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Northampton, MA

Obituaries
'Our Village Is Broken': MA Remembers Dad Killed In Snowmobile Crash 'Our Village Is Broken': MA Remembers Dad Killed In Snowmobile Crash
'Our Village Is Broken': MA Remembers Dad Killed In Snowmobile Crash A 37-year-old father of daughters is being remembered as a devoted, hard-working man who touched the lives of everyone he knew following his death earlier this week. Derek Graves, of Chesterfield, died in a snowmobile crash around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, according to the Northwestern District Attorney's Office. An avid snowmobiler, Graves, who also has ties to Northampton, crashed near Smith Road in Chesterfield. Emergency responders performed CPR at the scene, and paramedics rushed him to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, where he later died, the DA's office said. Tributes have …

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
29-Year-Old With 'Gentle Loving Heart' ID'd As Man Found In Connecticut River 29-Year-Old With 'Gentle Loving Heart' ID'd As Man Found In Connecticut River
29-Year-Old With 'Gentle Loving Heart' ID'd As Man Found In Connecticut River A 29-year-old man from western Massachusetts and law clerk for the State of New Jersey has been identified as the person police pulled from the Connecticut River earlier this week.  Daniel Esrick, a Northampton native, was found Monday, Nov. 25, near the Gill side of Route 2, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. It's unclear how long he had been in the water.  Daniel was a talented student, according to his obituary. He studied biology and physics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst before matriculating to the Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he g…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
Big Lots Expands Store Closures Amid Bankruptcy Filing: Here's Rundown In Mass. Big Lots Expands Store Closures Amid Bankruptcy Filing: Here's Rundown In Mass.
Big Lots Expands Store Closures Amid Bankruptcy Filing: Here's Rundown In Mass. Discount retail chain Big Lots has filed for bankruptcy as its list of planned store closures expands. It currently has around 1,425 stores nationwide. The company announced on Monday, Sept. 9 that it will sell its assets to an affiliate of private equity firm Nexus Capital Management. In announcing initial store closures late in late July, Big Lots said a bankruptcy filing could be coming. Stores in the Northeast now slated for closure are as follows: New York Delaware Avenue, Buffalo South Ogden Street, Buffalo Route 5 & 20, Canandaigua  Voice Road, Carle Place Centereach …

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Big Lots To Close Hundreds More Stores, Including Several In Massachusetts Big Lots To Close Hundreds More Stores, Including Several In Massachusetts
Big Lots To Close Hundreds More Stores, Including Several In Massachusetts It's more bad news for discount retailer Big Lots. The nationwide chain announced in June that it would close 40 stores following dismal sales and rising costs, but in a new filing last week, the company said it may need to shutter nearly 300 locations — several of them in the Northeast.  Big Lots announced in a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Friday, Aug. 2, that under an updated term sheet, the company would need to close 20 percent of its 1,392 stores — about 290 in all.  Here are some of the local closures. Connecticut — Eight stores Manchester — 1…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Dad Who Poisoned Daughter, 7, In Western Mass Will Not Get New Trial: DA Dad Who Poisoned Daughter, 7, In Western Mass Will Not Get New Trial: DA
Dad Who Poisoned Daughter, 7, In Western Mass Will Not Get New Trial: DA A Massachusetts appeals court has upheld the 2020 conviction of a Hampshire County father who was found guilty of injecting his 7-year-old daughter with liquid drain cleaner, authorities said. She survived the assassination attempt. Christopher Conley, of Northampton, who is serving a 16 to 18-year prison sentence, filed a petition for a new trial saying that the judge erred in allowing the jury to hear evidence that he'd previously attempted to poison the girl, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. He was arrested in April 2015 after his daughter was admitted to Yale New&n…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
These 7 Mass Liberal Arts Colleges Rank Among Top 20 In US, New Report Says These 7 Mass Liberal Arts Colleges Rank Among Top 20 In US, New Report Says
These 7 Mass Liberal Arts Colleges Rank Among Top 20 In US, New Report Says The grades are in, and these colleges are a cut above the rest. Of the top 20 liberal arts colleges in the United States, four can be found in Massachusetts, three in New York, and one in Connecticut, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings. They are: No. 1 - Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts No. 2 - Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts No. 4 - Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts (Tied with Pomona College in Claremont, California and Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania) No. 8 - United States Military …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Massachusetts Rallies, Raises 300K For Hawaii Fire Victims Massachusetts Rallies, Raises 300K For Hawaii Fire Victims
Massachusetts Rallies, Raises 300K For Hawaii Fire Victims The fires that ripped through the Hawaiin island of Maui were among the deadliest in modern US history, according to NPR, and Massachusetts residents jumped into action to help those whose homes were destroyed.  Over 175,000 GoFundMe donors from across the world have rallied to support the victims of the natural disaster in Maui, and Massachusetts residents have done their part, chipping in over $300,000 to various fundraising campaigns.  A group of people in Billerica raised money for their friend who owned a jewelry stand in Lahaina, Maui. The woman's stand was "a labor of love for over …

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by Morgan Gonzales
Lifestyle
Trio of $1 Million Powerball Tickets Sold In Mass Trio of $1 Million Powerball Tickets Sold In Mass
Trio of $1 Million Powerball Tickets Sold In Mass They may not have snagged the $1 billion jackpot, but three Massachusetts tickets still hit it big.  Three Powerball tickets sold in Massachusetts scored $1 million in the Wednesday, July 19 drawing, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery.  Eight other Massachusetts tickets also brought home serious cash, with one winning a $100,000 prize and seven others winning $50,000 prizes.  The three $1 million winning tickets were purchased from the following locations:  In Norfolk County: Shaw’s Supermarket, located at 255 East Central Street in Franklin, in No…

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by Morgan Gonzales
Police & Fire
Norfolk County Bear Is Latest In Eastern Mass Post-Hibernation Sightings Norfolk County Bear Is Latest In Eastern Mass Post-Hibernation Sightings
Norfolk County Bear Is Latest In Eastern Mass Post-Hibernation Sightings Black bear populations in Massachusetts are on the rise, and human populations are getting glimpses of their increasingly-common ursine neighbors. Several reports of broken or knocked over bird feeders arose the Sharon Police Department's suspicions that a bear was in the area of Furnace Street and Gavins Pond Road, behind Shaw's Plaza, the police department said on Facebook.  These suspicions were confirmed when a resident on Furnace Street sent police a video of a curious black bear near their home, which Sharon police shared on Facebook on Sunday, May 8.  Several reports over the p…

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by Morgan Gonzales
Business
New England Nonprofit Changes Western Massachusetts Woman's Life With New Car New England Nonprofit Changes Western Massachusetts Woman's Life With New Car
New England Nonprofit Changes Western Massachusetts Woman's Life With New Car In a world where car prices have floated towards or reached record highs, one New England organization is doing their part to help low-income families get a ride.  Good News Garage, which launched in Burlington, VT in 1996, is one of the nation’s first car donation nonprofits providing affordable and reliable transportation options for people in need.  The organization has since expanded to New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts, and recently helped a Northampton woman find relief from her transportation struggles.  “I really appreciate the donation of your car," Eva Kiczko…

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by David Cifarelli
Schools
'Swatting' Hoax Threats Send Multiple Massachusetts School Into Lockdowns 'Swatting' Hoax Threats Send Multiple Massachusetts School Into Lockdowns
'Swatting' Hoax Threats Send Multiple Massachusetts School Into Lockdowns Multiple Massachusetts schools have been forced into lockdowns because of fake gun and bomb threats, otherwise known as "swatting" incidents, over the past four days.  "Swatting" is defined as "the action or practice of making a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address," according to Oxford Language.  These incidents have seen an uptick across the Commonwealth in the wake of the deadly shooting at the Michigan State University on Monday, Feb. 13 in which three students perished. T…

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by David Cifarelli
Obituaries
Western Mass Homicide Victim Amber Carpenter Was 'Joyful, Passionate Soul' Western Mass Homicide Victim Amber Carpenter Was 'Joyful, Passionate Soul'
Western Mass Homicide Victim Amber Carpenter Was 'Joyful, Passionate Soul' A woman killed in Western Massachusetts this week will be remembered as a devoted member of her community and loyal companion.  Amber Carpenter, age 39, of West Springfield was found dead inside the home of Jose Hernandez, age 30, on Riverdale Street in West Springfield on Friday, Oct. 21, the Hampden County District Attorney's Office reports.  Carpenter was the victim of the first reported homicide in West Springfield since 2017, MassLive reports. According to her Facebook, Carpenter was from Northampton and worked at Touched By An Angel Health Care. She was also h…

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by David Cifarelli
Police & Fire
Northampton Physical Therapist Gets Probation In Indecent Assault Case: DA Northampton Physical Therapist Gets Probation In Indecent Assault Case: DA
Northampton Physical Therapist Gets Probation In Indecent Assault Case: 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
News
Boston To Change Parking Payment Method: Here's What You Need To Know Boston To Change Parking Payment Method: Here's What You Need To Know
Boston To Change Parking Payment Method: Here's What You Need To Know Parking in Boston can be tricky, but city leaders say a new partnership could streamline the process of reserving and paying for a spot starting next month.  Officials announced the city would upgrade ParkBoston app on Aug. 15 to ParkMobile. Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Boston's chief of streets said in a press release that the new platform will be an upgrade and easier to use.  ParkMobile provides more payment options, mobile alerts for when your meter is about to expire, and it also includes a feature that shows you open spots nearby, the release said.  You must update the ParkB…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Authorities ID Victim Stabbed Dead By Roommate At Western Mass Apartment Authorities ID Victim Stabbed Dead By Roommate At Western Mass Apartment
Authorities ID Victim Stabbed Dead By Roommate At Western Mass Apartment Authorities have identified Hampshire County's first homicide victim this year as 21-year-old Jana Abromowitz, the Northwest District Attorney's Office said. This comes a day after her alleged killer, 24-year-old Devin Bryden, of Northampton, was arrested and charged in connection with her murder, the DA's Office said.  Rest In Peace Jana Abromowitz. Posted by Stephen Morris on Monday, July 11, 2022 Abromowitz's body was found stabbed to death at the duo's apartment at 11 Hatfield Street in Northampton around 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 10, the DA's Office said. Bryden was brought in for q…

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by David Cifarelli
News
Man Charged With Female Roommate's Stabbing Death In Western Mass Man Charged With Female Roommate's Stabbing Death In Western Mass
Man Charged With Female Roommate's Stabbing Death In Western Mass A man from Western Massachusetts has been charged in connection with the stabbing death of his roommate, the Northwest District Attorney's Office said. Hampshire County resident Devin Bryden, age 24, was arrested after police found his 21-year-old female roommate stabbed to death at their apartment on Hatfield Street in Northampton on Sunday, July 10, the DA's Office said.  The victim's identity has yet to be released. This marks the first homicide in Hampshire County this year, according to the DA's Office.  Bryden pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and larc…

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by David Cifarelli