local, courts

Amherst man denies drug trafficking charges

Charliesdad — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0500

NORTHAMPTON - An Amherst man was arraigned in Hampshire Superior Court Thursday on charges of cocaine trafficking and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Keon P. Jules, 29, of 23 Rolling Green Apartments, Amherst, pleaded not guilty to those charges before Judge Mary-Lou Rup.

Arraignment for Dec. 25 break-in delayed

Charliesdad — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0500

NORTHAMPTON - The Florence woman indicted by a Hampshire County grand jury in connection with a Christmas break-in has had her arraignment in Hampshire Superior Court postponed.

Nancy Gehrung, 48, of 56 Matthew Drive, was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday, but was granted the delay by Judge Mary-Lou Rup in order to provide her time to hire her own attorney.

Bank robber had helper, police allege

Charliesdad — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0500

NORTHAMPTON - Police say a series of text messages helped link a Holyoke woman to the suspect in Friday's robbery of the Florence Savings Bank branch on King Street.

House OKs bill that may doom lawsuit opposing Amherst landfill solar project

smerzbach — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0500

AMHERST - A bill allowing all capped municipal landfills to serve as sites for solar projects, even if previous state capping grants had restricted their future use to recreational purposes, passed the state's House of Representatives unanimously Wednesday. For Amherst, the vote, which mirrored one taken by the state Senate in November, could mean an end to a lawsuit filed in Hampshire County Superior Court last year by landfill abutters aimed at stopping the installation of a solar array at the Belchertown Road site. The project could generate up to 4.75 megawatts of power annually for the town.

Haydenville woman tapped for probate court judgeship

Charliesdad — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0500

NORTHAMPTON - Gov. Deval Patrick has nominated Beth A. Crawford of Haydenville for a judgeship at Hampshire Probate and Family Court.

Crawford is slated to fill the position left vacant by the retirement last May of Gail L. Perlman.

Nominees for probate judgeships in Bristol and Norfolk counties, Richard J. McMahon and Jennifer Marie Rivera Ulwick, were also announced Tuesday.

Alleged Florence Savings Bank robber held on $20,000 bail

Daily Hampshire Gazette — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0500

NORTHAMPTON - A 33-year-old Holyoke man is being held on $20,000 cash bail after pleading not guilty to a charge of unarmed robbery in connection with the Friday robbery of the Florence Savings Bank branch on King Street.

Thadius D. Romanowski, of 579 Northampton St., Apt. 14, appeared briefly in court on Monday for his arraignment.

Two charged in Childs Park drug deal

Ben Storrow — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0500

NORTHAMPTON - A tip about an after-school drug deal in Childs Park led to the arrests of two people Friday.

Leland A. Turner, 20, of 44 Plain Road, Hatfield, pleaded not guilty in Northampton District Court distribution of ecstasy, Vicodin and LSD (all class B drugs), and a drug violation near a school. Childs Park is located across the street from Northampton High School.