Massachusetts

Vandals target crisis pregnancy center in western Massachusetts

Published

2 years ago

August 19, 2022

Vandals target crisis pregnancy center in western Massachusetts

By Carolee McGrath • Catholic Information Service • Posted August 19, 2022

EASTHAMPTON, Mass. (CNS) — Police are investigating vandalism at a western Massachusetts being pregnant middle that gives girls dealing with a disaster being pregnant with free diapers, wipes, child garments, strollers and automotive seats.

Police mentioned vandals early Aug. 18 spray-painted “Jane’s Revenge” on benches positioned outdoors of Bethlehem Home in Easthampton, close to Springfield, together with the message, “If abortion isn’t protected, neither are you.”

Jane’s Revenge is a a company that helps holding abortion authorized. It has claimed accountability for related actions at church buildings and pro-life being pregnant facilities throughout the nation since Could, when a draft opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court docket determination within the Dobbs vs. Jackson Girls’s Well being group case was leaked.

The courtroom’s June 24 determination within the Dobbs case finally overturned Roe v. Wade, which had legalized abortion nationwide. The ruling permits states to determine their very own legal guidelines concerning abortion.

“I’m nervous as a result of the purchasers are coming right here immediately. We have now to offer diapers out within the parking zone,” mentioned Pam Hibbard, Bethlehem Home director.

Bethlehem Home, which receives help from the annual Catholic Enchantment of the Diocese of Springfield, additionally presents free being pregnant assets, together with referrals for employment, well being care and academic providers. Households obtain help till the newborn is eighteen months outdated. As well as, Bethlehem Home presents post-abortion counseling.

“We’re not doing this for the cash. We do it from the guts,” Hibbard informed iObserve, the web information outlet of the Springfield Diocese.

In July, vandals additionally focused two being pregnant care facilities in Worcester, Massachusetts: Clearway Clinic and Drawback Being pregnant. Clearway’s home windows had been smashed and the phrases “Jane’s Revenge” had been spray-painted in black on the sidewalk outdoors of the constructing.

The vandalism saddened Springfield Bishop William D. Byrne.

“The messages spray-painted on the skin of the constructing seem to have one objective and that’s to intimidate the nice individuals who rely upon the help offered there, together with those that volunteer at Bethlehem Home, whose sole objective is to assist girls and their households dealing with a disaster being pregnant,” Bishop Byrne mentioned in a press release.

“Irrespective of the place you stand on the problem of abortion, I pray all folks of goodwill will be part of me in condemning this act and all acts of vandalism and violence towards any group,” he mentioned. “We’re a folks of life referred to as to steer with love. That’s what we are going to proceed to do. Please be part of me in praying for all affected by this incident.”

Father Daniel Pacholec, director of pro-life actions for the Springfield Diocese, echoed the bishop, saying “it must be enormously disturbing to all folks of goodwill that a company that assists girls and households is the goal of such violence towards girls.”

“Jane’s Revenge and any group related to it must be held criminally liable,” he mentioned.

Bethlehem Home has been within the highlight not too long ago, because the Easthampton Metropolis Council has been contemplating a proposed ordinance titled “Misleading Promoting Practices of Restricted Providers Being pregnant Facilities.”

A being pregnant middle can be in violation and topic to a $300 superb if it marketed in such a approach deemed “misleading, whether or not by assertion or omission, and {that a} restricted providers being pregnant middle is aware of or fairly ought to know to be misleading.”

Folks have spoken at current council conferences in favor of and towards the ordinance. Bethlehem Home is the one being pregnant care middle that operates in Easthampton, which prompted many within the pro-life group to be involved concerning the intent of the ordinance and if, in reality, it will finally influence the middle’s work.

Owen Zaret, councilor at-large, who co-sponsored the ordinance, has mentioned Bethlehem Home wouldn’t be affected by the ordinance and referred to as their work “laudable.”

Zaret decried the vandalism Aug. 18, saying it “has no place in our group or nation.

“That is an act of extremism and terrorism. We settle disagreements by dialog, not by violence,” Zaret mentioned.

Because the Supreme Court docket’s determination nationwide there have been calls to crack down legislatively on being pregnant care facilities that some consider deceive girls. In July, Massachusetts Legal professional Normal Maura Healey issued a press release claiming being pregnant facilities use “misleading and coercive ways.”

A warning about being pregnant care facilities is listed on Healey’s mass.gov web site. There is no such thing as a point out of the vandalism that passed off in Worcester or in Easthampton.

***

McGrath writes for iObserve, the web information outlet of the Diocese of Springfield.

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Related Topics:abortion Bethlehem House crisis pregnancy centers Diocese of Springfield end of Roe v Wade Featured iObserve Jane

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts emergency shelter spending topped $700M last month, report says

Published

1 hour ago

July 3, 2024

Press Room

Massachusetts emergency shelter spending topped $700M last month, report says

Massachusetts spending on the emergency shelter system housing migrant families and local residents has crossed the $700 million threshold, according to data released Monday.

Government budget writers have projected the state will shell out approximately $932 million on the emergency shelter system in fiscal year 2024 and another $915 million in fiscal year 2025, which began on Monday. The massive costs were spurred by an influx of migrants over the past year.

Gov. Maura Healey’s finance and housing offices said the state had spent $715 million on the emergency shelter program as of June 27, though the figure is largely representative of costs through mid-March.

“March invoices are currently being received and processed,” the report said.

As migrants arrived in droves to Massachusetts, the state turned to a network of hotels and motels to increase state-run shelter capacity for families with children and pregnant women. Housing people in those locations can often prove costly, sometimes running $300 a night.

Healey over the past year has approved restrictions on the shelter system, including a nine-month time limit on families’ stay, a 7,500 family cap, a monthly requirement for people in overflow sites to reapply for services, and just last week a prohibition on sleeping overnight at Logan Airport.

At an unrelated event in Lowell Tuesday, Healey said while the state is required to provide families with children and pregnant women with shelter, there is only so much room.

“It’s why I took action this fall to announce the cap and to establish a waiver,” she told reporters. “My position has been, we simply cannot shoulder this. It’s why I also demanded time and time again that Congress step up and act and provide relief to the state.”

Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Lynn are playing host to the most families in shelters, hotels, and motels of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, according to the report.

About $210 million, or one third of the total money spent, has been paid to shelter providers who run traditional locations as well as the hotels, motels, and overflow sites, according to the report.

Another $24 million has gone to municipalities to help alleviate costs associated with an increased number of students from shelters, the report said. The state has also spent $2.7 million for “additional educational supports” like student transportation and multilingual faculty.

After Healey put a capacity limit on the emergency shelter system, those who applied for services were directed to overflow sites, including at state-owned facilities in Lexington, Roxbury, Chelsea, Cambridge, and Norfolk.

The locations were oftentimes unsuited to house families immediately and the state had to spend money to upgrade the sites. The report released Monday shows officials have spent $1.1 million to make “life safety improvements” at overflow sites.

There were 7,463 families in the emergency shelter system, another 417 at overflow sites, and 699 on the waitlist for placement as of June 27, according to state data and the report.

A separate report released Monday provides an update on an effort to move 400 migrant families out of state-run shelters and into stable housing by the end of the year.

Healey and the state’s eight resettlement agencies inked $10.5 million worth of contracts to stand up the program, which takes a well-known resettlement strategy used at the federal level with humanitarian parolees from Afghanistan and Ukraine and applies it to those in local emergency shelters.

Ascentria Care Alliance committed to helping 75 families in the Worcester and Greater Springfield area move into long-term housing and is expected to receive $1.5 million to do so, the most of the eight organizations, according to the report.

Five other groups contracted to help 50 families and are in line to receive $1 million while Jewish Family Service of Metrowest agreed to assist 25 families and is expected to receive $500,000 to do so, the report said.

Gov. Maura Healey (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald, File)

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts may help homeowners whose foundations are crumbling

Published

8 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Massachusetts may help homeowners whose foundations are crumbling

BOSTON – Homeowners across the state who rallied on Beacon Hill asking for help to pay for their crumbling foundations may soon see some relief.

Why are foundations crumbling?

Thursday night, state senators approved an amendment to the Affordable Housing Act that will create a fund for Massachusetts residents whose foundations are failing. The problem is a natural mineral called pyrrhotite, which eventually causes concrete foundations to crumble – and insurance doesn’t cover the costs. The state now mandates quarries to test their product for pyrrhotite.

“The next step is finding the best methods for funding this effort,” State Sen. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, said. “This is a long-term problem that will require us to be creative so as not to place a large burden on taxpayers while also helping residents to repair their homes which, in turn, helps their local economy.”

Members of Massachusetts Residents Against Crumbling Concrete gathered outside the Statehouse again on Thursday to call for help fixing their foundations.

Massachusetts Residents Against Crumbling Concrete are asking the state to help fix their crumbling foundations.

CBS Boston

Homeowners face financial hardship

“This slow-moving mineral has created a financial hardship for thousands of families in my district and across our state, is not covered by homeowners’ insurance and costs hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket to fix,” said State Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Sutton.

The problem is expected to hit more than 40 cities and towns, which have identified homeowners with crumbling foundations due to pyrrhorite. Replacing the foundation in a home can cause a homeowner as much as $250,000.

“Faulty foundations are putting the homes and life savings of thousands of Massachusetts families across the Commonwealth at risk, through no fault of their own,” said Sen. Michael Moore, D-Millbury.

The amendment is now before a conference committee.

“This is essentially a natural disaster,” Durant said. “It is caused by the failing of a natural element and it was unforeseen by the concrete industry, builders and homeowners.”

WBZ-News Staff

The WBZ News team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on WBZ.com.

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Massachusetts

Marion Police Department Earns Re-Accreditation from Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission

Published

15 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Marion Police Department Earns Re-Accreditation from Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission

For immediate release

From left to right: Russell Stevens (MPAC Board Member), Chief Richard Nighelli
Lieutenant Jeffrey Habicht (Accreditation Manager), Administrative Assistant Lauren Roberts, Sergeant Sean Day, and Michael Bradley (MPAC Board Member) (Photo Courtesy Marion Police Department)
Lieutenant Jeffrey Habicht (Accreditation Manager) and Administrative Assistant Lauren Roberts (left). (Photo Courtesy Marion Police Department)
Marion Police Chief Richard Nighelli. (Photo Courtesy Marion Police Department)

MARION — Police Chief Richard Nighelli is proud to report that the Marion Police Department earned re-accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC).

On Wednesday, June 26, MPAC unanimously re-accredited the Marion Police Department.

“I am honored our department has once again earned re-accreditation from MPAC,” said Chief Nighelli. “As we celebrate this achievement, I would like to recognize all of our department members for their dedication and commitment to upholding the values of this department. I would also like to thank our community for their ongoing support and partnership.”

The department received State Certification in June 2014, full State Accreditation in June 2015 and re-accreditation in 2018 and 2021. Accreditation must be renewed every three years and, following this year’s renewal, the department will be up for re-accreditation again in 2027.

Accreditation is a self-initiated, lengthy and comprehensive evaluation process. Participating departments complete an internal self-review and an external assessment by MPAC experts. The process is a voluntary evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the top standards of law enforcement. It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and region.

The Massachusetts Police Accreditation Program consists of 257 mandatory standards as well as 125 optional standards. In order to achieve accreditation status, the department was required to meet all applicable mandatory standards as well as 55% of the optional standards.

These carefully selected standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations and technical support activities. They cover areas such as policy development, emergency response planning, training, communications, property and evidence handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit, prisoner transportation and holding facilities.

The Commission offers two program awards: certification and accreditation, with the latter being the higher of the two.

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