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Florence Man's Death Considered Suspicious

Police said Monday the death of 35-year-old John M. Connell is being considered suspicious after he died following a dispute at the Silk City Tap Room in the Florence section of Northampton early Saturday morning.

Arraignment of DiMasi friend delayed
Associated Press - January 5, 2009 10:14 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - The arraignment of a close friend of House Speaker Sal DiMasi on campaign finance violations has been delayed.

Obama taps Mass. son as White House photographer
Associated Press - January 5, 2009 4:14 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama has tapped a Massachusetts native and Boston University alumnus to be the next official White House...

Patrick: Aloisi Big Dig experience can help state
Associated Press - January 5, 2009 4:04 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick is defending his choice of a key Big Dig player to serve as transportation secretary and spearhead the overhaul of...

Environmentalists oppose White Mt.. logging
Associated Press - January 5, 2009 2:45 PM ET CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Environmental groups are appealing a U.S. Forest Service decision to open 1,000 acres of land in New Hampshire's White...

Mass. Gov. to ask health insurers to cut costs
Associated Press - January 5, 2009 2:44 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick says he's planning to meet with the state's top insurers and health care providers as early as this week to press...

Citgo suspends of low-income heating oil program
Associated Press - January 5, 2009 12:44 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - Citizens Energy Chairman Joseph Kennedy says Citgo has suspended its free heating oil program for low-income residents.

Mass. gas prices hold steady
Associated Press - January 5, 2009 10:34 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - Gas prices in Massachusetts are holding steady after 15 consecutive weeks of decreases.

Northampton Burglar Strikes Cop in Head with Claw Hammer

The City's annual First Night celebration was marred by violence after a 22-year-old man allegedly hit a city police officer with a piece of wood and a claw hammer while the officer was attempting to place the man under arrest New Year's Eve. Garrett Shaw pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the incident while the injured officer was readmitted to the hospital for complications with his injury.

Mass. country clubs scramble for members
Associated Press - January 5, 2009 5:44 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - Even some of Massachusetts' most exclusive country clubs are feeling the economic pinch.

Northampton Officer Hit With Hammer Released From Hospital
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (abc40) -- The Northampton officer who was attacked with a hammer on New Year's Eve has been released from Cooley Dickinson Hospital for a second time, according to his family.

Romney: Obama called after wife fell ill recently
Associated Press - January 4, 2009 4:24 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - They were at odds during the presidential campaign, but Gov. Mitt Romney said when his wife Ann fell ill, 1 of the well-wishers who...

House to vote on whether to keep DiMasi as speaker
Associated Press - January 4, 2009 2:34 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi is expected to win re-election to another term as House Speaker on Wednesday - but his troubles aren't...

Northampton Man Shot In Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (abc40) -- A 21-year old Northampton man was shot early Sunday morning in Springfield, police say.

Workers to begin toppling trees in beetle battle
Associated Press - January 4, 2009 11:54 AM ET WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - Workers are set to begin removing thousands of trees in Worcester's battle to eradicate the Asian Longhorned Beetle in...

Cost of tying knot in Mass. inches up with new law
Associated Press - January 4, 2009 10:34 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - Tying the knot in Massachusetts just got a little bit more expensive. A bill signed into law by Gov.

Amtrak boosts service from Boston for inauguration
Associated Press - January 4, 2009 10:24 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - Amtrak is planning to increase service from Boston to Washington on Inauguration Day to help those making the trip to see Barack...

Bill would let Mass. police auctions go online
Associated Press - January 4, 2009 9:54 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - Another cherished Massachusetts institution may be headed online. A bill on Gov.

Vanderbilt beats Massachusetts 78-48
Associated Press - January 3, 2009 8:24 PM ET AMHERST, Mass. (AP) - A.J. Ogilvy had 14 points and 8 rebounds as Vanderbilt blew things open in the second half and coasted to a 78-48 win over...

Florence Man Dies Of Injuries Suffered At Bar
FLORENCE, Mass. (abc40) -- A 35-year old Florence man died on Saturday morning after he suffered an injury at the Silk City Tap Room on Main Street.

Budget Friendly Fitness

CHICOPEE, Mass (abc40)--It's a new year and a fresh start for everyone looking to make a resolution and stick to it. Shaping up and losing weight is the most popular new year's resolution.

Mass. food pantry looks for new home
Associated Press - January 2, 2009 12:04 PM ET GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. (AP) - A western Massachusetts food pantry is in danger of closing unless it can find a new home, just when the need for...

Governor may be leaning toward Kennedy
Associated Press - January 2, 2009 7:33 AM ET ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Officials say the daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy will be the governor's choice to fill the New York Senate seat...

Mass. man gets year in jail for cousin's death
Associated Press - January 2, 2009 7:04 AM ET NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) - A Goshen man who was legally drunk when the pickup truck he was driving crashed, killing his cousin who was also the...

Mass. man faces charge of raping child at shelter
Associated Press - January 2, 2009 6:34 AM ET WINCHENDON, Mass. (AP) - A 23-year-old man is facing charges of sexually assaulting a child at an emergency shelter set up for people displaced by...

Nursing home quality can varies by regional income level in Mass.
Associated Press - January 1, 2009 4:04 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - The quality of nursing home care you receive in Massachusetts may depend on the income level where you live.

Man Hospitalized after Crash During Police Pursuit

A Holyoke man will be facing assault and drunken driving charges after allegedly leading police on a chase through several communities before crashing his vehicle in Agawam early Thursday morning.

Holyoke Man Facing Attempted Murder Charges for New Year's Eve Party Stabbing

A Holyoke man will be facing attempted murder charges after allegedly stabbing another man at an Elms Street family New Year's Eve party, according to police.

Vermont Yankee: No new power deal
Associated Press - January 1, 2009 11:15 AM ET MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The owners of Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant will not offer a new power deal to the state's utilities, saying the...

New Year's Eve Fire in Turners Falls Leaves Family Homeless

At least five people have been left homeless after a fire burned through their 2nd Street home in Turners Falls Tuesday afternoon, according to fire officials.

Report: Mass. has rise in college-educated workers
Associated Press - January 1, 2009 11:14 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - A new report says Massachusetts has seen a big rise in the number of college-educated workers since 1990, giving the state a long...

Mass. pol blames US for Liberia's woes
Associated Press - January 1, 2009 10:24 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - A state representative from Springfield blamed the U.S. for destabilizing Liberia during a visit there that came as local officials...

First Night In Northampton, Snow or Shine

Even if Mother Nature doesn't play nice, Northampton First Night is planning to carry on as normal.

Springfield Rabbi Talks About Situation in Gaza

Israel's air strikes in Gaza continue for the fifth straight day. And half a world away, concern for friends and family continues as well.

Crash Briefly Closes I-91 in Easthampton

A two-vehicle crash has caused state police to close a section of Interstate 91, which is currently under construction, Thursday morning.

Woman gives birth on flight to Boston
Associated Press - December 31, 2008 2:54 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - There were 124 passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight 59 when it left Amsterdam. There were 125 when it landed in Boston.

Elderly Mass. man dies following ice storm
Associated Press - December 31, 2008 5:14 AM ET WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - A 91-year-old Worcester man injured Dec. 13 after his clothes were set on fire by a propane space heater being used...

Teenagers Arrested for Agawam Home Invasion

Police have arrested two teenagers for a home invasion that left a man shot in the leg Dec. 14 on Riverview Drive.

Three People Burned from Shutesbury Home

Three people have been displaced after a fire burned through the roof of their Shore Drive home Wednesday morning, according to fire officials.

Man Shoots at Cab Driver after Dispute Over Fare

Police are looking for a man who allegedly opened fire on a Yellow Cab driver early Tuesday morning after a dispute over a fare, according to police.

Restaurants Ready to Ring in New Year

Coming out of the worst holiday shopping season in years, restaurants are hoping to cash in.

Windy Weather

From street lights to power lines, the December winds were just too much to bear.

Mass. school reforms collide with budget crunch
Associated Press - December 31, 2008 11:54 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick's ambitious plan to revamp public education over the next 10 years has crashed into the state's financial...

Endangered whales spotted in Gulf of Maine
Associated Press - December 31, 2008 11:44 AM ET PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Scientists think they have identified a new wintering area and a possible breeding ground in the Gulf of Maine for the...

Sex abuse lawsuit alleges racketeering by diocese
Associated Press - December 31, 2008 8:44 AM ET HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - A Connecticut woman has filed a federal racketeering lawsuit accusing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich of conspiring...

Keeping Your New Years Eve Resolution

Coming up with a New Year's resolution may not be very hard, but keeping it is another story.

Lawyer: Probe into UMass attack racially biased
Associated Press - December 31, 2008 8:14 AM ET NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) - A former University of Massachusetts student charged with stabbing two people in a campus dormitory alleges widespread...

Mass. man accused of attacking ER nurse
Associated Press - December 31, 2008 7:24 AM ET LEOMINSTER, Mass. (AP) - A Townsend man accused of punching an emergency department nurse in the face because he thought he waited too long...

Vermont's minimum wage goes up Thursday
Associated Press - December 31, 2008 7:05 AM ET MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont's minimum wage goes up to $8.06 per hour on Thursday. That puts Vermont's rate among the highest in the...

Mass. treasurer friend ends lobbying work
Associated Press - December 31, 2008 4:44 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - A close friend of state Treasurer Tim Cahill and 1 of his top political fundraiser has stopped lobbying for a state lottery vendor...

Mo. governor to join Massachusetts equity company
Associated Press - December 30, 2008 6:14 PM ET JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt will be joining a private equity firm led by the son of failed Republican presidential...

Mass. gets nearly $4.7M in drug settlement
Associated Press - December 30, 2008 6:54 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - The Massachusetts attorney general's office says Pennsylvania drug maker Cephalon Inc.

Mass. gov. says another $1B in state cuts likely
Associated Press - December 30, 2008 12:54 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick says he will have to cut the state budget even more deeply than expected as tax collections fall below revised...

Westfield Bank Robbed in Agawam
Police are looking for a suspect who held up the Westfield Bank located at 655 Main St., around 3 p.m. Monday.

NH tougher than neighbors on negligent hikers
Associated Press - December 30, 2008 1:55 PM ET CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Though neighboring states are more lenient, tourism officials say New Hampshire's latest effort to penalize unprepared...

Ex-NFL player held on $100K bail for child rape
Associated Press - December 30, 2008 12:04 PM ET WRENTHAM, Mass. (AP) - A former NFL lineman and high school football coach has been ordered held on $100,000 cash bail after he was charged with...

Police Continue to Probe Mill River Lane Rape and Beating

Springfield police are continuing their investigation into the brutal rape and beating of a woman who was found naked and unconscious in a parking lot on Mill River Lane Saturday.

DiMasi ally goes public with ethical concerns
Associated Press - December 30, 2008 5:44 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - A key ally of Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi says he will not back DiMasi's bid for another 2-year term because of...

Veterans are Served in Northampton

According to Steve Connor, the state of Massachusetts is the only state in the country that has a financial assistance program for veterans and surviving spouses.

New pot rules in Mass. may allow having hashish
Associated Press - December 29, 2008 2:34 PM ET BOSTON (AP) - New state regulations say police may not be able to arrest people for having up to an ounce of hashish because a new law that...

Heroic Rescue

A young boy comes to the rescue when a dog falls through the ice and almost drowns.

Housing Crisis Puts Pinch on Holidays

In November Massachusetts home sales and prices fall, with the Western part of the state taking the brunt of the blow.

Springfield mayor warns of financial turmoil

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno is warning of layoffs and budget cuts unless lawmakers approve a bill giving the city more time to pay back a $52 million state loan.

Cobbler's Business Rises as Economy Tanks

By: Faye Hoffman SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (abc40) -- There's an old-fashioned craft making a comeback. As purse strings tighten in local households, business has been picking up at a Springfield cobbler. Jack

Closed Steakhouse Catches Fire in Southwick

Fire departments from several communities were called to a fire in the building that had housed the now-closed Hereford's Steak Ale House early Monday morning.

Mass. rape suspect faces arraignment
Associated Press - December 29, 2008 5:34 AM ET WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - A former Winchendon man who fled to Oregon after being accused of raping a 61-year-old woman is expected to appear in...

Study: Murders among black youths on rise
Associated Press - December 29, 2008 5:24 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - A Northeastern University study says the number of young black males involved in fatal shootings has gone up dramatically since...

Fundraisers keep most $ they raise for charities
Associated Press - December 29, 2008 5:14 AM ET BOSTON (AP) - The Massachusetts attorney general's office says professional fundraisers working for charities in the state are keeping almost...

Kerry urges caution on 'hot pursuit' in Somalia
Associated Press - December 29, 2008 4:54 AM ET WASHINGTON (AP) - Massachusetts Senator John Kerry favors pursuing pirates in the waters off Somalia, but urges a cautious approach before U.S...