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Spencer, MA

Police & Fire
Speed 'Obvious Factor' In Central Mass Crash; Driver May Have Been Escaping Earlier Wreck: Cops Speed 'Obvious Factor' In Central Mass Crash; Driver May Have Been Escaping Earlier Wreck: Cops
Speed 'Obvious Factor' In Central Mass Crash; Driver May Have Been Escaping Earlier Wreck: Cops A 31-year-old Massachusetts resident was seriously wounded on Christmas morning after he lost control of his car and crashed, authorities said.  The Worcester County man, from the town of Spencer, wrecked just before 1 a.m. Monday, Dec. 25 at Paxton and Thompson Pond roads in Spencer, officials said. Authorities do not believe his wounds are life-threatening. They did not release his name.  Spencer investigator said speed was an "obvious factor" in the crash, and police believe he may have been running from a hit-and-run crash in Worcester earlier that morning, Spencer …

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Lawrence Man Charged In Fatal Worcester State University Shooting: DA Lawrence Man Charged In Fatal Worcester State University Shooting: DA
Lawrence Man Charged In Fatal Worcester State University Shooting: DA A Lawrence man has been charged with the killing of a 19-year-old man at Worcester State University in October, authorities announced Thursday, Dec. 21.  Kevin Rodriguez, 18, was indicted on Wednesday and charged with murder, possession of a loaded firearm not at home or work, and possession of a firearm not at home or work, the Worcester County District Attorney said.  US Marshals and Mass State Police tracked Rodriguez down to New York City, where he was arrested last month.  Kevin Rodriquez Worcester County District Attorney's Office Worcester State Uni…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Lottery Jackpot: Man Wins $10K A Month For 10 Years In Central Mass Lottery Jackpot: Man Wins $10K A Month For 10 Years In Central Mass
Lottery Jackpot: Man Wins $10K A Month For 10 Years In Central Mass Randy Whitney of Spencer just earned a six-figure salary for the next 10 years from the Massachusetts State Lottery.  Whitney will receive a monthly stipend of $10,000. Whitney chose to take the first year's prize money in a lump sum — $120,000 before taxes.  He won playing the "Decade of Dollars," a $5 scratch-off ticket game.   Whitney purchased the winning ticket at Xpress Mart at 94 Main St. in Spencer. The store will receive a $12,000 bonus for selling the lucky ticket. 

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
(WATCH) Church Steeple Falls In 5-Alarm Spencer Blaze (WATCH) Church Steeple Falls In 5-Alarm Spencer Blaze
(Watch) Church Steeple Falls In 5-Alarm Spencer Blaze Firefighters in Spencer were unable to save the steeple at First Congregational United Church on Main Street as a four-alarm fire tore through the building, authorities said.  Video from the scene shows the dramatic moment when the steeple fell on top of the church building.  The steeple is gone and the fire rages on in Spencer MA. This is the Congregational church at 207 Main Street. pic.twitter.com/hPAKhI0PzG — Kim Ring (@KimRingReporter) June 2, 2023 Firefighters called a fifth alarm just after 4 p.m. as the fire rages on.  Police are asking drivers to stay away from the area.  …

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Child Porn: Spencer Man Who Admitted To Having Videos Of Kids As Young As 2 Gets 2 Years Child Porn: Spencer Man Who Admitted To Having Videos Of Kids As Young As 2 Gets 2 Years
Child Porn: Spencer Man Who Admitted To Having Videos Of Kids As Young As 2 Gets 2 Years A Worcester County man who admitted to having child porn that featured children as young as toddlers will spend the next 27 months behind bars, federal authorities said.  Joseph Michael Smith, 60, of Spencer, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography in November and was sentenced this week, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.  Police began investigating Smith in November 2021 after receiving several tips that a messenger account attached to his address had shared child pornography, the prosecutor said. Agents raided his home and found a driver that had 35 …

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
House Fire: 1 Person Hospitalized, Others Displaced After Central Mass Blaze House Fire: 1 Person Hospitalized, Others Displaced After Central Mass Blaze
House Fire: 1 Person Hospitalized, Others Displaced After Central Mass Blaze One person was hospitalized, and others were displaced after a Brookfield house fire on Thursday, Feb. 16. But fast-working firefighters were able to rescue several pets from the inferno.  The call came in just after 1:30 p.m. that a house near the intersection of Common Street and Post Road was in flames, the Brookfield Fire Department said. Putting it out became a group effort as fire crews from East Brookfield, West Brookfield, North Brookfield, and Spencer all helped stop the blaze before it consumed the home.  Brookfield firefighters battled a blaze at this home on Thursday, Feb. 1…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Spencer Man Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charge: Feds Spencer Man Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charge: Feds
Spencer Man Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charge: Feds A 60-year-old Spencer man who admitted to having child porn of children as young as 2 years old potentially faces decades in prison, federal authorities said.  Joseph Michael Smith pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography this week, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. A judge will sentence him in March, where he faces up to 20 years behind bars, a $250,000 fine, and lifetime supervised release, authorities said.  Police arrested Smith last year after they received several tips that he'd shared child porn online through a messenger account, federal authori…

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by Josh Lanier
News
59-Year-Old Worcester County Man Accused Of Possessing Child Porn 59-Year-Old Worcester County Man Accused Of Possessing Child Porn
59-Year-Old Worcester County Man Accused Of Possessing Child Porn A 59-year-old Massachusetts man is facing charges after being busted with dozens of child pornography videos that included some depicting children as young as 2 years old, federal authorities announced. Worcester County resident Joseph Michael Smith, age 59, of Spencer, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of child pornography. Prosecutors said that investigators received multiple tips that child pornography was shared from a messenger account tied to Smith’s address. During a search of Smith’s Massachusetts home on Nov. 10, 2021, a USB drive was seized by investigato…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man From Region Nabbed On Child Porn Charges Man From Region Nabbed On Child Porn Charges
Man From Region Nabbed On Child Porn Charges A Massachusetts man has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography. Worcester County resident Joseph Michael Smith, age 59, of Spencer, was arrested for one count of child pornography on Wednesday, Nov. 10, said the U.S. Attorney's Office. According to the charging documents, a search of Smith’s residence revealed 35 videos depicting child pornography on Smith’s laptop. Smith also admitted ownership of three email addresses associated with usernames that uploaded child pornography to Kik Messenger groups between October 2020 and May 2021, the documents said. The charge…

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by Kathy Reakes
Weather
Who Got The Most Snow? Snowfall Totals In Central, Western, Berkshire, MA Who Got The Most Snow? Snowfall Totals In Central, Western, Berkshire, MA
Who Got The Most Snow? Snowfall Totals In Central, Western, Berkshire, MA A passing Nor'Easter left about 3-17 inches of snow across the region with snowfall totals varying greatly in communities all over Central or Western Massachusetts. The National Weather Service has put a winter weather advisory into place until Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 4 p.m. Before the late afternoon, people can expect to see light snow showers and pockets of freezing drizzle. A glaze of ice developing on top of the snow is possible. Wind gusts may reach as fast as 40 mph. Below are snowfall totals from the Monday, Feb. 1 winter storm. The totals are reported as inches are as of 8 a.m. Tuesday,…

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by Kristin Palpini
Police & Fire
UPDATE: 18-Year-Old Boy Charged With Murdering 17-Year-Old UPDATE: 18-Year-Old Boy Charged With Murdering 17-Year-Old
Update: 18-Year-Old Boy Charged With Murdering 17-Year-Old Police are charging an 18-year-old boy with murder for the killing of a 17-year-old boy earlier this year. On Friday, Nov. 20, police arrested Messiah Amankwah, 18, of Worcester and charged with murder in the shooting death of a boy in October, police said. *A second man has been charged in connection to the killing. On Saturday, Nov. 21, police arrested Lopez Carrasco, 23, of Spencer, and charged him with accessory after the fact to murder, police said. The shooting happened on Oct. 24 around 8:30 p.m. Police were called to the Wendy’s on Park Avenue and found a boy who had been shot. The…

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by Kristin Palpini
Police & Fire
Police Seek Suspect In 'Sai Sword' Attack, Victim 'Punctured' Police Seek Suspect In 'Sai Sword' Attack, Victim 'Punctured'
Police Seek Suspect In 'Sai Sword' Attack, Victim 'Punctured' Police are seeking a suspect wanted in connection to an assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. On Thursday, Oct. 29, Spencer Police notified the public that they are searching for Brendon Jay Unrich, 31, of Bixby Road, in Spencer. Unrich is a suspect in a Wednesday, Oct. 28, stabbing incident, police said. After receiving a call, police reported to a residence around 1 p.m. where they found Nicholas Rudolph, 26, of Lowell, suffering from a puncture wound to the back, police said. He was transported to the hospital for treatment. Police said Rudolph was initially uncooperative, but ev…

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by Kristin Palpini
Business
CVS Developers At Odds With Small Town Seeking To 'Save' Its History CVS Developers At Odds With Small Town Seeking To 'Save' Its History
CVS Developers At Odds With Small Town Seeking To 'Save' Its History A proposed CVS with Drive-Thru has irked some residents of a small Massachusetts community enough to start a petition to “save” downtown. Arista Development is proposing to build a 12,850-square-foot CVS with a drive-thru on four lots bounded by High, Main, and Pleasant streets in Spencer. The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on the proposal Sept. 29, in the Town Hall on Main Street at 7 p.m. The meeting will be conducted in-person and remotely to accommodate for COVID-19 distancing. A petition against the development was placed on Change.org months ago in an effort to s…

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by Kristin Palpini