Teachers and staff returned to work in Longmeadow yesterday, August 26, while the new school year is set to begin on September 2.

 

LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow Public School District has posted a presentation from Superintendent Marie Doyle, given at Tuesday's convocation for teachers and staff, for public perusal on its website.

Over the course of 40 slides, Doyle considers the district's mission, discusses the skills students will need in the decades to come, and goes over a selection of new programs that are set to be instituted for the upcoming school year.

In a description of the overarching mission of the district - answering the question "why do we work in education" - Doyle writes, "(we) prepare the next generation to lead the world as responsible, ethical, intelligent people."

School is set to begin in Longmeadow on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

The fatal shooting of an Arizona firing range instructor by a 9-year-old has revived the story of the 2008 death of 8-year-old Christopher Bizilj of Connecticut, who died when he accidentally shot himself at the Westfield Sportsmen's Club during a machine gun shoot.

By JACQUES BILLEAUD

PHOENIX (AP) — "All right, full auto," the firing-range instructor tells a 9-year-old girl. She braces the Uzi submachine gun and opens fire at a black-silhouette target. But the recoil wrenches the fully automatic weapon upward, and the instructor is shot in the head and killed.

The death has set off a powerful debate over youngsters and guns, with many people wondering what sort of parents would let a child handle an Uzi.

The shooting has also revived the story of the 2008 death of 8-year-old Christopher Bizilj of Connecticut, who died when he accidentally shot himself at the Westfield Sportsmen's Club during a machine gun shoot. Bizilj was firing at pumpkins when the Uzi kicked back.

Coverage of Christopher Bizilj accidental shooting »

Coverage of trial of Edward Fleury, the owner of the company that organized and ran the Westfield event who was charged with manslaughter in Bizilj's death »

Instructor Charles Vacca, 39, was standing next to the girl Monday at the Last Stop outdoor shooting range in White Hills, Arizona, about 25 miles south of Las Vegas, when she squeezed the trigger.

Sam Scarmardo, a former Lake Havasu City Council member who operates the shooting range, said Wednesday that the girl's parents had signed waivers saying they understood the rules of the range and were standing nearby, video-recording their daughter, when the accident happened.

"I have regret we let this child shoot, and I have regret that Charlie was killed in the incident," Scarmardo said.

Ronald Scott, a Phoenix-based firearms safety expert, said most shooting ranges have an age limit and strict safety rules when teaching children to shoot. He said instructors usually have their hands on guns when children are firing high-powered weapons.

"You can't give a 9-year-old an Uzi and expect her to control it," Scott said.

The instructor's death generated angry social-media comments about why a child was allowed to use an automatic weapon. Many readers expressed sympathy for the girl while questioning whether the adults at the gun range were to blame.

Scarmardo said his policy of allowing children 8 and older to fire guns under adult supervision and the watchful eye of an instructor is standard practice in the industry. The range's policies are under review, he said.

A video released by investigators shows the 9-year-old, whose identity hasn't been released, holding the stubby weapon in both hands. Vacca, standing to her left, tells her to turn her left leg forward.

"All right, go ahead and give me one shot," he tells the girl, whose back is to the camera during the entire 27-second video. He then cheers when she fires one round at the target.

"All right, full auto," Vacca says. The video, which does not show the actual incident, ends with a series of shots being heard.

Arizona has long had a strong pro-gun culture, including weapon ranges that promote events for children and families. Some of these ranges offer people the thrill of firing weapons such as the Uzi that are heavily restricted and cannot easily be obtained by members of the public.

The Scottsdale Gun Club in recent years has allowed children and families to pose with Santa Claus while holding machine guns and other weapons from the club. Children as young as 10 are allowed to hunt big game such as elk and deer in Arizona, provided they have completed a hunter safety course.

The gun range operator said he doesn't know what went wrong to cause the shooting, pointing out that Vacca was an Army veteran who had experience in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Scarmardo, who has been operating the gun range for more than a year and has run another for 14 years, said he hasn't had a safety problem before at his ranges.

"We never even issued a Band-Aid," Scarmardo said.

Democratic attorney general candidate Warren Tolman apologized on Wednesday if anyone was offended by his use of the word "unbecoming" to describe his opponent Maura Healey's criticism of his private sector record, as female Healey supporters blasted the comment as "sexist."

By MATT MURPHY

BOSTON — Democratic attorney general candidate Warren Tolman apologized on Wednesday if anyone was offended by his use of the word "unbecoming" to describe his opponent Maura Healey's criticism of his private sector record, as female Healey supporters blasted the comment as "sexist."

Warren TolmanThe Republican file photo 

Tolman used the word during a Boston Globe Opinion debate Tuesday as Healey criticized him for not being forthcoming about his registration as a federal lobbyist while working as an attorney at Holland & Knight.

The episode conjured memories of a 2002 debate when former candidate for governor Mitt Romney drew the ire of prominent women like Teresa Heinz Kerry and Hillary Clinton for describing then Treasurer Shannon O'Brien's attacks on his abortion position as "unbecoming."

"If anyone listened to the debate or watched the debate they know that was not my intention, but I'm always sorry if something I say offends someone," Tolman told the News Service on Wednesday. "The point I was trying to make is that she continues to make accusations that are just not backed up by the facts and she knows it."

O'Brien, who in May endorsed Tolman for attorney general, called his use of the term a "non-issue."

"In 2002, when Mitt Romney said that, I said it was not a big deal. That it was sort of a distraction. There were a lot of groups, because Mitt Romney had a questionable background supporting women's rights, a number of women's groups saw this as problematic. In Warren's case he has such a solid record of achievement supporting women supporting women's rights that it is completely a non-issue," O'Brien told the News Service.

In the final moments of the debate on Tuesday between the two Democrats running for attorney general, Healey accused Tolman of not being upfront with voters about his lobbying activity. Tolman denies doing any lobbying work despite being registered as a federal lobbyist, which he said was standard practice at his law firm for anyone working on a project regardless of their duties.

"You go down this path. Maura, it's just unbecoming," Tolman said.

While neither Healey nor her campaign reacted to the comment in the moment or immediately after the debate when the candidate and her team chatted with reporters, Healey's campaign blasted out a fundraising appeal Tuesday evening signed by former state representative and Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts CEO Marty Walz.

"Calling a woman 'unbecoming' just because she's asking tough questions is demeaning, sexist, and certainly no way to celebrate Women's Equality Day. I, for one, won't stand for that. I hope you won't either," Walz wrote.

On Wednesday, Healey followed up by reiterating her concerns about Tolman being upfront with voters about his activity as a registered lobbyist as well as his involvement with an online gaming company and a hedge fund.

"While Im certainly offended Warren Tolman tried to diminish my questions about his lobbying work as unbecoming, Im even more disturbed that someone would diminish the importance of the office by misleading voters. This race is a clear choice between someone who has advocated and led as the peoples lawyer and someone who, more and more, looks, acts and sounds like just another overbearing Beacon Hill politician," Healey said in a statement.

Merriam Webster defines unbecoming as "not attractive" or "not according with the standards appropriate to one's position or condition of life." The Uniform Code of Military Justice defines as punishable by court-martial "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman."

Asked whether he considered the word to be sexist, Tolman said, "I'm always sorry if something I say offends anyone."

O'Brien said it's important to consider the context in which the word is used. "I don't think on its face it's sexist. I think you have to look deeper into the person who is making the comment...I think it would be pretty hard to say Warren Tolman has been anything other than a champion for women. I think he was simply trying to deflect what was apparently some pretty pointed criticism during the debate."

She continued, "Mitt Romney is not and was not a feminist. Warren Tolman is."

While the prominent national fundraising group Emily's List seized on the dust-up, Tolman said he hoped to move past the controversy to focus on issues like gun violence and campus sexual violence against women. The primary between the two Democrats is less than two weeks away, on Sept. 9, and the winner will face Republican John Miller.

"What I hope we can do is that we can focus on the substantive differences of the different visions that Warren Tolman will bring and Maura Healey will bring. At the end of the day, I think that's a healthy comparison," Tolman said.

O'Brien also said she thought it would be a mistake for Healey to pick a fight over this term.

Emily's List accused Tolman of employing "retro sexism" instead of answering Healey's questions about lobbying.

"Apparently its 'unbecoming' for a woman candidate to ask legitimate questions about her opponents record during a campaign," read an email from the Washington-based group that raises money for female candidates. Emilys List deputy press secretary Priyanka Mantha circulated the email to reporters Wednesday with the subject line Unbecoming?

Romney during an Oct. 29, 2002 debate against O'Brien pushed back against her persistent criticism of his position on abortion and her contention that he had accepted an endorsement from Massachusetts Citizens for Life.

"Your effort to continue to try to create fear and deception here is unbecoming," Romney said, sitting across from O'Brien during the roundtable debate moderated by the late Tim Russert.

Days after that debate, then-Sen. John Kerry's wife Teresa Heinz and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton blasted Romney for using a term they said would never be spoken toward a male candidate, while Romney advisor Mike Murphy rebutted the notion that "unbecoming" is a gender-specific term.

In an Associated Press story from 2002, Romney advisors pointed out how former New York congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro had said in 1998 that it was "unbecoming to see grown men whine" when Republicans tried to have her removed from the CNN program Crossfire.

More recently, the head of the Texas Democratic Party - Gilberto Hinojosa - described this month as "unbecoming of our governor" the alleged behavior of Texas Gov. Rick Perry that led to his indictment for abuse of power.

Romney would tell the New York Times in 2002 that "unbecoming" could be used to refer to the behavior of either a man or a woman, and referenced the military code as well as the disciplinary policies at his alma mater Harvard University.

Leland Cheung, a Cambridge city councilor and candidate for lieutenant governor, also jumped into the fray Wednesday morning describing himself as "alarmed" by Tolman's use of the word.

"For too long, Massachusetts politics has been unwelcome territory for women and people of color and comments like this don't help," Cheung said in a statement. He continued, "Intentional or not, Warren's use of that term comes too close to a kind of dog whistle politics that has no place in today's Commonwealth and he should apologize."

James Anthony Harris, 20, is charged with threatening Rafael Rodriguez, a probation officer, an Eastern Hampshire District Court probation officer, in Belchertown on July 9.

NORTHAMPTON — A West Boylston man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to threatening and intimidating a probation officer at his arraignment in Hampshire Superior Court.

James Anthony Harris, 20, is charged with threatening Rafael Rodriguez, an Eastern Hampshire District Court probation officer, in Belchertown on July 9. Judge Richard Carey set bail for Harris at $10,000 cash.

Carey continued the case to Sept. 2 for clarification of defense counsel.

Unfortunately, just because something is transparent doesn't necessarily make it right.

Sometimes money speaks a little more accurately than lawyers.

Hank J. Porten, the former president of Holyoke Medical Center, has repaid the hospital $860,000 to cover overpayment for services, expenses and other errors over the past three years. He was president for 28 years.

Porten’s compensation was initially made partly to aid in the transition between him and new Holyoke Medical Center President Spiros Hatiras, who shouldn't have -- and didn’t -- need Porten's hand holding.

Now, Porten’s Boston lawyer, Sharen Litwin, claims there was no mistake.

“Everything was out in the open. All the compensation was out in the open,” she told The Republican reporter Mike Plaisance.

And then Litwin back-pedaled: “Although Mr. Porten strongly defends the reasonableness of his compensation based on (consulting firm) Mercer’s opinion, he agreed to a correction of his compensation in order to avoid costly and burdensome litigation, and to take a very conservative approach to the IRS regulations regarding not for profit corporations.”

Make no mistake: There was a “mistake.”

Unfortunately, just because something is transparent doesn't necessarily make it right.

If Porten had been properly compensated, he would not have voluntarily repaid $860,000.

It’s interesting to note how the problem was detected.

An alert and thinking board member, City Councilor Anthony Soto, raised the issue at a special board meeting he called after Hatiras raised the issue. Soto objected to a hospital in a poor city paying so much money to a former CEO with a current CEO also being paid.

Chalk one up for common sense, for questioning and for social justice.

And chalk one up for Anthony Soto, who had the guts and the good sense to not let the matter slip. Without his question, Holyoke Medical Center might still be out that $860,000, or, as Porten’s lawyer points out, embroiled in an expensive lawsuit.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker wants to implement changes to the states public housing system to make it a temporary solution for low-income people, give legal U.S. residents priority for available units, and institute a program where unit residents agree to work, go to school or volunteer.

By COLLEEN QUIN

CHELSEA — Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker wants to implement changes to the states public housing system to make it a temporary solution for low-income people, give legal U.S. residents priority for available units, and institute a program where unit residents agree to work, go to school or volunteer.

Public housing ought to be a runway to achieve economic independence, Baker said Wednesday while outlining his plan. The goal is to move people out of public housing and into self-sufficiency, and make sure resources are provided to people who deserve it, he said.

Baker toured a neighborhood known as the Box District, which was transformed from mostly unoccupied buildings to a development with both affordable housing and market rate rentals. The state should be encouraging more developments like the one in Chelsea, Baker said.

He was accompanied by Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash, who said he has known Baker for 20 years.

Asked if he was endorsing Baker, Ash said as city manager he is not allowed to back a candidate, but added, I greatly respect his substantial acumen and Im looking forward to a Governor Baker, and what he can do here in the commonwealth.

Bakers plan to give priority for housing to U.S. citizens and legal immigrants spurred a Chelsea resident to confront him on the sidewalk.

Gladys Vega, executive director of the Chelsea Collaborative, a non-profit that promotes immigration issues, said public housing eligibility should not be based on someones immigration status.

Holding the press conference in Chelsea to outline the plan was disrespectful to the citys residents because of its large immigrant population, Vega said.

Are you aware the issue should not be illegal versus citizens? The issue should be expanding affordable housing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, she said. A good candidate for governor would promote that. He would not promote illegals, or as you said in the newspaper article, versus citizens. It should be housing equality for everyone, regardless of who they are. Immigrant families have citizen children.

She added, We won the title of an All-American city because we are inclusive. Your standard is not inclusive. If anything you should think smart about promoting affordable housing that represents everyone in the state of Massachusetts.

Baker quietly listened, and did not respond directly to Vega. When asked about her comments, he told reporters, We disagree. It is pretty much that simple.

I believe public housing should be available first and foremost to people who are legal residents, people who have paid into those communities for years and years and years. The fact that you have waiting lists in many communities around the Commonwealth, when you have senior citizens who lived and paid into those communities for years and who cant get into them; veterans, people who served their country and cant get into them, I think thats a problem, he said.

The state needs to align its public housing eligibility requirements with the federal government, Baker said, pointing out federal public housing rules allow preference to be given to citizens and legal immigrants. Baker said with 100,000 people on waiting lists for housing, legal citizens should be given priority, adding he would make it a priority in his administration.

The issue of housing preference for legal residents was recently debated by state lawmakers, with both branches passing similar plans in welfare reform and housing bond bills. In both instances, the proposals did not make it to the final version of the bills.

House lawmakers last year overwhelmingly passed a Republican-backed provision that would prevent people who are ineligible for federal public housing from receiving state public housing. After it was adopted as part of a $1.4 billion housing bond bill, the amendment was removed from the final version of the bill.

As part of a welfare reform bill last year, the Senate also passed a similar proposal that would align Massachusetts with federal public housing rules that give priority to citizens and legal immigrants. The proposal did not make it into the final version of the legislation.

The fact it passed in both branches shows there is bipartisan support for prioritizing citizens and legal residents for public housing slots, Baker said.

I certainly hear that when Im out talking to people to, that public housing ought to be available to the folks that have paid into the community, been part of the community, and that they ought to be prioritized, Baker said.

Baker said the state should adopt federal standards for public housing in most aspects.

If you talk to people who are on the ground who every day have to work with the differences between state standards and federal standards on this theyll say its enormously confusing. Its confusing for administrators; its confusing for advocates; its confusing for families as well. And I think the best thing for us to do on this is adopt the federal standard, he said.

Preference for public housing would also be given to those who agree to sign a lease that requires them to go to school, work or provide community service, under Bakers plan, with exceptions for those who cannot work of volunteer. The Worcester Housing Authority instituted a similar program, Baker said, calling it a successful model that can be implemented statewide.

People would not have to participate in the program, he said, but those who do sign up would be given priority when housing becomes available.

I think the idea here would be youd want to make sure everybody who could do something did do something, Baker said. But youd use discretion on that and work with the housing authority to pursue the strategy that made the most sense for people on an individual basis.

Bakers plan also calls for creating a program to identify fraud, such as underreporting or not reporting income, and attempt to recover state money spent. The recovered money would then be used to fund self-sufficiency programs, such as child care, Baker said.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates reacted to Bakers public housing plan.

Don Berwick, a pediatrician and former Medicare and Medicaid administrator, said Bakers plan is shortsighted and not constructive.

Overall, it is an example to score some cheap political points, Berwick said in a telephone interview.

Politicians need to rethink how to approach housing and homelessness, Berwick said, specifically by working to increase the number of federal housing vouchers available.

Steve Grossman, the state treasurer, said in a statement, Charlie Baker claims he's changed, but this sure sounds like the same angry candidate from 2010, who wanted to demand immigration papers at the doors of homeless shelters. Governor Patrick recently signed sensible welfare reforms into law that fight fraud and abuse while also helping our most vulnerable residents transition into the workforce, but the key issues going forward are creating good jobs and rebuilding the middle class, which I'll do as governor."

Other elements of Bakers plan include making housing and health and human service agencies coordinate at the local level to ensure people receive the services they need to become self-sufficient, and to better utilize homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing strategies to help homeless people.

Luis Angel Cordero Jr. of Holyoke admitted in Hampden Superior Court he sexually assaulted a man who lived in his building and then went and then sexually assaulted the man's 13-year-old daughter.

SPRINGFIELD — Luis Angel Cordero Jr. of Holyoke admitted Wednesday in Hampden Superior Court he sexually assaulted a man who lived in his building and then went into another room and sexually assaulted the man's 13-year-old daughter.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew W. Green said when arrested, Cordero said he didn't mean for anything to happen. He told police he had been drinking, smoking pot and doing cocaine for several days at and around 470 Maple St. in Holyoke. Cordero, 33, told police, "It was the f...ing drugs."

Green asked for a six- to eight-year state prison sentence followed by five years probation; defense lawyer Joseph Harty asked for an 18-month sentence at the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow followed by five years of probation.

Hampden Superior Court Judge Tina S. Page sentenced Cordero to four to six years in state prison followed by five years probation.

Cordero pleaded guilty to indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, indecent assault and battery on a person under 14 and assault and battery.

According to Green, Holyoke police were called to the Maple Street building about 5:30 a.m. June 22, 2013, for an assault on a girl.

Green said statements from family members indicate the following:

• Cordero had been staying in an apartment in the building where the victims also lived for about six months, so the male victim knew him and the night before had attended a party at the apartment where Cordero lived.
• The adult male victim has cancer and needs assistance, so Codero and some other men from the party brought him back to his apartment. Cordero said he left the door open in case he fell so someone could hear it and help him.
• The male victim said he woke up in bed with his pants pulled down and Cordero indecently assaulting him.
• The male victim said he struck Cordero and told him to leave.
• A short time later, the male victim heard a scream and went to the main room to find the 13-year-old girl and her aunt trying to subdue Cordero.
• The young girl said Cordero went to her room, put his hand over her mouth, dragged her into the living room, pushed her onto a couch and tried to take her pants off.

The victims, as well as the girl's mother and aunt, were in the courtroom. The male victim submitted an impact statement saying Cordero should not be on the street because of what he did to him and his daughter.

He said his daughter is now always afraid. "She does not trust anyone, especially men," he said.

Green said once the man struck Cordero, Cordero "moved across the hall and looked for another target."

Harty said Cordero feels horrible for what he's done and has "taken complete ownership" of his actions.

As conditions of his probation, Cordero must have no contact with the victims, have GPS monitoring, get at least part-time work and have sexual offender counseling.

A Westfield man who was accused of operating a fake autism charity and keeping donations for himself will not face jail time or fines, and will pay $2,000 in restitution though it's unclear how much money he actually took.

WESTFIELD – A police dispatcher who was accused of operating a fake autism charity and keeping donations for himself will not face jail time or fines, and will pay $2,000 in restitution though it's unclear how much money he actually took.

Richard Greenaway, Jr., 36, was originally charged with two counts of larceny over $250 by false pretense. Those charges each were amended to larceny over $250, and Judge Jacklyn Connly continued the case without finding for one year Wednesday in Westfield District Court. That means there is no finding of guilt, but Greenaway admitted there are sufficient facts to find him guilty.

Greenaway worked as a Massachusetts State Police dispatcher in Northampton. He was placed on paid administrative leave when he was charged, according to a Telegram and Gazette story, and his job status was not clear Wednesday evening.

Interim Hampden district attorney James Orenstein said it was impossible to ascertain the exact amount Greenaway took from the fake charity, "Paintballers 4 Autism," that he operated out of his Sycamore Street home.

The original police report said that between May 2012 and November 2013 Greenaway used almost $5,000 of the charity's money for personal use, and $9,227 was transferred to another unknown bank account.

Orenstein said some of the earlier estimates came from Greenaway's claim that the money had been stolen from his PayPal account, but a final dollar amount that went to the fake charity could not be determined. He said assistant district attorney Magali Montes and the defendant agreed on the sentence.

Greenaway was ordered to pay $1,000 restitution to Autism Speaks in Princeton, New Jersey, and $1,000 to Community Resources for People with Autism, in Easthampton.

In the time he operated the charity, Greenaway gave only $25 to autism, and that was only after an internet promoter uncovered Greenaway's scam, the police report said.

The report said volunteers donated their time to the fake charity's efforts, paintballers participated in tournaments that were supposed to raise money for autism and people donated paintball equipment, which Greenaway then sold with the fake charity's logo on it.

Greenaway said he was donating the money to local and national charities, but he was the only receiver of the funds, the report said.

When an internet promoter began looking into the fake charity, Greenaway made fraudulent paperwork — including a fake police report — to show that money was stolen from his account.

According to the report, Greenaway’s organization was not registered as a charity with the IRS, though he knew of the requirements.

The report said the implied agreement with the two charities he claimed to be donating to made those charities the victims of the larcenies, as he diverted funds that were donated.

The larceny charges carried possible sentences of up to five years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines.

Police officers who opened fire while disrupting a robbery at a fast-food restaurant in Omaha killed a crew member with the TV show "Cops" as well as the suspect, who was armed with a pellet gun that they thought was a real handgun, authorities said Wednesday.

By MARGERY A. BECK

OMAHA, Neb. — Police officers who opened fire while disrupting a robbery at a fast-food restaurant in Omaha killed a crew member with the TV show "Cops" as well as the suspect, who was armed with a pellet gun that they thought was a real handgun, authorities said Wednesday.

The suspect fired from the pellet gun before officers returned fire, Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said at a news conference. He said witnesses and officers thought the robbery suspect's Airsoft handgun looked and sounded real, but discovered later that it fires only plastic pellets. The suspect was struck by the officers' gunfire, but fled outside of the restaurant before collapsing.

Officers continued firing on the suspect as he exited the restaurant, and that was when the "Cops" crew member, 38-year-old Bryce Dion, was also struck, said Schamaderer. Dion was wearing a bullet-proof vest, but a single bullet that hit his arm "slipped into a gap in the vest" and entered his chest, Schmaderer said.

"My concern with my officers is that they are taking this very hard," Schmaderer said. "Bryce was their friend."

Schmaderer said video captured by another crew member of the "Cops" TV show shows the chaotic situation in the restaurant. Police released still shots from the video showing a hooded and masked person pointing what looks like a gun at police. Schmaderer said police would not release the full video, but that it will be part of the grand jury investigation into the shooting.

The suspect was identified as 32-year-old Cortez Washington, who was on parole. Schmaderer said Washington had a lengthy criminal record, including an accessory to robbery conviction from Missouri. He started parole in August 2011 and transferred to Nebraska in September 2013. His parole was due to expire in June 2017.

Schmaderer said the incident began when one of the officers, on his way to another reported robbery, called about the robbery at the Wendy's and requested backup. The "Cops" crew members were with two officers who responded to that request.

When police entered the restaurant and confronted the suspect, Dion, who was the sound operator, got separated from the cameraman, Schmaderer said.

Dion worked for Langley Productions, which is based in Santa Monica, Calif.

Key executives of the company, President John Langely and Executive Producer Morgan Langley, attended the police news conference in Omaha on Wednesday.

"Bryce has been with us for seven years," said Morgan Langley, who hired Dion. "This is very hard for us."

"Cops" is a reality TV show that depicts law enforcement officers in action. According to its website, the show has been filmed in at least 140 U.S. cities and three foreign counties.

John Langley said the crew had been filming all summer in Omaha and had only one week left in the city when the deadly shooting happened.

Judge Michael Ponsor directed the attorneys for the female inmates to propose any sought financial penalties.

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. District Court Judge Michael A. Ponsor ruled Tuesday the policy of allowing male correctional officers to videotape female inmates during strip searches at a Chicopee jail “clearly transgressed the Constitution.”

In a press release Wednesday, lawyers for the plaintiffs said the ruling by Ponsor applies to 178 former and current female inmates of the Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center who were part of a class action suit challenging the policy.

The suit was initially filed in September 2011 by inmate Debra Baggett against Hampden County Sheriff Michael J. Ashe and Assistant Superintendent Patricia Murphy. It became a class action suit last year.

Ponsor, in his decision, stated: “Unfortunately, in this case a misjudgment occurred resulting in a policy that clearly transgressed the Constitution and injured the plaintiff class.”

Ponsor directed the plaintiffs to “submit a proposed schedule to address the questions of potential equitable relief and monetary damages” by Sept. 9. The defendants may submit a counter proposal by Sept. 23.

A news release from lawyers David Milton and Howard Freedman, representing the plaintiffs, stated: “The court found that forcing women to strip naked and manipulate her body in the presence of a male guard videotaping was ‘clearly antithetical to human dignity’ and ‘deeply humiliating.'

“The court viewed the defendants’ claim that the male guards supposedly averted their eyes from the women while filming them — a claim female prisoners disputed — as dubious but in the end irrelevant to the ‘humiliating sense of exposure’ inherent in the policy, the release stated.

“Permitting male guards to stand nearby and film women prisoners being strip searched violates fundamental constitutional values and well-established correctional norms,” Milton said on behalf of the inmates. “It is demeaning and dehumanizing. The fact that many female prisoners have histories of physical and sexual abuse, and that many suffer from mental illness, can magnify the harm caused by this degrading practice.”

A lawyer for the Sheriff’s Department was not immediately available for comment.

U.S. District Court ruling on strip searches

The suspect in the alleged assault has been identified as Michael Richard, a former city fire captain bypassed for a promotion by Conant.

SPRINGFIELD — Fire Commissioner Joseph A. Conant was assaulted at his Springfield home by a former "disgruntled" city firefighter on Tuesday evening, according to Jim Leydon, communications director for Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.

The suspect in the alleged assault has been identified as Michael R. Richard Jr., a retired Springfield fire captain who previously complained that Conant had unfairly bypassed him for a promotion.

Authorities did not indicate a motive for the alleged attack, which happened about 7:30 p.m. at Conant's home, but they plan to charge Richard in connection with the incident. "At this point an investigation is underway and a criminal complaint is being sought," Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri said.

Richard "ambushed and attacked" Conant, then fled the scene before authorities arrived, Leydon said. "A more detailed report" would be released later, he said.

Conant was treated for unspecified injuries at Baystate Medical Center and later released. "Commissioner Conant is in good health and in good spirits," said Sarno, who went to the hospital to check on Conant.

Leydon described Richard in a news release as a "disgruntled former employee," raising the possibility that the incident may be related to Richard's past issue with Conant.

Richard filed an appeal with the state Department of Personnel Administration in December 2012, arguing that Conant, who was Springfield's acting fire commissioner at the time, should have promoted him to deputy chief because Richard was the sole person left on the Civil Service promotion list and scored a 76 on the exam.

Richard also filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, claiming he was bypassed as a disabled military veteran. "Favoritism and cronyism has no place in public service. It's discrimination against me because I am a veteran," he said at the time.

Conant defended the appointment of Glenn A. Guyer as acting deputy chief, saying Guyer's 17 years of "progressive supervision" of fellow firefighters trumped Richard's less than three years of supervisory experience. "Guyer is obviously the more qualified candidate for this extremely important position," the commissioner said at the time.

The pilot still has not been publicly identified.

WESTFIELD — The public affairs department at the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base expects to get an update from search crews on the ground in Virginia within the hour.

Military personnel, police and other emergency responders as well as volunteers have been scouring the George Washington National Forest in Virginia's rugged Appalachian Mountains since an F-15 from the 104th Fighter Wing crashed there Wednesday morning. Today's search included a number of aircraft as well as ground assets on foot, all-terrain vehicles and horseback.

The pilot has not been publicly identified.

Reports from Virginia indicated that searchers were suffering the effects of heat and humidity in their strenuous effort. Weather reports pegged the high in the region at nearly 90 degrees.

The search on Thursday has focused on a southeast area of Crawford Mountain, according to the News Leader of Staunton, Virginia. The area is part of the Great North Mountain Trail.

Air Force officials did not know Thursday if the pilot was able to eject. Virginia state troopers now say early reports of a parachute being spotted cannot be verified.

If the pilot bailed out, the pilot most likely ditched the survival vest in order to avoid snagging it on trees.

This is a developing story. Updates will be posted as our reporting continues.

Calvin McFadden said everyone ranging from peers to parents, needs to help stop the violence in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD – Calvin McFadden, a local pastor and keynote speaker at the annual “Peace First” luncheon on Thursday, stirred a standing ovation when he said “enough is enough,” and called for a citywide effort to reclaim its streets and schools from violence.

“It’s well past time to come to grips with escalating levels of violence in our community,” McFadden said, during the luncheon conducted by the Mayor’s Citywide Violence Prevention Task Force. “The local community is the most powerful asset we have in the struggle against violence. But we have to start taking some responsibility.”

Approximately 100 people attended the luncheon that took place at the Western Massachusetts Correctional Alcohol Center on Howard Street in the South End.

Various anti-violence advocates attended the two-hour luncheon, along with several students from the High School of Commerce and Brookings Elementary School. Some of the students spoke about their own efforts to do better in school, aided by staff and programs, and their efforts to help other students succeed.

McFadden is pastor of St. John’s Congregational Church and a member of the Springfield School Committee.

McFadden spoke about talking to a group of middle school students and asking them if they had ever seen someone get shot, or have a relative or friend who had been shot, or had been injured by a shooting themselves.

About 25 students raised their hands, out of approximately 25, “a number that astonished me,” McFadden said.

“We can do something about it,” McFadden said. “We must do something about it, and we can no longer accept this as normal.”

Violence in Springfield has included 10 homicides thus far in 2014.

McFadden said that every segment of the community – peers, parents, teachers, law enforcement officials, clergy and others – must take responsibility, such as noticing changes in behavior that might be a precursor to violence.

McFadden said some steps that can be taken to address violence include:

Helping on the front line through new laws, tougher but fair penalties, and spending more money on crime investigations and prosecution.

Identifying and funding successful programs that prevent and combat violence.

Making it safer for witnesses who can provide information to solve crimes, such as making sure their aid is anonymous.

Being the “best parents we can be.” Parents “need to know where their children are at 1 a.m.,” as there is no reason for teenagers to be out at that time of night while they are living under their parent’s roofs and eating their food, he said.

McFadden said families, businesses, and all levels of government must be part of the solution.

People pay for the violence, ranging from tax dollars to those who are left with the “ever present grief that remains when someone is taken from us by violence,” McFadden said.

The Mayor’s Citywide Violence Prevention Task Force is a group of organizations and individuals who “collaborate to develop prevention strategies, intervention and solutions to reduce violence” and to promote public safety.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe spoke and echoed the theme that it takes a whole community to prevent and combat violence.

During the program, there was also a standing ovation for Sheldon Alexander, who did a musical, artistic presentation titled “Who’s Next,” in which he spoke of “bullets flying,” and asking who would be next as a victim, whether it be himself, or a cousin or anyone else.

In backing the CEO of the non-profit Leading Cities and former Clinton Administration appointee, NAGE cited Lake's support of labor unions stating that its members believe he will protect them if elected.

BOSTON — Mike Lake, one of the three Democrats aiming to become the next lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, landed an endorsement Thursday from the National Association of Government Employees union.

In backing the CEO of the non-profit Leading Cities and former Clinton Administration appointee, NAGE cited Lake's support of labor unions stating that its members believe he will protect them if elected.

"NAGE is proud to endorse Mike Lake for Lt. Governor because he is a great friend to unions and labor," the union said in a statement released by the Lake campaign."His candidacy demonstrates the power of grassroots organizing and inclusivity. He will be a Lt. Governor who cares and listens to the people."

In accepting the union's endorsement over the other two Democrats in the race, Lake said, "Government workers are the ones who keep government working for the people," adding that he "will continue to support unions and working families."

Fellow Democrats Lelund Cheung, a Cambridge city councilor, and Steve Kerrigan, a former staffer to both the late Sen. Ted Kennedy and former Attorney General Tom Reilly, will compete with Lake in the primary.

Former state Rep. Karyn Polito, who is running with gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker as a ticket, is currently the only Republican in the race.

United Independent Party candidate Angus Jennings is running as a ticket with gubernatorial hopeful Evan Falchuk while Yarmouth Selectwoman Tracy Post is running with independent Jeff McCormick.

The primary election for lieutenant governor will take place Sept. 9, and the general election is slated for Nov. 4, 2014.

Critics said it was wrong to deprive taxpayers of knowledge of how $45,000 was spent in the Egan agreement.

HOLYOKE — The state supervisor of public records has ordered the city to give The Republican and MassLive.com records related to the separation agreement that paid former city solicitor Heather G. Egan $45,000.

The city had "no authority" to deny the news organizations' request for the document based on a promise of confidentiality, Supervisor of Records Shawn A. Williams wrote in an Aug. 20 letter to Kara Cunha, second assistant city solicitor.

"If such were the case, any government employee could unilaterally frustrate the purpose of the Public Records Law with a rubber stamp," Williams said.

"Therefore, a confidentiality clause cannot be used to circumvent the mandatory disclosure provision of the Public Records Law," Williams said.

In the letter, Williams reiterated he state's determination that any document made or received by a public employee shall be available to the public, unless an exemption applies.

Williams ordered the city to release all records in the Egan separation agreement to The Republican and MassLive.com within 10 days of the dated letter or provide the news organizations and his office "with specificity" how a particular exemption applies to certain records.

Williams said his office has ruled the city was permitted to withhold from The Republican and MassLive.com records that constituted attorney-client privilege between Mayor Alex B. Morse and lawyers with the Springfield firm Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn, as well as Egan's personnel and medical files.

Egan had been head of the Law Department for slightly more than a year when she resigned April 29 for what Morse said were personal reasons.

It was later learned Egan was paid $45,000 in an exit agreement that featured Egan and Morse agreeing to maintain confidentiality.

Critics say Morse was wrong to deprive taxpayers of an answer about how their money was spent in this case. Morse has said he made a decision in the Egan case he felt was in the city's best interest.

Egan has declined to comment.

This is a developing story and details will be added as reporting continues.

A slew of Berkshire County officials came out in support of Democrat Steve Grossman's gubernatorial campaign on Thursday in a sign that his active presence throughout the state as treasurer is paying off.

PITTSFIELD — A slew of Berkshire County officials came out in support of Democrat Steve Grossman's gubernatorial campaign on Thursday in a sign that his active presence throughout the commonwealth as state treasurer continues to pay off politically.

Pittsfield Mayor Dan Bianchi, Berkshire County Sheriff Tom Bowler, State Representatives Smitty Pignatelli, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Gailanne Cariddi, Paul Mark and Pittsfield City Council President Melissa Mazzeo all announced they were endorsing Grossman over fellow Democrats Martha Coakley and Don Berwick.

"Western Massachusetts is constantly fighting for attention from Beacon Hill," Bianchi said in a statement. "Time and time again Steve Grossman has demonstrated his commitment to this region as treasurer. I know as governor he will be a champion for Pittsfield and Berkshire County."

Bowler, who endorsed Steve Kerrigan for lieutenant governor earlier this week, said Grossman's plan to attack the opioid epidemic helped win his support.

"As Sheriff I've seen the devastation that issues surrounding mental and substance abuse can do to individuals and families in Berkshire County," Bowler said. "Steve Grossman has pledged to address our needs with a keen understanding and vital resources. We need him in the Corner Office."

Grossman's already strong slate of Western Mass. supporters include incoming state Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. His Western Mass. campaign office opening earlier this month was an event showcasing just how popular the treasurer is in the Pioneer Valley as several elected officials were present to show their solidarity around his candidacy.

In accepting the latest endorsements from Berkshire County, Grossman doubled down on his promise to represent the entire state if elected.

"I am honored to have broad support from distinguished elected officials and activists throughout Berkshire County," Grossman said. "Our commitment to economic revitalization, job creation, as well as the arts and cultural tourism during the next four years can have a significant and sustained impact on the quality of life of all residents."

Dating from 1215, charter influenced writing of Declaration of Independence.

Interested to view a document, pre-dating the Declaration of Independence, but one that promoted the common law right of due process and limited power of the executive, back in 1215?

The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, in Williamstown, will have on view, from an English cathedral, one of the four surviving copies of the original Magna Carta. Signed by English nobles and endorsed by King John, the charter made the monarchy subject to the rule of law. It will be on view, from Sept. 6 through Nov. 2, along with other documents, on loan from Williams College, in the exhibit, "Radical Words: From Magna Carta to the Constitution."

"The Clark is thrilled to be hosting Magna Carta this fall, and certainly honored to be chosen by Lincoln Cathedral as an exhibition site," said Sally Morse Majewski, the institute's manager of public relations and marketing.

"'Radical Words" is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for visitors, from throughout the Northeast, to explore how the Magna Carta influenced some of the most important documents in American history, including the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Emancipation Proclamation. The exhibition promises to be very popular with school groups and the general public."

Special events include a talk on Sept. 7, at 3 p.m., by The Very Reverend Philip Buckler, dean of Lincoln Cathedral, on how the ancient city of Lincoln and its medieval cathedral came to house the document.

The cathedral's exemplar is widely regarded as the finest extant copy of the document, due to the fact that it is written in an "official" hand, and has remained at the cathedral since the time of its first issue, according to a release about the exhibit. It is being lent by the cathedral as part of the United Kingdom's preparations for celebrating the document's 800th anniversary in 2015.

“While most of the original 63 clauses of the document deal with archaic issues that are read as curiosities today, Magna Carta set forth concepts of justice — including due process, trial by jury, and civil rights — that remain fundamental principles in modern democratic society,” Michael Conforti, director of the Clark, said in a release.

The other documents in the exhibition include a broadside original of the Declaration of Independence, printed on July 4, 1776, that is one of 26 known surviving copies; a draft of the United States Constitution, annotated by George Mason, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention; an 1863 official folio copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, printed by the U.S. State Department two days after President Abraham Lincoln signed the original; an 1876 original of the Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States, published by the National Woman Suffrage Association; and a 1949 copy of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, drafted by a committee, that was chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt.

In conjunction with the exhibit, the Chapin Library at Williams will display a 1622 printed edition of the Mayflower Compact, the first governing document of Plymouth Colony.

A special Freedom Family Day will be held on Nov. 2, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., and there will also be free admission on Sept. 17, in commemoration of U.S. Constitution Day.

The order was requested at by the Northampton Trust Coalition during a meeting last week with the mayor and Police Chief Russell P. Sienkeiwicz.

NORTHAMPTON - Mayor David J. Narkewicz issued an executive policy order on Thursday directing the Northampton police to refrain from contacting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when they stop someone without proper documentation during a traffic violation.

The order was requested by the Northampton Trust Coalition during a meeting last week with the mayor and Police Chief Russell P. Sienkeiwicz. Sienkeiwicz said it is already police policy not to turn illegal immigrants over to ICE.

The City Council was to consider a resolution asking Narkewicz to issue such an order at its last meeting, but the resolution was tabled after the mayor promised to issue it voluntarily. The order codifies the police practice.

A Vermont man has pleaded not guilty to a seven-count indictment that alleges he stole $200,000 worth of trucks and tractors from around the Northeast and converted them to his own use after tampering with their vehicle identification numbers.

A digest of news stories from around New England and beyond.

Do you have news or a news tip to submit to MassLive.com for consideration? Send an email to online@repub.com.

The Massachusetts Land Court has reinstated building permits for the biomass project.

SPRINGFIELD – The City Council has scheduled a meeting on Tuesday with a private lawyer to discuss a potential appeal of a court decision that reinstated building permits for a proposed biomass wood-burning plant in East Springfield.

Council President Michael Fenton called for a “Committee of a Whole” meeting with lawyer James Donohue, scheduled Tuesday at 5 p.m., in the council chambers at City Hall. The meeting will open in public session, as required by law, but then could go into executive session, closed to the public, Fenton said.

A committee of a whole meeting is not a regular meeting, but all councilors are invited to attend.

“The meeting is for strategy and informational purposes,” Fenton said. “There will be no decision made regarding whether the council will file an appeal at that meeting.”

The Massachusetts Land Court recently ruled Palmer Renewable Energy is entitled to building permits for its proposed $150 million biomass plant near the intersection of Cadwell Drive and Roosevelt Avenue.

The city building commissioner had issued the permits for initial construction, but both were revoked by the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals. Palmer Renewable Energy appealed to the Land Court in Boston, and won.

Appeals can be filed with the Massachusetts Court of Appeals, according to the Law Department.

Donohue is an outside counsel, who was hired by the city for the biomass legal case in Land Court, representing the council and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Opponents of the biomass plant have stated it will worsen pollution and cause health problems. The developer has stated the project involves state-of-the-art equipment, must comply with stringent environmental regulations, and will not harm public safety.