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Grill Fire Guts Home In Western Mass, Injures 2, Leave 6 Homeless
Fire investigators say a two-alarm Hampden County blaze on Thursday, Aug. 3, started on a grill on a home's back porch.
The fire began just before 4 p.m. on Wilbraham Street in Palmer as a family was cooking dinner on their outside grill, the Palmer Fire Department said. The blaze quickly got out of control and spread to the home before crews could get there and battle the flames back.
The fire injured two people and displaced a family of six. Palmer Fire Department
Firefighters from Palmer responded with crews from Three Rivers, Bondsville, Wilbraham, Ludlow, Ware, Belchertown, Monso…
Man Found Dead Inside Shed Fire In Western Mass; Officials Investigating Cause
Firefighters found the body of a man inside a shed in Hampden County after putting out a blaze Monday afternoon, July 17, authorities said.
Fire crews were called to 17 West Ware Road in Palmer just after 1:15 p.m. when a passing motorist called authorities after spotting smoke rising from the property, the state fire marshal's office said in a news release.
Palmer fire crews, with help from Warren, Ware, Bondsville, and Monson firefighters, beat back the blaze before it reached the nearby home and woods. Power equipment, gasoline, and other items were found in the nea…
Suspect In 'Magic Lantern' Strip Club Shooting Is Arrested
An arrest has been made in connection with a February shooting at a rural strip club.
On Sunday, Feb. 21, gunfire broke out in the parking lot of the Magic Lantern, a topless bar on Route 20 in Monson by the Palmer town line, at around 1 a.m. The incident wasn’t reported until at least 12 hours later.
Now Ethan Fitzgerald, 25, of Ludlow, has been arrested in connection with the shooting, Monson Police said.
Fitzgerald was arrested Monday, March 1, on the charges of
possession of a firearm without an FID card or license to carry,
possession of ammunition with no FID card or license to …
Trend: Fourth Large-Scale Marijuana Farm, With NYC Ties, Is Busted In Western Mass
For the fourth time in about six months, men from Brooklyn have been busted in Western Massachusetts for allegedly growing mass quantities of marijuana.
On Monday, Jan. 11, around 8 a.m., police responded to a report of a possible fire with smoke coming out from the eaves of a roof at 24 West St. in Belchertown.
When firefighters entered the home to investigate, they allegedly found a large-scale marijuana growing operation, WesternMass News is reporting. After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement allegedly seized more than 800 marijuana plants, growing equipment, and $2,500.
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Covid-19: 9 New Central, Western Mass Communities Turn 'Red' - Local Data
Nine more Central and Western Massachusetts communities have been added to the state’s COVID-19 “red” list as infection rates climb across the state and nation.
This week, Nov. 27, there are 31 Central and Western Massachusetts communities in the red - meaning that they are at the highest risk to spread the virus.
Last week, Nov. 19, there were 21.
The week before that, Nov. 12, there were 9.
This week, the Massachusetts average daily COVID-19 rate per 100,000 people was 34.9.
Newly added to the red list are Belchertown, East Longmeadow, Leicester, Millbury, Monson, Paxton, Rutland, Sutt…
Garbage Dumped In Woods Traced Back To 'Trash Removal Service'; Arrests Made
Two women offering trash removal services are being accused of dumping truckloads of garbage in the Monson woods.
Julie Palmere, 34, of Monson, and Tisha Verge, 36, of West Springfield, have been arrested and charged with illegal dumping of trash over 7 cubic-feet, operating after suspension, and use of a motor vehicle without authority, police said.
Verge was also charged with operating after suspension, attaching the wrong license plates and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
The arrest was the result of a sting operation. After receiving complaints about trach being dumped in the woo…
Feds Bust Weed-Growing Ring In Rural Massachusetts - Seize More Than 4,000 Marijuana Plants
Two Springfield men have been charged in federal court in connection with a major illegal marijuana growing operation that spanned five properties in a rural part of Massachusetts.
Weiqing Li, 41, and Li Qin Li, 48, were charged on Thursday, July 30, with manufacturing marijuana and possessing marijuana with intent to distribute, according to the Department of Justice Massachusetts.
Law enforcement had been investigating the duo since July 2019, when they became suspicious of activities at certain properties in Monson and Palmer, court documents stated.
When they executed a search warrant…
