Market Basket grocery chain's board said Felicia Thornton was named chief operating officer.

BOSTON -- The Market Basket grocery chain's board removed the company president and two other top executives on Monday after months of infighting.

The board said in a statement that Arthur T. Demoulas "was not re-elected president and will not retain any management responsibilities moving forward." It said vice president Joseph Rockwell and director of operations William Marsden also were removed at its meeting in Boston.

The Lowell Sun reported that the board said Felicia Thornton was named chief operating officer and James Gooch was named chief administrative officer. Thornton and Gooch had been consultants to the company, whose nine shareholders are family members.

"The board believes this new management team will enable Market Basket to maximize its potential and pave the way for continued success in the future," the board's statement said.

Marsden said the action to remove him, Rockwell and Demoulas was "driven by greed" after Demoulas implemented a 4 percent price cut for this year and some board members were concerned that would cut into the company's profit.

The Sun said Demoulas also had criticized the company's board and potential changes to its profit-sharing plan in April.

The Demoulas family has feuded over company management for years. Arthur T. Demoulas' cousin and rival, Arthur S. Demoulas, gained board control last year. Arthur T. Demoulas kept his position then. But Arthur S. Demoulas won a court judgment to distribute $300 million to shareholders, which his cousin had opposed.

The chain began nearly a century ago in Lowell with a store owned by Greek immigrants Arthur and Efrosini Demoulas, whose sons modernized the business and expanded it. The heirs have fought over running the company for more than 20 years.

The Tewksbury-based company has 71 stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and plans to expand to Maine.

A residency requirement was not negotiated with police supervisors, but will take effect for any new members of the United Public Service Employees hired after July 1, under the contract agreements.

SPRINGFIELD — The City Council voted unanimously Monday to approve partially retroactive pay raises for police supervisors and for a municipal union representing clerical and administrative employees.

In addition, the contract with the police supervisors included full funding of an education incentive program known as the Quinn Bill. The council previously approved Quinn Bill funding for city patrolmen in March after a state arbitration ruling called for city funding of the program despite the state's decision to cut off funding for half the cost.

The city spends about $3.8 million annually for education incentive pay for eligible patrol officers and supervisors who have college degrees, with the amount ranging from 10 percent to 25 percent of their base salary, based on type of degree.

At Monday’s meeting, the council voted 12-0 in favor of a contract with the Springfield Police Supervisors Association, representing 67 sergeants, lieutenants and captains, and with the United Public Service Employees Union, representing approximately 170 clerical and administrative employees for several city departments.

For both unions, prior contracts expired June 30, 2012, and neither union received a pay raise for the first retroactive year.

A 2 percent raise was granted, retroactive to July 1, 2013 for both unions, and additional 2 percent pay increases were approved for July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015.

In addition, the police supervisors will receive a 1.5 percent stipend “that shall be applied across-the-board to the salary schedule in effect on June 29, 2014” in exchange for the supervisors agreeing to the concept of visual and audio recording systems in all police cruisers, according to a contract summary.

The supervisors and patrolmen will take part in a 12-member Joint Study Committee to evaluate a mutually agreed upon policy for the cruiser cameras. The two unions and management will assign four members each to the study committee.

Police Supervisors Association President Norman Charest said the officers are glad to see the council's unanimous support, and can get on with the business of working with new Police Commissioner John Barbieri. Barbieri also spoke before the council to voice his support for the contract.

There was no city residency requirement negotiated with the police supervisors association, as prior arbitration efforts with patrol officers had failed, said William Mahoney, the city’s labor relations director. Police are among a number of labor groups in Springfield that are exempt from city residency requirements either by state law or contract, officials said. Councilors, however, have urged the city to negotiate residency into contracts.

The city and the United Public Service Employees Union, however, did agree in the contract that employees hired after July 1, 2014, are subject to the city’s residency ordinance.

It marked the fifth city union that has agreed to a residency requirement for new employees.

Council President Michael Fenton was absent from Monday’s meeting.

Police supervisors' base salaries currently range from $1,360 per week for sergeants to $1,592 for lieutenants to $1,863 per week for captains.

There are dozens of job titles for the clerical and administrative employees, Mahoney said. Examples of some current salaries include $535 for some clerk-typists to $604 weekly for some building custodians, he said.

None of the charges against Jessie Lee Herald, 27, involved a sexual offense.

RICHMOND, Va. -- A Virginia man who has fathered children with several women has agreed to get a vasectomy to reduce his prison term by up to five years in a child endangerment case that has evoked the country's dark history of forced sterilization.

None of the charges against Jessie Lee Herald, 27, involved a sexual offense. Shenandoah County assistant prosecutor Ilona White said her chief motive in making the extraordinarily unusual offer was keeping Herald from fathering more than the seven children he has by at least six women.

"He needs to be able to support the children he already has when he gets out," she said, adding that Herald and the state both benefit from the deal, first reported by the Northern Virginia Daily.

Though Herald willingly -- if reluctantly, according to his attorney -- signed on to the deal, the agreement immediately calls to mind the surgical sterilizations carried out in Virginia and dozens of other states during the 20th century under the discredited pseudoscience called eugenics, said Brandon Garrett, a University of Virginia law professor.

"This takes on the appearance of social engineering," said Steve Benjamin of Richmond, past president of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, who said he has never heard of a case like Herald's.

Some 8,000 people deemed genetically inferior or deficient were forcibly sterilized in Virginia from the 1920s to about 1970. Many other states also had eugenics programs but abandoned them after World War II when forced sterilizations became closely associated with Nazi Germany's racial purity efforts.

The movement resulted in the sterilization of tens of thousands of people, primarily the mentally disabled, minorities and the poor. North Carolina, the lone state to offer compensation to victims of its program, is allowing people until June 30 to apply for such payments.

Herald's attorney, Charles Ramsey, and White, the prosecutor, disputed any suggestion that the plea deal for Herald, who is white, has similarities to eugenics.

"I would never agree with that line of thinking. That was nowhere in my thought process," White said.

Said Ramsey, "I understand the comparison, but I don't think it's fair. That's kind of exaggerating it."

Herald, of Edinburg, was sentenced this month to one year and eight months in prison for child endangerment, hit and run , and driving on a suspended license in a crash in which authorities said his 3-year-old son was bloodied but not seriously hurt.

The agreement requires Herald to undergo the operation within a year of being released from prison and prohibits him from having the vasectomy reversed while he is on probation.

Herald will have to pay for the vasectomy, which can cost from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000. Ramsey said the reason for giving his client a year to get the surgery was to give him time to come up with the money.

Charles Herald said he believes his nephew, who has worked as a roofer and in a poultry plant, has financially supported at least some of his children. But he could not say exactly how many there are.

"I don't think even he knows," Charles Herald said.

The Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office declined a request for a telephone interview with Herald, who is in the county jail.

Ramsey said he had an ethical duty to pass along to his client the prosecutor's highly unusual plea offer.

"It was not a no-brainer for him," Ramsey said. "It was a difficult decision. I had some reservations as well, but I don't want to get too much into my opinion of it because it's not my decision."

Benjamin, who said he was speaking in general terms and not about a specific case, said a vasectomy simply should not be a factor in plea negotiations.

"Sentencing conditions are designed to prevent future criminal behavior," he said. "Fathering children is not criminal behavior."

Said Garrett: "There's a question whether certain options should even be on the table."

Councilors proposed eliminating the emergency management position and reducing the salary of the paralegal position.

CHICOPEE - The City Council proposed few changes in its first department-by-department review of the fiscal year 2015 budget Monday.

The $171.4 million spending plan proposed by Mayor Richard J. Kos calls for an about $3.8 million increase over this year's budget. During the meeting, most department heads said there were little changes and most increases were due to contractual obligations.

The biggest modifications came in the law department, where Kos chose to return to a system of a part-time city solicitor instead of the previous system where the city solicitor was full-time and less money was spent on outside lawyers. The proposed $389,568 is $94,232 less than last year's budget,

One of the reasons for the decrease is the code enforcement officer, who was assigned to oversee problem properties in the city, was moved to the city clerk's office and cut from a full-time to half-time position.

The department also cut a clerk and a legal stenographer position, with a combined salary of $74,000 and replaced it with a paralegal at a salary of $45,000.

That change brought some debate when Councilor Adam D. Lamontagne proposed cutting the cost of the paralegal salary by about $3,800. He argued the stenographer, who recently completed her degree and is now a certified paralegal, received a $7,000, raise when no one else in the city has.

But other councilors disagreed. The final decision on all proposed cuts will be made during the final City Council budget approval meeting scheduled for June 30.

"The increase was for her additional degree," said Councilor James K. Tillotson. "You got rid of the clerk and the stenographer so she is the only one in the office. She is taking on more responsibilities.

In the planning department budget, one clerk job which has been vacant for some time was deleted as was a grant-writing specialist. In exchange the city will add a GIS specialist who will generate a specialize system to map much of the city, said Catherine L. Brown, city planner.

"The mayor is keen on getting a GIS system up and running," she said. "It is exciting to get our department updated to the 21st century."

City councilors asked about the grant writing position approved in the last budget. Brown said the part-time job didn't work well. When the employee left after a short period of time the job was never filled again.

Also added for the first time is an about $96,000 fund to be used to increase owner occupied three-family homes in the city. The idea would be the owners would receive about $16,000 toward a mortgage down payment, which would be forgiven if they remain living in the home for a designated period of time.

The idea makes sense because most people who purchase three-families are not eligible for assistance for moderate-income first-time homebuyers because , the rental income counts toward their regular income.

But having owner occupied housing nearly always improves a neighborhood, Brown said.

"The number of three-families that are owner occupied is almost negligible," she said.

There was some debate over the idea of funding the emergency management director position.

In the budget, Kos had moved the position from the mayor's office, which is a long-standing practice, to the fire department. He also cut it from a full-time job with a salary of $46,000 to a part-time one for $23,000.

Currently Fire Chief Stephen Burkott said he has been serving as the director since the Kenneth Ritchott retired two months ago.

Saying Burkott has been doing a fine job at the position, Lamontagne proposed eliminating the job completely and giving Burkott a stipend for the added responsibilities.
"I don't think the fire chief has the time to invest in this," Burkott said.

Other councilors objected as well and cited the number of severe weather events that have happened in Western Massachusetts in recent years that make it important to have a director.

"I think this will end up as a full-time position," Councilor John Vieau said. "I don't think we are prepared and the weather has been crazy."

Stanley Park will host the Eddie Forman Orchestra July 13 at 6 p.m. in the park's Beveridge Pavilion.

WESTFIELD - Stanley Park will host the Eddie Forman Orchestra July 13 at 6 p.m. in the park's Beveridge Pavilion.

The orchestra is a Western Massachusetts polka band that has been performing since 1968.

The performance is part of the Westfield Bank Sunday Night Concert series.

The performance will be held rain or shine. Chairs will be provided and food service will be available.

Plantier will replace 36-year member Richard Butler on the Planning Board.

WILBRAHAM – The Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board on Monday voted to appoint Tracy Plantier to fill a vacancy on the Planning Board left by the retirement of 36-year member Richard Butler.

Plantier has served as an associate Planning Board member for the past year and has been a member of the town’s Vision Task Force.

Selectman Robert Boilard asked why Butler waited until just after the town election to announce his retirement.

If the retirement had been announced prior to the election, it would have given candidates the opportunity to run for the position, Boilard said.

Butler said he decided to leave when he felt confident there was someone who could step up to replace him.

He said that if Plantier fills out his unexpired term for one year, she can then decide whether she wants to run for a five-year term.

Frederick Fuller, chairman of the Planning Board, said Plantier will be “a great member of the Planning Board.”

He added that the board needs a fifth member in July because there will be several proposals to act on.

Selectmen Chairman Robert Russell said he agrees that Plantier “will be a big asset to the board.”

Three members of the Planning Board – Jeff Smith, Fuller and David Sanders – voted to appoint Plantier to the position along with Selectmen Russell, Boilard and Susan Bunnell.

At a future meeting Planning Board members said they will bring forward a recommendation for associate Planning Board member.

Also on Monday selectmen voted to appoint Sanders as an alternate commissioner to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

Planning Board members said they appointed Plantier to be the regular commissioner to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

The arrests were part of a coordinated effort by Springfield, state and federal agencies.

SPRINGFIELD – Christopher McCullough was awakened from a slumber Monday morning by two Springfield police detectives who had the pleasure of informing him that he was under arrest, police said.

McCullough, 33, of 73 Blanding St., was charged with a Superior Court warrant for distribution of cocaine. He was one of 20 city residents arrested Monday as part of a multi-agency sweep focusing on drug and weapons violations.

Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney said that when detectives Jesse McKnight and Ronald Sheehan woke McCullough up at about 6 a.m. to arrest him, they noticed he had nine bags of crack cocaine laying next him.

This resulted in additional charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, Delaney said.

The arrests were part of a coordinated investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Western Massachusetts gang task force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives task force; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Department; Hampden County Sheriff’s Office.

Details of the arrests were disclosed in a press briefing at the Federal Courthouse on State Street.

“Today’s arrests are the result of our close collaborations with the Springfield police, the Massachusetts State Police and the Hampden County Sheriff’s office,” said U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. “We stand united with our local and state partners in this and future public safety initiative to ensure Springfield is a safe and vibrant community its citizens deserve.”

Of the 20 arrests, Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri said “Just taking one off the streets would have made Springfield a safer place.”

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said “We will be relentless in our fight against guns, gangs and drugs.”

Luis OppenheimerSpringfield police photo 

Teams of Springfield police and state and federal law enforcement fanned out across the city Monday morning serving arrest warrants to suspected drug dealers.

At the same time McCullough was being woken up, Luis Oppenheimer, 27, of 44 Sycamore St. was learning he was also in for a long day.

Springfield police detective Thomas Kakley and members of a Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested Oppenheimer at his home after he was named in a federal indictment for distributing heroin and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

After he was in custody, police found 2,002 bags of heroin and $7,609 in cash inside his house, Delaney said.

Springfield police arrested and booked 10 of the 20 suspects.
In addition to Oppenheimer, those facing federal indictments were:

• David Faust, 26 of 51 Daytona St., who was arrested at 68 Whittier St. by a team of officers led by Sgt. Phil Tarpey on a warrant for Distribution of Cocaine; 

• Richard C. Freeman, 30 of 757 Beacon Circle, who was arrested at his home at 6 A.M. by Springfield police officer Teddy Truoiolo and FBI agents on a warrant for distribution of crack cocaine; 

• Aaron Smith, 30 of 330 Main St., Indian Orchard, was arrested at his home at 7 A.M. by Detective Gregg Bigda and the Springfield Narcotics Unit charges of Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute; 

• and Jose Vargas, 28 of 103 Pearl St., who was arrested at 26 Niagara St. by State Police and Task Force Officers on charges of distribution of heroin and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

Delaney said if convicted, each could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and be fined up to $250,000.

In addition to McCullough, arrested on warrants resulting from indictments in Hampden Superior Court were:

• Ricarte Burgos, 35, of 1607 Main St., Springfield, arrested at his home at 6 a.m. on a warrant for trafficking in cocaine. He was arrested by Detective Dennis Hackett and US Marshalls; 

• and Christian Paret, 20 of 1607 Main St., Springfield, arrested at his home at 6 a.m. on a warrant for trafficking in cocaine. He was also indicted for unlawful possession and sale of firearms and ammunition.

Arrested on District Court warrants were:

• Steven Holloman, 24 of 195 Hickory St., Springfield, who was arrested by Detectives Richard Soto and Chris Bates in front of 36 Rowley St. Agawam. He was charged with a warrant for distribution of cocaine; 

• and Tarryl M. Green, 23 of 121 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, at his home by Springfield police officer Darrin Fitzpatrick and a team of officers from the FBI Taskforce. He was charged with a warrant for distribution of cocaine.

Several others were arrested, but because they were booked by the state police and federal authorities, their addresses were not immediately available.

Facing federal charges for distribution of crack cocaine were Alberto Correa-Martinez, 27, and Stephen Tavernier, 28; Sherad Therrien, 24; Jayson Green, 35; Theo Waldron, 39; Dmitri Major, 36, and another, unidentified person, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Therrien was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Nagee Jones, 22, and Jason Patterson, 30, were charged in separate federal indictments for being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition.

Details of individual cases were not immediately available.

Luis Reyes, Steve Hollowman, and Jermain Davis were all charged in Springfield District Court with distributing illegal narcotics

Republican reporter Jack Flynn contributed to this story

Westfield's city's newest fire apparatus, a $1.3 million aerial ladder truck, is now in service and capable of traveling to all points within the city.

WESTFIELD - The city's newest fire apparatus, a $1.3 million aerial ladder truck, is now in service and capable of traveling to all points within the city.

Fire Chief Mary Regan and department training officer Capt. Seth M. Ellis said Monday the new vehicle provides more flexibility and mobility than its 25-year-old predecessor.

"This platform fits everywhere," Ellis said, noting the now retired platform was unable to travel under several overpasses in different locations within Westfield.

The chief said the 1989 model has been decommissioned and sold to Winchester, N.H.

"Our new platform gives us more flexibility and better mobility in responding to fires and other emergencies that require its services," Regan said.

The chief said the new platform was purchased through a seven-year lease from Pierce Manufacturing of Appleton, Wisc.

It is equipped with a 1,500 gallon per minute pump, 95-foot ladder and state of the art rescue equipment. "This piece of equipment provides significant operational and safety enhancements to the members of the Fire Department," the chief said.

The city has been planning for the purchase of this vehicle for a few years and ordered the platform last year.

The department's platform vehicle responds to just under 300 calls annually, Ellis said.

The Kansas Supreme Court said the risk of being injured by a tossed hot dog is not an inherent risk of watching a baseball game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In a ruling that could force sports teams to reassess how their mascots interact with spectators, the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a new trial for a Kansas City Royals fan who was injured by a hot dog tossed at a baseball game.

The state's highest court said in a unanimous ruling that a legal standard called the baseball rule, which protects teams from being sued over fan injuries caused by events on the field, court or rink, didn't apply to a mascot tossing hot dogs to fans in the stands.

The state Supreme Court said the risk of being injured by a tossed hot dog is not an inherent risk of watching a baseball game.

"That risk is no more inherent in watching a game of baseball than it is inherent in watching a rock concert, a monster truck rally, or any other assemblage where free food or T-shirts are tossed into the crowd to increase excitement and boost attendance," the court said in its 36-page ruling.

John Coomer of Overland Park, Kansas, said he was injured at a 2009 Royals game when the team's mascot, Sluggerrr, threw a wrapped hot dog into the stands, striking Coomer in the eye. Coomer had two surgeries, including one to repair a detached retina. He was seeking compensation in excess of $20,000 from the team.

The Missouri Supreme Court ruling said a jury that first heard the case and sided with the Royals were improperly instructed to consider whether the risk of the injury from the mascot was an inherent risk of watching the game.

"No such argument applies to Sluggerrr's hotdog toss," the ruling said. "Millions of fans have watched the Royals (and its forebears in professional baseball) play the National Pastime for the better part of a century before Sluggerrr began tossing hotdogs, and millions more people watch professional baseball every year in stadiums all across the country without the benefit of such antics."

However, Royals attorney Scott Hoffer said another jury may still rule for the Royals. Hofer noted that the jury at the first trial found Coomer was at fault because he wasn't aware of what was going on around him.

"Notably, the Supreme Court did not say the jury was wrong when it assigned Mr. Coomer 100% of the fault," Hofer said. "We don't see how what the Supreme Court did will affect how a jury views this case."

Bob Tormohlen, who represented Coomer, said he was pleased with the ruling.

"It's always good to win," Tormohlen said. He said he hadn't yet discussed the decision with Coomer.

Randy Maniloff, a Philadelphia lawyer who often writes about cases involving sporting event spectators, said he was surprised by the decision. He said the ruling could force sports teams to rethink how mascots in the stands interact with spectators.

"The mascots have a lot of interactions with fans, and now the question becomes: Will the teams have to take a step back and look at what their mascots are doing, and are they going to change their activities?" he said.

The mayor of state's capital praised the state's highest court just hours after it issued a ruling on Tuesday clearing the way for a ballot question that could lead to the repeal of the law that legalizes resort style casino gambling in Massachusetts.

BOSTON - The mayor of state's capital praised the state's highest court just hours after it issued a ruling on Tuesday clearing the way for a ballot question that could lead to the repeal of the law that legalizes resort style casino gambling in Massachusetts.

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh said he was "very pleased" withthe Supreme Judicial Court's unanimous ruling that will put the future of the state's casino gambling law in the hands of voters in November.

"I'm very pleased that the Supreme Judicial Court has given the people of East Boston and Charlestown the right to vote, which the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has failed to do. The most important piece of this process is ensuring that our residents have their voices heard. Now it is up to the voters of Massachusetts to decide whether or not we allow gaming in the Commonwealth," said Walsh in an emailed statement.

The negotiating period between the city and the two casino projects was recently extended by mutual agreement. The negotiating period with Wynn was extended to Wednesday and the period with Mohegan Sun has been extended to Friday.

"The decision today, while valuable, does not impact our current negotiations, and our deadlines remain in place. We continue to negotiate in good faith under the timeline imposed by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission," said Walsh.

In an email Walsh's press secretary Kate Norton said that discussions were productive while noting that the mayor still maintains the city is a host community not a surrounding community.

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Peter Rosskothen said it's a tricky balance to update a favorite like The Fort without alienating longtime patrons.

This story continues: The Student Prince: Chamber sees need to encourage downtown patronage

SPRINGFIELD - Peter Rosskothen wanted to be clear that he is not interested in buying The Student Prince Cafe and The Fort Dining Room, but he thinks the restaurant presents a tremendous opportunity to a prospective buyer.

"I believe in Springfield, I believe good things are coming down the pike. But it might just be an issue of holding on for a little longer," Rosskothen said.

He is co-owner and president of the Log Cabin, the Delaney House and The Mick and Log Rolling catering, all in Holyoke.

Peter Rosskothen 

"I'm happy with what we have right here in our area," he said Tuesday. "Sometimes I think expansion can be not the right thing to do."

On Monday, Rudi Sherff, managing partner at The Fort, cited declining business, advancing age and the impending reconstruction of Interstate 91 as reasons his family is looking to sell. The Fort will continue serving customers through Saturday and host an open house Sunday.

"I'm honestly very sad for that restaurant. I hope someone picks it up and keeps it going," Rosskothen said. "But it won't be me."

The challenge, Rosskothen said, will be to modernize the restaurant  to update its appeal to a new generation of diners without angering stalwart customers.

"It's a tough balance," he said. "But I think the idea of the (new) beer garden is the right approach. The key is to take that and apply it to the restaurant a bit."

Diners are still going out, he said. But they have many more choices.

Is the Quinn Bill for police exorbitant public spending or a deserved benefit?

HOLYOKE -- The spewing of "windbagged largesse" was just one of the phrases the patrolmen's union president used in an email to identify city councilors who tried to cut the extra pay officers get for having college degrees.

Holyoke City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain, left, and Officer Edward J. Moskal, president of president of Local 388, International Brotherhood of Police Officers.(FILE PHOTOS) 

An attempt last week in a City Council budget review to cut the more than $1 million in so-called Quinn Bill money in half failed as did another to trim the police benefit by $250,000.

City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain said the criticisms of union president Edward J. Moskal reflect poorly on the Police Department and fail to capture his public safety support.

Moskal was unmoved.

"I don't think it's anti-City Council. I think it's an explanation of what happened in the six hours of the (budget) meeting," Moskal, president of Local 388, International Brotherhood of Police Officers, said Monday.

Quinn Bill scrutiny came this year in an especially tough budget with the city facing a deficit of $4.5 million.

Jourdain and other councilors argued cuts had to be made somewhere. Ward 5 Councilor Linda L. Vacon said it was common sense that if councilors failed to cut nonjob areas like benefits, then soon the only area left to cut will be jobs.

The size of the budget the council approved now, as in, the amount of cuts made, is directly related to the size of the tax increase home and business property owners will get in December. That's when the City Council sets the new tax rate to raise revenue to fund the budget.

Jourdain has argued for several years the city can longer afford to pay the entire Quinn Bill cost now that the state has refused to honors it commitment to reimburse half that cost to cities and towns.

Supporting Quinn Bill payments is not pro-police, Jourdain has said, but exorbitant public spending.

Moskal in the June 18 email to officers saw it differently.

"Furthermore, the 'Windbagged Largesse' spewing from his sartorial tutorial pointed directly at his disdain for the city employees, especially those who are members of the Police Department. Further his venomous words were aimed more directly at the members of Local 409. Somewhere along the way when younger he must have never been given a police sticker to adorn his clothing attire," Moskal said.

Moskal further criticized Ward 7 Councilor Gordon P. Alexander, who made the motion to cut the Quinn Bill line item in half, and the other councilors who supported the cut -- "while saying how much they support the police" -- Linda L. Vacon, Jossie M. Valentin, Rebecca Lisi and Daniel B. Bresnahan.

"We must remain ever vigilant to preserve our hard fought benefits and rights as union members," Moskal said.

Moskal in the email praised councilors who opposed Quinn Bill cuts. Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin was, he said, "by far the voice of reason in defending nearly all portions of the upcoming budget year."

He also noted that councilors Peter R. Tallman, Howard B. Greaney, Todd A. McGee, Anthony Soto, Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Jennifer Chateauneuf, David K. Bartley voted against Quinn Bill cuts and that Mayor Alex B.Morse and Police Chief James M. Neiswanger backed full Quinn Bill pay.

"If you happen to see the mayor, the chief, or any of the councilors who stood by us, thank them," Moskal said.

Jourdain said the Quinn Bill argument was about what taxpayers can afford, not bashing police.

"The state says it cannot afford their 50 percent share of the benefit anymore. Holyoke taxpayers certainly cannot afford to pay the state’s bill or anymore taxes. It is outrageous for the city’s highest paid employees, many of whom live out of town, to insist the city flip the state’s bill," Jourdain said.

As for Moskal's email, he said, "I want the public to know that I will never be held hostage by a union thug who says give us everything we want or I will try to kick you out of office. As council president, I came into this position with my integrity and will leave it someday with my integrity."

The deficit must be covered, he said, and that means that if police officers who make more than $100,000 with Quinn Bill pay and extra-duty jobs "cannot sacrifice one dime," then other employees will lose their jobs.

"This is not fair or wise. We all need to be in this together," Jourdain said.

The City Council on Monday voted 9-4 to approve the budget at $124.4 million.

That came after councilors made cuts of more than $1.1 million from Morse's original proposal of $125.5 million across two marathon budget sessions.

The budget Morse proposed was 1.5 percent, or $1.9 million higher than the bottom line Morse submitted a year ago for the current year of $123.6 million.

The Quinn Bill is named after Robert Quinn, the late legislator who filed the bill that became law in Massachusetts in 1970. It pays officers with an associate’s degree get an increase of 10 percent of their base pay, those with a bachelor’s get 20 percent and those with a master’s get 25 percent.

An officer making $50,000 a year, depending on the college degree, would get annual bonuses of $5,000, $10,000 or $12,500.

Below is the email that Officer Edward J. Moskal, president of Local 388, International Brotherhood of Police Officers, sent to members June 18:

Dear Fellow members of IBPO Local # 388, Local # 409 and SEIU 888,

For those of you who did not attend or watch the City Council meeting last evening, Tuesday, June 17, 2014 let me apprise you of what had occurred during the six hour long meeting. First I would like to thank Mayor Alex Morse for his continued support and full funding of the Quinn Bill. Mayor Morse understands that the City is committed to funding this benefit through the entirety of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between our Local and the City. I would like to thank Chief Neiswanger for his unwavering support for not only the Quinn Bill but also for all funding of the Police Department Budget. The Chief withstood the condescending words and actions by the person who should maintain a neutral and professional demeanor when running a City Council Meeting. Furthermore, the "Windbagged Largesse" spewing from his sartorial tutorial pointed directly at his disdain for the City Employees, especially those who are members of the Police Department. Further his venomous words were aimed more directly at the members of Local # 409. Somewhere along the way when younger he must have never been given a police sticker to adorn his clothing attire.

Let us thank the following City Council members who not only by words but by actions showed their unflinching support for not only the Police but also for all City employees. Councilor Joe McGiverin was by far the voice of reason in defending nearly all portions of the upcoming budget year. His professionalism shown was the highlight of what was otherwise an embarrassing evening for all citizens of Holyoke. Peter Tallman, Howard Greaney, Todd McGee, Anthony Soto, Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Jennifer Chateauneuf, David Bartley along with Joe McGiverin voted to keep full funding of the Quinn Bill.

For those of us who reside in Ward # 7, I am embarrassed to say that it was our Councilor, Gordon Alexander who motioned to cut the Quinn Bill funding in half, to a decrease of over $ 500,000.00. Others to join the bandwagon and vote for the cut and against the Police while saying how much they support the Police were Linda Vacon, Kevin Jourdain, Jossie Valentin, Daniel Bresnahan and Rebecca Lisi.

Todd McGee must be thanked as well in explaining that the benefits that we enjoy are from Collective Bargaining Agreements between the City and our Union (s) and that any attempt at reduction would result in litigation against the City. Mr. McGee is absolutely Correct.

It is quite apparent that there appears to be a rising tide against City Employees and that we are the reason for the tough economic times that the City is facing. The Union and the City enter into a Collective Bargaining Agreement which benefits both the Employer and the Employee. When settling the contracts, the City knows what it will cost them over the life of the contract.

If you happen to see the Mayor, the Chief, or any of the Councilors who stood by us, thank them. For those who do not believe that we do not deserve benefits that were agreed upon, let your family and friends know and replace them with Councilors who have respect for the Employees of the City of Holyoke. We must remain ever vigilant to preserve our hard fought benefits and rights as Union Members.

Below is City Council President Kevin A. Jourdain's response to Moskal's email:

My record of supporting public safety in the city is excellent. In fact, last year I was endorsed by Holyoke’s Firefighters for my strong record on public safety. Defending the city paying the state’s share of the Quinn Bill is not pro-city employee in fact it is quite the opposite. The state says it cannot afford their 50% share of the benefit anymore. Holyoke taxpayers certainly cannot afford to pay the state’s bill or anymore taxes. It is outrageous for the city’s highest paid employees, many of whom live out of town, to insist the city flip the state’s bill. We also have no legal obligation to do so, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts told us that. The $500,000 cost necessary to pay more to the highest paid employees will be coming at the expense of all the other city employees who do not enjoy such lavish benefits. Moskal does not care about the city’s fiscal crisis as long as he gets his cut. I have a greater duty besides self-interest to make sure the city budget is balanced. The current budget proposed by the Mayor has a $4.5 million dollar deficit that must by law be filled. If the people at the very top all making over $100,000 plus per year cannot sacrifice one dime, then it will mean layoffs to other valuable lower paid less powerful city employees. This is not fair or wise. We all need to be in this together.

I want the public to know that I will never be held hostage by a union thug who says give us everything we want or I will try to kick you out of office. As Council President, I came into this position with my integrity and will leave it someday with my integrity. I want the public to know the type of attacks Councilors who try to represent them have to put up with in order to do the job they sent me to City Hall to do. These comments reflect poorly on the police department and our city and are further evidence of why are political system is so dysfunctional today. Many have lost our sense of shared sacrifice and the greater good. I have not and will not be intimidated by such petty attacks and tactics. I will continue to deal with the city’s challenges honestly and openly and work to make common sense solutions.

A minor accident on a busy highway is rarely commands the attention of the press around the world -- unless the car is worth more than $650,000.

A Connecticut auto technician got into an accident with a customer’s car Monday on I-95 in Stamford. He and his passenger escaped with minor injuries, but the car itself was heavily damaged and had to be towed from the scene, according to media reports.

A minor accident on a busy highway is usually not exactly a stop-the-presses moment -- except in this case. That is because the car that was damaged bouncing off retaining walls along the highway happened to be a 2003 Ferrari Enzo. One of only 400 ever made, it was worth in excess of $650,000.

The key word there was "was."

Faster than one can say “Schadenfreude,” accounts of the story were zigzagging around the Internet.

The car enthusiast blog Jalopnik ran the story with a headline “Noooooo! Someone just crashed a Ferrari Enzo in Connecticut.”

The New York Times even carried an article, albeit one written by Reuters. 

According to the Harford Courant, Connecticut State Police reported the car “fish-tailed” and spun out of control in the northbound lane of I-95 near exit 8. The car struck a wall on the right side of the highway, zipped across the road and hit a barrier on the other side, before coming to a stop facing into traffic.

The driver, identified as Leonardo Garcia, was cited by police for failing to stay in marked lanes, according to FOX CT out of New Haven.

Garcia was not the owner of the car. He is identified as an auto technician at Miller Motorcars, a luxury car dealership in Greenwich, Conn.

The owner of the car, according to Connecticut State Police was Michael Fux of Monmouth Beach, N.J.

Fux is a multimillionaire who made his fortune selling memory-foam mattresses, according to press reports. Fux is something of a collector of rare sport cars.

And a Ferrari Enzo would certainly qualify as rare.

At the Gothamnist notes “Ferrari produced less than 400 Enzos ever, meaning smashing one into the center divide of a Connecticut highway is generally frowned upon.”

The 650-horsepower Enzo, named after Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the famed Italian auto company, has a 12-cylander engine and is able to go zero to 60 mph in a little over 3 seconds. It has a tip speed of around 218 MPH.

A little perspective from Jalopnik: “Just remember, if you have an Enzo, and you use it as your daily driver, that it still has over 600 horsepower. Those things can be a bit tricky if your only other car is a Geo Prizm, and you're used to flooring it to maintain speed with traffic flow.”

Boston City Hall Plaza will host an outdoor World Cup watch party on Thursday for the United States' third and final group game against Germany.

BOSTON — Boston City Hall Plaza will host an outdoor World Cup watch party on Thursday for the United States' third and final group game against Germany.

With a place in the coveted Round of 16 at stake, thousands of red, white, and blue clad fans are expected to pack the brick-covered outdoor space for the lunchtime match. Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh has organized the event with the help of the New England Revolution, according to a release sent from his office.

The United States needs a win or tie to punch their ticket to the next round. Even if the U.S. loses, the team can still advance from their group through a variety of tiebreakers. Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight gives the Yanks, as they're commonly known, a 75.9 percent chance of advancing to the next round.

Boston was one of the top markets for viewership of Sunday's United States-Portugal game, with an 11.5 rating. Nielsen concluded 24.7 million people watched the broadcast nationwide on TV, while another 2.8 million watched an online stream, making Sunday's game the most watched non-NFL sporting event of the year.

The city last held an outdoor watch party for the World Cup on City Hall Plaza in 2006 for the final between France and Italy.

City Hall Plaza is scheduled to open to the public at 11:30 a.m.

The City Council voted to approve Mayor Richard A. Cohen’s proposed $81.3 million 2015 fiscal year operating budget Monday with five amendments and a nearly $300,000 reduction to the operating budget overall.

AGAWAM — The City Council voted to approve Mayor Richard A. Cohen’s proposed $81.3 million 2015 fiscal year operating budget Monday with five amendments and a nearly $300,000 reduction.

The first amendment to the budget included a change to not allow administrative transfer of funds from line items within the budget without prior council approval.

Clerical errors to the budget were the main focus of the second amendment, said Christopher C. Johnson, council president.

“In the highway and grounds budget you can see last year it was $51,000 to fund that one position,” he said. “They made an error and put $103,000. So, it was more or less a clerical error. They put the incorrect salary in the amount so we reduced it by $49,000 to get the correct salary amount.”

The other part of the second amendment was a $48,000 reduction to building maintenance to reflect one position instead of a clerical error of two positions.

For the third amendment, the council voted to limit spending to $25,000 for the $250,000 compost bins fund.

Several members of the council had expressed their disapproval of the amount in the fund, which led to the passing of this amendment. Money from the fund could potentially be used for the purchase of hybrid vehicles for the city, with transfer and expenditure approval by the council.

“It’s just our way of limiting what they can spend out of those revolving accounts, that’s all we did,” Johnson said.

The fourth amendment also put a spending limit of $25,000 on Tuckahoe Turf Farm’s $213,000 fund, he said.

Tuckahoe Turf Farm is a 290-acre parcel of land bought more than 25 years ago, he said. Portions of land have been rented out by farmers and have been used to generate revenue for the debt service, he said. A few years ago, the city paid off its debt service.

“The money’s just been sitting in there, not doing anything,” he said. “So, again, I think it’s because we on the council want to take a look at the revolving fund picture.”

The fifth amendment reduced the reserve fund from $450,000 to $250,000, with a vote of 6 to 4, with one councilor absent.

The United States and its European allies are finalizing a package of sanctions on Russia's key economic sectors that could be levied as early as this week, though the penalties might be delayed because of positive signals from Russian President Vladimir Putin, administration officials and others close to the decision-making said Tuesday.

By JULIE PACE, MATTHEW LEE and BRADLEY KLAPPER

WASHINGTON — The United States and its European allies are finalizing a package of sanctions on Russia's key economic sectors that could be levied as early as this week, though the penalties might be delayed because of positive signals from Russian President Vladimir Putin, administration officials and others close to the decision-making said Tuesday.

Penalizing large swaths of the Russian economy, including its lucrative energy industry, would ratchet up the West's punishments against Moscow over its threatening moves in Ukraine. The U.S. and Europe have already sanctioned Russian individuals and entities, including some with close ties to Putin, but have so far stayed away from the broader penalties, in part because of concern from European countries that have close economic ties with Russia.

But with the crisis in Ukraine stretching on, a senior U.S. official said the U.S. and Europe are moving forward on "common sanctions options" that would affect several areas of the Russian economy. A Western diplomat said those options included Russia's energy industry, as well as Moscow's access to world financial markets.

The U.S. and Europe have been eyeing a European Council meeting in Brussels later this week as an opportunity to announce the coordinated sanctions. However, the enthusiasm for new sanctions, particularly among European leaders, appears to have waned in recent days as countries evaluate whether Putin plans to follow through on a series of promises that could ease the crisis, officials said.

The Russian leader acted Tuesday to rescind a parliamentary resolution authorizing him to use the Russian military in Ukraine. He also urged the new Ukrainian government to extend a weeklong cease-fire and called for talks between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels that are widely believed to be backed by the Kremlin.

Putin's moves came one day after he talked by phone with President Barack Obama, their first known conversation in more than two weeks.

The threat of sector sanctions may be driving Putin to try to avoid penalties that could have a devastating impact on the already shaky Russian economy. However, there were no guarantees that Moscow would abide by the West's requests to pull back its troops from the Ukrainian border, stop arming separatists and negotiate seriously with Kiev.

Indeed, there were signs Tuesday of just how fragile the situation on the ground remains. Hours after Putin called for the cease-fire to be extended, pro-Moscow separatists shot down a Ukrainian military helicopter, killing nine servicemen.

Vice President Joe Biden spoke to Ukraine's new president, Petro Poroshenko, for the third time in as many days and offered his condolences for the deaths. The White House said Biden also underscored the importance of having monitors in place in Ukraine to verify violations of the cease-fire, as well as the need to stop the supply of weapons and militants from flowing across the Russian border.

At the State Department, spokeswoman Marie Harf described the situation on the ground as "two steps forward, one step back."

"We do see some positive signs on the ground," she told reporters. "The cease-fire, some separatists have accepted it, but the same day some other separatists shot down a helicopter. That President Putin says he'll go to the Duma, that's good, but then they continue the military buildup."

At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest said that if Russia were to make positive changes, it would make additional sanctions "less likely."

Even if the U.S. and European Union decide not to levy sector sanctions this week, they could outline clearer intentions to ultimately take that step. In Europe, the 28 nations that form the EU may at least agree on the details of a package of sanctions so the penalties could be levied quickly, according to the Western diplomat, who like other officials insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the internal deliberations by name.

An industry expert and legislative aides with knowledge of the sanctions said the penalties being readied by the U.S. are expected to focus on energy and aim to hurt the Russian economy without causing undue harm for U.S. industry — a shared concern among administration officials, business lobbies and members of Congress.

Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron discussed Ukraine on Tuesday, including the possible implementation of "additional coordinated measures to impose costs on Russia" should Russia fail to make positive changes, the White House said.

Although American officials have examined the possibility of unilateral action, they are still trying to do everything in concert with European countries. Officials said implementing restrictions on American companies exporting oil and gas exploration technology to Russia, for example, without similar rules for European competitors, risks harming major U.S. players in Russia's burgeoning energy sector such as ExxonMobil and Halliburton.

Several U.S. businesses are worried about the prospect of imminent sector sanctions on Russia and have held meetings with senior administration officials over the past 10 days.

Given their reliance on Moscow for fuel supplies and far deeper economic integration with Russia, European countries are unlikely to go along with any far-reaching energy sector action. So if the U.S. moves ahead on its own, the Obama administration fears Russia would be able to escape punishment by shifting business from U.S. firms to European energy giants such as BP, Total or Royal Dutch Shell.

The U.S. government offers no adequate method for people to challenge their placement on its no-fly list, a federal judge ruled Tuesday in a case involving 13 Muslims who believe they're on the list.

By NIGEL DUARA

PORTLAND, Ore. — The U.S. government offers no adequate method for people to challenge their placement on its no-fly list, a federal judge ruled Tuesday in a case involving 13 Muslims who believe they're on the list.

U.S. District Court Judge Anna Brown found people lack a meaningful way to challenge their placement on the list, which bars them from flying to or within the United States. She also said the 13 people who sued the government have been unconstitutionally deprived of their right to fly.

"This should serve as wakeup call to the government," said American Civil Liberties Union attorney Hina Shamsi. "This decision also benefits other people wrongly stuck on the no-fly list because it affords them (an opportunity to challenge) a Kafkaesque bureaucracy."

U.S. Justice Department spokeswoman Dena Iverson said government attorneys were reviewing the decision.

Thirteen people — including four military veterans — challenged their placement on the list in 2010.

Initially, Brown said she couldn't rule on the case. In 2012, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed and sent the case back to her. Brown ruled in August that the 13 people challenging their presence on the list had a constitutional right to travel and, on Tuesday, found the government violated that right.

"For many," Brown wrote in Tuesday's decision, "international travel is a necessary aspect of liberties sacred to members of a free society."

The judge said placement on the no-fly list turns routine travel into an "odyssey," and some of those on the list have been subjected to detention and interrogation by foreign authorities.

The no-fly list, a well-protected government secret, decides who is barred from flying at U.S. airports, and is shared with ship captains and 22 other countries. The FBI has said the list requires secrecy to protect sensitive investigations and to avoid giving terrorists clues for avoiding detection.

The no-fly list contains thousands of names and has been one of the government's most public counterterrorism tools since 9/11. It also has been one of the most condemned, with critics saying some innocent travelers have been mistaken for terrorism suspects.

The plaintiffs argued being on the list harms their reputations. Several who filed suit said they have been surrounded at airport security areas, detained and interrogated.

Brown expressed skepticism at the government's arguments in several court hearings in 2013 and earlier this year. U.S. government attorneys cautioned the judge not to engage in "policymaking" were she to rule against them.

The ruling shows Brown heeded that caution. She did not create a new procedure for those on the list to challenge their placement. Instead, Brown said the Department of Homeland Security needs to find a way to disclose to those on the list the unclassified information used to place them there.

Since much of what is used for placement is classified, Brown said the government should provide people on the list with the nature and extent of the classified information, the type of threat they pose to national security, and the ways in which they can respond to the charges.

Her suggestions for an overhaul of the system hewed closely to those prescribed by the 9th Circuit in a separate case involving an Islamic charity.

The process "does not provide a meaningful mechanism for travelers who have been denied boarding to correct erroneous information in the government's terrorism databases," Brown ruled.

In January, a California woman successfully challenged her placement on the list, but the ruling did not address the broader constitutional implications.

School Superintendent Todd Gazda said he recommended against implementing the PARCC test next year after listening to the district's teachers.

LUDLOW – The Ludlow School Committee voted unanimously Tuesday night to use the MCAS exam instead of the PARCC test to assess student progress for the 2014-15 school year.

School Committee member James P. “Chip” Harrington spoke out against the PARCC test and the Common Core state standards.

“More states are stepping away from the PARCC and the Common Core,” Harrington said, adding, “I want to slow down the process.”

PARCC stands for Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. The online statewide assessment exam is meant to evaluate competency in the new Common Core state standards for English and math.

School Superintendent Todd Gazda said he recommended against implementing the PARCC test next year after listening to teachers. Gazda said teachers are still learning how to implement the Common Core standards and aligning how they are teaching with the standards.

School Committee member Jacob Oliveira said about 50 percent of districts across the state so far have voted to go with the PARCC exam and 50 percent with the MCAS.

Oliveira said he favors having the town take another year to implement the PARCC exam.

He said the reason a new curriculum and exam are needed is because when Ludlow students go on to college, about 60 percent of them are requiring remedial math or English before they take college courses.

Oliveira predicted that either the MCAS exam will be changed a year from now by the state or else the state will implement the PARCC test.

School Committee Chairman Michael Kelliher said the Common Core standards focus “more on critical thought than rote.”

School Committee member Patricia Gregoire said that both teachers and students are familiar with the MCAS test.

Gregoire said she favored continuing with the MCAS test for another year.

“PARCC treats students as if they are guinea pigs,” she said.

Kelliher said the state has not made a final decision on which test will be given a year from now, but Kelliher said the state is likely to change the test a year from now, whether it gives a new MCAS test or a PARCC test.

“This coming year will be the last year of standardized testing as we know it,” Kelliher said. He said the school district needs to be realistic and prepare for a new test.

“We can’t stop standardized testing from happening,’ he said.

Police closed a section of Monson Road Tuesday night after a car wreck occurring about 100 yards from Hitching Post Lane.

This story will be updated as information becomes available.

WILBRAHAM — Police closed a section of Monson Road Tuesday night after a car wreck occurring about 100 yards from Hitching Post Lane.

Two ambulances were seen rushing from the scene of the accident, which also involved downed power lines.

A National Grid truck was on the scene working to restore power.

The crash site is between Hitching Post Lane and Bolles Road.

Police were releasing no information about the number of cars involved or about the number injured.

The field will be whittled down to one after the Sept. 9 primary; there are no Republican or independent candidates.

SPRINGFIELD - The four Democratic candidates for Hampden district attorney worked to bring their messages to the public during a forum hosted by the local NAACP chapter on Tuesday.

The forum included questions from a three-member panel. It hit topics including prison overcrowding, police brutality and marijuana prosecutions, while audience members followed up with queries about recalcitrant witnesses and diversity.

It was the fourth public forum for candidates Shawn Allyn, a Holyoke attorney; Hal Etkin, a lawyer from Longmeadow; assistant prosecutor Anthony Gulluni, of Springfield; and former longtime prosecutor Brett Vottero, also of Springfield. The event at Springfield Technical Community College drew by far the largest crowd of all the forums and featured the most detailed questions to date.

Panelists included Leslie S. Smith and Sophia E. Jeffries, officers with the Springfield chapter of the NAACP, and Todd Hankins, project director of Veterans with Vision. It was moderated by WWLP 22-News reporter Laura Hutchinson.

All candidates vowed to be tough on street crime and focus more heavily on diversion programs for juvenile offenders and substance abusers. Most decried the swelling number of inmates and Vottero in particular focused on the disparate numbers of African-Americans in the nation's jails and prisons.

When asked by an audience member how each would handle fearful and obstinate witnesses who stymie murder investigations, the responses included similar themes but were nuanced.

Gulluni emphasized his current position as an assistant prosecutor in Hampden County and his personal experience with temporarily relocating a witness to South Carolina in a murder trial. However, he focused sharply on changing the culture in the inner city through partnerships with churches and community groups.

"The anti-snitching pop culture paradigm has to change," Gulluni said. "More money might not come; we have the resources now and I've used them."

Vottero, who spent more than two decades as a prosecutor, said the future district attorney must distinguish between witnesses who are genuinely fearful and those who are simply defiant.

"In some cases (witnesses refuse to cooperate) not only out of fear - it's out of a desire to stonewall police. We need to get that group before the grand jury, put them under oath and ask them the questions."

Etkin highlighted declining state funds earmarked for state-funded witness protection. It dipped to $94,000 this year from nearly $1 million in 2007.

"If we're going to ask people to step forward and risk their lives, we have to be right there with them," Etkin said.

Allyn talked about his plan to establish a witness protection unit should he be elected, and has spoken of his intentions to lobby Boston elected officials for more money to fund greater shields for witnesses who cooperate with investigations.

The forum follows a rash of gun violence in Springfield recently that claimed the lives of two 18-year-olds in separate shootings.

While questions at the forum did not focus solely on issues facing people of color, the first audience question chosen at random quizzed candidates specifically on their electability based on "diversity and multicultural experience."

Vottero conceded he grew up in an all-white, small town in the Midwest, but noted that he was a member - and later an official of - an organization called CISV International, which promotes cross-cultural friendships through camp program.

"At 11 years old I spent time at a camp with children from Liberia and Costa Rica and all over the world," Vottero said.

Allyn spoke about his experience as a social worker with the former state Department of Social Services and working with some of society's poorest and most vulnerable as clients. He also touched on his disclosure earlier in the campaign that he is gay.

"As a gay person I know what it's like to be different," Allyn said.

Gulluni emphasized growing up in Springfield and remaining there, and on his father's long tenure as director of the now-closed Massachusetts Career Development Institute,a job training center that largely served minorities.

"It was my home away from home. I grew up around diversity and in some ways I've mirrored my father's work," Gulluni said.

Etkin focused on his roots growing up in the city's North End, a Latino friend whose birthday party he recently attended, and asked his law partner, Travaun Bailey, to stand up.

"He's a great guy and he's smart. He just happens to be African-America," Etkin said.

In his closing remarks, Etkin also asked Alesia Days, a supporter and a black attorney who works for the city of Springfield, to stand up and vowed to hire her if elected.

While the opponents in the race have been courteous and few barbs have been thrown at any of the public events, Allyn quipped:

"I hope my supporters aren't upset with me. I have about 30 of them here and I haven't promised any of them jobs," he said, drawing laughs from the audience.

The field will be whittled down to one after the Sept. 9 primary; there are no Republican or independent candidates. The winner will replace former district attorney Mark G. Mastroianni, who was appointed as a federal judge earlier this month near the end of his first term.