Army Pfc. Bernard Gavrin's regiment had been in Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands of the western Pacific Ocean and came under heavy attack, suffering many casualties.

By DEEPTI HAJELA

NEW YORK — The remains of a soldier missing in action since World War II have been identified and will be buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, a Department of Defense office said Wednesday.

Army Pfc. Bernard Gavrin, who was from Brooklyn, was 29 when he was reported missing on July 7, 1944, the Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office said. His regiment had been in Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands of the western Pacific Ocean and came under heavy attack, suffering many casualties.

Gavrin was declared dead in July 1945, and his remains were deemed non-recoverable in 1948. But in recent years, excavations on Saipan by a Japanese nonprofit group have turned up the remains of American and Japanese soldiers.

Last year, the group found remains and personal items of some American soldiers, which were turned over to the American government. Testing using a family member's DNA confirmed Gavrin was among them.

His 82-year-old nephew David Rogers, of Delray Beach, Florida, said he was planning to be at the burial on Sept. 12. He said it was "absolutely incredible and unbelievable to all of us" that Gavrin would be laid to rest in "the most honorable place you could be buried in this country."

Rogers, whose mother was Gavrin's sister, said Gavrin was the youngest of three children and had enlisted in 1940. He said the last time he saw his uncle was when he was 8 years old and his uncle came to visit.

Rogers had injured himself, requiring stitches, and Gavrin went to his bedroom.

"He awakened me and kissed me on the forehead," Rogers recalled.

Gavrin's loss was shattering, Rogers said. When the telegram came and Gavrin's mother, Rogers' grandmother, opened it, "She let out a scream that lives with me to this day," he said.

The video Tuesday showing the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff was first uploaded onto a different website and quickly deleted when copied onto YouTube, slowing the spread of posts linking to it, said a Silicon Valley insider, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Silicon Valley firms were prepared this week to quickly block video of an Islamic State militant beheading an American journalist after a previous video by the same group showing the death of James Foley ricocheted through social networks in what was seen by some as a propaganda coup for the extremists.

The video Tuesday showing the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff was first uploaded onto a different website and quickly deleted when copied onto YouTube, slowing the spread of posts linking to it, said a Silicon Valley insider, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others all have policies banning terms of service regarding images of gratuitous violence or that incite hatred. But grisly images, once viral, are hard to restrain.

"It's been very interesting, with this second beheading, how very little of those images have been passed around," said Family Online Safety Institute CEO Stephen Balkam, who serves on Facebook's safety advisory board. "It's very difficult to find them unless you know of some darker places on the web."

When Tuesday's beheading video of Sotloff was launched so soon after Foley's death, "platforms were better prepared for it this time around," the Silicon Valley insider said. Social media firms are trying to force out the Islamic State group "platform by platform," the tech official said.

The major social networks declined to speak with The Associated Press directly about the beheading videos. But YouTube in a statement said it has "clear policies prohibiting content intended to incite violence, and we remove videos violating these policies when flagged by our users."

YouTube also terminates accounts registered by members of State Department-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations and used in an official capacity to further their interests.

One advocate of free speech on the Internet said she's troubled by the idea of Internet companies removing content.

Jillian York, who directs international freedom of expression initiatives at the nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation, said corporations like Twitter and Facebook should never remove content unless required to do so by law.

"The problem is that their rules are applied unevenly," she said, noting that she has heard from numerous people who had their Twitter accounts banned after they shared the Foley video even though newspapers and the Israeli prime minister did the same without repercussion. Meanwhile, she said, the Islamic State continues to use the platform to recruit.

"Ultimately, though, giving corporations the power to censor sets a dangerous precedent," York said. "And we've seen this power abused time and time again."

Marc Rotenberg, director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a Washington-based nonprofit focused on Internet privacy and freedom of expression, said one strategy that is gaining support "is to remove the underlying video but not to limit the discussion of the topic."

Dwayne Melancon, chief technology officer at Tripwire, a Portland, Oregon-based cybersecurity firm, said most of the mainstream sharing sites will cooperate with national agencies to remove content deemed dangerous to national security or endangering an active criminal investigation.

"Even in these situations, videos have often already been harvested by users that download them and then repost the material on other sites," he said. "This is the proverbial 'the cat is out of the bag' problem we see all the time on the Internet. While you may be able to deal with the original sources of content, you're almost always dealing with multiple sources, many of whom will not listen to any request to 'scrub' the video from their sites."

Social media sites police their content around the clock to take down content that users flag. In the past, this has included images considered online bullying and pages or feeds from people who died or became incapacitated. In recent years, social media sites have repeatedly blocked extremely graphic videos of murders by Mexican drug cartels.

Attorney General Martha Coakley, former Medicare administrator Don Berwick and Treasurer Steve Grossman mostly agreed with each other on multiple policy points while clashing on campaign minutiae and insider maneuvers.

BOSTON — The three Democratic gubernatorial candidates met Wednesday for a major televised debate before Tuesday's primary.

Attorney General Martha Coakley, former Medicare administrator Don Berwick and Treasurer Steve Grossman mostly agreed with each other on multiple policy points while clashing on campaign minutiae and insider maneuvers.

The three were blunt in what they disagreed with outgoing Gov. Deval Patrick on.

Berwick said that while he thought Patrick was a great governor, his decision to bring casinos into the state was a major mistake. "Jobs are lost in the net, the state revenue goes down, not up," said Berwick on casinos entering the state.

Coakley and Grossman highlighted the roll out of the state's medical marijuana law as Patrick's biggest failure. Coakley said that it was baffling to see the state handle the issuing of medical marijuana licenses so poorly while it poured an enormous amount of resources into structuring the state's gaming law.

Grossman added that he thought the governor failed the state while overseeing the troubled implementation of the state's new health insurance exchange.

"I vehemently disagreed with him when they gave out a no-bid contract. I don't believe in them," said Grossman.

Coakley has stood as the front-runner throughout the campaign with consistent high double-digits leads.

The debate, moderated by WCVB's Janet Wu and WHDH's Andy Hiller, became contentious when Berwick challenged Coakley for her 2010 loss to Scott Brown in a special election to fill former Sen. Edward Kennedy's open United States Senate seat.

"Let us be clear, Scott Brown was beatable ... I want to ask what every single Democrat in Massachusetts is wondering: Why is it different this time?" said Berwick, referencing the Boston Globe's endorsement of Grossman and non-endorsement of Coakley.

Coakley said that she made a decision to run for reelection as attorney general after her loss in 2010 and that she would only run in 2014 if she had the time to build up a respectable ground game, something she contends she was unable to do against Brown.

"We've been crossing Massachusetts and I've been shaking hands. I don't care about the Boston Globe endorsement, Don, I care about the endorsement on September 9," said Coakley.

The debate aired on WHDH and WCVB TV and WBUR and Bloomberg radio. A half-hour debate between the three is scheduled for Thursday on NECN.
Polls open on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 7 a.m.

The barb-filled debate highlighted the sharp disagreement between the Democratic candidates for governor on issues related to casino gambling.

The three Democrats running for governor – Attorney General Martha Coakley, Treasurer Steve Grossman and former Medicare and Medicaid administrator Don Berwick – fought over casino gambling, economic development and leadership styles in a barb-filled final televised debate on NECN.

Asked about economic development by moderator Jim Braude, Grossman shot at Coakley, "I called your plan a fake plan last night it was just as fake tonight."

"At least it's a plan, which you do not have," Coakley said.

That led Berwick to dismiss them both as "bickering."

The debate illustrated the sharp tone the gubernatorial campaign has taken in the final days leading to Tuesday's primary. Coakley has led by double digits in virtually all the polls, and Grossman has attacked her ferociously in their final debates. Berwick, who is trailing both of them, released a television ad portraying Coakley and Grossman as squabbling children.

Some of the most contentious debate came on casino gambling, one area where there are substantive differences between the Democrats.

Berwick is the only one of the candidates to favor repealing the state's casino gambling law. "Casinos kill communities, shut down jobs," Berwick said, adding that casinos increase drunk driving rates and prey on the poor.

Coakley said casinos are "not the first place I'd have gone" for economic development but her office worked to put in place a money laundering statute, to create a regulatory enforcement body and to allow for local control

Grossman is the most enthusiastic in his support of casinos, saying they would add 15,000 jobs to the economy in both construction and service jobs.

Springfield voters have already approved and the state's Gaming Commission has licensed a casino proposed by MGM Resorts in Springfield. However, the casino is in jeopardy due to a ballot question that could repeal the state's casino gambling law in November.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker said if the casino law is repealed, he would look at the possibility of a legislative solution to go forward with the MGM casino anyway. Coakley has said she would keep an open mind about the idea.

Grossman criticized Coakley for that stance. "Democracy is about letting the people decide," Grossman said. "If a majority of people decide we don't want one, it ends there."

Coakley responded that Springfield voters voted for a casino and are looking forward to having one. "(The principle that) any time voters voted that's it forever, I don't think that's necessarily true," Coakley said. "I don't think that's the way the law works."

Coakley said she would not necessarily support going forward with a slots parlor in Plainville, which also was already approved, or a casino in eastern Massachusetts, where a license is expected to be granted soon, if the law is repealed. But she said the Springfield casino is "uniquely situated" in a part of western Massachusetts that needs economic development.

Berwick responded that, "Steve's math is wrong and Martha's leadership is wrong." Berwick cited data showing that casinos will not generate net revenue for municipalities. "I just wish these people would look at facts instead of lobbyists," Berwick said.

The state currently gets revenue from the state lottery, which goes to local aid for cities and towns. Braude said statistics show that the lottery takes more money from poor people than wealthy people.

Asked how they would deal with the inequity involved in the lottery, Grossman said the state should reconsider its formula for distributing unrestricted local aid, so poorer communities get more money. Grossman also said the state should increase the amount of money it spends on addressing gambling addiction.

Coakley and Berwick said they oppose allowing online gambling. Berwick said he would not have added a new $30 lottery ticket, as the lottery did under Grossman.

The candidates also addressed issues including education, health care costs and the minimum wage.

Dr. Jackson Williams was mentored by Dr. Richard Sacra, who contracted the disease in Liberia.

There election will be decided on the Sept. 9 primary since there are no Republicans running.

CHICOPEE – The race for state representative in the 8th Hampden District pits a long-serving politician against a newcomer whose only office served has been as a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission.

State Rep. Joseph F. Wagner, who has held the seat for 23 years, is being challenged by William Courchesne.

The race has been mostly lackluster since Courchesne has said little in public. He has eschewed campaign signs, his Facebook page has few updates and he released his official announcement on Sept. 2. Courchesne said his campaign has been mostly a grassroots one where he is going door-to-door to meet voters.

Wagner meanwhile has been airing radio spots, has put up signs and was the only candidate to attend the Republican and Masslive taped question-and-answer session.

With both candidates running as Democrats and no Republicans in the race, the seat will be decided at the Sept. 9 primary.

Wagner, 54, of Edward Street, has held the seat since 1991. He currently serves as chairman of the House Economic Development and Emergency Technologies committee and was previously longtime chairman of Transportation .

Courchesne, 48, a retail manager, is currently a member of the city’s Park and Recreation Committee, a volunteer and coach for Special Olympics and he previously ran unsuccessfully for City Council in Ward 7.

While he said his political experience is limited, Courchesne argued Wagner also started the job after serving as a mayoral aid and had little state experience. “I think my customer service skills prepare me for the job. I would listen to my constituents,” he said.

Wagner said his campaign promise remains the same as it has for years. It is one he said he works to make good on for every term.

“My position I try to make clear each and every day is that Chicopee will be more than and exit on the Massachusetts turnpike and my commitment to that idea is reflected in committing funding for education and infrastructure and in ways that bettered the community,” he said.

One thing the two disagree on is the issue of bringing casinos to Massachusetts. Wagner was one of the authors of the legislation that will allow up to three resort casinos and a slots parlor while Courchesne said he is opposed to the legislation.

In November voters will cast ballots on a referendum question that will either confirm or repeal the law.

Wagner argued the way the law was written local voters are given the ultimate decision if a casino should be located in their community. He said he would consider fighting for a casino in Springfield, even if voters state-wide repeal the law through the referendum.

But he said that would only depend on how votes are cast. “We would have to assess what was the percentage of the vote on either side, how did it break out across regions,” he said.

Courchesne said if the casino law is repealed, he will not try to reverse the vote.

“The key here is to respect my voters. I support democracy, and if my voters do reject casinos, it means going back to the drawing board. I will not be in the pocket of the casinos but will make sure everything is done fairly and impartially,” he said in a written statement.

Both candidates agreed they would continue to push funding for education and state assistance for cities, since it is a large part of the revenue for Chicopee.

Courchesne said he would also fight to get rid of the recently reinstated tolls on the last six exits of the Massachusetts Turnpike and would also fight to repeal the automatic increases in the gas tax.

Wagner meanwhile said he will continue to support legislation that will help the city improve economic development. One of his efforts will be to try to expand the use of the Westover Metropolitan Airport.

If the airport is used more, it would pay more fees to the Westover Air Reserve Base since the two share a runway. Westover is facing federal budget cuts that will downsize its staff and cut the fleet in half so bringing in additional funding would help preserve the base’s economic viability, Wagner said.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported the bride and bridegroom were among the missing people who were returning home from a wedding ceremony.

By AIJAZ HUSSAIN

SRINAGAR, India — A bus carrying more than 50 wedding guests was swept away by a flooded stream Thursday in the Indian-held portion of Kashmir, and all but five of the passengers were missing, officials said.

Police officer Mubashir Latiefi said rescuers found one body nearly two miles downstream.

Latiefi also said four swam to safety and told rescuers that about 50 others were travelling by the bus.

Rescuers sighted the bus several hours later and were trying to reach it, he said. Landslides and heavy rains earlier blocked access to the area.

Officials earlier said the bus was carrying about 70 people. "There is a lot of confusion," Rajesh Kumar, another police officer, said.

The Press Trust of India news agency said the bride and bridegroom were among the missing people who were returning home from a wedding ceremony in a village in the Rajouri region, about 110 miles southwest of Srinagar, the main city in the Indian-held portion of Kashmir.

The region's wedding season has been disrupted by heavy rains and the worst floods in 22 years, and many ceremonies have been postponed.

At least 18 people have died in the past two days, and authorities on Thursday closed schools and stopped train services in the Kashmir valley. Meteorologists said the heavy rains were likely to continue for another two days.

Police officer Imtiyaz Hussain said the 18 victims were swept away by floodwaters or buried by mud from mountain slopes — 14 in the Jammu region and four in the Kashmir valley. They included a paramilitary officer whose bunker collapsed on him.

Soldiers and rescue workers used boats to move thousands of people to higher ground. At least 100 villages across the Kashmir valley were flooded by overflowing lakes and rivers, including the Jhelum river, which was up to 1.5 meters (4 feet) above its danger level, officials said.

Landslides and floods are common in India during the monsoon season, which runs from June through September. More than 100 people died after a massive landslide hit a village near Pune, a city in western India, recently.

Parts of Srinagar were also flooded. In Bemina, a large neighborhood, thousands of residents waded through ankle-high water that entered their homes.

Authorities evacuated 5,000 people from the neighborhood and 100 others were believed to be stranded there.

Authorities also asked residents in several other areas in Srinagar to move to safer places amid heavy rains.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both. They have fought three wars, two of them over control of Kashmir, since winning independence from Britain in 1947.

At the recommendation of the Board of Public Works, the council also voted not to accept Park and Paquette avenues as public ways.

NORTHAMPTON - The City Council gave final approval Thursday to accepting a dozen private ways as city streets.

The streets that are now public are Prospect Court, Lawn Avnue, Strawberry Hill, Tyler Court, Wilder Place, Carpenter Avenue, Bratton Court, Isabella Street, Edwards Square, Ahawaga Avenue, Baker Hill Road and Church Street. The council accepted all the streets on first reading last month.

At the recommendation of the Board of Public Works, the council also voted not to accept Park and Paquette avenues as public ways. BPW chairman Terry Culhane told the council that the board applied various criteria to the 40-odd streets it considered, including whether or not they are paved and can accommodate two-way traffic. Only one property owner lives on Park Avenue and Paquette has few homes, Culhane said.

In other matters, the council appropriated $12,939 to supplement the cost of painting City Hall and $12,305 for deleading associated with the replacement off fire escapees at The Academy of Music.

The council also approved a second-hand dealer's license for James Crocker of Modern Myths and John Malikowski of Ryan's Jewelers.

Donnabelle Casis gave the council a slide presentation for Florence Night Outt, a biannual event in Florence scheduled for Sept. 19. Thomas Pease, the former owner of 1812 Paint and Body, told councilors that he is also putting on a fund-raiser for the new playing fields in Florence called Salute2Summer on Saturday at Look Park.

A video of the incident shows a collector quickly swimming about 30 to 40 feet toward a diver who is filming them and ripping out her air-supply regulator.

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii — A Hawaii man who collects and sells tropical fish for a living has pleaded not guilty to a charge of terroristic threatening for allegedly pulling the air-supply regulator out of the mouth of an anti-aquarium industry activist while underwater.

Jay Lovell did not speak during a brief arraignment Tuesday. His attorney asked for a jury trial, which is set for Sept. 11 on the misdemeanor charge, West Hawaii Today reported.

The incident took place in May off Hawaii Island when activist Rene Umberger and other divers approached Lovell while he was collecting aquarium fish to sell. Umberger has said they approached with cameras to document him collecting tropical fish on the reef.

A video of the incident shows a collector quickly swimming about 30 to 40 feet toward a diver who is filming them and ripping out her air-supply regulator. A snorkeler watching from above filmed the scene with another camera.

Lovell's lawyer, Evans Smith, told the newspaper his client was surrounded by six strangers. He claims the divers blocked his route back to the surface, and said he immediately reported it to authorities.

"He's not the criminal here," Smith said.

A 2010 state report says Hawaii's aquarium fish collectors reported catching more than 550,000 specimens worth $1.1 million in 2009.

About 75 percent of the aquarium fish caught in Hawaii are caught off the Kona coast, where this incident happened. Aquarium fish collecting is legal off Kona, but fisherman must avoid certain places and collect only certain species. The incident occurred in Keawaiki Bay, where collecting is allowed.

Some environmentalists want to stop aquarium fishermen, saying the trade strips coral reefs of fish that eat algae and otherwise support a healthy marine ecosystem.

Police are searching for Melissa McLeod, 45, who is accused of assaulting a 72-year-old man, among other charges.

While his sometimes frosty relations with Chicopee's mayors have played out to disadvantage, Wagner has generally served the city well.

State Rep. Joseph Wagner, D-Chicopee, has served in the state Legislature since 1992.

In that capacity he has used a generally practical approach toward his responsibilities as a lawmaker. He is not above expressing passion – particularly when it comes to protecting his own reputation.

As the architect of the legislation to expand casino gambling, Wagner has taken a consistent interest in issues that affect the statewide economy.

To his credit, he has taken conservative stances on issues regarding taxation, opposing expansion of the bottle bill in 2012, opposing increasing the gasoline tax by 19 cents in 2009.

He favored a ban on text-messaging.

Predictably, he opposed a proposal to place unaccompanied children at Westover Air Reserve Base and rightfully had harsh words about Gov. Deval Patrick’s failure to notify him prior to making a public pronouncement.

Asked by The Republican Editorial Board about his position on the verdict in the trial of three top leaders of the Probation Commission, Wagner defended his own record in making recommendations and defended House Speaker Robert DeLeo. He also pointed out that the system is not immune to patronage hiring under reforms passed by the state Legislature.

While his sometimes frosty relations with Chicopee’s mayors have played out to disadvantage, Wagner has generally served the city well.

The legislator is capable and smart. In an environment where who you know counts, he knows how to get things done.

Gonzalez will be a strong voice in the Legislature for the issues he cares about: fighting poverty, fighting crime and bringing jobs to Springfield.

Carlos Gonzalez has a slight edge in carrying out the commitments of Cheryl Coakley-Rivera in the 10th Hampden District. With experience as a legislative aide, he’s also a forceful speaker.

Springfield City Councilor Melvin Edwards has run an admirable campaign and touched on important issues. His dedication to the life and lives of the people of Springfield is unquestioned.

Social worker Ivette Hernandez has made an admirable first foray into politics.

Gonzalez will be a strong voice in the Legislature for the issues he cares about: fighting poverty, fighting crime and bringing jobs to Springfield.

We believe he’ll be most successful as a state legislator if he hires a capable staff to help him in the tasks and if he delegates effectively.

Hampden Assistant District Attorney Anthony Gulluni has vowed to lead with transparency as a public servant.

The race for Hampden District Attorney has attracted a field of four Democrats.

Shawn Allyn has a troubling recent stain upon his record. Judge Philip Contant disqualified him from representing a father in a criminal case in which Allyn had already represented the children in a civil case against their father.

Lawyer Hal Etkin has some excellent ideas that the next district attorney ought to implement.

Brett Vottero has a confrontational style that is better suited to litigation than management. In addition, he shows little interest in running a transparent office. It’s also telling that his previous employer, William D. Bennett, chose to endorse another candidate.

Hampden Assistant District Attorney Anthony Gulluni has vowed to lead with transparency as a public servant. Specifically, he has said he will make sure the public – by way of the media – has access to developments in crime investigations at all times. This is significant in terms of both ensuring public safety and in assuaging fears of residents when there have been crimes committed.

“Anthony is dedicated and determined. He has sound judgment, outstanding legal skills and a deep sense of fairness, a commitment for justice and compassion for victims,” Bennett said in his endorsement. “I know from my own experience that these are the qualities necessary to be an effective DA.”

We look forward to calling Anthony Gulluni Hampden district attorney.

The new licenses should be available to applicants in a few months, an official said.

HOLYOKE -- The state has granted the city 13 additional liquor licenses for restaurants to help in redeveloping four poor downtown neighborhoods, Mayor Alex B. Morse said Thursday (Sept. 4).

"These additional licenses will prove invaluable to our goal of attracting restaurants to our downtown. Even before this bill's passage, we had received interest from many restaurateurs who were considering Holyoke as a location," Morse said.

The licenses would have conditions that are not attached to the 50 or so regular existing liquor licenses at businesses around the city. For example, the licenses would be specifically for the Flats, South Holyoke, Churchill and Prospect Heights-Downtown neighborhoods.

Morse said the additional liquor licenses were a way to help the urban renewal plan for the four neighborhoods called "Connect. Construct. Create. – A plan to revitalize Center City Holyoke."

Other unique features of the licenses are that: the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority and not a restaurant proprietor would own the license. The restaurant owner would have to pay the Redevelopment Authority $10,000 to use each license; and the licenses would be nontransferrable if the restaurant is sold, officials said.

That means the licenses would revert back to the Redevelopment Authority and be available to another potential restaurant owner, again for the $10,000 fee, officials said.

Funds from the $10,000 fee would be used to help in establishing the urban renewal plan for the four neighborhoods, said Marcos A. Marrero, director of the city Department of Planning and Economic Development.

In contrast, the previously existing liquor licenses can be sold by the restaurant that owns them, for as much as $60,000 or more. That's because the regular licenses have more value than these new ones because they are in more affluent parts of the city and free of the condition of being in one of the four poorer neighborhoods, Ward 7 Councilor Gordon P. Alexander has said.

Morse thanked state Sen. Donald R. Humason, R-Westfield, and state Rep. Aaron M. Vega, D-Holyoke, for their work on the measure. It came in the form of a home rule petition and was signed by Gov Deval L. Patrick Aug. 21.

The extra licenses were provided that way because Holyoke had reached its limit of such licenses based on population, Morse said.

The City Council approved pursuit of the home rule petition Feb. 18.

The new licenses will be approved by the License Board, as with previous licenses. But because these licenses will be for businesses specifically in an urban renewal area, the Redevelopment Authority also will be involved in granting them, Marrero said.

The city established the Redevelopment Authority in February 2008. The five-member board has authority to plan and carry out steps redevelop blighted areas and encourage new development with the intent of gaining new tax revenue and jobs for the city, according to city website.

It will be a few months before the licenses are issued, Marrero said.

"These two boards have not worked together before, so they need to both agree on the process," Marrero said.

In the February meeting on the home rule petition, Councilor at Large Daniel B. Bresnahan said a concern is whether such special attention given to certain parts of the city would be unfair to business owners who have paid $50,000 to $60,000 or more for existing licenses.

Councilors at Large Joseph M. McGiverin and Rebecca Lisi replied that the proposal was an effort to help four downtown neighborhoods that have suffered from economic decline for years.

Also, Alexander said, all existing liquor license holders were invited to attend a meeting about the pursuit of the additional licenses; only three showed up and they raised no significant objections.

The fire was located in the pool house at the hotel.

An update to this story was posted at 12:25 a.m. Thursday.

WEST SPRINFIELD - Firefighters responded to a blaze at the Comfort Inn & Suites at 106 Capital Drive Thursday evening shortly after 10 p.m.

The fire was located in the pool house in the hotel off Riverdale Street. The roof of the pool house was nowhere to be seen. Smoke could be seen from the highway.

Shortly after firefighters arrived, they were able to get the fire under control.

A guest at the hotel, Danni Mencer of Pennsylvania, who was in town to attend the flea market in Brimfield, said she was in the hotel watching a football game when she heard an alarm.

"We were watching the football game, heard the alarm, (and) thought it was on the football game," she said. But then, she opened the door, smelled smoke and said, "gee maybe we should get out of here."

"Nobody ever told us to get out though," she said.

About an hour after the first call came in, the fire was clearly out, and shortly after 11 p.m. guests were waiting for approval from the hotel manager to go back into their rooms.

This is a developing story. More details will be published as soon as they are available.

As questions lingered Thursday regarding Tom Brady's availability for the opener at Miami, the future Hall of Fame quarterback told Jim Gray on Westwood One that he'll "be ready to go Sunday." Brady missed Thursday's practice with a calf injury. The severity had not been known, although ESPN's Mike Reiss, citing a source, reported that Brady would play Sunday. The...

As questions lingered Thursday regarding Tom Brady's availability for the opener at Miami, the future Hall of Fame quarterback told Jim Gray on Westwood One that he'll "be ready to go Sunday."

Brady missed Thursday's practice with a calf injury. The severity had not been known, although ESPN's Mike Reiss, citing a source, reported that Brady would play Sunday.

The 37 year old quarterback confirmed that in an interview with Gray.

"Physically I had the day off but I got a lot of extra film in and got mental reps in and walk-throughs and such and I'll be ready to go Sunday," Brady said.

Gray followed up with, "No problem, you'll be out there?"

Brady's response: "I sure hope so. I mean anything can happen for anybody between now and then, but I'm looking forward to playing on Sunday."

It's still unknown when or how Brady sustained the calf injury.

Brady touched on several topics during the interview, including the Logan Mankins trade. Mankins, of course, was the latest veteran Patriot to be dealt late in his career, joining Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour (Lawyer Milloy was released, as well). Gray asked Brady if he worries that he's next.

"I don't think I worry about it," Brady said. "I need to continue to find ways in the offseason to make sure the team does want me. And if there's ever a time when the team doesn't, maybe there is another team that will."

"I work hard, first of all because I love the game and I love to work hard at it, but second because I want to be in (New England) as long as I can," he continued. "I always have long-term goals in mind, and that's to be the best player I can be for the team I'm playing for. There's no other team I'd rather play for than the Patriots."

Dozens of guests were forced to evacuate as a result of the fire in a separate pool building to the rear of the hotel.

This is an update of a story posted at 10:25 p.m. Wednesday

WEST SPRINGFIELD – A fire in the pool room behind the Comfort Inn on Capital Drive late Thursday forced the evacuation of the motel and caused heavy damage to the pool area.

The fire was limited to the pool and sauna area, which is in a separate building in the rear of the main hotel building. However, smoke from the fire did get into the main hotel , according to guests who had to exit their rooms.

More than an hour after the fire, dozens of guests stool in the parking lot waiting for the word to be allowed back inside.

The fire for a time engulfed the pool building, burning a hole through the room. Smoke could be seen from nearby Interstate 91.

The extent of the damages was not known late Thursday.

An official with the state Fire Marshall’s office was on scene to aid in the investigation.

A hotel official said it was not clear when guests would be let back in.

Sitting out on the tree belt with as much of her possessions that she could carry, Susan Berry of Sabillasville, Maryland, said she was hoping to get the word to be allowed back inside. She feared it would be a while.

“The fire department may not let us back in because of the smoke,” she said.

Berry, who came up on Wednesday with family to go to the Brimfield Flea Market, said she and her husband were in their room when they heard an alarm.

At first she thought it was a drill or a malfunction because there was no smoke when she went in the hall way.

They tried calling the front desk but found the phone was not working.

The next time she went in the hall, she said she met a hotel employee. “He said ‘You need to get out of here.’”

Her husband made sure to get her sister and brother-in-law outside, while Berry concentrated on grabbing as much of their stuff as she could.

She used an antique basket that she had purchased in Brimfield to carry out her clothes and other essentials.

By the time she was leaving the hall was beginning to take on the smell of burning plastic, she said.

“When I came out, the building was really engulfed in flames,” she said.

Another Guest, Danni Mencer of Pittsburgh, who was also in town for the Brimfield Flea Market, said she was in her room watching football when she heard the alarm. At first she thought it

“We thought it was on the football game,” she said.

Once she opened the door to her room and could smell smoke, she said, her first thought was “Gee, maybe we should get out of here.”

There was no one from the hotel who said they needed to get out, she said.

Once outside, she pulled out her cell phone to take a picture of the flames. She said she could not believe how intense the fire was.

Berry said she was worried they would be forced to relocate.

She said it is an inconvenience “but everyone is safe and no one got hurt. Thank God no one was in that part of the building.”

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But by the end of of the first of what was expected to be two days of jury selection, a jury in the Caius Veiovis triple murder trial had been selected.

These were the most read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now. The most viewed item overall, however, was the gallery of photos from the Brimfield Antiques Show, above.

1) Great white shark reportedly attacks kayakers off Plymouth coast [Patrick Johnson]

2) TE Tim Wright faces an important first full week of practice heading into New England Patriots opener [Jen McCaffrey]

3) Jurors quizzed on bias in face of triple murder defendant Caius Veiovis sporting tattoos, implants [Buffy Spencer]

4) Reports: Enfield shooting death ruled homicide; teenage victim ID'd as 19-year-old Jonathan Torres [Conor Berry]

5) Springfield casino spells uncertainty for downtown mom and pop shops [Laura Newberry]

The separation agreement forbids Egan from discussing details about cases she obtained as city solicitor.

HOLYOKE — Heather G. Egan could run for elected office, and the former city solicitor even could take another job with the city, but only after Mayor Alex B. Morse is no longer mayor, according to details of the separation agreement Morse made with Egan on April 29.

But the question of why the separation agreement that ended Egan's tenure as head of the Law Department after slightly more than a year included a payment of $45,000 remains unanswered, in documents the city gave The Republican and MassLive this week under order from the state supervisor of public records.

The $45,000 question is the biggest one in a controversy that has followed Morse since the agreement became known.

Egan has declined to comment.

Morse has said he made a decision in the Egan case he felt was in the city's best interest. He has said Egan resigned for personal reasons.

The latest round of documents The Republican / MassLive received include what is purported to be the full 10-page separation agreement signed by Egan and Morse on April 29.

Previously, the city released blacked-out pages of documents and forms with boiler-plate language on the Egan separation agreement, in response to the news organizations' request for all records and emails related to the matter.

The separation agreement in its entirely includes 19 sections. What appears to be new in the latest round of documents the city released to The Republican / MassLive is that three of the sections redacted from previous document releases – sections 8, 9 and 11 – are now public.

Section 11 states Egan agrees not to seek a job with the city while Morse, who is in his second term and plans to run for reelection next year, is mayor. Nothing bars Egan from seeking a city job under future administrations, the section states.

"Nothing in this agreement shall bar Employee (Egan) from running for elected office," the section states.

The other newly released sections in the separation agreement pertain to Egan agreeing not to disclose information related to protected attorney-client privilege she obtained about cases as city solicitor and both sides agreeing not to disclose "false, negative or derogatory or inflammatory information" about each other.

The newly released records from the city include emails, largely blacked-out, between Morse and Egan apparently discussing her departure and the separation agreement. The redacted versions of the emails enlighten virtually nothing about the matter, with Morse and Egan saying things like, "I know we didn't connect today, so let's meet on Monday ..."

In an April 17 email, which included two rectangular blacked-out marks, Egan addresses Law Department staff about her pending "absence." It was unclear if this was in relation to a leave she might have been planning to take or her permanent departure from city employment. She notes in the email that Kara Cunha, second assistant city solicitor, and staff attorney Sara Carroll "should be considered to be jointly supervising the office during my absence."

"The mayor will likely appoint one of them to be the de facto supervisor during my absence, but until that occurs, this is my directive," Egan wrote in the email.

Cunha and Carroll have been sharing supervisory duties, Morse has said.

"I appreciate all of the hard work all of you have done and will no doubt continue to do. Until we speak again, Best, Heather G. Egan, Holyoke City Solicitor," concludes the email.

The latest documents release by the city includes a three-page letter from Morse to Egan dated April 15 that is completely blacked out except for "Dear Heather" and Morse's signature.

In an Aug. 20 letter to Cunha, in response to an appeal by The Republican and MassLive, state Supervisor of Records Shawn A. Williams wrote that the city had "no authority" to deny the news organizations' request for the documents based on a promise of confidentiality.

"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.

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

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

Some information is blacked out in the latest documents the city has released, to comply with attorney client privilege and state law regarding personnel exemption, Carroll said in a Sept. 2 letter to The Republican and MassLive.

Heather Egan separation agreement provided to The Republican and MassLive

Related Emails Provided to The Republican and MassLive

West Springfield Mayor Ed Sullivan on Friday came out in support of the current state treasurer, as he works to defeat Attorney General Martha Coakley and Dr. Don Berwick in a three-way primary this coming Tuesday to become the next governor of Massachusetts.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — In the dog days of summer and the Massachusetts gubernatorial primary, Democrat Steve Grossman has landed another Pioneer Valley endorsement.

West Springfield Mayor Ed Sullivan on Friday came out in support of the current state treasurer, as he works to defeat Attorney General Martha Coakley and Dr. Don Berwick in a three-way primary this coming Tuesday to become the next governor of Massachusetts.

"Based on my knowledge of the candidates, when you arrive at the polls on Tuesday, September 9, I strongly recommend you vote Steve Grossman for Governor," Sullivan said Friday afternoon. "Steve grew up in manufacturing and ran his family envelope business. He realizes the importance of manufacturing and how this correlates to job creation."

Polls have shown Grossman trailing Coakley from 20-30 points with Berwick lagging behind the duo even further. But the enthusiastic supporters both Berwick and Grossman have mustered could trump all the polling in an election where less than 25 percent of the registered voters are expected to turn out.

In accepting Sullivan's last-minute endorsement on Friday, Grossman lauded the mayor, who won his seat in 2013 following six years on the town council.

"Ed brings to government a common-sense, business-oriented approach to creating widespread economic growth and prosperity that leaves no one behind," Grossman said in a statement. "I'm honored to have Ed's support, and look forward to being his partner as we serve the the people of West Springfield from the corner office."