Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Legislation Passes

After the suicides of Pheobe Prince, 15 and and Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, 11, Anti-Bulluing legislation has passed with unanimous agreement. The bill requires school employees to report and principals to investigate all cases of bullying. Read More

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/24/nyregion/24neediest.html?_r=2

An Illness Brings Hardship; a Diagnosis, Relief:

This article is about one families struggle with a son's illness. The mother spent $4,000 out of pocket on testings for the diagnosis since she did not have health insurance. Eventually he was diagnosed with thalassemia and thru his father's insurance he was able to be covered financially and is now doing well. This article not only addresses the hardship of dealing with the chronic illness of a child but dealing with the financial difficulties that occur with this child and how without healthcare it is incredibly hard to pay for treatment.

Mass. Senate Weighs Foreclosures Bill

The Mass. Senate is planning on debating whether or not to impliment a bill that plans to protect renters and old homeowners. The bill would prevent tenants from being evicted and would also toughen consumer protection. Foreclosures initiated by tenants went up from 8 percent from last year to 22 percent from the last month. To learn more: http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO140750/

Sex offender re-arrests fuel GPS debate

This article from the Boston Herald describes the debate over using GPS tracking bracelets to follow sex offenders. Eleven sex offenders who were removed from GPS monitoring last year have been re-arrested in recent months for crimes ranging from armed robbery to assault to failing to register as a sex offender. There is currently a debate going on as to whether level-3 sex offenders should be required to wear the GPS bracelets or if this is an "unconstitutional burden on their freedom". Personally, I would agree with Northeastern University criminologist who, in the article, proposes the idea that sex offender supervision should be handled on a case-by-case basis.

For Or Against Deval Patrick?

Many people adore Governor Deval Patrick, while many feel as if his time in office needs to end quick. With elections coming soon, many people have different views on who should hold the seat at the State House as the Governor of Massachusetts. In March 2007, during his campaign, Deval Patrick promised many a property tax relief, which would aid in lowering property tax. However, the people of Massachusetts have not yet seen a relief but instead seen a continuing increase. Though Patrick promised such relief, according to a budget specialist, budget cuts and the slow economy made it impossible in doing so. On the contrary, if the economy was in good standing, to make such plan work he would have to add billions and billions of dollars into his annual budget. So far in office, he managed to increase education funding, closed a tax loop hole for telecommunication companies, and gave cities and towns the power to raise restaurant meals and hotel rooms. He also made it easy for municipalities to join the state health insurance program. These improvements in society does not sway Patrick from the promises he has made that have not yet became a form of reality for many. Because Patrick failed to lower property tax during his term in office, this issue has become a major issue in his race. Voters and opponents are using it against him. In this economic downfall, many are suffering and only so much can be done to tackle these issues. However the ending results will show if he did enough to gain the votes from the people of Massachusetts.

Westfield State College takes aim at school bullying

The teacher education center at Westfield State College has created an anti-bullying program that will be implemented in local schools surrounding Westfield. The plan, called "Bully Proof Zones" is designed to bring teachers, administrators, counselors, and students together with the college students specifically being able to help the younger people change their attitudes about bullying. The college is planning a two-day seminar as well as workshops to help develop a model for the schools in what will hopefully be a successful program.

Personally, I think is this is a fantastic idea and would like to see other colleges follow in Westfield's footsteps if their model proves efficient and especially effective. I'm sure this will just be one of many other initiatives we will see being taken followed by the tragic suicides of Pheobe Prince and Carl Walker-Hoover.

Odgren Spoke of Suicide

In this article, John Odgren was hurt by all the teasing, he told his parents he wanted to get a gun and shoot his bullies as well as kill himself. At the time he spoke of this, John was nine years old. He has had a long history of mental disorders, all of which have played a role in John committing murder of a 15 year old boy who he stabbed to death in 2007. The trial is ongoing and he is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. If he is found not guilty, he will have to stay at a psychiatric hospital until "competent enough to stand trial". His parents described him as being very smart, but emotionally distraught and isolated. He had shown signs of being mentally ill early on and his parents had sought help from school guidance counselors who did nothing to stop John from committing acts such as drinking bleach. This will be a very critical trial in a step towards treating mental illness.

2 suspended in Mass. after prison release errors

The Boston globe reported that two state prison employees were suspended last week (with pay) when one inmate was released too early and a second inmate was released past his release date. Mistakes with both inmates occurred last Thursday at a minimum-security pre-release center located in Roslindale (Boston).

A convicted drug dealer was released 11 months early but was taken back into custody after only a a fewer hours once the mistake was discovered. The second inmate was release 2 months later than he should have been after completing his sentence for manslaughter.  For full article

A Great Law for Animals and Abused Victims

Advocates for domestic violence are pushing to pass a bill in which pets are included under restraining order. The bill was filed by D-Watertown Peter Koutoujian. The bill is insisted to help those who were in a domestic situation where the animal as well as the person was the victim. In other word judges are able to include pets in the restraining orders in the case of domestic abuse. Other states have passed a similar bill and Massachusetts will be tagging along in the days to come. Based on research, people are more prone to leave their animals behind and not seek help. “By helping insures the pet is OK, we’re really helping people, too.” said the director of advocacy for the MSPCA. In one incident, one victim stayed with her abusers because while she had a restraining order put on her former husband, her tabby cat and beagle were not on the restraining order. She stayed because she feared that her former husband was going to retaliate by putting her animals at risk. She eventually left the animals behind. After two months of leaving her husband, he began stalking her in which she later filed a police report on him. He then retaliated by killing them.

People who commit such horrendous acts of crime should pay because animals are seened as humans too and if they abuse others then they would have to pay also. It is crazy how far a person would go to retaliate on a person. Passing this bill will allow animals to be free of cruelty as well as seek the help in the case of domestic abuse they need.

Number of Homeless Families Living in Motels Decreasing

State statistics are showing that the number of homeless families living in motels throughout Massachusetts has declined since february, but it is costing the state close to $2 million a month to provide them places to live. State leaders are trying to prominently address homelessness after the death of a baby at a hotel in West Springfield and abuse of two children at a Westfield motel, both families were homeless. A way to address the problem would be to continue the the fight for more affordable housing to give families a new start.

The event Ending Homelessness in Western Massachusetts: A Progress Report, will take place at Holyoke Community College on April 26 from 9:30 to 11 a.m to discuss on the shift from shelter-living to housing in eliminating homelessness in Massachusetts.

Read the full article here.

Sex offender arrested after visit to high school

An unregistered Level 2 sex offender attempted to dismiss a 15 year old girl from Auburn High School and was arrested shortly after. According to police, Mr. Banfill was seeking the early dismissal of a 15-year-old girl and said he was her stepfather. The secretary refused Mr. Banfill’s request because he repeatedly mispronounced the student’s name. When Mr. Banfill left the building, a teacher saw him walking near a gym class that was being held outside, police said.
According to police, the teacher said Mr. Banfill appeared to be sending a text message or taking pictures of the students in the gym class with his cell phone. The teacher alerted the front office, which alerted Officer Kennedy. Police say they do not know if Mr. Banfill did take any photos of the students. Mr. Banfill was arraigned Tuesday in Central District Court in Worcester. Bail was set at $700, according to court documents. The state will seek mandatory lifetime parole if he is convicted. Full story.

Demand Growing for Family Services

As many families continue to suffer through the economic recession, the Massachusetts town of Westboro is finding that the demand for services at their youth and family services department has grown.

Services include counseling to the town's low-income and at-risk population, which many people have been seeking to help them deal with stress in the family, often due to financial reasons. The department has a small budget and strongly relies on donations. This high demand has led them to consider charging a fee, such as $20 per session, but the majority of people who use the services could not afford this and would not be charged anyways.

Teens Charged with Arson

Two Pittsfield teenagers have been charged with arson for allegedly dousing a house in gasoline and settting it on fire on April 12th, 2010. The teens, Liam Culver and Jordan Errichetto, have denied these charges but evidence is working against them. Apparently these two boys have had made several online threats towards a teen residing in the house over an ex-girlfriend and have been known to bully the resident.
As previous articles on this blog have stated bullying has become a serious issue in our society today. Teenagers are taking it to new fars threatening the lives of many, leaving police officers baffled.
To read the full article visit The Berkshire Eagle at http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_14886636?source=most_viewed

Lack of Bank Accounts Cost "Gateway Cities" Big Time

Something as seemingly simple as having a bank account would have saved Gateway cities, like Springfield, Worcester, Holyoke and Brockton, an estimated $72 million a year. Recent research shows that these cities are less likely to have traditional bank accounts and more likely to use check cashing services. These services tend to have high fees, which add more financial strain on already struggling communities. Read more.

Witness: Odgren watched violent Internet video before slaying

I decided to blog about an article I found in the Boston Globe. This article is about the 2007 stabbing of a 15 year old male at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Sudbury. New evidence shows that John Odgren watched a violent video on the internet before stabbing his class mate. This article interested me because I think there is a lot of problems with violence on t.v internet and comics especially within the last few years. I believe parents need to monitor what their children are watching reading and listening to even if they are of high school ages. It is important for parents to know what their children are doing so stabbing and shooting in school systems can be prevented.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/04/odgren_daily.html

Just because it's sunny doesn't mean the storm is over...

The Patriot Ledger featured this article today that reports 17,216 residents in Massachusetts have filed official claims to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The March rainstorms may be over weather-wise, but there are lasting and damaging repercussions. The overwhelming rains caused widespread flooding, wiping out many basements and yards across the state. FEMA employs inspectors to visit the houses and decide how extensive the damage is and the amount of funds available. The article is helpful in providing the website and a phone number to call if people have not contacted FEMA yet. Full article

$20 Million Hike in Budget for Boston

In the new healthy care system Boston will have to increase the budget by $20 million in order to afford the new system. The increase will have to come from tax dollars, a very large lump sum. This has made many people angry because now money that needs to be spent on programs will be going towards the budget for health care coverage. The director of Boston's administration and finance, Lisa Signori, said "It crowds our ability to spend money on other services. Something's got to give". The money that could be spent on programs and services for the greater good of the residents of Boston, now is being put towards one large budget. However, the city is limited on what changes they can impose. The budget increase is a start down a long rocky road that could have an effect on Boston's other programs. For more, read the article from the Boston Globe.

Judge denies insurers' request for injunction

According to a recent article in the Boston Globe, Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Stephen E Neel denied a request for rate increases by some of the largest private health coverage providers in the state. This ruling to deny these rate increases help sure up the recent decision made by the Department of Insurance to block 265 proposed rake hikes for insurance for individuals and small businesses. Governor Deval Patrick backed this decision, stating

I appreciate the court's decision. It's a welcome decision for small businesses and working families who need immediate relief from excessive and unreasonable increases in their health care costs.

This decision will prove to be a great asset to families struggling in today's tough economic climate.

Russia furious over adopted boy sent back from US

An 7 year old adopted boy from Russia was sent back to Russia by his American adopted family with a note that stated he had psychological problems. Russian officials were furious about this mistreatment of a child. When he arrived in Russia, a social worker talked to him and he was sent to a medical center to be medically checked. The boy said that the mom was bad, didn't love him, and used to pull his hair. The American family claims that the boy was psychologically unstable and threatened to burn the house down so they became concerned for their safety. Russian officials and social workers are investigating the case. In the meantime, there is a threat that Russia wants to freeze the process of adoption by American families due to several prior incidents, including the deaths of 3 Russian kids by American adopted families, as well as several abuse cases.

Immigrant students seek meeting with Brown

A coalition of undocumented immigrant students is seeking a meeting with US Senator Scott Brown, saying they hope to better acquaint him with their issues since the loss of one of their strongest advocates and Brown’s predecessor, the late Edward M. Kennedy. Representatives for the groups, Harvard Act on a Dream and the Student Immigrant Movement, said yesterday they believe their online petition and letter-writing campaign eventually could lead to a private meeting between them and Brown before immigration overhaul is debated in Congress. Click the link to read the full article http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/09/immigrant_students_seek_meeting_with_brown/

Indictment of Conor Reynolds' death

In updated news, Eric Denson, 20, was charge with murder on March 17 for the stabbing of Conor Reynolds. According to police, the attack was petty and could have been prevented.

Denson was arrange in Distric Court and is later going to be held in Superior Court. Along with being charge with murder, he was also charge with two counts of assult and battery with a dangerous weapon.

Denson is accused of stabbing Reynolds in the neck at a party. According to bystanders, Reynolds was trying to break up an arguement when Denson approached him and stabbed him in the neck as well as another victim. Denson then fled the scene.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/grand_jury_indicts_eric_denson.html

Bay State churches help Chile rebuild after quake

When the Rev. Jim Antal realized the scale of the Feb. 27 earthquake in Chile and the havoc it had caused, he decided to help out those devastated by the quake. Members of United Church of Christ congregations in the Massachusetts have been working closely with the Pentecostal Church of Chile since 1990. They have sent dozens of delegations back and forth over the years and when the earthquake hit Chile, Rev. Antal knew that he had to contribute. The Chileans were desperate for new homes to be built because winter will soon be approaching and with it comes rain. So, without hesitation, Rev. Antal pulled out his personal checkbook and wrote a gift of $1,500. That is the cost of one of the emergency houses that church volunteers were pledging to build for the homeless in Curicó, a small city in the Central Valley where the Pentecostal Church of Chile is based, and where some of the worst damage occurred. Antal has challenged the 395 United Church of Christ congregations in Massachusetts to match him and so far, the state’s churches have raised enough funds to build nearly 20 houses, and they are aiming to raise enough money for 150 houses by June. Overall, 300 houses are needed for Pentecostal church members in Chile.


http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/10/bay_state_churches_help_chile_rebuild_after_quake/

Did she slip through the cracks?

Attorneys are now asking for Phoebe Prince's medical records. They are asking for any medical and psychological records, details of any prior allegations of rape or abuse (two boys are now being charged with statutory rape), and a statement as to whether her gamily had been the subject of a DCF investigation. 

Could it be because the attorneys now think that there was a way to have prevented her suicide to begin with? Maybe there were warning signs that someone didn't see.

Doctor Wanted Teen Institutionalized

This article is about a teenager, Manuel DaVeiga, who recently died in a shootout with police. Since the age of 12, DaVeiga had been institutionalized off and on and in May 2009, a prison psychologist recommened that he should have been kept in a psychiatric hospital. Six weeks after the psychologist gave his recommendation, another, Jennifer Luescher, came forward and disagreed. This second psychologist reported that during his stay, DaVeiga did attack two patients but only because he did not like the way they looked at him, therefore making him "not a substantial risk of harm to himself or others."

Since being committed of stabbing his brother at the age of 13, it was feared that DaVeiga suffered from Capgras syndrome, which causes an individual to believe that their loved ones are imposters. He was on a number of medications such as anti-depressants and mood stabilizers, but Luescher insisted that he did not need to remain in the hospital.

Leslie Walker, a member of the prisoner advocacy group of Massachusetts regarding correctional legal services, stated that this sounds like a case of a patient falling through the cracks. That certainly does seem to be a possible explanation and it will never be known how DaVeiga's fate may have differed had he remained hospitalized and given further proper treatment and attention.

Bullied girl reportedly pleaded for help at school, sent back to class

A young teenage girl took her life away because she was bullied and harrassed by other classmates in her High School. According to the article the young girl brought this issue to the attention of the administrators in her school, but they did nothing to help her. Instead they sent her back to class ignoring her accussations. Because this matter was not taking into consideration the issues escalated and later on resulted in her death. This article was shocking. There are many students out there are being bullied and abused in their schools and may also have thoughts of ending their lives. It is sad to know that school officials have the audacity to ignore these issues that are so common among young adults in schools. A child like this may need a counselor in addition to help from the principal or teacher. This is a form of mental abuse; therefore it lead to her death. I found this article very intesting and it left me astonished. This incident happened in early January, but the charges are still being pressed on the students who allegedly harrased and bullied her.

http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100409/NEWS/100409703

Elderly feel pinch of state budget

The Boston Globe published an article today about the troubles facing many elderly residents of Massachusetts. According to the article, this year's budget includes $2.5 million to expand a program set in place to provide free counseling to seniors in need of information about nursing home care. This program helps many seniors stay in their own homes rather than being forced into nursing home care. However, the administration has still yet to expand upon this program. As we discuss welfare services in class, it is important to consider not just the potential for a policy to work, but the individual people who are impacted by government actions. It is important that the elderly in particular are able to be informed about the major life decisions they face, such as moving to a nursing home; this should not be dependent on a political agenda!

Special Needs Student Wanders Away from School

A second grader from Lawrence, MA with a learning disability walked out of the school yesterday afternoon. The young boy had been walking towards I-495 when a woman picked him up and dropped him off at a fast food restaurant, the police were notified after employees from T-mobile noticed that the boy had been walking around alone. Lawrence police had a search going for the boy, and the school did not realize the boy was missing until a half hour after he had left the school premises. There were many people at fault in this situation and the school needs to do a much better job at being aware of where the kids, especially kids with disabilities, are at all times.

You can read more in the article from Eagle Tribune.

Friend: Aunt told school Phoebe Prince was ‘susceptible’

This article from the Boston Herald talks about how the aunt of the deceased, Phoebe Prince, had warned the school that Phoebe was bullied in her former school and was very susceptible to it, and had a tough time dealing with it. When questioned about this, the principal of the school, as well as the others who were told about this seemed to have a convenient loss of memory pertaining to this issue and later did not return calls and refused to comment. One official admitted to having been warned about the issue. This article points out the unfortunate way in which bullying has become almost a normal thing in schools. Teachers and school officials see it as a phase that teenagers go through and not something that can be tragic. As we can see, it is.

All of them, survivors

Igot this article from the Boston Globe and I just thought it was a really touching article about breast cancer. Some how or another we have known or come across someone who has known someone that has survived or lost against breast cancer. The article is about David Fox a photographer who lost his wife to breast cancer leaving him with a 4 year old son, a 1 year old daughter, and a business on the rocks of closing. This man took the spirt of his wife and has taken pictures of womens scars from their battle with breast cancer and starting MAY 8TH it will be displayed in Brookline art muesuem.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/relationships/articles/2010/04/03/illuminating_the_spirit_of_people_living_with_breast_cancer/

Alleged Teen Bullies Plead Not Guilty: 'What About the Adults?'

Andrea Canning and Katie Escherich posted an article on ABC.com on April 6th regarding the death of 15-yr-old Phoebe Prince. Prince hanged herself at home on January 14, 2010 after being continuously harrassed.The article discusses three out of the nine kids who are connected to the suicide. Sean Mulveyhill (17 years old) and Austin Renaud (18 years old) were charged with statutory rape. Kayla Narey (17 years old) was charged with harassment and civil rights violations. A friend of the family told reporters that school officials should be held accountable for the death because they were aware of the bullying but school officials report that they were oblivious to this information. Prince's family claims that her aunt had spoken to the school in early November about the problem but the superintendent claims that she never heard from the Prince family. For the full article please go to:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/TheLaw/students-phoebe-prince-bullying-case-arraigned-massachusetts-family/story?id=10292667

Lawsuit Could Spell Disaster for Angel Flight of New England Inc.

Angel Flight of New England Inc, is a non-profit organization that provides free flights to hundreds of sick patients throughout New England. Angel Flight has been flying sick patients to their appointments throughout New England for man years. The company could be in trouble because of a lawsuit against its founder. The former board of directors for this company is suing the founder for what they claim was wrongful termination and misuse of funds. This lawsuit has the pilots of the company worried that the company will end with major donors threatening to stop their contributions to the company. If the company ends it could mean that many of their patients could go without the care they need.

Read the full article here at Boston.com

Stand for Children - Key Facts About Our Schools

Stand for Children - Key Facts About Our Schools

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Teen Pregnancy Rate Drops in Springfield

While the teen pregnancy rate in Springfield has lowered, it's neighbor, Holyoke still ranks number one in the state of Massachusetts for pregnancy between the ages of 15-19. The Massachusetts Department of Health released an annual report last week which proved the rate in Springfield has severely dropped. Programs in and out of school are considered contributing factors for improvement and Holyoke is considering putting similar curriculum into their own school systems. The program teaches students about safe sex and how to properly use contraceptives such as condoms. Program director Cherylyn S. Hatchett says “It’s moving in the right direction, maybe young people are listening and will have better and brighter futures for themselves.”

Read full article here, at Masslive.com

Some Cities Going Unknown With Flood Issue

In Westport MA, many of those living on the shore of the South Watuppa Pond were hit hard from the bad weather; caused problems for many Western MA residents. The difference with this story is that the disaster in South Watuppa did not gain the amount attention like towns such as Fall River and many are suffereing from the same damages. The damages were said to be from Fall River, and if more water would have made its way into more homes and businesses, then the town would have been in total disater. Many homes were damaged and the amount of money needed to fix the problem is unknown but it is costly. Many said they never seen such things happen. There are assistance available for those who need it.

Special Visas for Foreign Entrepreneurs

Boston, being a huge town for Colleges, hosts more than 30,000 students from other countries. Unfortunately, it's difficult to keep them here when they graduate because many of their home countries offer opportunities when they return.

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, along with an Indiana Senator, are working to keep talented foreign entrepreneurs here by allocating 10,000 visas a year to foreigners and permanent US citizenship if his/her company makes money. Read More.

Aaron Fatato

Pastors call to stem youth violence

Pastors in Dorchester and surrounding areas are urging colleagues to join them in the fight against neighborhood violence. The homicide rate continues to climb above last years rates. The article lists multiple shootings that have happened as of recently and I was shocked at the amount mentioned. A local church pastor wants to start projects aimed at reaching the youth, who may be prone to violence. Probably a reason the pastor is concerned specifically for teenagers is the problem with gangs in urban areas. The Reverend Jeffery Brown, head of the Boston TenPoint Coalition, a group of clergy working to curb youth violence is hosting a conference for area clergy in April at Umass Boston to discuss strategies for preventing violence; it will be interesting to hear about what ideas the group comes up with to help with this issue. Ministers have been recently troubled by a shooting at a local church during Holy Week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/02/health/policy/02land.html?scp=1&sq=Massachusettssocialwork&st=cse

Domestic abuse at forefront in Westford

A town meeting in Westford revealed a shocking presence of domestic abuse within the town. One in four women have, at some point suffered from domestic abuse, but domestic violence has become so prevalent in Westford that the town took part in it's first Domestic Violence Forum.
"Most people don't think this is happening in the suburbs"...Last year, there were over ninety 911 calls made, with over 1oo arrests, and three deaths. This staggering rise in violence has lead to a community-wide effort to educate it's citizens (in hopes of preventing further violence), as well as to offer support to victims. While many citizens have stepped forward to the cause, they have also expressed challenges. Many people believe the stereotype that things like domestic violence just don't happen in affluent, wealthy towns. This has hindered efforts, because many feel donations aren't really needed, or that the issue isn't really important.
Despite the challenges, Westford will continue to work against violence, focusing on their belief that "every person lives a life free of violence".

Cambridge School Committee Examines Achievement Gap

This article from the Boston Globe describes a meeting of the Cambridge Public School Committee, which met to discuss the problems affecting its schools, and to brainstorm ways to potentially remedy these issues. I believe that this article highlights a step in the right direction for the public schools; the achievement gap in the city is huge and unavoidable. For the school committee to meet informally and put emphasis on this issue shows initiative to begin solving problems in the schools. While it remains to be seen what comes out of this meeting and others that will inevitably follow as administrators plan for the upcoming school year, this article helps to make the achievement gap known so that people will be able to come up with ways to bring quality education to all of Boston's students.

Equity firm set to buy Caritas

Caritas Christi Health Care, the state's second-largest hospital group, is set to disclose today that it has agreed to be acquired by New York private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management in an $830 million deal that hospital officials say will allow the chain to shed debt and make major improvements. Under the agreement, Cerberus's first investment in hospitals, Caritas Christi's management in Boston will continue running the Catholic community hospitals. In addition, Cerberus has pledged to keep the system's 12,000 employees and won't sell the hospitals or take them public for at least three years.
Click here to read the full article http://bulletin.aarp.org/states/ma/2010/12/articles/equity_firm_set_buy_caritas.html