Western Mass Man Killed In Crash, Dragged By Bear Remembered By Friends As 'Unique Soul' Western Mass Man Killed In Crash, Dragged By Bear Remembered By Friends As 'Unique Soul'
Western Mass Man Killed In Crash, Dragged By Bear Remembered By Friends As 'Unique Soul' You may have heard about Daniel Ducharme's death.  The 31-year-old was killed in Western Massachusetts on Sunday, May 5, after he lost control of his car and crashed in Hampshire County in the town of Hatfield. A bear is believed to have dragged him from the wreckage after that.  But his friends say those headlines left out who the South Hadley resident was.  Dozens of social media posts paint a far more complex picture of someone who cared for his friends, loved cracking jokes and making music, and had big plans for his future.  Evan Flynn posted on Facebook that Dani…
Maine Man Busted In 24-Year-Old Rape, Kidnapping Case In Western Mass Thanks To DNA Testing: DA Maine Man Busted In 24-Year-Old Rape, Kidnapping Case In Western Mass Thanks To DNA Testing: DA
Maine Man Busted In 24-Year-Old Rape, Kidnapping Case In Western Mass Thanks To DNA Testing: DA A 48-year-old Maine man is behind bars on Wednesday, May 8, after DNA tests linked him to the violent rape of a woman in the woods of Hampden County in 2000, authorities said.  Jamie Dodge, of Brownville, Maine, is charged with aggravated rape and kidnapping in connection with an attack that happened in Holland, which is just outside of Springfield, the Hampden County District Attorney's Office said. He was being held on a $250,000 bail.  A woman told police on July 23, 2000, that a man had grabbed her, dragged her into a nearby wooded area, and raped her. She described the m…
Stew Leonard's Eyes This CT Location For Next New Store Stew Leonard's Eyes This CT Location For Next New Store
Stew Leonard's Eyes This CT Location For Next New Store Stew Leonard's is eyeing a familiar location as a possible location for its next new supermarket. The Connecticut-based company confirmed on Wednesday, May 8, that the town of Orange in New Haven County is one of several locations being "looked at" for the family-owned grocer's ninth location, according to Meghan Bell, a spokeswoman for the company. Bell said that, at this point, several options are being considered, and an announcement would be made by the end of the year.  Stew Leonard's also has Connecticut stores in Norwalk (where the company has its headquarters), Danbury, and Ne…
Man Standing On CT Roadway, Struck, Killed By Pickup Truck Man Standing On CT Roadway, Struck, Killed By Pickup Truck
Man Standing On CT Roadway, Struck, Killed By Pickup Truck A 39-year-old Hudson Valley man was struck and killed by a Dodge Ram pickup truck while standing on a roadway in Connecticut. The crash occurred in Hartford County around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, on I-91 north of the Exit 46 on-ramp in Enfield. According to the Connecticut State Police, Dutchess County resident TJ Jennings of Hopewell Junction was standing in the highway's right lane when struck by the truck. The truck came to a stop on the right shoulder, state police said. State Police said Jennings sustained injuries "not compatible with life" and was pronounced dead at the scene. …
2 Guilty of Trafficking 100 Lbs of Pot In Massive Grow Operation Uncovered In Western Mass 2 Guilty of Trafficking 100 Lbs of Pot In Massive Grow Operation Uncovered In Western Mass
2 Guilty of Trafficking 100 Lbs of Pot In Massive Grow Operation Uncovered In Western Mass Police and prosecutors unearthed a $3 million marijuana grow operation in a small town in Berkshire County, and now two men are going to prison, authorities said. And it was all thanks to a busted electric box and two quick-thinking linemen.  Yebin Mai, 32, and Dem Wu, 52, both of Staten Island, New York, were both convicted by a jury of trafficking more than 100 pounds of marijuana, the Berkshire County District Attorney said on Tuesday, May 7. Mai was also found guilty of witness intimidation.  The men were arrested on July 30, 2020, after repairmen from Eversource Electric…
Frat President Assaults, Chokes Prospective Member In Willington During Initiation, Police Say Frat President Assaults, Chokes Prospective Member In Willington During Initiation, Police Say
Frat President Assaults, Chokes Prospective Member In Willington During Initiation, Police Say The 23-year-old president of a University of Connecticut fraternity faces charges after allegedly assaulting and choking a prospective new member during his initiation process, police announced. Tolland County resident David Vallejo of Willington was arrested on Friday, May 3 on charges connected to his alleged assault of a potential new fraternity member during his initiation process, Connecticut State Police announced on Tuesday, May 7. According to Vallejo's arrest warrant, the events leading to the arrest began in early February 2024, when the victim, a University of Connecticut st…
Connecticut Among Top 20 Best States, Brand-New Ranking Says: Here's Why Connecticut Among Top 20 Best States, Brand-New Ranking Says: Here's Why
Connecticut Among Top 20 Best States, Brand-New Ranking Says: Here's Why Connecticut continues to rank among the top 20 best states in the country. The Constitution State came in at No. 20 – down slightly from No. 16 last year – on the 2024 Best States list by U.S. News & World Report, released Tuesday, May 7. Rankings were determined using 71 metrics across eight categories, including fiscal stability, infrastructure, education, health care, and the economy. Data was pulled from national surveys taken by nearly 70,000 people. Connecticut made the top 10 in health care (No. 3), crime & corrections (No. 6), and education (No. 8), according to the report.…
Smash-Grab Incident At CT Stop & Shop Under Investigation Smash-Grab Incident At CT Stop & Shop Under Investigation
Smash-Grab Incident At CT Stop & Shop Under Investigation Police in Connecticut are investigating after thieves backed through a Stop & Shop gas station door and made off with a cash register. The incident occurred in Hartford County around 4 a.m., Tuesday, May 7, at the New Britain store on West Main Street. According to Rachel Zaniewski of the New Britain Police, officers responded to a burglary after a vehicle backed through the door to the Stop and Shop gas station. They stole the empty cash register and some cigarettes, Zaniewki said. The incident is under investigation. This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates…
COVID-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Most Dominant In US COVID-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Most Dominant In US
Covid-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Most Dominant In US New so-called "FLiRT" COVID-19 variants have quickly become the most dominant in the United States, and authorities are monitoring their rise as summer approaches. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the two members of the  “FLiRT” group, KP.2, is now No. 1 among strains nationally, accounting for about 24.9 of all current infections. The JN.1 strain had been dominant in the US before the emergence of KP.2. Both variants are offshoots of the highly contagious Omicron strain. The No. 4 variant in the US, KP.1.1, which makes up …
Planters Nuts Recalled Due To Listeria Contamination Concerns Planters Nuts Recalled Due To Listeria Contamination Concerns
Planters Nuts Recalled Due To Listeria Contamination Concerns A pair of Planters nuts products are being recalled due to possible contamination with the bacteria that causes listeria. Hormel Foods Sales, LLC is voluntarily recalling the two Planters products that were produced at one of its facilities in April, according to an announcement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, sti…
(Update) Man Dragged From Car By Bear After Fatal Western Mass Crash ID'd By Police (Update) Man Dragged From Car By Bear After Fatal Western Mass Crash ID'd By Police
(Update) Man Dragged From Car By Bear After Fatal Western Mass Crash ID'd By Police A driver whose body was dragged away from a Hampshire County crash by a bear on Sunday, May 5, has been identified by police as a 31-year-old Western Massachusetts man, police said. Update: Friends Remember Man Dragged From Wrecked Car By Bear As "Unique Soul" Daniel Ducharme, of South Hadley, was ejected partially or fully from his Honda Civic just after 11 a.m. when he lost control of the vehicle, hit the guardrail multiple times, and crashed down an embankment on I-91 South, state police said.  Police found Ducharme's body next to the tree line near mile marker 30.8 in Hatfield. In…
New Details Emerge After 2 Teens Shot, Killed At CT Apartment Complex New Details Emerge After 2 Teens Shot, Killed At CT Apartment Complex
New Details Emerge After 2 Teens Shot, Killed At CT Apartment Complex New information has been released after two teens were found shot to death in a Connecticut apartment building stairwell when police responded to a report of shots fired. Original report - Double-Fatal Shooting: Teens ID'd As Victims In Hartford The incident occurred in Hartford around 10:30 p.m., Saturday, May 4, at 94 Hendicxsen Ave. According to Lt. Aaron Boisvert, officers responded after receiving multiple 911 callers reporting shots fired.  The teens, Lavante Brown, age 19, of Hartford, and Aydin Davis, age 16, of Bloomfield, were found in the buildin…