of women.

Cahill is also the past president of the Catholic Theological Society of America and says the change will come from the grassroots or local churches, not the Vatican.

Until then, many women activists hope to build their influence with appointments to higher-ranking positions in dioceses, Catholic universities and even the Vatican.

However, no one expects the next pope to change course from John Paul, who unequivocally backed a men-only priesthood.

Lawmakers Hear Testimony On Emergency Contraception

Lawmakers heard testimony today about proposed legislation that would make emergency contraception more easily available to women.

The legislation would require emergency room doctors to offer the so-called "morning after" drugs and information about them to rape victims.

It would also allow women to get the medication from drug stores without a prescription.

Emergency contraception are hormones that stop pregnancy by preventing ovulation, stopping the egg from being fertilized or stopping a fertilized egg from attaching itself to the uterus wall.

At a Statehouse hearing today, the Legislature's Public Health Committee heard from supporters and opponents of making the medication more widely available.

A spokesman for Governor Romney says the governor has no immediate opinion on the bill and will review the measure if and when it reaches his desk.

SJC Says Sex Offender Should Be Held For Civil Commitment Hearing

The state's highest court is blocking the release of a convicted serial child rapist.

In a five-to-two ruling, the Supreme Judicial Court ordered a hearing to determine whether Wayne Chapman should be committed indefinitely as a sexually dangerous person. The decision reverses a lower court ruling that would have freed Chapman, who was convicted of child rape back in 1977 and sentenced to 15-to-30 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Chapman lured young boys into wooded areas under the pretext of searching for his missing dog, and once there, sexually assaulted them. They said there may have been up to 50 victims in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

One month before his scheduled release last September, prosecutors filed a petition asking that Chapman be declared "sexually dangerous" and held under a civil commitment.

Vermont State Colleges To Increase Tuition

Tuition for the 12-thousand students in the Vermont State College system is going up.

The tuition increase means students at Castleton, Lyndon and Johnson state will see their bills go up 332 dollars next year.

Despite the increases, the college system expects to have a budget deficit of 350-thousand dollars next year.

State college officials says they will not bow to pressure this year from Governor James Douglas to reduce the increase.

Douglas spokesman Jason Gibbs says the tuition increases appear to be justified by the increases in costs.

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Appalachian Bean Café to Close Saturday

The owner of the Appalachian Bean Cafe in downtown North Adams says she's pursuing other career options, part of the reason why the cafe will close permanently this Saturday after being in business for close to 9 years.

Owner Audrey Witter stresses that the Appalachian Bean Cafe is not closing for economic reasons.

Witter says she was negotiating a potential purchase agreement several months ago with a Mark Florzik, who she says had expressed interest in operating a restaurant out of the space at 67 Main Street. She added that the landlord, Scarfoni Realty, has signed a lease with a new tenant, but she was unable to confirm further details. David Carver from Scarfoni Realty was unavailable for an interview when the Berkshire News Network spoke with him briefly this morning.

Witter says her experience as a downtown business owner has been very successful and the community as well as city hall have been very supportive as well.

Hancock Wind Turbine Project On Track

A wind turbine project in the town of Hancock is set to move forward after 8 years of planning, and the developer says the goal is to have the project done by the end of 2005.

The Colorado-based Berkshire Wind Power LLC has gotten the green light from state environmental officials for its 10 turbine project north of Brodie Mountain Road. An access road will need to built in the town of Lanesboro as well.

Berkshire Wind Power Principal Dale Osborn says turbine sites have already been chosen, but the actual construction is set for mid-to-late summer, over a 12-week period.

The company is slated to receive a federal tax credit of 1.9 cents per kilowatt hour produced over the first 10 years of the project. The tax incentive first introduced in 1992 is set to expire at the end of this year -- Osborn says that's why the plan is to finish the project before that deadline.

The turbines will measure about 340 feet in height and will be able to produce up to 15 megawatts of electricity. Berkshire Wind already has a 20-year contract to sell the power to the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company.

Teo’s Restaurant Added To The List Of Pittsfield Break-ins

Add Teo’s Restaurant to the list of businesses that have been broken into over the past week or so in the city of Pittsfield.

Police confirm that the hot dog restaurant on East Street was broken into early Wednesday morning. A source told the Berkshire News Network that a window was smashed as in other recent robberies.

Pittsfield police say the robbery remains under investigation, along with last week’s robbery at Papa Joe’s on Newell Street and the Parkside Restaurant on West Housatonic Street.

Public Hearing Has Been Set For Proposed North Adams Zoning Change

A public hearing has been set on a proposed zoning change in North Adams to allow smaller buildings in industrially-zoned areas to be converted into residential and art studio space.

City council approved sending Mayor John Barrett's proposed zoning amendment to a joint hearing before city council and the planning board on Tuesday, April 26th at 6 p.m. The change would allow buildings 50 thousand square feet or more to be converted in a way similar to how the old Eclipse Mill on Union Street was. The current threshold is 100 thousand square feet.

Barrett says this change is intended not to have the city's economy rely solely on any one particular sector, but instead to allow the city's economy to diversify.

Barrett mentioned recent interest in redevelopment projects at the Blackinton Mill and the Clark Biscuit Building on Ashland Street. Eclipse Mill developer Eric Rudd declined to comment on whether he personally has plans for any future projects.

On the financial side, city council approved 375 thousand dollars from certified free cash to cover budget holes for health insurance and fire department salaries in fiscal year 2005.

Mayor Barrett told council the salary shortage was expected, and occurred partially due to rising costs of overtime.

Barrett reported that certified free cash now stands at about 1.5 million dollars. He says some may consider that "pretty good," although 2 years ago the city had 3 million in free cash.

As for how to fill the current 185 thousand dollar deficit for snow and ice removal this past year...41 thousand will come from federal reimbursement for the January blizzard.

Barrett says cuts will have to be made in other areas to make up the difference but no decisions have been made yet.

Pittsfield Man Faces Charge Of Being An Accessory In Adams Shooting

A Pittsfield man faces a charge of being an accessory after the fact to the crime of armed assault with the intent to commit murder -- in connection with a March 4th shooting on Park Street in the town of Adams.

17-year-old Michael Pinel pleaded not guilty in Superior Court to the accessory charge and a breaking and entering charge at his arraignment Tuesday. The shooting took place shortly after 12 p.m. March 4th in Adams, Pinel and the accused shooter were arrested just before 3 p.m. after allegedly breaking into a vacant apartment on Houghton Street in North Adams.

The alleged shooter, 18-year-old Luis Torres of Adams, has been arraigned on a number of charges and is in jail with bail set at 50 thousand dollars cash or 500 thousand dollars surety. Pinel was sent to jail on 500 dollars bail.

Adams Police Charge Both Drivers In Motor Vehicle Accident

Adams Police investigated a minor 2-car accident Tuesday afternoon, and are charging both drivers with operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license!

The crash occurred just after 4 p.m. at the intersection of Howland Avenue and Apremont Street. One passenger was taken to the hospital, but police say only as a precaution.

44-year-old Michael Hassoun of North Adams and 45-year-old Jeffrey Vigna of Stamford, Vermont will each be summoned to court to answer a charge of operating with a suspended license. Hassoun has also been cited for tailgating.

2-Billion Dollar Bank Merger Gets Green Light From Shareholders

A 2-billion dollar bank merger between Berkshire Bank and Woronoco Savings Bank of Westfield has gotten the green light from shareholders, and the combined institution will be the largest in western Mass and the 4th-largest in the state. Officials with the two holding companies, Berkshire Hills Bancorp and Woronoco Bancorp announced the merger in mid-December.

Berkshire Bank President and C-E-O Michael Daly says the acquisition is on schedule for the 2nd quarter of 2005.

Daly told the Berkshire News Network in December that officials expect about a 10 percent reduction in staff overall. He says senior managers at Berkshire Bank will likely stay on with the new institution, while many senior managers at Woronoco are being given retirement packages.

Lyme Disease On The Increase In Berkshire County

New cases of Lyme disease on the decline in Massachusetts, but not in Berkshire County...where state health officials report a 56 percent increase between 2000 and 2003.

In that same time period, Hampden County saw a 49 percent rise in new cases of Lyme disease, according to the State Department of Public Health. D-P-H officials say new cases of Lyme disease peaked statewide a couple years ago, but between 2002 and 2004 the number of new cases fell 24 percent.

Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that can cause heart problems and arthritis-like symptoms if not treated early with antibiotics.

Judge Refuses To Release Former Dalton Man On Bail

A Hampshire Superior Court judge has refused bail for a man accused of shooting a childhood friend to death in an Amherst apartment in December.

Twenty-four-year-old Bryan Johnston has been held on murder and other charge since his arrest shortly after 22-year-old David Sullivan was found dead in his Amherst apartment. Prosecutors say he had been shot six times.

The victim was a senior at U-Mass-Amherst. Johnston was a student at Westfield State College. Both men graduated from Wahconah Regional High School in Dalton in 2000.

Prosecutor Renee Steese said at yesterday's bail hearing that they had once been friends but had not spoken for months.

Boston Girl Among More Than 100 To Ace Revamped SAT

A Boston teen-ager is among the 107 students nationwide who scored a perfect 24-hundred on the new S-A-T.

Libbey Davis is a 16-year-old junior at the private Winsor School. She took the first offering of the revamped college entrance exam in March.

The new test adds an essay-writing segment to the math and verbal sections. Before, the highest possible score was 16-hundred.

Davis tells The Boston Globe that did NOT take any of the various S-A-T prep courses that are offered for college students. She's an honors student who also plays several sports and sings in the school chorus.

The names of the six other Massachusetts students who earned perfect scores on the March S-A-T have not yet been made public.

Watchdog Says Union Contracts Before DNC Drove Up City Budget

For the first time ever, the budget for the city of Boston tops two billion dollars.

The head of the independent Boston Municipal Research Bureau says that's partly due to the flurry of last-minute contract agreements Mayor Tom Menino reached with city unions prior to the Democratic National Convention.

Sam Tyler tells the Boston Herald that the mayor was under pressure to avoid the embarrassment of unions picketing at the convention. Tyler says the new contracts resulted in nearly 40 million dollars in pay hikes.

But Menino says he never bowed to pressure from the unions. He says the city spent months negotiating the contracts and in some cases, it was an arbitrator made the final decision.

The mayor's fiscal 2006 budget request is up six percent from a year ago. It needs city council approval.

Mayor To Crack Down On Parking-Lot Gougers

If you think parking around Fenway Park to watch a Red Sox game is expensive, Mayor Tom Menino agrees.

Menino said yesterday he will try and stop what he called gouging by private parking lot operators. During last fall's playoffs, Menino appealed to the operators of 23 city-licensed private lots to voluntarily lower their prices. However a city official said the mayor did not get that voluntarily compliance.

On game days, gas stations, some retail centers and a hotel dedicate parking spaces for fans. However parking for a game can cost up to 100-dollars.

The mayor says he will ask the City Council to approve an ordinance to cap private parking fees. The exact rate will be determined after a meeting with the lot operators later this week.

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Massachusetts RMV Issues New Brochure For Patents Of New Drivers

`The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles is mailing out brochures to the parents of teenage drivers explaining the special restrictions that apply to drivers under the age of 18.According to Registry spokesman, Rob Kreedon, they have seen a jump in accidents among 17 year old drivers.

The brochure alerts parents that the law prohibits any junior from operating a vehicle for the first six months that they have their license with a passenger under the age of 18 unless there is also someone in the car over 21, who has at least one year of driving experience, who has a valid driver's license, and is sitting in the seat beside the junior operator. Kreedon says the most common complaint from parents is that they didn't know about the restriction.

And this suspension is automatic and not appealable.

Adams Man Accused Of Shooting His Neighbor Indicted

An Adams man accused of shooting his neighbor on March 4th has been indicted and arraigned on a number of charges in Superior Court, including armed assault with intent to murder.

18-year-old Luis Torres of Park Street continues to be held on 50 thousand dollars cash or 500 thousand dollars surety bail at the House of Correction. Other charges he was arraigned Monday include assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, receiving stolen property and a weapons charge. He had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on all charges.

Adams Police allege Torres shot 18-year-old Michael Fair once in the leg with a handgun in an apartment at 25 Park Street.

Torres's case is continued until April 21st.

Berkshire County Construction Finds Home In North Adams

Berkshire County Construction finally has a home in the city of North Adams...

The company's plan to build on Massachusetts Ave was turned down by the city planning board in January...but last night the board approved its application to build at 537 Ashland Street, between 8-Ball Auto and West Oil.

Owner John Duquette says he has an option to buy the land currently owned by Shapiro Realty Corporation, and he plans to exercise it now that he has site plan approval. Plans call for construction of a 40-by-60-foot pre-engineered building and 4 or 5 storage sheds, similar to his prior plans on Mass Ave.

Berkshire County Construction had been operating out of the town of Florida for the past few months, after moving out of its old location in Adams last year.

Two North Adams Men Facing Criminal Charges After Friday Night Fight

Two North Adams men are facing criminal charges stemming from a Friday night altercation that police say involved one man using a knife, the other a baseball bat.

The incident took place on Beaver Street around 6 p.m. Friday, when officers responded to reports of a disturbance. 30-year-old Terrell Costa of River Street was arrested and charged with assault and battery and assault with a dangerous weapon. 24-year-old Eloye Arce of Beaver Street faces an assault and battery charge and 2 counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon

Costa was arraigned in District Court Monday, Arce will be arraigned at a later date.

Police also received a call around 9:30 p.m. Friday, after the two men were treated and released from North Adams Regional Hospital. The call was from a doctor who notified police that Costa had been treated for a stab wound in his left buttock.

Williamstown Selectmen Vote On USA-Patriot Act Resolution

After much discussion, the Williamstown selectmen have voted 3-2 to recommend that town meeting vote against the resolution opposing the use of National Guard troops in Iraq, but voted 3-2 to take no position on the USA-Patriot Act resolution.

The Patriot Act resolution filed by Ray Warner of Meacham Street would ask the town manager to order the police department to publicly report certain requests made by federal authorities under the anti-terrorism law passed by Congress in 2001.

One selectman who voted to have town meeting vote down the article is Chuck Schlesinger...who says it would set a dangerous precedent to ask police to quote- "selectively enforce" the law.

On the issue of quote- "selective enforcement," Ray Warner offered this response.

The article would instruct librarians at the Milne Public Library to institute a policy of regularly destroying records of names of book borrowers and Internet users at the library.

Williamstown Jazz Festival Opens Wednesday

It's called "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes," by a band called Project O, led by trumpet player Ingrid Jensen...whose other jazz band will be the star attraction Wednesday night as the Williamstown Jazz Festival gets underway.

The 5-day event includes concerts, films, dance parties and lectures. The Ingrid Jensen Quartet concert at the Clark Art Institute starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The Festival also includes the 14th annual Intercollegiate Jazz Festival at Chapin Hall on Friday and Saturday. Festival Artistic Director Andy Jaffe says it's not a competition; in fact it's more of a bonding experience for the college bands.

For more information on the 2005 Williamstown Jazz Festival, log onto www.williamstownjazz.com. Tickets to various events can be purchased at Mass MoCA in North Adams, call 662-2111

Victim Of Weekend Bike Crash Identified As Dalton Man

A motorcyclist killed in a crash on Route 20 in Becket over the weekend has been identified as 33-year-old Thomas Henault of Dalton.

According to police Henault was headed east on Route 20 about 5 p-m when he collided with another vehicle, which was turning into the driveway of a Becket fire station. The driver of the van was treated at Berkshire Medical Center and released.

Becket police said that the motorcycle's excessive speed appears to have been a factor in the accident, which remained under investigation.

Bay State Teachers Honored For Excellence

Two Massachusetts teachers are being honored this week with the 2004 Presidential Awards for Excellence in math and science teaching.

Darren Wells, a science teacher at Timilty middle school in Boston, and Linda Thomasian, who teaches math at Yelle elementary school in Norton, each receive a ten- thousand dollar grant from the National Science Foundation.

The 95 winners from across the nation receive an expenses-paid trip to Washington for events this week, including an awards ceremony Thursday.

Wells says one of his favorite lessons on the scientific procedure is the "peanut butter and jelly" activity, in which students are asked to write specific instructions for preparing the sandwich.

Thomasian has been teaching for 28 years. She says her goal is to get kids to be "lifelong learners."

Legislation On Birth Control Pill To Be Heard At Statehouse

A proposal on Beacon Hill would expand access to the so-called "morning after" birth control pill.

A legislative committee will hear testimony tomorrow on the bill, which would allow certain Massachusetts pharmacists to dispense the pill without a prescription. The bill would also require hospitals to offer the pill to rape victims.

A similar measure passed the Senate last year but was blocked in the House by then-Speaker Tom Finneran. Some lawmakers believe it has a better chance for passage this year.

The bill may, however, pose a dilemma to Governor Romney. In his 2002 campaign for governor, Romney expressed general support for expanding access to the morning-after pill. But such a position could hurt him among conservatives if he chooses to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2008.

Two Vermont Teachers Among The Best In Country

Two Vermont teachers are being honored today in Washington for being among the best math and science teachers in the country.

Carol Amos, a math teacher at Twinfield Union School in Plainfield, and Ellen Sulek, a science teacher at the Barre Town Middle and Elementary School, each were awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

They are two of the 95 elementary and middle school students nationwide to receive the awards.

As recipients they each receive a 10-thosuand dollar grant from the national Science Foundation, an independent federal agency.

They also won a free trip to Washington for this week's celebration and events.

American Cardinals Deny Snubbing Law At Memorial Mass For Pope

Six American cardinals stayed away from a mourning Mass for Pope John Paul celebrated by Cardinal Bernard Law, but at least three of them are insisting it wasn't a deliberate snub.

Clergy sex abuse victims and their advocates were highly critical of the Vatican's decision to give Law the honor of presiding over one of the nine mourning Masses.

Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia was the only American cardinal to attend yesterday's Mass at St. Peter's Basilica.

Aides to Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and New York Cardinal Edward Egan say they could not attend because they had other plans. An aide to Baltimore Cardinal William Keeler says he was only planning to attend one of the nine Masses.

There was no comment from the three other U-S-based cardinals as to why they weren't there, but it should be noted that the Vatican does not require cardinals to attend the Masses.

Power Boost May Be In Trouble

State regulator say the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is close to its state radiation limit.

And that could put its plans to boost power production into question.

The Department of Public Service says the likelihood of a power reduction, rather than a power increase, is now greater than expected.

In a letter to the Public Service Board, the department says the issue doesn't yet rise to the level of reopening the power case.

The reactor's owner, Entergy Nuclear, the Department of Public Service and the Department of Health are working together to establish common protocols to measure the radiation that comes from the plant consistently.

State Surplus Expected

Administration Secretary Charlie Smith says the state is on target to end the current fiscal year with a modest surplus.

And Vermont Governor James Douglas would like to use 20 million dollars to reduce the projected 80 million dollar deficit in next year's Medicaid budget.

The latest revenue report says the state is three-quarters of the way through the 2005 fiscal year and revenues are running 13 million dollars ahead of what was forecast.

Several tax categories are showing significant growth. The rooms and meals tax is up almost 30 percent. The corporate income tax has increased 43 percent and the property transfer tax is up 22 percent.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Lukkarila Wants State To Fair Share Of Taxes On Glenn Property

If the state cannot meet its obligations to pay its fair share of property taxes on the Greylock Glen property, then it should auction the property off to a landowner who can.

That's the substance of a resolution being filed by Jay Lukkarila of Summer Street in Adams, which will come before Town Meeting members this June.

The state pays the town monies through the PILOT program, or payments in lieu of taxes on the 11 hundred acres.

Lukkarila says the town is being shortchanged...and if a private landowner had the same problems paying the property tax bill, the land would go to auction.

Lukkarila is running for selectman against incumbent Myra Wilk of Park Street. Wilk says the state is under no obligation to give up ownership of the Greylock Glen property, nor should it.

Most likely, the issue of the Greylock Glen will be one of many covered this Thursday morning on the Opinion Show, as Wilk and Lukkarila square off in a live debate, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on radio 1230 WNAW.

Nuciforo Guest On WNAW Opinion Show

"The votes are not there to roll the income tax back from 5.3 to 5 [percent]."

That's the word from State Senator Andrea Nuciforo, who was a phone-in guest from Boston on Monday morning's Opinion Show.

In 2000, income taxes in Massachusetts stood at 5.95 percent and in a referendum, voters called for it to be rolled back to 5 percent. By 2002, it had been cut to 5.3 percent, but the legislature acted to keep it there.

The Governor's proposed fiscal year 2006 budget would complete the rollback to 5 percent, but Nuciforo says neither chamber of the legislature will support it.

On the issue of health care, Nuciforo says he has doubts about the Governor's plan to cover all the uninsured by 2009 without any additional taxpayer expense...but also called the so-called "Free Rider Surcharge" in Senate President Robert Travaligni's plan a quote- "controversial provision."

Two North Adams men Arrested On Assault Charges

Two North Adams men facing charges of assault and battery following a Friday night altercation in which one allegedly used a knife and the other a baseball bat.

Police responded to a disturbance on Beaver Street just after 6 p.m. Friday and arrested 24-year-old Eloye Arce of Beaver Street and 30-year-old Terrell Costa of River Street. Both were later treated and released from North Adams Regional Hospital, after which time a doctor notified police that Costa had been treated for a knife wound.

The police report indicates both men crossed paths again on hospital grounds, when another argument ensued, but with no further physical confrontation.

Arce is charged with 2 counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of assault and battery. Costa faces one count of assault and battery and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.

Barrett To ask Council For Zoning Change For Mill Development

Another mill re-development project in North Adams similar to the live-work art studios at the Eclipse Mill on Union Street could be in the works...but a zoning change would be needed first.

Mayor John Barrett is asking city council to lower the threshold for how much space is necessary in an industrial zone to re-develop a mill building into residential and art studio space. In 2002, the city's industrial zone was changed to allow any buildings over 100 thousand square feet to be redeveloped this way. Citing "interest in development of other currently abandoned mill properties," Barrett is requesting that threshold be lowered to 50 thousand square feet.

In his letter to city councilors, the Mayor specifically names the Blackinton Mill and the Clark Biscuit Building, both of which would not meet the 100 thousand square foot requirement. The Clark Biscuit Building is owned by the city. It has been declared surplus land, and the city is now seeking purchase-and-redevelopment proposals from interested buyers.

North Adams Free cash needed To Fund City Health Insurance

The city of North Adams will need to dip into certified free cash to cover the rising cost of health insurance this fiscal year

Mayor Barrett is asking city council to transfer 375 thousand dollars out of free cash...200 thousand into the medical insurance trust, the rest to cover fire department salaries that were under budgeted, calling that shortfall "anticipated."

In fiscal year 2005, the city put 300 thousand dollars more into the medical insurance trust account than in 2004...but it still ran short, with health care costs rising over 15 percent.

Another account that ran short this year, as in just about every town in Massachusetts, was for snow and ice removal. The city's deficit now stands at 185 thousand dollars...although the city will receive federal aid to cover a portion of that.

State lawmakers Citizen Land Property Law

State lawmakers are voicing criticism of a two-year-old state law allowing for faster sales of surplus state property.

The law, passed during the state's fiscal crisis, has brought in about 30 million dollars in revenue in two years.

But lawmakers say local cities and towns have lost control over how the surplus land should be used. More than 100 lawmakers have signed a letter urging House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi to scrap the law, which is set to expire at the end of June.

Critics say land that would have been used as open space or parks could be developed for commercial or residential use instead

Previously, sales of surplus state property required legislative approval, and gave cities and towns the first crack at buying the land. The new law did away with those requirements.

Possible compromises would allow the state to keep selling property, but would give back the first opportunity to buy to cities and towns.

Demolition Of Nuclear Plant On Schedule, But Spent Fuel To Remain

About 17-hundred tons of spent nuclear fuel will remain on the site of the decommissioned Yankee Rowe power plant for the foreseeable future.

The plant is located in Rowe, Massachusetts, just a few miles from the Vermont border.

A 90-acre section of the site will remain the home of 16 "dry cask" storage units containing spent nuclear fuel.

The casks contain 533 fuel assemblies - bundles of hollow steel rods that contain ceramic-coated pellets of highly refined uranium.

Yankee Rowe was shut down in 1992 after 31 years of operation.

Gasoline Now Averages $2.16 Per Gallon In Mass.

Up and up they go. Gasoline prices, that is.

Triple A says regular unleaded is now selling for an average of two dollars, 16 cents a gallon at self-serve stations in Massachusetts. That's up five cents from last week's already record-high level.

Gas prices have risen 31 cents per gallon in the last six weeks.

Bay State motorists can take some solace in the fact that they are paying less on average to fill their tanks than the nation as a whole.

According to the biweekly Lundberg Survey of seven-thousand gas stations, regular unleaded gasoline is averaging two dollars, 29 cents a gallon.

Protesters Gather As Law Celebrates Mass Of Mourning

Cardinal Bernard Law celebrated a Mass of mourning for Pope John Paul in St. Peter's Basilica today, ignoring protests that his handling of the clergy sex abuse scandal in Boston should disqualify him from the honor.

Outside St. Peter's Basilica, police broke up a small but symbolic protest staged by victims of sex abuse. One of them, Barbara Blaine, was escorted off St. Peter's Square as she was preparing to distribute fliers.

Blaine is the founder of the group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

The Mass went off without disruption. It was one of nine being celebrated in the days leading up to the selection of a new pope.

In his homily, Law made no mention of the scandal that led to his resignation as archbishop of Boston. Speaking in Italian, he said the outpouring of emotion for John Paul after his death has reinforced the faith of Catholics.

Effort To Fund Biotech Education In Public Schools

Lawmakers and biotechnology boosters are unveiled a nine million dollar plan Monday to fund life sciences education in public schools.

The public-private partnership relies on one-point-four million dollars in federal funds from the U-S Department of Labor, as well as money from private biotechnology companies.

The program, called BioTeach, is intended to make biotechnology a part of the science curriculum of every public school in the state by 2010.

Former House Speaker Tho