Gun possession nets 15 years for burglar, felon

A former Springfield man, deemed to be a career armed criminal by federal prosecutors, will serve 15 years in prison on firearms conviction.
The charge against James Gillette III, 37, stems from an incident on Oct. 13, 2005, when the Springfield Police were called to a reported burglary at a residence in town, according to court records.

Charges reduced for imposter in plea deal

A 32-year-old Londonderry man who had been charged with posing as a federal safety inspector at a Springfield road construction site pleaded guilty to reduced charges of disorderly conduct for obstructing traffic.
Matthew Phillips, who works at the Springfield Recycling Center, had been charged with two counts of impersonating a public officer, a misdemeanor, in September and July.

Town unveils $8.2M proposed town budget

Town Manager Robert Forguites has proposed an $8.2 million town budget, an increase of $182,612, or a little more than 2 percent.
Forguites said the proposed budget includes increases in personnel, but he refused to identify them until budget workshops start the first week in January.

Inmates with MRSA remain in quarantine

Four inmates remain in quarantine in the infirmary at the Southern State Correctional Facility, more than a month after several inmates came down with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, the so-called Superbug.