Latest news with #Sarno
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Sunday marks 14 years since tornado hit in W. Mass.
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Sunday, June 1, marks the 14th anniversary of the June 1st Tornado. It's something many people still remember well after it caused extensive damage across the area. The EF-3 Tornado first touched down in Westfield, then it made its way to the most populated city in western Massachusetts. The tornado moved from West Springfield, then over the Memorial Bridge and into the South End of Springfield, causing major damage and destruction as it moved through the Island Pond section of the city. Mayor Domenic Sarno is asking the community to take a moment on Sunday to remember the exact time the tornado passed through the city. 'You don't celebrate this, you mark it,' Sarno says. 'I asked religious institutions, the houses of worship, if they have bells and chimes to ring them at 4:38 p.m. And then I asked everybody to take a moment of silence.' The June 1st tornado was on the ground for almost an hour and carved a 38-mile path of destruction. Three people were killed as a direct result of the tornado, and 200 people were injured. 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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
DoorDash stops offering restaurant linked to drug trafficking — after MassLive ordered lunch
A Coca-Cola, chips and a footlong breakfast sandwich landed on a MassLive reporter's doorstep on Wednesday afternoon. It wasn't the glossy New York-style sandwich pictured on DoorDash — but that was expected. What was surprising is that a sandwich arrived at all. Only 24 hours before, Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni announced there had been 52 arrests in connection with three drug trafficking investigations. One of them involved Garcia Market, which officials described as a drug trafficking front. It was also the Forest Park bodega where the DoorDash order had been placed. For two years, as people continued to order sandwiches, hamburgers and snacks from Garcia Market, officials investigated the market for possibly being involved in another kind of business: drugs. The task force, Gulluni said, had a 'highly successful' and 'complicated' investigation 'focused on sophisticated operations.' 'A lot of these folks have been doing this for a while, and they know how to do it and not get caught,' Gulluni told the Republican. The investigation into the two neighboring businesses, Garcia Market at 344 Orange St. and Angel's Used Appliances at 167 White St. in Springfield, yielded more than 12,000 grams of cocaine, 530 grams of fentanyl and 15 firearms, Gulluni said. Parts of the investigation went across state lines into New York. And it was all centered around money. 'People involved in these kinds of investigations are making hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars on people's destruction and death,' Gulluni said. Gulluni believes the arrests will have an impact on the drug scene in Hampden County, deterring others from trying to do the same thing. However, the arrests haven't stop Garcia Market completely. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno began calling for the closure of the bodega Wednesday night after an inquiry from MassLive. 'Mayor Sarno States Garcia's Market Take Down Warrants a Shut Down!' a press release headline read. Sarno particularly called the market a 'den of iniquity' that he will task his legal staff to hit with a cease-and-desist order to stop ongoing business. 'I spoke with both District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and Police Superintendent Larry Akers earlier today to commend them and our State Police law enforcement officials for their continued brave and dedicated efforts to shut down this major drug and gun operation,' Sarno said. 'As you know, I have no patience nor tolerance with these poison dealing, gun-toting violent offenders and their business fronts are not welcomed here in Springfield.' The business has also since been shut down on DoorDash. MassLive alerted DoorDash to the restaurant's operations and use of fake photos Wednesday afternoon. By Thursday morning, DoorDash confirmed the bodega was removed from the platform. 'We have deactivated Garcia Deli from our platform, and encourage anyone who becomes aware of potential fraudulent activity to reach out to our Support team as we strive to promote a safe environment for the DoorDash community,' a DoorDash spokesperson told MassLive in an email. The store did not have accounts on GrubHub, Uber Eats or Instacart. Overall, the bodega had 3.7 out of five stars. MassLive would've rated the $8.99 bacon, egg and cheese slightly lower at a 2.7. It wasn't bad. But you're not missing anything by not being able to order it. Hot Table is better. The reviews were wide ranging, which included 50 public reviews on DoorDash. 'Amazing steak and cheese grinder especially the price for how big it is,' Jose V. wrote, giving it five stars. 'Highly disgusted, what a disappointment, after reading such positive reviews. I didn't recognize the bacon as it was shredded chopped up in small pieces and rubbery instead of crispy??? ... Hopefully I caught the cook on a bad day, but I won't order again,' Cindy C. wrote, giving it one star. 'Bread and egg was good, but there was more chunks of bacon lard than bacon meat. AND I MEAN CHUNKS. ... Food was hot,' James G. wrote, giving it two stars. The reviews weren't wrong either. There were chunks of bacon lard and the bacon was in small pieces. This probably would've felt like a completely acceptable sandwich if normal bacon had been used. Additionally, while the sandwich is not as beautiful as the photo the store used on DoorDash, a photo of the actual sandwich likely still would've attracted customers. Again, it wasn't terrible. Instead, Garcia Market used a photo widely shared on the internet, including on Reddit, of a completely different sandwich. Taking photos from other places was common marketing for Garcia Market's sandwich options on DoorDash, including its Tripleta Sandwich, a chicken sandwich and its hamburger. However, it appears to have taken its own photos of drinks, which were placed in front of a roll of paper towels (a paper towel was also included in the order). This type of fake marketing isn't allowed on DoorDash. An option at the bottom of each restaurant's page gives users the option to report a restaurant for using fake photos, which then gets reviewed by DoorDash. The area around Garcia Market and Angel's Used Appliances drew an inordinate level of police attention over the years, with 12 calls about people with guns, two calls for gunshot victims, 24 activations of the city's gunshot detection technology and 46 calls from the public about gunfire. For unsuspecting DoorDash drivers, there are safety measures in place. 'We take the safety of our entire community extremely seriously, and have put robust safeguards in place to help prevent bad actors from abusing our platform, including enhanced real-time monitoring technology and multi-layer verification processes for merchants,' a DoorDash spokesperson wrote in a statement. Some of the safety measures built into DoorDash's system includes a 'SafeDash Check-In' for if an order is taking longer than expected, safety reassurance calls to quickly connect to an ADT agent if needed and an emergency assistance button to silently request emergency assistance. DoorDash also uses Samdesk to alert drivers to real-time incidents. If something happens near a restaurant, operations will be suspended in that area. 'This includes canceling any active deliveries so Dashers can avoid the impacted area and stay out of harm's way,' DoorDash said in a statement to MassLive. 'We will also proactively check-in on Dashers near any impacted area to make sure they are okay.' CVS to close over 250 stores nationwide, including in Mass., Northeast Cause detailed for February train derailment in Wendell Tandem Bagel Co. bucks current business climate, opens 6th location in Ludlow Boston Police ID suspect in connection with hospital lobby stabbing Harvard commencement speaker says it's fitting to 'hear from an immigrant like me' Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Mayor Sarno seeks closure of Springfield market tied to drug trafficking
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno has called for a local business to shut down after police said it was at the center of a drug ring in the city. DA Gulluni announces results of three major narcotics investigations in Springfield Earlier this week, authorities announced dozens of arrests and the takedown of three drug rings throughout Springfield. The DA's Hampden County Narcotics Task Force and Strategic Action & Focused Enforcement Task Force began investigating drug trafficking activity around Springfield's Garcia Market and Angel's Used Appliances in October 2022. Throughout the investigation period, over 80 firearm-related calls were reported to police. On May 15, 2025, investigators executed searches and arrests at these locations, which served as fronts for an extensive trafficking network. Law enforcement seized 12,138 grams of cocaine, 530 grams of fentanyl, and 15 firearms. As a result of this operation, 19 suspects were arrested and face charges including drug trafficking, firearm possession, child endangerment, and property theft. Now, Mayor Sarno wants to shut down Garcia's Market on Orange Street. Mayor Sarno states, 'I spoke with both District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and Police Superintendent Larry Akers earlier today to commend them and our State Police law enforcement officials for their continued brave and dedicated efforts to shut down this major drug and gun operation. As you know, I have no patience nor tolerance with these poison dealing, gun-toting violent offenders and their business fronts are not welcomed here in Springfield. In turn, I have requested City Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti and Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris to pursue a seize and desist order to move to shut down this 'den of iniquity' in the name of public health and safety for the good of our neighborhood residents and businesses of the area and beyond.' 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
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Springfield remembers upcoming 14th anniversary of EF-3 tornado
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – June 1 marks the 14th Anniversary of the devastating tornado that damaged several communities across Western Massachusetts. It's something many still remember very vividly. The 22News Storm Team warned thousands of people about the devastating EF-3 tornado that cut a path of destruction from Westfield to Charlton on June 1, 2011. Temperature outlook for summer in Massachusetts 'One of our guys behind the scenes moved our Springfield Skycam towards the Connecticut River, looking over towards West Springfield,' said Nick Bannin, former 22News Meteorologist. 'And then we saw live on camera a tornado, developing and dropping down into West Springfield, then crossing the Connecticut River.' Trees, buildings and homes were torn down, power was out, and the streets were of Springfield was destroyed. 'I remember my mother and mother-in-law calling me, 'You should stay put,' and me sort of shooing them and saying, 'No, we'll be fine, there'll be no tornado,'' said Denise Hurst, Springfield School Committee Member. 'And then hours later, walking out of this doctor appointment, and just having this very eerie feeling, that I was like the only one that existed in the city.' The tornado damaged several communities in western Massachusetts and killed three people. In Springfield, Mayor Domenic Sarno told 22News that 38 people were severely injured. 'You've got to let people know three things: what happened, one, two, what you're going to do about it, and three, just as important, hope,' said Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. In the hours following the tornado, Mayor Sarno was on the ground with local, state, and federal officials conducting searches and rescues for almost 18 hours a day. Now that the city has recovered, Mayor Sarno keeps the boots he wore on those days in his office as a remembrance. Mayor Sarno encourages everyone to take a moment of silence on Sunday, June 1, at 4:38 p.m. He is also asking local houses of worship to ring their bells at that time to signify the time the tornado touched down in Springfield. 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
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Springfield collects $41M of $47M school funding threatened by Trump
SPRINGFIELD — As of this week, Springfield has been able to claim all but $6 million of the $47 million in COVID-era aid from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund. The city had received $41 million as of Monday, Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said Thursday. The new $3 million amphitheater for the Springfield High School of Science and Technology and its award-winning band will be built, Sarno said. So, too, will work continue on installation of air conditioning in at least 10 more of the city's 66 school buildings. 'We are moving forward,' Sarno said. It is money that was imperiled by new cuts ordered by President Donald Trump but was clawed back last week by a federal court ruling in New York State. Across the state, the Trump administration terminated $106 million in K-through-12 education grant funding, and nearly half of it — $47.3 million — was destined for Springfield. West Springfield was able to claim all of its $9 million in ESSER funds. That includes $354,868 in funding that the Trump administration froze. West Side schools used it to air condition its middle school and for two 14 passenger vans for sports teams and special education programs, said West Springfield Mayor William C. Reichelt. Holyoke received more than $1.3 million through ESSER and already had drawn down all but about $400,000, when the new administration stopped the program abruptly at the end of March. The school district initially had been told it had until March 2026 to claim the money. When the money was canceled, new federal administrators in the U.S. Department of Education said the COVID-19 pandemic was over. But schools were given extensions because they were delayed in spending the money — with contractors and equipment not available for school renovations and air conditioning, for example — stalling their reimbursement claims. Sixteen states, including Massachusetts, sued in federal court. On May 6, Judge Edgardo Ramos of U.S. District Court in New York ordered the Department of Education to immediately restore states' access to more than $1 billion as the case continues. 'The Trump administration's illegal decision to cut off essential education funding put some of our most vulnerable students at risk of falling behind in school,' said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. 'This is a major win for our students and teachers who are counting on this funding to help them succeed.' The Education Department responded this week with yet another 'Dear Colleagues' letter, this one acknowledging Ramos' ruling and giving schools until next week, May 24, to claim the funds. Joining James in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and the District of Columbia, along with the governor of Pennsylvania. 50 years after arriving in Enfield, Lego's future clicks together elsewhere After 6 years on market, MassMutual sells Enfield complex for nearly $4M Sparking interest, powering growth: Manufacturing tech show fills Big E Read the original article on MassLive.
