Hanukkah begins at sundown on Dec. 16.

SPRINGFIELD - Hanukkah, the eight-day festival of light, that begins at sundown on Dec. 16, will be celebrated, with the illumination of what is billed as the largest outdoor menorah, or candelabrum, in Western Massachusetts, at the front entrance of the Springfield Jewish Community Center, 1160 Dickinson St.

The center's annual First Light Celebration begins at 5 p.m., with indoor activities for families and children, such as the making of clay lanterns, with tea lights, and latkes, or potato pancakes, and singing in the auditorium. The menorah will be illuminated around 6:15 p.m., after a short prayer service.

"The whole community is invited. We expect about 100 people, and of all ages," said Debbie Whitehead, the center's marketing and communications director.

The festival celebrates a military victory of the Israelites, the reclaiming of their Temple and the fact that one-day supply of olive oil was enough to light the Temple's menorah for eight days.

Families light their menorahs each night of Hanukkah, with one the first night, two the second, until all are illuminated on the last night, which this year is the evening of Dec. 24.

After the JCC lighting, participants may go inside the center for latkes, which are symbolically fried in oil.

Other events during the eight days of Hanukkah at the JCC are as follows:

Families and individuals of all ages are invited to participate in Hanukkah Hoops, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. This features 3-on-3 tournaments and basketball related games and challenges. For more information, contact Raychel Setless, (413) 739-4715, rsetless@springfieldjcc.org.

The annual Bobbie Levin Nifty 90s Hanukkah Celebration honors members of the Greater Springfield community who are ages 90 and older. On Dec. 18, at 1:30 p.m., they will be joined by previous honorees and will receive special gifts, as well as citations from Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and state Senator-elect Eric Lesser.

Every Friday, preschoolers in the JCC's Early Learning Center celebrate Shabbat. On Dec. 19, at 10 a.m., the children will be joined by their families for a Shabbat/Hanukkah celebration.

Adults aged 21 and older are invited to a "Latkes and Vodkas" event on Dec. 20, at 7:30 pm. Various latkes and vodkas will be paired, and participants can take new latke recipes to try at home. The fee is $5 for JCC members, $10 for general public. Reservations are required by Dec. 18. To register, stop by the JCC front desk or call (413) 739-4715.

The annual Hanukkah Road Race is Dec. 21, at 9:30 a.m. this race is a flat, wheeled five-mile course through Springfield and Longmeadow. Proceeds benefit JCC programs. Entry fee is $25. Participants can download an entry form at SpringfieldJCC.org.

Children and families will join together one more time on Dec. 22, at 4 p.m., to make last night Hanukkah candles.

On Dec. 23, teens in the JCC's "Don't Just Sit There" and J-Team youth programs will donate hats, mittens, gloves to benefit families of the Massachusetts Migrant Education Program. If you would like to provide warm items for this population, bring your donations to the JCC before Dec. 23.

The Cumberland man was southbound on I-95 near Exit 5 when his Cadillac left the road and hit a tree, police said.

Updates story published at 7:24 a.m. Monday, Dec. 15.

Prokop and a female passenger were southbound in a 2013 Cadillac CTS that went off the highway and struck a tree about 8:15 p.m., according to the Massachusetts State Police Office of Media Relations in Framingham.

Troopers from the Foxboro barracks and North Attleboro firefighters responded to the scene, where they found Prokop and a 27-year-old woman trapped inside the vheicle. The car came to rest in a culvert adjacent to the highway, North Attleboro Fire Capt. Scott Meyer told The Sun Chronicle newspaper.

Prokop was taken by ambulance to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, where he was later pronounced dead, police said.

The woman, whose identity was not publicly released, was airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital with serious injuries. Authorities closed all southbound lanes while a helicopter landed to take her to the Providence hospital. An update on her condition was unavailable.

Police said the breakdown lane and the inside travel lane remained closed for the duration of the investigation, which disrupted traffic for about two hours.

Foxboro-based troopers were assisted by troopers from the State Police Collision Analysis & Reconstruction Section and the Crime Scene Services Section. The cause of the fatal crash remains under investigation.

NASDI Demolition Services of Waltham has the $1.45 million contract to demolish the Essex House.

HOLYOKE -- Demolition of the top three stories of the eight-story Essex House on High Street could begin Friday, a city official said Monday (Dec. 15).

"A crane should be arriving here tomorrow (Tuesday)," said Rory Casey, chief of staff to Mayor Alex B. Morse. "It's going to take them a couple of weeks to get the building down to a safe level."

A partial collapse of the 134-year-old, long-vacant hotel occurred Thursday (Dec. 11) when slabs of the exterior brick wall broke off and plunged through the roof of an adjacent building. The peeling off of the brick walls left the upper floors further exposed to the weather that officials said has rotted the structure's interior.

No injuries were reported. But the falling debris from the Essex House at 400 High St. ripped holes in the roof of the MD Beauty Salon and Supplies at 396 High St., forced the Salsarengue Restaurant at 392 High St. to close temporarily and has shut down High Street between Essex and Appleton streets indefinitely, officials said.

"As you know, we continue to monitor the building and have not seen any further collapse," Fire Chief John A. Pond said.

The city took ownership of the Essex House in June 2013 because of nonpayment of taxes.

The previous owner was Essex House LLC, which was a limited liability company at 11 Story St. in Cambridge. Stephen Wolfberg of that address was listed as resident agent. Wolfberg and Kenneth Stoll were listed as managers, according to online records of the state secretary of state's office.

Pond has said the Essex House interior has deteriorated as years of exposure to rain and other weather have chewed at floors and caused them to collapse into each other.

It was unclear exactly what caused the lengths of bricks and other debris to break off the Essex House Thursday morning, though officials at a press conference in Morse's office Friday said it was probably because of deterioration and loosening from the effects of the weather.

NASDI Demolition Services of Waltham has the $1.45 million contract with the city to demolish the Essex House.

Removing the top three stories of the structure guards against damage and injury. Less danger exists in the perimeter of the building if pieces of debris break off and fall at five stories compared to at eight stories, structural engineer Glen Jarvis, who has been hired by the city for the project, said at the press conference.

Removal of the upper three stories of the Essex House will help by reducing the load on the bottom of the building, he said.

The timing of the take down of the Essex House has been a controversy here and it was uncertain when demolition of the upper three floors would be completed.

Removal of parts of the building's exterior could begin Friday, Casey said.

"It's going to take them a couple of weeks to get the building down to a safe level," he said.

NASDI Demolition Services will erect scaffolding and install huge air bags below the Essex House to catch falling debris. The contractor also will have to work inside the Old San Juan Bakery, which like the beauty salon has been closed since spring, possibly opening a hole in the roof to work on the Essex House demolition, Casey said.

But, he said, it was unlikely work would be done over the Christmas holiday Dec. 25 and snow and other harsh weather could cause more delays.

The City Council has been criticized for failing to approve the funding to raze the Essex house until Sept. 23. But city Purchasing Director David A. Martins and city Treasurer Jon D.Lumbra have said other factors in the delay have been problems with the process of issuing beds to attract demolition contractors, the demolition itself being more complicated than officials initially thought and a hang up occurring with the state Department of Environmental Protection over asbestos removal.

Individual bricks have been breaking off of the Essex House for years. Because of that instability, the city ordered the beauty salon and the bakery to relocate in the spring. The salon has been at 74 Cabot St. and the bakery has directed visitors to its Springfield store.

As groups around the country have begun organizing for the potential of an Elizabeth Warren entry into the 2016 presidential field, the freshman senator from Massachusetts has repeatedly denied any plans to seek the White House.

By ANDY METZGER

BOSTON — If Sen. Elizabeth Warren breaks from her firm public stance and runs for president, she will have the backing of Congressman Michael Capuano, who said Monday that he offered his assistance without "trying to pry" into her intentions.

"I have spoken to her. I have not asked her for any response. I actually made it very clear I did not want a response. It was a one-sided offering of support," the Somerville Democrat told reporters after an event on a Boston Harbor pier. Capuano said, "She said nothing. And I told her I didn't want her to say anything, and she didn't. And even if she did, you know I wouldn't tell you."

But Warren did have something to say about it Monday.

As groups around the country have begun organizing for the potential of a Warren entry into the 2016 presidential field, the freshman senator has repeatedly denied any plans to seek the White House.

"I am not running for president. No means no," Warren told reporters before the harbor event on Monday, according to audio provided by her staff.

Capuano shared his support for her hypothetical presidential bid on Boston Herald Radio earlier Monday and again after the event. After the event, Capuano said he was not encouraging her to run, "would encourage her to do what she thinks is right for her," and said, "I can only take her at her word," while noting that circumstances can change.

Hillary Clinton, the former Democratic U.S. senator, former U.S. secretary of state, former first lady and 2008 presidential candidate, is widely expected to launch a presidential bid where she would likely be an early frontrunner.

Asked if Clinton would have his support, Capuano said, "Don't know yet. Depends who else runs."

"I know Elizabeth Warren pretty well. I know Hillary Clinton a little bit," said Capuano, who said he has broad agreement with Warren and he sees her as having a "realistic chance."

On Sunday on CNN, Gov. Deval Patrick, who has left the door open to a future presidential bid of his own, demurred when asked if Warren should run for president.

Capuano thinks Warren is in a unique position.

"There may be a million people I know that might make a good president. There are very few people who could be president, and she is in that position," Capuano said.

Warren has long been favored by a contingent of Democrats for her tough stance on the financial industry. She made headlines recently for opposing part of a federal spending bill that she said would allow for more "Wall Street bailouts" and risky bets by banks.

"That is outrageous," Warren said on Monday of the legislation, which passed as part of the government spending bill 56-40 on Saturday. Asked how she would be able to work with Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe, the Republican expected to take over the Environment and Public Works Committee next year, Warren said, "The question is can the environment survive Jim Inhofe?"

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, a Malden Democrat who is on the public works committee, said Inhofe told him "he wanted to work with me on all of the transportation projects, and he wanted to make sure that is completely bipartisan."

"He and I are friends, but we disagree on climate change, but we also agree that we should work together for funding for billions of dollars of transportation funding," Markey told reporters. He said he has passed 510 laws, and he had the help of a Republican passing every one of them.

Asked whether he would support Warren if she ran, Markey said, "She said quite clearly she is not going to run for president, and I think we should just take her at her word." He said, "It's just not an issue."

Protests over the deaths of black men at the hands of police in Missouri and New York have cost the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts an estimated $1.8 million in police overtime, a figure that could grow when the costs of the weekend's protest are tallied, officials said.

A digest of news stories from around New England.

WFXT-TV, Fox25, Dedham

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

Sarno praised the Patrick administration for its "continued vision in providing funding to increase and revitalize recreational and green spaces in urban areas" adding that the investment made by the administration will also "leave a legacy of inclusion and opportunity" for all.

SPRINGFIELD – The first official day of winter isn't until next week, but on Monday city officials celebrated new recreation opportunities that will be available in the spring and summer, courtesy of the Patrick administration's $7.7 million state investment in parks and open spaces.

Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett joined Mayor Domenic J. Sarno to celebrate investments in Camp STAR Angelina, Balliet Park, Riverfront North Park and the new Mary Troy Park slated to open in the Liberty Heights neighborhood in the spring.

Camp STAR Angelina, located in Forest Park, received $1.325 million from the state to help fund a fully accessible pool and bath house as well as a universal outdoor amphitheater for the camp's recreational programs for youth and young adults with and without disabilities.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, announced that the pool and bath house facility at Camp STAR would be named for Gov. Deval L. Patrick in recognition of his efforts to increase access to outdoor recreation for all children.

Sarno praised the Patrick administration for its "continued vision in providing funding to increase and revitalize recreational and green spaces in urban areas" adding that the investment made by the administration will also "leave a legacy of inclusion and opportunity" for all.

Other park and recreation investments include:

• $1.2 million for North Riverfront Park, which sits along the norther end of Springfield's portion of the Connecticut River Walk. The funds will be used to transform a site surrounded by barbed wire into a welcoming, vibrant site that will better connect Springfield's North End to the riverfront. The city will contribute an additional $300,00 to the project which will include installation of picnic tables and landscaping.
• $400,000 for Mary Troy Park, a new park in the Hungry Hill section of the city's densely populated Liberty Heights neighborhood. Among design features will be a series of freestanding play structures including a water spray and exercise equipment along a central pathway. The city is contributing $380,000 in federal Community Development Block Grants toward the project. The park was named for the late Mary Troy, a longtime neighborhood advocate.
• $400,000 to Balliet Park in the city's Pine Point neighborhood to renovate the baseball diamond and tennis courts, install a playground and swing set equipment, establish a picnic area and improve access to park entrances and walkways. The park is located at Seymour Street and Breckwood Boulevard.

Springfield is among seven cities to receive funding through Gov. Patrick's Signature Urban Parks program aimed at revitalziing urban communities by opening up or upgrading green spaces for outdoor recreation and improving access to natural resources such as waterways and historic neighborhood landmarks.

Since Patrick took office, the administration has invested more than $360 million in land conservation focusing on investing in urban parks, preserving working farms and forests and protecting natural landscapes for habitat, according to the office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

To highlight the investments, Secretary Bartlett is visiting communities that have benefited from the investments during the governor's final weeks in office.

Westfield's Camfour is owned by Peter A. Picknelly and investors.

WESTFIELD — Camfour Inc., a firearms and sporting goods distributor located at 65 Westfield Industrial Park Road in Westfield, was named as a defendant in the wrongful death suit filed in the Newtown School shooting case.

Families of nine of the 26 people killed and a teacher wounded at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, two years ago by shooter Adam Lanza  announced the suit Monday. The plaintiffs have sued gunmaker Bushmaster, Camfour and Riverview Gun Sales, a now-closed East Windsor, Connecticut, store where the gunman's mother purchased the Bushmaster rifle in 2010.

Riverview's owner, David LaGuercia, was reported as living in Agawam at the time, according to The Associated Press.

Camfour is owned by a group of local investors headed by Peter A. Picknelly, chairman and CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines and part-owner of a number of local manufacturing enterprises. The group also owns sister company Hill Country Wholesale in Pflugerville, Texas.

Paul M. Maleck, an attorney with Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy in Springfield who represents Picknelly, said neither he nor his client have seen the complaint and no one could comment.

The suit announced Monday alleges that the Bushmaster should not have been sold publicly because it was designed for military use and is unsuited for hunting or home defense, according to The Associated Press.

The families filed the negligence and wrongful death lawsuit filed in Bridgeport Superior Court in Connecticut.

This is believed to be the first wrongful death lawsuit of its kind against a gun manufacturer.

Picknelly and partners bought Camfour in 1998 from Albert F. and Amelia "Millie" A. Ferst.

The Fersts were longtime philanthropists in and around Westfield. Their legacy includes the $6 million Amelia Park complex off South Broad Street that supports Amelia Ice Rink, Children's Museum, Amelia Park Garden, the Albert and Amelia Ferst Boys and Girls Club and an outdoor skateboard park. They also backed the Interfaith Center on the campus of Westfield State University and Samaritan Inn homeless shelter on Free Street. 

Albert Ferst died in 2011 at age 92. Amelia Ferst died in 1997.

 

The word on social media is that students under the legal drinking age of 21 can get away with a fake ID at King Street Liquors on 166 King St., or not be carded at all, Police Chief Russell P. Sienkiewicz told the commission.

NORTHAMPTON — The License Commission on Monday revoked the license of a King Street liquor store, known as the place for underage college students to go, for two months and promised a worse punishment if the store doesn't change its ways.

The word on social media is that students under the legal drinking age of 21 can get away with a fake ID at King Street Liquors on 166 King St., or not be carded at all, Police Chief Russell P. Sienkiewicz told the commission. In collaboration with the Northampton Prevention Coalition, police conducted stings on Oct. 25 and Nov. 11, and caught the store illegally selling to minors both times.

Police Sgt. Victor Caputo told the commission that they sent six underage people into King Street Liquors on Oct. 25 and four came out with alcohol. On Nov. 11, police stopped two cars driving away from the store after underage drinkers used fake IDs to buy alcohol, Sgt. Joseph Golec said.

Police were originally tipped off to the store by the University of Massachusetts dean of students, who said it is well know on social media.

"It's common knowledge that UMass students go to King Street Liquors," Golec said.

Owner Bhupendra Patel told the commission that he was in New Jersey for a funeral on Oct. 25 and that his wife and daughter tended the store. Attorney Brad Shimel, a former License Commission chairman representing Patel, admitted the illegal sales and said Patel's wife and daughter were untrained.

"They know it was wrong," he said.

Current chairman William Rosen called the violation the worst he has see in his years on the commission. The board voted unanimously to revoke Patel's license for two months. During that time, all clerks at at the liquor store must be properly trained.

After the store reopens, it will be on probation for six months, and any subsequent violation can result in the permanent loss of Patel's license, the commission said.

The incident caused heavy flooding, especially near the MassMutual Center at State and Main streets, where a large pool of water prompted officials to close the road.

Updates story published at 1:35 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15.

The most flooded area appeared to be near the intersection of State and Main streets, just down the hill from Willow Street, where a large pool of water formed in the middle of the road near the MassMutual Center. Crews were seen trying to clear drains to help clear water from the intersection, which initially was closed to traffic.

As of 4 p.m. Monday, two lanes of State Street had reopened to traffic – one lane in each direction – as workers continued to make repairs and assess the damage, said Joyce Mulvaney, public communications manager for the Water & Sewer Commission. State Street initially was closed between Dwight and Main streets to accommodate crews involved in the repair and cleanup efforts.

Commission crews identified the source of the flooding as a water main break in the area of Willow Street. Mulvaney said they then stabilized the area and contained the water flow, which caused damage to the roadway.

Commission officials said they would update the public on the expected time frame for ongoing repairs and any related traffic detours as details become available.

City attorney Lisa DeSousa testified that Knaggs had a history as a problematic landlord and tried to pressure her to settle the insurance matter quickly during a meeting in May of 2009.

SPRINGFIELD - A federal prosecutor told a jury in a money-laundering trial that city landlord Wilkenson Knaggs illegally collected more than $150,000 in insurance proceeds by scheming, forging checks and pressuring a relative to get in on the scam.

"Wilkenson Knaggs stole money; he didn't do it by sticking anyone up," Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Shukla told jurors in federal court on Monday.

Although Knaggs, of Springfield, is not accused of setting fire two either of two properties central to the case, he is accused of trying to manipulate the system to collect on his homeowner's insurance and has been charged with insurance fraud, mail fraud and other financial crimes.

The charges stem from two fires in 2008 and 2009 at 376-378 Franklin St., a three-story property Knaggs owned. The back of the building was charred by a fire in November of 2008 while Knaggs was tangling with city officials. They had moved in Housing Court to demolish the building because it was vacant and added to the neighborhood's blight, according to a witness. The city had a lien of sorts on the property as a result, so it was a payee on the insurance checks.

Knaggs, 42, of Springfield has denied all the allegations.

City attorney Lisa DeSousa testified that Knaggs had a history as a problematic landlord and tried to pressure her to settle the insurance matter quickly during a meeting in May of 2009.

"Mr. Knaggs said he wanted to settle that day 'peaceful-like, because after all - you're still breathing,'" DeSousa testified. "I said: Are you threatening me? He said: No: I'm just saying today you're breathing just like I am but that could change.'"

Knaggs ultimately collected one check because he faked an agreement with a contractor he claimed would rehabilitate the property, the prosecutor said. However, that contractor - Lee "Sonny" Brown - is expected to testify they had no such agreement.

Defense lawyer David P. Hoose said in his opening statements that the government's entire case hangs on Brown, whom he labeled a convicted felon who faces current charges in state court. Those charges were not detailed in court today.

"I would suggest to you that Lee "Sonny" Brown is a very shady, unsavory character. The government's case will rest on Lee "Sonny" Brown and no one should be convicted on the words of Lee Brown," Hoose argued.

Prosecutors and IRS investigators said Knaggs collected a second check when the same property caught fire and was essentially razed in July of 2009. Shukla said the defendant traveled to Boston to a check-cashing store to collect $40,000 in money orders plus $40,000 in cash in order to skirt his own bank's suspicions. He forged the a city signature on the check, she told jurors.

Shukla said Knaggs used the insurance proceeds to buy two new properties on Marlborough and Central street. The Central Street property was heavily damaged by fire in 2000, the prosecutor said.

Shukla told jurors Knaggs enlisted his cousin to submit a claim under her name and tell insurance adjusters she was living there. The woman complied but later withdrew the claim after getting cold feet and consulting a lawyer.

Hoose pointed out to jurors that Knaggs was a lone operator as opposed to a major real estate investor.

"This is not Donald Trump; there's no Wilkenson Knaggs Tower; there's no fancy office building; there's no staff," Hoose said.

Testimony will continue tomorrow before U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni.

And even though officials with the Department of Transportation knew they were flaunting the double meaning with their "Don't jerk and drive drive" promotion, they decided to pull the ads when they got a little bit more attention than they anticipated.

The ad was supposed to warn people about the dangers of using jerking motions when driving on icy roads.

And even though officials with the South Dakota Department of Transportation knew they were flaunting the double meaning with their "Don't jerk and drive drive" promotion, they decided to pull the ads when they got a little bit more attention than they anticipated.

According to USA Today, South Dakota officials knew darn well that they were playing with the double meaning of the word "jerk" which can also be a reference to masturbation.

"The message is that we'd prefer drivers keep their cars out of the ditch and their minds out of the gutter," said Lee Axdahl, director of the office of Highway Safety.

The deliberate sexual innuendo was supported to get attention for an important message about the dangers of overcorrecting on icy roads, the Argus Leader of Sioux Falls reported. Instead, state officials admitted, people seemed to be paying more attention to the double meaning.

"We're not so sure this maybe resonated with everyone the way it was intended," Trevor Jones, the secretary of Public Safety who pulled the plug on the ad campaign last week told the newspaper. "Is the primary message getting through? If the innuendo is the primary message, I think the ad has kind of failed."

But marketing experts thought the innuendo was actually getting the message through to hard-to-reach young male drivers.

"The dollar amount they've spent on advertising by far has been far outstripped by (free attention)," Rand Wergin, a marketing professor at the University of South Dakota told the Argus Leader. "The campaign was, from what I can tell, effective in reaching the goals of the campaign, which is awareness. Now you can talk to people and they will know you don't need to jerk the wheel."

According to the Associated Press, the television ad featured an animated graphic of a driver hitting other vehicles after jerking the wheel. The right way to keep from driving off the road it to slowly pull back onto the road, the narrator says.

Before Jones decision to yank the $100,000 campaign was known, Republican state Rep. Mike Verchio was getting ready to complain.

"I think the intent clearly was ... when you start to go off the road, you should take your foot off the gas and gently go back on," Verchio told the AP. "But it wasn't defended very well that way. When they say 'Yeah, there's some double-meaning there,' I think that was a terrible error in judgment."

Although the campaign raised eyebrows when it first ran, Jones didn't cancel it right away. It ran for more than a week, and outperformed past campaigns 25 to 1, the Argus Leader reported.

"When the innuendo became the story, and not the primary message, that's when the decision (was made that) we'd be better off maybe moving on to a different message," Jones told the newspaper.

Camille Cosby said the accusers haven't been properly vetted by the media.

NEW YORK (AP) - Bill Cosby's wife rejected sex assault allegations against her husband of a half-century on Monday, saying the man being accused by at least 15 women of drugging and having sex with them is "a man I do not know."

In a statement issued Monday, Camille Cosby dismissed accusations that date back as far as the late 1960s.

She suggested that her husband, not the women, is the party being harmed.

"None of us will ever want to be in the position of attacking a victim," she said. "But the question should be asked - who is the victim?"

Cosby is being sued for defamation by one alleged victim and for sexual battery by another woman who says he forced her to perform a sex act when she was 15. He has never been charged in connection with any of the accusations, and his lawyers deny many of the allegations. He settled with a Pennsylvania woman who in a 2005 lawsuit said Cosby drugged and molested her in 2004.

A new round of claims of sexual assault and rape began in early November - accusations Camille Cosby said haven't been properly vetted by the media. She likened the media's handling of the accusations to a Rolling Stone article about a gang rape at the University of Virginia that later proved to be untrue, saying her husband's accusers have been "given a pass" by the media.

"The (Rolling Stone) story was heart-breaking, but ultimately appears to be proved to be untrue. Many in the media were quick to link that story to stories about my husband &#8211 until that story unwound," she said.

Noting that she married Cosby in 1964, a year after they met, she said, "The man I met, and fell in love with, and whom I continue to love, is the man you all knew through his work. He is a kind man, a generous man, a funny man, and a wonderful husband, father and friend. He is the man you thought you knew."

The statement, released by Cosby spokesman David Brokaw, is the first public comment from Camille Cosby since the renewed allegations began.

Since then, the 77-year-old comedian's tour has been whittled by cancellations and indefinite postponements of about 10 concerts in as many states reaching into next spring. A comedy special was canceled by Netflix, and NBC scuttled his prospective new sitcom that had been in the works.

Earlier Monday, Spelman College in Atlanta, a historically black institution, announced it was suspending its endowed professorship with Cosby.

Camille Cosby's defense of her husband came after this weekend's publication of a brief interview with Cosby in The New York Post, where he maintained his silence regarding the allegations while praising his wife for "love and the strength of womanhood" for weathering the public scrutiny raging against him.

Camille Cosby released the following statement Monday on the accusations of sexual assault against her husband:

I met my husband, Bill Cosby, in 1963, and we were married in 1964. The man I met, and fell in love with, and whom I continue to love, is the man you all knew through his work. He is a kind man, a generous man, a funny man, and a wonderful husband, father and friend. He is the man you thought you knew.

A different man has been portrayed in the media over the last two months. It is the portrait of a man I do not know. It is also a portrait painted by individuals and organizations whom many in the media have given a pass. There appears to be no vetting of my husband's accusers before stories are published or aired. An accusation is published, and immediately goes viral.
We all followed the story of the article in the "Rolling Stone" concerning allegations of rape at the University of Virginia. The story was heart-breaking, but ultimately appears to be proved to be untrue. Many in the media were quick to link that story to stories about my husband - until that story unwound.

None of us will ever want to be in the position of attacking a victim. But the question should be asked - who is the victim?

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 100 points to just under 17,181.

By BERNARD CONDON

NEW YORK — Falling oil prices pushed U.S. stocks down broadly on Monday, extending losses into a second week.

European stocks also fell, and the Russian ruble plunged to a record low against the dollar as the continuing collapse in the price of oil reverberated through global financial markets.

A brief rally after trading opened in the U.S. vanished as crude oil continued a six-month slide that has slashed its price nearly in half. Global demand for oil has been waning just as supplies are becoming more abundant.

The stock losses in the U.S. were modest, but markets in Germany and France fell more than 2 percent. The Russian ruble plunged, sending stocks sharply lower there, too. After U.S. markets closed, Russia's central bank dramatically hiked a key interest rate in an effort to stop the ruble from dropping further.

The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 12.70 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,989.63. All 10 industry sectors in the index dropped. The losses followed a 3.5 percent drop in the S&P 500 last week, its biggest decline since May 2012.

"People are taking profits, and it can go on for a while," said Uri Landesman, president of Platinum Partners, an investment fund in New York. "You're seeing a mini-correction."

A solid report on U.S. manufacturers and some merger news helped jolt markets higher after the open, but the gains evaporated after an hour as crude prices fell. The oil slump is worrying investors because it hammers the profits of drillers and other oil companies that are big components in stock indexes. Investors also fear it may signal the global economic slowdown is deeper than expected.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 99.99 points, or 0.6 percent, to 17,180.84. The Nasdaq composite lost 48.44 points, or 1 percent, to 4,605.16.

The ruble sank 13 percent to 65.83 to the dollar. The Russian currency has lost about half of its value against the dollar since the beginning of the year.

Russia's economy and currency have been battered by Western sanctions imposed over the conflict in Ukraine and the sharp drop in the price of oil, the country's major export and a big source of tax revenue. With investors' confidence in Russia's economy waning, they have been selling rubles, forcing its value lower.

In an effort to halt the decline and to fight inflation, the Bank of Russia raised its key interest rate to 17 percent from 10.5 percent. Higher interest rates could help draw foreign investors to the ruble, sending its value up against other currencies.

Several commentators have noted that plunging oil prices could eventually help U.S. stocks because it pushes down gas prices, freeing up money for Americans to spend at stores.

Doug Cote, chief market strategist at Voya Investment Management, said investors have overreacted to the oil drop and that he expects stocks to rise.

"Every time the consumer goes to the gas pump, it feels fantastic," he said. For the middle class, "it's like getting a big tax cut."

Investors may get a better sense of just how much oil is helping consumers when the Federal Reserve concludes a two-day meeting on Wednesday. The central bank statement summarizing its conclusions from such policy setting meetings can move markets. Investors will be looking to see if the statement keeps two key words: "considerable time," a reference to how long the Fed plans to keep short-term interest rates near zero.

Those low rates are widely credited with helping stocks race higher in the nearly six-year bull market. Most economists think the Fed will wait until June to raise rates.

In economic news, U.S. manufacturing output in November surpassed its pre-recession peak as auto production ramped up. The Federal Reserve figures are an encouraging sign that America's factories are somewhat insulated from the global economic slowdown.

Among stocks making big moves:

1. Riverbed Technology, a maker of computer-network equipment, jumped $1.57, or 8.4 percent, to $20.31 after agreeing to a $3.6 billion sale to private-equity firm Thoma Bravo and a Canadian pension fund.
2. Pet supplies chain PetSmart rose $3.30, or 4.2 percent, to $80.97 after announcing Sunday that it had agreed to an $8.7 billion sale to a group of investors led by BC Partners.
3. Range Resources jumped $1.22 or 2.3 percent to $55.40. The energy company, which is heavily focused on natural gas, said production would increase due to better efficiency. The company also said it was trimming its capital spending plans, becoming the latest energy producer to do so.

Prices for U.S. government bonds fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.11 percent from 2.08 percent late Friday.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.90, or 3.3 percent, to close at $55.91 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil was as high as $107 a barrel in June.

In other energy trading, Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 79 cents to close at $61.06 in London. In New York, wholesale gasoline fell 2.1 cents to close at $1.576 a gallon, heating oil fell 1.4 cents to close at $2.002 a gallon and natural gas fell 7.6 cents to close at $3.719 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals futures fell. Gold declined $14.80 to $1,207.70 an ounce. Silver fell 49 cents to $16.56 an ounce and copper lost six cents to $2.88 a pound.

The marchers are angry that grand juries didn't indict officers in the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York.

BOSTON (AP) -- Boston and state police have paid nearly $2 million in overtime to control protests of police killings of unarmed black men in Missouri and New York City.

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh's office says the city has spent about $1.5 million in overtime for three protests, including one Saturday that resulted in the arrests of about two dozen people, who have attempted to disrupt traffic.

A state police spokesman tells the Boston Herald the department spent about $300,000 on overtime for the first two protests with estimates for the Saturday protest still being calculated.

Smaller protests have been held in other cities around the state.

The marchers are angry that grand juries didn't indict officers in the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in New York.

Jurors began deliberating Tuesday afternoon in the armed assault with intent to murder case against Michael Lebert.

SPRINGFIELD — A Hampden Superior Court jury late Tuesday afternoon began deliberations in the case charging Michael Lebert with armed assault with intent to murder for an attack with a hatchet on a bartender at the Dugout Cafe in Chicopee.

The fourth day of the trial took a very different course than previous days. Before the jury was brought into the courtroom Lebert, 51, waived his right to represent himself and Judge John S. Ferrara appointed Terrence Dunphy as Lebert's lawyer.

Ferrara, shortly before the start of the trial, had appointed Dunphy standby counsel over the objections of Lebert, who said he wanted to be his own lawyer acting alone.

Ferrara asked Lebert Tuesday if he had changed his mind and wanted Dunphy to take over the case. Lebert said he did and Dunphy began acting as his lawyer.

The judge told jurors it was Lebert's right to change his mind, just as it was his right to be his own lawyer.

After an outburst by Lebert in court Monday when he was representing himself, Ferrara told Lebert he couldn't be "standing up and ranting" in court.

As part of his instructions to the jury Ferrara said he will tell jurors "the conduct of any party during the trial is not evidence and should not be considered."

The prosecution's last witness was State Trooper Sharon Maher of crime scene services.

She testified she was given photos of a shoe impression in blood taken after the attack on Marilyn White Sept. 21, 2012, about 10:30 a.m.

Maher said she could do no comparisons to any shoes because the photographs were not taken properly.

The first defense witness called was former Chicopee Police Chief Thomas Charette.

Charette said he did not recall having any conversations with the media about the Dugout Cafe assault.

Dunphy showed him a copy of a news item citing what Charette said, but Charette said that didn't refresh his memory.

Next the defense called Anthony Fay of WWLP, who said he published the article in question (on the website) and it did refer to a Hispanic man as being sought.

Fay said he didn't recall talking to Charette specifically.

Dunphy called Deborah Lapierre of the billing department of River Valley Counseling Center. She identified a document which indicates billing for an appointment there for Lebert Sept. 21, 2012, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

She said it indicates the session was between 45 and 60 minutes. The counseling session is Lebert's alibi defense, jurors were told by Lebert in his opening statement.

The defense's DNA expert, Dr. Theodore Kessis, testified his analysis was that DNA taken from the hatchet handle and tested excludes Lebert's DNA.

The prosecution's DNA witness, Kimberly Harrington-Dean, had testified there was a mixture of at least two individuals and the major DNA profile from the hatchet handle was from the victim. The minor profile produced insignificant data to get results, she said.

Assistant District Attorney Ingrid Frau, in her closing argument, told jurors Lebert was trying to kill White. She said he entered the Dugout Cafe armed with a hatchet concealed in a gray hoodie.

White had said she was 100 percent sure Lebert was her attacker when shown his photo by Chicopee police.

"She testified she was able to get a look at him," Frau said.

Frau acknowledged there was no scientific evidence linking Lebert to the scene, but said there was no evidence excluding him.

As for the alibi defense, Frau said it didn't hold up. She said Lebert would have "plenty of time" - if his session was 45 minutes - to get to the Dugout and carry out the attack before White's 911 call.

"I have no idea why," Frau said of the reason for the attack. "They didn't know each other. What I do know is he tried to kill her."

Dunphy, in his closing argument, told jurors there is no scientific evidence connecting Lebert to the inside of the Dugout Cafe.

He said White, in her identification of the photo of Lebert as the attacker, was "honestly mistaken."

Citing the lack of forensic evidence, Dunphy told jurors, "That's the kind of evidence you need in a case like this."

Dunphy's closing argument was rife with criticisms of investigators, particularly the Chicopee police.

He said police did not follow correct procedure when they showed White photographs on four different occasions.

Dunphy noted the defense DNA expert Kessir testified he asked the state police crime laboratory to test a cigarette butt found in the trash in the men's rest room at the Dugout for DNA, but the lab did not. White had said the assailant went into the rest room before the attack.

"If they're honestly looking for the truth why didn't they test the cigarette butt," Dunphy said.

In addition to the armed assault with intent to murder charge, Lebert is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

A former Connecticut police officer who a decade ago was accused of going on a drunken shooting rampage at a Bridgeport housing complex was charged with drunken driving Monday in Vernon as he headed home from a drunken driving court appearance at the Rockville courthouse.

A digest of news stories from around New England.

WFXT-TV, Fox25, Dedham

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

Baker also said his first priorities will be to address issues surrounding drug abuse, medical marijuana and the Health Connector.

BOSTON - Republican Governor-elect Charlie Baker said he thinks it "makes some sense" for House Speaker Robert DeLeo, a Democrat, to wait to fill a budget gap until Baker takes office in January.

"It gives us a couple more weeks of visibility with respect to tax revenue and spending," Baker told reporters at the Statehouse on Tuesday. "In addition to that, it also gives him a chance to work with the team that is probably going to have to work through whatever fixes for 2015."

Outgoing Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick said the state is facing a budget gap of around $330 million. Patrick cut nearly $200 unilaterally, but some of his proposals require legislative approval.

It would be difficult for the state legislature to make spending adjustments before January since it is meeting in informal sessions, where it can only pass bills that face no opposition. DeLeo has said he will wait until Baker takes office for the House to act.

Baker said he did not ask DeLeo to wait, and it was the speaker's decision.

Baker gave little indication of where he would go to find additional money to fill the state budget gap. He reiterated promises he made during the campaign not to cut local aid and not to raise taxes. "I made pretty clear during the course of the campaign...I didn't think the state should continue to balance its budget on the back of the Commonwealth's cities and towns," Baker said.

Asked more generally about his first legislative priorities, Baker said he wants to take a "comprehensive approach" to addressing problems of heroin and opiate addiction. He will focus on implementing the law around medical marijuana dispensaries, which he said "has been a long time coming and it's something we need to get in place."

Additionally, Baker said there are still problems with the Health Connector on the back end, although it has functioned for consumers, as well as questions about what type of insurance consumers will end up with and how many people are being processed through the system.

Baker visited the Statehouse Tuesday to meet with Auditor Suzanne Bump and Secretary of State William Galvin. Baker said he talked to Bump about recent audits her office performed. He talked to Galvin about logistical issues related to his inauguration.

Baker's schedule for his inauguration, which will be Thursday, Jan. 8 is as follows: There will be an "entrance ceremony" on the front steps of the Statehouse at 10:30 a.m., followed by a citizens' welcome in the Statehouse at 11 a.m. Baker will officially be sworn in at noon in the House chamber, after which he will greet members of the public.

There will be a formal inaugural party at 8 p.m. at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Tickets cost $50.

Baker spokesman Tim Buckley said there will be other events around the state that will be announced soon. Baker is planning a series of "Spotlights On Excellence" events to highlight the accomplishments of Massachusetts citizens in areas like education and job creation.

On other issues: The U.S. Olympic Committee is considering bids for the 2024 Olympics from Boston and other potential host cities. Baker called the opportunity to host the Olympics "a pretty unique opportunity to promote Massachusetts and Boston." But he also said he needs more information. He is concerned that the bid proposes spending less than $10 billion, while other recent Olympics have cost more than $40 billion. "We would be a pretty significant departure from the way people have done this lately," Baker said.

On the high cost to the state police and Boston police of protests related to the death of black men in Missouri and New York during confrontations with police, Baker said the protests are "fundamental to what America is all about," and he has been "pleasantly surprised" that the demonstrations in Boston have remained peaceful and respectful.

The Ordinance Committee chairwoman said discussing an order about a Christmas tree wasn't something she wanted to spend time on.

HOLYOKE -- Setting a new tax rate and taking another stab at the City Hall Christmas tree issue are among items the City Council will consider Tuesday (Dec. 16).

Follow along as live reporting is posted under this story in the comments section.

The City Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The current tax rate is $19.05 per $1,000 valuation for residential property and $39.75 per $1,000 valuation for commercial property.

The city has a split tax rate and the annual navigation for councilors consists of gauging how much of the tax burden should be placed on home owners and how much on business owners.

Roughly 71 percent of the taxable property here is residential and 29 percent is commercial.

Once the new tax rate is set, home and business property owners will get bills in the mail reflecting those new rates around Jan. 1.

City Treasurer Jon D. Lumbra has estimated that if the council sets a new tax rate similar to the current one, the increase for the average homeowner will be only an extra $15 for the year compared to the previous year's bill.

Chamber of commerce officials have warned in recent years that the city's commercial tax rate already is too high and eclipsing the $40 mark psychologically would doom the dream of expanding the tax base by attracting new businesses.

At the annual public hearing on tax classification last week, the Board of Assessors released figures showing the total valuation of property in the city is $2,049,477,723, a decrease of $3,658,699 from the previous year.

But the average values or properties within categories increased slightly compared to a year ago. The average single-family home is valued at $179,340 compared to the previous $178,742, Chief Assessor Anthony Dulude said.

The average two-family home is valued at $150,454 compared to the previous $150,194, he said.

The average commercial and industrial property, in the 300 to 400 classes within the state-determined classification system -- hotel, veterinary hospital, lumber yard, restaurant, supermarket, car wash, funeral home, etc. -- is $575,831 compared to the previous $573,416, he said.

Along with setting the tax rate, the Holyoke City Council Tuesday is scheduled for more discussion about what this is: Many people consider this woody perennial in front of City Hall to be a "Christmas tree."(DAVE ROBACK / THE REPUBLICAN) 

The average value of other commercial and industrial property -- excluding the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, the city's largest property and largest taxpayer -- is $337,636 compared to the previous $337,585, he said.

The mall is valued at $218,46,792 and its owner, Pyramid Management Group of Syracruse, N.Y.,. paid a tax bill last year of $8,681,075, Dulude said.

Macy's store in the mall is assessed and taxed separately from the mall. Macy's is valued at $15,309,600 and its tax bill last year was $ 608,403, he said.

Now, the Christmas tree.

Councilor at Large Daniel B. Bresnahan has filed an order -- number 19 on the agenda -- in the form of a resolution asking that the council recognize the term "Christmas tree" and not just "holiday tree" in references to the city's annual lighting of the decorated tree placed in front of City Hall.

Bresnahan's order was cosponsored by councilors Todd A. McGee, James M. Leahy and Anthony Soto.

Calling the tree a Christmas tree is a matter of common sense, said Bresnahan, who said he had been contacted by residents concerned that "Christmas" was omitted from some city references to the annual tree lighting ceremony held Nov. 29.

This comes after the council Ordinance Committee voted 3-2 on Dec.9 against accepting a different version of the order from Bresnahan. That order sought to establish an ordinance to require official mentions of the tree be "Christmas tree."

Bresnahan criticized the three councilors who refused to allow the debate to occur -- Ordinance Committee Chairwoman Rebecca Lisi and councilors David K. Bartley and Gordon P. Alexander -- suggesting they had conferred before the meeting given the fast disposition of the order.

Lisi said that she put the measure on the committee agenda but that it wasn't something she wanted to spend time on.

Bartley -- who referred to the flap as "tree gate" on Facebook -- said he felt the council had more pressing issues than naming a spruce tree.

Alexander said after the meeting he might have been hasty in preventing Bresnahan 's Christmas tree order from even being considered.

While some have agreed with Bartley on the need for City Council perspective in terms of priorities, others said a discussion about an issue of importance to some residents is exactly the council's role.

John P. Brunelle, a School Committee member and former city councilor, said on Facebook, "any issue that a constituent feels is important is not a waste of time."

Resident Faith Chagnon Glanville addressed Bartley on Facebook by saying, "David, don't you think ALL residents/taxpayers concerns are valid? I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm a bit disappointed.....I've always voted for you. There are big issues to discuss, but that doesn't mean one can't take a quick vote to agree to call it a Christmas tree in press releases etc."

Also on the council agenda are several orders related to the partial collapse on Thursday of the closed, 134-year-old Essex House at 400 High St. No injuries were reported from the falling debris. But an adjacent beauty salon was heavily damaged, a restaurant was forced to close temporarily and High Street between Appleton and Essex streets is closed for the time being.

Hanukkah celebrates two miracles, neither of which are attributed to Jesus.

SPRINGFIELD — Jaws dropped in Springfield's Court Square Tuesday afternoon when Springfield City Councilor Bud Williams offered his take on the annual city menorah lighting ceremony.

"Jesus is the reason for the season," Williams said during remarks at the ceremony that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

Following short speeches by Congressman Richard Neal of Springfield and Mayor Domenic Sarno, who both touched on the history of religion in Springfield, Williams was handed the microphone and uttered the line that had people talking long after the ceremony ended.

Williams no doubt was referencing Jesus Christ, whose birth is celebrated every Dec. 25 by Christians worldwide ... but not by Jews.

According to Chabad.org, Hanukkah celebrates two miracles, neither of which are attributed to Jesus:

a) The 2nd century BCE (Before Common Era) victory of a small, greatly outnumbered and out-armed army of Jews, known as the "Maccabees," over the mighty Greek army that occupied the Holy Land. The rebellion was in response to the Greek attempt to force a Hellenistic G-dless lifestyle on the Jewish inhabitants of Israel.

b) The kindling of a seven-branched Menorah (candelabra) was an important component of the daily service in the Holy Temple. When the Maccabees liberated the Temple from the hands of the Greek invaders, they found only a small cruse of pure and undefiled olive oil fit for fueling the Menorah. The problem was, it was sufficient to light the Menorah only for one day, and it would take eight days to produce new pure oil. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days and nights.

The union president said he will work to ensure the councilors who marched lose their next elections.

HOLYOKE -- Patrol union President Edward J. Moskal criticized city councilors Rebecca Lisi and Jossie M. Valentin for participating in a march Friday that included chants of "anti police rhetoric."

"Whether they were ones that did voice those opinions or not, it appears they were not offended in any significant way to remove themselves from the other demonstrators who were chanting these harsh, profane and offensive slogans," said Moskal, president of Local 388, International Brotherhood of Police Officers.

Lisi and Valentin were among more than 100 people who participated in a march down High Street and to the Police Station at 138 Appleton St. in a ""black and brown lives matter" demonstration after the deaths of black men at the hands of white police officers in Missouri and New York City.

Lisi, who said her father, grandfather and mother's brother all are retired New York City Police Department officers, said that she did not participate in the "FTP" chants and that such chants were less persistent than others like "This is what democracy looks like."

"I did NOT have any interactions with police officers that day nor did I chant 'FTP' at any point and I would not ever give my voice to support such a sentiment -- I find it to be degrading and that it doesn't reach the people who we need to include as we grow the movement -- namely police officers and white, middle-class citizens," Lisi said in a statement (full text below) on her website.

Valentin issued a comment and said she would release a longer response to Moskal's letter later:

"It is unfortunate that this is how Mr. Moskal has chosen to respond to last Friday's march. It is also unfortunate that he fails to see the 'big picture' issues here. There have been protests all around our nation because of the systemic inequities and injustices that are so evident. That is why I chose to march on Friday.

"As a union leader, I would have expected that he would be aware of these types of issues and understand the importance of having productive conversations to find out why people are really marching, instead of making assumptions that help no one," Valentin said.

The march here was among demonstrations held nationwide after the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown. On Dec. 3, a Staten Island grand jury decided against indicting New York police officer Daniel Pantaleo in the July 17 death of Garner, 43. Pantaleo and other officers attempted to arrest Garner for illegally selling cigarettes. Pantaleo apparently applied a chokehold on the 350-pound African-American man as the officers wrestled him to the ground, news reports have said.

In a videotape of the incident, Garner can be heard saying repeatedly: "I can't breathe." The New York Medical Examiner's Office ruled Garner's death was a homicide, USA Today and other medial outlets reported.

That came after Officer Darren Wilson fired six shots and killed Michael Brown, 18, in Ferguson, Missouri Aug. 9. Lawyers for Brown's family said he was trying to surrender when Wilson shot him, but Wilson's supporters said he shot Brown in self-defense, Reuters reported.

The shooting -- and a Nov. 24 decision by the St. Louis County grand jury not to indict Wilson -- led to \protests, looting, fires and gunshots in Ferguson. It also prompted demonstrations and debates nationwide about the value society places on black lives and the level of force and protection that police should use in dealing with a crowd that can be violent.

Moskal identifies Lisi and Valentin with bold-faced capital letters in a letter dated Monday to union members. The letter has been submitted to the City Council to consider at its meeting Tuesday (Dec. 16) at 7 p.m.

"As a police officer I respect their freedom of speech and understand that they have a right to express their opinions and beliefs. As a resident and voter I also have the right to make sure that every effort is undertaken to ensure that they are removed from their office in the next election," Moskal said.

Moskal said in the letter to the City Council the past several seeks have been difficult for "our fellow brothers and sisters in law enforcement" in Missouri and New York.

He criticized the "current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. -- the address of the White House and presumably a reference to President Barack Obama -- and "self-proclaimed" civil leaders he said rushed to judgment after the Brown and Garner killings.

Grand juries in the cases of police officers Pantaleo and Wilson considered evidence and voted against indicting the officers, Moskal said.

"Even though a cleared picture has emerged of what occurred in those incidents, these leaders have failed in any way to change their opinion and have only fanned the emotions of citizens seeking justice throughout the country. I guess hubris will not allow them," Moskal said.

He notes other actions related to protesting the grand jury decisions have occurred here such as demonstrations at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside and in downtown Holyoke.

"These protests have led to additional costs to the city for not only to provide for not only the protections of the protesters but for the security of tax paying properties," Moskal said.

Community policing and similar efforts have reduced the fear and mistrust between police and the public as officers work to treat all people with fairly, he said.

"To do otherwise would be to descend to the level of the protesters who have stereotyped all police officers as racist killers," Moskal said.

Moskal concludes the letter to union members by inviting them and their families to a Dec. 22 candlelight vigil set for 6 p.m. in memory of the late Officer John DiNapoli on the 15th anniversary of his slaying in responding to a call. The vigil will be at the statue to DiNapoli placed across from the Police Station.

In her statement, Lisi recalled the nation's founders had the idea everyday citizens would be more capable than a monarch or elite class "at creating a just and egalitarian society."

She notes her work as an elected official, a "community leader" and helping to found CRUSH, Citizens for the Revitalization and Urban Success of Holyoke.

"I want my son to know human beings have the ability to affect extraordinary changes- not only in our own lives, but also in the lives of others and in society. That when injustices are exposed, we have the capacity to not only recognize them, but to rectify them as well," Lisi said.

That's why she marched with her son here Friday to protest the recent shootings of unarmed black men, women, and youth and support the call for reforming problematic police practices, she said.

"As an elected representative of the community it was important for me to demonstrate to both the protesters and the police force that I expected the march to proceed peacefully, so much so that I was willing to be present at the march with my 14-month old baby strapped to my back. I joined the group as the moment of silence concluded outside of the Holyoke Police Department," Lisi said.

Such participation is vital, she said, because it shapes "the movement and the discourse."

"My father and grandfather as well as my mother's brother are all retired NYPD. I have a deep appreciation for the hard work and risks that police officers take on every day in the field. I also believe that many police practices are in need of reform," Lisi said.

"I'm participating in these movement protests because I believe that we can successfully address the problematic police practices that are causing divisions within police forces and communities across our country," she said.

Statement of Councilor at Large Rebecca Lisi in response to criticism from Officer Edward J. Moskal, president of Local 388, International Brotherhood of Police Officers:

Our country's Founders had the revolutionary idea that everyday citizens would be more capable and effective than a monarch or elite class at creating a just and egalitarian society. One of the requirements of this vision is that everyday citizens take an active role in governance.

As an elected official, it is clear that I am interested in participating in this grand experiment we call democracy. From my work as a community leader I have demonstrated my commitment to motivating people to get involved in governance- whether by encouraging people to run for office, working with youth to develop their civic skills, training young leaders to organize campaigns, or by creating CRUSH- a social network where people could exchange ideas and develop new projects that could contribute to our community.

I want my son to know human beings have the ability to affect extraordinary changes- not only in our own lives, but also in the lives of others and in society. That when injustices are exposed, we have the capacity to not only recognize them, but to rectify them as well. It is for this reason that he and I took a bus down to NY this past September to participate in the "People's Climate March" (to protest overreliance on a fossil fuel economy and support a transition to renewable energies) and it's why I marched with him through the streets of downtown Holyoke last Friday in "From Ferguson to NYC to Holyoke" (to protest the recent shootings of unarmed black men, women, and youth and support the call for reforming problematic police practices).

As an elected representative of the community it was important for me to demonstrate to both the protestors and the police force that I expected the march to proceed peacefully, so much so that I was willing to be present at the march with my 14-month old baby strapped to my back. I joined the group as the moment of silence concluded outside of the Holyoke Police Department.

Several messages were chanted as the group made their way through the streets and it has come to my attention that some people are accusing me of chanting "FTP" (f@$% the police). I want to make sure that there is no mistake here- I did NOT have any interactions with police officers that day nor did I chant "FTP" at any point and I would not ever give my voice to support such a sentiment- I find it to be degrading and that it doesn't reach the people who we need to include as we grow the movement- namely police officers and white, middle-class citizens. It was also my experience that this particular chant was not sustained by the group marching for very long- it came up, but died quickly unlike some of the other chants like "This is what democracy looks like." Here again is why participation is so vital- it shapes the movement and the discourse; your voice can energize those aspects that you'd like to support and the absence of your voice can also rob less desirable aspects of the lifeblood they need to continue.

My father and grandfather as well as my mother's brother are all retired NYPD. I have a deep appreciation for the hard work and risks that police officers take on every day in the field. I also believe that many police practices are in need of reform.

Since the Ferguson issue first came up I have seen it as an opportunity to explore what we are doing locally and only recently wrapped up a Public Safety Committee discussion with Chief Neiswanger about the level of militarization within the Holyoke Police force. I was very pleased to hear that the HPD had not acquired any military surplus items and that the Chief's Community Policing efforts are the centerpiece of his law enforcement philosophy. To this end, the HPD has made significant investments in its human (as opposed to weapons) resources with skills and tactical training, so that our force is better equipped to make faster, smarter decisions in the field, under pressure and deescalate potentially violent situations. While I do not believe that any police force has got it down perfectly, I think that the Chief's efforts are steering the Holyoke Police Department in a productive direction that more troubled departments may wish to emulate.

In closing, I think it's important to remember that social movements not monolithic- they are conglomerations of multiple forces and groups that have different motivations for coming together to be heard and seen. I'm participating in these movement protests because I believe that we can successfully address the problematic police practices that are causing divisions within police forces and communities across our country. I have full confidence that through more engaged community dialogue and participation our country will be able to heal from these wounds.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Lisi
City Councilor at-Large

Statement on police protests from Holyoke police union president Edward Moskal uploaded by Patrick Johnson