Diocese to pay $4.5m in 59 abuse cases

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield has paid $4.5 million to 59 people who were sexually abused by priests. The agreements announced yesterday were part of a voluntary arbitration process set up this summer when the diocese reached a settlement with its insurance carriers. Some of the claims date back to 1948. Bishop Timothy McDonnell said the diocese had a moral responsibility to reach out to those abused by clergy. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests commended the victims for enduring years of delay and called on the diocese to reach out to other victims. (AP)

A man convicted of raping and strangling four women in the Springfield area in the late 1990s says he also killed a fifth woman and left her 22-month-old daughter to starve to death. Alfred Gaynor's confession was in an affidavit filed yesterday in Hampden Superior Court seeking a new trial for his nephew, who was convicted of killing 20-year-old Amy Smith and her daughter, Destiny. Paul Fickling is serving two consecutive life sentences for the July 1996 killings. Gaynor's former lawyer, Linda Thompson, also filed documents saying the 41-year-old suspect confessed the crime to her 10 years ago. Hampden District Attorney William Bennett declined to comment before reviewing the motion. (AP)

Police and animal welfare officials say an injured kitten found on a Springfield street was set on fire. The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is offering a $500 reward for information leading to whoever is responsible. Candy Lash, MSPCA spokeswoman, said the 2-month-old kitten was found Monday by a passerby on Union Street. Investigators think the kitten was burned shortly before it was found because its fur smelled of smoke. (AP)

A juvenile harp seal spent much of the day yesterday sunbathing on a beach in Weymouth, a sight wildlife experts said should become increasingly common as temperatures continue to drop. The seal was reportedly "bright, alert, and responsive," although rescuers from the New England Aquarium were en route to Weymouth to make sure the animal is not in danger, according to Connie Merigo, director of the aquarium's stranding program. The main concern is that humans leave the seal alone.

Classes were canceled yesterday at Quincy High School following the discovery of a natural gas leak, a school official said. The leak occurred after a crew doing landscaping work ruptured a gas main. The school was evacuated after the break was discovered just before 10 a.m.

Unidentified remains of three bodies, estimated to be 200 years old, have been disinterred from an Ossipee hilltop to make way for a strip mall. Town Health Officer Dave Senegal confirmed that he signed off on three permits for skeletal remains to be exhumed from the hillock at the intersection of Routes 16 and 28. He said they were relocated to a cemetery. Tennessee developer Button Co. is planning to develop six acres at the crossroads. Senegal said the company has sent early plans to town hall showing a Dollar Store and a Tractor Supply store. Button development director Eric Emery and a funeral home director said the hunt for documentation or next of kin proved fruitless. (AP)

Senator Judd Gregg is stepping down from the congressional committee appointed to monitor the economic bailout. Gregg, the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, said he is stepping aside because he anticipates a busy Senate schedule. Gregg, who helped craft the Troubled Asset Relief Program, said he will continue to be involved in discussions about the program and its oversight. (AP)