Charlene A. "Cherie" (Caouette) Bordeau, 57, of Chicopee, passed away on April 15. She was born in Holyoke and was a lifelong resident of Chicopee. She graduated from the former Mount Carmel Elementary School in Chicopee and, in 1974, from Holyoke Catholic High School. She received associate's degrees in medical transcription and terminology and a certified nurse assistant from Holyoke Community College. She was employed at the former Riverdale Gardens Nursing Home in West Springfield and Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. She was a horseback riding instructor.
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Nakosteen hopes that in an election year Congress will avoid shocking the economy with fights over the budget or the debt ceiling. Absent a shock, there might be continued steady growth.
AMHERST - A sequence of year-over-year job gains in the monthly unemployment statistics , however modest they may be, points to local economy that might be picking up strength, said Robert Nakosteen, a professor of economics and statistics at the University of Massachusetts' Isenberg School of Management.
“I think we are now beginning to see a positive pattern emerge from the data,” he said, pointing to year-over-year improvements in numbers that have not been seasonally adjusted. “We may almost be ready to call this a trend. I'd like to see this continue into the summer."
He hopes that in an election year Congress will avoid shocking the economy with fights over the budget or the debt ceiling. Absent a shock, there might be continued steady growth.
"I would be surprised if we did not see this for the next couple of months,” he said. “We are in positive territory and we are going to stay there. It’s not going to be booming.”
But there won't be a boom, he said. Jobs will still be hard to get and the fortunes of individual companies, like the closing of the former National Envelope in Westfield, will still be felt.
"We just don’t have enough job growth to reverse the loss from one compan y," he said. "That mean the economy is turning around and going back down hill."
Longmeadow police said an investigation revealed that Whitney Harrington was driving on Bliss Road when she crashed into fencing surrounding the new Longmeadow High School practice football field, then continued onto the field.
The arraignment was postponed by agreement of defense lawyer John A. Odierna, who is representing Harrington, and the Hampden District Attorney’s office.
Harrington remains free on personal recognizance, said District Court clerk Robert Moreno.
Longmeadow police arrested Harrington after she drove off the roadway onto the athletic field at Longmeadow High School, said Lt. Gary Fontaine.
An investigation revealed that Harrington was driving on Bliss Road when she crashed into fencing surrounding the new practice football field, then continued onto the field. She damaged about 100 feet of fencing, the football field’s turf and some small trees, according to Fontaine.
The School Department is awaiting damage estimates on the field, which is part of $78.4 million new high school that opened in September.
U.N. human rights investigators said late Monday that hundreds of civilians were killed last week because of their ethnicity after rebel forces seized Bentiu, the capital of oil-producing Unity state.
JASON STRAZIUSO
Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Gunmen in South Sudan who targeted civilians including children and the elderly left "piles and piles" of bodies, many of them in a mosque and a hospital, the U.N.'s top humanitarian official in the country said Tuesday.
Toby Lanzer told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday that the ethnically targeted killings in a provincial capital are "quite possibly a game-changer" for a conflict that has been raging since mid-December and that has exposed longstanding ethnic hostilities.
There was also a disturbing echo of Rwanda, which is marking the 20th anniversary this month of its genocide that killed an estimated 1 million people. The Rwandan genocide saw kill orders broadcast by radio and it happened in South Sudan, Lanzer said.
"It's the first time we're aware of that a local radio station was broadcasting hate messages encouraging people to engage in atrocities," said Lanzer, who was in Bentiu on Sunday and Monday. "And that really accelerates South Sudan's descent into an even more difficult situation from which it needs to extract itself."
U.N. human rights investigators said late Monday that hundreds of civilians were killed last week because of their ethnicity after rebel forces seized Bentiu, the capital of oil-producing Unity state. Those rebel forces are Nuer, the same ethnic group that former Vice President Riek Machar, who is now a rebel leader, comes from.
Lanzer said thousands of civilians from several ethnic groups are streaming to the U.N. peacekeeping base in Bentiu because many believe more violence is coming. The base now holds 25,000 people but has only one liter of water per person per day and only one latrine per 350 people.
"The risk of a public health crisis inside our base is enormous," he said.
Raphael Gorgeu, the head of Doctors Without Borders in South Sudan, said people will die inside the U.N. base in coming days because of the water and sanitation situation.
As rebel forces entered Bentiu last week, residents were led to believe that by entering the mosque they would be safe, Lanzer said, citing accounts from survivors. But once inside they were robbed of money and mobile phones and a short while later gunmen began killing, both inside the mosque and inside the city hospital.
If you were not Nuer nothing could save you. The gunmen killed wantonly, including children and the elderly, Lanzer said.
Gorgeu said his team members in Bentiu — including 12 international staff — have treated more than 200 people wounded in the violence, including many gunshot victims.
British Ambassador Ian Hughes on Tuesday said the April 15-16 killings are a clear violation of international law. He said those behind the atrocities and those inciting the killings will be held to account.
U.N. officials began helping to clear the bodies from the streets and city buildings. Lanzer arrived in Bentiu on the third day of that operation but still counted 150 bodies. He said the U.N. is documenting the killings and will soon have "a pretty good grasp" on the precise number killed.
The violence is only one part of a dual crisis South Sudan faces. Because of the fighting, more than 1 million people have fled their homes, and very few residents are tending to their crops. Lanzer said there is a severe risk of famine in coming months because April and May is when residents should be planting and cultivating.
The U.N. hasn't spelled out clearly who exactly the victims were last week, but because ethnic Nuers carried out the killings it is likely that ethnic Dinkas were among the dead. The U.N. also said former residents of the Darfur region of Sudan were among those killed targeted. Nuer residents who refused to take part in the attacks were also killed.
The U.N. has been warning of mounting evidence of ethnically-targeted killings in the world's newest nation as both government troops and rebel forces lose and gain territories in back-and-forth clashes. Despite a ceasefire signed earlier this year, both sides continue to trade allegations over human rights violations.
Though thousands of people are cramming into the U.N. base in search of shelter, they may not even be safe there. Last week an angry mob attacked a U.N. base in Bor and killed about 60 people. In that case, ethnic Nuers sheltering inside bore the brunt of the attack.
Gorgeu said such a potential attack is a major concern for the safety of his staff but that he cannot abandon the civilians in need.
"All this violence, if you look at Bor, if you look at Bentiu, it's a major, major concern. We can see the level of violence is having an unacceptably high cost on the civilian population and this must be addressed," Gorgeu said.
Springfield police investigated reports of shots fired on Osgood Street in the North End early Tuesday afternoon.
UPDATE, 2:09 p.m.: Officers are clearing crime scene tape and picking up evidence markers at the Osgood Street scene.
UPDATE, 1:49 p.m.: Jose Claudio, president of New North Citizens Council: 1 girl shot in leg. Incident started as fight between girls in the park. "People at these scenes need to step up and start talking or somebody is going to get killed," Claudio said.
There is no official word yet from Springfield police on the shooting.
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield police were investigating reports of shots fired on Osgood Street in the North End early Tuesday afternoon.
Detectives were placing multiple evidence cones in front of an Osgood Street home at about 1:30 p.m. Police were interviewing residents on the street. At least eight cruisers reported to the scene.
One man, interviewed by a reporter for The Republican, said he saw a shootout between two people. "It was like the Wild West," he said.
"The whole neighborhood heard it," another man said regarding the gunfire. Other residents in area said multiple shots were fired.
The scene of the shooting is in the Memorial Square neighborhood.
This is a developing story and will be update as our reporting continues
Democratic attorney general hopeful Warren Tolman marked Earth Day by releasing his environmental agenda, which includes his plan to push for increased energy efficiency and an updated energy-delivery infrastructure.
Democratic attorney general hopeful Warren Tolman marked Earth Day 2014 by releasing his environmental agenda, which includes his plan to push for increased energy efficiency and an updated energy-delivery infrastructure.
Tolman, who was previously endorsed by the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund, said if elected, he plans on using the office of attorney general to be an advocate for ratepayers in Massachusetts while working to ensure the commonwealth sets national standards in terms of enforcing environmental legislation.
"As Attorney General and the ratepayer advocate, I will be a leader in aggressively pushing our Commonwealth closer to our energy efficiency goals to protect consumers and ensure that our children have a better place to live," Tolman said in a statement. "We have the tools to improve Massachusetts’ sustainability and energy efficiency while driving job growth in renewable energy. Working together, we can accomplish these goals, reducing our carbon footprint and cutting back on waste."
Tolman's pitch for environmental policy includes making sure utility companies work to protect their systems to withstand more extreme storms, like the October 2011 snowstorm that left tens of thousands of citizens without power for weeks due to severe damage sustained by the electrical grid. At the same time, Tolman said he would work with natural gas providers to replace hundreds of miles of older pipelines across Massachusetts, in light of a report indicating that leaks have cost consumers $1.5 billion over a decade.
Tolman also said that he would make sure Massachusetts preserves an open and competitive marketplace to ensure the continued growth of the domestic renewable energy industry. With an eye toward the Pilgrim Nuclear Generating Station in Plymouth, Tolman said he would push for heightened security from potential attacks, and advocate for better information sharing of air quality data, the reduction of allowable radioactive emissions into our air and water, and the creation of updated emergency plans to protect the people of the Merrimack Valley and Southeastern Massachusetts.
"The Commonwealth needs an Attorney General who will guide our state in solving the challenges of climate change," said Brian Keane, president of the national environmental firm SmartPower, in a statement. "Warren Tolman’s solutions, his passion and his commitment are urgently needed if we are to truly rise to today’s challenge."
Tolman's full environmental plan can be read on his website. Tolman is facing fellow Democrat Maura Healey in the party's primary and on the Republican side, both face competition from a Connecticut native with three decades of legal experience under his belt in Winchester resident John Miller. The current Attorney General Martha Coakley declined to run for re-election, instead opting to jump into the crowded race to become the next governor of Massachusetts.
Narkewicz is the sixth sitting Massachusetts mayor to endorse Kerrigan over the three other Democrats, one independent and one Republican also running for lieutenant governor.
Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz is the latest Massachusetts official to endorse the candidacy of Democrat Steve Kerrigan, who is running to be the next lieutenant governor of the commonwealth. At the Farmer's Market on Main Street Tuesday afternoon, Narkewicz announced he was backing Kerrigan and will throw his political weight behind him on the campaign trail.
Lieutenant governor candidate Steve Kerrigan
Narkewicz is the sixth sitting Massachusetts mayor to endorse Kerrigan over the three other Democrats, one independent and one Republican also running for lieutenant governor.
Kerrigan's experience in the world of politics spans the local, state and federal levels. His first gig was with the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, which began in 1989, just days before Kerrigan's 18th birthday.
In endorsing Kerrigan, Narkewicz said the young Democrat's various experiences in politics helped sway his decision to back him.
“Steve Kerrigan’s experience working at the local level as a selectman in Lancaster, at the state level for the Attorney General and at the federal level as an advisor to both President Obama and Senator Kennedy will help make him an excellent Lieutenant Governor,” said Narkewicz. "Steve understands what cities and towns need to be successful and thrive. I know that I and the City of Northampton will have a strong partner in the State House with Steve as our Lieutenant Governor."
Kerrigan praised Narkewicz, who has served as the mayor of Northampton since the previous mayor stepped down in 2011, calling him a strong leader for the city.
"He’s been an advocate for locally-grown, sustainable agriculture in this great part of our state," Kerrigan said. "I’m proud to have Mayor Narkewicz’s endorsement and I look forward to continuing to work with him to improve our Commonwealth."
Kerrigan's in-party competitors include Mike Lake, a 2010 candidate for state auditor and the current CEO of the Boston-based company Leading Cities; James Arena DeRosa, a former administrator with the USDA and Cambridge City Councilor Lelund Cheung.
Republican Karyn Polito is running for lieutenant governor as a ticket along with GOP gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Baker. And United Independent Party candidate Angus Jennings recently announced he was running on that party's ticket with gubernatorial candidate Evan Falchuk.
BOSTON -- Shortly after 7 p.m. Monday night, the VIP stand at the Boylston Street finish line in Boston was half-empty, but the cheers were louder than they were during the whole race.
Police officers and paramedics were clapping for the first
time while a large crowd gathered directly behind the finish line to take
pictures. Street sweepers kicked
up dust and workers were hastily disassembling the billboards of sponsors along
the route.
Far off in the distance, through the cloud of dust and
street detritus floating through the Boylston Street air, the Boston Marathon
stragglers made their final approach to the finish line. They were lone,
solitary figures emerging from the Hereford Street turn onto a canyon still
lined with a few thousand spectators cheering them on.
The clock keeping their time at the finish line had long
since turned off, but they didn't care. All they cared about was finishing the race and checking that box on their bucket lists.
The noise seemed louder than it did earlier in the day when
Meb Keflezighi, a proud immigrant to the United States from Eritrea, became the
first American man to win the Boston Marathon since 1983. The crowd seemed to
carry Keflezighi when it was chanting "USA! USA!" in a fitting burst of
patriotic fervor one year after a terrorist attack killed three
people at the finish line.
The path before runners now making their way down Boylston
Street as darkness was just taking hold was the most challenging one they faced
all day. Some walked. Some trotted. Some sprinted. Some were aided by their
fellow runners because they just could not run anymore but they promised themselves
one year ago:
They.
Would.
Finish.
The.
Race.
They came from all over and ran for all different causes, but
they were grateful all the same for the spectators that hung around until the
bitter end.
"I didn't expect this many people when I crossed," said
Chelsea White, 26, of Marblehead.
"It's showing Boston really is strong," said Rebecca Soulliere,
40, of Leominster.
Would they do the race again? Maybe. But for now, they just
wanted to revel in the moments after the race.
Some of the stragglers, like Maia Laing and Lora Thaxton, met for the first time on the course and decided to run together as a pair.
Laing and Thaxton met while walking uphill in
Newton when they hit it off and decided to run the rest of the race together. Neither of
them had any prior marathon running experience, particularly Laing.
"It's been great. We've chatted, supported each other," said
Laing, 30, of Boston.
Thaxton did not really care what her time was.
"We were just determined to finish. We just wanted to finish
and we wanted our medals," said Thaxton, 47, of Toledo, Ohio.
Unlike many of the other stragglers, Joe O'Connor sprinted
the final stretch of the marathon through the finish line, even high-fiving
people as he crossed. A winded O'Connor said that this was second marathon he's
run with a blood clot and "he'll be damned if he's going to stop."
O'Connor, 55, of the Central Mass Striders, said he had to
be at this race and he had to finish.
"It's the best marathon there is and I've done a lot of them. Boston crowds are
fantastic. It's seven hours and they're still screaming, you don't get that
other places, trust me," said O'Connor.
"It's so important that we take back the finish line," said
O'Connor.
Kerry Sullivan of Roslindale stopped to kiss the finish
line after she crossed it on Monday night.
It was an emotional finish for Sullivan, as she did not
finish the race last year.
"All I wanted to do was get across the finish and I can't
believe it finally happened. You just go," said Sullivan.
She accidentally stopped her watch when she was kissing the
finish line so she didn't know her exact time, but she didn't care.
Monday's event will highlight some of the leading causes of death in the workplace, including falls, being crushed in machinery or being struck by equipment.
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts workers who were killed, injured or made ill on their job in 2013 will be honored at a special workers memorial event at the Statehouse.
Monday's event will highlight some of the leading causes of death in the workplace, including falls, being crushed in machinery or being struck by equipment.
The memorial is also meant to spotlight what critics say is the relatively low fines assessed to employers hit with workplace safety violations from the Office of Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Among those scheduled to participate in the event are state Labor Secretary Rachel Kaprielian and Ada Garcia, mother of Victor Gerena, who died at a fish processing plant.
The memorial and the release of a new report on workplace fatalities in Massachusetts will take place at noon at the Statehouse.
Rebuilding Together drew 1,000 volunteers, ranging from skilled masons and builders to unskilled workers who simply wanted to pitch in.
SPRINGFIELD - Ruel Jackson, once a painter and handyman at the MassMutual Center, was the guy who jumped in to tidy up city-owned lots and ailing neighbors' yards in his Old Hill neighborhood.
"I wouldn't wait for anyone to ask; I would just do it," said Jackson, now 79, who walks with a cane and is unable to do the bull work he once did on Pendleton Avenue. He suffered a stroke and a heart attack in 2010.
He also was one of many residents who benefited from $500,000 in home repairs through Rebuilding Together Springfield's Second Annual "GreenNFit" cluster rebuild, which culminated on Saturday. This is the second year of Rebuilding Together's 10-year plan to rehabilitate 10 city blocks within the Old Hill Neighborhood.
Jackson's home at 175 Pendleton Ave., where he raised a family and lived with wife until she died, received a new kitchen floor, a paint job and an overhaul of a yard that had long become overgrown as Jackson aged.
The centerpiece of a week of preparations to improve a run-down neighborhood in the heart of the city was marred by downpours, though the weather did not hinder most of the work. Rebuilding Together's 1,000 volunteers, supported by 80 sponsors and donors, repaired 25 homes- and, cleared huge piles of trash and overgrowth from two vacant lots - all along that one city block.
Marcia McFarland, a sales executive with Blue Cross Blue Shield, said that, as "house captain," she walked Jackson's property with him on Friday and came to an understanding of his hopes for the end result.
"He did a lot to help the neighborhood when he could," McFarland said. "This was a pleasure to do for him because he paid it forward."
Jackson said he was thrilled with the repairs. All are done for free for income-eligible residents. Many are elderly or disabled. The initiative appeared to convert the dense, urban neighborhood to an outdoor Home Depot with piles of mulch, construction vehicles and equipment and other goods clogging the street.
Colleen Loveless, executive director of Rebuilding Together, said the morning weather hampered painting and a roof project, but little else.
"It didn't dampen their spirits," she joked of the mass of volunteers. "I have to give them credit - they came out to volunteer and it was literally pouring at times. It was a dedicated group."
In one instance, specialized workers installed solar panels on a house at 139 Pendleton Ave. to power its hot water.
The Massachusetts State Police are continuing to investigate an early Saturday morning crash that left a Haverhill man dead on Interstate 495 in Lawrence.
The Massachusetts State Police are continuing to investigate an early Saturday morning crash that left a Haverhill man dead on Interstate 495 in Lawrence.
Troopers reported that around 1:55 a.m., they were called to investigate a two-vehicle crash in the northbound lanes of the highway near exit 42B. A preliminary investigation revealed 55-year-old Carlos Cunha was driving his 2004 Buick LeSabre and under circumstances still being investigated when it rolled over and came to rest between the middle and left lanes. At that point, a tractor-trailer struck the Buick.
Troopers say at some point in the chain of events, Cunha was ejected from his vehicle and upon their arrival, pronounced dead.
The driver of the tractor-trailer, New Hampshire resident John Furman, was uninjured. The highway was closed until 4:46 a.m. Saturday when police cleared the scene.
A group of local anti-casino advocates is backing Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh as he calls into question the state's process for licensing a casino in its eastern region.
BOSTON (AP) -- A group of local anti-casino advocates is backing Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh as he calls into question the state's process for licensing a casino in its eastern region.
"No Eastie Casino," said in a brief filed with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Thursday, that its members "fully endorse" the Walsh administration's objection to a May 1 public hearing in which the commission is expected to weigh whether Boston should be designated a "host community" for casinos proposed in neighboring Revere and Everett.
The group, which formed in 2012 to oppose a proposed casino at Suffolk Downs, the horse racing track in East Boston, said it also backs the city's call for the state's top gambling regulator to recuse himself from the eastern casino licensing process.
The Walsh administration has accused gambling commission chairman Stephen Crosby of making several "prejudicial" statements critical of the city's host community status request. Crosby, so far, has declined to recuse himself.
Casino giants Mohegan Sun and Wynn, which have proposed casinos in Revere and Everett, oppose granting Boston host community status, which would give city residents an opportunity to vote on -- and potentially reject -- their proposals. The casinos say Boston is eligible for "surrounding community" status, which would entitle the city to some of the casino profits but not allow for citywide voter referendums.
"No Eastie Casino," in its brief, said it agrees with Walsh that the current process violates the city's due process rights because it limits the city's ability to receive and present evidence to support its claim for host community status.
Mohegan Sun has proposed a resort-style casino on land Suffolk Downs owns in Revere. Wynn proposes one in Everett.
Thursday was the deadline for written briefs in advance of the May 1 hearing. Mohegan Sun, Wynn, the Walsh administration and Revere Mayor Daniel Rizzo's administration have all previously filed arguments with the commission.
Detectives with the Springfield Police Department are investigating after a man with a gunshot wound to the foot reported it happened as a result of a failed robbery attempt, which may have left another man's car windows shot out.
SPRINGFIELD — Detectives with the Springfield Police Department are investigating after a man with a gunshot wound to the foot reported it happened as a result of a robbery attempt that may have left another man's car windows shot out.
Around 7:55 p.m. Saturday, a man reported that while in a house on Bowles Street in the city's McKnight neighborhood, he heard two gunshots and went outside to find that his car windows had been shot out. Just minutes later, another man made his way into the Baystate Medical Center emergency room with a gunshot wound to the foot.
Police at the scene reportedly found two .40-caliber shell casings on the ground, about two houses down from the damaged vehicle. A preliminary investigation indicated the wounded man told police two men tried to rob him on Bowles Street, a struggle ensued and the shots were fired, with at least one hitting him in the foot.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Springfield Police Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355. Anonymous text-message tips may be sent to CRIMES (or 274637) and should begin with the word SOLVE.
The map below shows the location of Bowles Street in the city of Springfield.
View Larger MapThis is a developing story and any additional information will be reported as it becomes available.
Prime Minister Chung Hong-won's offer comes as the government faces increasing anger from relatives of victims.
JINDO, South Korea -- South Korea's prime minister offered to resign Sunday over the government's handling of a deadly ferry sinking, blaming "deep-rooted evils" and societal irregularities for a tragedy that has left more than 300 people dead or missing and led to widespread shame, fury and finger-pointing.
The resignation offer comes amid rising indignation over claims by the victims' relatives that the government didn't do enough to rescue or to protect their loved ones. Most of the missing and dead were high school students on a school trip. Officials have taken into custody all 15 people involved in navigating the ferry that sank April 16, a prosecutor said.
South Korean executive power is largely concentrated in the president, Park Geun-hye, so the resignation offer by Prime Minister Chung Hong-won appears to be largely symbolic. There was no immediate word from Park about whether she would accept Chung's resignation.
Chung was heckled by relatives and his car was blocked when he visited a shelter on an island near the site of the sinking a week ago. On Sunday, he issued an extraordinary statement to reporters in Seoul on the national tragedy.
"As I saw grieving families suffering with the pain of losing their loved ones and the sadness and resentment of the public, I thought I should take all responsibility as prime minister," Chung said. "There have been so many varieties of irregularities that have continued in every corner of our society and practices that have gone wrong. I hope these deep-rooted evils get corrected this time and this kind of accident never happens again."
Meanwhile, Yang Jung-jin of the joint investigation team said two helmsmen and two members of the steering crew were taken in on preliminary arrest warrants issued late Friday. Formal arrest warrants were issued Saturday night. Eleven other crew members, including the captain, had been formally arrested earlier.
All are accused of negligence and of failing to help passengers in need as the ferry Sewol sank. The captain initially told passengers to stay in their rooms and took half an hour to issue an evacuation order, by which time the ship was tilting too severely for many people to get out.
Divers have recovered 187 bodies and 115 people are believed to be missing, though the government-wide emergency task force has said the ship's passengers list could be inaccurate. Only 174 people survived, including 22 of the 29 crew members.
The seven surviving crew members who have not been arrested or detained held non-marine jobs such as chef or steward, Yang said in a telephone interview from Mokpo, the southern city near the wreck site where prosecutors are based.
South Korean television aired video of police escorting the four men to court. All four wore baseball caps that hid their faces, and at least one was limping.
Capt. Lee Joon-seok told reporters after his arrest that he withheld the evacuation order because rescuers had yet to arrive and he feared for passengers' safety in the cold water. Crew members have also defended their actions.
Helmsman Oh Yong-seok, one of those arrested Saturday, has said he and several crew members did their best to save people. He said that he and four crew members worked from nearby boats to smash windows on the sinking ferry, dragging six passengers stuck in cabins to safety.
Officials in charge of the search effort said divers had reached two large rooms where many of the lost may lie dead, but the search has been suspended since Saturday because of bad weather. Currents were also strong, as they were in the first several days of the search, when divers struggled in vain even to get inside the submerged vessel.
The two rooms where searchers hope to find more of the missing soon are sleeping units designed for many people -- one in the stern and one in the bow. Fifty students from Danwon High School in Ansan were booked into one of them. Students from the city near Seoul make up more than 80 percent of the dead and missing; they had been on their way to the southern tourist island of Jeju.
Large objects that toppled when the ferry tipped over and sank are believed to be keeping divers from reaching bodies in at least one of the rooms.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries also said it would soon change ferry systems so that passenger, vehicle and cargo information is processed electronically. There is not only uncertainty about how many people were on the Sewol, but a huge discrepancy regarding the amount of cargo it was carrying when it sank.
The Sewol was carrying an estimated 3,608 tons of cargo, according to an executive of the company that loaded it. That far exceeds what the captain claimed in paperwork -- 150 cars and 657 tons of other cargo, according to the coast guard -- and is more than three times what an inspector who examined the vessel during a redesign last year said it could safely carry.
Yang, the prosecutor, said that the cause of the sinking could be due to excessive veering, improper stowage of cargo, modifications made to the ship and tidal influence. He said investigators would determine the cause by consulting with experts and using simulations.
The move sets a remarkable precedent for the 2,000-year-old Catholic Church, which has never seen a reigning and retired pope celebrating a public Mass together.
VATICAN CITY -- Tens of thousands of people filled St. Peter's Square on Sunday for a historic day of fourpopes, with Francis and Benedict XVI honoring their predecessors John XXIII and John Paul II and declaring them saints in the first ever canonization of two pontiffs.
Polish pilgrims carrying the red and white flags of John Paul's beloved homeland were among the first to press into the square well before sunrise, held back by human chains of neon-vested civil protection workers trying to maintain order.
Most of those who arrived first had camped out overnight on air mattresses and sleeping pads along the side streets leading to the square. Others hadn't slept at all and took part in the all-night prayer vigils hosted at a dozen churches in downtown Rome.
"Fourpopesin one ceremony is a fantastic thing to see and to be at, because it is history being written in our sight," marveled one of the visiting Poles, David Halfar. "It is wonderful to be a part in this and to live all of this."
The Vatican on Saturday ended weeks of speculation and confirmed that retiredPopeBenedict, 87, would indeed participate in the canonization. The move sets a remarkable precedent for the 2,000-year-old Catholic Church, which has never seen a reigning and retiredpopecelebrating a public Mass together.
Benedict had promised to remain "hidden from the world" after resigning last year, but Francis has coaxed him out of retirement and urged him to take part in the public life of the church.
Sunday's canonization is the first time twopopeshave been declared saints at the same time. Francis' decision to canonize two of the 20th century's greatest spiritual leaders amounts to a delicate balancing act, giving both the conservative and progressive wings of the church a new saint.
John, who reigned from 1958-1963, is a hero to liberal Catholics for having convened the Second Vatican Council. The meetings brought the church into the modern era by allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages rather than Latin and by encouraging greater dialogue with people of other faiths, particularly Jews.
During his quarter-century papacy from 1978-2005, John Paul helped topple communism in Poland through his support of the Solidarity movement. His globe-trotting papacy and launch of the wildly popular World Youth Days invigorated a new generation of Catholics, while his defense of core church teaching heartened conservatives after the turbulent 1960s.
Kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers from more than 90 countries were expected to attend the canonizations. Some 20 Jewish leaders from the U.S., Israel, Italy, Francis' native Argentina and Poland were also taking part, in a clear sign of their appreciation for the great strides made in Catholic-Jewish relations under John, John Paul -- and their successors celebrating the Mass.
The Springfield event will benefit the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.
SPRINGFIELD – Craig Miller, the author of “This is How it Feels: A Memoir of Attempting Suicide and Finding Life,” will speak at a fundraiser for suicide prevention on May 8, at the John Boyle O’Reilly Club.
The event begins at 6 p.m., at the club, located at 33 Progress Ave., Springfield. Funds raised will benefit the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.
A donation of $10 is requested. Pasta and meatballs will be served followed by Miller as the guest speaker. There will also be a raffle to raise funds.
Miller was 20 years old when he attempted suicide by swallowing 250 pills, according to a book summary. He was intensive care for three days, and later would triumph over his battles with obsessive compulsive disorder and mental illness, the summary states.
At the May 8 event, Miller will also be available for book signings.
For reservations, or for additional information, call (413) 949-0887, or email kduquette5140@charter.net. Tickets will also be available at the door.
For right now, the company's focus will be downtown Northampton, particularly for people out for a night's entertainment.
Northampton now has a new twist on a "bicycle built for two."
Starting last week, Northampton Pedal Cabs began transporting people around downtown. Each cab can seat two passengers and rides cost a flat $5 fee.
"The idea of pedal cabs for Northampton came to me while on a family vacation in Lake George, NY about a year ago," said owner Carlos Marti, a Northampton native and Smith Vocational High School graduate who now lives in Chicopee with his fiancée and son. "I saw the pedal cab and hired one for a ride. I thought this type of business would be great in Northampton."
Marti, 28, said the cabs engage passengers in the community they’re visiting and it’s the type of business that communities support because the cabs are emission-free. Marti currently has two pedal cabs and employs four operators, but is still interviewing for more drivers. He said business over the first two weekends has been good and thinks both local businesses and people support the idea.
For right now, the company's focus will be downtown Northampton, particularly for people out for a night's entertainment.
"Other services are advertisements, reserved rides and events," Marti said. "We have been hired to transport guests to different venues at Florence Night Out festival in Florence on May 1."
Marti, whose main job is at Gulfstream Aerospace in Westfield, said that with only four drivers currently, people will be able only to catch pedal cab rides on the weekends, but the goal is to be operational during the week and eventually be available for people to call for a cab. Currently customers can only hail the cabs out on the streets of the city.
Pedal cabs have to obey all traffic laws and drivers must be at least 18 and possess a valid Massachusetts driver's license. Drivers must also pass a background check and perform a bicycle bike training/familiarization session. Drivers lease the cabs for five-hour shifts.
The cabs themselves weigh 150 pounds and measure 110 inches long by 50 inches wide. Each cab is outfitted with standard vehicle safety equipment such as brakes, seat belts, a horn, as well as directional signals, running lights and headlights. The cabs also can put up a canopy for rainy days.
"Northampton is a town known for its bike-friendliness, numerous outdoor activities, tourists, ideal geographic location, and predominantly environmental-minded citizenry," Marti said. "A pedal cab service fits in pretty well. This is a small city, ideal for getting around by bicycle. We want to provide Northampton and its guests an environmentally conscious taxi service that is unique and fun. It’ll provide inexpensive commuting options for short-distance travelers, adding to downtown an exciting service for locals, other residents previously unmotivated to find parking in the area, and guests and tourists who don’t know the area well."
Robert L. Campurciani Sr., 91, died Friday. He was born in Lewiston, Maine, and lived in West Springfield all his life. He was the general sales manager for General Baking Company, and later managed the Raymond Baking Company. He served in World War II as a sergeant during the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns. He was a member and past president of the Greater Springfield Council of Churches and member and longtime financial officer of the First United Methodist Church.
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Firefighters responded to the car fire on Barber Street in Springfield.
SPRINGFIELD — Firefighters responded to a car fire at 81 Barber St. in the city's Pine Point neighborhood early Sunday morning, said Dennis Leger, executive aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant.
The 2001 Volvo C70 was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived around 5:08 a.m.
Leger said officials believe the car, which was destroyed, was set on fire intentionally.
If anyone has information on the vehicle or its owner they are asked to contact the Arson & Bomb Squad at (413) 787-6370.
Despite the recent gun violence, the city so far has only two confirmed homicides in 2014. By this time last year, the city had already experienced six of its 19 homicides for the year.
Springfield police investigated a Sunday morning shooting that sent one man to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the torso. Two vehicles were damaged as well as more than half a dozern shots were sprayed across the area.
SPRINGFIELD — The weekend got off to a rocky start in Springfield, with three gunshot victims in four separate shooting incidents reported in less than 24 hours.
There were no known additional victims as of early Sunday morning. But from late Friday night through Saturday evening, three men showed up at city hospitals for treatment of gunshot wounds, according to Springfield police, who continue to investigate the incidents.
The first victims showed up at city emergency rooms just minutes apart late Friday night, beginning at about 11:50 p.m. One man had a gunshot wound top the hip, the other was shot in the shoulder.
It remains unclear where the shootings occurred or if they were related. Both men reportedly were uncooperative with police.
The next incident happened around 9 p.m. Saturday in the city's McKnight section, where a man told authorities he was shot in the foot during a failed robbery attempt.
About an hour later, gunfire erupted in the city's Indian Orchard neighborhood. Several spent shell casings were found along the 200 block of Main Street, east of Pinevale Street, and a gun was recovered by a house in the 300 block.
There were no known injuries in connection with the gunfire, which was heard by police on patrol in the area.
The spasm of gun violence comes after a bout of gunfire earlier this month that injured five people and promopted harsh words from Mayor Domenic Sarno, who took aim at everyone from business owners who run establishments that attract gangbangers to parents who fail to parent their kids.
There have been two confirmed homicides in the city this year so far. By this time last year, the city had already logged six of its 19 murders for 2013.
Over all, violent crime continues to drop in many U.S. cities. Of the ten urban centers with the highest murder rates in 2012, eight saw significant declines in 2013, with New York and Philadelphia leading the pack.
Charlene Bordeau 
