>> TIME NOW TO PUT PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR
CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE.
BERKSHIRE EAGLE REPORTER CARRIE SALDO IS SITTING DOWN WITH
ROBERT RIZZUTO AND THE REPUBLICAN MASSLIVE, HENRY EPP
FROM NPER, AND GEORGE FORCIER OF THE GREENFIELD RECORDER FOR A
LOOK.
>> WELCOME, HENRY LET ME START WITH YOU.
THE TRAVEL BAN THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ISSUED WHICH IS
POINTED TO SEVEN MAJORITY MUSLIM COUNTRIES, IS HAVING AN IMPACT
HERE IN THIS REGION, AND SOME OF THE REPORTING THAT NEW ENGLAND
PUBLIC RADIO HAS LOOKED AT, HAS HAMMERED DOWN ON SOME OF THAT.
ONE U-MASS STUDENT FROM IRAN, IT LOOKS LIKE THIRD TIME IS A CHARM
FOR HIM.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH HIM?
>> HE'S MADE IT TO THE COUNTRY AFTER SEVERAL TRIES OF TRYING TO
GET ON A PLANE BACK TO MASSACHUSETTS FROM IRAN.
HE'S A GRADUATE STUDENT.
HE HAD GONE BACK OVER THE WINTER BREAK TO GET MARRIED.
MY COLLEAGUE, JILL KOFMAN, HAS BEEN FOLLOWING HIM AND STAYING
IN TOUCH WITH HIM SORT OF ON -- AT EACH STAGE OF THIS.
AND HE'S FINALLY JUST THIS -- OVER THE WEEKEND, MADE IT BACK
TO AMHERST, BUT IT WAS REALLY YOU KNOW, FASCINATING TO ME TO
SEE HOW IMMEDIATE THERE WAS OF AN IMPACT OF THIS EXECUTIVE
ORDER, TRUMP HAS PUT OUT A LOT OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS IN HIS FIRST
COUPLE OF WEEKS AS PRESIDENT, AND SOME OF THEM ARE A LITTLE
MORE ABSTRACT AND SOME DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF IMMEDIATE
IMPACT BUT WITH THIS ORDER YOU SAW, RIGHT AWAY, THE EFFECTS ON
PEOPLE THAT LIVE AND WORK RIGHT HERE, AND WE ALSO DID REPORTING
ON DIFFERENT RESETTLEMENT AGENCIES, AND THAT ARE WORKING
WITH REFUGEES IN THIS REGION, AND THERE HAVE BEEN PLANS FOR
SEVERAL DOZEN REFUGEES TO COME FROM SYRIA AND OTHER PLACES TO
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, AND THINGS ARE SORT OF IN FLUX, AND
THE AGENCIES ON THIS END WAITING FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO COME,
WAITING TO GET THEM INTO HOUSING, AND JOBS AND
EVERYTHING, AND HAVE REALLY BEEN THROWN FOR A LURCH AT THIS
MOMENT.
>> AND THAT'S HAPPENING IN PITFIELD, THERE WAS A PLAN TO
RESETTLE UP TO 50 SYRIAN AND IRAQI REFUGEES, AND THEY HAVE
ALL BEEN GIVEN CLEARANCE BUT NOW WITH THIS TRAVEL BAN WE'RE
LOOKING AT WHAT THAT WILL MEAN FOR THESE PEOPLE.
SOME OTHER REPORTING THAT YOU DID WITH MUHAMMAD FROM THE
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER OF A CENTURY OF CARE ALLIANCE, IT
WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR YOU SPEAK WITH HIM ABOUT SOME OF THE
FINERS POINTS THAT HE THINKS THAT THIS SORT OF RAISES IN THE
TRAVEL BAN, AND SOME CONFUSION.
IT MIGHT NOT BE CLEAR, WHAT MINORITY MEANS, YOU KNOW, WHO
THAT APPLIES TO.
>> RIGHT.
THERE'S BEEN SORT OF THIS DEBATE RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IN
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER SAID THAT CERTAIN MINORITY, RELIGIOUS
GROUPS IN COUNTRIES, WHERE THEY ARE -- THE MINORITY RELIGION,
SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED IF -- WHEN IN THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THEY
RESTARTED THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROCESS, AND THAT'S
NOT CLEAR.
THERE HAVE BEEN SORT OF SOME INSINUATIONS BY PEOPLE THAT THAT
IS AIMED AT CHRISTIANS AND IN MUSLIM MAJORITY COUNTRIES, BUT
THE LANGUAGE DOESN'T SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT, AND SO HE
WAS BRINGING UP THAT POINT THAT IT'S REALLY UNCERTAIN WHAT
EXACTLY THAT MEANS.
>> AND THE COURTS ARE LOOKING AT THE ISSUE, AND CLEARLY IT'S A
CONTROVERSIAL ONE AND ONE THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED FOR AT LEAST
THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
SPEAKING OF CONTROVERSY, GEORGE YOUR PAPER IS LOOKING AT A
CONTROVERSY IN THE TURNER'S FALLS AREA, AND THERE IS A
MASCOT NAMED THE INDIANS, AND AT TURNER'S FALLS HIGH SCHOOL, AND
I UNDERSTAND IT FROM THE REPORTING I READ IN THE PAPER
THE SCHOOL LOOKED AT THE ISSUE AND THERE'S BEEN CRITICISM OF
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE WHERE THE PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THEY HAVE
ALREADY MADE THEIR DECISION BEFORE THE PUBLIC VOTE EVEN TOOK
PLACE.
WHERE DOES THAT STAND?
>> WELL, IT'S STILL SITTING WHERE IT STARTED WHICH IS IN THE
LAP OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
AND WHO, ESSENTIALLY, TOOK THE TASK ON THEMSELVES AFTER HEARING
FROM ABOUT A HALF A DOZEN PEOPLE LAST SPRING WHO RAISED THE ISSUE
OF HOW APPROPRIATE IS IT IN THIS DAY AND AGE TO HAVE NATIVE
AMERICAN IMAGES, AS A SCHOOL MASCOT?
AND I THINK THAT IT SIMMERED OVER THE SUMMER AND THE FALL,
THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, DEVELOPED A VERY SORT OF EXHAUSTING,
EXHAUSTIVE PLAN FOR EXPLORING THAT QUESTION AND PERHAPS COMING
UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE.
IT TURNS OUT THAT THE PLAN WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO SOLICIT LOTS OF
PUBLIC COMMENT AND LOTS OF SORT OF EDUCATIONAL -- EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMS TO BRING EVERYONE'S AWARENESS UP TO SPEED ON THIS
QUESTION OF, IT'S BEEN GOING ON SO LONG THAT EVERYONE REALLY IS
WORN OUT BY THE DEBATE BECAUSE THE SIDES FORMED EARLY ON AND
YOU GET THE TRADITIONALISTS WHO FEEL INVESTED IN THE INDIAN
MASCOT.
>> PART OF THE SCHOOL'S HISTORY, HIS LEGACY, AND THEIR KIDS, YOU
KNOW.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> I PLAYED THERE, MY KIDS DID.
>> SO THEY ARE INVESTED IN THAT AND THEY HAVE BEEN FOR
GENERATIONS, AND THE OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, MORE
SENSITIVE TO THE POLITICALLY CORRECT NOTIONS OF THE DAY,
WHICH SUGGEST THAT THIS IS OFFENSIVE TO THE NATIVE
AMERICANS, AND SHOULD NOT BE DONE PERIOD.
>> CERTAINLY IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME WE LOOKED AT THIS IN THE
REGION.
AMHERST COLLEGE RIGHT NOW IS IN THE MIDST OF FINDING A NEW
MASCOT AFTER IT OUSTED THE MASCOT LAST YEAR, BECAUSE THERE
WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS IMPLICATIONS BEING
CONTROVERSIAL.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, FROM REPORTING BASED OUT OF THAT AREA
THAT THEY HAVE NOT DECIDED ON THE NEW MASCOT YET, YEARS AGO,
THE NOW KNOWN AS MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS HAD THE
MASCOT THE MOHAWKS AND NOW THEY ARE THE TRAIL BLAZERS.
2002 THEY CHANGED THAT SO ANY -- >> AND IN DEERFIELD, NORTH OF
HERE, FOR MANY YEARS IT WAS THE REDSKINS.
AND A LITTLE OVER A DECADE AGO, THE SAME ISSUE CAME UP AFTER A
LOT OF ACRIMONY AS IN THE TURNER'S CASE, IT WAS CHANGED TO
THE REDHAWKS.
SO WE'LL SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.
THERE IS A VERY STRONG SENTIMENT TO KEEP THAT MASCOT IN TURNER'S
FALLS, AND FOR THE PAST WEEK, A PETITION WAS SUBMITTED AND WILL
BE PLACED ON THE SPRING TOWN ELECTION, NON-BINDING REFERENDUM
THAT ASKS TO KEEP THE MASCOT.
I DON'T THINK THAT THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY WILL WAIT TO HEAR,
ALTHOUGH THEY COULD CHOOSE TO DO THAT.
I THINK THAT LAST WEEK, THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS DECIDED THAT THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH, AND NO
MINDS WERE BEING CHANGED AND THEY SHOULD VOTE, AND THEY HAVE
CHOICES.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED BUT LAST WEEK A BILL WAS ENTERED IN
THE LEGISLATURE THAT WOULD BAN ANY NATIVE AMERICAN IMAGERY IN
USE BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR MASCOTS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO THEORETICALLY IF THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO AVOID MAKING
A TOUGH DECISION IT COULD BACK AWAY AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE
LEGISLATURE.
>> AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THAT GOES, THE
OFFICIAL SEAL HAS A NATIVE AMERICAN ON IT AS WELL.
>> YEAH.
>> SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHERE THE ISSUE GOES, THANKS FOR THAT
INFORMATION.
>> RIGHT.
>> SO ROB, YOUR ONLINE PUBLICATION, THE REPUBLICAN AND
MASSLIVE, USED VIDEO IN SOME OF THE RECENT REPORTING.
IT'S A TWO MINUTE AND 40 SECOND VIDEO OUT OF THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
SOME VIOLENT VIDEO AT THAT.
YOUR ORGANIZATION FILED A PUBLIC RECORD, REQUEST TO SEE NOT ONLY
THE VIDEO BUT SOME SUPPORTED DOCUMENTS.
WHEN AND WHY DID THE PAPER MAKE THAT DECISION TO GO AHEAD AND
FILE THAT CLASS?
>> WE FILED THE REQUEST ONCE WE FIGURED OUT, ONCE WE LEARNED
THAT THERE WAS THIS VIDEO.
WE HAD HEARD RUMBLINGS THAT THREE AGAWAM POLICE OFFICERS
WERE DISCIPLINED FOR AN ALLEGED USE OF FORCE INCIDENT.
THROUGH OUR SOURCES AND DIGGING, WE CAME TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS
SOMETHING THAT TRANSPIRED AT THE POLICE STATION, AND ONCE WE HAD
OUR OWN LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY WAS THERE, WHAT KIND
OF THINGS MIGHT BE ACCESSIBLE, WE LEARNED THAT THE SURVEILLANCE
VIDEO, WHICH IS VERY HIGH QUALITY, FROM THING A WARM P.D.
WAS AMONG THE ITEMS BEING LOOKED AT.
SO KNOWING THAT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION,
WE PROBABLY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THIS AND LET THE PUBLIC
SEE, WE WOULD SEE FOR OURSELVES WHAT HAPPENED, WE IMMEDIATELY
FILED THE PUBLIC RECORDS' REQUEST.
IT WAS FOR THE VIDEO, AS WELL AS THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION,
AND ALL THE DOCUMENTATION.
>> AND SO IN THE VIDEO WE SHOULD SAY IT'S THREE WHITE OFFICERS
AND THEY GET INTO A SCUFFLE WITH A WHITE GENTLEMAN WHO THEY
ARRESTED FOR BEING INTOXICATED AT SIX FLAGS, AND AS I SAID IN
TWO MINUTES AND 40 SECONDS, YOU SEE THIS PRETTY AGGRESSIVE
STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE THREE OFFICERS AND THE INCARCERATED
MAN OR THE CHARGED MAN, AND THE OFFICERS AS I UNDERSTAND IT FROM
YOUR PUBLICATION HAVE BEEN FIRED AT THIS POINT, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE
APPEALING THAT DECISION.
ANY INFORMATION ON WHERE THAT APPEAL STANDS?
>> YEAH.
ACTUALLY WE JUST WILL A DEVELOPMENT IN THAT, SO THERE
WAS THREE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THIS, IN THE VIDEO, YOU SEE TWO
OF THEM HOLDING THIS MAN DOWN AND WRESTLING WITH HIM, AND ONE
OF THEM WHO IS DOING THAT AS WELL, PULLED OUT HIS BATON.
AND HE'S REALLY -- HE'S STRIKING HIM SEVERAL TIMES.
>> RIGHT, ON THE LEGS.
>> RIGHT.
>> HE REALLY GOES AT HIM WHILE THE OTHER TWO ARE RESTRAINING
HIM, SO AT THIS POINT AFTER THE CIVIL SERVICE HEARING, THE TWO
GENTLEMEN HOLDING HIM DOWN HAVE GOTTEN THEIR JOBS BACK.
THE THIRD OFFICER WHO WAS THE ONE SEEN IN THE VIDEO USING THE
BATON, HIS FIRING HAS REMAINED.
SO THE CASE IS AT THE END OF ITS LEGAL PROCESS IF YOU WILL, AS
FAR AS THE AGAWAM P.D.
AND THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, AS FAR
AS EVERYBODY THERE IS CONCERNED.
>> WE SHOULD SAY THAT THE D.A.
DECLINED TO PRESS CHARGES AGAINST THE OFFICERS, AND THE
ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE OFFICERS HAVE SAID YOU KNOW,
THEY APPLAUDED THE DECISION TO RELEASE IT PUBLIC BECAUSE THEY
FELT IT EXONERATED THE OFFICERS THEY WERE REPRESENTING.
>> THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING CASE, IN THAT WE HAD BOTH THE
AGAWAM POLICE CHIEF, GILLIS, AS WELL AS THE LAWYER FOR THE THREE
FIRED OFFICERS SAYING WE WANT THIS VIDEO RELEASED BECAUSE
EVERYBODY FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE THOUGHT THE VIDEO EITHER PROVED
THAT THEY USED EXCESSIVE FORCE OR VINDICATED THE OFFICERS,
WHICH WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD WHAT IN THE OTHER POLICE TAPES THAT WE HAVE
SOUGHT AFTER, NEVER BEEN BOTH SIDES LOOKING TO GET THIS OUT
THERE.
BUT YES IN THE END, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY DECLINED TO PRESS ANY
CHARGES AGAINST THE OFFICERS.
TWO OF THEM GOT THEIR JOB BACK AND ONE DIDN'T, AND THE QUESTION
NOW REMAINS WILL THE PERSON ARRESTED, AT SIX FLAGS, BEING
INTOXICATED, FILE CIVIL, YOU KNOW, A CIVIL CASE AGAINST THE
AGAWAM P.D.
AND THE OFFICER THAT REMAINED FIRED, FOR POTENTIALLY
EXCESSIVE FORCE?
>> WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHERE THAT GOES AND REPORTING COMING FROM
MY NEWSPAPER, THE BERKSHIRE EAGLE, THE PAPER LOOKED AT THE
BROADBAND ISSUE IN MASSACHUSETTS WHICH DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU
LIVE YOU ARE VERY AWARE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE BROADBAND OR YOU ARE
COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS BECAUSE YOU ARE LIVING HAPPILY WITH ADEQUATE
INTERNET ACCESS.
SOME REPORTING FROM OUR TEAM, LARRY FOUND THE RACE TO THE MOON
ACTUALLY HAS TAKEN LESS TIME THAN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
BROADBAND INTERNET IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
SO WE HAVE 44 COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNSERVED BY BROADBAND HERE
IN MASSACHUSETTS, WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, AND IT TOOK EIGHT
YEARS AND TWO MONTHS TO GET TO THE MOON, AND IT'S NOW EIGHT
YEARS AND FIVE MONTHS AND COUNTING AND STILL NOT BROADBAND
INTERNET ACCESS THROUGHOUT WESTERN MASS.
ANY IMPACT THIS IS HAVING ON FOLKS IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU
HAVE HEARD?
>> FRANKLIN COUNTY IS RURAL LIKE THE BERKSHIRES, AND I FORGET THE
NUMBER OF TOWNS PROBABLY ABOUT SIX TO TEN OF THE TOWNS IN THE
COOPERATIVE ARE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY, AND A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS
WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET EXCEPT AT A TOWN HALL
OR A LIBRARY FIND TWO PROBLEMS.
ONE THE INCONVENIENCE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO PARTAKE IN THE
CYBER WORLD, WITHOUT GOING TO WORK OR GOING TO A PARKING
OUTSIDE OF THE LIBRARY.
AND THEN THERE IS THE MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE, BUSINESSES
THAT ARE CYBER ENABLED, INTERNET ENABLED CAN'T WORK IN THE HILLS
OR FUNCTION IN THE SMALL TOWNS.
AND REAL ESTATE VALUES ARE STARTING TO TAKE A LIT.
SOMEONE WANTS TO MOVE FROM NEW YORK TO WESTERN MASS, AND THEY
EXPECT THERE TO BE BROADBAND.
SO THE VALUES OF THE PROPERTIES ARE -- THE PEOPLE FEEL ARE
STARTING TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF THAT.
>> GENTLEMEN I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
GEORGE FORCIER OF THE RECORDER, ROBERT RIZZUTO OF MASS LIVE AND
HENRY EPP OF NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC RADIO.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS.