Yellen pointed to increased education and ownership of small businesses as two ways to deal with the problem.

MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Friday that the last several decades have seen the most sustained rise in income inequality in a century.

In a speech to a Boston conference on economic opportunity, Yellen said this problem is of great concern to her and she pointed to increased education and ownership of small businesses as two ways to deal with the problem.

"It is no secret that the past few decades of widening inequality can be summed up as significant income and wealth gains for those at the very top and stagnant living standards for the majority," Yellen said in her remarks to a conference on economic opportunity sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

"Society faces difficult questions of how best to fairly and justly promote equal opportunity," Yellen said. But she said she did not plan to offer solutions to these "contentious questions" but instead used her remarks to describe the landscape of inequality as it exists today.

She did talk about such factors as early childhood education, affordable higher education, business ownership and inheritances as "building blocks" that could be used by Americans to boost wealth.

"In focusing on these four building blocks, I do not mean to suggest that they account for all economic opportunity, but I do believe they are all significant sources opportunity for individuals and their families to improve their economic circumstances," Yellen said.

In her Boston speech, Yellen made no comments on the current state of the economy or on the future course of interest rates.

The Fed next meets on Oct. 28-29 and many economists believe the recent financial market turbulence and downgrades to economic prospects around the globe increase the likelihood that the central bank will not start raising its key short-term interest rate until next summer. That rate has been at a record low near zero since December 2008.

The agency says "nearly everyone" involved in the response failed to notice the potential for Ebola's explosive spread.

LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization has admitted it botched the attempt to stop the now-spiraling Ebola outbreak in West Africa, blaming factors including incompetent staff and a lack of information.

In a draft internal document obtained by The Associated Press, the agency says "nearly everyone" involved in the response failed to notice the potential for Ebola's explosive spread.

The agency acknowledged that its own bureaucracy was a problem, pointing out that the heads of WHO country offices in Africa are "politically motivated appointments" made by the WHO regional director for Africa.

At a meeting of WHO's experts on outbreaks in June, a senior WHO official alerted the agency's chief that some national health agencies and medical charities thought WHO was "compromising rather than aiding the response" to the Ebola crisis.

Police raided the home at 274 Main St., Indian Orchard, at about 7 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD – Complaints from neighbors regarding drug traffic at an Indian Orchard home led to an extensive police investigation and finally a raid of the property Thursday night.

Narcotics detectives executed a search warrant at 274 Main St., Indian Orchard at about 7 p.m., arrested two suspects and seized 98 bags of heroin and $1,219 in cash, Sgt. John Delaney said.

Kathiria Vazquez, 25, and Rafael Berrios, 32, both of that address, were charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

The raid was made under the direction of Lt. Alberto Ayala, Delaney, public information officer for the department, said.

Fire headquarters was built in the early 1970s before sprinklers were a code requirement.

WESTFIELD - The Fire Department will use a $61,200 grant to upgrade its headquarters with sprinklers and a new alarm system.

Fire Chief Mary Regan said the grant, from Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, must be match by 10 percent with city funding. She will absorb the additional funding needed for the upgrade, estimated at $6,800 from the department operating budget.

The City Council formally accepted the grant at its regular meeting Thursday night after Regan met with members of the council's Finance Committee to review the grant requirements.

Fire Department headquarters, located on Broad Street was built in the early 1970s and not equipped with a sprinkler system. They were not required at that time for code compliance, the chief said.

Also, the alarm system is "greatly outdated," Regan said.

The new system will include both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and, along with the sprinkler system, bring the building up to full building code compliance, the chief said.

SPRINGFIELD – Narcotics detectives arrested a 46-year-old city man on heroin charges Thursday morning after setting up a surveillance in the parking lot of a Bay neighborhood drug store. The suspect parked his Honda Accord in the parking lot of Wheeler’s Drug Store near State and Montrose streets and sold heroin to customers who approached him on foot, Sgt....

Tanzil Amiss 

SPRINGFIELD – Narcotics detectives arrested a 46-year-old city man on heroin charges Thursday morning after setting up a surveillance in the parking lot of a Bay neighborhood drug store.

The suspect parked his Honda Accord in the parking lot of Wheeler’s Drug Store near State and Montrose streets and sold heroin to customers who approached him on foot, Sgt. Delaney said.

Police confiscated 14 bags of heroin packaged for sale and and $111 in cash, Delaney, public information officer for the department, said.

Tanzil Ishaq Amiss, of 44 Hawthorne St., was charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute and violation of a drug-free zone (Homer Elementary School).

The work, weather permitting, will stretch from Sumner Avenue to Orange Street.

File photo / The Republican 

SPRINGFIELD – Traffic delays will be expected along a key roadway in the Forest Park neighborhood Saturday due to paving operations, city officials said.

Weather permitting, White Street will be paved from Sumner Avenue to Orange Street. Access for residences and businesses will be maintained

The project is part of the Community Development Block Grant disaster relief contract. The work is being done by Palmer Paving.

Honor Flight New England has organized 34 flights over the past five years, taking more than 1,000 World War II veterans to the nation's capital at no cost to the men and women.

HOLYOKE — Twelve World War II veterans who reside at the Soldiers' Home and another 16 who live in cities and towns across Western Massachusetts will head to Washington, D.C., on Sunday as part of the latest Honor Flight New England.

Community veterans groups, supporters and staff from the Soldiers' Home held a grand send-off celebration Thursday to recognize the group.

More than 1,000 veterans from New England have already participated in the 34 flights, supported by contributions, organized since 2009. Flights in May and September also included area veterans. The organization relies totally on donations to make the flights possible.

Honor Flight is a national, non-profit effort with chapters across the country which organize trips to Washington for veterans to visit the national World War II Memorial. The memorial was dedicated in 2004.

State Rep. Joseph F. Wagner, D-Chicopee, participated in the event, with the gathering thanking him for his efforts to include language in the fiscal 2015 state budget for $100,000 in funding for Honor Flight.

The celebration and send-off event also included the presentation of a donation from the Victory 4 Veterans organization to support the Oct. 19 Honor Flight. The organization holds an annual motorcycle run to benefit Honor Flight and other veterans-related efforts.

A grant to help with the Honor Flight program was also presented by the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. Armed Forces, Veterans & Families Employee Resource Group.

Together, the Victory 4 Veterans group and MassMutual contributed $30,000 to the effort; generally, a chartered flight for the Honor Flight program costs about $60,000.

A photographer and editor from The Republican will travel with the Honor Flight group this weekend.

Other recipients include Chemiplasta Inc. of Florence which will receive at $31,680. The grant will be used to train 28 workers.

HOLYOKE - Meridian Industrial Group, a Holyoke company that specializes in machining very large parts for the power generation, medical, defense and aerospace industries, has received a $63,900 worker-training grant from the state.

The company will use the grant to train 28 employees and add three more. It has a total of 30 employees.

The grant was one of 28 grants from the Workforce Training Fund  announced recently by Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rachel Kaprielian. The grants are awarded through the Commonwealth Corp. All told, they will go to 72 companies around Massachusetts.

All told, 5,198 employees will be trained and 568 new jobs will be created, the state said.

UPS in Watertown will use a $200,000 grant to train 600 Massachusetts-based employees and create 50 new jobs, also according to a news release

The Commonwealth Corp. is also piloting $2 million project to help smaller companies train employees process improvement, supervisory/leadership,English as a second language, manufacturing skills, and computer skills.

The money comes from a fund into which businesses pay.

Other, more local, recipients include:

• Chemiplasta Inc. of Florence with $31,680. The grant will be used to train 28 workers.
• Commercial Machine Inc. of Ludlow with $25,590 to train six employees and hire one more.

• Papale Eye Center in Springfield received $65,055 to train 17 employees and add one more.
• Package Printing Co. of West Springfield received $40,075 to train 18 workers and add one more employee.
• Precise Turning and Manufacturing of Westfield received $25,590 to train six workers and add one more.

NORTHAMPTON - Local legislators got a crash course on the issues facing vocational education Friday during a breakfast at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School. Smith, which draws students from 60 communities in Western Massachusetts, is training its largest freshman class in 11 years, according to Superintendent Jeffrey Peterson. It wants to start new programs in hospitality, engineers and computer...

NORTHAMPTON - Local legislators got a crash course on the issues facing vocational education Friday during a breakfast at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School.

Smith, which draws students from 60 communities in Western Massachusetts, is training its largest freshman class in 11 years, according to Superintendent Jeffrey Peterson. It wants to start new programs in hospitality, engineers and computer design, and has raised its profile from a Level 3 schools three years ago to Level 1, the highest classification in Massachusetts.

But Smith needs to address numerous issues, said Peterson, and to do that the state needs to develop a new funding model. In 2008, Massachusetts approved a $10 million project to build a new barn and science center at the school. At the time, the state was paying 74 percent of the cost. The city passed on the project, however, because under the current formula Northampton would be responsible for the entire local share, even though the majority of Smith students come from other communities.

Peterson appealed to legislators at the breakfast, such as state Sen. Stanley Rosenberg and state representatives Peter Kocot and John Scibek, for help.

"We want our legislators to push for a change of model for funding," he said.

Peterson said later that many of the 80 health and safety issues that the New England Association of Schools and Colleges recommended that Smith address are in the old barn.

"Smith Vocational school is at a tipping point," said Bruce Sievers, a member of the association. "It doesn't meet the standards for facilities."

Kocot said the Donahue Institute study, which is seeking a formula for communities to share the costs more equitably, is due to be completed by the end of November.

One of the school's adjustment counselors said it takes 25 years for the brain to fully develop, which explains a lot of risky teenage behavior.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – High school is a confusing and socially challenging time for many teenagers, and the problems associated with natural coming-of-age are only compounded by abusing drugs and alcohol.

The message of a two-hour series of presentations Thursday night by law enforcement officials, counselors, inmates and family members of addicts was simple: Just say no.

High school resource officer Mark Hammond detailed the kinds of drugs that are most popular among teenagers in town and the physical and psychological consequences of using them. Alcohol and marijuana, often found unsecured at home in the beginning and then purchased illegally, serve as gateways to harder drugs like cocaine, he said.

The prevalence of cocaine use among the town's youth is "sad," he said, and MDMA, also called "Molly," is not as pure and risk-free as dealers pretend it is. Illicit drugs aren't the only problem, though.

Hammond said teenagers can become addicted to heroin by first developing a painkiller habit. Young athletes are especially at risk if they become injured and a doctor prescribes a heavy-duty pill like Percocet or Oxycontin.

"Parents should really be putting these locked away and monitoring them," he said, adding that it's possible to accidentally become addicted simply by taking more than the recommended dose because the pain is severe.

Alissa Burke, a juvenile detective, said police are trying to help young people overcome drug habits, not punish them.

"We want to be part of that solution," said Burke. "We will help you in any way we possibly can. ... We're not here to arrest your child. We're here to help your child."

She said it's easy to overdose on heroin and death can occur as much as five hours after ingesting drugs, usually when the person is alone.

"Every single one of you in this audience right now, you know someone who's using," she said. "Kids, if you think this is funny and you're snickering, what if it's your friend?"

Kelli Quigley, one of the school's adjustment counselors, said it takes 25 years for the brain to fully develop, which explains a lot of risky teenage behavior.

"It means you need your parents," she said.

One parent, Michelle Serafino, said she was pleased with the turnout of more than 100 athletes and parents, but she wished more had shown up. Her sons are athletes in the high school and middle school.

"I don't think my kids have a problem, but it's important to know that it could happen to any child," she said. "I'm sure that there's many, many kids and many families who probably need to hear the message."

What really "hit home" for her was the information shared by Steve Conca, owner of Conca Sport and Fitness, who spoke about performance-enhancing drugs and potentially dangerous supplements.

The school department said the event was put on in observance of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month and in partnership with the West Springfield CARE Coalition and the office of Mayor Edward C. Sullivan.

It also featured the testimony of inmates at the Western Massachusetts Correctional Alcohol Center in Springfield. They were identified only by their first names, and told the stories of substance abuse that led to their incarceration.

"I was like the Tasmanian Devil. You came into my life, I ruined it," said T.J. He said he was a former hockey team captain and played in France and Sweden. A few times during his address to the students and parents, he cried, and commented on the irony of a star athlete capable of bench-pressing 350 pounds weeping in public.

"I'm a professional scumbag," he said, adding that his mother has forbidden him from calling home. "I have a lot of work to do. You guys do not want this in your life."

Wendy started smoking marijuana when she was 11 and became addicted to pills at 15. It was easy to skip school because of her parents' work schedules, and hangovers prevented her from learning. When her problem was finally brought out into the open, she said her parents blamed all her friends, not her.

She wished she and her parents had accepted help when it was offered.

"Parents need to feel like there's some support out there for them and your child, and if you need that support, you can't be inhibited from going out after it," said Serafino. "To punish people for seeking help, you would prevent people from seeking help."

The school department is asking all parents to fill out an anonymous survey about drug and alcohol use and safe sex. The survey can be found here.

The clerk thought the handgun was fake and refused hand over any money, The gunman fled.

SPRINGFIELD – Police are seeking the public’s help as they attempt to identify a gun-wielding male suspected of attempting to rob the Sumner Avenue Racing Mart convenience store last week.

The incident at the 685 Sumner Ave. store occurred Oct. 11 at about 10 p.m., Sgt. John Delaney said.

The clerk, who thought the handgun was fake, refused hand over any money, Delaney, public information officer for the department, said. The robber panicked and his mask fell, exposing the upper part of his face.

The would-be robber fled with no money and got into a Honda Accord that was reported stolen in East Longmeadow earlier that day. He is also a suspect in recent robberies of Pride gasoline stations.

Delaney said detectives do not know if the gun is real or a fake.

Those with information are asked to call the detective bureau at (413) 787- 6355. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to “CRIMES,” or “274637,” and then begin the body of the message with the word “SOLVE.”

Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Charlie Baker brought out their party's respective heavy hitters on Thursday in dueling fundraisers, although the GOP gubernatorial hopeful once again out-raised the current attorney general.

Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Charlie Baker brought out their party's respective heavy hitters on Thursday in dueling fundraisers, although the GOP gubernatorial hopeful once again out-raised the current attorney general.

According to the Baker campaign, a closed-door fundraiser in Boston with former governor and ex-presidential hopeful Mitt Romney helped net Baker, his lieutenant governor pick Karyn Polito and the GOP state committee approximately $600,000 Thursday evening. At the same time, former President Bill Clinton's fundraiser for Coakley netted around $200,000, according to her campaign.

The disparity points out what has been an issue for Coakley all along- an unenthusiastic base or voter fatigue helping Baker consistently raise more money than her. In response to Baker and Polito's strong fundraising prowess, Coakley's campaign has brought in Clinton, first lady Michelle Obama and is expected to have another event with the potential 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

According to campaign finance information filed with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Coakley's camp had just $227,202 left in its campaign account as of Oct. 3. Baker's camp, however, was sitting on approximately $1 million more than that.

Clinton's fundraiser with Coakley preceded a public rally in Worcester (see photos below) to energize the base and encourage Democratic supporters to get organized for their candidate with just over two weeks left in the campaign. The push for Baker from Romney lacked any public appearances.

Baker and Coakley are locked in a tight race with almost all polling placing them in a dead heat. They are up against independents Evan Falchuk, Jeff McCormick and Scott Lively.

The election is set for Nov. 4.

Committee on diversity agrees to provide action report to Chancellor Kumble Subbaswammy by end of semester.

AMHERST – While recent incidents of racist graffiti targeting minority students has galvanized the community, the underlying issues of racial inequality on campus have been something minority students have been facing for decades.

In part they said it has to do with limited means and not enough aid to bring and retain students of color. They also say there is a lack of training for staff and faculty about minorities. They also say they don't see themselves represented in resident halls or on the police.

Hundreds turned out for a rally and a town hall meeting on diversity, equity and inclusion Thursday called by the Diversity Strategic Planning Steering Committee.

The rally was in response to the racist messages left on doors this week but the town hall meeting was already planned and so were student group educational gatherings at Southwest and the Student Union to call attention to a myriad issues that make the campus feel unsafe.

For one thing they say that there needs to be focus on recruitment and retention and are calling for a five percent increase in the next three to five years.

One student told the gathering at the Town Hall meeting that athletes are recruited an often get a free ride while struggling students with good grades don't get such help.

They say that the retention rate of the 2013 graduating class was only 51.8 percent of minority students compared to 67.4 percent white.

They also want to see that financial aid been reshuffled instead of 50 percent need and 50 percent based on merit, they'd like to see 75 percent to the pool for need. 

The steering committee had initially planned a 90- minute forum but so many attended they extended it by an hour. The committee was going to break and have small group discussions but speakers wanted to continue addressing the committee from the microphones

Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said there would be change and asked the committee to report to him with an action plan by the end of the semester.

Deputy Chancellor Robert S. Feldman, who chairs the diversity committee, said after the meeting they will meet weekly and bring that plan to address concerns to the chancellor.

He said, "I was very heartened," by the hundreds who filled the Student Union ballroom and into the halls.

"We had this horrible racial incident, it was very important (for students) to be heard."

One message messages was "Kill these Mexicans They can't speak English," and another targeted Josh Odam, a member of the diversity committee and s Student Government Association with the words "Kill these N-----s"

Feldman said it was important too for the committee to listen and they took notes.

Dozens of others offered suggestions on written comments as well.

Odam said he wasn't surprised there was such a large gathering.
"People are still very angry," he said about the incidents. "People still haven't had time to heal."

And he said, "We have a lot of work to do," when it comes to addressing the needs brought to the committee's attention. He said he plans to ensure that the committee brings that action plan to the greater community.

Subbaswamy said, "We will succeed." He said there is a commitment to an open processes and an action plan. He is counting on the group to come back with it.

He seemed both impassioned and upset by what happened as he addressed the crowd. He agrees it needs to be more diversity on campus said they have created a minority recruitment coordinator position to help with recruitment.

 Meanwhile, students asked that whoever left the messages on the student doors be charged with a hate crime. They said it was more than vandalism. 

A political action committee associated with a Massachusetts labor union has agreed to pay $22,500 into the state's general fund to settle campaign finance violations uncovered by the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

BOSTON — A political action committee associated with a Massachusetts labor union has agreed to pay $22,500 into the state's general fund to settle campaign finance violations uncovered by the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

The Massachusetts and Northern New England Laborers’ District Council Political Action Committee agreed to the settlement to resolve violations, including a failure to disclose approximately $178,000 in expenditures in 2013. According to OCPF, most of the money was spent on "legally permissible transfers made by the PAC to the committee’s affiliated federal PAC."

In short- the violation was simply a matter of sloppy bookkeeping as opposed to something criminal in nature. OCPF also charged that while the committee originally disclosed expenditures totaling approximately $9,550 in contributions to candidates, the checks were never deposited, and the committee failed to report that, leading to further problems in regards to strictly keeping track of all its money, in accordance with the campaign finance laws still left on the books.

To resolve the entire issue, the committee agreed this week to the $22,500 payment and to make changed in its record keeping to minimize the chance of further discrepancies.

Northern New England Laborers PAC Disposition

Police and prosecutors announced the formation of the Tolland County Cold Case Task Force.

By PAT EATON-ROBB

VERNON, Conn. — A task force made up of investigators from state and local police and the state attorney's office has been established to probe the disappearance of three girls from the same area of eastern Connecticut decades ago.

Police and prosecutors announced Thursday the formation of the Tolland County Cold Case Task Force.

Thirteen-year-old Debra Spickler of Mystic disappeared in 1968, while walking to a swimming pool in Vernon. Janice Pockett was 7 when she was last seen riding her bicycle in nearby Tolland in July 1973. And 13-year-old Lisa White was last seen walking near a Vernon park on Nov. 1, 1974.

Vernon Police Lt. William Meier said part of the task force's job will be to determine if the girls' disappearances are linked and if the investigation should be expanded to include other missing persons cases from the area.

"This is huge, because I truly believe that there is somebody out there who knows something," said Aprille Falletti of Ellington, who was 10 when her sister, Lisa White, disappeared.

The task force also will try to solve the mystery surrounding skeletal remains that were found in Vernon last year.

The discovery sparked renewed interest in the missing girls before tests determined they belonged to a woman in her 40s or 50s. That in turn led to the creation of the task force.

"We have to care about our people; we especially have to care about little girls who are lost and their families," said Chief State's Attorney Kevin Kane. "We owe it to them to do our best and take another crack at these cases."

The state is offering $150,000 in rewards for the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the girls' disappearance.

"Extensive investigations have been conducted already, which include thousands of pages of police reports and supporting documents," Meier said. "However, with modern advances in technology and police procedures, we are hoping that a fresh look at these cases will produce new leads."

Vernon police will provide three detectives to the task force and state police will provide another. Former state police Detective Michael Foley, who investigated one of the cases as a member of the Eastern District Crime Squad, has been hired as a consultant. The FBI and other resources also are being made available when needed, Meier said.

Pockett's sister, 47-year-old Mary Engelbrecht of Manchester, said there have been many leads over the years, including the confession of a carnival worker, Charles Pierce, who was convicted of killing a 13-year-old girl in Massachusetts in 1969.

Pierce, who died in prison in 1999, claimed he had killed several children, including Pockett, but he was never charged. A 1980 search of an area where he claimed to have dumped Pockett's body turned up nothing.

"A day doesn't go by when I don't think about my sister and it can be overwhelming sometimes," Engelbrecht said. "But I do have hope that her case can be solved and we can get some answers."

A 42-year-old man from Londonderry, New Hampshire, died after crashing a 2007 Harley Davidson while exiting I-495 onto Commonwealth Drive in Lawrence, according to State Police, who are asking anyone with information to call the Andover barracks at (978) 475-3800.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

The 42-year-old motorcyclist from Londonderry died while exiting I-495 at about 4:40 p.m., according to Massachusetts State Police, who are asking witnesses to call the Andover barracks at (978) 475-3800.

The rider, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of his family, lost control of a 2007 Harley Davidson on a northbound highway ramp leading to Commonwealth Drive in Lawrence, Trooper Kyle Flanagan said.

The man was taken to Lawrence General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said. Authorities say they're unsure if any other vehicles were involved in the crash, which is why they're hoping people with information will contact the Andover barracks.

The Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section and the Collision Analysis & Reconstruction Section assisted with the investigation.

Richard Desautels, 61, of West Brookfield, was charged with OUI after refusing to submit to a breath test, said Vermont State Police Lt. William Jenkins, commander of the Royalton barracks.

Conor Berry | cberry@repub.com 

ROYALTON, Vt. — A Worcester County man was charged with OUI after refusing to submit to a Breathalyzer test, according to Lt. William M. Jenkins, commander of the Vermont State Police barracks in Royalton.

Police responded to multiple reports of a red Ford Mustang driving erratically in the northbound lane of Interstate 89 late Friday afternoon. Jenkins, who was in the area, spotted the suspect vehicle and initiated a traffic stop just north of Exit 3 in Royalton.

Richard L. Desautels, a 61-year-old resident of West Brookfield, "showed signs of impairment" and refused to take a breath test, Jenkins said. As a result, Desautels was processed for OUI and issued a citation to appear in Windsor Superior Court on Oct. 28.

Tim Hauser, the founder and singer of the Grammy-winning vocal troupe The Manhattan Transfer, died Thursday from cardiac arrest, band representative JoAnn Geffen said Friday.

NEW YORK -- Tim Hauser, the founder and singer of the Grammy-winning vocal troupe The Manhattan Transfer, died Thursday from cardiac arrest, band representative JoAnn Geffen said Friday. He was 72.

Hauser founded Manhattan Transfer, who released their debut album in the early 1970s and launched hits such as "Operator" and "The Boy from New York City." They went on to win multiple pop and jazz Grammy Awards. Their critically acclaimed album, 1985's "Vocalese," earned a whopping 12 Grammy nominations.

Alan Paul, Janis Siegel and Cheryl Bentyne -- who joined in 1978 and replaced Laurel Masse -- rounded out the foursome.

"Tim was the visionary behind The Manhattan Transfer," they said in a statement. "It's incomprehensible to think of this world without him."

Hauser first formed Manhattan Transfer in 1969 with Erin Dickins, Marty Nelson, Gene Pistilli and Pat Rosali. They disbanded and Hauser met some of the band's new members as a taxi driver in New York City. He met a conga player while driving who introduced him to Siegel and he also met Masse while driving.

Hauser was born in Troy, New York. He is survived by his wife Barb Sennet Hauser, his son Basie and his daughter Lily.

Manhattan Transfer will continue their upcoming tour despite Hauser's death. Their next show is Oct. 23 in Manchester, New Hampshire.

A man who was involved in planning the concert was found dead early Saturday in an apparent suicide.

By KIM TONG-HYUNG

SEOUL, South Korea — Sixteen people watching an outdoor pop concert in South Korea fell 60 feet to their deaths Friday when a ventilation grate they were standing on collapsed, officials said.

Photos of the scene in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, showed a deep concrete shaft under the broken grate. Seongnam city spokesman Kim Nam-jun announced the deaths in a televised briefing and said 11 other people were seriously injured.

A man who was involved in planning the concert was found dead early Saturday in an apparent suicide.

Fire officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of office rules, said the victims were standing on the grate while watching an outdoor performance by girls' band 4Minute, which is popular across Asia.

About 700 people had gathered to watch the concert, which was part of a local festival. Fire officials said many of the dead and injured appeared to be commuters who stopped to watch the concert after leaving work. Most of the dead were men in their 30s and 40s, while five were women in their 20s and 30s, they said.

Kim said it was believed that the grate collapsed under the weight of the people. Prime Minister Chung Hong-won visited an emergency center in Seongnam and urged officials to focus on helping the victims' families and ensure the injured get proper treatment, Kim said.

A video recorded by someone at the concert that was shown on the YTN television network showed the band continuing to dance for a while in front of a crowd that appeared to be unaware of the accident.

Dozens of people were shown standing next to the ventilation grate, gazing into the dark gaping hole where people had been standing to watch the performance. YTN said the ventilation grate was about 3 to 4 meters (10 to 12 feet) wide. Photos apparently taken at the scene showed that the ventilation grate reached to the shoulders of many passers-by.

On Saturday, Kim said an employee of Gyeonggi Institute of Science and Technology Promotion was found dead at around 7 a.m. in Seongnam. The man had been questioned by police on Friday over the accident. Police inspector Park Jeong-ju said the man was believed to have leaped from the top of a 10-floor building.

Gyeonggi Institute of Science and Technology Promotion was one of the sponsors of the concert, which was organized by business news site Edaily.

The collapse came as South Korea is still struggling with the aftermath of a ferry disaster in April that left more than 300 people dead or missing.

For a time, the sinking jolted South Korea into thinking about safety issues that had been almost universally overlooked as the country rose from poverty and war to an Asian power.

The tragedy exposed regulatory failures that appear to have allowed the ferry Sewol to set off with far more cargo than it could safely carry. Family members say miscommunications and delays during rescue efforts doomed their loved ones.

Analysts say many safety problems in the country stem from little regulation, light punishment for violators and wide ignorance about safety in general — and a tendency to value economic advancement over all else.

Associated Press writer Youkyung Lee contributed to this report.

The train was coming to help a stalled Arkansas & Missouri Railroad fall-foliage tour train.

WINSLOW, Ark. — A train that collided with a stalled passenger train in Arkansas was coming to its aid and was apparently going too fast, a National Transportation Safety Board member said Friday.

The passenger train was carrying tourists on a fall-foliage tour in the Ozark Mountains when the accident occurred near Winslow, about 175 miles northwest of Little Rock. Five people were critically hurt, including a conductor.

A train coming to help a stalled Arkansas & Missouri Railroad train crashed into it, Mark Rosekind with the NTSB said in a telephone interview Friday. He said the train should have been moving at no more than 20 miles per hour, but appears to have been traveling 25 miles per hour. Rosekind said the estimation is preliminary and based on information from recorders on the assist train.

He said the preliminary investigation found brakes were applied before the collision, and estimated the train had been going at about 28 miles per hour.

Rosekind said the conductor of the passenger train reported that it had stalled before on the trip and that an oily substance from autumn leaves is a possible cause of the earlier stalls.

The crew of the assist train had not yet been interviewed.