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Easthampton's Rt. 10 Manhan River bridge dedicated to Korean War veterans; Army Sgt. Fran Perrier honored for his efforts

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Perrier, an infantryman in Korea, spoke of losing a close friend in combat.

EASTHAMPTON -- Korean War veterans in the city finally have their own memorial.

The former Manhan Bridge on Route 10 in Easthampton was renamed and dedicated as the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge Saturday morning. Uniformed war veterans from around the region turned out for the dedication ceremony, three days before the nation commemorates Veterans Day.

The bridge was replaced last year at a cost of $3.75 million.

Mark Subocz, commander of the American Legion Post 224, introduced dignitaries including Mayor Karen Cadieux, former Mayor Michael Tautznik, Sen. Donald Humason, Rep. John Scibak, and former Sen. Michael Knapik.

Each in turn honored Army Sgt. Fran Perrier, a Korean War combat veteran who shepherded the idea of the bridge dedication from beginning to end.

Cadieux said Perrier had "never, ever, stopped organizing to have this bridge dedication happen for the Korean War veterans."

Subocz said Perrier first presented the idea to the Veterans Council and the American Legion. "We then spoke with then-Senator Michael Knapik and Rep. John Scibak. They sponsored a bill through the State House, and had it signed by the governor, dedicating this bridge to Korean War veterans."

Humason picked up on the bill when he took office, said Subocz, giving it a final push through the state Senate.

Most of the Korean War veterans are about 80 years old now, he said.

Scibak spoke of having coffee with Perrier two years ago, and hearing about the idea for the first time. "He asked me to sponsor legislation to dedicate the bridge to Korean War veterans," said Scibak.

Perrier, stepping to the podium, said the Korean War lasted 36 months and took the lives of 54,286 Americans. The conflict is often referred to as "the forgotten war," he said.

"Every time somebody goes by and they see that sign up there -- the Korean War Memorial Bridge -- they'll think twice about what happened to all those guys."

Perrier said three of those killed were from Easthampton, including one who is still missing.

Easthampton police halted traffic as a color guard stood at attention on the bridge. Veterans held American flags, as well as flags from the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion Riders, and Sons of the American Legion Riders.

Six riflemen issued an 18-gun salute. A bugler played taps as those gathered bowed their heads.

Speaking to a reporter, Perrier said he himself was in the 31st Infantry in the Korean War.

"I was a rifleman," he said. "They had a guy who was with me from Chicopee, Norman LaPlante. Him and I were like brothers out there. We made a pact -- if anything happens to me, he would go see my wife. If something happened to him, I'd go see his family. I finally went to see his family and that was the worst thing I had to do."

Perrier said seeing the bridge finally dedicated to those who fought in Korea was "very emotional" for him.

Mayor Karen Cadieux, after thanking the Mass. Dept. of Transportation and the residents of Easthampton for their patience during bridge reconstruction, offered words of gratitude to our nation's veterans.

"Without this bridge we wouldn't have a dedication, but without our veterans, we wouldn't be here, or have a bridge at all."

The structurally-deficient bridge closed in June of 2013 and re-opened in October of that year, five weeks ahead of schedule. The bridge replacement included a permanent signal at West Street, which Cadieux called a "significant safety improvement."

The Korean War began in June of 1950 when some 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean People's Army poured across the 38th parallel into the Republic of Korea. Within weeks, the United States under President Truman sent troops. By the July 1953 armistice, some 5 million soldiers and civilians had lost their lives.


Overheated extension cord causes fire at home in Springfield's McKnight neighborhood

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An overheated extension cord sparked a small fire at a home in the city's McKnight neighborhood Saturday afternoon.

SPRINGFIELD — An overheated extension cord sparked a small fire at a home in the city's McKnight neighborhood Saturday afternoon.

springfield fire department logo

Around 4:30 p.m., firefighters were called to a single-family home on the 300 block of Saint James Avenue to investigate a possible structure fire. According to Dennis Leger, aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, an extension cord in the third-floor bedroom overheated and started the floor on fire.

"There were too many things plugged into the cord," Leger said. "The damage is definitely less than $5,000, but we had to cut open the floor and part of the wall to make sure the fire didn't spread."

Leger said the family is expected to stay in the home, and that the incident highlights a common problem this time of year.

"It's a reminder that heating season is here. Overloaded extension cords cause a lot of fires every winter," Leger said. "If going to use an extension cord, you have to use the right gauge for the things plugged into it. And although there was no space heater plugged into the cord today, people should know they should never plug a space heater into an extension cord."



American Lung Association's 7th-annual Fight for Air Climb brings over 250 to Monarch Place in Downtown Springfield

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The American Lung Association held its 7th-annual Fight for Air Climb Saturday at Monarch Place in Downtown Springfield.

The American Lung Association held its 7th-annual Fight for Air Climb Saturday at Monarch Place in Downtown Springfield.

More than 250 people took part in the event, which involved climbing 528 stairs from the first floor of the office tower up to the twenty-second floor to raise awareness about Lung Disease.

The event also aims to raise money to aid in the American Lung Association's research efforts, and was held in conjunction with Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

The event, which featured several teams of locals participating to boost the American Lung Association's efforts, also gave people the option of walking or running.

A particularly interesting part of the event featured the Firefighters Challenge, in which firefighters from different Western Mass. departments climbed the 22 floors in full firefighting gear.



Nantucket man driving without headlights facing charges after traffic stop reveals marijuana, $14K in cash

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A simple traffic stop on Friday evening turned into a drug investigation after police allegedly found marijuana inside a truck pulled over for driving without headlights.

NANTICKET — A simple traffic stop on Friday evening turned into a drug investigation after police allegedly found marijuana inside a truck pulled over for driving without headlights.

According to Massachusetts State Police, Trooper Kevin Bates pulled over a 2014 GMC 1500 pickup truck around 8 p.m. Friday after spotting it driving on Sparks Avenue in Nantucket without headlights on.

State police didn't specify what led to the truck being searched, but reported finding a significant amount of marijuana in a variety of containers as well as $14,000 in cash. The driver, 24-year-old Nantucket resident Matthew Fry, was arrested and charged with possession of a Class D substance with the intent to distribute and issued a civil citation for operating a motor vehicle in the nighttime without lighting.

Fry was taken into custody and held awaiting arraignment in Nantucket District Court, which is scheduled for Monday morning.


Boston police issue statewide alert in search for Paulo Rosa, wanted for questioning in death of baby's mother in Dorchester

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Police in Boston are asking law enforcement and citizens across the commonwealth to be on the lookout for a man wanted for questioning in the death of his child's mother in their Dorchester home.

BOSTON — Police in Boston are asking law enforcement and citizens across the commonwealth to be on the lookout for a man wanted for questioning in the death of his child's mother in their Dorchester home.

Boston Police patch


According to Boston Police, it was around 4 p.m. Saturday when they were called to a home on Bowdoin Street for a well-being check which turned into a death investigation. Without releasing many details, police have issued a statewide alert for a man named Paulo Rosa, 30, who is the boyfriend of the victim.

The victim, a woman in her 30s, is said to have a child with Rosa. Police said the child is alright, and they believe the death may have been a domestic dispute escalated to violence.

"We're going to issue a statewide alert, because he's made statements he might harm himself or harm others," Boston Police Commissioner William Evans told the Boston Globe. "So obviously we're very concerned."

Police say Rosa may be driving a blue 2013 Infiniti with potential license plates of "579-VB2" or "1LZ-224."

Anyone who spots Rosa or his vehicle can call 911 or the Boston police office in the city's Dorchester neighborhood at (617) 343-4330. Information can also be submitted anonymously by calling 1-800-494-TIPS (8477).


The map below shows the approximate location of the home where the victim's body was found.

Search continues for Springfield convict who escaped from minimum security alcohol treatment facility in South End

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Law enforcement agencies in Western Massachusetts are continuing to search for a Springfield man who escaped from a secure alcohol treatment facility in the city's South End on Saturday.

This updates a story published at 11:27 a.m. Saturday.


SPRINGFIELD — Law enforcement agencies in Western Massachusetts are continuing to search for a Springfield man who escaped from a secure alcohol treatment facility in the city's South End on Saturday.

Abimel Roman.jpgView full sizeAbimel Roman

According to the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, 35-year-old Abimel Roman was at the Western Massachusetts Correctional Alcohol Center on Howard Street as part of his sentence for burglary and receiving stolen property charges. But on Saturday, he jumped out of a second-story window and ran off, according to police.

The facility, operated by the sheriff's department, is a minimum security residential treatment facility treating up to 164 men and 18 women.

Roman was set to be released in May 2016, but following the incident, he will likely face additional charges.

Roman is described as a Hispanic man standing 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighing approximately 179 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information regarding Roman's whereabouts is asked to call the Springfield Police Department at (413) 787-6325 or the correctional alcohol center at (413) 734-1050.


Police in Connecticut ask public for help identifying man who stole Rolex worth $11K from Kay Jewelers in Clinton

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Police in Connecticut are asking the public for help identifying a man who stole a pricey Rolex watch from a jewelery store on Friday.

CLINTON, Conn. — Police in Connecticut are asking the public for help identifying a man who stole a pricey Rolex watch from a jewelery store on Friday.

Clinton Police Photo.jpgView full sizeThis photo released by the Clinton Police Department shows the man wanted for stealing an $11,000 Rolex watch from the Clinton Crossing Outlets on Friday.

According to police in Clinton, around 8 p.m. the suspect went into the Kay Jewelers at the Clinton Crossing Outlets acting like a regular customer. But as he eyed a specific Rolex watch valued around $11,000, he asked the clerk to remove it from the case.

Once he got the watch in his hand, the man allegedly walked out of the store and fled into the parking lot, where he was seen getting into a red Dodge Caliber with Pennsylvania license plates.

The suspect is described as a black man in his 20s, standing approximately 6-feet, 2-inches tall. He was wearing a denim jacket over a white dress shirt with a blue and white striped tie, as well as brown-framed glasses and a wool cap.

Anyone with information about the man's identity or whereabouts is asked to call the Clinton Police Department at 860-669-0451.


George H.W. Bush hesitated at running for second term in 1992, his son says in new book

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President George W. Bush also said is father esitated because he had developed an irregular heartbeat and was exhausted.

DALLAS -- George H.W. Bush seriously considered not running for re-election in 1992 even though he loved his job, according to a new book written by former President George W. Bush.

A complimentary account of his dad's presidency and glimpse into his personal life, "41: A Portrait of my Father," is scheduled to hit shelves on Tuesday, when the two will make a rare joint appearance at the elder Bush's presidential library in College Station, Texas. The Associated Press purchased an advance copy.

The book, which Bush kept under wraps until last summer, examines his father's decision to launch the first war in Iraq in 1991, his early failures in politics and his stinging defeat to Bill Clinton in 1992. It also relates personal anecdotes, including how the elder Bush struggled with the death of his daughter, Robin, of leukemia, and how he attempted to set up his namesake in the 1960s with Trisha Nixon, former President Richard Nixon's daughter.

George H.W. Bush, now 90, pondered not running for a second term because he felt his role was creating undue scrutiny of his son, Neil Bush, who was facing a federal lawsuit, according to the book.

"It killed him to see Neil singled out because he was the President's son," Bush wrote.

The elder Bush also hesitated because he had developed an irregular heartbeat and was exhausted, Bush added.

Although other biographies have described the relationship between father and son as sometimes strained, Bush, 68, describes their "worst argument" as arising after he drove home drunk from a tennis match, a decision his father met with a disapproving silence.

The author does not delve deeply into his own turn in the White House but makes clear that he considered his father a key adviser. He also disputes the assertion that he went to war in Iraq because of the conflict during his father's presidency.

"I was not trying 'to finish what my father had begun,' as some have suggested," he wrote.

The book also includes a portrait of the elder Bush created by his son as part of his collection of oil paintings of world leaders.

In the author's note, Bush says his account is not objective but rather "a love story -- a personal portrait of the extraordinary man who I am blessed to call my dad."


2 Americans held by North Korea returned to U.S.

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Two Americans held by the North Koreans have been released and returned to the U.S.

North Korea Freed DetaineesMatthew Miller, who had been held in North Korea since April, 2014, is greeted after arriving Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., after they were freed during a top-secret mission by James Clapper, U.S. director of national intelligence. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) 
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. (AP) -- The last two Americans being held captive by North Korea have returned home.

Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller landed Saturday night at a Washington state military base after their departure from the reclusive Communist country was secured through a secret mission by the top U.S. intelligence official.

Bae, surrounded by family members, spoke briefly to the media after the plane carrying him and Miller landed about 9 p.m.

"I just want to say thank you all for supporting me and standing by me," he said.

He thanked President Barack Obama and the many people who supported him and his family. He also thanked the North Korean government for releasing him.

"It's been an amazing two years, I learned a lot, I grew a lot, I lost a lot of weight," said Bae, a Korean-American missionary with health problems. Asked how he was feeling, he said: "I'm recovering at this time."

His family has said he suffers from diabetes, an enlarged heart, liver problems and back pain.

U.S. officials said Miller of Bakersfield, California, and Bae of Lynnwood, Washington, flew back with James Clapper, the director of national intelligence. Clapper was the highest-ranking American to visit Pyongyang in more than a decade.

Members of Bae's family, who live near the sprawling military base south of Seattle, met him when he landed. His mother hugged him after he got off the plane. Miller stepped off the U.S. government aircraft a short time later and was also greeted with hugs

Their release was the latest twist in the fitful relationship between the Obama administration and the young North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, whose approach to the U.S. has shifted back and forth from defiance to occasional conciliation.

"It's a wonderful day for them and their families," President Barack Obama said at the White House following his announcement of his pick for attorney general. "Obviously we are very grateful for their safe return."

A senior Obama administration official said the president approved the mission last week and U.S. officials spent the next several days planning the trip. Clapper spent roughly a day on the ground and met with North Korean security officials - but not with Kim, the official said aboard Air Force One as Obama prepared to head to Beijing.

Clapper went with the sole purpose of bringing home the two detainees, although the U.S. anticipated that other issues of concern to the North would come up during Clapper's discussions on the ground, the official said. "It was not to pursue any other diplomatic opening," said the official, who wasn't authorized to comment by name and demanded anonymity.

The U.S. had considered sending someone from outside government to retrieve the detainees, the official said, but suggested Clapper after the North Koreans indicated in recent weeks that they would release the detainees if the U.S. sent a high-level official from Obama's administration. He said the U.S. settled on Clapper because of his role as a security official, rather than a diplomat.

Analysts who study North Korea said the decision to free Bae and Miller now from long prison terms probably was a bid by that country to ease pressure in connection with its human rights record. A recent U.N. report documented rape, torture, executions and forced labor in the North's network of prison camps, accusing the government of "widespread, systematic and gross" human rights violations.

North Korea seems worried that Kim could be accused in the International Criminal Court, said Sue Mi Terry, a former senior intelligence analyst now at Columbia University.

Bruce Klingner, a former CIA analyst now at the Heritage Foundation, agreed that efforts to shine a spotlight on the country's human rights record "startled the regime and led to frantic attempts to derail the process."

Bae and Miller were the last Americans held by North Korea.

Bae was serving a 15-year sentence for alleged anti-government activities. He was detained in 2012 while leading a tour group to a North Korea economic zone.

Terri Chung, Bae's sister, said at the Saturday night news conference that after her brother got off the plane, he told her, "I am so happy to be here, but my heart aches for the people of North Korea."

Miller was serving a six-year jail term on charges of espionage after he allegedly ripped up his tourist visa at Pyongyang's airport in April and demanded asylum. North Korea said Miller had wanted to experience prison life so that he could secretly investigate North Korea's human rights situation.

Last month, North Korea released Jeffrey Fowle of Miamisburg, Ohio, who was held for nearly six months. He had left a Bible in a nightclub in the hope that it would reach North Korea's underground Christian community.

Fowle said his fellow Americans' release is "an answer to a prayer."

Bae and Miller had told The Associated Press that they believed their only chance of release was the intervention of a high-ranking government official or a senior U.S. statesman. Previously, former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter had gone to North Korea on separate occasions to take detainees home.

Victor Cha, a North Korea expert and former national security official in the George W. Bush administration, said Clapper was the most senior U.S. official to visit North Korea since then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright went in 2000 and met with Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un's father.

The U.S. and North Korea do not have formal ties, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended without a peace treaty.

After being reunited with her brother, Chung urged that the North Korean people not be forgotten.

Chung said by giving tours in the country, Bae was "able to connect people from the outside world to the people and beauty of North Korea."

"To us, North Korea seems like a strange place," she told reporters. "Don't allow that to make that a reason to forget the people of that country."

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AP writers Josh Lederman, Matthew Pennington, AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee, White House Correspondent Julie Pace, Associated Press writer Nedra Pickler, AP National Security Writer Lara Jakes in Muscat, Oman, AP writer and AP writer John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.

(c) 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Holyoke woman pistol whipped, fights off sexual assault

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Holyoke Police continue to investigate an apparent attempted sexual assault.

HOLYOKE— A woman fought off two assailants' apparent attempts to sexually assault her early Sunday morning, even after she had been beaten with a gun.

Holyoke Police Sgt. David Usher said the woman was walking near the intersection of Essex and Elm streets shortly before 4:30 a.m., when two young Hispanic males on bicycles approached her and began making sexual advances. Usher said the males were described as between the ages of 15 and 18.

The woman attempted to walk away from the pair when one pulled out a gun and struck her at least twice on the head . The two tried to drag the woman into a nearby alley, but she screamed and fought back and was able to break free of the two. The suspects fled the area on their bicycles.

Police responded to 911 calls from residents and found the beaten and bleeding woman near 365 Appleton Street. After briefly questioning the victim, police began a systematic search of the area.

The victim was taken by ambulance to the Holyoke Medical Center for treatment of her injuries.

Usher said the investigation into the assault continues.

The two were described as between 15 and 18 years old and wearing black hooded sweatshirts, Usher said.

Holyoke voters had Democrat Martha Coakley governor over Republican and winner Charlie Baker, among other differences

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Holyoke voted to maintain the casino gambling law, echoing approval here of nonbinding gaming questions in 2002 and 1995.

HOLYOKE -- By the vote of most Holyokers, Democrat Martha M. Coakley beat Republican Charlie Baker for governor in the biggest Election Day difference between Holyokers' wishes and those of the rest of the state.

Baker, of course, will become the next governor in January after defeating Coakley 48 percent to 47 percent on Tuesday (Nov. 4).

Evan Falchuk of the United Independent Party received 3 percent and independents Scott Lively and Jeff McCormick reach got 1 percent of the vote in the race for governor. Incumbent Democratic Gov. Deval L. Patrick didn't run for reelection.

In Holyoke, the race for governor went this way: Coakley 53.7 percent, Baker 35.5 percent, Falchuk 7 percent, Lively 1.7 percent and McCormick 1.6 percent.

Holyoke voters also stepped out of the parade of most voters in the 2nd Hampden-Hampshire District by opting for local candidate Patrick T. Leahy, a Holyoke police officer and a Democrat, over state Sen. Donald R. Humason, R-Westfield, the eventual winner.

Leahy rolled here, with 68 percent of the vote to 32 percent of Humason.

But most voters in the district's 11 cities and towns favored Humason, 57 percent to 43 percent.

Also, Democrat Gale D. Candaras would be register of probate in the eyes of Holyoke voters rather than the true victor in that race, independent Suzanne T. Sequin.

The election on Tuesday pulled a turnout of 41.5 percent, or 10,862, of the city's 26,173 registered voters, City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee said.

Holyoke voters also did what the rest of the state did with the four questions on the ballot:

--Holyokers said yes to Question 1 to eliminate the requirement that the gasoline tax be adjusted every year by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index.

The vote was 50.29 percent yes to 49.71 percent no.

--Holyokers said no to Question 2, which sought to expand the beverage container deposit law, commonly called the bottle bill.

The vote was 69.2 percent no to 30.8 percent yes.

--Holyokers said no to Question 3, which called for repealing the 2011 casino gambling law. That was in keeping with voters here having approved nonbinding questions in favor of casino gambling in 2002 and 1995.

The vote was about 61 percent no to 39 percent yes.

Surprisingly, the bid to repeal the casino law failed even in the two precincts of the seemingly heavy anti-casino Ward 7.

In Ward 7A, the vote was about 52 percent no to 48 percent yes.

In Ward 7B, the vote was 52.4 percent no to 47.6 percent yes.

Residents of Ward 7 are sensitive to the casino issue because proposals over the years have envisioned gambling resorts on Mount Tom, an idea some people love and others hate.

--Holyokers said yes to Question 4, to entitle employees in Massachusetts to earn and use sick time according to certain conditions.

The vote was 68 percent yes to 32 percent no.

Otherwise, Holyoke voters shared the positions of the rest of the state by choosing Democrat Maura Healey for attorney general over Republican John B. Miller; Democrat Deborah B. Goldberg for treasurer over Republican Michael J. Heffernan and Green-Rainbow Party candidate Ian Jackson; and incumbent Democrat Suzanne M. Bump for auditor over Republican Patricia S. Saint Aubin and Green-Rainbow Party candidate MK Merelice.

Holyoke CareerPoint to offer job fair open to all with 1st hour devoted to veterans

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Helping veterans will be the focus of the job fair from 9 to 10 a.m.

HOLYOKE -- The CareerPoint job and counseling center will hold a job fair Monday (Nov. 10) with more than a dozen companies participating and with a focus on helping military veterans.

The event will be at CareerPoint at 850 High St.

The job fair will be for veterans only from 9 to 10 a.m. Thereafter until noon, the job fair will be open to all, a press release said.

Companies scheduled to attend:

Academic Behavioral Clinic

B&E Tools

Berkshire Bank

C&S Wholesalers

Curtis Business Forms

Department of Elder Affairs City of Springfield

Elite Logistic Services

FedEx

Griffin Staffing Network

Lenox Tools

ParaTemps

Reliable Temps

Silverleaf Resorts

Smith College

Spherion Staffing

Tallgrass Talent Group

United Personnel

According to the CareerPoint website, "CareerPoint is not a staffing agency nor are we a recruiter. We are a private, stand-alone, not-for-profit corporation fueled by a combination of federal, state and private funds. Working closely with many community partners, CareerPoint strives to represent the best the career center system has to offer.

"Veterans receive priority of service at CareerPoint and in Career Centers throughout Massachusetts."

South Hadley Electric Light board approves plan to build new headquarters in residential area

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Prior to the SHELD board's 2-1 vote endorsing the building project, Commission Chair Cheryl Nickl abruptly declared the October meeting adjourned. But it did not end.

SOUTH HADLEY - A bitterly divided South Hadley Electric Light Department Board of Commissioners last week approved a controversial $10 million plan to build a new industrial facility in a residentially zoned area on Old Lyman Road.

There has been vociferous community opposition to the idea.

Members of the Selectboard, the town administrator and residents abutting the new location have repeatedly urged the commission to find a suitable location within the Falls neighborhood - where SHELD has operated for more than a century. Old Lyman Road is not within in the Falls. SHELD officials say it is no longer cost-effective to repair the century-old facility at 85 Main St.

Prior to the SHELD board's 2-1 vote endorsing the building project, Commission Chair Cheryl Nickl abruptly declared the Oct. 30 meeting adjourned. But it did not end.

Her attempt to end the meeting - and silence an erupting fracas - occurred when SHELD Manager Wayne Doerpholz responded to Commissioner Christine Archambault's concerns on whether he has acted in a transparent manner.

Archambault questioned Doerpholz on a presentation he and a SHELD consultant made to the South Hadley Conservation Commission last winter, when the agency was seeking a wetlands determination on the 10-acre Old Lyman Rd. property.

Wayne DoerpholzSHELD Manager Wayne Doerpholz speaks at last month's meeting  

"Were you up front with the Conservation Commission?" Archambault said at the October SHELD meeting. "Did you tell them you were going to put a building on that land?"

"I've been doing this for 20 years," responded Doerpholz. "If you want to grandstand to your crowd, that's fine."

"Stop. Right now. . . .This meeting is adjourned . . . .We are not going to have a fight," Nickl said. "It has become a hostile evening."

Then she left the meeting.

During the confusion on whether the meeting was actually over, Doerpholz walked into the audience, and was nose-to-nose with retired SHELD employee Taylor Brockway.

"What did you say to me?" Doerpholz said.

"I don't have to tell you anything I said," Brockway responded.

A SHELD employee, Andrew Orr, was then observed escorting Doerpholz away from Brockway, who attended the meeting with his wife, Geri Brockway. To date, she has filed two open meeting law complaints against the SHELD board. In September the attorney general determined the board violated the state's open meeting law.

Nickl eventually returned to her seat and the meeting resumed.

Previously, during the Jan. 8 conservation commission meeting, a member of that board asked what the SHELD plans would be should they obtain a favorable wetlands determination.

Doerpholz, who attended the conservation meeting, did not respond. But a SHELD consultant attending that meeting with the manager, Michael Marcus, said: "SHELD doesn't know what they want to do with the land." Marcus is an environmental scientist. He founded the Amherst-based company New England Environmental, Inc.

At the August SHELD meeting Archambault also had questioned Doerpholz on the representation made to the conservation commission in January. Doerpholz responded to the commissioner during the August meeting by saying it was Marcus who had made the statement, and that he had not.

When deliberations resumed at the October meeting, Commissioner Jeff Lebrecque said he wanted to move forward with the Old Lyman Road property.

"I had my mind made up before this meeting," he said.

Doerpholz then provided the board a written motion, as follows: "that the South Hadley Electric Light Board agree to move forward with the design and construction for SHELD's office and operation facilities to be located on the SHELD's Old Lyman Road property; and that the manager be authorized to enter into an agreement with Reinhardt Associates, Inc. for architectural services for the design of the office and operations facilities at the Old Lyman Road property."

The motion, which the commissioners approved by a 2-1 vote, also states: "that the manager be authorized to move forward with permitting and request for proposals for the construction of the facility at the Old Lyman Road property; and that the manager be authorized and directed to take such other actions as he deems necessary or advisable to carry out the purpose of this vote; and that any actions previously taken by the manager which are consistent with this vote be ratified and confirmed."

Nickl joined Lebrecque approving the motion.

"I apologize to the ratepayers who live in the area" of Old Lyman Road," Archambault said following the vote. "I feel this is a disservice to the ratepayers."

Nickl refused to allow any public comment during the meeting.

Following the meeting Doerpholz said that because SHELD is a municipal entity, it is exempt from zoning rules. The matter is expected to go before the Planning Board for site plan review.

During a public hearing SHELD had convened on Oct. 21, Martha Terry told the commissioners that the agency had no right to build on residential-zoned land. She also said placing the industrial facility on Old Lyman Road would fly in the face of the town's master plan that strives to place commercial development on main corridors and off of side streets. Terry chairs the Zoning Board of Appeals.

In an interview after the meeting, Lebrecque was asked about building a new facility in a residential zone.

"I wish it wasn't," he said.

Asked to comment on the incident that occurred during the meeting involving Doerholz and Brockway, Lebrecque said: "Personnel issues will be addressed."

Town meeting member Anne Awad attended the meeting.

Prior to leaving the building, she told a reporter that the SHELD board "is not responding to the public" and their vote to build in a residential area "is symbolic of the problem."

Awad said she and other citizens are working to recruit a candidate to run against Lebrecque in April, and against Nickl, when her term is up in 2016.

The next scheduled SHELD meetings take place Nov. 18 and on Dec. 16.

Springfield police: Mother and daughter stabbed in dispute with neighbor over dog excrement expected to live

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A mother and daughter who sustained several stab wounds in a neighborly argument turned violent on Saturday morning are expected to live.

This updates a story published at 12:06 p.m. Saturday.


SPRINGFIELD — A mother and daughter who sustained several stab wounds in a neighborly argument turned violent on Saturday morning are expected to live.

Michael ValentinMichael Valentin

This, according to Springfield police, who said Saturday afternoon that 33-year-old Michael Valentin of 60 Belmont Ave. is in custody and facing charges, including two counts of armed assault with the intent to murder, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and mayhem.

Police previously told The Republican/ Masslive that officers were initially called to the apartment building on the corner of Belmont Avenue and Blake Hill Street around 9:30 a.m. to help settle a dispute between a tenant and the eventual victims who also live in the building. Police say the fight started when the man confronted the mother and daughter about excrement from their pit bull, which he said was all over the house's rear stairs and in the side yard.

Police say Valentin was initially upset that the women, who owned two pit bulls, allegedly refused to clean up after the animals. The landlord was contacted and police thought everyone was satisfied with the outcome.

Then at 10:46 a.m., they were called to the house again, but this time for a disturbance with two reported stabbing victims. In a press release, Springfield police Sgt. John Delaney said that the 46-year-old mother sustained several stab wounds to her back while her 23-year-old daughter was stabbed in the face and neck.

Officers Eugene Rooke, Daniel Brunton and Julio Cornejo were the first on the scene, according to police.

"The officers performed first aid on the two victims and they were quickly transported to a local hospital," Delaney wrote in the press release. "The 46-year-old female was in critical condition but has been upgraded to stable (and) is suffering from non-life threatening stab wounds. Her daughter is in good condition and is still being treated at the hospital."

Delaney said the weapon, a large kitchen knife, was found at the scene, which was processed by detectives Michael Carney, Tiyra Johnson and Darrin Edwards.

Valentin was held awaiting arraignment in Springfield district Court on Monday morning.


The map below shows the approximate location of the double stabbing.

Staff writer Stephanie Barry contributed to this report.

Springfield restaurant cook-off: Contest here with downtown location as prize would follow similar promotions in Iowa, Indiana

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There are six fully equipped and licensed commercial kitchens in Downtown Springfield that are not currently being used.

SPRINGFIELD - A "Chopped"-style restaurant cook-off with a downtown eatery location as the prize isn't just a flaky idea getting chewed on by the Springfield Business Improvement District.

Instead, it is a strategy Iowa farm towns have used to enliven their business district and add variety to their restaurant scene. A restaurant contest is a tool urban Evansville, Indiana, chose to help enliven a street corner that, like Springfield, lost its vibrant retail trade to suburban malls.

"We have a corner that needs something," said Joshua Armstrong, downtown alliance director for the Southwest Indian Chamber of Commerce, the people behind Evansville's Main Course Restaurant Challenge. "Our downtown is a little quiet. The idea is to get some media attention for the selected winner and get a concept that is sustainable in this location."

The Springfield Business Improvement District is thinking of hosting a restaurant contest with the prize to include a ready-to-go restaurant location in Springfield's downtown, said Christopher Russell, executive director of the BID. Details are not set at this point.

Russell doesn't yet know which of six licensed and equipped but vacant downtown restaurant locations would be the prize or exactly what expenses would be the winning restaurateur's responsibility.

The contest is part of a general BID push to promote the downtown, whether it be on Twitter with the #passOnthePositives  hashtag  or by installing new, and more dramatic, architectural lighting, Russell said.


Evansville's prize is a former jewelry store on a busy downtown corner. Between 18 months of rent-free operation and $100,0000 in cash to do renovations, the package is worth about $281,000.

In Iowa, the restaurant prizes also include free or reduced rent, equipment and other help totaling  $120,000 to $160,000, said Angie Schultz of Opposable Thumbs, a graphic design and web marketing company in the tiny town of State Center, (yes, the town is in the geographic center of the state).

Schultz said the Chamber of Commerce hired she and her husband, the people behind Opposable Thumbs, to create a restaurant contest.

That one-off has developed into Iowa's Best Bite Restaurant Challenge. Opposable Thumbs has run contests in Oskalusa, Iowa, in year two and West Liberty, Iowa, in year three and she's working to line up a town for the fourth year.

"It is essentially a grass-roots effort. There are plenty of rural communities that deserve to have good food as well.

"Essentially we are recruiting chefs who might not think of these communities to open their restaurants. All the people that have the money to open a restaurant are already doing it."

Winners are always new chefs with a fresh take on familiar cuisine and plans to offer something the town doesn't already have. Past winners have been an upscale sports bar, or a casual french bistro.

"It's really evolved," Schultz said. "We started off doing a "Shark Tank" thing where it was more of a pitch contest in front of judges."

But they quickly moved from just judging concepts to judging food in a cook-off contest reminiscent of other reality TV hits like "Chopped." Towns invite the public and make a big event of the cook-off.

The resulting publicity helps the restaurant find an audience and makes sure the concept fits the town's needs, she said.

"It is not just putting chefs and restaurants into communities, it is about finding something sustainable," Schultz said. "It has to fit the community. It has to be a concept that the people are going to come to and support."

And a cook-off helps to build awareness and excitement, said Evansville's Armstrong. That kind of publicity can help a restaurant take off.

So too, can the buy-in from the business community the contest represents.

"The business leaders came up with this idea," he said. "You can bet it is where they will take their customers to lunch. It is going to be where they take employees they are trying to recruit. It is where they will host their holiday parties. The downtown business community wants this to be a success."


Improving Springfield's 'X': Residents, business owners react

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Forest Park Civic Association President Laura Walsh, who grew up not far from the "X" commercial district, would like to see improvements at the iconic intersection of Sumner Avenue, Belmont Avenue and Dickinson Street that would encourage motorists and pedestrians to stop and stay awhile.

SPRINGFIELD — Forest Park Civic Association President Laura Walsh, who grew up not far from the "X" commercial district, would like to see improvements at the iconic intersection of Sumner Avenue, Belmont Avenue and Dickinson Street that would encourage motorists and pedestrians to stop and stay awhile.

It's a tall order considering that the "X" is also the eye of the needle for busy Route 83, a state highway traveled by some 35,000 vehicles each day. It's especially busy during commuting hours when motorists cross the "X" on their way home to suburban towns.

Although it's a major thoroughfare, the "X" is also home for dozens of small businesses ranging from restaurants to a sporting goods store and big time chains like CVS, Walgreens and Dunkin' Donuts.

A survey of some of those business owners revealed that they look forward to a safer passage through the '"X" for vehicles and pedestrians.

The city of Springfield, recognizing the importance of the "X" to the economic vibrancy of the city, has the spot on its radar screen for $200,000 worth of improvements financed with Community Development Block grants.

Christopher Cignoli, the city's director of Public Works, said the city has allocated $100,000 of the grant money to hire a consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive study of the "X" aimed at improving traffic flow and safety, pedestrian improvements and further enhancements in the area. The contract is expected to be awarded in the next two weeks.

Some of the challenges facing the "X" include: pedestrians crossing streets at unsafe locations, antiquated traffic signals; drivers ignoring traffic rules; significant traffic delays during peak periods; deteriorated road and sidewalk areas, according to the city's advertisement for a consulting firm.

During a recent stroll through the "X," those who live near it and run businesses there spoke about plans for improvements.

For Christos Kalaitzidis, of Agawam, who operates Cafe Christo (formerly Sal's Bakery) and grew up on East Alvord Street , not far from his 513 Belmont Ave. cafe and restaurant, the "X" is a like home.

While the "X" might confound newcomers driving through it, Kalaitzidis, said "it's no big deal compared to the East Longmeadow Rotary up Route 83," adding that most of the motorists moving through the "X" know how to navigate its ins and outs.

Kalaitzidis, who has been in the restaurant business for 40 years, said one problem is that motorists are constantly cutting through the lot behind his business to get from Belmont Avenue to Dickinson Street or vice versa.

"And you can't make a right when heading south on Dickinson to Belmont or a left when heading north on Dickinson to Belmont and Sumner Avenue," he said.

Mike Dentzau, of East Longmeadow, of Dr. Drywall, the company doing some of the work on Forest Park Eve Care on Sumner Avenue, also grew up near the "X."

"I have a soft spot for the 'X,'" Dentzau said. And, he said traffic is easy to navigate for most natives. "They know the shortcuts," he said.

Dave Trehey, who with his wife, Lori, owns sporting goods store, Sportstuff at 483 Sumner Ave. , said slowing down traffic at the "X" would help small businesses like his, adding that he witnesses several "fender benders" a week.

Trehey said that rush hours and any time there is road construction work in streets feeding into the "X" have a negative impact on businesses.

This fall, the DPW's water and sewer division and Columbia Gas Co. have been engaged in major underground pipe replacements and road repaving on the western end of Sumner Avenue. Cignoli expects that work to be completed by the time Bright Nights holiday light show gets under way at Forest Park Nov. 26.

Cignoli said a major redesign of the "X " such as diverting traffic around it would probably not be feasible. "It would just take all the traffic and put it somewhere else," he said.

Cignoli said the main purpose of hiring a design consultant is to improve pedestrian safety while improving traffic flow and aligning traffic light signals with the movement of pedestrians. Besides the vehicle traffic, there's lots of foot traffic on the streets that converge at the "X," including schoolchildren who travel through it to get to Forest Park Middle School, he said.

Another $100,000 of grant money is being used to make facade improvements to the Chapin Block – a multi-tenant group of buildings on Sumner Avenue, including the "X Pub." The exterior improvements to the rundown block will include new storefront windows, and the addition of new fabric awnings and signs with decorative exterior lighting.

There is private investment going on at the "X" as well. Across the way from the Chapin Block, Forest Park Eye Care at 453 Sumner Ave., owned by Drs. Britt E. Adornato and Tracy Haradon, is undergoing $175,000 worth of improvements including a 2,800-foot expansion and a exterior facelift by Legacy One Construction Co., of Longmeadow.

Business leaders who work near the "X" and the people who live near it appreciate that the section is a major crossroads. As such it presents challenges and opportunities.

Walsh, who works for the Springfield Park Department, says the "X" is a connecting point for all the surrounding neighborhoods including the Forest Park Heights Historic District, East Forest Park neighborhoods and the Trafton Road area. It's like the inside of a wheel, she said.

Improving the traffic flow at the intersection and the refurbishing facades of the businesses that line the streets around the "X" would help and encourage folks to stop and stay awhile.

She envisions the "X" becoming a central meeting place for Springfield residents who live nearby.

Walsh said the Forest Park Civic Association is looking forward to following the progress of the new traffic study and expects to be involved by attending public hearings on the plan as it evolves.

"The 'X' should be a reflection of all the good things going on in the surrounding neighborhoods," she said

US Catholic bishops' fall assembly to address issues like gay marriage, mixing religion with politics to advance Church doctrine

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The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops meets today through Nov. 13, in Baltimore.

Pope Francis may have put a more pastoral face to the teachings of the Catholic Church, but its doctrines are being reinforced as the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops meets today through Nov. 13 in Baltimore for its annual Fall General Assembly.

Bishops, including the Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski, the former Baltimore auxiliary bishop installed recently in Springfield, will discuss issues that are seen as basic to Church teaching, as well as its advancement in a secular world. These include Church opposition to gay marriage, abortion and the use of contraception.

It is also believed the bishops, during their meeting, will select three or four representatives for the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Family. This meeting, scheduled next October in Rome, is a followup to the recent synod that made global headlines for the debate over the reception of homosexuals in the Church. The 2015 synod will review the recommendations from the September synod, and present them to Francis.

A television ad, from the bishops, after this Sunday's "Chalice of Salvation," the weekly Mass broadcast from the Springfield diocese's studios, featured Boston's Cardinal Sean O'Malley in a fast-moving sequence of images set to music. The presentation, with a smiling O'Malley in a waving pose characteristic of Francis, contrasted somewhat with what it was promoting -- a return, or, for some, a continuation, of traditional Catholic practices, like saying the daily rosary, and abstaining from meat on Fridays. There was no reference to martyr saints, whose lives were portrayed in films shown at Catholic youth centers in the 1950s, but evangelization was embedded in a reference to religious liberty. The bishops see the Church, in the United States, under legal attack, on a variety of issues.

The ad uses the word movement and directs viewers to the conference website, where, in recent years, the bishops have developed an initiative called, "Marriage, Unique for a Reason." The pages, which include videos, cover Church teachings on marriage, its opposition to same sex marriage and legal issues involved.

Both O'Malley and Archbishop William E. Lori, of Baltimore, have gone on record in their opposition to legislation in the U.S. Senate, the Protect Women's Health From Corporate Interference Act of 2014, written in response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, that allows family-held businesses to opt out of contraceptive coverage for employees. In a July letter to the U.S. Senate, the two called the act "potentially attacking all existing federal protections of conscience and religious freedom regarding health coverage mandates." O'Malley chairs the bishops' committee on pro-life activities; Lori, the ad hoc committee on religious liberty. Lori is scheduled to make presentations at the Baltimore assembly on religious liberty, and on what are regarded as pro-life issues within the Church.

The bishops have been equally outspoken in their opposition to same-sex marriage. Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, of San Francisco, who chairs the bishops' subcommittee for the promotion and defense of marriage, and who will speak on the topic at the fall assembly, called a recent circuit court of appeal's ruling on the upholding of same-sex marriage bans, in four states, an "acknowledgment of the reasonable arguments for preserving the true definition of marriage and the Court's respect for the self-determination of states on this issue."

The Catholic Church is involved in a number of court challenges to the Affordable Care Act. Should the Church prevail, its doctrines could have implications way beyond those in its pews, both in this country, and in countries, like Africa, where there are harsh laws against homosexuality, and where many women lack access to modern contraception. Catholic bishops there have been opposed to having international organizations that deal with issues of family planning.

At their assembly, the bishops will be addressed for the first time by their conference president, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, who was elected last year for a three-year-term. Kentucky is one of the states, where the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, upheld bans against same-sex marriage, and "the right of the people of a state to define marriage as they see it." Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States, who was recently in Springfield, for Rozanski's installation at St. Michael's Cathedral, will also address the bishops, and they will elect new members of their various committees. Worcester Bishop Robert McManus is said to be a candidate to chair the committee on doctrine. The assembly will discuss a number of liturgical issues, as well.

The bishops' hope to be supported in their focus by a possible visit by Pope Francis, in 2015, to Philadelphia, for the Vatican's World Meeting of Families, where the theme is "Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive." There are 266 active bishops in the United States.

Ready for winter? It's not too early to stock up on batteries, locate snow shovel, windshield scraper

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Other parts of the country starting to get winter weather advisories.

It's a convergence of celebrations in area stores, what with leftover Halloween candy on sale, Thanksgiving harvest decorations also among sale items, and shelf space being increasingly taken over by Christmas and other December holiday items.

With winter storm warnings across parts of the country, it is also time to at least consider moving snow shovels to where they are easily accessible, turning on the snowblower and generator to make sure they are operational and to check on supplies of batteries and candles, just in case power outages are ahead on the calendar.

Tufts University's Office of Management offers some good preparedness links, including one to a National Weather Service guide (pdf).

The guide is a quick reference to what to expect from winter weather, as well as what causes coastal flooding, ice jams, and winter storms, and conditions like hypothermia.

It has a number of tips, including how to prepare in the office and at home, where it recommends to have:

Flashlight and extra batteries.

Battery-powered portable radio to receive emergency information.

Extra food and water. Have high energy food, such as dried fruit, nuts
and granola bars, and food requiring no cooking or refrigeration.

Extra medicine and baby items.

First-aid supplies.

Shelter, extra food, water for pets

The guide also has recommendations for travel in your vehicle:

Prepare a winter storm survival kit with mobile phone, charger, batteries, as well as blankets, sleeping bags, flashlight with extra batteries, first-aid kit, high-calorie, non-perishable food, extra clothing to keep dry

Sack of sand or cat litter for traction

Shovel

Windshield scraper and brush

Keep your gas tank near full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.

Avoid traveling alone.

Let someone know your timetable and primary and alternate routes.

Suicide bomber kills 48 students in Nigeria

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A suicide bomber disguised in a school uniform detonated explosives at a high school assembly in the northeastern Nigerian city of Potiskum.

ADAMU ADAMU, Associated Press Writer
MICHELLE FAUL, Associated Press Writer

POTISKUM, Nigeria (AP) -- A suicide bomber disguised in a school uniform detonated explosives at a high school assembly in the northeastern Nigerian city of Potiskum on Monday, killing at least 48 students, according to survivors and a morgue attendant.

Soldiers rushed to the scene, grisly with body parts, in the capital of Yobe state, but they were chased away by a crowd throwing stones and shouting that they are angry at the military's inability to halt a 5-year-old Islamic insurgency that has killed thousands and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes.

A suicide bomb attack in the same city killed 30 people one week ago, when suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked a religious procession of moderate Muslims.

Some 2,000 students had gathered for Monday morning's weekly assembly at the Government Technical Science College when the explosion blasted through the school hall, according to survivors.

"We were waiting for the principal to address us, around 7:30 a.m., when we heard a deafening sound and I was blown off my feet, people started screaming and running, I saw blood all over my body," 17-year-old student Musa Ibrahim Yahaya said from the general hospital, where he was being treated for head wounds.

Hospital records show 79 students were admitted and health workers said they include serious injuries that may require amputations. The hospital was so overcrowded that some patients were squashed two to a bed.

A morgue attendant said 48 bodies were brought to the hospital and all appeared to be between the ages of 11 and 20 years old. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to give information to reporters.

Survivors said the bomber appeared to have hidden the explosives in a type of rucksack popular with students. Months ago Nigeria's military had reported finding a bomb factory where explosives were being sewn into rucksacks in the northern city of Kano.

Garba Alhaji, father of one of the wounded students, said there was no proper security at the school. "I strongly blame the Yobe state government for not fencing the college," he said, adding that just three months ago a bomb was discovered in the school and removed by an anti-bomb squad.

Many Nigerians are angry that Boko Haram has increased attacks and bombings since the government on Oct. 17 claimed to have brokered a cease-fire. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has denied negotiating a truce.

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Faul reported from Johannesburg.

Obama tempers expectations for thaw with North Korea

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President Barack Obama is tempering expectations for a thaw in relations between the United States and North Korea.

JULIE PACE
AP White House Correspondent

BEIJING (AP) -- President Barack Obama is tempering expectations for a thaw in relations between the United States and North Korea, saying the secret talks to free two American prisoners were not the precursor to nuclear negotiations.

Asked Monday whether the prisoner negotiations helped him gain any insight into North Korea's mercurial young leader Kim Jong Un and his approach to dealing with the U.S., Obama said curtly, "No."

The president's first extensive public comments on the release of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller came as he opened a three day visit to China, North Korea's chief benefactor. U.S. officials said the timing of Obama's decision to pursue their release was not related to his trip, though they wouldn't speculate on Pyongyang's motivations.

Obama said he dispatched James Clapper, his director of national intelligence, to North Korea for negotiations after receiving "an indication that there was the possibility of the release." He did not elaborate on what kind of signals the U.S. received from North Korea or how messages were conveyed.

Bae and Miller arrived in the U.S. Saturday night, accompanied by Clapper. Their release was the latest twist in the strained relationship between the Obama administration and the young North Korean leader, who has been both provocative and conciliatory toward the U.S. since taking the helm of the impoverished and isolated nation.

The Obama administration has kept quiet about the details of Clapper's discussions, though the president said Monday that they were "not high-level policy discussions" and did not touch on Pyongyang's nuclear provocations. He added that "when and if" North Korea agrees to pursue denuclearization, the U.S. will be "very open" to having discussions.

However, Obama said that would require more than "small gestures" like the release of the Americans.

"Until that time, there's going to be a core problem between us," he added.

U.S. officials have said there was no quid pro quo that led to the release of the Americans. Bae had been held since 2012 and was serving a 15-year sentence for alleged anti-government activities. Miller was arrested after entering the country in April. Authorities accused him of planning to infiltrate a North Korea prison.

Their release came three weeks after a third American, Jeffrey Fowle of Miamisburg, Ohio, was set free by North Korea and put on a U.S. government plane.

Obama's comments came following a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on the sidelines of a broader Asia-Pacific summit.

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