Groups Announce Event Supporting Haxhiaj at Prosecutor’s Office

NORTHAMPTON – Several organizations announced a “Drop the Charges” event in Northampton on Saturday, Jan. 31, outside the offices of the Northwestern District Attorney’s offices at One Gleason Plaza in Northampton. The event is scheduled from 1 PM to 2 PM and will include multiple speakers.

The event supports dropping misdemeanor criminal charges brought by a Worcester police officer against former Worcester City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj.

The groups cooperating to hold the event are Worcester Indivisible, Indivisible Northampton, Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution, Indivisible West Quabbin and Standing Up for Racial Justice – Worcester, Refuse Fascism, and Independent Socialist Group.

A statement about the event released by the groups says, in part, that “unlike elsewhere across the country, State Prosecutor Steven Gagne is continuing to press charges.”

Gagne is the first assistant district attorney in the office of Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan. Worcester County District Attorney Joe Early Jr.’s office recused itself from the case.

The Worcester officer filed charges against Haxhiaj for assault and battery on a police officer and interfering with police in the days after an arrest by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on May 8 on Eureka Street in Worcester.

Community members received notifications of immigration-related enforcement from a network established by LUCE, which describes itself as an immigrant justice network. Several community members reported to the scene, including Haxhiaj, then a Worcester City Councilor. The incident took place in the district she then represented.

Federal agents used the daughter and grandchild of Roseanne Ferreira De Oliveira to lure her from her home, according to multiple public statements and news agency reporting. The agents did not possess a judicial warrant to enter her home. When Ferreira De Oliveira arrived at the scene, the agents took her into custody.

Several inviduals  attempted to prevent federal agents from leaving the scene with Ferreira De Oliveira in custody. The U.S. Department of Justice did not file any charges related to the incident.

Worcester Police responded to the scene and enabled the agents to leave with Ferreira De Oliveira in custody.

During that scene, the Worcester officer claims Haxhiaj pushed her while attempting to reach Ferreira De Oliveira. Haxhiaj has denied all charges. A trial on those charges is scheduled for Feb. 10.

Ferreira De Oliveira was lawfully present in the United States at the time of her arrest by federal agents. She had a pending legal claim for asylum. Applicants for asylum may legally remain in the United States during the adjudication of the claim.

At the time of her arrest, Ferreira De Oliveira faced a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a pregnant victim. The police report filed in the case said that the complaining witness claimed that Ferreira De Oliveira “struck her with a phone charger cable, causing visible welts on her arm.”

Prosecutors dropped that charge on July 18, as the complaining witness declined further cooperation with the prosecution of the case.

Ferreira De Oliveira remained in federal custody from May 8 until after the approval of her asylum claim in September. Although it could appeal the decision to grant asylum to Ferreira De Oliveira, the federal government declined to do so.

Old Grumbly Fan’s AFC Championship Preview

The Houston Texans came to town with arguably the best defense in the NFL. They went home with that argument still in place, but a new team has entered the best defense chat.

Your New England Patriots.

In a mostly ugly, turnover-filled game, the Patriots defense was the best unit of the night, holding the Texans to 16 points despite great field position because of Patriots turnovers.

Mike Vrabel is now 2-0 with the Patriots in the playoffs with the 28-16 victory (not to far from Old Grumbly’s 27-12 prediction last week). His team remained poised despite turnovers and a ferocious Houston front four. The game was never really in doubt after the second quarter saw the Patriots went up 21-10.

Houston scored 20 points or fewer 9 times during the regular season, going 4-5. In games where they scored 21 or more, they were 9-0 coming into this game. With a balanced game plan, the Patriots kept them safely at bay.

Drake Maye had both a terrible game and a great game at the same time. He had 4 fumbles, 2 that were lost. The first led to the only Houston touchdown drive (of 27 yards) all day. This fumble was on a pocket collapse, and Maye stepped up, gaining four yards, but was just careless with the ball. His lone interception was on a Hail Mary to end the half.

Maye also had three touchdowns against that great Houston D. The one to Stef Diggs was a bullet into traffic, and the one to Boutte to go up 28-16 might be the prettiest play you see all year.

Maye’s ceiling is MVP-caliber. His current status is still a second-year QB who makes mistakes. The stakes are higher now, so the critique will be harsh.

Will Campbell was again targeted, and attacked on the blind side. This was no regular pass rush. Still, he needs to hold his ground instead of hand-fighting in some spots. It is better to have a play blown up and end then blown up and turn it over.

McDaniels’ play-calling got aggressive in this game. The running game was struggling against Houston, no shame there, until a fourth-quarter drive where they gained 38 yards on the ground and punted. With the time that came off the clock, it effectively ended the game. Houston was tired at that point, and despite still forcing the punt, the field position swing changed the end of the game. Expect more aggression in Denver on Sunday.

The defense put together its second dominant game. C. J. Stroud looked confused from the first play, and his 4 interceptions does not tell the story. There were at least 4 others that were just dropped by the Patriots D, and 2 others that got tipped out of bounds or into the ground. They held the run game to 48 yards with 10 points coming off of two drives of 27 and 26 yards. Zach Kurr continues to dial up the pressure, and the defense rolls into Denver with a chip on their shoulder.

Stefon Diggs is a big-time money player. His 4 catches for 40 yards were all timely. He had two first downs and a key touchdown with a defender basically in his jersey. He continues to be a key piece for Maye to go to when he needs it.

Old Grumbly Divisional Playoff Predictions

Denver hosts the Patriots in what has long been a New England house of horrors. Patriots are 12-29 in Denver lifetime, with an 0-4 lifetime playoff record in the Mile-High City. In a normal year, home field would seem a formidable weapon for the Broncos.

Then, Bo Nix broke his ankle got injured on one of the last plays of the game in their own overtime win in a thriller against the Bills, 33-30. Former Patriot Jarrett Stidham steps in the the Broncos starting QB role without throwing a pass all year. Many in the national media seem to suggest that Stidham will step in and get it done.

I just don’t see a backup QB giving this defense the business. He might keep it close, but I doubt he plays at an all-world level. The Broncos have been a mediocre offense all year, relying on Nix in close and late games that the defense kept them in.

Denver’s defense was the 3rd stingiest for points in the NFL (Houston was 2nd), and has the second best run defense all year (Pats 6th). In four of their last seven games, they gave up 346 yards or more and over 400 twice (Washington and Buffalo). The defense will need at least a steady offense to keep up with Maye.

While Maye had turnovers in both playoff games, his career so far does not show he’s a turnover machine. There’s a high chance he bounces back this week, and frankly, no one has shut down the Patriots offense completely. Since their Week 2 loss against Pittsburgh (the game with the 5 turnovers), the Patriots scored at least 23 points in every game until the Wild Card game against the Chargers (another top 5 defense). If the Patriots get to 23 in this game (and they will) I expect that will be enough to beat the Broncos and advance to the franchise’s 12th Super Bowl, adding to their record.

Look for a big run from TreVeyon Henderson in this game, and a big game from Hunter Henry. I think the momentum train carries this team into the big game.

Old Grumbly Prediction

Patriots 34 – Denver 9

Emergency Shelter Opens Today at Worcester Tech High School

WORCESTER – St. John’s Catholic Church and its St. John’s Food for the Poor program announced that an emergency shelter will open in Worcester on Friday, Jan. 23, at 5 PM. Worcester Technical High School, at 1 Manny Familia Way, is the site of the shelter.

Transportation is available from St. John’s Church, at 44 Temple St., starting at 5 PM on Friday.

The emergency, temporary shelter will remain open until Monday afternoon, Jan. 26.

The shelter effort requests donations of food and snacks. It also seeks volunteers for all three shifts. To inquire about either, visit the Facebook page linked below.

NWS: Extreme Cold Friday Night, Heavy Snow Sunday

WORCESTER – The National Weather Service (NWS) issued two notices today that apply over the weekend, beginning Friday, Jan. 23.

Starting at 10 PM on Friday, a NWS Cold Weather Advisory warns if wind chills as low as 15 degrees below zero across much of southern New England, including Worcester County The agency warns that Frostbite and hypothermia will occur with unprotected skin exposed to these temperatures. That advisory begins at 10 PM on Friday through 10 AM on Saturday.

The NWS also issued a winter storm watch beginning Sunday morning through Monday evening that also applies to much of southern New England, including Worcester County. The NWS warns of the potential of heavy snow and accumulation of eight to 15 inches. The agency urges residents to delay all travel, as travel conditions may become very difficult or impossible.

For those who must travel, the NWS advises:

• drive with extreme caution;
• Remain prepared for sudden changes in visibility;
• Leave plenty of room between you and the motorist ahead of you;
• Allow extra time to reach your destination;
• Avoid sudden braking or acceleration;
• Be especially cautious on hills and when making turns; and
• Ensure your vehicle is winterized and in good working order.

Snowfall estimates are likely to be revised before the onset of the storm on Sunday.

New Councilor’s Requests Highlight Worcester Council’s Dysfunction

In the second meeting of the current Worcester City Council on Tuesday, Jan. 20, the council considered several orders from Dr. Satya Mitra, one of four serving their first term on the council.

I can’t say I had writing support for Mitra on my bingo card, especially this early in the term, but these orders are reasonable requests for practical changes to the operations of the city council.

They are also unlikely to happen.

Mitra comes from the business world, where things sometimes operate in ways that make sense. While I’m sure he understands that he is in government now, I’m not sure he understands the reality of Worcester’s government and the reality of the role the city council remands itself to.

Brief Background

Mitra founded The Guru Tax and Financial Services, Inc. in 1990, which he still operates. Mitra also served as a board member at the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce for several years, including a stint serving as chair of the board. He has also served on the City of Worcester Planning Board , the Worcester Public Library Board, and the Worcester State University Foundation Board.

Before immigrating to the United States in the late 1970s, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in biochemistry in India in 1976.

In short, the man is experienced, smart, and has achieved some success. Those are valuable traits, even if your politics differ from his.

Orders for Basic Information

During the city council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 20, Mitra had three orders that appear like common-sense asks for most other organizations.

Information on Reports

In item 9j, Mitra asked for a report on the processes the City Manager’s office uses to track the endless requests for information reports by city councilors. During the meeting, City Manager Eric Batista said the backlog of outstanding reports is around 1500, going back many years, with some originated before the council appointed him.

The city manager’s office couldn’t possibly fulfill the volume of reports requested. This allows the manager to choose which reports the administration returns to the council. As the manager can be terminated only by a majority vote of the council, the majority’s needs naturally receive priority. It also allows the manager to ignore reports for information that he doesn’t want public, for whatever reason.

The root cause is the non-functional city council committee system. Council committees do very little, if any, oversight of the operations of city government. If committees demanded that department heads appear before their committees and sought data, not reports, directly from departments, they could obtain information.

The dictator-like powers of committee chairs contribute to the problem as they have total control of the agenda of each committee.

Quarterly Report on Council Orders

Mitra’s order, 9k on the agenda, asks the city clerk to “provide City Council with a quarterly report outlining the various City Council Orders adopted over the previous three (3) months.”

Another request that seems simple, but not in Worcester.

The city clerk’s office in Worcester has plenty of responsibilities. It is the office of the clerk, not the council. The responsibility for this request should fall on the city council staff.

The problem: the city council refuses to do anything about its funding, which is embarrassingly low. The mayor’s office has two employees, and the other 10 members of the council have a support team of three.

Three employees for 10 councilors. Completely absurd. It also reflects the council majority’s views on what little responsibility it has.

Goal Setting

Item 9h on the council agenda asked for a report on the feasibility of establishing SMART Goals ” to standardize and track residents needs in a transparent and effective manner.” Mitra’s order asked for these goals to “include but not be limited to issues such as the amount of potholes that can and should be fixed in a month, providing services for homeless individuals, determining appropriate speed hump locations, and improving public safety outcomes.”

Some reasonably view SMART Goals, an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timebound, first introduced in 1981, as outdated. PACT Goals, Purposeful, Actionable, Continuous, and Trackable, are arguably more popular today after their introduction in 2019.

City Manager Eric Batista responded, saying, in summary, that departments in city government under his authority have implemented KPIs (key performance indicators) and as a means of measuring outcomes. There is no reason to dispute that, I’m sure they do.

What wasn’t said is that if any means of measuring performance involves reporting to the council, reports delivered to the council become part of the meeting agenda and easily accessible to the public. The last thing a majority of councilors want is any measurable outcomes made public. That’s not in their interests.

This highlights a fundamental flaw in the city’s system of government. The city council hires and appoints the city manager. They chose him, so negative outcomes reflect on them. While councilors do often use the manager as a shield to absorb criticism, as he doesn’t need votes to stay in office. However, they have every motivation to prevent measurable outcomes from public view.

The same reasons illustrate why the majority of councilors refused to even allow a search for the next city manager when they appointed Batista. Councilors can’t argue they made the best choice for the city. They couldn’t possibly know that, as they didn’t bother to look. They did what was best for them.

That’s a consistent theme of this city council majority. After all, the election just happened in November, but the next one is only two years away.

Unfortunately, Dr. Mitra is going to have to learn how to operate within nearly total dysfunction.

Court Orders Prediction Market Website to Cease Operations in Mass.

BOSTON – The office of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced on Tuesday, Jan. 20, that a court issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting Kalshi from accepting online wagers on sports and related events from Massachusetts customers until the company complies with state laws governing sports gaming. That includes licensure by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC).

Kalshi describes itself as “a regulated exchange & prediction market where you can trade on the outcome of real-world events.”

“The Court has made clear that any company that wants to be in the sports gaming business in Massachusetts must play by our rules – no exceptions,” said Campbell. “Today’s victory marks a major step toward fortifying Massachusetts’ gambling laws and mitigating the significant public health consequences that come with unregulated gambling.”

Campbell sued Kalshi in September alleging the company is violating state law. The court also denied a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Tuesday.

The lawsuit alleges that Kalshi uses an online “exchange” to offer sports wagering under the guise of “event contracts,” which allow bettors to place wagers connected to sports, such as the likelihood of a certain team winning a game or a certain player scoring a particular number of points.

According to the attorney general’s office, the Kalshi platform offers “event contracts” on sporting events, including moneyline contracts, point spread contracts, and over-under contracts.

Declared Parking Ban Ends Jan. 22 1 PM in Worcester

UPDATE: The declared parking ban was lifted at 1PM on Jan. 22

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WORCESTER – A declared winter parking ban in Worcester goes into effect at 9 PM on Wednesday, Jan. 21. The National Weather Service (NWS) reports a potential snowfall over one to two inches overnight Wednesday and into Thursday.

During the Declared Winter Parking Ban, parking is prohibited on either side of primary arteries, emergency and bus routes, and streets in the downtown area critical to the flow of traffic. On all other streets, parking is only permitted on the odd numbered side of the street, unless otherwise posted. Find the specific restrictions on your street at the City of Worcester website.

Municipal parking garages are free of charge to any vehicle that enters until the Declared Winter Parking Ban is lifted.

The following garages are included:

• Federal Plaza Garage – 570 Main St.
• Pearl & Elm Garage – 20 Pearl St.
• Worcester Common Garage – 3 Eaton Place
• Union Station Garage – 225 Franklin St.
• Major Taylor Blvd Garage – 30 Major Taylor Blvd.

Towing and ticketing will be enforced to keep streets clear.

According to the City of Worcester, sand pick-up and recycling drop-off will be available at 1065 Millbury St. Sand pick-up is also available at 22 Albany St. and 299 Clark St. prior to and following plowing operations.

For questions, residents should contact Worcester 311 by dialing 3-1-1, emailing 311@worcesterma.gov, or visiting worcesterma.gov/311.

Local Students to Contact International Space Station

WORCESTER – The EcoTarium Museum of Science and Nature, at 222 Harrington Way, announced on Monday, Jan. 19, that 10 local students will speak live with an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in March. The museum will also invite hundreds of students to participate in the event and related education programs.

The students and the astronaut will communicate via the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) system.

“The ARISS contact is an exciting opportunity for museum visitors and school children from across the region,” said Jason Gurtman, manager of educational programs at the EcoTarium. “By giving students the chance to speak directly with an astronaut aboard the ISS, we’re sparking wonder and affirming that there is a place for everyone in space science. This project will serve as a catalyst for curiosity, equity, and lifelong engagement with STEM learning.”

The contact with ARISS will take place during the week of March 9. NASA will confirm the exact date and time in late February or early March.

ARISS is a joint venture by NASA, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) to facilitate communication via Amateur Radio between astronauts aboard the International Space Station and schools and communities around the world

The EcoTarium will host a public community celebration of the event on Saturday, March 14, at the museum. That event will include hands-on activities and educational experiences focused on amateur radio and space exploration.

Parents, guardians, and educators of students from age four to 16 may submit students’ questions for the astronaut by Jan. 21.

According to the museum, this program advances the EcoTarium’s mission of igniting curiosity and inspiring a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math.

Astronomy is a staple of the EcoTarium’s programming, including the new NASA-funded permanent exhibit Lift Off! Space Explorers, fulldome shows in the Alden Planetarium, a newly renovated observatory, and a monthly Astrophysics Speaker Series.

The call to the ISS is a collaboration with the Central Massachusetts Amateur Radio Association (CMARA) and North High School.

See the Neighborhood Meetings This Week in Worcester

WORCESTER – The Worcester Police Department is encouraging residents to attend their neighborhood watch meetings to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in their neighborhoods and to share any concerns or questions they may have. Representatives from the city also regularly attend these neighborhood meetings.

There are over 50 Neighborhood Watch Groups in Worcester. Meetings are held regularly — often once a month in various locations in the city.

Contact the Worcester Police Department’s Neighborhood Response Team at (508) 799-8664 for more information.

Here are the neighborhood meetings this week in Worcester.

Wednesday, Jan. 21

• Indian Lake Neighborhood Meeting, Worcester Business Center, 67 Millbrook St. – 6 PM

Thursday, Jan. 22

• Columbus Park Neighborhood Meeting, Stearns Tavern, 140 Mill St. – 6 PM
• Union Hill Neighborhood Meeting, Worcester Academy Fieldhouse, 121 Providence St. – 6 PM

Podcast: Dead of Winter, Role of the Post Commission, City Council Preview

This Week in Worcester Podcast on:

• Update on the Dead of Winter Horror Film Festival.
• The Role of the Post Commission in local police oversight.
• Preview of the second meeting of the Worcester City Council on Tuesday.