"Fire: An Emergency Performance for Gaza" will be staged at Park Hill Orchard.

EASTHAMPTON — Vermont's legendary Bread and Puppet Theater will perform "Fire: An Emergency Performance for Gaza" at Easthampton's Park Hill Orchard on Thurs., Aug. 14 at 8 p.m.

Bread and Puppet founder Peter Schumann dusted off the troupe's classic 1966 piece "Fire," inspired by three who set themselves on fire to protest the Vietnam War, in response to current events in Gaza, according to orchard owner Russel Braen, who's hosting the event.

The puppets from "Fire" have been the main display at the Bread and Puppet Museum in Glover, Vt. for decades. Thursday's event offers a rare opportunity for people to see the piece performed live, said Braen.

"It's known as a quiet, intense and powerful piece," Braen said in a telephone interview Sunday. "It's going to be a historic performance of Peter Schumann's breakthrough work."

"Fire" was one of Bread and Puppet's early creations, and launched the group onto the international stage. Braen said the piece has been updated and revised to address the current tragedy in Gaza.

Bread and Puppet, known for its political theater and giant puppets, celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. The group started in New York City in 1963, in 1970 moved to Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., and in 1974 moved to a nearby farmstead, the non-profit's longtime home.

Bread and Puppet for years hosted a summer festival called Our Domestic Resurrection Circus at its Vermont farm. The event became wildly popular, drawing thousands from across the globe. Schumann put an end to the event after a 1998 "piece of horror where a man, a drunken man, killed a drunken man" at one of the festival's campsites.

"Good riddance," said Schumann of the mass gatherings, in an interview with Democracy Now! journalist Amy Goodman last year.

The theater group still performs smaller shows at its farm on Sundays during the summer. There, audience members are treated to homemade bread, still baked by Schumann, who turns 80 this year. The company also tours around the world.

What: Fire: An Emergency Performance For Gaza, performed by the Bread and Puppet Theater
When: Thursday Aug. 14 at 8 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m.
Where: Park Hill Orchard, 82 Park Hill Rd., Easthampton MA
Admission: Free of charge. Please leave dogs and alcoholic beverages at home.

Northeast berry growers are learning ways to combat an invasive fruit fly that wiped out 80 percent of some farms' late-season fruit two years ago, forcing some small growers out of business.

By LISA RATHKE, Associated Press

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Northeast berry growers are learning ways to combat an invasive fruit fly that wiped out 80 percent of some farms' late-season fruit two years ago, forcing some small growers out of business.

The tiny spotted wing drosophila (droh-SAHF'-uh-luh) arrived in the U.S. from Asia in 2008 and turned up in the Northeast two years later.

The pest tends to make its way to New England in mid-August and lays its eggs in blueberries and raspberries. The population is expected to build until late September.

"We've seen noticeable impacts since 2012," said Adam Hausmann of Adam's Berry Farm in Charlotte. "It's definitely a game changer for late-season soft-bodied fruit."

Many farms are harvesting the berries as soon as they ripen or even before and refrigerating them to prevent damage. Other growers are spraying fruit with an organic or conventional insecticide. Some organic growers have switched from fall raspberries to spring raspberries and are placing nets over the plants.

Adam's Berry Farm has moved its fall raspberries into hoop houses covered with fine insect netting. It lost about 60 percent of its fall raspberries and late-season blueberries in 2012 and 2013.

Hausmann decided against using insecticide.

"For us as a farm, and managing the farm and the pest, we didn't feel comfortable with that, so we decided to go with covering them," Hausmann said. "This will be the first year that we've done it so I'm curious to see the impact."

The farm also planted more summer raspberries and sold a couple hundred mature late-season blueberry plants.

Two farms in eastern New York tried netting, insect trapping and weed mats as part of a research project. The project found success in netting smaller plants, especially for organic growers, said Laura McDermott, Cornell Cooperative Extension Fruit and Berry Specialist with the Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program.

Vern Grubinger, a vegetable and berry specialist for the University of Vermont Extension, said it's also crucial to pick the berries as soon as they're ripe and to refrigerate them to stop the decay.

"Those two things alone are really helpful, especially for small-scale producers," Grubinger said.

Still, growers like Walker Farm in Dummerston, Vermont, picked their ripe fruit and placed it into refrigeration and still lost about 10 to 20 percent of its berries last year.

Bigger growers, including those in Maine, the country's largest producer of wild blueberries, are spraying and harvesting sooner and planting earlier varieties.

"You take a loss, but the loss is on green berries rather than having to put more pesticides out there," said Jim Dill, pest management specialist at the University of Maine Extension.

On Sept. 19 at noon, Sen. Elizabeth Warren will read from her autobiography "A Fighting Chance" in the lobby of the new $95 million University Crossing student-engagement center.

LOWELL — When UMass Lowell kicks off its notable author series on campus next month, the state's senior United States senator and her new book will be in the spotlight.

View full sizeElizabeth Warren's latest book "A Fighting Chance" was released on April 22 in hardcover, digital and audiobook formats.

On Sept. 19 at noon, Sen. Elizabeth Warren will read from her autobiography "A Fighting Chance" in the lobby of the new $95 million University Crossing student-engagement center.

"We are fortunate to have someone of the caliber of Sen. Warren kick off the author series at University Crossing. This center will be a tremendous resource for the public as well as the campus as we plan to bring both together there for events like this on a regular basis," said UMass Lowell Chancellor Marty Meehan in a statement. "We look forward to sharing this state-of-the-art hub of activity with the community."

The high-profile Massachusetts Democrat won her seat in 2012 and released the book in April with a series of promotional events which brought her to various U.S. cities including a packed book reading in Springfield.

Entitled "A Fighting Chance," the book chronicles Warren's personal story, spanning her life growing up in Oklahoma to being called upon by President Barack Obama to serve in Washington. The book also talks about her time chairing a congressional panel overseeing the use of federal bailout money and her push to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

During the UMass Lowell event, signed copies of Warren’s book will be available at the River Hawk Shop, the university's new flagship bookstore at University Crossing. For more information on the event, visit the university's website here.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" sliced off $65 million at the weekend box office.

LOS ANGELES -- "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" sliced off $65 million at the weekend box office.

Paramount Pictures' comic-book adaptation featuring Megan Fox alongside computer-generated renditions of the pizza-eating, sewer-dwelling superheroes lunged into first place in its debut weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. The action film's totally tubular result prompted the studio to announce plans Sunday for a sequel set for June 3, 2016.

Megan Colligan, Paramount's head of domestic marketing and distribution, said the success of the "Ninja Turtles" reboot was mostly derived from a pair of distinctly different audiences: men who fondly remembered the 1980s and '90s franchise that spawned a cartoon series, toy line and a live-action film trilogy, and youngsters familiar with a newer Nickelodeon animated TV series.

"It's odd when you have 25- to 35-year-olds and then 7- to 12-year-olds really excited about the same film," Colligan said. "The teen audience was actually the one that wasn't as familiar with the property, so we put a lot of focus on teens. I think we did a great job of getting them out there to see the film, which is so fun, refreshing and unique."

Marvel Studios' cosmic romp "Guardians of the Galaxy" starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista as members of an intergalactic band of do-gooders slid into second place in its second weekend with $41.5 million, bringing its total domestic haul to $175.9 million. Marvel and "Guardians" distributor Disney revealed last month at San Diego Comic-Con that a follow-up is planned for 2017.

"This is the third weekend in a row we've had a film overperform," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst with Rentrak. "It's finally starting to feel like summer. The perception of August used to be that it was the month of the B-sides, not the hits. The movies are now defining what August can be, not the month defining what the movies should be."

"Lucy" was another recent success. The mind-bending Scarlett Johansson film came in fifth place with $9.3 million in in its third outing this weekend.

Several newcomers debuted distantly behind the heroes on the half-shell this weekend.

The Warner Bros. disaster film "Into the Storm" touched down in third place with $18 million, while the Disney drama "The Hundred-Foot Journey," starring Helen Mirren, arrived in fourth place with $11.1 million. Universal's dance sequel "Step Up All In" popped up in sixth place with $6.5 million.

___

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.

1. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," $65 million.

2. "Guardians of the Galaxy," $41.5 million.

3. "Into the Storm," $18 million.

4. "The Hundred-Foot Journey," $11.1 million.

5. "Lucy," $9.3 million.

6. "Step Up All In," $6.5 million.

7. "Hercules," $5.7 million.

8. "Get on Up," $5 million.

9. "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," $4.4 million.

10. "Planes: Fire & Rescue," $2.4 million.

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBCUniversal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by 21st Century Fox; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

A total of 36 families and an estimated 100 people were displaced from the fire.

This story updates a story filed at 10:15 a.m.

AMHERST – Fire investigators are continuing to search for the cause of a Saturday night blaze that has displaced more than 100 people from one of the buildings at the Southpoint Townhouses & Apartments complex.

“We are sure it is not suspicious,” Amherst Fire Chief Tim Nelson said. “We are still mucking around and trying to find things that will lead to a cause.”

The state Fire Marshal’s Office and Amherst fire inspectors are working together to identify a cause, he said.

The blaze was first reported at 4:55 p.m. and is believed to have started in an apartment on the top floor of the three-story building and spread into the attic area, he said.

“We think it was burning for a while in the ceiling space,” Nelson said.

The building met fire safety codes and had plenty of smoke detectors, but detectors are not required in attic areas so the fire was not noticed quickly, Nelson said.

Investigators are concentrating on the area around Apartment 97G and a nearby stairwell, which had the most fire damage, believing that was the area where the blaze began, he said.

Residents of that apartment were not home at the time, he said.

“The great thing was no one got hurt. If it was late at night, someone may not have seen it break out and it could have more serious,” he said, adding a number of residents were not home Saturday afternoon.

When firefighters arrived they could see flames coming from the rear of the third story. Fire officials immediately called for all off-duty town firefighters to report. In addition 13 surrounding communities assisted with fighting the fire, manning the ambulance or manning at the station, Nelson said.

Initially a crew of five firefighters responded and made the initial attack on the fire. While they did a good job and stopped the fire from spreading, being that short-staffed is a problem, Nelson said.

“They got up on the roof and cut channels on the side of the roof,” he said.

A total of 36 of the 38 apartments were occupied but Nelson is still trying to figure out the number of people who have been displaced. He estimated it is more than 100.

The American Red Cross opened a reception area at the complex Sunday morning to assist residents. By about 3:30 p.m., it had provided 46 adults and eight children from 18 of the displaced families with some type of some type of food, clothing or other assistance. It has also given six of the families funds for temporary stays at hotels.

Some families have also found permanent housing within the complex and others are staying with friends or families, said Dawn Leaks, spokeswoman for the Red Cross.

Red Cross volunteers will continue to meet with residents Sunday until all of the displaced have been assisted, she said.

There is no damage estimate yet. Nelson said the building is constructed in a large C shape and the middle part is where the fire was so that has been badly damage. However apartments on the end mostly had smoke damage and residents will be able to retrieve belongings.

Firefighters remained on the scene until about 8 a.m. to ensure the fire did not rekindle, he said.

The homeowner will be able to remain in the house.

CHICOPEE – A fire caused by improper disposal of smoking materials caused about $10,000 in damage to a Willimansett home.

The fire was reported by neighbors at about 2:45 p.m., Sunday, on 25 Florence St., Deputy Fire Chief Jame McInerny said.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze quickly. It was mostly limited to the outside of the two-story single-family house, but flames did penetrate an area of the kitchen, McInerny said.

The owner of the home was not there at the time of the fire. He will be able to remain in the house, he said.

Both groups held signs and encouraged drivers to beep in support of their cause.

CHICOPEE – Protesters and counter-protesters of illegal immigration gathered on opposite sides of the Memorial Drive rotary holding signs and encouraging motorists to honk their horns to show support for their cause.

The second rally in two weeks to protest illegal immigration went off as planned even though the federal government announced Tuesday it would not be bringing undocumented children who have entered the country illegally to Massachusetts to be housed temporarily at Westover Air Reserve Base or Camp Edwards on Cape Cod. Gov. Deval L. Patrick had earlier offered the locations when President Obama put out a call asking states to help with the children.

The number of unaccompanied minors along the southwest border has dropped and the number of children in Customs and Border Protection custody has fallen so the temporary placement centers are no longer needed.

Sunday a group of protesters who come from a number of different groups including the Pioneer Valley Tea Party and Impeach Obama waved flags and showed signs saying “No Amnesty.”

Counter protesters from groups such as Arise for Social Justice and the Injustice Liberation decided to hold their own rally at the same time. They held own signs across the street and chanted. Some members accused the anti-illegal immigration group of harassing them.

“It is not a problem that is going away,” said Chicopee Ward 9 Councilor Gerry Roy, who attended the protest. “They are not stopping, no one is being deported. No one is going home.”

Counter protesters who are showing their support for undocumented children show their signs on Memorial Drive Sunday.JEANETTE DeFORGE/REPUBLICAN 

He and others aired concerns that some of the undocumented children are actually gang members, the crisis will increase the heroin trade at the border and children will not be easily assimilated into the American culture.

Protesters said their main message is the borders have to be secured and illegal immigration has to stop. The counter protesters argued that the refugee children are in crisis and need to be cared for properly.

“We are here to support the children,” said Vanessa A. Lynch, of Northampton, one of the counter protesters. “America was made up if immigrants.”

Along with Patrick saying he had 1,600 people who called or emailed their support to bringing the undocumented children to Massachusetts. The counter protesters said they also have a petition with more than 300 signatures from local people who supported the move, said Camila Carpio, of Amherst.

But protesters argued that the actual cost of trying to deal with the undocumented children is something the country cannot afford, especially when veterans are waiting for health care and some are homeless and jobless.

President Obama this week it is asking Congress for $3.7 billion to handle the influx of undocumented children crossing into the United States from Mexico and Central America.

“Secure the borders. We can’t take care of the whole world,” said Wendy Olbrych, of Chicopee. “The middle class is being taxed into poverty.”

She called the protesters simply a group of citizens who are concerned about illegal immigration. Gubernatorial candidate Republican Mark Fisher joined the group.

Benjamin Brewer, of Maine joined the protest. His long drive was eased by the fact that his fiancée, a legal immigrant from Mexico, is a reservist at Westover.

“The main idea is to stop illegal immigration and to boost up legal immigration,” he said.

The FBI opened an investigation into the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who police said was shot multiple times after being confronted by an officer in Ferguson, a suburb of 21,000 that's nearly 70 percent black.

By JIM SUHR
and DAVID A. LIEB

FERGUSON, Mo. — A black teenager who was fatally shot by a police officer had his hands raised when the officer approached with his weapon drawn and fired repeatedly, according to two men who said they witnessed the shooting that sparked a night of unrest in suburban St. Louis.

The FBI opened an investigation Monday into the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who police said was shot multiple times Saturday after being confronted by an officer in Ferguson, a suburb of 21,000 that's nearly 70 percent black.

Authorities were vague about exactly what led the officer to open fire, except to say that the shooting was preceded by a scuffle of some kind. It was unclear whether Brown or a man he was with was involved in the altercation.

Investigators have refused to publicly disclose the race of the officer, who is now on administrative leave. But Phillip Walker said he was on the porch of an apartment complex overlooking the scene when he heard a shot and saw a white officer with Brown on the street.

Brown "was giving up in the sense of raising his arms and being subdued," Walker told The Associated Press on Monday. The officer "had his gun raised and started shooting the individual in the chest multiple times." The officer then "stood over him and shot him" after the victim fell wounded.

Dorian Johnson offered a similar account when he told WALB-TV that he and Brown were walking home from a convenience store when a police officer told them to get out of the street and onto the sidewalk. Johnson said they kept walking, which caused the officer to confront them from his car and again after getting out of the vehicle.

Johnson said the first time the officer fired, he and Brown got scared and ran away.

"He shot again, and once my friend felt that shot, he turned around and put his hands in the air, and he started to get down," Johnson said. "But the officer still approached with his weapon drawn and fired several more shots."

"We wasn't causing harm to nobody," Johnson said. "We had no weapons on us at all."

Walker acknowledged that he did not see a scuffle or the circumstances surrounding the first gunshot.

The St. Louis County Police Department refused to discuss Johnson's remarks, citing the ongoing investigation. But county Police Chief Jon Belmar previously said that an officer encountered Brown and another man outside an apartment complex, and that one of the men pushed the officer into his squad car and they struggled over the officer's weapon.

Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson said there's no video footage of the shooting from the apartment complex or from any police cruiser dashboard cameras or body-worn cameras that the department recently bought but has not yet put to use.

Brown's parents and their attorneys asked the public to share any information and video recordings related to the shooting.

The family had planned to drop their son off at a technical college Monday to begin his studies.

"Instead of celebrating his future, they are having to plan his funeral" and consulting with attorneys about arranging a second autopsy, said Benjamin Crump, a family attorney who also represented Trayvon Martin's relatives in the racially charged 2012 slaying in Florida.

"I don't want to sugarcoat it," Crump added. Brown "was executed in broad daylight."

Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, said she did not understand why police did not subdue her son with a club or stun gun. She said the officer involved should be fired and prosecuted, adding that "I would like to see him go to jail with the death penalty."

The FBI is looking into possible civil rights violations arising from the shooting, said Cheryl Mimura, a spokeswoman for the agency's St. Louis field office. She said the FBI would be investigating regardless of the public attention surrounding the matter.

Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement that the case deserves a full review.

Nearly three dozen people were arrested following a candlelight vigil Sunday night after crowds looted and burned stores, vandalized vehicles, assaulted and threatened reporters, and taunted officers who tried to block access to parts of the city.

Deanel Trout, a 14-year resident of Ferguson, was convinced the troublemakers were largely from outside Ferguson and that they used Brown's death and the vigil as an opportunity to steal.

"I can understand the anger and unrest, but I can't understand the violence and looting," Trout said.

St. Louis County police spokesman Brian Schellman said 32 people were arrested for various offenses, including assault, burglary and theft. Two officers suffered minor injuries, and there were no reports of civilians hurt.

Several businesses were looted, including a check-cashing store, a boutique and a small grocery store. People also took items from a sporting goods store and a cellphone retailer and carted rims away from a tire store.

Some climbed atop police cars as the officers with riot shields and batons stood stoically nearby, trying to restrict access to the most endangered areas. Tear gas had been used, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley's spokeswoman said.

On Monday, the scene of the shooting was marked with a makeshift memorial of candles and signs in the middle of the narrow street where Brown fell dead.

Brown's father, also named Michael Brown, visited the memorial Monday, at one point straightening a wooden cross. He abruptly left after gunshots rang out a block away. There were no reports of injuries from that gunfire.

The person who was with Brown has not been arrested or charged, and it was not clear if he was armed, Jackson said. Blood samples were taken from Brown and the officer who shot him for toxicology tests, which can take weeks to complete.

AP writers Alan Scher Zagier in St. Louis and Eric Tucker in Washington and AP researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.

As a new temporary truce took hold, negotiators from Israel and the Hamas militant group resumed indirect talks Monday to reach a long-term cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH

CAIRO — As a new temporary truce took hold, negotiators from Israel and the Hamas militant group resumed indirect talks Monday to reach a long-term cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

The two sides huddled in an Egyptian government building for nine consecutive hours, a Palestinian official said Monday, in what are expected to be marathon negotiations in the coming days.

The Palestinian delegations were more optimistic Monday, the Palestinian official told The Associated Press, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the negotiations with the media. He said progress was made on several issues.

The 72-hour truce, brokered by Egypt, took effect just after midnight, in the second attempt to halt a month of heavy fighting between the sides.

A similar three-day truce collapsed on Friday when militants resumed rocket fire on Israel after the sides were unable to make any headway in Egyptian-brokered negotiations for a more lasting deal. Hamas is seeking an end to an Israeli-Egyptian border blockade, while Israel wants Hamas to disarm.

The monthlong war, pitting the Israeli military against rocket-firing Hamas militants, has killed more than 1,900 Palestinians, the majority civilians, Palestinian and U.N. officials say. In Israel, 67 people have been killed, all but three of them soldiers, officials there say.

The halt in violence allowed Palestinians in war-battered Gaza to leave homes and shelters.

On Monday morning, high school students in Gaza filled the streets as they headed to pick up their graduation certificates after the Education Ministry said they'd be ready. People waited to buy fuel for generators as power and communication workers struggled to fix cables damaged in the fighting. Long lines formed at ATMs.

Last week's talks failed in part because Israel rejected Hamas' demand for a complete end to the blockade of the Gaza Strip, enforced by Egypt and Israel. Israel says the closure is necessary to prevent arms smuggling, and officials do not want to make any concessions that would allow Hamas to declare victory.

The blockade has greatly limited the movement of Palestinians in and out of the impoverished territory of 1.8 million people for jobs and schooling. It has also limited the flow of goods into Gaza and blocked virtually all exports. Unemployment there is more than 50 percent.

Hamas officials have since signaled that they will have more modest goals in the current round of talks.

Bassam Salhi, a Palestinian delegation member, said he was optimistic ahead of Monday's talks.

"We hope to reach a deal within the 72 hours, based on ending the blockade and opening the crossings," Salhi said.

Israel's finance minister, Yair Lapid, called on the international community to offer a massive aid package for Gaza conditioned on the Western-backed Palestinian Authority returning to power in Gaza.

Hamas, which is shunned as a terrorist group by the West, ousted the forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.

In an interview, Lapid said Abbas is the legitimate authority in Gaza, and that if Hamas were removed, the blockade could be lifted, achieving Hamas' own stated purpose for firing rockets.

"We think this is feasible, and we think we should involve the Arab world into the process, and we should involve the entire international community," he said. "The end is peaceful Gaza, a peaceful Israeli south, and a rehabilitated Gaza."

Palestinian officials said the two delegations met throughout the day, and into the evening, at an Egyptian intelligence facility in Cairo. Journalists were barred from the site, and there were no details on the talks.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not supposed to discuss the negotiations with the media, said the Egyptians told both sides to brace for marathon negotiations in order to reach a deal before the 72-hour window closed.

One of the officials told AP that he was optimistic after Monday's talks and that progress has been made in some of the key issues.

He said that Israel had accepted that the western-backed secular Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, be able to pay salaries of civil servants in Gaza that belong to Hamas. Salary payments for more than 40,000 government employees hired by Hamas during the past seven years are a key point of contention.

Progress had also been made on allowing building materials into Gaza for reconstruction purposes, he said.

Israeli officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the talks.

Israel's Channel 10 TV cited an unidentified Egyptian source as saying it would take more than 72 hours, meaning the temporary truce will have to be extended or there will be another return to fighting.

It said that Egypt had offered some opening of its Rafah border crossing with Egypt, but that Hamas was worried the opening would be partial. The crossing is Gaza's primary gateway to the outside world.

The report said there were also deep differences over Israel's demand for demilitarization of Gaza, and Hamas demands to reopen the territory's airport and seaport.

The current Gaza war escalated from the abduction and killing of three Israeli teens in the West Bank in June. Israel blamed the killings on Hamas and launched a massive arrest campaign, rounding up hundreds of its members in the West Bank. Hamas and other militants unleashed rocket fire from Gaza.

$279,508 in CPA funding is sought for a new field at White Brook Middle School.

EASTHAMPTON — A proposal to replace a bedraggled football field at the White Brook Middle School here will be vetted by the City Council's Finance Committee Wednesday night.

The group Easthampton Friends of Football, acting through the School Department, has requested $279,508 in Community Preservation Act funds to help replace the field, which was put in place by volunteers more than 15 years ago.

The football boosters' group has committed to raising $40,000 through various fundraisers. Last year, the CPA awarded the project $25,000 for design work. The target date for completion is fall 2015.

Easthampton Eagles Youth Football and the high school team use the field, which suffers from drainage issues and other damage.

The Community Preservation Act funding request was referred to finance from the CPA committee in May. Spending CPA funds on the field project will ultimately require an affirmative vote from from the full City Council.

Meanwhile, supporters continue to raise money.

This Saturday, proceeds from the annual JJ Dushane Memorial Fund Golf Tournament at the Southampton Country Club will help the cause. Dushane was a star football player for Easthampton High School who died in a 2008 auto accident.

The library's first meet-the-candidates night attracted 42 people running for different statewide offices.

SPRINGFIELD – Republicans, Democrats and independents from Boston, the South Shore and the city joined together to spread their campaign message, meet voters and learn their concerns.

“It was fabulous. I wish every city in the commonwealth was doing this,” said Patricia Saint Aubin, Republican candidate for auditor.

Although she had a one hour, 45-minute drive to Springfield, Saint Aubin said she would have driven farther to get a chance to talk to residents one-on-one and explain why her experience as an accountant and professional auditor is key for the job.

In its first meet-the-candidates night, the Springfield Public Library attracted 42 candidates who are running for offices such as state representative, senator and district attorney, as well as statewide offices including governor, lieutenant governor and auditor.

The idea came from the library’s civic and community engagement team, which wanted to give voters a chance to ask their own questions and air their concerns. Candidates were randomly split into three different rooms and residents could walk up to any one of them, said Jean Canosa Albano, manager of public services and a member of its civic and community engagement team.

“They can ask them questions and tell them their opinions and help the candidates shape their campaigns,” she said.

At the same time, the city’s election office set up a satellite location.

“I think it is good. We have gotten a lot of traffic with people registering to vote and checking their status,” said Chelsea Parmentier, an elections employee.

For Jose Rodriguez, of Springfield, meeting the candidates gave him a chance to air his concerns about the struggling lower-paid workers.

“It is important to raise the salary for the voters,” he said. “I wanted to see what these people can bring to us.”

Kim Watkins drove from Northampton so to meet some of the candidates, collect their campaign material and listen to their messages.

“I think it is an eye opener and an ear opener for the voters,” she said.

Candidates said they would have liked even more people to have come out, but appreciated the chance to talk to local people in a relaxed setting.

Many said economic development was a popular topic.

“There were some concerns and we talked a lot about bringing economic opportunities to Springfield,” said Mike Lake, Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor. His opponent, Democrat Steve Kerrigan also attended the event.

Lake, of Boston, said he talked about a variety of ways to increase opportunities including bringing high speed rail to the city and improving education from increasing pre-school to helping older adults train for new careers.

More locally, Carlos Gonzalez, who is running for state representative in the 10th Hampden District in Springfield, said he too talked to people a lot about economic development and public safety.

“I’ve knocked on 2,000 doors and this is another opportunity to connect with voters,” he said.

During Monday’s event he talked to one high school student, who aired her concerns about being able to afford college. Others talked about putting in more supports to prevent youth violence in the city.

“One of the things we are focusing on is how do we support the youth in our community,” he said.

At least two candidates for governor, Republican Mark Fisher and Independent Evan Falchuk attended. Those who did not make it sent campaign coordinators.

Tom Lachiusa, of Longmeadow, a a Democrat running in the crowded field for senate in the 1st Hampden-Hampshire district, said he was especially happy to be able to talk to people who have not decided who they will vote for yet.

One of his campaign pledges is to work with the University of Massachusetts and businesses in Albany, N.Y. to bring the nanotechnology industry into Springfield.

The sailoat was so far away from land that the Coast Guard could not send a helicopter to rescue its occupants.

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER

HONOLULU — A container ship crew on Monday rescued three men who were stranded in a sailboat off the Hawaiian islands for about 24 hours as Hurricane Julio battered their vessel with giant waves and high winds that ripped off one of its hatches.

The sailors made it onto the container ship at about 8 a.m., Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Gene Maestas said. They were in good condition, he said.

The men got into trouble while sailing the 42-foot Walkabout from California to Hawaii, Maestas said. The Coast Guard said it received their message for help Sunday morning after the boat became disabled and started taking on water about 400 miles northeast of Oahu.

The sailboat was stranded in 30-foot seas and winds of 92 to 115 mph, according to the agency. The rough conditions broke the vessel's mast, tossed its life raft overboard and blew off one of its hatches, worsening the flooding, Petty Officer 2nd Class Tara Molle said.

"Those are pretty much some of the worst conditions you could be in," Molle said. "The fact that they were rescued and there were no injuries reported — that's amazing."

The Coast Guard coordinated the rescue with the Matson Inc. container ship, which started out in Long Beach, California, and was on its way to Honolulu to deliver goods.

The sailboat was "so far away we could not send a helicopter that could make the journey," Petty Officer Melissa McKenzie said. The container ship was the closest vessel that could help. It reached the Walkabout around 10 p.m. Sunday.

But the 661-foot container ship needed better conditions before it could save the stranded sailors.

Operations Specialist Andrew Lincoln said crews had to wait until dawn to start the evacuation because performing the rescue before first light, in the midst of rough weather, was too dangerous.

"The seas were really bad, and it's kind of windy so they didn't want to do it in the dark," he said.

Conditions eventually improved to 20 mph winds with 13-foot seas, allowing crew members to position the massive container ship so it wouldn't knock over the sailboat. They then tied a rope around a life raft and sent it to the sailboat, McKenzie said.

The sailors got in the raft, and the container ship "reeled them in, essentially," McKenzie said. The sailors then climbed a 30-foot ladder up to the ship. No other information was immediately available about the sailors, their voyage or what caused their vessel to take on water.

Julio had passed through the area but left behind gusting winds and sea swells.

The Manukai embarked on its journey to Honolulu before Tropical Storm Iselle and Hurricane Julio became threats, Matson spokesman Jeff Hull said. It was diverted a bit because of Julio.

The ship and the sailors will continue on to Honolulu, Hull said. They are expected to arrive early Tuesday. The ship is equipped with medical equipment if the sailors need it.

Monday afternoon, the Coast Guard issued a warning notifying mariners that the Walkabout remained adrift.

The nation's highest military court has agreed to review the evidence used to convict a Kansas airman of aggravated assault for exposing multiple sex partners to HIV at swinger parties in Wichita, an appeal the defense contends could potentially remap HIV testing and prosecution in the U.S. military.

WICHITA, Kan. -- The nation's highest military court has agreed to review the evidence used to convict a Kansas airman of aggravated assault for exposing multiple sex partners to HIV at swinger parties in Wichita, an appeal the defense contends could potentially remap HIV testing and prosecution in the U.S. military.

The attorney for David Gutierrez said Monday that the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces is expected to hear arguments sometime later this year.

The court will also consider whether Gutierrez's due process rights were violated because of how long the appeal has taken.

Gutierrez was a sergeant at McConnell Air Force Base when he was sentenced in 2011 to eight years in prison and stripped of his rank for aggravated assault. He was also found guilty of violating his commander's order to notify partners about his HIV status and use condoms. The military judge also convicted Gutierrez of indecent acts for having sex in front of others and adultery.

Prosecutors at his trial had argued Gutierrez played Russian roulette with his sexual partners' lives. Several people who participated in swinger and partner-swapping events with Gutierrez and his wife testified that they never would have had sex with him had he told them he was HIV-positive.

Defense attorney Kevin McDermott said the military's case was based on old attitudes about AIDS and the virus that causes it "and how infectious it was and how much of a death sentence it was at that particular time." The virus isn't as easily transmitted through heterosexual sex as once thought, he said, and people can now live a long time with it.

"Really what this case is hoping to do is to get the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and every other military panel up to speed with what is going on with HIV today and to perhaps change those attitudes and mores," McDermott said.

Weitz plans to retire sometime this fall.

WILBRAHAM – The Board of Selectmen at its Monday night meeting voted to place an advertisement for a new town administrator in the September edition of the Massachusetts Municipal Association publication, “The Beacon.”

Town Administrator Robert Weitz has informed the board that he intends to retire sometime in the fall.

Selectmen say they plan to appoint a nine-member Search Committee to review applications for a new town administrator. The committee would bring a list of finalists to the selectmen for its review.

Selectmen asked administrative assistant Candace Gaumond to contact those who selectmen have suggested to serve on the committee with a goal of bring forward nine possible appointees to the committee.

Selectman Susan Bunnell said she would like to see a town administrator hired before selectmen and the Finance Committee begin reviewing proposed department budgets for fiscal 2016.

Gaumond said the town has a qualified staff in the selectmen’s office including herself, personnel director Herta Dane and Assistant Town Administrator and Town Treasurer Thomas Sullivan if there is an interim before a new town administrator is appointed.

Selectmen Robert Russell and Robert Boilard said that Sullivan can help develop next year’s budget if there is a delay in hiring a new town administrator.

Weitz has been town administrator for the past seven years.

Before coming to Wilbraham, Weitz was town administrator for the town of Sheffield for 15 years. He also served as a selectman in the town of West Brookfield.

U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman told dozens of lawyers at a hearing that he'll be careful not to interfere with the work of a bankruptcy judge who is deciding if the Detroit-based automaker's 2009 bankruptcy protects it from economic damages claims.

NEW YORK -- A federal judge told lawyers on Monday he'll encourage settlements in lawsuits brought on behalf of nearly 1,000 plaintiffs against General Motors for defective ignition switches.

U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman told dozens of lawyers at a hearing that he'll be careful not to interfere with the work of a bankruptcy judge who is deciding if the Detroit-based automaker's 2009 bankruptcy protects it from economic damages claims.

Furman said he wanted to be "sensitive about stepping on the toes" of the bankruptcy judge but planned to advance the litigation as much as possible nonetheless.

He made introductory remarks at an initial hearing after he was chosen to preside over more than 100 lawsuits that were consolidated in New York because of their common attributes. He said he planned "to encourage settlement as much as possible" once any potential payouts were better defined after rulings by the bankruptcy court.

Lawsuits were filed after General Motors Co. in February began recalling 2.6 million of the cars, mainly Chevrolet Cobalts and Saturn Ions. GM has acknowledged knowing that the switches in its small cars had problems since at least 2001. Federal law requires automakers to report safety defects to the government within five days of discovering them.

The ignition switches, when jostled, can shut off the engine, cutting power steering and brakes and potentially causing drivers to lose control. The problem also can disable air bags.

GM says at least 13 people have died in 54 crashes linked to the problem, while lawyers suing the company say the death toll is more than 60.

In May, federal safety regulators ordered General Motors to pay a record $35 million fine for failing to disclose the ignition switch defect in millions of cars for more than a decade.

GM attorney Richard C. Godfrey told Furman that 983 plaintiffs had filed 109 lawsuits, with about a dozen of the lawsuits making personal-injury claims while the rest were solely for economic losses.

Owners of the 2.6 million small cars that were recalled are eligible for compensation from a fund being administered by compensation expert Kenneth Feinberg on GM's behalf. Feinberg, who handled claims for the BP Gulf Oil Spill and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, has said GM has placed no limit on the amount of money he can spend to compensate anyone who was injured or killed.

In all, GM has called back 16.5 million vehicles for ignition switch problems while beginning reforms, including appointing a new safety chief and continuing to issue recalls when problems are identified.

GM received a $49.5 billion bailout from Washington during its 2009 bankruptcy. While the government was once the automaker's majority shareholder, it sold off the last of its GM stock in December.

Sixty small plastic bags of heroin and $2,500 in cash were seized from the four people busted.

HOLYOKE -- Police arrested two men and two women on heroin charges Monday (Aug. 11) after a traffic stop at Resnic Boulevard and Pine street.

Chazere Gallagher, 27, of North Brookfield, who was driving a red 1993 Geo Prizm, Mark Young, 29, of Ware, Kayleigh Roach, 19, of Ware and Lamiek White, 20, of Holyoke, all were charged with possession of heroin and conspiracy to violate the drug laws, Lt. James Albert said.

The stop occurred about 7:30 p.m. Police confiscated 60 small plastic bags of heroin from the four people, as well as $2,500 in cash from White, Albert said.

Gallagher also was charged with driving without a license. The car was stopped after an officer saw what was described as an equipment violation but Albert said he was unsure of the specific violation.

Albert said Young also was arrested on a default warrant, which is issued when a person fails to appear in court after having been given notice to appear.

Gallagher, Young, Roach and White are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Holyoke District Court, Albert said.

If a car door is locked, a would-be thief is most likely going to move along to the next car, police said.

SPRINGFIELD - Police on Monday received reports of 10 separate break-ins to cars that were parked overnight in driveways along four connected streets in Sixteen Acres.

Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney said all of the break-ins were to cars that had been left unlocked. All of them, he said, could have been avoided if the owners had taken the precaution of locking their car doors and setting the car alarm.

“All citizens are advised to keep their cars locked and alarmed at all times,” Delaney said. “The driveway to your house is not a ‘force field’; anyone can walk onto your property at any time and open the car door.”

If a car is locked, a would-be thief is most likely going to move along to check the next car, he said.

The car owners reported the glove compartments had been dumped out, and money, change, personal papers, and GPS devices and other items had been taken.

The break-ins were all believed to have happened sometime 2 a.m., he said.

The Springfield police Detective Bureau is continuing to investigate, he said.

Delaney said that if anyone notices suspicious activity outside at night and suspect a break-in is occurring, they should call 911.

People with information about the break-ins or those responsible should call the Detective Bureau at (413) 787-6355. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to “CRIMES,” or “274637,” and then beginning the body of the message with the word “SOLVE.”

Map showing streets reporting car breaks on Monday.

View Car breaks in Sixteen Acres, Aug. 11, 2014 in a larger map

This is the 20th anniversary of Chicopee's Night Out Against Crime event.

CHICOPEE — Hunter Ratelle joked that he and his team had a surefire strategy for winning the annual wing-eating contest between members of the Chicopee High and Comprehensive High school football team.

Pick the linemen ¬– the bigger boys on the team – and, well, eat fast, the 17-year-old senior said.

“We are all looking forward to it. It is going to be great fun,” he said.

His strategy worked. Ratelle and his team won the annual “Mayor’s Fork” and a new prize, a painted football, during the annual wing eating contest at the city’s 20th Night Out Against Crime.

This year’s Night Out Against Crime almost didn’t happened on a large scale after Jean Fitzgerald, the founder and long-time organizer, said she just didn’t have the time to put on the huge event she does every year. Making it more complicated, the event’s major sponsor also couldn’t afford to support the event they have been for years.

But City Councilor John L. Vieau stepped up as chairman with fellow Councilor Frank N. Laflamme as vice chairman and they quickly solicited support from dozens of businesses and found dozens of volunteers to continue the long event.

“This is a great way for the city to get to know each other,” Mayor Richard J. Kos said as he greeted people before the wing eating contest.

After the contest, an annual favorite, Vieau and Laflamme two presented Fitzgerald with a plaque to show their appreciation for heading the committee for so many years and assisting them every step of the way when they decided to take on the task themselves.

Looking at the hundreds of people lining up for free hotdogs and Italian ice, the children jumping in multiple bounce houses and others playing games scattered throughout Sarah Jane Sherman Park, Fitzgerald said she couldn’t be happier with the way the councilors took over the event.

“It is awesome. It is great,” she said. “My baby is 20 years old.”

Vieau said he was able to add a three-on-three soccer competition between some girls, the free Italian ice and a booth for Westover Air Reserve Base, but most of the events and games remained.

“I think this is an example of the city of Chicopee always coming through,” he said. “I’m proud to live here.”

It was the first time Maureen Buxton attended the event. She came with the Chicopee High football team to watch the contest.

“It is a really nice event,” she said.

The city did hold the event one week later than the national event to give the new chairman time to put together events and solicit donations, but no one seemed to notice.

The key part of the event is to give residents a chance to get to know members of the Police and Fire Departments. Monday the Police Department was out in full force with its underwater dive team, the emergency tactical team, the new bike and motorcycle patrols, the dog unit and others.

When Police Chief William Jebb paused in a conversation, an elementary school student approached him, told him she was Destiny and she wanted to meet him.

Young children also had a chance to try on bullet proof vests, look into the cars and the boat and learn the police are friends there to help them, he said.

“This is a great opportunity to engage the community and meet and greet people,” Jebb said.

The casual and fun setting made people comfortable to come up to officers and talk about neighborhood problems and some inquired about starting crime watches, he said.

Police Lt. John Pronovost, who has worked with Fitzgerald on the event for years, remembered back to the first Chicopee National Night Out, which attracted about 30 people and had one squad car. Now more than 1,000 attend.

He talked to children, stuck police badge stickers on their shirts, and gave them “Junior Police Officer” temporary tattoos.

“We are meeting people who were children when we started, who are back with their kids,” he said.

The event’s highlight was and remains the flashlight parade that marches throughout the neighborhood. The event is named in the memory of Desiree Lafond, a youth volunteer who came up with the idea of having a t-shirt contest for children, Fitzgerald said.

The news comes as anger is growing over the fact that the only people to receive the experimental treatment so far have been Westerners: two Americans and a Spaniard, all of whom were evacuated to their home countries from Liberia.

MONROVIA, Liberia -- Liberia announced Monday that it would soon receive doses of an experimental Ebola drug and give it to two sick doctors, making them the first Africans to receive some of the scarce treatment in a spiraling outbreak.

The U.S. government confirmed that it had put Liberian officials in touch with the maker of ZMapp, and referred additional questions to Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. In a statement, the California-based company said that in responding to a request from an unidentified West African country, it had run out of its supply of the treatment.

The news comes as anger is growing over the fact that the only people to receive the experimental treatment so far have been Westerners: two Americans and a Spaniard, all of whom were evacuated to their home countries from Liberia.

Late Monday, the World Health Organization said 1,013 people had died in the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Authorities have recorded 1,848 suspected, probable or confirmed cases of the disease, the U.N. health agency said. The updated WHO tally includes figures from Aug. 7-9 when 52 more people died and 69 more were infected.

There is no Ebola vaccine or treatment available, but there are several in development besides ZMapp. That treatment is so new that it hasn't been tested for safety or effectiveness in humans. And the company has said it would take months to produce even modest quantities.

It was unclear how much of the treatment would be sent to Liberia.

"The U.S. Government assisted in connecting the Government of Liberia with the manufacturer," the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement. "Since the drug was shipped for use outside the U.S., appropriate export procedures had to be followed."

The Liberian statement, posted on the presidency's website, said it was also receiving an experimental treatment from the World Health Organization. It was unclear if this was also referring to ZMapp or another treatment.

In the past few weeks, the experimental drug was given to two American aid workers diagnosed with the disease while working at a hospital that treated Ebola patients. On Monday, officials in Spain disclosed that the treatment was also given to a Spanish missionary priest who fell ill while working in Liberia.

The Americans are said to be improving, but there's no way to know whether the drug helped, or if they are getting better on their own, as others have. Around 40 percent of those infected with Ebola are surviving the current outbreak.

But some called for the untested drug to be given to Africans, too. The outbreak was first identified in March in Guinea, but it likely started months earlier. It has since spread to neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone, and possibly to Nigeria.

"There's no reason to try this medicine on sick white people and to ignore blacks," said Marcel Guilavogui, a pharmacist in Conakry, Guinea. "We understand that it's a drug that's being tested for the first time and could have negative side effects. But we have to try it in blacks too."

Some are using Twitter to demand that the drug be made available.

"We can't afford to be passive while many more die," said Aisha Dabo, a Senegalese-Gambian journalist who was tweeting using the hashtag "GiveUsTheSerum"on Monday. "That's why we raise our voice for the world to hear us."

The ethical dilemmas involved prompted the U.N. health agency to consult Monday with ethicists, infectious disease experts, patient representatives and the Doctors Without Borders group. Most participants in the closed teleconference were from developed countries, but Uganda and Senegal were represented. The World Health Organization said it would discuss the results of the meeting at a press conference on Tuesday.

Companies can provide experimental drugs on a "compassionate use" basis, usually after they have been fully tested in humans. The Food and Drug Administration approves such uses in the U.S., but has no authority overseas. Ultimately, the companies alone decide whether or not to share their products.

Spain's Health Ministry said it obtained ZMapp this weekend with company permission to treat Miguel Pajares, a 75-year-old priest evacuated from Liberia and placed in isolation Thursday at Madrid's Carlos III Hospital.

"The medicine was imported from Geneva where there was one dose available in the context of an accord between the laboratory that developed the medicine, WHO and (Doctors Without Borders)," the ministry said, invoking a Spanish law permitting unauthorized medication for patients with life-threatening illnesses.

Spanish authorities refused to comment beyond the ministry's statement, but Geneva University Hospital told The Associated Press it was involved in getting the drug to Madrid.

The evacuated American aid workers, Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol, have been improving at Atlanta's Emory University Hospital. They got the treatment after their international relief group Samaritan's Purse asked Kentucky BioProcessing, which produces it for Mapp Biopharmaceutical.

The treatment mixes three antibodies engineered to recognize Ebola and bind to infected cells so the immune system can kill them.

A Sierra Leone official said they had not asked for the drug, but the other governments said they want any treatment that might help patients recover, despite the risks of unproven medicines.

"The alternative for not testing this is death, a certain death," Liberia's information minister, Lewis Brown, told The AP in an interview before the announcement.

Guinea said Monday it wants some, too.

"Guinean authorities would naturally be interested in having this medicine," said Alhoussein Makanera Kake, spokesman for the government committee fighting Ebola.

In other Ebola developments Monday:

• An African nun who worked with the infected Spanish priest died from Ebola in Liberia, their Catholic aid group said.
• A nurse who treated Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American who flew into Nigeria and died last month, also died of Ebola, Nigerian health authorities said, raising the number of locally confirmed Ebola cases to 10. Nigeria is monitoring 177 contacts of Sawyer to contain the outbreak. The WHO has yet to confirm any Ebola cases in Nigeria.
• Ivory Coast, which shares borders with Liberia and Guinea, banned direct flights from the infected countries and said it would increase health inspections and enforcement of its borders, but stopped short of closing them entirely.
• George Weah, a Liberian former FIFA world player of the year, joined awareness efforts by recording a song titled "Ebola is real," with proceeds going to the Liberian Health Ministry.

Two people were killed while five were injured, police said.

By JANET McCONNAUGHEY

NEW ORLEANS — Investigators believe drugs were the motive behind a drive-by shooting that killed a man and a teenager and wounded five other people, New Orleans' police chief said Monday.

Two victims were out of the hospital but three — a 32-year-old woman and boys 2 and 4 years old — remained in critical condition, Superintendent Ronal Serpas said.

"Children should be, ought to be and will be off limits," Serpas said.

Terrance McBride, the 33-year-old man who was slain Sunday, was the target and had a gun, police said. The other people were just innocent bystanders, the police chief said.

The Crimestoppers hotline has received a number of tips in response to a $5,000 reward, said the group's local president, Darlene Cusanza. Officials asked anyone who knows anything about the shooting to call Crimestoppers or police.

"We will find the people who did this, and they will be punished," said City Councilman James Gray, who represents the Lower 9th Ward. "Someone knows their names; someone knows where they are; someone knows who they are. ... Please let us know as quickly as possible so we can take them off the streets."

The chief and the others spoke outside police headquarters, in front of a big blue banner reading "We're Hiring. Join NOPD.org."

The department needs 400 more officers, Serpas said.

The shooting occurred shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday in the Lower 9th Ward, a neighborhood that was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina and has struggled with crime.

Police have said the victims, including a 13-year-old girl and a 37-year-old woman, were in front of a house when a dark car occupied by men drove up, opened fire and sped off.

Coroner's spokesman Brian Lapeyrolerie identified the dead teenager as Jasmine Anderson, adding that he hasn't been able to verify a police statement that she was 18.

In two other, unrelated incidents of weekend violence, a 20-year-old man shot a friend Sunday morning inside a hotel room at the edge of the Quarter, then killed himself after a three-hour standoff with police, and two men were found shot to death early Saturday in a car on Interstate 10.