Latest news with #Delisle
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Body of Chicopee kayaker recovered from Connecticut River
The body of a Chicopee kayaker has been recovered from the Connecticut River in Holyoke following an extensive search. According to the Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni and Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi, the body of Niklas Delisle, 27 was located on Friday. Delisle went missing on May 19 after the kayak he and his girlfriend were in capsized. She was rescued that night. 'This is a tragic loss, and we extend our deepest condolences to the Delisle family,' said Gulluni. 'We appreciate the professionalism and compassion shown by everyone involved in the search and recovery efforts.' A fisherman saw the couple struggling and went to help, but was only able to save Delisle's girlfriend. 'I am thankful that we, along with all our law-enforcement and first responder partners, were able to bring closure to one of the families on the Connecticut River,' Cocchi added. 'We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Niklas Delisle. But we will remain on the water searching for Daniel Callahan in an attempt to bring his family some peace.' The incident remains under investigation. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Missing Chicopee kayaker found deceased, DA says; another man from separate Conn. River incident still missing
HOLYOKE — Nicklas Delisle, the Chicopee kayaker who went missing on the Connecticut River earlier this month, has been found dead, officials said. Delisle, 27, was found by the Hampden County Sheriff's Department Marine Patrol Unit early Friday afternoon in Holyoke near the South Hadley line, according to Rob Rizzuto, public information officer for the Sheriff's Department. The site was not far from where Delisle's kayak originally capsized, Rizzuto said. Delisle went missing on May 19 while on a fishing trip with his girlfriend, Mya Ballard, 23. Ballard was rescued that evening by a passerby, according to Delisle's uncle, Nevin Bastin, at the time. Bastin declined to immediately comment Friday about the news. The search for Delisle began almost immediately after he disappeared around a bend in the river. Multiple agencies, including the Sheriff's Department, the Western Massachusetts Regional Dive Team, the Massachusetts State Police, the Connecticut River Task Force, Westfield Fire Department, Holyoke Fire Department, Chicopee Police Department, Southwick Police Department, South Hadley Fire District 1, Agawam Fire Department, and Northampton Fire Department, used resources to locate Delisle. 'This is a tragic loss, and we extend our deepest condolences to the Delisle family,' said Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni. 'We appreciate the professionalism and compassion shown by everyone involved in the search and recovery efforts.' The incident remains under investigation by the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the DA's office. Meanwhile, it has been more than 80 days since Daniel Callahan, a 26-year-old from East Windsor, Connecticut, went missing in the river. In April, bright signs about the missing man were posted along the Connecticut River in the Nutmeg State, including information about where he was last seen and what he was wearing. On March 9, shortly after midnight, authorities received a report that a man had walked into the river at the end of Walter Street in Chicopee. The following day, Callahan's car was pulled from the water. A multi-agency search also was ongoing for Callahan, but had slowed in April. The search for him is still ongoing, according to Nick Cocchi, sheriff of Hampden County. 'I am thankful that we, along with all our law-enforcement and first responder partners, were able to bring closure to one of the families on the Connecticut River. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Niklas Delisle,' Cocchi said in the DA's statement. 'But we will remain on the water searching for Daniel Callahan in an attempt to bring his family some peace.' Callahan's family could not be immediately reached Friday afternoon. Paper City Clothing Co. opens new location, saving historic Holyoke building OneHolyoke to host event on community challenges amid federal cutbacks ICE takes two into custody in Amherst in crackdown on 'sanctuary' communities Westover Job Corps program on chopping block in Trump budget Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Body of missing Chicopee kayaker recovered from Connecticut River
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – The body of 27-year-old Niklas Delisle of Chicopee was recovered from the Connecticut River following an intensive, multi-agency search that spanned more than a week, authorities confirmed on Friday. Family of man missing in Connecticut River receive community support as search continues Delisle had been missing since May 19, when the kayak he and his girlfriend were in capsized on the Connecticut River in Holyoke. The incident occurred on Monday, May 19th, when Nicklas was out with his girlfriend on the Connecticut River, and their boat capsized. A fisherman saw the couple struggling in the water and went to help, but was only able to save Nicklas' girlfriend, whom he was with when he went missing. A wide-ranging search operation drew resources from multiple law enforcement and emergency response agencies across western Massachusetts. The Hampden County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol Unit recovered Delisle's body as part of a coordinated effort involving the Western Massachusetts Regional Dive Team, Massachusetts State Police, and numerous local fire departments. 'This is a tragic loss, and we extend our deepest condolences to the Delisle family,' said Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni in a statement. 'We appreciate the professionalism and compassion shown by everyone involved in the search and recovery efforts.' Sheriff Nick Cocchi also expressed his gratitude to all responding agencies and emphasized the ongoing nature of search efforts on the river. 'I am thankful that we, along with all our law-enforcement and first responder partners, were able to bring closure to one of the families on the Connecticut River. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Niklas Delisle. But we will remain on the water searching for Daniel Callahan in an attempt to bring his family some peace.' Crews are still looking for 26-year-old Daniel Callahan, who also went missing in the Connecticut River back on March 9th, and an unidentified individual from Franklin County. Eight boats, drones, and a helicopter have been utilized to scour the river and its surrounding areas. The incident remains under investigation by the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney's Office. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Worcester Diocese to close 2 churches, merge 3 parishes
A Catholic Church in Brookfield and East Brookfield are set to close while three parishes in East Brookfield, West Brookfield and North Brookfield will merge, according to the Worcester Diocese. Bishop Robert J. McManus announced in a letter last weekend that St. Mary Church in Brookfield and St. John the Baptist Church in East Brookfield will close, according to a statement posted May 19 on the Diocese's website. St. Mary Church is an Oratory which has been part of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish since November 2011, the statement reads. McManus also announced the merger of the parishes of St. John the Baptist in East Brookfield, St. Joseph in North Brookfield and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in West Brookfield into one new parish. The new parish will have worship sites at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in West Brookfield and St. Joseph in North Brookfield, according to the Diocese. 'Over the past year, many of you have given your time in considering how the Catholic parishes in the Brookfields might be reconfigured to address today's challenges and the pastoral needs of the future,' McManus said, according to the Diocese. 'It is clear that you recognize the need to close some buildings so that you might use the assets to strengthen current ministries and add some lay pastoral staff.' Raymond Delisle, who works for the bishop's communications office, told MassLive on Wednesday that the buildings and parishes are all managed by one pastoral staff. He said the staff has found it difficult to manage resources due to the number of buildings. As such, it was decided that reducing the number of churches and combining the parishes was a solution to make things easier for the staff, Delisle said. None of the staff will be fired, and the congregants of the closed churches will be able to attend the other two without capacity overflowing, Delisle told MassLive. The closures and the merger will both take place on July 1, according to Delisle. The proposal to merge the parishes is the result of recommendations from parish committees and the Diocesan Pastoral Planning, the press release from the Diocese reads. Father Joseph Rice at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart will be taking suggestions through June 6 for a name for the newly formed parish, according to the statement. 'Although the process of change can be painful, let us together pray that the goal of developing a strong community of faith to further the mission of Christ's Church in the Brookfields will be the light that give us hope,' McManus said in the statement. Worcester councilor deposits large donation haul after confronting police at ICE raid Worcester schools candidate arrested at ICE raid ruled ineligible to be on ballot Federal hiring freeze leads to closures at beloved Central Mass. park Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Family of Chicopee man missing in Conn. River hopeful he will be found
HOLYOKE — An extensive search continues unabated for a Chicopee man who was swept into the Connecticut River while fishing Monday evening. Volunteers from near and far having been combing the shoreline for Nicklas Delisle, 27, who was fishing with his girlfriend when their kayak got flipped upside down. 'I got a frantic call from Mya at around 7:30 p.m. on Monday night,' Nevin Bastin, Delisle's uncle, told The Republican on Wednesday afternoon. Mya Ballard, 23, Delisle's girlfriend, was rescued by a passerby. 'It took all of the rescuer's strength and all of (Mya's) strength to pull her out of the river,' Bastin said, 'and she's a strong swimmer.' Ballard told him that there were a few fishermen in the area, when Delisle disappeared around a bend, Bastin said. 'She asked if anyone had a life vest or rope or anything they could throw out to him,' he said. He urges anyone thinking of going out on the river to wear life preservers. 'Life preservers are more comfortable now than they ever were before,' he said. 'Please wear one before you go out.' Since Monday night, the Holyoke Fire Department and emergency services from 15 area departments have been searching for Delisle. 'At this point, it's about searching every nook and cranny of the river,' said Capt. David Rex of the Holyoke Fire Department. On the river Wednesday afternoon, officers with the Hampden County Sheriff's Department's Marine Unit readied a boat to set off their search. With a looming nor'easter expected to hit later Wednesday, the family understands that the search might be paused, Bastin said. For now, they are still hopeful. 'We are so grateful to the person who rescued Mya and to the people who are showing up to use their free time to find Nicklas,' he said. Target of Springfield eminent domain, 'Chicken Building' owners cry foul in court Would-be Springfield carjacker tried to take off with child still in car Life with shot at parole for Springfield man who gunned down mother of his children in 2019 Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity challenges community to participate in Women Build 2025 Read the original article on MassLive.
