Use roof rakes or consider hiring a professional to remove snow from a roof, and don't use hair dryers or blow torches to melt ice.

HOLYOKE -- The Fire Department Friday (Feb. 20) joined those cautioning property owners about roof problems because of accumulated snow and the prospect of rain and freezing rain soaking in more weight Saturday and Sunday.

"As far as roof issues go, we have been lucky here in the city of Holyoke, so far," department Capt. Anthony Cerruti said.

Some of the area's numerous snow days have been accompanied by strong winds that have swept some snow off roofs, he said, but caution remains the key.

An ice dam occurs when ice builds up at a roof edge and when some melting occurs, can lead to water backing up and leaking through shingles into a home.

"With some serious ice dams on homes already, rain water can seep into homes and cause damage to floors, walls and ceilings," Cerruti said. "If water does enter homes we ask residents to use caution, water can get into electrical wiring and fixtures and cause a potential shock hazard."

Cerruti suggested property owners read the latest roof safety information issued by the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, text below:

FRAMINGHAM, MA - The prolonged cold weather and repeated snowstorms Massachusetts is experiencing have contributed to potentially dangerous conditions for businesses and homes alike. Heavy mounds of snow are creating severe roof load conditions. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has received reports of over 100 full and partial roof collapses over the last week. Additionally the Department of Fire Services (DFS) has received numerous reports of gas leaks and fires caused by snow and icicles falling on gas piping and meters.

With the potential for more snow and/or rain in the forecast, residents and businesses are strongly encouraged to have snow and ice cleared from roofs before this weekend's storm, which could exacerbate the risk of roof and/or structural failure.

Homeowners, tenants, and businesses should be cognizant of the danger posed by heavy snow loads on roofs, and the importance of recognizing the warning signs of potential structural weaknesses. In many instances, the risks posed by accumulated snow can be mitigated by safely removing snow from roofs Flat and low pitched roofs, most often found on industrial buildings, but also used in certain home designs, are at the greatest risk of buckling under heavy snow and ice accumulations.

To safely remove snow from roofs, the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety (DPS), DFS and MEMA recommend the following tips:

DO
* Use a snow rake for pitched roofs (available at most hardware stores) to remove snow from your roof.
* Start from the edge and work your way into the roof.
* Try to shave the snow down to 2 or 3 inches on the roof instead of scraping the roof clean, which will risk damage to your shingles or other roof covering.
o Keep all ladders, shovels and roof rakes away from utility wires
o Plastic shovels are usually best. Metal tools may cause damage to your roof.
o Shovel snow from flat roofs throwing the snow over the side, away from the building.
* Remove large icicles carefully if they're hanging over doorways and walkways. Consider knocking down icicles through windows using a broom stick.
* Protect utilities meters and piping from falling snow, icicles, and melting water.
* Wear protective headgear and goggles when performing any of these tasks.
* Consider hiring professionals to do the job. The combination of heights plus ice makes this one of the more dangerous house chores. If you choose to do the task yourself, have someone outside with you to assist.
* Keep gutters and drains clean, free of ice and snow and keep downspouts clean at ground level.

DON'T
* Unless approved by a registered professional engineer, don't add your weight or the weight of equipment to the roof.
* Don't use a ladder since ice tends to build up on both the rungs of the ladder and the soles of your boots.
* Don't use blow torches, open-flame, or electric heating devices like hair dryers or heat guns to remove snow and ice.
* Don't try to remove ice or icicles from utility wires or meters. Call your utility company for assistance.

How to Recognize Problems with Roofs
* Sagging roofs
* Severe roof leaks
* Cracked or split wood members
* Bends or ripples in supports
* Cracks in walls or masonry
* Sheared off screws from steel frames
* Sprinkler heads that have dropped down below ceiling tiles
* Doors that pop open
* Doors or windows that are difficult to open
* Bowed utility pipes or conduit attached at ceiling
* Creaking, cracking or popping sounds

What to Do if You Have Problems
* If you notice any signs that you have a problem with your roof, or suspect a gas leak, leave the building immediately without touching light switches and call 9-1-1 from safely outside the building.
* For general questions, call your local building or fire department business line.

Other Safety Tips for Homeowners
* Clear snow away from furnace and dryer exhaust vents to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home.
* Clear snow from fire hydrants near your home or business.
* Clear snow from storm drains near your home or business to prevent street flooding.

To receive emergency information on your smartphone, including severe weather alerts from the National Weather Service and emergency information from MEMA, download the Massachusetts Alerts free app. To learn more about Massachusetts Alerts, and for additional information on how to download the free app onto your smartphone, visit: www.mass.gov/mema/mobileapp.

Chicopee Mayor Richard J. Kos on Friday appointed Matthew M. Cross as the Chicopee Fire Department's newest deputy fire chief. Cross, a 19-year veteran of the the department, will begin his new post on Sunday.

CHICOPEE — Mayor Richard J. Kos on Friday appointed Matthew M. Cross as the Chicopee Fire Department's newest deputy fire chief.

Cross, who has 19 years of firefighting under his belt, had previously served as an acting deputy chief, captain and lieutenant in the Fire Department. His appointment takes effect Sunday, Feb. 22.

"We congratulate him and his family on this significant and well-deserved accomplishment," Kos said in a statement posted to the city's Facebook page.

The vacancy was created by the recent retirement of Deputy Chief James McInerney. Cross was first on the Civil Service list of three candidates vying for the job. Salary information for the position wasn't immediately available.

The Fire Department has five deputy chiefs, four of whom are so-called line deputies responsible for managing groups of firefighters. Each group contains about 33 firefighters. The deputies oversee daily staffing issues and serve as incident commanders at such major events as fires, hazardous material spills and mass casualty incidents.

Cross will oversee the group A firefighting operation and serve as incident commander at fire scenes. He'll report directly to Chicopee Fire Chief Stephen Burkott.

In addition to the mayor and Burkott, who announced plans to retire back in July, the swearing-in ceremony was attended by a contingent of firefighters, Cross's wife, Diane, and his two daughters, Angelina and Lauren.

A crescent of the newly waxing moon joined with Earth's next-door neighbors Venus and Mars to put on a dazzling early evening show in the skies above New England on Friday.

A crescent of the newly waxing moon joined with Earth's next-door neighbors Venus and Mars to put on a dazzling early evening show in the skies above New England on Friday.

The conjunction of the three celestial objects is seen over West Holyoke, Massachusetts in the photo above. Venus, in the lower left of the image, glints about 100 times brighter than Mars, which is above and slightly to the right of Venus.

According to EarthSky.org, Venus and Mars have been getting closer and closer to each other all month. On Saturday night (Feb. 21), they'll be in conjunction – as close as they'll get this time around the sun.

We're just two days past the new moon, when the moon is totally dark. Friday night's moon illumination is just 6 percent.

The sky spectacular made going out in the sub-freezing temperatures gripping the eastern half of the U.S. well worthwhile — at least long enough to snap a photo!

Debris from the fire cluttered nearby streets after the blaze appeared to be extinguished

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- A high-rise tower in Dubai's Marina district caught fire early Saturday, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.

The fire broke out in the Torch tower on the northeastern end of the densely populated district, which is packed with multi-story skyscrapers. Debris from the fire cluttered nearby streets after the blaze appeared to be extinguished. High winds whipped through the area.

Police on the scene had no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

Police blocked off areas around the more than 70-story building, which still had power. Lights were on in many of the apartments inside. Multiple fire trucks and police vehicles were on the scene.

Residents of at least one neighboring tower were told to evacuate as a precaution because of strong winds, but they were later allowed back inside.

The Marina area is home to dozens of towering apartment blocks and hotels, many of them built over the past decade. The apartments are popular with Dubai's large number of expatriate professionals.

Here is some of what people were tweeting Friday night, Eastern time, Saturday, Middle East time:

Massive blaze engulfs Dubai's Torch Tower: Dubai's Marina Torch, one of the world's tallest apartment building... http://t.co/TXrs4oRIus

— Silicon Angel (@SiliconAngel) February 21, 2015

BREAKING: Massive #fire engulfs #Dubai Marina Torch residential tower http://t.co/aD7XtZrkur (photos by @RaMiAlGaDi) pic.twitter.com/bvBxzLaBDM

— RT (@RT_com) February 20, 2015

High-rise tower in Dubai's Marina district catches fire, no reports of casualties: http://t.co/eNORo4rpDT

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 21, 2015

Tower in Dubai's Marina district catches fire http://t.co/tMdYjCPTzp pic.twitter.com/nHKerpdk0O

— CP24 (@CP24) February 21, 2015

There is fear the wind is bringing the fiery debris to other buildings - @leah_mcmillan on #Dubai #TorchTower fire pic.twitter.com/hpAHCqmW3a

— Anderson Cooper 360deg (@AC360) February 21, 2015

The man accused of setting off a small explosion last month that rattled nerves because of its proximity to a Colorado NAACP office says he was in a rage over his financial problems and was actually targeting his accountant, according to court documents filed Friday.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The man accused of setting off a small explosion last month that rattled nerves because of its proximity to a Colorado NAACP office says he was in a rage over his financial problems and was actually targeting his accountant, according to court documents filed Friday.

View full sizeThis is a Sept. 1, 2009, booking photograph owned by the Colorado Department of Corrections and taken in Denver of Thaddeus Murphy of Colorado Springs, Colorado. (AP Photo/Colordo Department of Corrections, HO) 

Thaddeus Murphy, 44, told federal agents that he made the pipe bomb out of a shotgun shell and fireworks fuses, the records said.

He said he was angry because the accountant wouldn't return his phone calls or give him back his tax records. It was unclear whether Murphy knew that the accountant, Steve DeHaven, died in June in Mesa, Arizona.

DeHaven pleaded guilty in 2010 to filing false tax returns and was released from federal prison in April 2013.

A sign for an accountant's business was still on the wall of the building, but it has been closed for 20 years, according to the president of the Colorado Springs chapter of the NAACP. The NAACP, which has been at the site since 1985, and a barbershop are the only tenants in the building.

Henry D. Allen Jr., president of the local NAACP chapter, expressed skepticism Friday about the accountant version of the story, but he would not say whether he believed his organization was the target.

"He targeted somebody in this building, and in my estimate it was not the tax people," Allen said. "Does anyone really think this guy is going to admit to this?"

Murphy has been charged with arson of a building and being a felon in possession of a firearm. DeHaven's death will not likely affect Murphy's prosecution, said Jeff Dorschner, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Denver.

At a hearing Friday in Colorado Springs, U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Hegarty ordered him held without bond pending another hearing next week. Murphy, wearing a white T-shirt, said nothing. He will be appointed a federal public defender.

Dorschner said investigators determined the bombing was not an act of terrorism. But, he added, "We're also continuing our investigation to determine whether that confession is true."

On Friday afternoon, Murphy's weathered pickup truck and trailer still sat outside the duplex where he lives on a winding street of modest apartment buildings in northern Colorado Springs. No one answered the door at his apartment.

Nobody was hurt in the Jan. 6 explosion adjacent to a wall of Mr. G's Hair Design Studios, a barber shop that also shares the building with the NAACP in a mostly residential neighborhood.

The crude device caused minor damage, failing to ignite a canister of gasoline set next to it. Even if the canister had ignited, the damage likely would have been minimal, the FBI said at the time.

Still, the explosion gained widespread attention due to its closeness to the nation's oldest civil rights organization, and the FBI investigated it as a possible hate crime.

National NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks said his organization appreciates local and federal authorities' swift efforts in arresting and charging a suspect.

"We seek a continued investigation into the motive of the alleged suspect, and we look forward to the culmination of his criminal trial," he said in a statement. "We will remain vigilant as we continue fighting for civil and human rights in Colorado Springs and throughout the country."

Murphy told investigators he made the pipe bomb in his garage the night before the blast, using instructions he found online and materials from his work as a carpenter, according to court records.

Murphy believed the accountant intentionally destroyed his tax records, and he told investigators he "flipped out" because of his financial problems, the documents show. He said he wanted to send the accountant a warning.

"Murphy admitted the rationale for the pipe bomb was rage," the documents say. According to court records, Murphy owed state taxes.

Investigators searched his house and found at least seven firearms, which he is barred from having because he is a convicted felon. They also found a pack of road flares with one missing, a hobby fuse and 3 1/2 pounds of commercially available explosive.

Witnesses told investigators they saw a white Ford pickup near the scene of the blast.

A Colorado Springs police detective spotted a matching vehicle Feb. 10, which led authorities to Murphy. They watched him for several days before arresting him Thursday, according to the documents.

Among other evidence, Murphy's cellphone records showed he had been close to the crime scene, and authorities found dog hair inside the pipe bomb that matched a brown pit bull living in Murphy's home, the documents show.

Court records show Murphy's criminal history includes a felony theft conviction for which he was sentenced to five years in prison in 2009.

The dispatch calls are paraphrased reports, not verbatim transcripts. However, quoted passages are direct transcriptions, and context is provided in parentheses when necessary.

Below is a brief sampling of some recent scanner chatter from the Springfield Police Department. These dispatch calls are paraphrased reports, not verbatim transcripts. However, quoted passages are direct transcriptions, and context is provided in parentheses when necessary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two people were wounded in a shooting outside an Indian Orchard bar Saturday morning.

SPRINGFIELD— Two people were taken to the Baystate Medical Center with gunshot wounds after they were shot down outside the Regal Beagle bar on Main Street in Indian Orchard Saturday morning.

Springfield Police Lt. Richard LaBelle confirmed the 1:30 a.m. shooting.

Two people were hit by gunfire outside the Regal Beagle bar on Main Street in Indian Orchard Saturday morning. Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

At the scene eight police cruisers and unmarked cars, as well as yellow crime scene tape circled the bar as officers searched the area for evidence. LaBelle said that spent shell casings were found in the street in front of the bar.

In fact, seven evidence markers were set out by police both in the street and on the sidewalk directly in front of the establishment.

LaBelle said he has no information about the condition of the wounded individuals at this time.

This is a breaking story and information will be posted as it becomes available.

A Holyoke man is being held after police say they found $20,000 in heroin in his car.

Don Treeger | The Republican 

According to the Berkshire Eagle, a Massachusetts State Police trooper told the court that Gabriel Cordero, 34, of Beech Street in Holyoke was stopped as he drove his car in Lee Thursday. He had just exited the Massachusetts Turnpike when the trooper stopped his car for alleged motor vehicle violations.

In his statement to the court, the arresting trooper said Cordero acted nervous and spoke quickly as he was questioned. He allegedly told the trooper that he had just left a friend's home and was going to a Subway when stopped. The trooper told the court he had followed Cordero from the Pike and not a home in Lee, and when pressed, Cordero could not tell the trooper where the nearest Subway was.

A K9 unit was called to the scene, and Cordero eventually gave his permission for a search of the car. Police allegedly found 2,000 bags of heroin in the car's trunk and $1,800 in cash and a small amount of marijuana in the glove compartment.

Cordero was booked on charges of trafficking in heroin, possession of a Class A substance with the intent to distribute, a motor vehicle lights violation for a broken tail light, and an obstructed window for too dark tinting.

Her was held overnight and arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court Friday. Judge Fredric D. Rutberg set bail at $30,000 cash and ordered Cordero held in the county jail.

Cordero's defense attorney argued that the search was illegal in that police stopped him for a defective light and tinted windows. There was no reason for a full search of his car.

The case has been continued to Feb. 23.

Women show support for right to breastfeed in public. Watch video

Updates "New breastfeeding policy announced, quickly reversed at South Hadley business" posted Feb. 20 at 1:55 p.m.

SOUTH HADLEY — Moms with babies and toddlers are not your stereotypical protesters. However, a number of them circulated throughout the Play Date Place Friday afternoon, quietly stopping to sit, as needed, to nurse their young ones.

Their presence was more an act of solidarity. It was undertaken in support of a woman's right to nurse in public spaces, after Play Date Place owner Darlene Sattler posted a Facebook notice earlier in the day about breastfeeding at her play venue for children six and under.

Sattler later reversed the policy that initially stated: "For the comfort and consideration of all our guests, uncovered breastfeeding will not be allowed in the play area."

Sattler said she was uneducated about the state law at the time she posted the policy, which she said was in response to "complaints from quite a few parents" not wanting to explain breastfeeding to their young children after "someone dropped their shirt completely."

Massachusetts is one of forty-six states that have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location. It is also among the 29 states that exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws. Massachusetts law on the subject of breastfeeding reads, in part: "A mother may breastfeed her child in any public place or establishment or place which is open to and accepts or solicits the patronage of the general public and where the mother and her child may otherwise lawfully be present."

"I am now educated to the law that I was wrong in doing it and I apologize," said Sattler, a mother of four and grandmother of two. "I welcome customers to breastfeed, as they have done, for the last four months."

Marissa Potter, a 33-year-old child birth educator from Shelburne Falls, encouraged her Facebook network to engage in the "nurse in" at Play Date Place after she read Sattler's postings. She estimated some 26 families with 11 babies would participate.

"This is more about public education and the need to foster a culture that supports women," said Potter, who nursed her own two children over a period of five years. "The law protects breastfeeding in public in Massachusetts."

She added that "not all babies are willing to be covered" when breastfeeding. She also said that feeding in public has "nothing to do with a woman exposing her body."

"No woman wants to expose herself in public, and the amount of breast exposed is far less than shown by someone walking down a street in normal fashion," Potter said. "Breastfeeding is healthy for moms, and healthy for babies. It is very hard physically, and very demanding and the more support women have the better."

Potter's words were echoed by the nursing moms who paid the admission fee of either $6 or $8, depending on the age of their child, to enter the venue.

The nurse-in moms who sat in a comfortable play area behind the the entrance counter watched their children explore areas set up as buildings in a town, and quietly supported each other. Other customers voiced their support.

"I am happy to be here," said West Springfield resident Erica Batchelder, as she played with eight-month old daughter Juliet whom she nursed for as long as she was able after birth. Her five-year-old son was busy exploring another area.

"I see all these mothers who just want to feed their babies," she continued. "I breast fed for three months. I am completely supportive of mothers who want to breastfeed. It is their choice and one they should not be ashamed of. I wish I could whip out a boob in support."

Batchelder added that "no matter where kids are, they get hungry."

"You see all these half naked celebrities, like Kim Kardashian with her butt, all over the place. Why can't someone feed their child in a public place?"

Twenty-nine-year-old nursing mom Sarah Quarles, of Springfield, brought her two children.

"A lot of people think that their discomfort should trump a mother's right to breastfeed," Quarles said as she finished nursing. "If someone is uncomfortable, they should just look away."

Quarles added that she felt women of her generation are increasingly aware of the need for mothers to breastfeed both in public and private.

"I mentioned this issue on Facebook and many of my friends, who are not mothers, said, 'This is not right. You should be able to breastfeed."

Jen Gallagher, a 33-year-old Springfield resident, sat nearby nursing her 15-month-old daughter Evie.

"The law in Massachusetts is a great step toward protecting women if they want to breastfeed in public, whether or not they cover the baby," Gallagher said. "Breastfeeding needs to be normalized. You would not ask someone feeding a baby with formula to move."

Gallagher added that she was "certainly not out to expose myself."

"Look at the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit issue that is everywhere and much more revealing. You could see the pubic bone on the last cover," Gallagher said. "You can barely see the breast bone with nursing, and maybe a nipple, but you have to be staring."

Twenty-eight year-old Sabrina Wierzchowski attended with her two children. A nursing mom, the Springfield resident is also a breastfeeding counselor who sees the most successful nursing moms having the support of "their partner and family." She produced enough milk with her first child to help a woman, who was unable to do so because of surgery, feed her child with breast milk for a year.

"It is shaming women from breastfeeding their children, and you should never shame anyone on how they choose to feed their child," Wierzchowski said of any undertaking to restrict public or private nursing.

She said such restrictions, like the one that was rescinded at Play Date Place, can discourage mothers from breastfeeding.

"They will start using a bottle of formula or a bottle of breast milk when nursing in public," Wierzchowski said. "And hearing something like this does not help."

Wierzchowski said she had "nipple pain, and all the bumps in the beginning" with breastfeeding, but that she persevered because "breastfeeding is better for the baby, and better for me."

"We need to stop shaming each other, and start embracing each other as mothers no matter how someone chooses to feed their baby," Wierzchowski said.

Democrats must do a better job of explaining its core values to voters, according to a task force formed after the party's dismal showing in the 2014 election.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democrats are struggling to answer a simple question -- "What's a Democrat?" -- and must do a better job of explaining its core values to voters, according to a task force formed after the party's dismal showing in the 2014 election.

The Democratic National Committee on Saturday released the interim findings of a review intended to examine problems in the midterm election. The report said Democrats lack a "cohesive narrative" and recommended that the party find ways to help it explain bedrock values such as fairness, equality and opportunity.

"So many people can rattle off easily and succinctly what it means to be a Republican. ... The perception of what it means to be a Democrat has really evolved to be a laundry list of policy statements and disparate ideas," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Florida congresswoman who leads the DNC.

The work of a 10-person task force comes after Democrats were clobbered in November, surrendering control of the Senate to Republicans and allowing the GOP to pad its majority in the House. Republicans captured governor's offices in Massachusetts, Maryland and Illinois -- all safe Democratic states in presidential elections -- and strengthened its grip on state legislatures.

The losses have led to soul-searching among Democrats as they try to translate success in presidential elections under Barack Obama into midterm elections dominated by congressional campaigns. Many party leaders contend that Democrats should have run more aggressively on Obama's record last year and drawn sharp distinctions with Republicans.

"Whenever we let the other guys talk the way they talk about our president, about our leadership, about our values, we're going to lose," said Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy told the DNC on Thursday. He said too many Democrats tried to be "Republicans lite."

The report recommends a multiyear effort to prepare for the next round of congressional redistricting after the 2020 elections, wary of Republican clout in statehouses that will determine the new boundaries for members of Congress following the next census.

It calls for more financial support and training for state parties in a return to the principles behind the "50-state strategy" promoted by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who led the DNC from 2005 to 2009. That approach aimed to compete in state and local elections throughout the country, even in states dominated by Republicans.

The final recommendation focuses on voting rights. It supports a constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to vote and attempts in Congress to restore portions of the Voting Rights Act. The Supreme Court in 2013 removed from federal law an effective tool for fighting voting discrimination under the act and Democrats have tried to restore those protections.

The initial findings were based on hundreds of meetings with party leaders and members of Congress and included a survey completed by 10,000 Democratic activists, Wasserman Schultz said. A final report will come out in May.

The review offers parallels to a post-mortem by Republicans after the 2012 presidential election. That study urged the GOP to focus more on year-round, on-the-ground political organizing in states and recommended that Republicans embrace a comprehensive immigration overhaul, which has faced resistance by GOP members of Congress.

The DNC task force, which included Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear and Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt, emphasize rebuilding the party's bench as Republicans aggressively recruit candidates for state and local office.

In one section of the report, the DNC panel notes that since 2008, Democrats have lost 69 House seats, 13 Senate seats, 910 state legislative seats, 30 state legislative chambers and 11 governors' offices.

"Look, I'll give the Republicans credit. They spent a lot of time and money working on this for years and it paid off for them," Wasserman Schultz said. "We've certainly recognized that we have some catching up to do."

A look at some of the major police and fire stories in Western Massachusetts for the week of Feb. 15

Police had said Rantanen was mentally unstable and has an ongoing substance abuse problem.

This is an update to a story originally posted at 12:09 p.m.

GREENFIELD - Police said a 4-month-old allegedly snatched by her mother has been found safe after a multi-state search.

The mother, 24-year-old Tabitha Rantanen, brought the baby into the Greenfield Police Station Saturday. Police in Greenfield and New Hampshire launched a search after the woman took off with baby, Khalieyah Pitts. She had lost the child to state services recently.

Police had said Rantanen was mentally unstable and has an ongoing substance abuse problem.

Rantanen has been charged as a fugitive from justice in New Hampshire.

No decisions have been made, but President Barack Obama will discuss a range of options for slowing the U.S. military withdrawal when Afghan president Ashraf Ghani visits the White House next month, Carter said at a news conference with Ghani.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- The United States is considering slowing its military exit from Afghanistan by keeping a larger-than-planned troop presence this year and next because the new Afghan government is proving to be a more reliable partner, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Saturday.

Carter, on his first overseas trip since starting the Pentagon job Tuesday, also said the Obama administration is "rethinking" the counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan, although he did not elaborate.

No decisions have been made, but President Barack Obama will discuss a range of options for slowing the U.S. military withdrawal when Afghan president Ashraf Ghani visits the White House next month, Carter said at a news conference with Ghani. The presidents also plan to talk about the future of the counterterrorism fight in Afghanistan, he said.

Carter did not say Obama was considering keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan beyond 2016, only that the president was rethinking the pace of troop withdrawals for 2015 and 2016.

There are about 10,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, down from a peak of 100,000 as recently as 2010-11.

While the White House recently acknowledged it was reconsidering the exit plan, Carter's remarks were the most direct explanation by a Pentagon official amid criticism from opposition Republicans that the Democratic commander in chief is beating a hasty and risky retreat.

On Feb. 11, the White House said Ghani had requested "some flexibility in the troop drawdown timeline" and that the administration was "actively considering" that. A day later, Gen. John Campbell, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, told the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee that he had presented U.S. leaders with several options that would allow him to better continue training and advising Afghan forces, particularly through this summer's peak fighting season.

The "common denominator" in the new thinking about the U.S. military mission is a belief in Washington that the formation of a unity government in Kabul last year has opened new possibilities for progress on both the political and security fronts, Carter said.

The unity government of Ashraf and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah offers new promise for a more effective partnership in stabilizing the country, Carter said.

U.S. officials had grown grew impatient with former President Hamid Karzai, who sometimes publicly criticized the U.S. military and took a dimmer view of partnering with the Americans.

"That's a major change," Carter said, something "that just a few months ago we couldn't have planned on."

Obama's current plan calls for troop levels to drop by half from 10,000 by the end of this year and be at nearly zero by the end of 2016. The U.S. would maintain a security cooperation office in Kabul. Ghani has made it known he thinks that should be slowed down in order to better support Afghan forces battling a resilient Taliban insurgency.

In remarks to reporters later Saturday, Campbell said progress in stabilizing Afghanistan is evident in the security forces' ability to plan and execute complex military operations. He said they are in the early stages of a major offensive in Helmand province, combining air and ground forces to retake lost ground. The top U.S. commander said he could not discuss details in order to preserve security for the operation, but said it currently involves fighting near the city of Sangin.

Carter did not specify what changes Obama is considering in the U.S. military presence. But he said could include slowing the withdrawal pace and changing the timing and sequencing of U.S. base closures.

He said Obama also was "rethinking the details" of the U.S. counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan, where there are remnants of al-Qaida as well as signs that the Islamic State militant group is seeking to make inroads here in addition to Iraq and Syria.

Campbell said he is monitoring IS recruiting efforts in Afghanistan, noting that the militant group showed in Iraq that it can, under the right circumstances, spread its influence quickly. But he was adamant that Afghanistan's situation is not like Iraq's and thus not as big a worry.

"We've got a government here that wants us to be here," he said.

In his remarks to reporters, Ghani thanked Obama for being flexible and showing a willingness to consider "the realities on the ground." Using similar phrasing, Carter said that when he returns to Washington he will work up recommendations to Obama, in advance of the March talks, that "reflect reality on the ground."

Carter lauded the progress that Afghanistan has made during the 13 years since U.S. forces invaded and toppled the Taliban rule. Obama's goal, he said, is to "make sure this progress sticks" so that Afghanistan does not again become a launching pad for terrorist attacks on the U.S.

Carter also met in the Afghan capital with Campbell and Gen. Lloyd Austin, the commander of U.S. Central Command, which has responsibility for U.S. operations in Afghanistan and across the Middle East.

The Orthodox Jewish tradition known as oral suction circumcision reaches back to biblical times but it has created a modern-day dilemma for New York City health officials, who have linked it to 17 cases of infant herpes since 2000.

NEW YORK -- With a swift swipe of his scalpel, Rabbi A. Romi Cohn circumcises the baby boy, then leans down and sucks the blood from the wound as prayers in Hebrew fill the Brooklyn synagogue.

The Orthodox Jewish tradition known as oral suction circumcision reaches back to biblical times but it has created a modern-day dilemma for New York City health officials, who have linked it to 17 cases of infant herpes since 2000. Two died and two others suffered brain damage.

Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration, which came into power a year ago with a promise to reconsider an existing regulation on the ritual, is now negotiating with a group of rabbis over how to protect children's health while still preserving religious freedom.

"The talks are ongoing but I cannot go into particulars," said Avi Fink, the mayor's deputy director of intergovernmental affairs who has been leading the talks. "Our goal is to achieve awareness of the risks."

Such oral suction circumcisions are relatively rare, even in New York City, which is home to more than a million Jews -- the largest Jewish population outside Israel. City health officials estimate more than 3,000 babies are circumcised each year using the oral suction method -- formally called metzitzah b'peh in Hebrew.

A 2012 report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised against the practice, saying it increases the risk of herpes infection in baby boys by 3.4 times that of other male newborns.

Oral suction circumcisions first came under scrutiny during Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration, and the city's health board voted in 2012 to regulate the practice by asking a parent or guardian to sign a consent form indicating possible risks.

Health officials point to a number of factors they say have linked the known cases to the ritual. They look for lesions on the genitalia, indicating that's where the virus started. In addition, lab tests have showed that the timing of the infection coincides with the circumcision.

Two cases were recorded after oral suction in 2013 and four last year. In the most recent case, diagnosed in November, a baby boy was found to have lesions on his penis. But of those six cases, parents refused to identify the person who performed the circumcision -- called a mohel -- in four.

In the two cases in which the circumcisers were identified, both declined to be tested, the Health Department said. They were banned from performing the ritual.

The consent forms remain the regulatory standard for now, but most ultra-Orthodox rabbis have told their faithful not to comply, and the city acknowledges it does not collect them unless there is suspicion of herpes.

Cohn, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor and native of what today is called Slovakia, is chairman of the American Board of Ritual Circumcision, which has certified 90 mohels, says he doubts the oral suction method had anything to do with spreading herpes. Cohn believes the infants may have been infected by the mother or another source.

"They're wild accusations without any basis," Cohn said. "I've done 35,000 circumcisions and never had an infection, of any kind."

The rabbi does warn parents that circumcision, in general, has its risks, just like any medical procedure. His association mandates herpes testing and rinsing with mouthwash before the ceremony, in addition to scrubbing and sterilizing hands.

The rabbi followed those precautions one morning at Brooklyn's Congregation Shaare Zion, where he circumcised week-old Yosef Sananas.

Cohn first administered a topical anesthetic, wrapping gauze around the child's legs to isolate the sterilized area. Then the baby, on a white pillow, was carried into the main worship space.

Invited guests watched as Cohn did what he's done thousands of other times.

"He's the best mohel in New York," says the boy's mother, Becky Sananas. "We chose him because we trust him."

While New York City wrestles with the issue, suburban Rockland County -- itself home to thousands of Orthodox Jews -- seems to have found a solution.

For any suspected case after circumcision, county health officials use DNA testing to try to link a baby with the source of infection. Since the county introduced the protocol in 2013, three infant boys were diagnosed with herpes; the DNA of two mohels did not match the boys' and the third test was inconclusive.

Members of the Jewish community participate voluntarily in the process, working with Dr. Oscar Alleyne, Rockland's director of epidemiology.

"That proves that they trust us," Alleyne said. "We have cooperation, along with a scientific approach."

The modest raises that Wal-Mart has said it will give its lowest-paid workers provide a glimmer of hope for lower-wage workers in other companies and industries.

WASHINGTON -- The modest raises that Wal-Mart has said it will give its lowest-paid workers provide a glimmer of hope for lower-wage workers in other companies and industries.

Other retailers and some fast food restaurants may now feel compelled to follow suit to retain their workers and attract others to fill openings, economists said.

Wal-Mart's move follows a sustained campaign for higher wages by some of the company's employees and a nationwide debate over whether to raise the federal minimum wage. Given Wal-Mart's position as the nation's largest private employer, its decision to yield, even in a limited way, could embolden more employees to seek raises.

"They really set the standard across the retail sector," said Claire McKenna, a policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, which advocates for low-wage workers. "What they do really matters."

Josh Bivens, research and policy director at the liberal Economic Policy Institute, said Wal-Mart's move also reduces the pressure on other retailers to keep labor costs at rock-bottom levels.

"It at least takes away the excuse from other firms that 'We'd like to raise wages, but we can't because we have to compete with Wal-Mart,'" Bivens said. "It could possibly give some competitive breathing space to other retailers to raise wages."

On Thursday, Wal-Mart said it would increase its minimum pay to $9 an hour in April and to $10 by February 2016. The move will mean raises for 500,000 of its 1.3 million employees. The average full-time wage will tick up to $13 an hour from $12.85. For part-timers, the average will go to $10 from $9.48.

Wal-Mart's decision follows similar steps by other companies. The Gap has raised its minimum wage to $10 an hour. Swedish home furnishings retailer Ikea raised pay for thousands of its U.S. workers this year by an average of 17 percent to $10.76 an hour. Health insurer Aetna has said it will pay a minimum of $16 an hour. That's more than double the federal minimum wage of $7.25.

All of which means that many people who earn less than $10 an hour will now have more options.

"If you work at a fast-food restaurant" for $7.25 an hour, "you are going to want to leave that job and work at the Wal-Mart nearby," said Sylvia Allegretto, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley.

Allegretto noted anecdotal evidence, for example, that recent increases in Washington state's minimum wage -- now $9.47 an hour -- led residents of nearby Idaho to seek work in Washington.

Workers at McDonald's and other fast-food companies have agitated for higher pay, coalescing around demands for $15 an hour.

But unlike Wal-Mart, which owns all its stores, the fast-food industry is largely franchised. Companies like McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King say they don't make employment and pay decisions on behalf of their franchisees.

The relationship between companies like McDonald's and workers at franchised restaurants has come under intense scrutiny, however. Last year, in a victory for unions, the National Labor Relations Board ruled that McDonald's is a "joint employer" that could be held liable for its franchisees' policies. Hearings on disciplinary steps are set for March. McDonald's has vowed to contest the NLRB's ruling.

Kathryn Slater-Carter, who owns a McDonald's franchise near San Francisco, thinks businesses located near a Wal-Mart store could be forced to raise pay. She suggested that this could be beneficial for everyone: By paying and treating workers better, franchisees could benefit from stronger applicants and lower turnover, which can itself raise costs.

"In any community, how you treat your employees gets known by everyone," Slater-Carter said. "You can get a bad reputation, and then you have trouble getting employees."

Still, she noted that the costs that franchisees already bear -- from food ingredients and renovations to electricity and franchise fees to corporations -- limit their ability to raise pay. Last year, Slater-Carter backed a California bill that would give franchisees greater protections from companies. The bill was vetoed by the governor.

Many states and cities have also raised their wage floors. Twenty states, including Florida, New York and Washington, raised their minimums at the start of this year. For the first time, a majority of states -- 29 -- have minimums above the national level.

Wal-Mart's move could encourage more union efforts to press for raises for low-income workers.

Paul Osterman, a management professor at MIT, said the decision was at least partly a result of pressure from organizations such as OUR Walmart, a union-backed group of the company's employees.

Wal-Mart has faced opposition when it's tried to expand in the Northeast and in many large cities, mostly because of its low pay, Osterman noted.

"They're running out of rural areas," he said. "To grow, they need to move into the cities."

Allegretto said a surge of hiring across the nation in recent months has likely made it harder for Wal-Mart to hire without raising pay. Economists see that as a byproduct of an improving economy: It eventually forces higher wages.

That's why liberal economists like Bivens, at the Economic Policy Institute, want the Federal Reserve to delay raising the short-term interest rate it controls until wages rise faster. Other analysts worry that a delay in raising rates could inflate asset bubbles or lead to high inflation.

"We want an economy where employers have to bid for workers," Bivens said.

Marijuana fans are converging on Boston this weekend for a two-day convention about all things pot-related.

BOSTON -- Marijuana fans are converging on Boston this weekend for a two-day convention about all things pot-related.

The Boston Cannabis Convention includes panels on the cultivation of marijuana for patients and caregivers, an examination of the medicinal use of marijuana, a look at the politics of pot, and a panel on cooking with cannabis.

The convention takes place Saturday and Sunday at The Castle at Park Plaza in downtown Boston.

The convention comes amid a growing acceptance of marijuana.

Massachusetts voters in recent years have passed ballot questions to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of pot and to create medical marijuana dispensaries across the state. No dispensaries have opened yet.

Marijuana activists have also pledged to put another question on the 2016 ballot that would fully legalize marijuana in Massachusetts.

Conor Berry | cberry@repub.com 

In the years since Massachusetts received about $7 billion from the federal government for Boston's massive underground highway project known as the Big Dig, the state -- like most others -- has seen U.S. funding for transportation upkeep slowly diminish.

BOSTON -- In the years since Massachusetts received about $7 billion from the federal government for Boston's massive underground highway project known as the Big Dig, the state -- like most others -- has seen U.S. funding for transportation upkeep slowly diminish.

The loss of federal highway dollars is but one piece of a transportation financing puzzle in Massachusetts that has left commuters increasingly frustrated and policymakers groping for answers. The Legislature in its last session approved a 3-cent increase in the gasoline tax and leaders have signaled a desire to explore other steps, though Republican Gov. Charlie Baker has ruled out further taxes and fees for now.

According to figures compiled by The Associated Press, money available to Massachusetts from the Federal Highway Trust Fund dropped 3.1 percent between the 2008 and 2013 fiscal years. That meant fewer resources for shoring up aging roads and creaky bridges.

The state's share dropped from about $680 million to $654 million between 2010 and 2011, and again from $658 million to $620 million between 2012 and 2013.

Adjusting the figures for inflation, Massachusetts has seen a 10.1 percent reduction in highway trust fund receipts over five years.

And the state has actually fared better than many others. Overall money available to states from the trust fund declined 3.5 percent -- 10.9 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars -- and nearly 30 states saw a larger percentage drop in federal funding drop than Massachusetts during the period, according to the analysis.

The federal gas tax, which supports the trust fund, has not risen from 18.4 cents a gallon since 1993.

In Massachusetts, a brutal stretch of winter weather over the past several weeks has brought the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to its knees, forcing the Boston-area's aging transit system to close several times and offer limited service when operating.

While the public's attention of late has focused on the T, advocates say highways and bridges aren't faring much better. A 2013 report from the American Society of Civil Engineers found more than half of the state's bridges were either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The same report found 19 percent of major roadways in poor condition.

Debt incurred on the state's share of the Big Dig costs has only exacerbated the funding crunch.

"The reality is that we've underfunded transportation in Massachusetts and in this country for at least 20-plus years," said state Sen. Thomas McGee, co-chair of the Legislature's Transportation Committee.

Lawmakers have sought a variety of short- and long-term fixes for crumbling infrastructure. A 2008 law directed $3 billion toward bridge repairs, including a $260 million reconstruction of the historic Longfellow Bridge connecting Boston and Cambridge.

But the state's gas tax had not budged since 1991 until lawmakers in 2013 approved a transportation financing bill that included the 3-cent hike to 24 cents per gallon. The law was expected to raise about $600 million in annual additional funds for roads, bridges and public transit by 2018.

That funding plan was a scaled-back version of one offered by then-Gov. Deval Patrick that included a hike in the state's income tax, but was widely viewed as a first step in dealing with the transportation funding shortfall.

"It's important to understand the transportation finance act didn't try to solve all the problems in one fell swoop, it tried to solve about half the problem," said Rafael Mares, senior attorney with the Conservation Law Foundation, an advocacy group that supports modernization of the state's transportation system with greater emphasis on public transit.

But even the revenue targets of the scaled-down bill are unlikely to be reached. In November, voters repealed an indexing provision that automatically tied future increases in the gas tax to inflation. Backers of the repeal effort, including Baker, said indexing amounted to taxation without representation.

Without indexing, Mares projects the state will lose $27 million in potential transportation funding in the current fiscal year, and an average of $100 million per year over the next ten years.

Police saw the accused sent lewd pictures of himself to a 14-year-old girl despite knowing her age and her resisting his electronic advances.

WINDSOR, Vermont — A 19-year-old Vermont man is in trouble with the law following an investigation into inappropriate correspondence with an underage girl.

Jasen Suhr

According to Vermont State Police, the investigation began on Feb. 9 when Detective Tyson Kinney began looking into a complaint that Windsor resident Jasen Suhr allegedly had inappropriate contact with a 14-year-old girl via social media.

Kinney reports that the investigation led to him obtaining a search warrant for Suhr's home which allegedly revealed that the accused attempted to "entice a 14 year old female to have a sexual relationship with him, and sent her lewd photographs of himself."

Police say they have evidence Suhr knew the girl's age and when the girl was resistant to Suhr's alleged advances, he continued the "enticement."

Following the execution of the search warrant Suhr was arrested at his home and charged with luring a child and obscenity. He was held in lieu of $25,000 bail at the Southern State Correctional Facility and is scheduled to appear in Windsor Superior Court on Monday.

The Pioneer Valley and Berkshire County League Championship and Invitational Competition took place at Holyoke High School on Saturday. Watch video

With a little bit of dance, a bunch of gymnastics, and a whole lot of spirit, the Pioneer Valley and Berkshire County League Championship and Invitational Competition took place at Holyoke High School, bringing together cheerleading squads from 17 area schools.

Teams in the competition are limited to a three minute routine with ninety seconds of music.

Bodies were soaring through the air during tumbling runs, various jumps and dismounts.
With so many cheerleading squads doing what they do best, the Holyoke High gym reached decibel levels that would make the Seattle Seahawks proud.

It is the spirit of the participants that sets this sport apart. Every squad cheered loudly for whatever team was performing at the time.

And these aren't perfunctory cheers, they are loud and they are heartfelt.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling 61,793 vehicles because the front, passenger-side air bag may be disabled if a lightweight adult sits in the seat. The recall affects some Range Rovers from the 2013 through 2015 model years and Range Rover Sports from 2014 through 2015. The company says it will start notifying owners in April,...

The recall affects some Range Rovers from the 2013 through 2015 model years and Range Rover Sports from 2014 through 2015.

The company says it will start notifying owners in April, and they will be able to take their vehicles to dealers for a free software update.

Jaguar Land Rover says it has received no reports of accidents or injuries tied to the problem. It started looking into the issue last fall, after customers said a light indicating that the passenger air bag was off stayed illuminated in some cases when an adult sat in the seat.