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South Hadley, MA

Police & Fire
Man From Region Admits To Drunken Crash That Killed Partner, Mom Of His Daughter Man From Region Admits To Drunken Crash That Killed Partner, Mom Of His Daughter
Man From Region Admits To Drunken Crash That Killed Partner, Mom Of His Daughter A 30-year-old Hampshire County man has admitted to causing the 2023 rollover crash that killed his longtime partner and mother of his daughter, authorities announced on Monday, April 22.  Cory Menard, of Granby, pleaded guilty to vehicle homicide while operating negligently and under the influence of alcohol; and reckless assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, the Northwestern District Attorney said.  A judge sentenced him to two and a half years in prison with two years of probation once he's released, the prosecutor said. Earlier Report: Granby Man Charged In D…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Driver Who Killed 2 In Western Mass Avoids Jailtime — With Stipulations: DA Driver Who Killed 2 In Western Mass Avoids Jailtime — With Stipulations: DA
Driver Who Killed 2 In Western Mass Avoids Jailtime — With Stipulations: DA A 65-year-old man accused of crashing into and killing a couple in Hampshire County last year admitted to his role in their deaths on Wednesday, Oct. 25. He will avoid going to jail if he meets the judge's conditions.  Stuart A. Larkin, 65, of South Hadley, pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent motor vehicle homicide in the deaths on Northampton Road (Route 10) in Easthampton, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Northampton District Court Judge Jacklyn Connly said that Larkin showed remorse for the killings and had cooperated with investigators at every turn. Fo…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Marina Owner Dies Days After Floods, Heavy Rains Damage Western Mass Docks Marina Owner Dies Days After Floods, Heavy Rains Damage Western Mass Docks
Marina Owner Dies Days After Floods, Heavy Rains Damage Western Mass Docks Luke Brunelle, the owner of Brunelle's Marina in Hampshire County, has died, the company announced on social media Friday, July 14. He was 61 years old. The marina asked for privacy as they grapple with the loss, but leaders added that they would continue Luke's dedication to fostering a thriving boating culture in South Hadley and the surrounding areas.  The Brunelle family built the marina in 1959 with just a boat ramp, but it quickly grew and became a popular destination for boaters around the region. Luke Brunelle's cause of death was not released, but it comes just days after many of…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Physical Therapist Gets Probation In Indecent Assault Case In Region: DA Physical Therapist Gets Probation In Indecent Assault Case In Region: DA
Physical Therapist Gets Probation In Indecent Assault Case In Region: DA A Northampton physical therapist who was convicted of inappropriately touching a patient won't serve jail time if he can behave for two years, authorities said.  Edward Kostek, 42, of South Hadley was convicted on Thursday, Sept. 22, of indecent assault for touching a female patient multiple times during separate sessions, the Northampton District Attorney's Office said. A judge gave him a two-year suspended sentence and probation after hearing from the victim on Tuesday. Kostek must also stay away from the woman and undergo sex offender evaluation and treatment. The woman said she sta…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
IDs Release For Pedestrian Duo Killed By Car In Region IDs Release For Pedestrian Duo Killed By Car In Region
IDs Release For Pedestrian Duo Killed By Car In Region Editor's Note: A previous version of this article said the involved driver was from Hadley. That information has since been corrected.  Authorities have identified the two people who were recently hit and killed by a car in Western Massachusetts as Edward O. Hanlon Jr., age 81 and Ilona L. Murray, age 60. The incident occurred on Northampton Road (Route 10) near the Burger King in Easthampton, around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2, Northwestern District Attorney's Office reports.  Both victims were Easthampton residents. The driver of the involved vehi…

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by David Cifarelli
News
Police Possible Middle School Threat In Region Police Possible Middle School Threat In Region
Police Possible Middle School Threat In Region Extra police officers are on patrol at four Western Massachusetts schools after a possible social media threat was made thru Snapchat. The threat was made against a school in Hampden County in South Hadley on Monday, May 30. Officials first became aware of the "possible" threat after school officials were notified that someone had sent a Snapchat message referencing violence at Michael E Smith Middle School, located at 100 Mosier Street, said Lt. Lt William Sowa, of the South Hadley Police Department. In an abundance of caution, the department has stationed extra officers at South Had…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Ex-Teacher In New England Found Guilty Of Raping Fifth-Grader Ex-Teacher In New England Found Guilty Of Raping Fifth-Grader
Ex-Teacher In New England Found Guilty Of Raping Fifth-Grader A former Massachusetts elementary school music teacher has been found guilty of raping a fifth-grade student multiple times inside the classroom more than 10 years ago. Hampshire County resident Stephen Jaszek, age 66, of South Hadley, was found guilty on Thursday, May 12, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, Jr. After a three day jury-waived trial, Worcester Superior Court Judge William Ritter found Jaszek, a former music teacher at Julia Bancroft Elementary School, located in Auburn, in Worcester County, guilty on all charges including: Two counts of aggravated …

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Crash Involving School Bus Hospitalizes Three In Region Crash Involving School Bus Hospitalizes Three In Region
Crash Involving School Bus Hospitalizes Three In Region Three people were hospitalized after a car crash in Western Massachusetts involving a school van. The crash took place Monday, Feb. 14, in Hampshire County in South Hadley, reported 22News WWLP in Springfield. South Hadley Police told 22News a school van was made a left turn at the intersection of Newton and Lyman Street in front of another vehicle causing the crash. Both vehicles had to be towed from the area. The drivers of both vehicles and a passenger of the school van were hospitalized, the news channel reported. The extent of their injuries was not known. The school van driver was…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Western Mass Duo Nabbed With Gun During Traffic Stop, Police Say Western Mass Duo Nabbed With Gun During Traffic Stop, Police Say
Western Mass Duo Nabbed With Gun During Traffic Stop, Police Say Two Western Mass men have been arrested for alleged possession of a handgun during a traffic stop. The incident took place around 2:16 a.m., Wednesday, May 19, when a Holyoke Police officer stopped a brown Toyota Corolla for running a stoplight, said Captain Matthew F. Moriarty of the Holyoke PD.  As the officer approached the vehicle and made contact with the operator of the vehicle, identified as Aaron Fogg, and the passenger, Jonathan Ewig, he noticed a firearm magazine in the possession of Ewig, Moriarty said.  As Ewig exited the vehicle he pulled away from the offi…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
COVID-19: Two Western Mass Communities Placed In Red Zone; New Rundown Of 20 High-Risk Areas COVID-19: Two Western Mass Communities Placed In Red Zone; New Rundown Of 20 High-Risk Areas
Covid-19: Two Western Mass Communities Placed In Red Zone; New Rundown Of 20 High-Risk Areas Two communities in western Massachusetts are in the COVID-19 “red zone,” while nearly two dozen more have also seen an uptick in cases and have been placed into “yellow zones.” The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released its weekly COVID-19 health report on Thursday, March 18, highlighting the areas of the state that have seen an increase in new cases in relation to the area's population. Under the state’s new criteria, the Department of Public Health is taking population size into account when determining which are deemed “high-risk,” “medium-risk,” or “low-risk.” In the late…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Program That Keeps Offenders Out Of Jail Is Expanding In Pioneer Valley Program That Keeps Offenders Out Of Jail Is Expanding In Pioneer Valley
Program That Keeps Offenders Out Of Jail Is Expanding In Pioneer Valley A program meant to keep adults who have done wrong out of the court system and jail is expanding in the Pioneer Valley. Communities for Restorative Justice (C4RJ) is partnering with the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office to provide an alternative to the court system. It's called restorative justice and it's kind of like doing community service to atone for causing harm - but without the perpetrator being charged with a crime. “Restorative justice provides an alternative to the criminal justice process,” said Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan. It enables “the community to ta…

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by Kristin Palpini
Police & Fire
Gun Shop Owner Admits To Selling/Owning Illegal Firearms - Including Homemade Machinegun Gun Shop Owner Admits To Selling/Owning Illegal Firearms - Including Homemade Machinegun
Gun Shop Owner Admits To Selling/Owning Illegal Firearms - Including Homemade Machinegun The co-owner of a local gun shop has admitted to owning and/or selling illegal machineguns and other banned firearms. Max T. Gaj, 29, of Belchertown and co-owner of Dark Horse Gunsmithing in South Hadley, pleaded guilty on Friday, Sept. 25, to receipt and possession of unregistered firearms, receipt, and possession of National Firearm Act (NFA) firearms not identified by serial number, making a firearm in violation of the NFA, selling firearms in violation of state and local laws, as well as making false entries and properly maintaining records, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Massac…

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by Kristin Palpini
Business
COVID-19: College-Town Businesses More Likely To Stay Closed COVID-19: College-Town Businesses More Likely To Stay Closed
Covid-19: College-Town Businesses More Likely To Stay Closed College town businesses that closed due to COVID-19 conditions are 24 percent more likely to stay permanently closed once the virus is gone compared to communities without institutions of higher education, according to a recent Yelp analysis. Northern Connecticut and Western Massachusetts are home to many communities with economies that depend on business serving higher education institutions and people - especially: - Worcester, MA: (Clark University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Assumption College, UMass Worcester, Becker College, etc.), - Hartford, CT: (Hartford University, Trinity…

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by Kristin Palpini
Weather
Tornado Spotted in Western Massachusetts; People Warned To Get Inside Tornado Spotted in Western Massachusetts; People Warned To Get Inside
Tornado Spotted in Western Massachusetts; People Warned To Get Inside A tornado was spotted over Blandford, a rural part of Western Massachusetts at 7:26 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 2. The National Weather Service is reporting that radar data confirms eye witness accounts of the twister. It’s being called a “damaging” tornado. Law enforcement in Sandisfield, in the southern Berkshires, is reporting that a tornado produced damage to South Main Street in town, The National Weather Service said. The tornado has produced flying debris and could be dangerous to people caught without shelter. It can destroy mobile homes and damaged roofs windows and vehicles. Tree damage i…

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by Kristin Palpini