Initial police reports indicated as many three people may have been injured in the incident, but police were unable to immediately confirm details of the shooting.

SPRINGFIELD — Gunfire erupted outside Brother's Market shortly after 6 p.m. Friday, triggering a heavy police response in the city's Bay neighborhood.

Initial police reports indicated as many as three people may have been injured in the shooting, which sent at least one victim to the hospital with gunshot wounds.

Springfield Police Lt. Thomas Maccini said he didn't know how many victims were involved in the incident. "It's still an ongoing investigation," Maccini said.

The scene outside the market, just across from Hennessy Park at the corner of Oak Grove Avenue and Burr Street, was hectic.

Perhaps as many as two dozen officers – Springfield police, State Police and members of the C3 policing unit – interviewed possible witnesses and secured the crime scene.

Blood was visible on the sidewalk outside 72 Burr St., a two-story duplex directly behind the corner market.

Police were initially called to the neighborhood for a 5:53 p.m. report of a drive-by shooting in the vicinity of 98 Cambridge St., just around the corner from the Burr Street shooting scene. Initial police reports indicated the gunfire came from a red SUV or minivan with two occupants, at least one of whom opened fire on a car parked between 98 and 93 Cambridge St.

As police were investigating the Cambridge Street incident, they heard about six gunshots fired on nearby Burr Street at 6:01 p.m. Seconds later, a ranking officer located a gunshot victim on Burr Street near the corner of Oak Grove Avenue – the victim of an apparently unrelated shooting.

"And we have one down at 72 Burr, OK – 72 Burr; send a 7," the lieutenant said, referring to the code number for an ambulance.

Moments later, a second possible victim was located at 60 Oak Grove Ave., just south of the shooting scene. Two ambulances were dispatched to the neighborhood – one for the victim outside 72 Burr, and the other for the apparent victim outside 60 Oak Grove.

At 6:09 p.m., officers were dispatched to Mercy Medical Center for yet another gunshot victim, though it wasn't immediately clear if that person was injured in connection with the Burr Street gunfire. The victim who went to Mercy was described as a man who was shot in the foot.

Within minutes of the initial Burr Street shooting call, the block was flooded with cops – a mix of uniformed and plainclothes officers. Police K-9 units also responded to the neighborhood, where the gunman reportedly fled on foot and ran through yards on nearby Kenyon Street.

The shooter was described as a 5-foot-4 black man, who was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans. "He was on scene when we got there, and he boogied when we pulled up," the lieutenant said.

Several yellow evidence markers indicated where shell casings were found on the sidewalk at the corner of Burr and Oak Grove. That's the corner directly across from Brother's Market and the apparent spot where the gunman opened fire.

This developing story will be updated as reporting continues.

MAP showing approximate area where a gunshot victim was found:

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed just shy of 99 points to close just under 18,058.

A General Electric sign is seen on display at Western Appliance store in Mountain View, Calif., in 2008 General Electric will sell most of GE Capital as it turns its focus more to its industrial business and away from a big money generator that also made some investors nervous. The company will buy back as much as $50 billion of its own stock, sending shares up 6 percent before the opening bell Friday and toward a new high for the year.Paul Sakuma / Associated Press file 

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks advanced Friday, capping off a second straight weekly advance for the market. Investors were encouraged by the latest corporate deal news, that General Electric would be selling its long-struggling lending business.

Investors are turning their focus to next week, when corporate earnings ramp up. So far the outlook isn't encouraging. With economic sluggishness in the U.S. and Europe, as wells the rapid appreciation of the dollar, analysts expect first-quarter results to be down 4.6 percent.

"Earnings are not going to be down because the U.S. economy is struggling," said James Liu, global market strategist at JPMorgan Funds. "It's going to be because of what has happened in energy and the dollar."

Next week the nation's biggest banks will report their results, including Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs. Thirty-five of the members of the Standard & Poor's 500 will report their results, as well as seven members of the Dow Jones industrial average

On Friday the Dow rose 98.92 points, or 0.6 percent, to 18,057.65. The S&P 500 rose 10.88 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,102.06 and the Nasdaq composite rose 21.41 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,995.98.

General Electric soared after the company said it would sell most of its lending arm, known as GE Capital, and shift its focus back to its industrial business.

GE's stock jumped $2.78, or 11 percent, to $28.51, making it the biggest gainer in the Dow and the S&P 500.

GE is known for making jet engines, light bulbs and other electronics, but a significant part of the company's business has been financing. GE Capital was a huge business until the financial crisis, when new regulations made being non-bank company in the lending business more difficult. GE spun off its credit card operation into a new company last year called Synchrony Financial.

It was a solid week for the market overall. The Dow and S&P 500 each rose 1.7 percent, while the Nasdaq rose 2.2 percent. The U.S. stock market has not had two straight weeks of gains since mid-February.

Most of this week's gains can be attributed to the Federal Reserve. After the disappointing March jobs report released April 3, traders now believe that the nation's central bank is not going to raise interest rates until September instead of the originally anticipated June timeframe.

William Dudley, president of the Federal Reserve's New York branch, said Monday that the Fed's rate increases would be "shallow" when he cited the recent weak economic data including the jobs report.

"I think we are still looking at two rate hikes this year, but they will likely be later this year," JPMorgan's Liu said.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.95 percent. The dollar edged down to 120.20 yen from 120.57 yen while the euro fell to $1.0597 from $1.0662.

In energy markets, the price of oil rose Friday after a closely-watched count of working drill rigs declined more sharply than expected, suggesting supplies will soon fall.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 85 cents to close at $51.64 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.30 to close at $57.87 in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

1. Wholesale gasoline rose 4.8 cents to close at $1.807 a gallon.
2. Heating oil rose 3.9 cents to close at $1.766 a gallon.
3. Natural gas fell 1.7 cents to close at $2.511 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In metals trading, gold rose $11 to $1,204.60 an ounce, silver rose 21 cents to $16.38 an ounce and copper edged up half a penny to $2.73 an ounce.

The head of city police expressed a clear message when addressing recent comments made by the patrolmen's union president: I serve the public, not you. Watch video

HOLYOKE -- The head of city police expressed a clear message when addressing recent comments made by the patrolmen's union president: I serve the public, not you.

Holyoke Police Department Chief James M. Neiswanger held a press conference at the police station Friday afternoon to discuss a majority vote of no confidence by the patrol union, and a statement released after the vote by union president, Officer Edward J. Moskal.

"I was hired by the city of Holyoke to run and manage the police department. I was not hired by Ed Moskal and the patrolmen's union," Neiswanger said. "I will not be pressured or bullied into mismanaging the department."

Neiswanger accepted the position as chief in July 2011, coming from the city police department in Manchester, Conn. where he was a captain. He is one year into a three-year contract with the city that was renewed by Mayor Alex B. Morse.

In his time as chief, Neiswanger has dealt with several controversial personnel issues, including an officer fired for illegal drug use, one who misplaced -- and eventually recovered -- his gun twice and another officer who pulled his gun out during an argument with other department members at a restaurant.

Moskal critiqued his handling of such situations in an open letter.

RELATED: Holyoke police union head says vote was hard but needed

Neiswanger declined to answer questions from reporters at the press conference Friday but addressed Moskal's concerns in a prepared statement.

"In law enforcement we have to be able to police ourselves otherwise we shall lose the public's trust. Every discipline matter that I have handed out to date has been upheld by civil service and I stand by that," he said.

Neiswanger added that he's willing to sit down with union representation prior to issuing judgement but that a final decision is solely his to make. "I will not compromise my integrity or the standards of this police department just to appease Ed Moskal."

The union president also disapproved of several staffing issues, including promotions, use of reserve officers and amount of overtime given to supervisors.

The chief defended allowing for limited use of overtime, saying it "is not an entitlement although some people believe it is." He added, "I have a fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers of Holyoke."

Neiswanger said union members force him to use more reserve officers when they decline to work outside extra detail. Union officers declined to 100 extra details last month, according to Neiswanger.

Of the 79 members of the union, 38 voted in favor of the no-confidence motion against Neiswanger last week. 24 voted against and 15 abstained from voting.

The patrolmen's union is one of three within the department. Lt. Larry Cournoyer, president of the Holyoke Police Supervisors Union, also spoke at the press conference in support of the chief. Cournoyer said the union will not take a vote of no confidence against Neiswanger nor Morse.

Neiswanger thanked members of the two unions that did not take a vote for their "continued support," and added "I recognize the hard work, dedication and sacrifice that everyone inside the Holyoke Police Department makes."

Westfield Police Captain Mike McCabe has been named the recipient of the Westfield Athenaeum's Edwin Smith Family Distinguished Speaker Award.

Westfield Police Captain Mike McCabe has been named the recipient of the Westfield Athenaeum's Edwin Smith Family Distinguished Speaker Award.

Westfield Police Captain Mike McCabeGeorge Graham | ggraham@repub.com

McCabe, a 30 year veteran of the force, will speak at the library's Lang Auditorium on April 30. The award is an welcome recognition of his years working in the Westfield community, he said in an interview.

"I'm super happy to be able to help out the library," McCabe said. "It' s going to be a little strange talking about me, but we'll see how it goes."

The Edwin Smith Award is given annually to recognize an individual's distinguished achievement in their field of work and their efforts to share their field with the general public. McCabe, who teaches criminal justice at Westfield State University, has given popular talks at the Athenaeum on the still-unsolved 1940 killing of Westfield professor Louis Allen, said Athenaeum director Cher Collins.

"He's appeared here twice and both have been complete sellouts," Collins said.

McCabe plans to address his decades of experience in community policing in the talk, he said. The award also comes with a $1,000 honorarium, which he said was a pleasant surprise. He expects to donate the money to charity.

"I didn't even know what an honorarium was," McCabe said. "I had to look it up"

In recent years the award has been given to Athenaeum board of trustees president Bob Brown, University of Connecticut women's basketball star and Southwick native Rebecca Lobo and Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy, according to Collins.

"Mike's in good company," she said.

The award is funded by the Edwin Smith family, who also support the library's Edwin Smith Historical Museum. Attendees can register for the event, taking place at the Athenaeum's Lang Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. on April 30, either at the library or by phone at (413) 568 7833.

Residents of a small northern Illinois farming community that took a direct hit from a half-mile-wide tornado were allowed back into the area Saturday to the assess damage.

FAIRDALE, Ill. (AP) -- Residents of a small northern Illinois farming community that took a direct hit from a half-mile-wide tornado were allowed back into the area Saturday to assess damage and salvage what they could.

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office bused residents into Fairdale at 7 a.m. so they could begin to take stock of what was left of their property. Seeing the wreckage up close for the first time since Thursday's storms left some amazed that they survived.

"I thought my parents were dead," said 32-year-old Adam Davis, who hopped into his truck Thursday and raced along with the tornado in the hopes of getting to his parents' house and rescuing them before the twister struck. He found them standing in their doorway frozen in disbelief and grabbed them just in time.

On Saturday, he was helping collect what could be salvaged from his childhood home, now full of debris, its roof ripped off and its windows broken.

"It's not necessarily the mementos yet; it's the essentials for now. One step at a time," he said.

Eight tornadoes roared across northern and central Illinois during Thursday's storms, the National Weather Service confirmed Saturday. The strongest hit Fairdale, where two people were killed. That tornado also injured 22 people.

The weather service gave it a preliminary EF4 rating -- its second strongest -- with winds of between 180 and 200 mph. It was a half-mile wide and remained on the ground for at least 28.7 miles, a record long path for that part of Illinois.

Al Zammuto, a 60-year-old machinist, was preparing to inspect what was left of the roof on a former schoolhouse that he had been transforming into his home over the past year. He will have to start over.

"I don't know how much of the roof came off," he said. "I'm going to climb a ladder later today and see."

In all, some 70 buildings were destroyed or damaged in Fairdale, authorities said. Another 50 buildings were hit in nearby Rochelle.

All buildings have been searched, but not all residents have been accounted for, so cadaver dogs are being used in parts of DeKalb County, the Illinois State Police said late Friday.

The tornado blew numerous vehicles from nearby interstates, and troopers helped rescue a trapped driver in an overturned semi-trailer.

As the cleanup began, tales of survival continued to emerge.

Kelly Newman, 46, lost her Rochelle home. For her, the storm began with a moment of playful wonder at the size of the hail. She ran outside to collect some of the pieces to put it in the freezer to show her children.

"Then I noticed to the southwest there was a huge black funnel thing, but it didn't look like a tornado because it was just way too wide," she said.

But the telltale train-like roar sent them and their 19-year-old daughter running for the basement. The house cracked and collapsed around them, raining down debris and a dusting of what she described as "muddy soot."

The family survived, and several police officers helped free her husband, who had been trapped nearly upside down between two collapsed walls.

"We're alive, we were spared. Our lives were saved," she said.

Buchenwald survivor Henry Oster recalls thinking that a fellow inmate had "lost his sense of reality" when he said 70 years ago Saturday that the concentration camp was being liberated, bringing an end to the long ordeal of the 21,000 surviving prisoners.

WEIMAR, Germany -- Buchenwald survivor Henry Oster recalls thinking that a fellow inmate had "lost his sense of reality" when he said 70 years ago Saturday that the concentration camp was being liberated, bringing an end to the long ordeal of the 21,000 surviving prisoners.

Oster, 86, visited the site near the German city of Weimar for the first time since its liberation on April 11, 1945 -- one of a group of survivors and veterans who came to mark the anniversary of the liberation. Buchenwald was the first major concentration camp entered by American forces at the end of World War II.

"What I see here, where the barracks used to be, at every barrack there was a pile of dead bodies, this is in your memory forever," Oster said. "When someone asks how Buchenwald was, you immediately see the dead bodies again."

Around 250,000 prisoners in total were held at Buchenwald from its opening in July 1937 to its liberation. An estimated 56,000 people were killed, including political prisoners, people dubbed "asocial" by the Nazis, Soviet prisoners of war, Sinti and Roma, and approximately 11,000 Jews.

Oster, a Jewish German born in Cologne, was taken to the Lodz ghetto in occupied Poland in 1941 and later to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. His father died of starvation and his mother was gassed on the day they arrived at Auschwitz, he said.

In January 1945, Oster was sent on a "death march" to Buchenwald as the Nazis forced inmates westward in the face of advancing Soviet forces.

Entering the former camp through the wrought-iron gate that bears the words "Jedem das Seine" -- "To each his own" -- with its clock stopped at 3.15, the time of the liberation, Oster recalled that moment.

"We had no idea the Allies were in Europe, and when we heard noises at about a quarter past three, we looked out of the window -- which took a great effort -- and one of my friends said with a weak voice 'I think we are getting liberated,'" Oster said. "And we thought he had lost his sense of reality like so many people there."

Oster was taken to an orphanage in France and emigrated to the United States in 1946. He now lives in Woodland Hills, California.

A minute of silence was held Saturday afternoon at the tree-ringed hilltop site's former assembly ground, bringing together former inmates and liberators -- on whom Buchenwald also left an indelible impression.

James Anderson, a 91-year-old from Indianapolis, went in as an army medic on that day and recalled that many prisoners were so weak they could no longer move.

"The devastation was so tremendous," Anderson said, his voice trembling. "I was a ... kid, and to see this it was hard for me to believe this was actually happening, you know, and the prisoners were so glad to see us, they would hug us and everything."

Robert Harmon, then a private serving in Gen. George S. Patton's Third Army, was deployed in Weimar and first saw Buchenwald survivors a few days after the camp's liberation.

"They had these thin pyjama clothes, they had terrible food, you can imagine, and of course the men had not shaven forever, and they just looked awful," said Harmon, from Seattle, who turns 90 on Sunday.

"They were stunned psychologically, they were so afraid of authority that they were very careful about speaking to us, but they were so hungry that they dared, and that was such an act of courage, I think, for them to speak to us," he said.

Patton was so disgusted by Buchenwald that he ordered residents of nearby Weimar to march the few miles up the hill to see what had been going on so close nearby.

"The younger generation should get to see this," Anderson said. "It was unbelievable."

The car was reported stolen and was abandoned in the middle of Farnham Avenue, according to fire Department spokesman Dennis Leger.

SPRINGFIELD - The Springfield Arson and Bomb Square has determined that a stolen car abandoned on Farnham Avenue late Friday night was deliberately set on fire.

The Fire Department responded to the fire outside 103 Farnham Ave., finding a 2008 Chevy Impala with the interior on fire.

The vehicle was abandoned in the middle of the road with a gasoline can found a few yards away, said department spokesman Dennis Leger.

The car was reported as stolen, and was ruled an arson. Anyone with information is asked to call the Squad at 413-787-6370. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to "CRIMES," or "274637," and then beginning the body of the message with the word "SOLVE."

Bishop Juan Barros Madrid accused of covering up actions of pedophile priest.

Clergy sexual abuse survivor Marie Collins, who will be the keynote speaker at the 2015 National Assembly of the Voice of the Faithful in Hartford on April 18, is among the members of the Vatican's Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors who are headed to Rome this weekend over Pope Francis' appointment of a Chilean bishop who has been accused of covering up abuse.

The 17-member commission was formed to hold those in positions of power in the Church accountable for making it a "safe home" for children.

Bishop Juan Barros Madrid has has denied the charges but the Irish born Collins is among those asking that his appointment be reconsidered.

"As a survivor, I'm very surprised at the appointment in Chile because it seems to go against ... what the Holy Father has been saying about not wanting anyone in positions of trust in the church who don't have an absolutely 100 percent record of child protection," Collins is quoted as saying in the National Catholic Reporter.

The four enroute will meet with Boston's Cardinal Sean O'Malley who heads the Vatican commission and who is in Rome for a meeting of the Council of Cardinals that advises the pope on reforming the Vatican bureaucracy.

Survivor and commission member Peter Saunders told the National Catholic Reporter that he hopes Francis will be present for the meeting. Saunders is the founder of the U.K.-based National Association for People Abused in Childhood.

Collins has said she does not expect to meet with Francis, but hopes that O'Malley will pass along their concerns.

In January, the pope appointed Barros as head of the Church in the diocese of Osorno, Chile. This brought immediate protests from laity, clergy, as well as national lawmakers, in Chile who asked the appointment be rescinded. The bishop, who was installed last month, is not accused of abuse, but of covering up for the actions of the Rev. Fernando Karadima, a once prominent charismatic priest in Chile, who was sanctioned by the Vatican in 2011 for sexually abusing minors.

Barros and three other bishops, who were all mentored by Karadima, are accused of covering up Karadima's sexual abuse during the 1980s and 1990s.

On March 31, the Vatican signaled it would go ahead with its plans to install Barros Madrid as bishop. It issued a statement that said: "Prior to the recent appointment of His Excellency Msgr. Juan de la Cruz Barros Madrid as bishop of Osorno, Chile, the Congregation for Bishops carefully examined the prelate's candidature and did not find objective reasons to preclude the appointment."

According to the website Crux, the Karadima's victims are asking the Santiago diocese for financial compensation of $700,000. No criminal charges were filed against the priest because the statue of limitations had expired. According to the Washington Post, the 84-year-old Karadima is now living cloistered in "penitence and prayer."

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (AP) -- A crowd gathered in Summerville, South Carolina on Saturday for the funeral of Walter Scott -- the black driver who was fatally shot by a North Charleston police officer after fleeing a traffic stop. Scott's family arrived at W.O.R.D. Ministries Christian Center in a fleet of three black limousines that were followed by several other...

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (AP) -- A crowd gathered in Summerville, South Carolina on Saturday for the funeral of Walter Scott -- the black driver who was fatally shot by a North Charleston police officer after fleeing a traffic stop.

Scott's family arrived at W.O.R.D. Ministries Christian Center in a fleet of three black limousines that were followed by several other vehicles. Some who were lined up outside held up their cellphones trying to capture the scene as Scott's casket was unloaded from the hearse and wheeled inside.

Organizers placed chairs in the church's vestibule to accommodate the overflow crowd and ushered select people inside for the service. Many who were in line and waited through a period of rain and humidity were unable to get into the sanctuary.

"You know, Walter touched a lot of people. He was very friendly with everyone. I don't think he ever met an enemy. So, there's a lot of people out here, just paying their respects to him and his legacy," said Tyrone Johnson, a Charlotte North Carolina resident who said he went to high school with Scott and one of his brothers.

A monitor with video of the funeral showed Scott's casket on an altar draped in an American flag. The program said Scott, 50, was a devout Christian and expressed that by singing in his church choir.

Police initially said Scott was shot on April 4 during a tussle over Michael Slager's department-issued Taser. But witness video surfaced later, showing Scott being shot eight times as he ran away. Slager was fired and charged with murder.

The incident sparked outrage as another instance of a white law enforcement officer fatally shooting an unarmed black man under questionable circumstances.

A steady stream of people gathered Friday afternoon at a wake to pay their respects to Scott at a funeral home in downtown Charleston. Scott's open casket was adorned with a Dallas Cowboys sign and a miniature figure of a player.

A heart-shaped flower arrangement to the left of his casket during the wake read "Beloved Father" and a ribbon on the right read "St. Andrews Parish High School Class of 1984." Some visitors expressed how bewildered they were with the circumstances that led to him lying there.

Scott was driving a 1991 Mercedes that he bought from a neighbor and was headed to an auto parts store when he was stopped, his brother Rodney Scott said. Police said he had a broken taillight.

Video from the police car's dashboard camera shows Slager asking Scott for his license and registration, then heading back to his cruiser before Scott gets out of the car and runs.

Scott's relatives have said they suspect he fled Slager out of fear of being jailed again over missed child support payments.

At the time he was stopped, Scott, a father of four who worked as a warehouse forklift operator, owed more than $18,000 in child support and court fees, according to Charleston County records. He last paid child support in 2012 and a bench warrant for his arrest was issued in early 2013. Scott had been in jail three times since 2008.

"His mission was to avoid the police as much as possible," Rodney Scott said.

Rodney Scott said his brother would take long detours while driving to their parents' house because he thought there were more police patrolling the direct, 10-minute route from his home. He said Walter also tried to make sure any vehicle he drove had working headlights and taillights.

Those who knew him remember Scott as lighthearted and gentle. They describe a laid-back, fun-loving man who took his girlfriend dancing on weekends. Scott had been married twice, and proposed to his girlfriend Charlotte Jones about a week before he was killed.

Co-workers said Scott always seemed calm at work and would often stop to ask others how they were doing. He loved to talk about pro football, especially his favorite Dallas Cowboys, even in the spring, when the rest of the sports world had moved on to college basketball and March Madness.

Despite struggles to keep up with child support payments, Scott's relatives said he stayed close to his four children -- a 24-year-old daughter and three sons, ages 22, 20 and 16.

The Monson Town Hall and Police Department had to be relocated after devastation from the tornado of June 1, 2001

MONSON - Four years after a tornado swept through Monson, residents and officials gathered Saturday to dedicate the new Town Hall and Police Department complex that rose from the rubble.

Those who gathered for the formal dedication and open house ranged from members of the local boys and girls scout troops who raised the American Flag in front of the building to Bertha C. Samkin, 94, a lifetime town resident.

"This is beautiful," Samkin said. "It's fabulous. They did a wonderful job."

Edward Harrison, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said the tornado created a 39-mile swath of destruction across the region and beyond on June 1, 2011, including a path through the middle of downtown Monson. The destruction included severe damage to the old Town Hall and police station, with the police department moved into trailers and town offices to Hillside School pending the new building.

"The good thing was the response from state officials was immediate and persistent and long-lasting," Harrison said, praising the help from state and federal agencies and countless volunteers.

The new $10.3 million Town Hall-Police Department complex was afforded through $7 million in insurance money and more than $3 million in town taxpayer funds, Harrison said.

The ceremony was presented by the Board of Selectmen, Town Administrator Evan Brassard, Police Chief Stephen Kozloski, and members of the town Building Committee.

The speakers included state Rep. Brian Ashe, D-Longmeadow, and former state Sen. Stephen Brewer. Sen. Anne M. Gobi, D-Spencer, sent congratulations through an aide.

Ashe said there have been "a lot of milestones and stepping stones," in Monson ranging from new houses being built to a church steeple being replaced.

"So many things have pulled Monson together but I think with the new Town Hall and police station, this is really the cornerstone of the building," Ashe said. "It is synonymous with really rebuilding the town of Monson. It's a great centerpiece here."

He said the people of Monson remind him of the "mightiest of trees." In the stormiest of times and weather, the tree might bend or sway, but it never breaks, just as the spirit of the town.

Brewer said that like Monson, his hometown of Barre has been hit by disaster in the past, namely a Category 5 tornado almost 55 years ago and a fire in 1981 that destroyed the Town Hall. That Town Hall was rebuilt in 18 months.

"I knew that if it could be done in my hometown, 30 miles up the road from her, that it would be done right here in 01057, right here in Monson" Brewer said. He said he is proud of the many individuals and groups who rebuilt their homes, structures and lives since the tornado.

"You have built an edifice here for the next 100 years," Brewer said.

Operations began in the new building on Main Street in November, at the site of old building, and the dedication was delayed to allow further work and cleanup.

Harrison said Monson went by the slogan "Monson Strong" following the tornado, but he added the phrase "Monson Smart" on Saturday, citing the town's decision to construct a new, energy-efficient building rather than try to repair the old building. The town was aided by a $200,000 state grant for the energy measures.

Dan Burgess, acting commissioner of the state Department of Energy Resources, which provided the grant, attended the ceremony and congratulated residents and officials on the new building and recovery.

The youth is believed to have suffered minor injuries.

File photo / The Republican 

WARE - A 9-year-old boy is believed to have suffered minor injuries Saturday morning when his bicycle collided with a car at North and Pleasant streets, according to police.

The family chose to drive the boy to the hospital after the 9:10 a.m. accident, police said.

The driver of the 69-year-old local man, police said. The names of the driver and bicyclist were not released. The accident was under investigation by Officer Daniel Clark with further information not immediately available.

Police say the U.S. Capitol is on lockdown as a precaution after shots were fired in what appears to be an attempted suicide.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A precautionary lockdown of the U.S. Capitol has been lifted after shots were fired in an apparent suicide.

Capitol Police spokeswoman Kimberly Schneider says a man died after shooting himself on the west front of the Capitol building, which triggered a roughly two-hour lockdown.

No one else is hurt.

During the lockdown, no one was allowed to enter or exit the Capitol and the visitors' center on what was a busy day for tourists. Some streets around the complex also were closed during the lockdown, which came during Washington's popular annual Cherry Blossom Festival.

Congress has been on spring break for two weeks and lawmakers are set to return to work Monday.

The leaders of the United States and Cuba held their first formal meeting in more than half a century on Saturday.

PANAMA CITY (AP) -- The leaders of the United States and Cuba held their first formal meeting in more than half a century on Saturday, clearing the way for a normalization of relations that had seemed unthinkable to both Cubans and Americans for generations.

In a small conference room in a Panama City convention center, President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro sat side by side in a bid to inject fresh momentum into their months-old effort to restore diplomatic ties. Obama said he wanted to "turn the page" on old divisions, although he acknowledged that significant differences between the governments would remain.

"This is obviously a historic meeting," Obama said shortly after the two sat down. "It was my belief it was time to try something new, that it was important for us to engage more directly with the Cuban government."

"And more importantly, with Cuban people," the president added.

Castro told the U.S. president he was ready to discuss sensitive issues including human rights and freedom of the press, maintaining that "everything can be on the table." But he also cautioned that the two countries also have "agreed to disagree."

"We are willing to make progress in the way the president has described," Castro said.

The remarkable gathering played out on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas, which this year included Cuba for the first time. Although the meeting wasn't publicly announced in advance, White House aides had suggested the two leaders were looking for an opportunity to meet while in Panama and to discuss the ongoing efforts to open embassies in Havana and Washington, among other issues.

In brief remarks to reporters at the start of the meeting, Obama acknowledged that Cuba, too, would continue raising concerns about U.S. policies. Earlier in the day, Castro launched into an exhaustive history of perceived Cuban grievances against the U.S. in his speech to fellow leaders attending the summit.

Castro, for his part, said he agreed with everything Obama had said -- a stunning statement in and of itself for the Cuban leader.

"We are disposed to talk about everything -- with patience," Castro said in Spanish. "Some things we will agree with, and others we won't."

And nothing is static, he added, noting that disagreements today could turn into areas of agreement tomorrow.

Braving another chilly and windy April morning, about 1,500 runners in front of 500 walkers showed off their costumes and running skills for a good cause at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus Saturday morning.

AMHERST — Braving another chilly and windy April morning, about 1,500 runners in front of 500 walkers showed off their costumes and running skills for a good cause at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus Saturday morning.

The 6th-Annual UMass Dash and Dine 5K to benefit the Amherst Survival Center raised about $6,000, according to Garett DiStefano, director of resident dining.

The rapid scenic tour of the campus was preceded by a Fun Run for Children, music from a local radio station and free T-shirts.

UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy was on hand to wish the runners well as was 1977 university graduate, Massachusetts state Senate President Stan Rosenberg.

Families with children and dogs as well as serious runners moved over the course, with Nicolai Naranjo of Northampton setting a new record time of 15:42. Kathryn Cooney of Chelmsford was the first female finisher with a time of 18:58.

The university dining service sponsors the event, which has raised more than $20,000 in past five races. The Amherst Survival Center serves the community with hot meals, food distribution, a free medical clinic, a free store and various programs.

The video released by Cottonwood Police reveals how the confrontation unfolded on March 21 after officers were called about a Wal-Mart employee being shoved

COTTONWOOD, Ariz. -- Police in Arizona have released a dash cam video showing how a family who was brawling in a Wal-Mart parking lot suddenly turned on officers trying to break up the fight.

One officer was injured and one man was killed during the violent confrontation in which officers were tackled to the ground and put in choke-holds. Eight officers suffered minor injuries, including cuts and bruising. Another Wal-Mart employee who tried to help suffered a broken arm.

The video released by Cottonwood Police reveals how the confrontation unfolded March 21 after officers were called about a Wal-Mart employee being shoved. The family involved was living out of a Chevrolet Suburban SUV with Idaho license plates, police said.

The melee resulted in the non-fatal shooting of Sgt. Jeremy Daniels, who can be seen throughout the video being attacked and struggling for what appears to be his gun. Enoch Gaver, 21, was killed in the confrontation; 28-year-old David Gaver was shot in the abdomen but has since been released from the hospital and is being charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

The brawl broke out after police tried to separate the family members while they investigated the incident that took place inside the store. Several men punched and shoved the police officers, who used batons to fight back while yelling commands telling the suspects to get down. At one point, a suspect had an officer in a choke-hold on the ground as others around him threw punches.

Around two minutes in, several men tackle Daniels to the ground, holding him down as they punch and kick him. The officer is seen struggling with a suspect for what appears to be his gun before it goes off.

Daniels was shot in the leg during the confrontation. He crawled off to the side before another officer administered aid.

But the confrontation continued for another three minutes as one suspect refused to get on the ground after being repeatedly told to do so.

Police arrested 55-year-old Peter Gaver, 52-year-old Ruth Gaver, 27-year-old Nathan Gaver, and 29-year-old Jeramiah Gaver on different charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and hindering prosecution. Court documents show some of the defendants have been assigned attorneys, but they are not identified.

Two juveniles were also arrested but not identified.

The Department of Public Safety is investigating the incident. A spokesman said Friday the department will conclude its investigation in about a month.

Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen on Friday called the video of the incident the "most disgusting, sickening thing" he has ever seen.

A woman was "gang raped" on a crowded Florida beach last month while bystanders apparently did nothing to help her, the sheriff says.

Two college students from Alabama were arrested Friday in connection with the Panama City Beach attack on the 19-year-old woman, The Panama City News Herald reported. More arrests were expected, police said.

The woman appeared to be incapacitated during the attack by several men on a chair behind the Spinnaker Beach Club. a popular hangout for students on spring break. The incident went unreported even though hundreds of people were around to see it occur during daylight, police said.

Authorities didn't learn about the incident until, while investigating an unrelated shooting, Troy, Alabama, police came across a cellphone video of the attack, CNN reported. Troy police turned over the video to the Bay County Sheriff's Office.

Troy University students Ryan Calhoun, 23, and Delonte' Martistee, 22, were charged with sexual battery by multiple perpetrators in connection with the attack, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

The rape occurred sometime between March 10-12, authorities said.

The woman seen in the video was identified by authorities, who told them she didn't report this incident because she was possibly drugged and didn't recall it, AL.com said. Authorities said she was a visitor to Panama City.

"Within 10 feet from where this is happening there are hundreds, hundreds of people standing there watching, looking, seeing, hearing what is going on, and yet our culture and our society and our young people have got to the point where obviously this is acceptable somewhere, but I will tell you it is not acceptable in Bay County," McKeithen said.

McKeithen said he "will not back off" in seeking changes to better control criminal acts during spring break in Panama City Beach, AL.com said.

It was unclear Saturday whether the two suspects had attorneys, The Associated Press said.

The extensive exhibit, mostly by local artists, is held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Campus Center, hosted by Hands Across the Valley Quilters Guild.

AMHERST — Quilters and quilt lovers wait two years in between shows, but attendees to the15th-annual Hands All Around Quilt Show believe it is worth it.

The extensive exhibit, mostly by local artists, is held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Campus Center, hosted by Hands Across the Valley Quilters Guild. The show kicked off on Saturday and continues on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Most of the 300-plus quilts, ranging from traditional to ultra-modern, are created by the 140 members of the Hands Across the Valley Quilters Guild as well as some by the Northampton Modern Quilts Guild. The artwork demonstrates a range of skills and techniques.

There is also a display of quilts made by children.

Some quilts are for sale, including mini quilts. There are raffle baskets and rooms of vendors who cater to quilters.

Admission is $10 for adults, free for children 12 and under, and $5 for students and military.

SPRINGFIELD - The strobes where flashing and the music was pumping at the DREAM Studios Theater Group's Fashion Show held Saturday, April 11, 2015 at Springfield's Tower Square Function Hall. The event, a fund-raiser to send local teens to summer camp, featured the fashion show, boutiques and vendors. Fashions were supplied by Diane Evans and others from the New England...

SPRINGFIELD - The strobes where flashing and the music was pumping at the DREAM Studios Theater Group's Fashion Show held Saturday, April 11, 2015 at Springfield's Tower Square Function Hall.

The event, a fund-raiser to send local teens to summer camp, featured the fashion show, boutiques and vendors. Fashions were supplied by Diane Evans and others from the New England area.

Ben Smith with his Couture Fashion models hosted the event.

Delaney has been named National Student of the Year by Students Against Destructive Decisions, or SADD.

EASTHAMPTON -- An Easthampton High School senior has won national recognition for his work encouraging teens to stay away from drugs and alcohol, put cell phones away while driving, and to stand up to bullying and other forms of violence.

Bryan Delaney, president of the local branch of Students Against Destructive Decisions, has been named National Student of the Year by SADD, which has 7,500 chapters in middle schools, high schools and colleges across the country.

In his leadership role, he'll travel the country speaking to youth groups, help develop effective media campaigns, and play a key role planning next year's SADD national conference. He'll also speak at this year's national conference to be held in Nashville, Tennessee from June 28 to July 1.

"I found out a week ago," said Delany, "and I was pretty excited."

Delaney helped grow the Easthampton SADD chapter from four students his freshman year to the current roster of 45, and was one of four students to spearhead a successful effort to do away with the school's "smoker's corner," which was located off-campus in the city-owned Nonotuck Park.

Delaney and his peers Paige Czarnick, Emily Dyer, and Jacob LaPrade, under the direction of teacher Nancy Dunn, worked hard to lobby the city's Board of Health. The board a year ago passed comprehensive tobacco regulations which banned smoking in public parks, putting an end to the informal nicotine club.

The local SADD club also produces substance-free events for students and their families, including an outdoor country music concert last summer.

Asked if his efforts are resented by students who smoke, drink, or do drugs, Delaney said no.

"I have a strong working relationship with everyone," he said. "I treat every group equally. I'm friends with druggies, artists, and athletes. Everyone's welcome at SADD; we need well-rounded perspectives; it's a collaborative effort. In fact, we have SADD members who have struggled with negative behaviors."

In February Delaney spoke at the 25th National Leadership Forum of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, or CADCA, America's largest training conference for substance abuse prevention professionals, coalition leaders, and prevention and addiction researchers.

Things are looking up for Delaney on the college front, as well. He has been granted a full scholarship to attend Ithaca College, where he plans to major in Communication Management and Design.

Delaney said the Easthampton SADD chapter hopes next to next tackle the issue of electronic cigarettes, which he said are poorly regulated, potentially dangerous, and being marketed to youth. Attorney General Maura Healy has proposed prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to minors.

Another focus will be marijuana, said Delaney, which he called a "gateway drug" for alcohol abuse and more serious drugs.

"The idea is to promote making the right choices -- to follow the no-use lifestyle and learn how to be a positive role model for your peers," said Delaney. "You don't have to drink or do drugs in order to be popular."

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

The winners will go on to the Voyages Council Derby at Stanley Park in Westfield on May 30.

SPRINGFIELD — About 200 boys ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade showed their construction and artistic skills in the annual General Knox Pinewood Derby held at the Easfield Mall Sunday.

The event, which is run by the Boy Scouts of America, has been around since the 1950s, and features cars built, painted and decorated by Cub Scouts.

"I remember doing this when I was a kid, I know how much it means to them and it's a fun opportunity to give back," said Eagle Scout Chris Dowd who organized the event.

Members from Springfield's Troop 32 volunteered to weigh and inspect the cars, keep score and assist the younger Cub Scouts with the process. The cars must be constructed by the scout and cannot weigh more than 5 oz.

Fritz Schmidt, committee chair of the event, said this derby is for boys throughout Hampden County. The winners will go on to the larger derby to be held at Stanley Park in Westfield on May 30.