A gunman opened fire at a veterans' medical clinic in West Texas on Tuesday, killing one other person, officials said. The gunman was also killed.

EL PASO, Texas -- A gunman opened fire at a veterans' medical clinic in West Texas on Tuesday, killing one other person, officials said. The gunman was also killed.

Investigators did not say whether the gunman killed himself or was killed by someone else. They also did not provide any details on the victim or the gunman or provide a possible motive for the shooting.

Fort Bliss Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty said the shooting happened at the El Paso Veterans Affairs Health Care System's clinic, which is in a complex that includes the William Beaumont Army Medical Center. The entire complex was locked down Tuesday as authorities responded to the shooting.

"The alleged shooter is dead, and we have one casualty. That casualty is deceased. All other VA patients and staff are safe," said Twitty, commanding officer of nearby Fort Bliss.

"Everything is under control and there is no immediate threat to Fort Bliss or the local community," Twitty said at a news conference Tuesday night.

The VA clinic will be closed Wednesday, said its acting director, Peter Dancy.

The FBI, which is leading the investigation, has hundreds of potential witnesses, many of whom were patients or would-be patients at the clinic, said Douglas Lindquist, special agent in charge of the FBI El Paso office.

"Those people were here seeking medical assistance, so we understand the difficulties that this situation presents to them and we're trying to expeditiously get through those hundreds of witnesses to find out details about this incident," Lindquist said.

The VA clinic came under scrutiny last year after a federal audit showed it had some of the nation's longest wait times for veterans' trying to see a doctor for the first time. A survey of hundreds of West Texas veterans last year found that they waited an average of more than two months to see a Veterans Affairs mental health professional and even longer to see a physician.

U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke commissioned that survey of more than 690 veterans living in El Paso County. O'Rourke also was active in a congressional probe into long waiting times in the VA health care system.

In a statement issued by his office Tuesday, the El Paso Democrat said his "thoughts and prayers are with the men and women at the El Paso VA clinic."

The VA said in a statement that it "is deeply saddened by the tragic situation that has occurred in El Paso, and we are actively working with our partners at Fort Bliss to investigate this matter."

"The safety and continued care of our veterans and the staff will be our focus throughout this situation," the agency said.

All told, about 25,000 students from 47 schools across 14 communities will benefit from funding through the Digital Connections Partnership Schools Grant, a matching state grant program that increases access to digital learning by strengthening school districts' technology infrastructures.

BOSTON — The governor's office on Tuesday announced $5 million in technology grants for schools in more than a dozen commonwealth communities, including about $1.2 million for Braintree schools, a little less than $1 million for Lowell schools, and about $560,000 for Falmouth schools.

All told, about 25,000 students from 47 schools across 14 communities will benefit from funding through the Digital Connections Partnership Schools Grant, a matching state grant program that increases access to digital learning by strengthening school districts' technology infrastructures, according to state officials.

Grant recipients were selected through a competitive application process.

"The opportunities these students will receive due to these grants will put them at a great advantage when they are preparing for college and the workforce demands of the future," Secretary of Education Matthew Malone said.

Other grant recipients include:

• George F. Kelly Elementary School, Chelsea - $170,000


• Chelsea High School, Chelsea - $30,000


• Joseph A Browne School, Chelsea - $30,000


• Chester Elementary School, Chester - $30,000


• Elm Street School, Gardner - $70,000


• Gardner High School, Gardner - $80,000


• Gardner Middle School, Gardner - $80,000


• Gardner Academy for Learning and Technology, Gardner - $30,000


• Helen Mae Sauter Elementary School, Gardner - $40,000


• Greenfield Middle School, Greenfield - $130,000


• Gateway Regional Junior High School, Huntington - $50,000


• Littleville Elementary School, Huntington - $50,000


• Lanesborough Elementary School, Lanesborough - $70,000


• Sippican School, Marion - $10,000


• Center School, Mattapoisett - $10,000


• Old Hammondtown School, Mattapoisett - $10,000


• Old Rochester Regional High School, Mattapoisett - $10,000


• Millis Middle School and Millis High School, Millis - $110,000


• Ralph C. Mahar Regional School, Orange - $70,000


• Rochester Memorial School, Rochester - $20,000


• West Springfield Middle School, West Springfield - $180,000


• Mill Pond School, Westborough - $220,000

Without the power contracts, it is unlikely Cape Wind would be able to finance and build the 130-turbine project.

The Cape Wind project planned for Nantucket Sound was dealt a significant setback Tuesday as Massachusetts' two biggest utilities announced that they are terminating contracts to purchase power from the wind farm because of the project's failure to meet contractual deadlines.

Northeast Utilities and National Grid said Cape Wind had missed the Dec. 31 deadline contained in the 2012 contracts to obtain financing and begin construction, and had chosen not to put up financial collateral to extend the deadline, according to the Boston Globe.

“Unfortunately, Cape Wind has missed these critical milestones,” Northeast Utilities spokeswoman Caroline Pretyman said in an email obtained by the Globe. “Additionally, Cape Wind has chosen not to exercise their right to post financial security in order to extend the contract deadlines. Therefore the contract is now terminated.”

National Grid spokesman Jake Navarro said in a separate email that that utility was “disappointed that Cape Wind has been unable to meet its commitments under the contract, resulting in today’s termination of the power purchase agreement.”

Under the original agreement, Northeast Utilities' subsidiary NSTAR had agreed to buy 27.5 percent of Cape Wind’s production, according to the Cape Cod Times. National Grid had signed on to purchase 50 percent.

According to Commonwealth Magazine, NSTAR officials said the project had failed to complete financing for the wind farm and begin construction by the end of last year, as required by contract. NSTAR said Cape Wind could have extended the deadlines for two additional six-month periods by paying a deposit of nearly $1.3 million, but chose not to do that.

"Without the power contracts, it is unlikely Cape Wind would be able to finance and build the 130-turbine project that sought to become America’s first offshore wind farm," the magazine reported.

The terminations could also have a significant impact on the state and New Bedford. Gov. Deval Patrick, has poured more than $100 million into New Bedford for a facility to service offshore wind companies. Cape Wind was expected to be the first of many customers, but if it never gets built it could be a big blow for the city.

The business group, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, praised the two utility companies for terminating the deal.

“Associated Industries of Massachusetts and its 4,500 member employers strongly endorse the decisions by Northeast Utilities and National Grid to terminate their long-term contracts with Cape Wind," John Regan, executive vice president for government affairs with the organization said in a prepared statement. "These power companies deserve tremendous credit for taking actions that will save customers billions of dollars that would otherwise have been spent buying electricity at the highest power price ever negotiated in Massachusetts.

Regan said that his organization, known as AIM, has consistently supported economically beneficial renewable power projects, but that it opposed this project because of the "staggering costs" that "would have saddled ratepayers for decades to come."

Cape Wind spokesman Mark Rodgers told Commonwealth Magazine that the terminations are not valid. Rodgers said Cape Wind President James Gordon had already exercised clauses in the contracts, effectively suspending the deadlines because of events beyond the wind farm’s control, specifically a wave of lawsuits brought by opponents of the project.

Gordon, in letters to the two utilities on Dec. 31, said litigation against the project over the years mounted by the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound is “extraordinarily unusual, unexpected, and significant. It has been completely beyond Cape Wind’s control and could not have been prevented or avoided,” according to the magazine.

Audra Parker, executive director of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, said Cape Wind’s lease and power contracts are its two main assets. Without the power contracts, Parker said, it will be very difficult for Cape Wind to ever begin construction, the magazine reported.

Cape Wind officials had already conceded that they might have to build the project in phases because of the inability to find a buyer for the remaining power that was not covered by the agreements with NSTAR and National Grid, the Cape Cod Times reported.

"This is a fatal or near-fatal blow,” Parker said. “I think it’s very bad news for Cape Wind. Of course, it’s good news for Massachusetts ratepayers.”

Five Democrats on the select committee lamented the reauthorization.

WASHINGTON -- The GOP-led House voted Tuesday to extend a special committee's investigation into the deadly 2012 attacks on an American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, including a U.S. ambassador.

The move to reauthorize the politically charged panel was included in a rules package for the new Congress that passed 234 to 172, mostly along party lines.

Five Democrats on the select committee lamented the reauthorization, which set no limit on the committee's budget or time frame, which means it could last well into the presidential election year. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a possible Democratic presidential candidate, could be called to testify about the attack, which occurred while she was secretary of state.

A report by the House Intelligence Committee found that the CIA and the military acted properly in responding to the 2012 attack. Debunking a series of persistent allegations hinting at dark conspiracies, the panel determined that there was no intelligence failure, no delay in sending a CIA rescue team, no missed opportunity for a military rescue and no evidence the CIA was covertly shipping arms from Libya to Syria.

"After eight months and more than a million taxpayer dollars spent, it remains unclear what new questions the select committee seeks to answer," the Democrats said in a statement. "Since our members were denied the ability to meaningfully debate or amend the resolution, we now look to the committee to quickly adopt rules that ensure that our Democratic members are able to participate fully in the investigation."

The five Democrats are Reps. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, Adam Smith of Washington, Adam Schiff of California, Linda Sanchez of California and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.

The special Benghazi panel is reviewing efforts to secure U.S. diplomatic facilities and personnel as it continues investigating the September 2012 attacks that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, foreign service officer Sean Smith, and two CIA contractors, Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty. A Libyan extremist, Ahmed Abu Khatalla, is facing trial on murder charges after he was captured in Libya and taken to the U.S.

Henry Bambang Soelistyo told reporters Wednesday that searchers were able to get a photograph of the debris.

PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia -- Divers and an unmanned underwater vehicle spotted the tail of the missing AirAsia plane in the Java Sea on Wednesday, the first confirmed sighting of any major wreckage 11 days after Flight 8501 disappeared with 162 people on board, an official said.

Following days of strong currents and murky water that hindered the operation, searchers managed to get a photograph of the debris, National Search and Rescue chief Henry Bambang Soelistyo told reporters.

The find is particularly important because the all-important cockpit voice and flight data recorders, or black boxes, are located in the aircraft's tail. Small pieces of the plane, such as seats, have previously been spotted.

Soelistyo said the top priority remains recovering more bodies along with the black boxes. So far, 40 corpses have been found, including an additional one announced Wednesday, but time is running out.

At two weeks, most corpses will sink, said Anton Castilani, head of the country's disaster identification victim unit, and there are already signs of serious decomposition.

The Airbus A320 went down Dec. 28, halfway through a two-hour flight between Indonesia's second-largest city of Indonesia and Singapore, killing everyone on board. It is not clear what caused the crash, but bad weather is believed to be a contributing factor.

Just before losing contact, the pilot told air traffic control he was approaching threatening clouds, but was denied permission to climb to a higher altitude because of heavy air traffic. No distress signal was issued.

Ships equipped with sonar devices have also identified what they believe to be the fuselage of the plane. Several other big chunks have been found, the largest measuring 14 meters by 4 meters, though they have not yet received visual confirmation.

The search area for bodies and debris was expanded this week to allow for the strong currents that have been pushing debris around, said Indonesian search and rescue operation coordinator Tatang Zainudin.

Authorities have identified Monday's homicide victim as Yahaira Hernandez, 30, of Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD — Authorities have identified the 30-year-old woman who was shot dead shortly before 6 a.m. Monday in the city's Forest Park neighborhood as Yahaira Hernandez, of Springfield.

Police have released few details about Hernandez, who was found in a car parked near the Scott Street entrance to White Street Elementary School about two hours before students were scheduled to return from Christmas vacation. The crime scene was still active when students showed up for class.

The alleged killer, 40-year-old Pedro Vasquez, was arrested Monday night and charged with murder and other crimes Tuesday in Springfield District Court, where he denied all charges.

Vasquez was held without right to bail and ordered to return for a Feb. 4 pretrial hearing.

Investigators have characterized the killing as a domestic violence incident, but they haven't specified the relationship between Vasquez and Hernandez.

Springfield police detectives quickly tracked Vasquez to a Newland Street home in the Brightwood section of the North End, and arrested him on murder and firearms charges.

The academy runs from Feb. 3 to April 21. Classes will be held Tuesday evenings from 6-9 p.m. at the Westfield Police Department, 15 Washington St. There will be one Saturday class held at the firing range.

WESTFIELD — The Police Department is accepting applications for the upcoming 2015 Citizen Police Academy, a 12-week law enforcement education course for 16 city residents who meet admission requirements.

The academy runs from Feb. 3 to April 21. Classes will be held every Tuesday evening from 6-9 p.m. at the Westfield Police Department, 15 Washington St. There will be one Saturday class held at the firing range.

The aim of the academy is to give Westfield residents an "inside look at law enforcement" so citizens have a "greater awareness and understanding of law enforcement's role in our community," according to police officials.

Potential academy candidates must meet the minimum following criteria:

• 18 years of age


• Reside in or be employed in the City of Westfield


• No prior felony arrests


• No misdemeanor arrests within two years of application


• Any other past criminal involvement will be evaluated on a per case basis

For more information, or to get an application, please stop by the Westfield Police Department, or contact Sgt. Eric Hall at 413-642-9383. Hall may also be reached via email at e.hall@cityofwestfield.org.

Applicants will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. All applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, in order to be considered.

Those selected for the academy will get a chance to interact with police executives and veteran officers.

The following topics will be covered during the sessions:

• Introduction, History of the Westfield Police Department and Dispatch
• Criminal Law & The Justice System
• Financial Crime & Fraud
• Patrol Procedures
• Drug Identification/Crime Scene
• Defensive Tactics & Use of Force
• Community Policing and School Resource Officer programs
• Child Abuse and Domestic Violence
• Firearm Safety
• Court System, Probation and Parole
• Code enforcement
• Graduation Ceremony

Two people died at the scene on Interstate 80 and a third en route to a hospital, Clarion County Emergency Services director Vern Smith said.

CLARION, Pa. -- An 18-vehicle pileup that occurred in whiteout conditions Wednesday on a western Pennsylvania interstate left three people dead and dozens injured, authorities said.

Two people died at the scene on Interstate 80 and a third en route to a hospital, Clarion County Emergency Services director Vern Smith said.

Nine trucks, several of them tractor-trailers, and nine cars were involved in the crash that occurred at 1:40 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-80 in Clarion Township, state police said.

"There was a whiteout. There was very heavy snow at the time with visibility virtually zero," Smith said.

View full sizeIn this photo provided by exploreClarion.com/Bauer Truck Repair, vehicles remain at the scene of a fatal 18-vehicle pileup that occurred in whiteout conditions Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, on Interstate 80 near Clarion, Pa. AP 

The pileup occurred about a mile east of the New Bethlehem-Clarion exit. At least one of the trucks was carrying hazardous material, but no leaks were found, Smith said.

Westbound lanes of the interstate were expected to remain closed until late Wednesday, state police said.

The injured were being taken by bus to area hospitals. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known. A spokeswoman at Clarion Hospital did not immediately return a message seeking details.

The National Weather Service was issuing warnings about lake-effect snow squalls in the area Wednesday afternoon. The squalls were drifting southwest from Lake Erie.

Two of the tractor-trailers involved were empty, while one carried brine, one bath products and a third food, Smith said. The other vehicles included a UPS double trailer and a flatbed carrying pipes.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose nearly 213 points to close just under 17,585.

By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK — Encouraging economic news and a rare rise in oil prices helped give the stock market its first gain in the new year Wednesday.

Major indexes started climbing from the opening bell, following a report from ADP, the payroll processor, which showed that businesses hired more workers last month. Companies added 241,000 workers in December, an increase from the previous month.

The increase offered more evidence that the U.S. economy is on steady ground and gave investors another reason to jump back into the market after five straight days of losses, said Jeff Kravetz, regional investment director at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

All three major U.S. indexes climbed more than 1 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 23.29 points to close at 2,025.90.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 212.88 points to 17,584.52, and the Nasdaq composite gained 57.73 points to 4,650.47.

Before Wednesday, falling oil prices and concerns about the global economy had knocked the S&P 500 down 2.7 percent, its worst start to a year since 2008.

The recent turbulence is likely just a pause in the stock market's steady run, said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist at State Street Global Advisors.

"It's perfectly normal market activity," Arone said. "Things tend not to go up or down in a straight line."

Major markets in Europe also ended higher for the first time this week. Germany's DAX closed with a gain of 0.5 percent and France's CAC-40 rose 0.7 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 advanced 0.8 percent.

Consumer prices in Europe fell in December for the first time since 2009. The 0.2 percent drop was mainly the result of falling oil prices, something that could help consumers immediately. But falling prices also increase pressure on the European Central Bank to provide more stimulus for the region's flagging economy. Many analysts expect the bank to announce plans to buy government bonds later this month. After the report on prices came out, the euro slipped to $1.1833 from $1.1890.

Markets barely moved following the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve's December policy meeting. Fed officials discussed various risks to the economy, but concluded that the recent big drop in oil prices was likely to end up boosting growth.

The price of oil stabilized near a six-year low. U.S. crude oil rose 72 cents to close at $48.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The gain, which followed news of a decline in U.S. crude inventories, as only the second in nine trading days.

Crude has fallen by more than half since June as supplies rose. Lower energy costs are a boon to consumers and businesses, but some see the plunge as a worrying sign of weakness in the global economy.

Despite turbulent trading over recent weeks, Kravetz expects 2015 to be another solid year for the stock market.

"We're telling our clients not to get caught up in this short-term volatility. Look at the fundamentals: the job market, corporate balance sheets, economic growth. They're very good."

Among other companies in the news on Wednesday, J.C. Penney soared $1.33, or 20 percent, to $7.89 after the beleaguered retail store posted solid sales late Tuesday. For the nine-week holiday shopping season, the company reported sales growth of nearly 4 percent over the same period in 2013.

Eli Lilly predicted higher revenue and earnings this year as it tries to recover from the loss of patents protecting key drugs. But the forecast fell short of Wall Street's expectations. The company's stock fell 49 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $69.23.

In the bond market, prices for U.S. government Treasurys fell, nudging yields up. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged up to 1.96 percent from 1.94 percent the day before.

In the commodity markets, precious and industrial metals dipped. Gold fell $8.70 to $1,210.70 an ounce, silver sank nine cents to $15.54 an ounce and copper lost less than a penny to $2.76 a pound.

Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose 5 cents to close at $51.15 in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

1. Wholesale gasoline fell 1.6 cents to close at $1.338 a gallon.
2. Heating oil fell 2.7 cents to close at $1.699 a gallon.
3. Natural gas fell 6.7 cents to close at $2.871 per 1,000 cubic feet.

As Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick took the lone walk out the front door of the State House in Boston on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey offered up kind words for the outgoing leader of the commonwealth.

BOSTON — As Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick took the lone walk out the front door of the State House in Boston on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey offered up kind words for the outgoing leader of the commonwealth.

Reflecting on Patrick's tenure in the corner office on Beacon Hill, which spanned two full terms from 2006-2014, the Malden Democrat had high marks for Patrick, who will be replaced by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker after Thursday's inaugural ceremonies.

The following is Markey's statement about Patrick, unedited, as distributed by his office in Washington.

"Deval Patrick has been a Massachusetts governor for the ages. Throughout his service to the Commonwealth, he has championed the breaking of barriers and building of bridges. From Springfield to Salem, Boston to the Berkshires, Governor Deval Patrick has touched the lives of countless Massachusetts families and made us an economic, social and cultural model for the nation.

“The fabric of today’s Massachusetts economy is sewn with the thread of innovation and Governor Patrick has been its finest tailor. Thanks to his administration’s efforts we have created thousands of clean energy jobs, invested in biotechnology, and made Massachusetts an incubator for entrepreneurs and inventors from around the world.

"Because of his leadership, Massachusetts’ students, teachers and schools have led the nation in education and our Commonwealth’s classrooms display the best practices that other states adopt. The air we breathe is cleaner, we are more prepared to battle the impacts of climate change, and our Commonwealth is first in the country in energy efficiency.

"As our progressive Pied Piper, Governor Patrick has been waving the flag for social justice for the last decade. He has heralded marriage equality, enacted commonsense gun control legislation, ensured access to affordable health care, and defended the rights of workers. Recently, he has shined a much-needed light on the heroin and prescription drug epidemic that is devastating too many Massachusetts communities and neighborhoods.

"On a personal level, I am very grateful for the support Governor Patrick has given me over the last eight years, and I am fortunate to call him my good friend. I wish him, his wife Diane, their daughters and their entire family all the best as they begin this next chapter of their lives."

Voters will be asked Jan. 20 to spend $30,000 for a nearby parcel that would host the proposed facility's septic system.

SOUTHAMPTON -- A video produced by the public access television station Easthampton Media makes the case for a new public safety complex which would house police, fire, and EMS in the town of Southampton.

"We've reached the point now where we're going to be needing the town's support to construct a new facility," says Southampton Public Safety Complex Committee chairman Charlie Kaniecki in the video's opening moments.

PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX from Town of Southampton on Vimeo.

The video, entitled "Southampton Police & Fire: Why the Town Needs a Public Safety Complex" features interviews with with Fire Chief John Workman and Police Sgt. Ian Illingsworth, both of whom sit on the building committee, and documents degraded and outdated conditions at the current police and fire stations.

The police station at 8 East St. was "retrofitted" into the old town hall nearly fifty years ago, says Illingsworth, and provides no secure way to book suspects, no capacity for modern information technology, no bathrooms for civilian dispatchers, no safe and secure way to store records and evidence, and other problems.

The fire station at 204 College Highway is 150 years old, was first designed as a schoolhouse, has water bubbling up through the floor, rodents in the roof, no laundry or break facilities for the 30 volunteer firefighters, and a cramped and dangerous garage, says Workman.

The building committee has recommended putting the new public safety complex on a 3-acre town-owned site behind the current fire station, and purchasing a nearby parcel for $30,000 to house the facility's septic system. Southampton voters will be asked to approve the purchase of the extra piece of land at a special town meeting Jan. 20; the money would be drawn from the town's existing free cash account.

An earlier plan to use Community Preservation Act funds to buy the adjacent parcel was quashed in October when the state told town officials that CPA funds can't be used to support the septic project.

Residents who attend annual town meeting in May may be asked to approve full funding for the project. If approved, construction would begin in Spring of 2016 with a move-in date in the summer of 2017, according to the committee. So far, no construction estimate has been put forth.

There are no current federal or state grant programs for public safety complex construction, the committee told the Selectboard last month. Local funding options include a permanent Proposition 21/2 override or a debt exclusion tax override, which expires after the capital project is paid for.

Superintendents said in the urban districts fewer parents can drive their children to school

CHICOPEE — Concerned thousands of children will be walking to school in temperatures that may be as low as minus 25 degrees with wind chill, a number of superintendents on Wednesday elected to cancel Thursday's classes.

Before canceling school because of bitter cold temperatures, Chicopee Superintendent Richard W. Rege Jr. and Springfield Superintendent Daniel Warwick discussed their options.

"Temperatures will be way too dangerous in the early hours of the morning," Rege said. "I would rather be safe than sorry."

The two superintendents discussed the possibility of a two-hour delay, but decided it will still be brutally cold at 9 a.m. High School students start school at about 7 a.m. usually.

Dealing with the cold is especially a concern for the urban districts. While children in suburban districts typically have parents who can drive them to school, plenty of parents in the poorer districts do not have cars so children will be waiting for the bus outside or walking in the cold, Rege said.

"Every school district is different and they have to make their decision based on their demographics," he said.

Closing school because of cold is extraordinary. The only other time Rege can remember calling off class for the cold happened a number of years ago when temperatures were predicted for minus-40 degrees with the wind chill. Then the governor called for all schools to be canceled across the state.

Chicopee, like most school districts, adds at least five days into the school schedule to leave room for weather problems.

The following is a look at the historical exchange between Baker and Patrick, as seen through the eyes of reporter Matt Murphy, for those interested in the politics behind the politics and the historical significance of the organized and peaceful transfer of power.

BOSTON — As frigid winds blew in Boston on Wednesday, ceremony and tradition progressed as it has for than 100 years.

Part of that tradition involved departing Gov. Deval Patrick offering up advice and some historical gifts for his successor, Republican Gov. elect Charlie Baker. The event was pool coverage, meaning that one journalist was to report and share the notes with interested reporters.

The pool reporter was Matt Murphy of the State House News Service.

The following is a look at the exchange between Baker and Patrick, as seen through the eyes of Murphy, for those interested in the politics behind the politics and the historical significance of the organized and peaceful transfer of power in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Your pool was let into the governor's office around 4:40 p.m. Gov. Patrick and Governor-elect Charles Baker were already in discussion seated on couches facing each other with their wives, First Lady Diane Patrick and Lauren Baker, beside their husbands.

The fireplace in the governor's office was lit as the four sipped from glasses of champagne.

The first gift presented to Baker by Patrick was the ceremonial pewter key to the office.

"Does it actually fit into a lock?" Diane Patrick asked.

Governor-elect Charlie Baker, left, receives The Governor's Gavel from Gov. Deval Patrick at the State House, in Boston, as three other gifts, The Key, The Bible and the book of State Statutes, received lay on the table in background, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. Patrick left the Massachusetts Statehouse for the last time as governor Wednesday. (AP Photo/The Boston Herald, Angela Rowlings, Pool)Angela Rowlings

"Gracious, no. Not anymore. But as they say, it's ceremonial," Gov. Patrick said.

Baker took the key and said, "Thank you, sir."

The second gift was the Governor's Gavel. Patrick explained, "This is the official gavel carved form the white oak of the original U.S.S. Constitution and this is the box."

Baker replied, "That's pretty cool. This is heavy," he said, weighing the wooden box in his hands.

Patrick explained, "This was given as the permanent official gavel to the governor by the Governor's Council in 1906."

"Do you use it?" Diane asked.

"No, gracious. Most of the time it's in a museum," Patrick said.

Baker joked that he should be careful not to lose it.

"The secret is to give it back to George," Patrick said, referring to Governor's Council Executive Secretary George Cronin.

The third gift from Patrick to Baker was the Butler Bible left by Gov. Benjamin Butler to his successors in 1884 after Patrick said Butler was "horrified" that he found no Bible in the office.

The final gift was two volumes of Massachusetts General laws dating to 1860.

"The tradition is, Charlie, that the outgoing governor writes an inscription in the statute book on the next blank page for their predecessor. And I have done that for you. You can read it at your leisure," Patrick said. He did not read what he wrote for Baker.

The couples then spoke for a few minutes about the gravity of being able to read the messages of governor's dating back to at least the 1800s.

"It's really pretty powerful. It's remarkable thing that happens in this country, the organized transfer of power, and it doesn't happen in any place around the world quite as often as it does here and every governor has inscribed something in there," Patrick said.

Patrick told Baker, "If you flip through you'll find Gov. Volpe's message. That will probably be meaningful."

"Wow. That's pretty great," Baker responded. Lauren Baker said, "It's tremendous honor and you're right it does make you appreciate the power of democracy. It's humbles you."

Baker told a story about feeling the weight of the office when he flipped through the catalogue of gubernatorial portraits from which he could chose to hang one in his office. "For me it was easy because my dad worked for Volpe," Baker explained.

Baker's father worked for former Gov. John Volpe when Volpe worked as secretary of transportation under President Richard Nixon. "It's pretty humbling," Baker said.

Baker and Patrick then spoke for few moments in hushed voices, inaudible to your pool. Patrick did recount a story about Jane Swift saying the office of the governor was the loneliest job she ever had ever when constantly surrounded by people.

Baker and Patrick then stood, shook hands and patted each other on the back.

Lauren Baker and Diane Patrick also embraced. "Don't go away! Don't go!," Lauren Baker said. Diane Patrick told Lauren, "I will always be available to you," and suggested they get together soon.

Lauren Baker showed off on the books to the pool cameras and then the couples posed first for a group photo and then one with the governor and governor-elect. "Is there a chair I can stand on," Patrick joked.

Your pool was then escorted out of the governor's office around 5:50 p.m. as the Bakers and Patricks sat back down to finish their conversation and champagne before the Lone Walk began.

Wednesday evening, Baker and Lieutenant Governor-elect Karyn Polito were scheduled to attend the inaugural prayer services and offer reflections at the congregation of the Lion of Judah in Boston prior to taking office. And Thursday brings a full day of inaugural activities for Baker and Polito, who will officially take lead at the State House.

The Sci-Tech Band is still scheduled to perform at Governor-elect Charlie Baker's inaugural celebration at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Public Schools will be closed Thursday because of the dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills in the forecast, but that won't stop the High School of Science and Technology Band from its gig in Boston.

The band is still scheduled to perform at Governor-elect Charlie Baker's inaugural celebration at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

Sci-Tech Band Director Gary Bernice notified MassLive that band members are still expected to meet at the school, in concert uniform, by 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.

Baker's "Let's Be Great, Massachusetts" Celebration is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. He will be inaugurated as 72nd governor of Massachusetts in a swearing-in ceremony at noon at the State House on Beacon Hill.

The Sci-Tech Band is the subject of a documentary now in production.

J.C. Penney's closed its outlet store in Springfield's Eastfied Mall in 2011.

HOLYOKE — Retailer J.C. Penney plans to close 40 stores across the chain in the next year, but local locations in the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside and the Hampshire Mall in Hadley are to stay open, a corporate spokesperson said Wednesday.

Joey Thomas of the J.C. Penney media relations and corporate affairs office in Plano, Texas, said the 40 stores that will be closed in 2015 represent less than 4 percent of the J.C. Penney stores.

Thomas wrote:

"As with most retailers, we continually evaluate our store portfolio to determine whether there’s a need to close or relocate under performing stores. Reviews such as these are essential in meeting our long-term goals for future company growth. While it’s never an easy decision to close stores, especially due to the impact on our valued associates and customers, we feel this is a necessary business decision."

Penney's closed its outlet store in Springfield's Eastfied Mall in 2011.

On Wednesday, J.C. Penney announced that same-store sales rose 3.7 percent during the holiday season.

But the department store chain has had trouble in the last few years adjusting to changing tastes and consumer expectations.

J.C. Penney stores that will be closed include ones in Providence Place in Providence, Rhode Island, and at the Rutland Mall in Vermont.

JUST IN: JC Penney to depart Providence Place mall in 2015 http://t.co/fNxt7gbd6k @PaulEGrimaldi reports

— Providence Journal (@projo) January 7, 2015

Investigators are considering whether terrorism or any other possible motives were behind the explosion.

By SADIE GURMAN

DENVER - The FBI is investigating the possibility that a homemade explosive set off near a Colorado NAACP office was a case of domestic terrorism.

Investigators also are considering many other possible motives and have not determined whether the nation's oldest civil rights organization was targeted, Denver FBI spokeswoman Amy Sanders said Wednesday.

The blast happened at about 11 a.m. Tuesday outside a barbershop that shares a building with the NAACP's Colorado Springs chapter, about an hour south of Denver. There were no injuries and only minor damage.

While local chapter members said they were waiting for more information from law enforcement before drawing any conclusions, speculation washed across social media about whether the explosion was a hate crime. Sanders said investigators have not ruled out any possibilities.

"We're exploring any potential motive, and domestic terrorism is certainly one among many possibilities," she said.

This photo shows at the bottom right the char marks from a device detonated Tuesday along the northeast corner of a building occupied by a barber shop near the Colorado Springs chapter of the NAACP in Colorado Springs, Colo. Chapter President Henry Allen Jr. told The Colorado Springs Gazette the blast was strong enough to knock items off the walls.Mark Reis / Colorado Springs Gazette 

An improvised explosive device was detonated against the low-slung building, which sits in a mostly residential neighborhood, but a gasoline canister placed next to the device failed to ignite. Members of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating because of the explosion's proximity to the NAACP office, Sanders said.

Investigators were still looking for a balding white man in his 40s who might be driving a dirty pickup truck. His identity was still under investigation.

"This is someone we'd like to speak to," Sanders said.

Both the chapter office and the barbershop reopened Wednesday with little police presence.

"We're standing vigilant and are trying not to let this disrupt anything," NAACP volunteer Harry Leroy said. Investigators were briefing the chapter's president, Henry Allen Jr., and he wasn't immediately available for comment.

Leroy said it was too soon to say whether the office was targeted.

Gene Southerland owns Mr. G's Hair Design Studios next door and was cutting a client's hair there when the explosion occurred. The blast was strong enough to knock items off the walls, but the quick police response was comforting, he said.

Southerland said the FBI had given him no information on its early findings. But he said he didn't believe the barbershop or its predominantly black clientele was targeted.

Leroy said he believed there were surveillance cameras behind the building, but he did not know whether they captured anything of value.

Those who heard the blast, including Southerland, said it sounded like a single, loud "boom."

Investigators Tuesday were examining a red gasoline canister with a yellow nozzle. They also checked pieces of duct tape and metal lying 40 to 50 feet from the explosion site.

Patrick, who leaves office eight years after becoming the first black governor of the state, symbolically turned the keys over to Republican Governor-elect Charlie Baker, who on Thursday will be inaugurated as the state's 72nd governor.

By Matt Murphy, STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick, an historic figure in Massachusetts politics, exited the State House for the final time as governor early Wednesday evening taking the ceremonial "Lone Walk" as he trod a red carpet from his office through throngs of staff and supporters gathered to see him off.

The walk, intended to mark the governor's symbolic return to private citizenry, took place on a blisteringly cold night in Boston that still did not deter hundreds from gathering inside the State House to wish Patrick well. Dozens more waited in the cold on Beacon Hill to wave goodbye.

Patrick, who leaves office eight years after becoming the first black governor of the state, symbolically turned the keys over to Republican Governor-elect Charlie Baker, who on Thursday will be inaugurated as the state's 72nd governor.

"It's been a great run," Patrick told reporters earlier in the day. "We've had a really productive eight years. I'm proud of the record. I'm proud of the foundation that we're leaving for the next administration and how smooth the transition has gone, but I'm also ready to have my life back."

 

Patrick said he's most looking forward to going to the grocery store without a security detail, despite the affinity he's developed for the State Police troopers and their families who have guarded him for eight years.

After winding his way through the State House greeting former staff, Cabinet officials, supporters and members of the military along the route, Patrick stepped through the front doors of the State House, pausing with his hand over his heart as a band played the "Star Spangled Banner." Cannons then fired a 19-gun salute, wafting smoke over the audience at the foot of the steps.

Patrick's wife met him at the end of the reception line, giving him a giant hug after he first raised his fist to the crowd. As Patrick and First Lady Diane Patrick climbed into the back of a black SUV, the governor stood on the running board and waved goodbye to the crowd before driving off.

"It's bittersweet," said Doug Rubin, Patrick's former campaign manager and chief of staff who received a high five from Patrick at the end of the walk. "But my reaction is job well done. I'm proud of the work he did and I was proud to be a part of it."

Before the walk, Patrick and his wife met privately in the governor's office with Baker and his wife Lauren for a private chat before a ceremonial exchanging of gifts. The couples sipped champagne in front of a lit fireplace exchanging words of advice and encouragement.

The gifts passed from one governor to the next include the ceremonial pewter key to the governor's office, the Butler Bible left by former Gov. Benjamin Butler to his successors after he found no Bible in the office, the governor's gavel made from white oak from the frame of the original U.S.S. Constitution, and a two-volume set of the Massachusetts General Statutes, which date to 1860 and typically come inscribed with a note from the outgoing governor.

Patrick did not read the inscription he wrote for Baker, but told him to read it at his "leisure." As the two men discussed the weight of history that comes with the governor's office, Patrick told him to flip through the inscriptions to find Gov. John Volpe's note to Gov. Frank Sargent.

"That will probably be meaningful ," Patrick told Baker. Baker's father worked for Volpe when the former governor served in President Richard Nixon's Cabinet as secretary of transportation. Baker suggested he has chosen Volpe's portrait to hang in his office at the State House.

The couples bantered about the gifts for several minutes. Diane Patrick asked if the pewter key actually fit any locks in the office. "Gracious, no. Not any more," the governor replied.

The governor and Baker embraced and Patrick wished his successor well, and Lauren Baker exclaimed, "Don't go away. Don't go," as she hugged Diane, belying the relationships that have developed between the families since they were political foes in 2010. Diane Patrick told Lauren she would "always be available to you," and suggested they get together soon.

Patrick left his office for the final time just after 5 p.m., shaking the hand of Baker in the doorway before greeting his former lieutenant governor Timothy Murray who returned to Beacon Hill for the event.

Along the way, he hugged House Speaker Robert DeLeo and shook new Senate President Stanley Rosenberg's hand as he walked by the House chamber. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, Secretary of State William Galvin and Auditor Suzanne Bump were also lined up outside the lower chamber.

Bump, who served as his first labor secretary, said it was "surreal" to still be in the building while Patrick left, since she didn't originally aspire to be auditor when she was on his 2006 campaign.

An emotional Patrick shook hands almost all along the red-carpeted route through the State House, taking eight minutes to walk from the Grand Staircase to Nurses Hall.

At the top of the staircase of Nurses Hall, Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) lifted up his camera to take a picture of a group of students from Orchard Gardens School addressing the governor as Public Safety Secretary Andrea Cabral and other current and former administration officials looked on. A member of the State House cleaning crew leaned over the balcony to snap a photo with his phone.

Patrick's final full day in office started with an interfaith prayer service at Roxbury Presbyterian Church. The governor has been meeting monthly with members of the clergy in Boston from diverse faiths since he took office in 2007. "It was beautiful and interfaith and very meaningful," Patrick said.

Between receiving visitors and friends to his office, some of whom brought their children for photos with the governor, Patrick also presided over his final meeting of the Governor's Council and swore in the new members of the House and Senate.

With the council, Patrick thanked them for their work, which included confirming 191 trial court judges, 29 clerk magistrates, and 67 other appointees to board and commissions during his time in office.

"I've served with like seven or eight governors, so far. A lot of production. A lot of good judges. And he was a real decent guy to work with. It was a pleasure to work with him," said Councilor Christopher Iannella, of Boston, recalling a dinner the governor hosted at his home for the council, and another at Iannella's house.

After the meeting, Patrick mingled with councilors and other visitors to his office posing for photos and saying goodbyes as he waited for the swearing-in ceremonies to start.

Councilor Oliver Cippollini, a Fall River Democrat who served his last day on the council Wednesday, drew the governor close whispering an encouragement into his ear that he run for president in 2020.

"Oh, stop it," Patrick said, backing away and laughing.

Outside the State House as the sun set, some waited for hours to get a glimpse of Patrick leaving office. People crammed up against barricades. One spectator screamed, "We love you governor. You're the best."

Former Democratic Party Chairman John Walsh stood among the crowd outside, along with several lawmakers including Rep. Kay Khan (D-Newton), Rep. Russell Holmes (D-Mattapan) and Rep. Christopher Walsh (D-Framingham).

Khan said she wanted to be outside to see the governor depart to see the "pomp and circumstance" of it. "I thought it would be more exciting to be outside," she said.

Former Patrick spokesman Alex Goldstein received an deep embrace from the governor as he reached the bottom of the staircase outside. "I held my tears as long as I could," said Goldstein, who started tearing up after "Proud" by Heather Small started playing through the speakers. Many former aides declined to share what Patrick said to them while moving through the receiving line.

"I'm just really so grateful he asked me to be a part of this whole experience," said former campaign aide Larry Carpman.

When Patrick wakes up tomorrow, he will still be governor until noon when Baker officially takes the oath of office. And during that time he will likely still be signing bills sent to his desk this week that demand his attention.

And then?

"Tomorrow we are getting on an airplane and going someplace warm," Patrick said.

Nick Morganelli, meteorologist with CBS 3 Springfield, says the current icy grip that's grabbed our region will likely be the coldest batch of winter weather for the entire year.

SPRINGFIELD — Not even a St. Bernard with a brandy keg will make a difference. We're talking bone-numbingly cold temperatures, folks, the kind that might even make an Alaskan stand up and take notice.

How cold will it get outside tonight and tomorrow? Cold enough for any uncovered skin to freeze within minutes of being exposed to the elements, according to Nick Morganelli, meteorologist with CBS 3 Springfield, media partner of MassLive / The Republican.

With an overnight wind chill warning in effect for Wednesday night, the wind chill factor will make it feel like it's 20 to 30 degrees below zero. The wind chill is the calculation that describes the combined effect of the wind and cold temperatures on exposed skin.

Even though the sun is expected to be blazing on Thursday, Morganelli says it will still likely rank as a "top 3 coldest" day of 2015, with a sub-zero start to the day and high temperatures barely reaching the mid teens.

"With wind chill readings of 20 to 30 below zero, any exposed skin can freeze in minutes in these conditions, along with potential hypothermia for not properly dressing for the elements," Morganelli said.

"This is dangerous cold right now," he added.

As of 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, the wind was gusting up to 35 mph in Springfield, where the wind chill temperature was about 17 below zero, according to Morganelli. Conditions were even colder out in Pittsfield, where the wind chill temperature was about 24 below, he said.

On Thursday into Friday, Morganelli says temperatures will bottom out around zero, with "a fluffy inch" or more of snow just in time for the Friday morning commute.

Saturday will get off to a cold start, but more seasonable temperatures (a high temperature of about 30 degrees) will return for Sunday.

The rest of the week will feel more like regular winter. But just as people start to think "Hey, this ain't so bad," another arctic cold front is forecast to return for the weekend of Jan. 17 and 18.

The extreme cold, preceded by a warmer-than-normal December, prompted many area schools to announce closings and delays even before the worst of the cold weather had moved into the region.

Meanwhile, MEMA is offering tips on how to cope with the cold.

The shooting at a small white house off a dirt road in rural north Florida happened Monday while the children's parents were away for work.

By JASON DEAREN

WHITE SPRINGS, Fla. - A 15-year-old girl who fatally shot her 16-year-old brother suffered years of abuse, including being locked in a room for weeks at a time with only a blanket and a bucket to use the bathroom, according to police reports and interviews.

The shooting at a small white house off a dirt road in rural north Florida happened Monday while the children's parents were away for work. The father, a truck driver, and his wife, who often goes with him, left the 16-year-old boy to watch over the 15-year-old, her 11-year-old sister and their 3-year-old sister, police said. The parents left Sunday and were due back Tuesday.

Sometime Monday, the 15-year-old girl was locked in her room by her brother, police said. After the boy fell asleep, she talked her 11-year-old sister into unlocking her door.

The older girl knew her parents kept a pistol in their room, but they had locked their door. So the girl went outside and used a knife to remove an air conditioner from her parents' bedroom window. She climbed in while her 11-year-old sister kept watch and grabbed the gun out of a pink bag and loaded it, police said.

The girl went back inside the house, telling her young sisters to get in the closet, she told police. She turned her head and fired at her sleeping brother in the living room, and he screamed "Help! Help!"

She buried her head in a pillow for a while and upon returning to the living room, the girl found her 3-year-old sister trying to wake her dead brother, according to the police report.

She fled with her 11-year-old sister, leaving the 3-year-old behind, police said.

"It's hard for us to get our arms around this act," Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter said. "This is the stuff nightmares are made of."

Police caught up with the girls after a friend of theirs received a "weird phone call" from the 11-year-old girl, saying she had run away and needed someone to pick her up from a Dollar General, according to a police report. When the woman arrived, she found the older sister there, too.

The older girl said something might have been wrong with another sibling at home. As she spoke, she applied makeup and "would not maintain eye contact and appeared emotionless," officers wrote in a police report.

She soon started crying and told the officers that her brother had beaten her and that she had shot him.

When officers arrived at the home, the 3-year-old said: "he's dead." The brother's body was lying near the fireplace, under a blanket with his head on a pillow.

Police have not released a motive for the shooting.

The girls' mother told police that they often locked the 15-year-old girl up when she misbehaved. The longest they kept her locked in her room was 20 consecutive days, the father told police.

In the girl's room, police found only a blanket and a bucket filled with urine in the closet.

"It was learned that (the 15-year-old girl) has made past attempts at ending her life but neither law enforcement nor (emergency management services) was notified," police wrote in their report.

The girls are in being held in juvenile detention on suspicion of murder, and a prosecutor is trying to decide whether they will be charged as adults. Their parents face charges of child neglect and failing to supervise.

The 3-year-old is in the custody of child welfare officials.

Police documents released Wednesday said the girl's uncle was convicted of molesting her in 2010. They also say the children's mother discovered the siblings having sex in 2011. Authorities and child welfare officials investigated, but no one was charged.

Because of the girls' ages and abuse allegations, the Associated Press is not naming the girls, their brother or the parents.

Damage was evident to the single story home along its roofline.

CHICOPEE — City firefighters battled a blaze at 39 Parenteau Drive under sub-zero conditions and high winds on Wednesday night.

The fire, reported at about 9:20 p.m., damaged the one-story home and displaced residents on the coldest night of winter so far. With winds gusting up to 30 mph or more, the wind chill temperature at the time was well below zero, according to weather reports.

The fire forced three people from the residence, CBS 3 Springfield, media partner of MassLive / The Republican, reported on its website.

Damage was evident along the home's charred roofline near the chimney and elsewhere on the structure.

Fire, police and ambulance vehicles lined Parenteau Drive, a street that dead-ends off Montgomery Street in the Aldenville section of Chicopee.

There were no apparent injuries linked to the fire, which remains under investigation. Red Cross officials were helping the residents.

MAP showing approximate location of fire: