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Franklin County, MA

Remains Of Woman Found In Western Mass Woods Identified After 35 Years Remains Of Woman Found In Western Mass Woods Identified After 35 Years
Remains Of Woman Found In Western Mass Woods Identified After 35 Years The remains of a 65-year-old woman whose body was found in a wooded area in Franklin County have been identified thanks to new advancements in DNA testing. How she ended up there remains a mystery, but prosecutors have a person of interest.  Constance Holminski Bassignani was found not far off the road on Route 76 in Warwick on June 24, 1989. She had been living in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, with her husband, William Bassignani.  Constance was last seen alive on Memorial Day in 1989. Soon after, her husband told friends she had moved back to her native Hawaii, but investigator…
Ex-Western Mass Police Chief Charged With Embezzling Town Funds Ex-Western Mass Police Chief Charged With Embezzling Town Funds
Ex-Western Mass Police Chief Charged With Embezzling Town Funds The former police chief in Franklin County has been charged with stealing money and equipment set aside for his department, authorities said.  Daniel J. Galvis, the former police chief for the Leyden Police Department, was indicted on two counts of larceny of a motor vehicle, 2 counts of larceny over $1,200, and 3 counts of violating the standards of conduct for public employees, the Northwestern District Attorney said.  He was released on his own recognizance after the hearing, authorities said.  A 2022 Office of the Inspector General investigation found that Galv…
Yankee Candle Founder's 'Sprawling' Mass Estate For Sale: Look Inside Yankee Candle Founder's 'Sprawling' Mass Estate For Sale: Look Inside
Yankee Candle Founder's 'Sprawling' Mass Estate For Sale: Look Inside A massive compound, comprised of eight buildings that include an indoor water park, an arcade, and much, much, more, is on the market in New England with a whopping price tag. Located in Western Massachusetts in the Franklin County town of Leverett, the truly one-of-a-kind estate is listed for $20.9 million.  Owned by the late Michael James Kittredge II, who founded the Yankee Candle Company, the compound was renovated, enhanced, and expanded through 2010 and is made up of eight different structures – the main house, two car barns, two guest houses, a clubhouse, a pool cabana, and a …
Springfield Police Commissioner Resigns After Officers Raid Her Home, Arrest Fugitive Son: Cops Springfield Police Commissioner Resigns After Officers Raid Her Home, Arrest Fugitive Son: Cops
Springfield Police Commissioner Resigns After Officers Raid Her Home, Arrest Fugitive Son: Cops The Springfield Police Commissioner Christy Torres stepped down on Tuesday, Jan. 16, soon after police raided her home and arrested a wanted fugitive — her son — on gun and drug charges, authorities said. Another son was arrested last year after firing an illegal pistol at an oncoming car in the parking lot of a dentist's office, police have said.  Josiah Cheeseboro, 24, was arrested on Tuesday on a drug felony warrant out of Franklin County, Springfield police said. Police found Cheeseboro hiding in the basement of their family home on Seymour Avenue, reports and police said. …
(UPDATES) No Survivors: Plane Crash In Western Mass (UPDATES) No Survivors: Plane Crash In Western Mass
(Updates) No Survivors: Plane Crash In Western Mass Latest Update: The plane took off from Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport with three adults on board, flight tracker records and reports said.  Related: Police ID Victims In Franklin County Plane Crash The plane, with the tail number N7345R, was licensed to Fly Lugu, LLC, out of Southwick. Fly tracker data show the plane made several revolutions with fluctuating altitudes before crashing in a heavily wooded area in Franklin County.  Update: The National Transportation Safety Board said a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron 55 went down in a wooded area in Frank…
Police Rescue Injured Bear Cub In Western Mass Police Rescue Injured Bear Cub In Western Mass
Police Rescue Injured Bear Cub In Western Mass Police did more than the bare necessities after they learned of an injured baby bear in dire need of help in Western Massachusetts.  The cub was found in Franklin County off Route 2 in the town of Erving after it had been hit by a car Thursday evening, July 27.  Its hind leg was injured, and the baby could barely walk, Erving Police said. Erving Officer Brandon Bryant and Sgt. Adam Paicos responded and found the animal and its very worried mama bear around 7 p.m. Fearing for their safety, they called a biologist in Hubbardston who walked them through how to safely cor…
Athol Woman Killed, 2 Injured In Head-On Western Mass Crash Athol Woman Killed, 2 Injured In Head-On Western Mass Crash
Athol Woman Killed, 2 Injured In Head-On Western Mass Crash A 57-year-old Worcester County woman was killed after a car drifted into her lane and collided with her car on Friday afternoon, June 30, authorities said.  Tracy Matthews, of Athol, was driving her Chevy Cobalt east in Franklin County on Route 2 in the town of Gill near Barton Cove Campground around 4 p.m. when a Mazda Miata crossed the center line and crashed into her, authorities said. Paramedics rushed her to Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, where doctors pronounced Matthews dead.  The 63-year-old Needham driver of the Miati and his passenger were…
Man Killed In Western Mass Garage Fire Was On Trial For Child Sex Abuse: DA Man Killed In Western Mass Garage Fire Was On Trial For Child Sex Abuse: DA
Man Killed In Western Mass Garage Fire Was On Trial For Child Sex Abuse: DA A 47-year-old man who died in a Western Massachusetts garage fire over the weekend was on trial for child sex abuse in Greenfield District Court, authorities said. Franklin County resident William Willey, of Montague, was killed in a two-alarm fire that tore through a garage at 90 East Street in Northfield on Sunday, Nov. 13, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office reports.  The space was rented by Willey, whose body and car were found on the property. The fire required support from several neighboring fire departments and Willey was the sole victim of the incident, as previously repor…
Person Killed In 2-Alarm Fire Garage Fire In Western Mass Town: Officials Person Killed In 2-Alarm Fire Garage Fire In Western Mass Town: Officials
Person Killed In 2-Alarm Fire Garage Fire In Western Mass Town: Officials One person has died in a two-alarm fire in a small Western Massachusetts town, authorities said. Firefighters in Franklin County with the Northfield Fire Department responded to the fire at 90 East Street in Northfield around 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13, the Department of Fire Services (DFS) reports. Upon arrival, crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from a repair garage at a single-story building.  A second alarm was eventually struck, which drew additional help from several neighboring departments both from Massachusetts and Vermont, DFS said.  Last night, Engine 1 and Squad 1 re…
66-Year-Old Grandmother Killed In 2-Alarm Western Massachusetts Fire 66-Year-Old Grandmother Killed In 2-Alarm Western Massachusetts Fire
66-Year-Old Grandmother Killed In 2-Alarm Western Massachusetts Fire A 66-year-old woman has died after a 2-alarm fire ripped through a home in a small Western Massachusetts community, officials said. The Franklin County fire occurred at 20 Bridge Street in Millers Falls around 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8, the Department of Fire Services (DFS) reports.  Upon arrival, crews found heavy flames coming from the home. It was also reported that people were trapped inside, DFS said.  "My grandmother was gone," the victim's family said on a donation page organized on their behalf. "She was engulfed in the room she was in and wasn’t able to get out."  "My parents…
ID Released For Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash ID Released For Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash
ID Released For Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash Authorities have identified a 53-year-old woman who died in a two-car crash in Western Massachusetts over the weekend as Rebecca Whitehead of Winston-Salem, NC.  The Franklin County crash happened in Ashfield at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Route 116  around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Whitehead died at the scene of the crash around 6:10 p.m., the office continued. No one else in her vehicle.  The driver of the other vehicle involved, a 22-year-old man from East Longmeadow, was t…
Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash
Woman, 53, Killed In Western Mass Crash A 53-year-old woman from North Carolina was killed in a two-car crash in Western Massachusetts over the weekend, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. The Franklin County crash happened in Ashfield at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Route 116  around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, the office said. The woman died at the scene of the crash around 6:10 p.m., the office continued.  The driver of the other vehicle involved, a 22-year-old man from East Longmeadow, was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the office said. No other injuries w…
Graffiti 'Too Obscene To Share' Under Investigation In Western Mass, Police Say Graffiti 'Too Obscene To Share' Under Investigation In Western Mass, Police Say
Graffiti 'Too Obscene To Share' Under Investigation In Western Mass, Police Say An investigation is underway after police said graphic, hateful graffiti was found on buildings and residences in Western Massachusetts. Police in Franklin County received "numerous reports" about the graffiti found on buildings and play structures in Hillside Park in Greenfield, according to an announcement from the Greenfield Police Department on Saturday, June 11.  The same kind of graffiti was also found on homes in the area, police said. Authorities said that the graffiti is "too obscene to share." Police asked anyone with information about the graffiti to call 413-773-5411…
Woman Driving Under Influence Crashes On Bridge In Western Mass, Police Say Woman Driving Under Influence Crashes On Bridge In Western Mass, Police Say
Woman Driving Under Influence Crashes On Bridge In Western Mass, Police Say A woman was allegedly intoxicated in Western Massachusetts when she blew past a “road closed” barricade and nearly made a splash landing off a bridge under construction, police said. In Franklin County, the crash happened at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 19 in Greenfield on the General Pierce Bridge. According to the Greenfield Police Department, upon arrival at the bridge, officers found a 2015 Nissan that had been traveling from Montague toward Greenfield and crashed through the barricade. Police said that the vehicle continued to travel over the bridge that was under constru…
Stop Of Vehicle With No License Plates Leads To Narcotics, Firearms Bust In Western Mass Stop Of Vehicle With No License Plates Leads To Narcotics, Firearms Bust In Western Mass
Stop Of Vehicle With No License Plates Leads To Narcotics, Firearms Bust In Western Mass A Massachusetts State Police trooper on patrol in Franklin County busted a New England man and minor who were in possession of drugs and illegal weapons, authorities announced. Trooper Tyler Hersom was on patrol at approximately 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22 when he stopped a vehicle on I-91 in Whately for driving without front or rear license plates. During the subsequent stop, investigators said that Hersom found five people inside the vehicle, and the driver, Shaftsbury, Vermont resident Dylan Graskey, age 35, was allegedly “deceptive,” according to police. 
“While speaking to the occupan…
Police Seize Illegal Drugs, Firearm From Apartment In Franklin County Police Seize Illegal Drugs, Firearm From Apartment In Franklin County
Police Seize Illegal Drugs, Firearm From Apartment In Franklin County A narcotics investigation in Western Massachusetts led to the arrest of a man who was found to be in possession of a stolen handgun and a host of drugs, police said. In Franklin County, members of the Northwestern District Anti-Crime Task Force, along with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police “STOP” Team and the local police department in Greenfield executed a search warrant within Oak Courts on Thursday, March 17 following a lengthy investigation. In the Greenfield apartment, police located a variety of drugs and the illegal weapon, leading to the arrest of one suspect. Among ot…
How Much Snow Did You Get? A Look At Totals Throughout Region How Much Snow Did You Get? A Look At Totals Throughout Region
How Much Snow Did You Get? A Look At Totals Throughout Region Snowfall totals from a potent quick-moving storm that swept through the region were wide-ranging. Here are some totals from the National Weather Service and other reports as of Monday morning, Jan. 17. If you don't see your hometown, leave the total by posting a comment below. New York New York City Central Park, 1.35 inches Nassau County Great Neck, 1.84 inches Levittown, 1.63 inches Seaford, 1.65 inches Syosset, 1.65 inches Wantagh, 1.59 inches  Suffolk County Amityville, 1.60 inches Huntington, 1.80 inches Miller Place, 1.76 inches Patchogue, 1.80 in…
How Much Snow Did You Get? A Look At Totals Throughout Region How Much Snow Did You Get? A Look At Totals Throughout Region
How Much Snow Did You Get? A Look At Totals Throughout Region Much of the region saw the first significant snowfall of the season from a fast-moving winter storm that swept through the region overnight Thursday, Jan. 6 into Friday, Jan. 7. Here are some totals from the National Weather Service and other reports. If you don't see your hometown, leave the total by posting a comment below. New York New York City Central Park, 5.5 inches Nassau County East Williston, 8 inches Elmont, 6.6 inches Jericho, 7.1 inches Massapequa, 7 inches Syosset, 8.3 inches Suffolk County Islip Airport, 5.6 inches Manorville, 6 i…
Woman Killed In Single-Vehicle Franklin County Crash Woman Killed In Single-Vehicle Franklin County Crash
Woman Killed In Single-Vehicle Franklin County Crash A woman was killed and another injured during a single-vehicle crash in Western Massachusetts. It took place around 12:20 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 2, on Route 21 in Franklin County in Bernardston, said the Massachusetts State Police. When troopers arrived on the scene they found a 2015 Cadillac SRX had left the roadway on the right and crashed into a guardrail and then into a line of trees, state police said. The driver, identified as Holly Hanley, age 60, from Burlington Vermont, and her passenger a 24-year old woman from Essex Junction, Vermont were transported to Baystate Franklin Hospital wh…
Police Cruiser In Region Struck By Vehicle Police Cruiser In Region Struck By Vehicle
Police Cruiser In Region Struck By Vehicle A police cruiser driven by a Western Mass chief of police was rear-ended while waiting to make a turn. The crash took place in Franklin County around 8:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 2 in Gill. According to Gill PD Chief Christopher Redmond, who was driving the vehicle, he was waiting to turn left onto Turners Falls Road in Bernardston when the crash occurred. Redmond rendered aid to the injured parties in the other vehicle and they were transported to Baystate Franklin Medical Center.   A supervisor from the Massachusetts State Police responded to the scene to investigate.  A pr…
Staffing Shortage Causes School Closure In Region Staffing Shortage Causes School Closure In Region
Staffing Shortage Causes School Closure In Region A school in Western Massachusetts was forced to temporarily shut down due to staffing shortages. In Franklin County, Mohawk Trail/Hawlemont Regional School Districts Superintendent Sheryl Stanton announced that the Hawlemont Regional School will be closed on Monday, Nov. 22 due to staffing shortages. “Due to staffing shortages, Hawlemont Regional School will be closed on Monday, Nov. 22,” the district posted on the school’s website. “We will be assessing the staffing situation throughout the day today, so please listen carefully for updates regarding tomorrow. Thank you for your patience!” …
Motorist Airlifted After Crash In Region Motorist Airlifted After Crash In Region
Motorist Airlifted After Crash In Region A motorist from the region was airlifted to a hospital following a crash with another vehicle.  The crash took place around noon on Thursday, Oct. 28, on Route 2 in Shelburne Falls in Franklin County, said the Massachusetts State Police. The driver, who was operating a motorcycle, was flown to a trauma center to be treated for serious injuries.
Passenger Killed In Rollover Crash In Region Passenger Killed In Rollover Crash In Region
Passenger Killed In Rollover Crash In Region A rollover crash in New England left a New York City resident dead and two others injured, authorities said. Massachusetts State Police troopers in Franklin County responded to the rollover crash on Route 91 south in Bernardston shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4, which resulted in the death of a passenger. Police said that upon arrival, troopers found Flushing resident Oscar Lemus, age 32, ejected from a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder that had crashed and rolled over into the median. First responders attempted life-saving measures, but Lemus was pronounced dead after being transported t…
Man Dies After Being Hit By Car While Changing Tire In Region Man Dies After Being Hit By Car While Changing Tire In Region
Man Dies After Being Hit By Car While Changing Tire In Region A Western Massachusetts man was killed and a child was injured while changing a tire on the side of an area roadway. The incident took place around 6:45 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 29, on Route 2 in Worcester County in Leominster, said the Massachusetts State Police. According to state police, Franklin County resident Daniel Levangie, 44, of Wendell, was changing the tire on his 1997 Ford F350 in the breakdown lane on Route 2. His family was out of the vehicle except for a minor who was asleep when a 51-year-old man from Fitchburg, driving a 2013 Chevy Sonic, drifted into the breakdown lane where …