Michael Buoniconti awarded diplomas to all the graduates, including his son.

BUCKLAND – Michael Buoniconti, superintendent of the Mohawk Trail Regional School District, had the pleasure of awarding diplomas to the 75 graduates of Mohawk Trail Regional High School at the June 1 graduation ceremonies.

One of the graduates was his son, Robbie, who also is valedictorian of the class and class president.

The Buonicontis live in Ludlow, but Michael said his son has been commuting with him to go to school in the Mohawk Trail Regional School District since fifth grade.

His son spent a week at Ludlow High School three years ago and decided he wanted to come back to Mohawk, Buoniconti said.

Robbie Buoniconti said the small school district caused him to thrive.

He said that when he returned to Mohawk he got very involved in the school and became class president.

“I like the small, rural environment and the relationships with all the kids,” he said.

In a small school, every kid has a story, he said.

When he started school in the Mohawk school district, Robbie said there was some discomfort with the other students and the teachers because his father was superintendent. The district was small , and everybody adjusted, he said.

Michael Buoniconti said that among Robbie’s friends, he is more known as Robbie’s father.

His son’s friends have been to his house, and after the prom Buoniconti hosted a party so kids would have a safe place to go.

He said he had 25 kids at his house. “Who would think kids would want to spend prom night at the superintendent’s house?” he asked.

Robbie Buoniconti said father and son have “a healthy rivalry.”

Michael Buoniconti said he tells his son he also was valedictorian of his high school class, but he was not class president.

Robbie plans to attend UMass Honors College in the fall. His father said he already is missing his son.

The board also interviewed candidates for an administrative assistant position at the Recreation Department and issued a series of permits.

 

EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow Board of Selectmen at its meeting Thursday night presented five graduating seniors from East Longmeadow High School with scholarships in recognition of their exemplary volunteer efforts.

Aria Bracci earned a $1,000 award, while Neal Gagnon, Richard Gebo, Ryan Leveille and Rebecca Moses won $100 apiece.

The students came to the attention of the board by creating videos that explained their respective community service projects. Board member Angela Thorpe suggested that the videos be added to the town website in the near future (three of the videos can be viewed at the end of this article).

"That's such a great feeling, to be able to give back to our young folks," said Thorpe. "Colleges are so expensive, as you know, and every little bit helps ... it's always nice to give back to them."

The funds for the scholarships were provided by Republic Services, the company contracted to handle the town's recycling and trash.

"As part of our agreement with (Republic Services), they offered to support the town with a certain amount of dollars every year that the town can use in many different ways," said Town Administrator Nick Breault. "One of the ways that the Board of Selectmen supports is through scholarship funding, in this case for projects that these five students have done."

In other business:

• Permits were granted to a number of local businesses and churches, including Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt, which received its Food Establishment permit and will be opening on Monday.
• Four candidates for an administrative position at the Recreation Department were interviewed. They were asked to speak on a series of topics by board members, including how they would prioritize the work necessary to move from one sporting season to the next, the value of recreational youth sports, working as an individual or in a team, and why they would be right for the job.
• The board also voted to hold the town Independence Day fireworks celebration on Thursday, July 3. Due to a typo on the documents used in the last meeting, it previously voted to officially schedule it for Wednesday, July 2 instead.

Further information on the details of the meeting can be viewed in the agenda embedded below the students' videos.

East Longmeadow Board of Selectmen Agenda, June 5

The federal program, which would be extended retroactively to cover Collier's death, gives money to families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, has co-sponsored a bill that would extend federal death benefits to families of first responders who work at private colleges, including slain MIT police officer Sean Collier.

The U.S. Department of Justice already runs a Public Safety Officers' Benefits program. The program gives a one-time payment, currently $333,604, to survivors of public safety officers who die from of injuries sustained in the line of duty. It also pays disability benefits to police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians who are permanently and totally disabled from injuries sustained in the line of duty.

Some officers at public universities are eligible for the program. This bill, the Equity in Law Enforcement Act of 2014, would extend eligibility to police officers at private universities.

If passed, the bill would be retroactive to April 15, 2013, the day of the Boston Marathon bombing.

Collier was working as a police officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when he was shot in his cruiser, allegedly by Boston Marathon bombing suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The shooting on April 18, 2013 sparked a police chase and shootout, during which Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was caught after a day-long manhunt and is in jail awaiting trial.

"For those who wear the badge, whether it carries the seal of state or local enforcement or the seal of a university or other institutions, this bill confirms that service to any community is a service to all communities and that service will be honored equally," Markey said in a statement.

The bill was also sponsored by Senators Kelly Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican, Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, and Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat. Rep. Michael Capuano, a Somerville Democrat who represents Massachusetts' 7^th District, sponsored a similar bill in the U.S. House.

According to Markey's office, the bill has the support of the National Association of Police Organizations and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

The bill would also extend benefits to first responders who serve rail carriers.

In addition to death benefits, the bill would make these law enforcement officers eligible for certain federal grant programs to pay for protective equipment.

The last time the Bureau of Justice Statistics conducted a survey of campus law enforcement was in 2004-2005. That study found that there were around 13,000 sworn law police officers at campuses nationwide. Nearly three-quarters of four-year campuses had a law enforcement agency that included sworn police officers with full arrest powers.

Luis Rivera, 31, of Springfield was charged with breaking into a motor vehicle and other charges.

SPRINGFIELD – A man was in his residence at Chestnut Tower Apartments Thursday evening when his car keys began telling him his car was being broken into, police said.

The man called police and his son ran down to the street and began to chase a suspect, said Sgt. John Delaney, spokesman for the Springfield police. Their actions led to the arrest of Luis D. Rivera, he said.

Luis RiveraSpringfield police photo 

The owner of the car told police he was home when the alarm fob on his key chain started to vibrate, alerting him that his car was being broken into, Delaney said. He looked out the window and could see someone going through his car.

The man’s son ran outside and began chasing him toward Maple Street.

Rivera was arrested by officers J.B. Stern and Denise Olivio.

He was scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Springfield District Court. Information from the arraignment was not available.

Here are tips for what to do if your car's engine suddenly quits.

By CONNIE CASS
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The faulty General Motors ignition switches blamed for dozens of crashes, some fatal, aren't the only reason a moving car can suddenly stall. It happened to Bill Van Tassel a couple of weeks ago, as he was steering his Mazda Miata around a turn on an Interstate onramp.

"This type of thing could happen at any time. It's going to be completely unexpected," he says.

Van Tassel's problem had nothing to do with his ignition. His engine quit because it ran out of gas; he says a broken fuel sensor had fooled him. And he was better prepared than most folks: He's in charge of driver training programs for AAA.

Here are his tips for what to do if your car's engine suddenly quits, making it harder to steer and leaving you at the mercy of other traffic.

STEP BY STEP

If your engine quits:

—Look for the safest way off the road. That usually means heading for the right shoulder, but on a divided freeway you may be closer to the left.

—Use your turn indicator to signal where you're going. Emergency flashers, if you can turn them on easily.

—Don't panic if it feels like the steering isn't working. Pull harder. And be ready to push extra hard on the brakes if necessary.

—But if cars are buzzing past on a freeway, you don't want to stomp on the brakes. Let the car's momentum help you navigate through high-speed traffic toward the shoulder.

—Try to stop your car as far off the road as possible. In most cases, it's safer to move well away from the car before calling for help. Never stand behind or in front of your vehicle, because it may be struck by another car.

—If your car stops in the middle of a busy road, you may be safer staying inside, with seat belt on.

FOR EXPERIENCED DRIVERS

Other moves may help, if you feel comfortable using them:

—To help slow the car: Shift into low gear. But many drivers of automatic transmissions aren't in the habit of using the low gears.

—To avoid slowing down too suddenly, shift into neutral to maximize your momentum. But nervous drivers could be at risk of shifting into reverse by mistake.

BE READY BEFORE TROUBLE COMES

When everything is working fine, that's the time to practice moves you might need in a scary situation.

For example, know where the emergency flasher switch is, so you won't have to hunt around.

Van Tassel, based in Heathrow, Florida, suggests finding a level, empty parking lot to practice controlling your car without the engine. In a car with an ignition key, drive about 10 mph, then turn the key back one click to "accessories" mode. (Don't click again to "off," because that might lock the steering wheel.)

When the engine cuts off, in most cases you'll lose power steering, making it hard to turn the wheel, and power brakes will follow soon after. You can still steer and stop but it requires much more force.

ON THE ROAD

Remember what they said in driver's ed: Keep a cushion of space between you and the cars in front and to either side. Be ready to react in an emergency.

Wear your seat belt; at least 13 people have died in the recalled GM cars in accidents in which the air bags failed to deploy after the ignition switches clicked out of the "run" position.

GM advises drivers whose recalled cars haven't been fixed yet to use only the ignition key, with nothing else on the key ring, because heavier key rings increase the risk.

NO MATTER WHAT

Cars can stall for all sorts of reasons: They're out of gas; the alternator, transmission or another part breaks, or the car runs over something that damages the engine.

Being prepared is important.

"You don't want to just throw your hands up and cover your eyes," says Van Tassel. "You've got some options. It's a bad situation, no matter what, but you're trying to reduce the risk."

What did he do when his engine quit? "I got it stopped on the end of the entrance ramp, before it got into the Interstate, turned on the blinkers, got out of the car and moved up a slope so I was well away from traffic," he says. "And, of course, I called AAA."

In the time it took a landing ship to make a trip to the Normandy beaches from the troop transport ships, the Holyoke Soldiers home held a ceremony to honor four veterans living at the facility – Joe Lenarceau, Navy, Normand Drapeau, Navy, Joe Lonczak, Navy and Francis Schoenrock, Army, who 70 years ago today survived the largest seaborne assault in the history of the world. Watch video

HOLYOKE — In the time it took a landing ship to make a trip to the Normandy beaches from the troop transport ships, the Holyoke Soldiers home held a ceremony to honor four veterans living at the facility – Joe Lenarceau, Navy, Normand Drapeau, Navy, Joe Lonczak, Navy and Francis Schoenrock, Army, who 70 years ago today survived the largest seaborne assault in the history of the world.

The future of the world depended on men like them and over 100,000 more that day for the operation to be a success. The D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, code named “Operation Neptune,” had Allied forces coming to beaches with names Juno, Gold, Omaha, Utah and Sword.

Pathfinders parachuted under cover of night to establish radio beacons for aircraft, and the soldiers came by the tens of thousands in the morning. The carnage was horrific, with military historians putting the death toll at over 4,400 that day. Drapeau said the scene at Omaha was terrible, the dead covered the beaches and the ocean ran red with blood.

70 years later the scenes are still remembered with vivid clarity. According to Drapeau, who operated an LCM (Landing Craft Mechanized) during the invasion, the soldiers were all extremely seasick and just wanted to get off the boats. Drapeau, who was awarded two Purple Hearts for his service during the invasion, was shielded by a camera attached to the boat from machine gun fire during the approach to the beach

In a ceremony at the Soldiers Home, over 200 veterans attended. John Paradis, Director of Communication at the Home, started the ceremony with the singing of the National Anthem – those who could stand held salutes, and those sitting in wheelchairs did the same. The Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation followed, and then Anthony DiStefano, Chief Financial Officer of the Soldiers Home, read the “Go order” from Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces, announcing the D-Day invasion to the forces.

The veterans listened in silence, many with their heads bowed. The recording of President Franklin Roosevelt's famous national prayer, read night before the invasion, was played and the room of veterans was silent again. Awards were given out to the Normandy veterans, and the room broke out in applause for each one.

Bagpipe and drums followed by a prayer by Chaplin Brother Frank Grimaldi closed the ceremony. Finally, a bottle of French champagne was uncorked to toast the four Normandy veterans and thank them for their service to the country.

19 world leaders and monarchs celebrated on Friday the sacrifices of D-Day, an assault never matched for its size, planning and derring-do.

By GREG KELLER & ELAINE GANLEY
Associated Press

COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France (AP) — It was a day of pride, remembrance and honors for those who waded through blood-tinged waves, climbed razor-sharp cliffs or fell from the skies, staring down death or dying in an invasion that portended the fall of the Third Reich and the end of World War II.

It was also a day of high diplomacy for a Europe not completely at peace.

After 70 years, a dwindling number of veterans, civilian survivors of the brutal battle for Normandy, and 19 world leaders and monarchs celebrated on Friday the sacrifices of D-Day, an assault never matched for its size, planning and derring-do.

The events spread across the beaches and lush farmlands of Normandy, in western France, had an added sense of urgency this year: It would be the last grand commemoration for many of the veterans, whether they relived the anniversary at home in silence or were among the some 1,000 who crossed continents to be present despite their frail age.

For President Barack Obama, transmitting the memory of their "longest day" means keeping intact the values that veterans fought and died for.

"When the war was won, we claimed no spoils of victory — we helped Europe rebuild," Obama said in a speech at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. It is the site where 9,387 fallen soldiers rest under white marble tombstones on a bluff above Omaha Beach, the bloodiest among five beach landings by U.S. and British troops.

"This was democracy's beachhead," he said, assuring veterans that "your legacy is in good hands."

F-15 jets flew over the cemetery in missing-man formation, a 21 gun salute boomed and taps sounded.

The day of gratitude drew royals including Queen Elizabeth II of England, who dined at the French presidential palace in the evening, and the king of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, as well as political leaders from across Europe. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also joined in, along with a small group of German soldiers, as a sign of European unity.

Both symbolism and pragmatism were on French President Francois Hollande's agenda. With an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had been elbowed out of G-7 talks a day earlier, the ceremonies also became a moment to try to deflate the tense situation in Ukraine. The West fears the ongoing fighting there could fan a new Cold War with Moscow, which has annexed the eastern Ukraine region of Crimea.

Hollande's invitation to Ukraine's president-elect gave impetus to a diplomatic ballet of meetings behind the scenes.

Putin, who was present as a tribute to the Russian loss of more than 20 million troops in WWII — the largest among Allies — met with Petro Poroshenko and Obama on the sidelines of the event. Obama met privately, and briefly, with Putin.

"It is because France itself experienced the barbarity (of war) that it feels a duty to preserve peace everywhere, at the frontiers of Europe as in Africa," Hollande said.

Dancers re-enacted the drama of the Nazi takeover and battles across Europe against Hitler's forces on a stage at Sword Beach, one of the landing points near Ouistreham, a small port where British troops landed and fought their way to Pegasus Bridge, a key route. Ouistreham was the site of the main international ceremony.

It was 6:30 a.m. on June 6, 1944, when soldiers started wading ashore. Operation Overlord, as the invasion by U.S., British, Canadian and Polish forces was codenamed, was the first step in breaching Hitler's stranglehold on France and Europe. Besides Sword and Omaha, Allied forces landed on Utah, Juno and Gold beaches — all codenames.

Ahead of the landing, the U.S. Army's 2nd Ranger Battalion went in with the 5th Battalion Rangers, scaling the craggy cliffs of Point du Hoc to put out of action six 155mm Nazi howitzers that could target landing areas. Paratroopers from the 101st Airborne division jumped into dark skies, some getting lost in hedgerows, shot down or caught in trees.

At least 4,400 Allied troops were killed the first day, and many thousands more in the ensuing Battle of Normandy that opened the Allied march to Paris to liberate the Nazi-occupied French capital in August. Another August assault was launched by forces from North Africa into southern France.

"They left home barely more than boys. They came home heroes," Obama said at an observation deck in Colleville, overlooking Omaha Beach.

Seven decades later, gratitude for life is a theme that runs through some veterans' recollections.

"I was lucky I survived," said U.S. veteran Oscar Peterson, 92, who fought with the 2nd Infantry Division, during his visit to Colleville. At the time, he said "I would say that if I could survive this, I'll work the rest of my life for nothing to be alive."

Clair Martin, 93, of San Diego, California, landed on D-Day with the 29th Infantry Division and said he kept fighting until he reached the Elbe River in Germany the following April. "I praise God I made it and that we've never had another World War," he said.

While many of the fallen in the Battle of Normandy — Americans, British, Polish and even Germans — lie in manicured cemeteries, some victims have been largely forgotten — the French.

Allied bombardments killed an estimated 20,000 French civilians, and Hollande paid tribute to them Friday in Caen, largely destroyed in the bombings like many Normandy cities.

The Vichy government which collaborated with the Nazis — and which France took decades to admit represented the state — used the bombings as a propaganda tool, burying the extent of fatalities. Historians now believe that nearly as many French civilians died in Allied air raids as Britons during the German Blitz.

"This battle was also a battle of civilians," Hollande said. Normandy's residents "helped the victory happen. They opened their doors to the liberators."

U.S. veteran Jack Schlegel, 91, of Albany, New York, who fought in the 508th Parachutist Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne, paid tribute to those who survived and are transmitting the D-Day message.

"I love, especially in this area, the patriotism I can see, that you're so thankful that the Allies ... helped liberate this country from the Nazis and giving the younger children a chance to grow up without this oppression."

___

Ganley reported from Paris. AP writers Lori Hinnant and Julie Pace contributed from Ouistreham; Catherine Gaschka contributed from Colleville-Sur-Mer.

Acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Sloan Gibson warned VA administrators on Friday that intimidation or retaliation against anyone who calls attention to problems within the veterans' health system will not be tolerated.

By JUAN A. LOZANO & MATTHEW DALY
Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Sloan Gibson warned VA administrators on Friday that intimidation or retaliation against anyone who calls attention to problems within the veterans' health system will not be tolerated.

Federal investigators are examining allegations that VA supervisors retaliated against 37 employees who filed "whistleblower" complaints. It included some who complained about improper scheduling practices at the heart of a growing scandal within the VA system.

At a news conference Friday after a visit to a San Antonio VA facility, Gibson said the department will follow laws that forbid whistleblower retaliation.

He said employees of any organization need to feel they can speak out and Gibson warned against anything that would create a climate that would stifle that source. "I think that is wrong. It is absolutely unacceptable." Gibson said.

"There have been questions raised about intimidation or even retaliation. There is a law that forbids that, and we'll follow the law," Gibson said.

He also expressed confidence that investigators will be able to ferret out the truth, regardless of any attempts to squelch potential whistleblowers.

"We have a pretty savvy IG (Inspector General). They are going to gather information from the bottom up," he said. "These guys didn't just fall off the turnip truck. These are professionals at their trade," he added.

The scandal has centered on long patient waits for care and falsified records covering up delays at VA hospitals and clinics nationwide.

After a visit to a Phoenix VA facility on Thursday, Gibson said an additional 18 veterans whose names were kept off an official electronic VA appointment list have died and that he would ask the inspector general to see if there is any indication those deaths were related to long wait times. If so, they would reach out to those veterans' families.

The 18 veterans who died were among 1,700 veterans identified in a report last week by the VA's inspector general as being "at risk of being lost or forgotten." The investigation also found broad and deep-seated problems with delays in patient care and manipulation of waiting lists throughout the sprawling VA health care system, which provides medical care to about 9 million veterans and family members.

Gibson said he does not know whether the 18 new deaths were related to wait times but said they were in addition to the 17 reported last month.

Also Thursday, senior senators reached agreement on the framework for a bipartisan bill making it easier for veterans to get health care outside VA hospitals and clinics.

The bill announced Thursday by Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., would allow veterans who wait 30 days or more for VA appointments or who live at least 40 miles from a VA hospital or clinic to use private doctors enrolled as providers for Medicare, military TRICARE or other government health care programs.

It also would let the VA immediately fire as many as 450 senior regional executives and hospital administrators for poor performance. The bill resembles a measure passed last month by the House but includes a 28-day appeal process omitted by the House legislation.

Daly reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Terry Tang in Phoenix and Donna Cassata in Washington contributed to this report.

A look at what's known and unknown about saving Sgt. Bergdahl:

By NANCY BENAC
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — That feel-good moment in the Rose Garden seems like a long time ago. Just a week after the president announced that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl had been freed in Afghanistan, details emerging about the soldier, the deal and how the rescue came together are only adding to the list of questions.

Why did Bergdahl leave his military post in the first place? Should he be punished as a deserter? Did U.S. troops die looking for him? Was the swap — Bergdahl's freedom for that of five Taliban commanders — a good deal for the United States or the Taliban, or both? Did the U.S. negotiate with terrorists? Why did President Obama OK the prisoner swap? And why now?

A look at what's known — and unknown — about saving Sgt. Bergdahl:

THE SOLDIER

On June 30, 2009, when he disappeared from his infantry unit, Bergdahl was a 23-year-old private first class who had been in Afghanistan just five months. Back home in central Idaho, he'd been known as a free spirit who worked as a barista and loved to dance ballet. After he disappeared, fellow soldiers recalled, he'd made some odd comments about the possibility of getting lost in the mountains and whether he could ship belongings home. Rolling Stone magazine later reported that Bergdahl had sent his parents emails suggesting he'd lost faith in the Army's mission there and was considering deserting. By 2010, the Pentagon had concluded that Bergdahl had voluntarily walked away from his outpost. During the five years he was held by the Taliban, he was automatically bumped up in rank to sergeant. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says Bergdahl's next promotion to staff sergeant, which was to happen soon, is no longer automatic now that he has been freed.

THE CAPTORS

Within weeks of Bergdahl's disappearance, video surfaced revealing that he had been taken captive by the Taliban, who were embroiled in a bloody battle to topple the Afghan government and reclaim power. It's believed that Bergdahl was held in eastern Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan under supervision of the Haqqani network, a Taliban ally that the U.S. deems a terrorist organization. Over the next five years, the Taliban trickled out at least a half-dozen videos of Bergdahl in captivity. The most recent one was a proof-of-life video taken in December that seemed to show him in declining health. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Bergdahl was held under "good conditions," and was given fresh fruit and any other foods he requested. He said the soldier enjoyed playing soccer as well as reading, including English-language books about Islam. Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar said the swap of Bergdahl for five of his men was a significant achievement for the organization, which is angling to increase its influence in post-war Afghanistan.

THE SEARCH

The Pentagon initially said it was "sparing no effort" to find Bergdahl, with members of his own unit involved in the hunt for their former comrade. But the search effort waned after it appeared he had been taken to Pakistan — out of bounds for American forces. No high-stakes rescue effort was launched, mostly because of a lack of actionable intelligence and fears that Bergdahl might be killed during a raid. Instead, the U.S. kept tabs on him with spies, drones and satellites as negotiations to get him back played out in fits and starts. Some of Bergdahl's fellow soldiers have said he should bear the blame for any deaths of soldiers killed or harmed while searching for him. The military hasn't confirmed a link to any such deaths.

THE DEAL

Bergdahl's freedom was negotiated in exchange for the release of five high-level Taliban officials from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The five were the most senior Afghans still at the prison, all held since 2002. They are: Mohammad Fazl, whom Human Rights Watch says could be prosecuted for war crimes for presiding over the mass killing of Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan in 2000 and 2001 as the Taliban sought to consolidate their control over the country; Abdul Haq Wasiq, who served as the Taliban deputy minister of intelligence and was in direct contact with supreme leader Mullah Omar as well as other senior Taliban figures, according to military documents; Mullah Norullah Nori, who was a senior Taliban commander in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif when the Taliban fought U.S. forces in late 2001. Khairullah Khairkhwa, who served in various Taliban positions including interior minister and as a military commander and had direct ties to Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden, according to U.S. military documents, and Mohammed Nabi, who served as chief of security for the Taliban in Qalat, Afghanistan, according to the military documents.

THE TIMING

Several factors helped seal a deal after all this time. Interest in bringing Bergdahl home increased as Obama worked to complete plans for withdrawing nearly all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which would leave fewer resources to keep tabs on the soldier and get him out. U.S. officials say they were increasingly worried about Bergdahl's health, although the video they used to justify those concerns was six months old. Then, this week, administration officials told senators in a closed-door briefing the Taliban had threatened to kill Bergdahl if the proposed prisoner exchange became public, requiring quick action. The administration decided it couldn't follow a legal requirement to give Congress 30 days' notice of plans to release detainees from Guantanamo.

THE COST

Critics are asking whether one soldier was worth trading for five Taliban figures, especially when that soldier's loyalty to the Army has been questioned. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., complained the U.S. had released the "Taliban dream team." On the other hand, State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said the five were likely to be transferred to another country at some point anyway. So the dealmakers reasoned "we should get something for them," she said. Still, Rob Williams, the national intelligence officer for South Asia, told the Senate Intelligence Committee this week that four of the five were expected to resume activities with the Taliban, according to two senior congressional officials who were not authorized to speak publicly because the session was classified. The officials did not say which four.

THE PRESIDENT

It was a celebratory moment when Obama stood in the Rose Garden with Bergdahl's parents last Saturday to announce that their son had been released. But the White House soon was on the defensive both for failing to notify Congress about the arrangement and for the terms of the deal. Obama cast Bergdahl's rescue as an easy call, regardless of how he came to be captured, saying: "Whatever those circumstances may turn out to be, we still get an American soldier back if he's held in captivity. Period. Full stop."

THE SECRET

Senior legislators had been briefed more than two years ago about the possibility of the prisoner swap, stirring up significant opposition among both Democrats and Republicans to the idea of trading Bergdahl for the five Taliban. More than a year went by without further consultation on the matter, and then suddenly it was a done deal, despite a law requiring 30 days' notice to Congress before Guantanamo detainees are released. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said — before the explanation of the death threat — that the administration couldn't afford to wait a month in a tense, fast-moving situation. "That would have seriously imperiled us ever getting him out," he said of Bergdahl. The White House apologized to senior lawmakers for failing to give them advance notice.

THE RULES

Obama said his determination to bring Bergdahl home was grounded in a "pretty sacred rule" that the U.S. doesn't leave behind men or women in uniform. But his critics say the deal violated another basic U.S. tenet: Don't negotiate with terrorists, making it more likely that other Americans will be snatched as bargaining chips. "Every soldier on the ground should be upset by this," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. The Obama administration insisted the U.S. didn't make concessions to terrorists; it simply negotiated a prisoner swap with enemies, just as has been done in previous wars. While the Haqqanis are listed as a terrorist organization by the State Department, the Taliban are not.

THE BROKERS

The administration made sure that the negotiations that produced Bergdahl's release went through intermediaries to keep the Taliban at arms' length. Enter Qatar, a tiny Gulf state with channels to Islamist groups relationships with the West. The Qataris served as a go-between for months, including the intense final days of negotiations. Qatar has an ongoing role in ensuring the five released prisoners remain there for at least a year, under a memo of understanding with the U.S.

THE REINTEGRATION

The military has a program to ease a former captive back into normal life. In military parlance, it's known as "reintegration," and Bergdahl, is working his way through its early stages at a U.S. military hospital in Germany. Each case is different, and Bergdahl's is especially complicated. That is partly because he was in captivity for so long and partly because he has been — or soon will be — made aware of accusations that he deserted his post and willingly sought out the Taliban. A military psychologist who briefed reporters at the Pentagon said negative publicity can "hugely" complicate the process of preparing a former captive or hostage for his return home. That would seem to suggest that Bergdahl faces a potentially lengthy reintegration.

THE FUTURE

At some point Bergdahl will be transferred to an Army hospital in Texas. Hagel has cautioned against a rush to judgment against the 28-year-old soldier. But Dempsey has said U.S. military leaders have no intention of "looking away from misconduct." There are a variety of possible offenses related to an unapproved absence, and a number of potential actions: Bergdahl could be tried by court-martial for desertion. He could be dishonorably discharged. He could be given a non-judicial punishment for a lesser charge, such as being away without leave. If convicted and sentenced, he could be given prison credit for time already served under the Taliban.

THE POLITICS

The deal may be done but the politics of the matter are just revving up. Congressional hearings begin in the next week, and members of Congress will be eager to criticize the terms of the release and the administration's foreign policy. Despite criticism from both parties, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused Republicans of playing politics. On Wednesday, he read aloud past statements from Republicans who said no U.S. service member should be left behind.

THE PRISON AT GUANTANAMO: The Bergdahl deal underscores the difficulties that Obama has had in delivering on his 2008 campaign promise to shut down the U.S. prison. Congress has gradually eased its restrictions on releasing Guantanamo detainees, but there is still considerable concern that freed detainees could resume hostilities against the U.S. Of the remaining 149 prisoners at Guantanamo, 78 have been approved for transfers to their homelands or a third country, and 30 have been referred for prosecution. The U.S. says nearly 40 prisoners are too dangerous to release but can't be charged for a number of reasons, often because there isn't enough evidence against them. Officials have been trying to chip away at that number with a Periodic Review Board. The five Taliban released in exchange for Bergdahl came from that last group.

THE TALKING POINTS

National Security Adviser Susan Rice said the day after Bergdahl's release that he had served with "honor and distinction," a phrase that rankled some who consider his actions less than honorable. It was Rice's second problematic TV appearance, the first being her now-debunked comments after the attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. This time, Rice said she was speaking respectfully of anyone who volunteered for the military in a time of war.

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AP writers Calvin Woodward, Donna Cassata and Deb Riechmann contributed to this report.

Plymouth district attorney says he is shocked that Parole Board released man convicted as a teen of double homicide.

USA wheelchair rugby team gets workout

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More information is available at heartsongyoga.com

EAST LONGMEADOW – Heartsong Yoga will offer an all levels “Mindful Yoga Class” for veterans and those who love and care for them the fourth Sunday of the month from 11 to 12:15 p.m., beginning June 28.

No prior experience is needed. The class will be expertly guided and there will be plenty of modifications and details for all ages and all levels. Deep relaxation will follow class for rest and renewal. The class will be taught by Anneliese Denny-Eves and supported by other teachers from Heartsong who have been trained in the practices of Mindful Yoga Therapy for Veterans, whose mission is “Helping veterans to find a calm and steady body/mind to continue productive and peaceful lives through the support of the physical and mindful practices of yoga.”

Heartsong Yoga is proud to be involved with the organization Yoga for Vets, offering four free drop in yoga classes to any veteran who contacts the studio, at any time. Heartsong is located at 264 North Main Street, Condo East, East Longmeadow. Call Sheila with questions at 413-525-0720 or on the web at heartsongyoga.com.

Officials say the man likely was killed elsewhere and dumped at Town Neck Beach in Sandwich.

SANDWICH — Cape Cod authorities appealed Friday for public help to identify the decapitated, limbless body of a man found wrapped in a tarp on a Sandwich beach this week.

Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe said the body is that of a black man believed to have been around 6 feet tall and weighing 220 to 230 pounds. He said the body has old surgical scar on right side of the abdomen, but no signs of serious disease.

O'Keefe said the man likely was killed elsewhere fairly recently and dumped at Town Neck Beach, where a passer-by found it Wednesday night.

He said the man was wearing black sweat-type pants and a dark blue t-shirt with the name of Cranston Windustrial. The shirt has promotional messages for the Warwick, Rhode Island business O'Keefe said been "extremely cooperative" with investigators. O'Keefe said the company gave away thousands of the shirts, made between six and eight years ago.

O'Keefe said the body was attached to a blue moving dolly.

He said authorities are appealing to people across New England who might remember someone of the same description wearing the shirt or a similar dolly being missing.

"We want to cast a fairly broad net on this," he said.

Organizers envision a larger gay pride parade next year that probably will be held on a weekend day.

HOLYOKE -- The city's first gay pride parade Friday drew about 40 marchers down High Street and a crowd of about twice that for a flag-raising at City Hall, prompting Betty Kaplowitz to think about 1970.

"It just went through my mind: This is twice as many people as we had in San Francisco. Lots of kids, straight people, Aaron Vega's here (for the Holyoke event)," said Kaplowitz, noting state Rep. Aaron M. Vega, D-Holyoke.

Kaplowitz, a Brooklyn, N.Y. native, attended the first gay pride march in San Francisco in 1970. She and Kristen Bachler, owners of The White Rose book store on High Street, organized the march, which gathered on the grass beforehand at United Congregational Church at 300 Appleton St.

They said that while history has shown progress in the drive for equality for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, such marches remain necessary to fight discrimination.

Mayor Alex B. Morse, the city's first openly gay mayor, made remarks after the march in front of City Hall. Custodian Heroindo "Papo" Morales then pulled the ropes to raise the rainbow flag up a silver pole to the right of one bearing the American flag.

"I happen to be gay and I happen to be proud of it," Morse said. "This is such a great event."

The march lasted only minutes from the church to City Hall at High and Dwight streets with minimal traffic disruption and no problems reported, Lt. Matthew F. Moriarty said at the scene.

At the church before the march, Nikita Le Femme of Worcester danced for the crowd to "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross played on a sound system set up by Andee Wadas, 31, of Holyoke.

"That was totally cookie, wasn't it?" Wadas said after Le Femme's performance.

Adults and children listened to the music and chatted.

"I'm really thankful to see so many people out here," Bachler said.

She led a brief "call and response" with the crowd. She read passages such as "To our brothers and sisters in other lands who march even though they face death, we say ..." to which the crowd said, "Thank you."

The march began at 3:41 p.m. with people holding rainbow banners bearing "Peace," "God is still speaking" and "Holyoke Pride Unity in Diversity."

"Hey, hey, ho, ho, homophobia's got to go," chanted Jason Haas, of 46, of Holyoke.

Haas said he was celebrating his 10th wedding anniversary with husband Joseph Botelho, 64.

The Holyoke High School madrigal choir sang the National Anthem and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Pastors Charles and Roberta Morkin of United Congregational Church led a prayer.

Vega said the event highlighted the importance of letting people live and love how they wish.

"I'm honored to be here," Vega said.

Next year, the parade will be larger and probably held on a Saturday to accommodate more people, said Kaplowitz, who read a poem she wrote. It is a victory to get laws that do things like legalize same-sex marriage, she said, but winning over people's hearts remains a battle.

"'The trick is to get to the heart, to the heart of the matter, to the angry person looking for someone to make less of, for someone to blame,'" she said.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said neither an entertainment license nor a liquor license had been obtained for the event, billed as "Summer Nights," and there was no plan on record for it.

Updates a story posted Friday at 3:03 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD — Mayor Domenic Sarno and the city's law department, licensing director and police department have quashed plans for an underage drinking party advertised for Saturday night in a building in the South End.

There is evidence that points to efforts by the promoters to move the event to State Street when the city sent them cease and desist orders, officials said at an afternoon press conference. The company doing business as The Ambrosia Lounge has hosted other events at 143 Main St. for adults without incident.

Sarno said neither an entertainment license nor a liquor license had been obtained for the event, billed as "Summer Nights," and there was no plan on record for it.

Mindful of other such parties in Springfield that have ended in trouble or tragedy, especially in graduation season, city officials are trying to keep ahead of attempts to stage these affairs out of concern for public safety.

"We’ve had some devastating issues occur with our young people," Sarno said. "Enough is enough when it comes to street violence."

View full size06.06.104 | SPRINGFIELD -- Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, center, speaks to the media about unlicensed parties on the third floor of 143 Main St. in the city's South End. The owner of the building, David J. Rothenberg is at far left as is Springfield Police Capt. William Collins. To the right of the mayor are City solicitor Edward Pikula and Atty Alesia Days, Springfield's Director of Licensing.MICHAEL S. GORDON / THE REPUBLICAN 

David J. Rothenberg, owner of the 143 Main St. building, was not aware that Ambrosia Lounge promoter Timothy Babbs, manager of the other events in his building, was planning a so-called 18-plus drinking party, as claimed in a press statement issued by the mayor's office.

Sarno said Rothenberg and Teresa Williams, manager of Teresa Mama's International Cuisine on State Street, are cooperating with the city to keep such unlawful and unlicensed parties out of their buildings.

"Shame on the promoters, or the individuals, trying to promote this," Sarno said.

Both the Springfield and Holyoke City Councils are urging the state to restore funding for Quinn Bill education incentive pay for police officers.

SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. James Welch, D-West Springfield, said Friday he does not foresee the state restoring funds anytime soon to help cities pay the cost of educative incentive pay for police officers, as sought by some area officials.

“At this point, funding is not being discussed or on the table,” said Welch, whose district includes part of Springfield. “The timing is a little bit late to tell you the truth. For the coming fiscal year, I don’t see it happening.”

Another legislator, state Sen. Donald Humason, R-Westfield, said he does believe that state aid for the so-called Quinn Bill incentive pay was a state commitment, and merits additional review.

Recently, both the Springfield and Holyoke City Councils voted to urge their home legislators to file a bill to resume partial funding of the Quinn Bill. In the past, the state funded half the cost of the incentive pay, but the state aid declined several years ago, and then was eliminated two years ago.

James Welch 

Welch said he would consider some legislative action in the future to somehow bring the entire state into uniformity on how education incentive pay is handled. Communities now handle it differently, with some covering the full cost and some covering some share of the cost through negotiations with their police unions, he said.

Springfield pays the full cost, approximately $3.8 million annually in incentive pay to eligible officers who have college degrees. Negotiations with the police union led to a recent arbitration ruling that Springfield must continue to cover the full cost of the incentives.

The proposed state budget for next year, beginning July 1, is now in conference committee, with no provisions for Quinn Bill aid, Welch said.

Humason, whose district includes Holyoke, said he will review the Holyoke council’s request for a legislative bill to partially fund the Quinn Bill.

“Most likely, I’m happy to do it,” Humason said, regarding the legislation. “My feeling was, it was a commitment we made and I’m kind of big on keeping promises, especially long-term promises.. And the Quinn Bill was meant to be that type of long-term promise.”

Under the Quinn Bill, officers receive a 10 percent salary increase on their base pay for an associate's degree, a 20 percent increase for a bachelor's degree, and a 25 percent increase for a master's degree.

Meghan Kelly, a spokeswoman for the state Executive Office of Administration and Finance, said economic conditions do not currently allow the state help pay for the Quinn Bill payments.

“Although Massachusetts is leading the nation in its economic recovery, tax revenue growth remains moderate, and the demand for investments in programs and services far outweigh available state resources,” Kelly said in a prepared response. “That means we are not able to restore all programs to the amount they received in the fiscal years prior to the economic downturn.”

The Supreme Judicial Court ruled in 1993 and again in 2012 that the state is not legally required to help fund the Quinn Bill and cannot be ordered to reimburse cities and towns.

The Springfield City Council has asked its own Law Department to determine if the city has any legal recourse to force funding.

While the Quinn Bill law states that communities “shall be reimbursed” for 50 percent of the cost, that obligation “creates only a conditional right subject to the ‘availability of funds’ for that purpose," the court ruled in 1993 in a case filed by the town of Milton, and upheld in a 2012 Boston case.

The Republican correspondent Mary Serezze contributed to this report.

A new poll conducted by SocialSphere Inc. for the Boston Globe has concluded that in a hypothetical match-up between Republican gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Baker and Democrat Martha Coakley, the gap is narrowing.

BOSTON — A new poll released by the Boston Globe on Friday finds Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker closing the gap with Democratic candidate Martha Coakley.

Coakley, the state’s attorney general, remains the frontrunner in the race. The poll finds Coakley leading Baker, the 2010 Republican gubernatorial nominee, 37 percent to 32 percent.

Baker is competing with Mark Fisher for the Republican nomination for governor. Coakley is competing with four other Democrats.

The poll finds that Baker would beat Democratic state treasurer Steve Grossman, 32 percent to 26 percent. Baker was further ahead of the other three Democratic candidates, none of whom have run for elected office before – Don Berwick, Juliette Kayyem and Joe Avellone.

The Globe poll is consistent with other recent polls, which have also found Coakley slightly ahead of Baker, but Baker ahead of the other Democrats. Several polls have found the margin of Coakley’s lead to be narrowing. A recent WBUR poll put Coakley with a nine-point lead over Baker.

Baker campaign manager Jim Conroy said in a statement, “While all the candidates still have much to prove, Charlie’s early momentum is clear evidence that voters are responding to his positive message of changing the status quo on Beacon Hill and creating jobs.”

The poll of 602 likely primary voters was done May 29 to June 3 and has a margin of error of 4 percent.

The poll was released as the Globe launched its new weekly political publication, called Capital. According to a press release from the Globe, the section “ will be characterized by the depth and breadth of its political reporting, analysis of political campaigns and issues, people and personalities.” It will cover issues such as casinos and medical marijuana as well as elections.

David Scharfenberg, a former reporter for WBUR, will join the Globe’s existing political team in contributing to the section. The newspaper also recently hired Felice Belman, the former editor in chief of the Concord (N.H.) Monitor as a deputy politics editor, who will be working on the section.

Coakley has the best name recognition among the candidates although Baker and Grossman didn't rank poorly in that area either.

The survey has a 4 percent margin of error.

The recommendations will be voted upon at the upcoming School Committee meeting, which will be held on Monday, June 7th in Conference Room A15 of the satellite building on the campus of Longmeadow High School.

 

LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow School Finance Subcommittee, an offshoot of the town School Committee, met Friday morning to discuss the school food service contract, revise the budget for the 2015 fiscal year, and review the application process for next year’s kindergarten classes.

The subcommittee voted to recommend to the School Committee a 50 cent increase in the price of adult meals at the schools in order to work towards making the program, which is currently losing money, financially solvent.

Said committee member John J. Fitzgerald, “$3.50 is cheap. Across the street, it’s 6 bucks for a hamburger."

Subcommittee members also voted to recommend an adjustment in the prospective school budget for the 2015 fiscal year, as mandated at the recent Town Meeting.

"Based on the action at Town Meeting, we now have to go back and revise our FY '15 budget, since they approved a general fund amount different then what we initially submitted and approved back in February," said Thomas Mazza, assistant superintendent for finance and operations. "The difference ... is a reduction of $154,503.05."

To make the adjustment, the amount budgeted for natural gas at Williams Middle School would be reduced by $20,000, while the amount budgeted for electricity at Longmeadow High School would be reduced by $134,503.05.

They also considered how to allocate the kindergarten students enrolled in the district into classes, as well as the number of teachers and aides necessary to accommodate them.

There are currently 127 full-day kindergartners in the district. By virtue of where they live, 52 would attend Blueberry Hill Elementary, 33 would go to Center Elementary and 42 would be enrolled at Wolf Swamp Road Elementary.

There are also 15 in the half-day program - three who would theoretically attend Blueberry, six who would attend Center and six who would go to Wolf Swamp.

Enrollment in kindergarten is open throughout the summer, and thus, the final class structure will be determined in the months to come.

These recommendations will be voted upon at the upcoming School Committee meeting, which will be held on Monday in Conference Room A15 of the satellite building on the campus of Longmeadow High School.

The closed Mater Dolorosa Church is the centerpiece of a proposed historic district on which the City Council will be voting.

HOLYOKE -- After three years of work, a proposal to establish a Polish Heritage Historic District will go to the City Council June 17.

The council is likely to refer the plan, which will be in the form of a proposed ordinance, to its Ordinance Committee for debate over the summer, Kara Cunha, second assistant city solicitor, said Thursday.

If the council votes to establish the district and Mayor Alex B. Morse signs the ordinance, the ordinance will become law.

The closed 113-year-old Mater Dolorosa Church at Lyman and Maple streets is the heart of the proposed district -- over the objections of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield -- that supporters envision as an homage to Polish history in Holyoke.

The final report lists 21 residential and commercial properties on the southern part of Lyman Street that supporters said mark an area of Polish heritage. Polish immigrants came here in heavy numbers between the 1890s and the outbreak of World War I in 1914 to work in the paper and other mills.

The Fairfield Avenue Local Historic District Commission voted 4-0 on May 14 to approve the proposal for submission to the Law Department and City Council.

Supporters have said key to establishing such a district is to save Mater Dolorosa Church by cloaking the community centerpiece in a historic designation and blocking the Diocese,which owns the church, from demolishing it.

Diocese officials have said it was untrue that they are planning to demolish the church.

The Diocese and Our Lady of the Cross parishioners here oppose inclusion of Mater Dolorosa Church in a historic district over issues of control and cost. If the proposed district is established, owners of the properties so designated would be unable to do exterior renovations without approval of local historic officials.

Where such rules could get costly, opponents of the proposal fear, is when guidelines must be followed to ensure materials used comply with the property's historic legacy.

The Diocese closed Mater Dolorosa Church in June 2011, merging that parish with the former Holy Cross Church to form a new parish, Our Lady of the Cross. That parish has Masses and other services at the former Holy Cross Church at 23 Sycamore St.

It was shortly after Mater Dolorosa was ordered closed that former Mayor Elaine A. Pluta requested exploration of a Polish historic district that would include the church.

Final Report April 2014

Arson fire forces evacuation of Whiting Street home.

SPRINGFIELD— A two-family house on Whiting Street was evacuated Saturday morning after fire erupted in the building's basement, and according to arson investigators the blaze was intentionally set. No one was injured in the incident.

Aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, Dennis Leger said the Arson and Bomb Squad responded to the 6:17 a.m. call to 57 Whiting Street, and determined the fire was started in personal property piled on the cellar floor.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, and while some firefighters searched the house for possible fire extension, others set up fans to ventilate the building of smoke.

The two-family house was vacant on the first floor, while three tenants lived on the second. Because of the speed with which firefighters were able to extinguish the flames, Leger said the total damages were less that $5,000 and the tenants on the upper floor would be able to remain in the building.

Anyone having information about the fire is asked to contact the Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad at 787-6370.

Tracy Morgan critically injured in a multi-vehicle crash on the New Jersey Turnpike

FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2010 file photo, Tracy Morgan attends Comedy Central's 'Night Of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Concert For Autism Education' at the Beacon Theatre in New York. Morgan is in critical condition at a hospital in New Brunswick, NJ Saturday morning June 7, 2014 following a violent multi-vehicle crash on the NJ Turnpike overnight. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)Charles Sykes 

Sgt. First Class Greg Williams tells The Associated Press that the vehicle carrying the 45-year-old former "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock" cast member and six others was involved in a six-vehicle accident on the turnpike near Cranbury Township at about 1 a.m. Saturday.

A spokesman at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey, says a patient named Tracy Morgan is in critical condition there.

Williams says one person riding in the bus was killed. There was no immediate word on the condition of others involved in the accident.

Williams says two tractor-trailers, a sports utility vehicle and two cars, along with Morgan's limo bus, were involved in the accident.

The 45-year-old Morgan joined "Saturday Night Live" in 1996 and was on the sketch-comedy program for seven years before leaving to star in "The Tracy Morgan Show" in 2003. That show lasted just one season. In 2006, Morgan found a long-running role in NBC's hit show "30 Rock," which was created by SNL co-star Tina Fey.