UMass panel OK's $2.56b building plan

A University of Massachusetts trustees committee approved a $2.56 billion capital spending plan yesterday to fund building at its five campuses over the next five years. The plan, contingent on substantial state and federal support, would finance new academic and research facilities and renovate aging structures. It calls for borrowing $1.4 billion and seeks an infusion of almost $800 million from the state, a sharp increase from previous contributions. The plan, approved by a finance committee, comes to a vote of the full board of trustees Sept. 26.

An MBTA worker suffered minor injuries yesterday when he was grazed by a slow-moving subway train just south of Ashmont Station, the T said. The 48-year-old train attendant, who has been with the T for 24 years, was taken to Boston Medical Center, MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said in a statement. The worker was crossing the tracks in an employees only area about 9:24 a.m. when the accident occurred. He was walking toward his assigned train when he apparently stumbled and fell into the side of a train that was passing slowly, Pesaturo said. After the incident, the worker walked to a construction trailer to get help. The accident is under investigation, Pesaturo said.

One of the state's 10 most wanted sex offenders was returned to Massachusetts yesterday after State Police tracked him to Florida and then Virginia. Edwardo Bueno, 38, was wanted on warrants for violating probation and failing to register as a sex offender, said a State Police spokesman, David Procopio. Bueno disappeared in November 2003 after failing to appear in court to face charges that he had violated his probation on sex crimes convictions by being arrested for drug dealing, Procopio said. In recent weeks, State Police investigators followed leads to Florida. Then, with help from the US Marshals Service, they located Bueno in the Portsmouth, Va., area, where he was working at a restaurant under an alias. He was arrested in late August, Procopio said.

Town officials said a House logjam over a local liquor license dispute has been resolved. Westwood will seek two new liquor licenses in town to satisfy competitors of a planned Wegman's supermarket, which was to get one. Town officials said that, in return for giving rival Roche Bros. a chance to also obtain a license, Representative Angelo Scaccia will lift his "hold" on a House liquor license bill for Wegman's. (State House News Service)

Law enforcement officials say they seized 500 pounds of marijuana and $180,000 in cash during a weekend drug raid. Police also arrested John Mendonca, 38, who has addresses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Mendonca, who is on probation on federal drug charges, was arrested Saturday night in East Providence, R.I., allegedly driving a car containing prescription drugs, several cellphones, and a box containing cash. Search warrants were then executed at four addresses in Fall River and East Providence that yielded the marijuana. (AP)

A Somersworth, N.H., man accused of taking hostages last year at one of Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign offices plans to plead guilty to the charges this month. Randy Hawkes, the lawyer for Leeland Eisenberg, filed a notice of intent to plead guilty to six felonies, which include four counts of kidnapping, one of criminal threatening, and one of a false report to police. Eisenberg, 47, has been held at Strafford County jail since Nov. 30. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Sept. 30. . (AP)

Police have released the tape of a 911 call that led to an officer's death in a car crash, and it shows that police were racing to get to a violent domestic dispute. Two cruisers crashed on the way to the call late Tuesday night. Sergeant Dario "Scott" Aponte was killed, and Officer Diane Gonzalez was critically injured. On the 911 call, screaming can be heard in the background as the caller begs police to respond. The caller said a man was hitting his wife and feared he was going to kill her. Police released few details of the accident at a news conference yesterday. (AP)

The mayor wants federal authorities to move a convicted child killer somewhere else. Mayor Frank Guinta is objecting to Raymond Guay being returned to New Hampshire 35 years after he was convicted of killing a 12-year-old boy in Nashua. Guay, 60, was moved to Manchester after California authorities couldn't find a suitable halfway house, but his New Hampshire relatives changed their minds about supporting him. He is being supervised by federal probation officers. (AP)

A Montpelier landmark famous for decades as a watering hole for lawmakers is closing its doors. The Thrush Tavern, across the street from the Pavilion office building, is closing on Sept. 27 after a 36-year run. Staff members at the Thrush say they've tried to find ways to keep the restaurant going, but nothing has worked. During the legislative session, lawmakers from both parties mingled at the Thrush. (AP)