The state budgeted $1 million when it launched its witness protection program in 2007. Since that time, funding has plummeted at last year it was at $94,245.

She had no idea that her family's life was about to change in such a dramatic way.

A family friend confessed his role in a grisly murder to a 14-year old Roxbury girl on Valentine's Day in 2006. And it was this confession that changed the life of this teen and her family forever, the Boston Herald reported Monday.

After agreeing to testify, the girl and her family were enrolled in the state's new witness protection. Initially, the girl's mother knew nothing about the confession, so when police started calling her at home, she assumed it was a mistake.

"I got these calls from detectives and I dismissed them," the mother told the Herald last week. "I assumed they had a wrong number."

It was not until police arrived at her door that the mother learned that the murderer had confessed his crime to the girl while they were parked at a Walgreens at Egleston Square in Boston.

"Fear. Shock. A lot of confusion," the mother recalled feeling that first day. "She didn't come to me. I had to find out from detectives. It's not an easy thing to talk about for a 14-year-old. The day he confessed to her ... he asked her to meet him at a baseball field that night. That's kind of what scared everybody. ... She got scared and didn't show."

"I wouldn't change that," she said. "It hurt her. She felt like she was the cause of it all, in terms of the family being separated. What she did was the right thing. As much as it divided us, it brought us together. I always tried to teach them right from wrong. If it was my son (who was murdered), I would want someone to speak out."

As a result of the girl's willingness to testify, her entire family was moved to a hotel room courtesy of the witness protection program. The mother had to quit her job, the girl and her brothers and sisters all enrolled in new schools.

"There was no time to pack," the mother told the Herald. "I ended up leaving the job I had. I couldn't' give them notice or tell them why I was leaving. They told us not to pack. They would put everything into storage."

This family's story is just one part of a package that the Herald published Monday on how budget cuts have affected the witness protection program.

The state spent $45,943 for housing, food an living expanses for this family for one year, court documents show.

But another story in the Herald's series revealed that prosecutors in Suffolk County had just $2,100 on average to spend on cases involving more than 130 witnesses last year.

"It's bare-bones," said Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley told the Herald. "We're not going to put somebody in harm's way. We're not going to say no to somebody who we believe" is in danger. But "that doesn't mean it's not fair or appropriate to fund this to the right level just because we can kind of cobble things together with chewing gum and baling wire. That's only going to last so long."

According to the report, about 1,110 witnesses and family members have gone through the program since 2007. That year, the program had a $1 million budget. In the last five years however, only $94,245 was budgeted each year.

Gov. Charlie Baker has proposed increasing the budget to $113,000 next year. But some officials think the budget should be at least $250,000.

Unsolved murders have affected many people in Massachusetts, and, according to another Herald story, a group of women who have lost loved ones are lobbying the Legislature for more funding for the program.

"As long as these crimes are happening and witnesses are not coming forth, these killers out there are going to feel like, 'This is easy. We can do this. We can get away with it,'" Teresa Martins, 42, of Dorchester, whose brother David was fatally shot in 2010 in a case that has yet to be cracked, told the newspaper.

Another part of the series shows how much Denver and Philadelphia are spending on their witness protection programs: roughly $7,500 per case in Denver and $9,100 in Philadelphia to Boston's $2,134.

In answer to one parent, who expressed concerns about the suitability of the Uniroyal site due to possible contaminants there, Gagliarducci said the former manufacturing property in Chicopee "does not come out well on the checklist." Watch video

Update: This story was updated after the meeting, which concluded at 8:30 p.m.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — During the Springfield diocese's first meeting with parents of children affected by the planned merger of Cathedral and Holyoke Catholic high schools, Bishop Mitchell Rozanski, who opened with a prayer, identified three potential sites for the new regional school, saying that the ultimate decision would be about "what's best for the family."

The three sites are: Springfield's Surrey Road site, home to Cathedral High School before it was struck by a tornado, the former Uniroyal site in Chicopee, and the portion of the Dominican Monastery of the Mother of God property facing Brush Hill Avenue in West Springfield.

Almost 600 people packed the gymnasium at St. Thomas the Apostle School in West Springfield as Bishop Rozanski and Paul Gagliarducci, point man for the diocese on the review, asked members of the audience for patience as the diocese continues its options for a site, saying that it was important "to get it right."

Gagliarducci said the diocesan review group hopes to have a decision by June on the site for the new school, which he said remains the most pressing issue.

Following a PowerPoint presentation by Gagliarducci outlining goals of sustainability and affordability for the long-term, parents attending were given the chance to ask questions.

In answer to one parent, who expressed concerns about the suitability of the Uniroyal site due to possible contaminants there, Gagliarducci said the former manufacturing property in Chicopee "does not come out well on the checklist."

Gagliarducci acknowledged that emotions run deep among both parents and alumni from Cathedral and Holyoke Catholic and urged parents to send emails to the diocese expressing their views.

One parent, who identified herself as a Cathedral graduate who has a student at Holyoke Catholic, urged the diocese to choose a neutral site, to loud applause from the audience.

Applause also greeted parents who said they just wanted a new school as soon as possible, no matter where it is located.

Gagliarducci said the diocese has identified 16 students – eight from each school – to serve as a sounding board for the diocese, adding that they student committee will continue to operate throughout the process.

Gagliarducci said that interested parties seem to be divided into three groups: those who want the school to be built on Surrey Road and nowhere else, those who want it built anywhere other than Surrey Road, and those who just want it built.

A final decision on the location of the new school projected to open in fall 2017 is expected by the end of the school year.

Demolition continues at the former Cathedral High School site on Surrey Road in Springfield.The Republican photo by / Mark M. Murray 

Gagliarducci will work with the diocese to name a board that will help draw up a plan for the new school. He will serve as chairman of the new Catholic School Education Initiative board.

The Dominican monastery on Route 5, West Springfield.The Republican photo by / Mark M. Murray  

The former Uniroyal site in Chicopee.The Republican photo by / Mark M. Murray  

In the meantime students at Cathedral and Holyoke Catholic will stay in their current locations – Cathedral students at the Memorial Elementary School in Wilbraham and Holyoke Catholic students at the former Assumption Elementary School in Chicopee.

By the the fall of 2016, the student bodies of the two schools will be considered merged, but will operate at two separate campuses – the current Cathedral in Wilbraham and the current Holyoke Catholic in Chicopee.

Gagliarducci said merging the two schools in a different building while a new school is built, would cause needless confusion. "The kids could wind up going to three different schools by the time they graduate," he said,

Cathedral students were located to the Wilbraham school following the June 1, 2011 tornado that severely damaged its Surrey Road building.

This year's graduating seniors will be the first Cathedral students to have spent all four years in the Wilbraham location.

Cathedral's Surrey Road building has been a landmark in the East Forest Park neighborhood for the last five decades. Before it opened in 1959, Cathedral was located in several buildings adjacent to the diocesan office on Elliot Street.

Holyoke Catholic High School, which operated in downtown Holyoke for decades, was forced to move in 2002 when its building was declared unsafe. The school operated in a temporary location at the former St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby for four years before moving into the former Assumption School on Springfield Street in Chicopee, not far from Elms College in 2006.

St. Michael's Academy, which was also hit by the tornado, has been operating out of a building on Eddywood Street adjacent to Holy Cross Church.

Gagliarducci, a longtime educator in public school systems, is the former superintendent of the Hampden-Wilbraham school district where he oversaw the construction of the new Minnechaug High School.

Gagliarducci spent 14 years as superintendent of schools for Somers, Conn., where he also helped plan and oversee the building of the educational complex which included the renovation of a high school to an elementary school and construction of a new high school. He joined the Hampden-Wilbraham system in 2001.

Gagliarducci, a parishioner at St. Mary's Church in Hampden, came forward earlier this year to offer the diocese his expertise when the diocese was reviewing its options.

The diocese has hired Partners in Mission, a Westwood-based consulting firm focused exclusively on developing excellence in Catholic school advancement and leadership.

According to its website, Partners in Mission has dozens of clients – mostly Catholic institutions, in 30 states. The firm specializes in advanced program assessments, volunteer leadership, enrollment management, capital campaign management, major gift solicitation and leadership training, among other services.

Colebrook Realty Services is also working with the diocese as it considers possible sites for the new school.

Enrollment at Cathedral High School is about 200and tuition is $9,300 a year.

Holyoke Catholic's enrollment stands at 251 and tuition is $8,500 a year.

Both schools draw students from throughout the Pioneer Valley, Gagliarducci said.

When Bishop Rozanski announced in February the planned merger of the two schools, he said he believed there was enough insurance money with the $29 million aid from the Federal Emergency Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds to build the school.

As to the tuition, he said, "The key to a Catholic education today is to have a solid endowment."

Springfield police were investigating a shooting early Monday evening on Alden Street in the Old Hill neighborhood that injured two people, according to police reports.

SPRINGFIELD — Police were investigating a shooting early Monday evening on Alden Street, a mere two lots away from the Spring of Hope Church of God, that injured two people in the city's Old Hill neighborhood.

The gunfire happened at about 6:05 p.m. in the area of 47 Alden St., located between Hancock Street and Eastern Avenue. Several police units were on scene investigating, and dozens of residents gathered to watch as officers closed the block to traffic.

Initial police reports indicated there were two gunshot victims, both of whom were taken by ambulance to local hospitals for treatment. Updates on their conditions were not available.

The city's ShotSpotter system detected 10 rounds of gunfire, at least one of which struck a gas meter at 53 Alden St., triggering a gas leak. Firefighters were called to the scene as a precaution, and a gas company employee responded to replace the damaged meter with a new device.

Springfield College police blocked Alden Street at Eastern Avenue, while multiple Springfield police cruisers – both marked and unmarked vehicles – filled Alden Street and blocked traffic at Hancock Street.

A gray car was seen fleeing the shooting scene, according to initial witness descriptions, which varied by make and model.

A crowd of people filled the sidewalk across from Spring of Hope. The pastor of the church is Bishop Talbert Swan II, the president of the Springfield Chapter of the NAACP.

Harry Valentin and Victor Rodriguez were sentenced to 8 to 10 years in state prison after admitting shooting at Punta Cana Bar & Restaurant in Springfield on June 30, 2013.

SPRINGFIELD - Two Springfield men were sentenced to 8 to 10 years in state prison after admitting shooting at the Punta Cana Bar & Restaurant in Springfield on June 30, 2013.

The shootings did not injure anyone, just a car, a sign and a window.

Hampden Superior Court Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder sentenced each man to two years probation after the prison sentences.

Pleading guilty to multiple charges were Harry Valentin, 38, and Victor Rodriguez, 38.

Mark L. Hare, a lawyer for Valentin, told Kinder, "Everything that happened that night was alcohol fueled."

When the incident happened police said as many as a dozen shots were fired at the 137 Chestnut St. restaurant at about 11:30 p.m.

Assistant District Attorney Eduardo Velazquez said Valentin was in the bar and was escorted out for bothering female patrons. He came back outside with Rodriguez and the two men began shooting at the club from outside.

A surveillance camera captured the scene and the men were recognizable, Velazquez said.

Police found the car in which they fled in the rear of 471 State St. with a magazine for ammunition inside.

A police canine followed a scent to the area of the Dogg Shop Music Stop, 463 State St.

A detective then saw Valentin leave the back of the store.

Valentin reached into his pants for a gun and handed it over to Rodriguez.

When officers got a warrant for the store they found cocaine and three handguns, Velazquez said. Two of the guns were connected to the shooting at Punta Cana, he said.

Valentin pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking, assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, two counts of destruction of property over $250 and three counts of illegal possession of a firearm.

Rodriguez pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, two counts of destruction of property over $250 and three counts of illegal possession of a firearm.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell just under 81 points to close at 17,977.

By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK -- Investors sent stocks slightly lower Monday ahead of a busy week for company earnings.

With little news to move the market either way, major indexes spent the day wavering between slim gains and losses. Stocks started higher in the morning, turned lower shortly after midday, then drifted downward until the closing bell.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 80.61 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 17,977.04. The Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped 9.63 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,092.43. The Nasdaq lost 7.73 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,988.25.

JetBlue Airways surged after the airline reported a 9 percent increase in passengers last month compared with the same period a year ago. The company's stock gained 80 cents, or 4 percent, to $19.85.

JPMorgan Chase, Johnson & Johnson, and Wells Fargo are among the big names turning in quarterly results Tuesday as earnings season gets underway. Investors are braced for bad news, a result of the stronger dollar and low oil prices squeezing revenues. Analysts forecast that first-quarter earnings shrank 3 percent compared with the same quarter of last year, according to S&P Capital IQ. If that winds up happening, it would be the first drop in quarterly profits since 2009.

Brad McMillan, chief investment officer for Commonwealth Financial Network, said those numbers shouldn't raise too many worries. "Usually when earnings go down it means the economy is going in the tank, because most earnings come from domestic sales," he said. "This time is different. The big hit to earnings is from energy companies just getting hammered by oil prices. And a big chunk of the rest is from the stronger dollar."

Major stock markets in Europe were mixed. Germany's DAX sank 0.3 percent, while France's CAC 40 rose 0.3 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.4 percent.

Markets in China jumped on expectations that Beijing will launch additional support for the world's second-largest economy. Imports fell 12 percent in March from a year earlier and exports declined 15 percent. That added to signs that economic growth in the first three months of the year, due to be reported Wednesday, might decline further from 7 percent the previous quarter.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 2.7 percent, closing at its highest level since December 2007. The Shanghai Composite Index climbed 2.1 percent, hitting its highest level since March 2008. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 closed nearly unchanged.

Back in the U.S., Builders FirstSource said it's buying ProBuild, a supplier of building materials, for roughly $1.6 billion, aiming to expand its geographic reach. The deal is expected to close in the second half of the year. Builders FirstSource soared $4.67, or 68 percent, to $11.57.

Two gold mining companies, Alamos Gold and AuRico Gold, announced a plan to merge on Monday in a deal worth $1.5 billion. It's the latest merger between gold miners attempting to cut costs in the face of slumping prices for precious metals. Alamos Gold jumped 39 cents, or 6 percent, to $6.28. The price of gold has lost a third of its value since late 2012, when it traded as high as $1,780 an ounce.

Gold and other precious metals fell slightly in Monday trading. Gold lost $5.30 to settle at $1,199.30 an ounce, while silver slid 9 cents to $16.29. Copper lost 2 cents to $2.72.

Prices for U.S. government bonds crept up, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 1.93 percent.

In the market for oil and gas, benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 27 cents to close at $51.91 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for many oils imported by U.S. refineries, gained 6 cents to $57.93 a barrel.

In other trading on the NYMEX:

1. Wholesale gasoline fell less than a cent to $1.805 a gallon
2. Heating oil gained 1.7 cents to $1.783 a gallon
3. Natural gas was unchanged at $2.511 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The sun had been shining and the mood optimistic, until another driver shot across an opposing lane into theirs around 10 a.m. that day and caused a multi-car pile-up, according to Florida police.

AGAWAM - They met at a singles dance nearly 20 years ago. Richard Brunelle's friend prodded him to attend.

Dress nice, the friend advised. You might meet a nice girl.

A woman did catch Brunelle's eye that night. Catalina "Cathy" Visalden had recently moved to the area from Puerto Rico to take a teaching job. Her English was not well-honed at that point.

"She just knew 'hi' and 'bye.'," Brunelle, 56, said during a recent interview. "But she said through a friend that she wouldn't mind if I got to know her; that's all I needed to hear."

Brunelle, developmentally disabled from birth, and the schoolteacher dated and eventually got married in 1998. The lived in a house on Virginia Street in Springfield. Brunelle worked as a janitor at the Hampden County Hall of Justice. They traveled - on cruises, to Caribbean islands and to visit Visalden-Brunelle's family in San Juan.

Brunelle's family was slightly bemused by the coupling. Catalina was educated. Richard needed close management and never earned his driver's license. But, they were comforted by the bond the two shared.

"I think she brought a lot to his life," Brunelle's sister, Adele McCarthy said. "They were a good match."

The couple had retired to Florida over the winter. Brunelle left his job at the courthouse after 17 years. However, no more than a month later, he returned on a flight home, alone. He was physically injured and heartsick. Catalina had been killed in a car accident when she, Brunelle, another friend from Springfield and the friend's son were on their way to Disney World on March 11.

The sun had been shining and the mood optimistic, until another driver shot across an opposing lane into theirs around 10 a.m. that day and caused a multi-car pile-up, according to Florida police.

Brunelle, recently transferred to a nursing home for rehabilitation in Agawam, suffered a broken back and fractured ribs. He says he recalls not being able to feel one of his legs after the impact. His wife was flung from the back seat to the front passenger seat.

"She said her back hurt. When I woke up later in the hospital, the surgeon told me he couldn't save my wife. My wife died," Brunelle said.

He fights back tears. Sometimes he succeeds. At times he doesn't. Luckily, he is surrounded by his family: McCarthy, younger brother Michael Brunelle, his wife Judy and their daughter Stephanie.

Richard Brunelle spent weeks in a Florida hospital and rehabilitation facility, then flew back on April 7 so his siblings and extended family could watch over him closer to home. He currently gets around with the help of a walker and his injuries are expected to heal.

He misses the pretty home in Kissimmee his wife bought for the two of them, though. He describes with admiration the furniture and accessories she slowly amassed. Catalina had wanted to get away from the cold, while he was used to five decades of shoveling snow. But after officially retiring on Jan. 31, Brunelle quickly got used to his morning perch on the patio, coffee in hand, sun on his back.

The crash changed everything. Now, the family is grappling with $158,000 in hospital bills coupled with uncertainly over how much Brunelle's insurance will cover. Plus the nursing home fees. Plus the mortgage in Florida.

Richard Brunelle insists he wants to go back to the couple's Florida home, but Michael said it is more likely his brother will go back to work at the courthouse. The family has petitioned the state retirement board to rescind Brunelle's early retirement.

"I want to get Richard independent," Michael Brunelle said, adding that his brother and Catalina lived modestly but neither planned for disaster. "They were a team. And now that Cathy's gone, it can't be the same. She was his sole caregiver."

McCarthy said her brother will live with her in the interim, while the family sorts out the details and Richard Brunelle's future.

In the meantime, friends in Florida launched a fund-raiser through a crowdfunding" website called "GiveForward," which raised more than $8,000 by early Monday evening. McCarthy said others have offered private donations, but the road to make Brunelle financially whole and potentially independent will be long.

Prospective donors can search the Richard Brunelle Recovery Fund on the site.

Because of his own injuries, Brunelle was unable to attend his wife's memorial service in Florida. He has yet to honor her in his way. The family intends to organize a memorial service at St. Anthony's Church on Island Pond Road in Springfield when Richard is well enough to attend.

Of the house in Florida, McCarthy said they visited for the first time when she and her brother flew down south immediately after the accident.

"It looked like a house where someone left, and expected to be back just a little later that day. Richard even said to me: 'we were supposed to come home, but we didn't.'"

Electricity customers, particularly those in Western Massachusetts, were being hit with high retroactive bills when they switched electricity suppliers.

BOSTON - The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has eliminated a controversial rule that required utilities to retroactively recalculate the bills of customers who switch electricity suppliers, effective immediately.

"The Department eliminates the basic service bill provision, effective as of the date of this Order," DPU officials wrote in an order released Monday. "Electric distribution companies shall not recalculate customer bills for customers who switch from basic service to competitive supply service."

The bill recalculation rule was created in 2000 as part of a move to allow competition among electricity suppliers. With high energy prices and a cold winter this year, it began having a significant impact on customers, particularly those in Western Massachusetts, causing an outcry among some customers and state lawmakers.

"My colleagues and I who were involved from the beginning are very pleased to hear this news," said State Sen. Don Humason, R-Westfield, who organized a group of Western Massachusetts lawmakers to ask the DPU to repeal the regulation.

Humason said he got involved in the issue after hearing complaints from constituents. "It's proof that a small group of people can do a good thing by calling it to the attention of the administration and the department and the attorney general's office," Humason said.

The issue stemmed from a situation in which the utilities provide basic electricity service to residential customers and small businesses, generally at a fixed rate for six months. This lets utilities average out the winter months that have high energy costs and the summer months that have low energy costs.

But if someone switched to another supplier in the middle of the rate period, their earlier bills were recalculated to reflect the actual cost of energy for the months they received basic service. The goal of the rule was to prevent customers from constantly switching from basic service to competitive suppliers, depending on whether energy costs were high or low that month. Some western Massachusetts customers were seeing average retroactive bills as high as $144 in March.

In December, the DPU wrote that it was considering eliminating the "bill recalculation" rule as part of a broader initiative to improve regulation of electricity suppliers. DPU Chairman Angie O'Connor said last month that the department would expedite its consideration of the rule due to the public concern.

According to the order, the DPU will track the effects of eliminating the rule to determine whether customers end up gaming the system and to see if any additional action is needed.

Attorney General Maura Healey said she is happy with the DPU's decision and with the creation of of a tracking mechanism.

"I applaud DPU's decision to eliminate the utility recalculation requirement, which has led to unexpected increases in electricity bills for individuals and small businesses this winter," Healey said in a statement. "I am pleased that the DPU has also agreed to track the results of this change to help ensure that all customers are treated fairly in this process. On behalf of ratepayers across the state, our office will continue to work to mitigate rate hikes in Massachusetts, push for transparency and make sure consumers are educated about energy costs."

The utility companies were split on whether to eliminate bill recalculation. Eversource wanted to eliminate the rule; National Grid favored keeping it.

"This is good news and we're pleased at the Department of Public Utilities' decision to immediately eliminate the bill recalculation provision," said Priscilla Ress, an Eversource spokeswoman. "We've been clear about our support for this change and feel it will help eliminate confusion for customers who choose to switch to a competitive supplier."

Rejecting pleas for mercy, a federal judge on Monday sentenced former Blackwater security guard Nicholas Slatten to life in prison and three others to 30-year terms for their roles in a 2007 shooting that killed 14 Iraqi civilians and wounded 17 others.

WASHINGTON -- Rejecting pleas for mercy, a federal judge on Monday sentenced former Blackwater security guard Nicholas Slatten to life in prison and three others to 30-year terms for their roles in a 2007 shooting that killed 14 Iraqi civilians and wounded 17 others.

The carnage in Baghdad's Nisoor Square, a crowded traffic circle, caused an international uproar over the use of private security guards in a war zone and remains one of the low points of the war in Iraq.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth sentenced Slatten, who witnesses said was the first to fire shots in the melee, to life on a charge of first-degree murder. The three other guards -- Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard -- were each sentenced to 30 years and one day in prison for charges that included manslaughter, attempted manslaughter and using firearms while committing a felony.

Lawyers for the men said they planned to appeal.

In their first public statements since the shooting, the former contractors -- appearing in leg shackles and prison garb -- insisted they are innocent.

"I cannot say in all honesty to the court that I did anything wrong," Heard told the judge.

"I feel utterly betrayed by the same government I served honorably," Slough said.

But Lamberth said he fully agreed with the jury's guilty verdicts last October and praised the Justice Department and the FBI for investigating the shooting and putting the truth "out there for the world to see."

"The overall wild thing that went on here just cannot ever be condoned by the court," Lamberth said.

Lamberth announced the sentences after a daylong hearing at which defense lawyers had argued for leniency and presented character witnesses for their clients. At the same time, prosecutors asked that those sentences -- the minimums mandatory under the law -- be made even harsher. He rejected both requests.

Nearly 100 friends and relatives packed the courtroom to show support for the men, with many openly weeping throughout the proceedings. Several came to the podium, some choking back tears, to speak glowingly of the men they knew as role models and patriots who only wanted to help serve their country.

Lamberth appeared moved by the outpouring of support, saying it was clear to him that "these fine young men just panicked."

Prosecutors described the shooting as an unprovoked ambush of civilians and said the men haven't shown remorse or taken responsibility. Defense lawyers countered that the men were targeted with gunfire and shot back in self-defense.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Martin urged the court to consider the gravity of the crime as well as the sheer number of dead and wounded and "count every victim."

"These four men have refused to accept virtually any responsibility for their crimes and the blood they shed that day," Martin said.

Video monitors in the courtroom showed photos of the dead and wounded, as well as images of cars that were riddled with bullets or blown up with grenade launchers fired by the Blackwater guards.

The defense argued for mercy, saying decades-long sentences would be unconstitutionally harsh for men who operated in a stressful, war-torn environment and who have proud military careers and close family ties. They also argued the guards were using weapons that had been issued by the U.S. State Department for their protection.

"The punishment should be within the limits of civilized standards," defense attorney David Schertler said.

But Lamberth said he would not deviate from the mandatory minimum sentences, noting that similarly stiff penalties have been applied to police officers who commit crimes while carrying automatic weapons as part of their jobs.

Mohammad Kinani Al-Razzaq spoke in halting English about the death of his 9-year-old son as a picture of the smiling boy, Ali Mohammed Hafedh Abdul Razzaq, was shown on courtroom monitors. He demanded the court show Blackwater "what the law is" and claimed many American soldiers died "because of what Blackwater did."

"What's the difference between these criminals and terrorists?" Razzaq said.

In a statement, the U.S. Attorney's office said the case shows "that the FBI will investigate violations of U.S. law no matter where they occur in order to bring justice to innocent victims."

Slatten, 31, is from Sparta, Tennessee; Slough, 35, from Keller, Texas; Liberty, 32, from Rochester, New Hampshire; and Heard, 33, from Maryville, Tennessee.

The sentencing was unlikely to bring an end to the legal wrangling, which began even before the guards were first charged in 2008. A judge later dismissed the case before trial, but a federal appeals court revived it and the guards were indicted again in October 2013.

Even before the trial began, defense lawyers had identified multiple issues as likely forming the basis of an appeal, including whether there was proper legal jurisdiction to charge the defendants in the first place.

The law under which they were charged, the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, covers the overseas crimes of Defense Department civilian employees, military contractors and others who are supporting the American war mission. But defense lawyers note that the Blackwater defendants worked as State Department contractors and were in Iraq to provide diplomatic, not military, services.

Crediting strong support from the local business community, political newcomer William P. Cooper III was a surprise winner in Monday's town election, earning a seat on the five-person board of selectmen, while incumbent selectman Greg Harder lost

WARE - Crediting strong support from the local business community, newcomer William P. Cooper III was a surprise winner in Monday's annual town election, earning a seat on the five-person board of selectmen, while incumbent selectman Greg Harder lost.

Nancy J. Talbot was victorious as well in the four-person field for the two offices up for grabs.

Former selectman, Catherine R. Buelow-Cascio, seeking to return to the board, was also defeated.

The unofficial vote tally showed: Cooper with 383; Talbot, 367; Buelow-Cascio, 324; and Harder at 313.

In an interview Cooper said, "it was the people who were with me" that carried the day. He also thanked members of the Ware Business and Civic Association for supporting his candidacy.

"Thank you to the voters of Ware," Talbot said.

Incumbent selectman Greg Harder was defeated in his bid for reelection Jim Russell photo 

Kelly Slattery was elected to an open seat on the school board with 488 votes.

There was no one on the ballot for the other school committee seat.

Julie Slattery received 72 write-in votes to win that seat. Danielle Souza, the incumbent, received 44 write-ins.

Incumbent Planning Board member Fred Urban did not return nomination papers, but was reelected, with 59 write-in votes.

Some 768 residents went to the polls out of 5,938 registered voters.

Parents of students attending Cathedral and Holyoke high schools will be briefed for the first time tonight about plans for a new regional high school – including potential sites for the new school &#8211 during a 7 p.m. meeting at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD — Parents of students attending Cathedral and Holyoke high schools will be briefed for the first time tonight about plans for a new regional high school – including potential sites for the new school – during a 7 p.m. meeting at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Springfield.

Parents of students at St. Michael's Academy, a diocesan elementary school in Springfield that is a feeder high school for Catholic secondary schools, will also be at the meeting about the new regional Catholic High School that will be created by the merger of Cathedral and Holyoke Catholic students.

Although the final site will not be announced during the meeting, "there will be a full reporting regarding sites under review, as well as other organizational steps," the diocese said in a press release issued last week.

Cathedral's pre-tornado location on Surrey Road is one of the sites under consideration. Other sites suggested include the property behind the Dominican monastery in West Springfield on Route 5 and the former Uniroyal manufacturing plant site in Chicopee.

Meanwhile, backers of the 260 Surrey Road site in the East Forest Park neighborhood where Cathedral stood for 50 years until the June 1, 2011 tornado severely destroyed the building, continue to push for that location.

Last week a roster of well-known sport figures who graduated from Cathedral – including Football Hall of Famer and former Miami Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti – went to bat for the Surrey Road site.

Citing Cathedral's storied legacy of athletics and academics the group said the Surrey site was the most logical and fitting location for a new high school. Besides Buoniconti among the alumni signing the statement were: Derek Kellogg, head men's basketball coach; Chris Capuano, New York Yankees pitcher; Paul Fenton, assistant general manager for the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators; P.J. Fenton, professional hockey player; Gene Ryzewicz, John Lahovich award winner; Kevin Kennedy, the city's chief development officer and former Cathedral boys' basketball coach; and Sister Joyce Wise, SSJ, daughter of Cathedral coach Billy Wise.

Last Wednesday, the Committee for Cathedral Action, the grassroots group supporting the Surrey Road site, held a town meeting where several speakers expressed frustrations about the continued and lengthy uncertainty about a new school's future.

Others including Christopher Merrill, the admissions director from a Marist Brothers-run Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, and Dr. Paul Hetzel of Springfield, a graduate of high-achieving St. Benedict's Catholic boy's preparatory school in Newark N.J., said both schools flourish with strong financial support from alumni and strong professional fund-raising.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield announced merger plans of the two high schools in February following a two-day retreat in January to consider all options available. The diocese has expressed concerns about enrollment and financial sustainability of a new high school. The success of an endowment campaign to held defray the cost of tuition at the school is considered a key component to the project going forward.

The Cathedral students were relocated to the former Memorial School in Wilbraham after the tornado. Holyoke Catholic students attend classes at the former Assumption Elementary School in Chicopee.

With the help of U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, the diocese has secured $29 million federal disaster aid to help rebuilding the school.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates that its share of the cost of rebuilding a school will be about $29.8 million, or about 75 percent of the cost. The remaining 25 percent would be paid by the "responsible entity" - in this case the diocese, according to FEMA spokesman Dennis Pinkham.

No FEMA money will be disbursed until a final project proposal is submitted to the agency, according to an official of the agency. And even then, it will be disbursed in installments as the project proceeds, Pinkham said.

Pinkham said the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is the agency that will ultimately deal with the disbursement of funds once a project plan is submitted and agreed upon.

The ball is in the diocese's court now, Pinkham said earlier this year. "The next step would be for them to determine the scope of the project. "It's up to them to outline any changes or alternatives to it," he said.

The merger got regulatory approval Tuesday.

This story follows and expands upon: Hampden Bank acquired by Berkshire Bank for $109M

SPRINGFIELD — The parent company of Pittsfield-based Berkshire Bank has all the necessary regulatory approvals to move forward with its purchase of Springfield's Hampden Bank.

Both banks announced the approvals Tuesday in a joint statement.

They'd announced the deal in November following a Hampden Bank shareholders meeting where Hampden Bank management was expected to face another challenge from dissident shareholders – led by a Texas-based hedge fund – dissatisfied with that bank's growth and profitability.

With the merger looming, here are answers to key questions:

Q: Will any Hampden Bank offices close?

A: Yes, said Ali O'Rourke, senior vice president of investor relations at Berkshire Bank. The Hampden Bank branches at 977 Boston Road in Springfield, which opened in 2011, at 475 Longmeadow St. in Longmeadow and in Downtown Springfield's Tower Square will close on Friday, June 19.

Those locations were deemed redundant.

Q: What about Hampden Bank's headquarters on Hampden Street and Berkshire Bank's regional headquarters in The Colvest Group building, 1259 East Columbus Ave, Springfield?

A: Both those will stay, said Sean Gray, executive vice president of retail banking at Berkshire Bank.

"We see a great value to being in downtown Springfield," he said. "Those functions will stay in those offices."

Q: What about the Hampden Bank employees?

A: Gray said about 85 percent of the 180 Hampden Bank employees either have been offered jobs with post-merger Berkshire Bank or will be offered soon. Only one employee from a branch that will be closed has yet to be placed and Gray expects that employee to get placed soon.

Q: Will Hampden Bank customers need new account numbers? Will the features of their accounts change?

A: Maybe, Gray said. A few account numbers will change and customers can expect a letter explaining that process. Most of the popular accounts and features will continue or be folded into existing Hampden Bank offerings.

"Our product offering is just a little bit deeper than Hampden Bank's," Gray said.

But don't expect every account style to survive. That would make the menu of offerings too unwieldy.

"At the end of the day, customers want a very clear and concise representation of what is available to them," he said.

Q: What is the timeline moving forward?

A: The merger is anticipated to close on or about Friday, April 17. All the signs and branding will change in June.

Q: Isn't there a lawsuit that could derail the merger?

A: Yes, and it is still pending, O'Rourke said. She couldn't discuss it further because it is pending litigation.

But here is some background:

In January, a group of shareholders headed by Brian Levy sued to block the merger, saying Glenn S. Welch, president chief executive officer of Hampden Bank, is acting out of his own best interest and that Hampden would be better off on its own.

The shareholders in the lawsuit are a different group than the shareholders who pushed for the merger.

Welch will receive $350,000 base salary, a 34 percent increase over his salary at Hampden, according to court papers.

Q: Do you have any background facts on the two companies?

A: Yes! here you go:

Berkshire Bank has $6.5 billion in assets and 91 full-service branch offices in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.

Hampden Bank has $700 million in assets and 10 branch offices prior to the merger.

Q: Has Berkshire Bank been buying and merging with other area banks?

A: Yes, Westfield's Woronoco Savings Bank in 2005, Pittsfield's Legacy Banks in 2011 and Connecticut Bank & Trust of Hartford in 2012.

If selected, the planes will begin arriving in 2019.

CHICOPEE - Westover Air Reserve Base is one of four finalists to become home base to a fleet of a dozen refueling tanker planes that can also carry passengers and cargo.

The news comes as the base faces federal budget cuts that will reduce its 16-plane fleet of C5-B Galaxy jets to eight, eliminate 59 full-time positions and 275 part-time Reserve positions.

If selected, the base would get a dozen new KC46A Pegasus tanker planes, which are now under construction by Boeing. It would also mean adding more pilots and maintainers to the base, Lt. Col. James Bishop, chief of public affairs for Westover, said.

"I'm pleased Westover has been an exciting part of America's global mission," U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield said as the announcement was released.

The 439th Airlift Wing, located at Westover, was one of 18 Air Force Reserve bases considered to house and fly the planes. An Air Force study then whittled that down to just four, Lt. Col. James Bishop, chief of public affairs for Westover, said.

The other bases now in consideration are Seymour Johnson in North Carolina, Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma and Grissom Air Reserve Base in Indiana. The Air Force will select up to two bases for the new tanker planes, Bishop said.

The next step in the process is military officials will now tour the bases and decide if they have the operational abilities and structural requirements to house the planes, he said.

This summer the site surveys will be completed with the list of preferred bases. The final decision will not be made until the summer of 2016, Bishop said.

The selected base will begin to receive the first new plane in 2019 and they will be slowly be added as they are constructed with the final one arriving in 2028, he said.

This is a breaking story. Masslive will update soon with more information.

The crash in the eastbound lane was causing backups, according to motorists' reports.

CHICOPEE — A Tuesday afternoon crash on Interstate 291 in Chicopee was causing rush-hour backups, according to motorists' reports.

Emergency personnel were at the scene of a crash in the eastbound lane near mile marker 4, "right near the river," a Massachusetts State Police trooper from the Springfield barracks confirmed at 5:35 p.m.

The trooper said EMS crews were currently assessing whether anyone was injured in the crash, which reportedly was causing rush-hour backups.

The crowd at the last hearing date March 31 was so big the event was moved to an auditorium.

HOLYOKE -- City boards will hold public hearings Tuesday (April 14) at 6:30 p.m. on two zone-change requests for auto sales and one for a multifamily residence, all on Whiting Farms Road.

Follow along as live coverage of the hearings at City Hall is posted in the comments section under this story.

The City Council Ordinance Committee and the Planning Board hearings are holding the hearings.

Two of the three zone-change petitions are for a vacant nearly 19 acres across from Autumn and Lynch drives owned by the Holyoke Gas and Electric Department (HGE). The public hearings on those petitions -- from Gary Rome Hyundai to build a dealership and from residents seeking a residential use -- began March 31.

Neighbors oppose converting the site to an auto dealership for the same reasons they fought other businesses that showed interest in the property over the years, Walmart and Lowe's Home Improvement. Their concerns are excessive traffic and construction of a business structure on what is now a meadow will diminish their quality of life.

But others said the city needs the jobs and tax revenue to come from developing the property.

The third zone-change petition is to allow the sale of used cars at of JP's Restaurant & Sports Bar at 200 Whiting Farms Road. This will be the opening of the public hearing on that petition.

Gary Rome Hyundai wants to build a dealership on the HGE site. To do that, he needs to get the property zoned Business Highway and from the current Business General, which prohibits an auto dealership.

Gary Rome Hyundai currently is at 1000 Main St. here and Rome said that business would stay open regardless of whether he is able to build a new one.

Rome's plan to buy the property from HGE for $2,050,000 is contingent on getting the zone change.

The March 31 hearing lasted more than two and a half hours and was moved from City Council Chambers upstairs to the auditorium at City Hall to accommodate the large crowd.

Most people in the crowd voiced support for the Gary Rome Hyundai plan over the residential one.

Rome said the planned $10 million dealership would produce 50 new full-time jobs and some part-time positions on the site.

If he secures the zone change, Rome would need to seek a special permit from the City Council to run an auto dealership on the site, officials said.

Also targeting the HGE site are residents who want the zoning designation of the property changed to a use called RM-20. That stands for Multi-Family Residence at 20 units per acre. The uses are generally housing with limited commercial uses like bed and breakfast, funeral home, hospital and nursing home, Assistant City Solicitor Kara Cunha said.

The petition seeking the RM-20 use lists former city councilor Helen F. Norris as lead proponent.

Of the 100 or so people at the hearing March 31, among speakers who supported the Gary Rome proposal and praised Rome were Mayor Alex B. Morse, Kathleen G. Anderson, president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, former mayor Martin Dunn, Gary Rome employees and owners of other businesses. They said the plan would add jobs and turn a vacant property into a tax-paying entity.

"I'm here to express my full support for the expansion of Gary Rome Hyundai," Morse said.

Norris was among only three residents who urged a residential use for the property, saying an auto dealership would hurt homeowners' property values.

"Just because he's a great guy" doesn't merit Rome getting a zone change, Norris said.

One option for the Ordinance Committee and the Planning Board will be to close the public hearings on the Rome and residents' zone-change petitions and then vote recommendations on those petitions. Another option is to have the hearings continue on another date if additional information is needed.

Whatever the Ordinance Committee and Planning Board decide are just recommendations. That advise is among factors the full City Council will consider in voting whether to grant or reject the zone-change petitions.

Regarding 200 Whiting Farms Road, James P. Lavelle Jr., of the family run JP's Restaurant, told The Republican and MassLive.com last month he wants the option to sell one or two used cars at the popular eatery. He is seeking a zone change to Business Highway from the current Business General.

Anyone who used the ATM at the TD Bank branch on Drum Hill Road is asked to call police at 978-256-2521.

CHELMSFORD — The Police Department is actively investigating a case of fraud and identity theft at a local bank, Chief James M. Spinney reported Tuesday.

Police were notified recently by TD Bank that someone had placed a "skimming device" on an ATM at the bank's Drum Hill Road branch. As a result, several debit cards have been compromised, police said.

Thieves sometimes place the electronic devices over legitimate ATMs to capture cardholders' account information. "If anything seems out of the ordinary, don't use the ATM. These devices will capture your card information and then access your financial accounts," Chelmsford police said the on the department's Facebook page.

TD Bank is cooperating with the Chelmsford Police Department.

Anyone who used the ATM at the Drum Hill Road branch is asked to call police at 978-256-2521. TD Bank customers can also report fraud or identity theft on their accounts by calling the TD Bank Phishing and Identity Theft Hotline at 800-893-8554.

Tapestry Health has run a needle exchange program at 15-A Main St. since August 2012.

HOLYOKE -- Tapestry Health will hold a cleanup of discarded intravenous drug needles Saturday (April 18) from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The cleanup will be preceded by a training on how to dispose of the needles safely at 10:30 a.m., a press release said Tuesday (April 14).

Those participating in the effort will meet at the office of the Holyoke Youth Task Force, 295 High St., which is holding a "Trash Bash" litter cleanup that day, the press release said.

All volunteers must be 18 or older to participate in the training and cleanup, the press release said.

Tapestry Health has operated a needle exchange program at 15-A Main St. since August 2012.

People have complained about finding used needles on the streets and in parks, but Tapestry officials and needle exchange program supporters have said Holyoke had a drug problem and discarded needles before the program began.

""The clean up event this weekend is part of our larger goal to properly dispose of used syringes within Holyoke and the larger community," said Liz Whynott, Tapestry needle exchange program director.

"Since opening in 2012, the Holyoke Needle Exchange has removed more than 132,000
syringes from circulation. We work hard to be part of the solution and make Holyoke a safe place that all families can enjoy, especially in this warmer weather," she said.

In a needle exchange program, people submit needles that have been used for intravenous drugs and get a clean, uninfected needle in return.

Health specialists say needle exchange helps by reducing the sharing of infected needles and cutting the spread of diseases such as HIV-AIDS and hepatitis C for which there are no cures. Such specialists include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Other benefits, supporters say, are that Tapestry can give referrals for substance
abuse treatment and for disease-testing to intravenous-drug users who come to the office and otherwise might never get such information.

Those who oppose having needle exchange here question studies' findings about the program's effectiveness.

Foes also lament that having a needle exchange program functions as a welcome mat for drug users in the region to come here, get a needle and inject.

When the Board of Health gave its approval in August 2012, Holyoke became only the fifth city in the state to permit operation of a needle exchange program since a 1993 law began allowing such facilities.

Tapestry has a phone number people can call if they find discarded needles to ensure safe disposal, (413) 650-2679.

Cecily Mcree Hamilton, and her companion, Taylor Scott Swing, 18, were killed March 15 when the car Swing was driving went off the road and overturned in a creek.

The father of a 16-year-old girl who was killed in a car crash in Georgia last month, was arrested over the weekend for trying to make safety improvements at that site.

Cecily Mcree Hamilton, and her companion, Taylor Scott Swing, 18, were killed March 15 when the car Swing was driving went off the road and overturned in a creek, according to WYFF-TV, NBC4 in Greenville, South Carolina.

Hamilton's father, Shannon Hamilton, was arrested Sunday as he was planning to add berms near a bridge on Gene Nix Road that would be temporary until guardrails could be installed.

Hamilton was released on $5,000 bail after being charged with interfering with government property.

Family members told WXIA-TV, NBC11 in Atlanta that Hamilton was just trying to prevent future accidents.

"The reason I was out there yesterday is because it's been 30 days and there hasn't been a thing done," Hamilton said on Monday.

"I pleaded with them to...put some concrete barriers up, some kind of temporary safety measure in place to prevent another father to have to walk across that bridge and identify their baby girl on the other side," he added.

After the crash, more than 1,700 people signed a petition calling for safety features to be added on the bridge, the television station reported.

County Commissioners approved the funds necessary to install guardrails two weeks ago, but the work had not yet begun.

"We've talked to our engineers and they recommended that we do a permanent fix and not something temporary," said White County Manager Mike Melton. "I think it's moved very quickly. We immediately hired an engineer and he's done a study and he'll have that this week and be able to start construction hopefully in the next week or two."

But Hamilton felt that was not fast enough.

"I think to not have something in place immediately by the end of the day, or a week ago, two weeks ago, or the day after this happened, I think that's disgusting. I think that's disrespectful and I think that's reckless disregard," Hamilton told the TV station.

Hamilton was there the day the car his daughter was riding in was pulled from the creek.

"I gave her a kiss and told her I loved her," Shannon Hamilton told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday. "Hugged her freezing body and said goodbye."

But it had been nearly a month since the crash, and according to Melton, no timetable has been set for when construction will begin.

So on Sunday, Hamilton couldn't wait any longer, and took matters into his own hands.

"Every day that goes by is another day that we're risking a life that goes into that creek," Hamilton said.

As it happens, Hamilton works in the quarry business, so it would not be difficult for him to build a berm made out of gravel that could serve as a temporary barrier. He even planned ways to address water runoff, so there would be no environmental concerns until a permanent structure could be built.

But before he could complete the work, he was arrested by sheriff's deputies, who said they were under orders to take that action if he refused to stop work, the newspaper reported.

"They had to do it," Hamilton conceded. "They had no choice."

Hamilton's son, Kale, 18, took pictures and a video of his father's arrest. And the video has been shared repeatedly on social media cites.

"It's sad the community of grieving parents have to make things happen when the White County roads department can't...," Hamilton is shown as saying in a video of his arrest on Facebook that attracted nearly 1.5 million views as of Monday afternoon, according to the Gainsville Times.

"They were very respectful, and I appreciate them doing everything they could for me," he said of authorities. "The problem I have is with the White County road department and (its) ignorance, disrespect and negligence for allowing this situation to still exist."

Tracey Watson, a spokesman for the Georgia Department of Public Safety told the Times that the investigation of the crash is finished, and that it shows no particular circumstances that may have caused the accident.

Deputies were already at the bridge when Hamilton was arrested on Sunday. and they told him not to place the materials he had with him on the property.

"I don't remember the exact circumstances around (the incident), but I do know one of my officers was in the area," Sheriff Neal Walden said.

Hamilton said he moved away from the deputies, and started to unload the materials.

"I got three buckets on the ground, then I was arrested," he said.

"I had 100 tons of material there, so it was going to take me a half a day to a full day to get the job done completely, correctly and safely."

Melton said any repair job needed to be "properly designed and engineered so that they don't put the traveling public in more harm."

"Unfortunately, what Mr. Hamilton was doing would probably do more harm than good. I'm sure not being a traffic engineer, he probably doesn't realize that, but these things have to be properly designed and constructed."

County Commissioner Terry Goodger said on Monday that he was "still trying to gather information" about the arrest.

"We really, really sympathize with the family and the loss of a child," Goodger said. "It's heartbreaking to all of us in the county."

But, he added, "You've got to look at the whole situation and see how do you temporarily fix that bridge. It's a good bridge, but it's a one-lane bridge. The county was very rural when that was put in."

A spokesperson in the White County Magistrate Court said no court appearances had been set as of Monday afternoon. Hamilton said he expects to receive a court date in the mail.

The shooting was reported at 6:14 p.m. Tuesday at the corner of Main Street and Wendell place in the city's South End.

SPRINGFIELD — Police were called to the city's South End shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday for a shooting incident near the corner of Main Street and Wendell Place.

Authorities briefly pursued a vehicle seen fleeing down Broad Street toward East Columbus Avenue, but the motorist apparently got away.

A shell casing was recovered at the scene, according to police reports. A Police Department shift commander said he had no details about the incident, which remains under investigation.

There were no apparent injuries linked to this latest gunfire episode in the City of Homes, which has experienced a steady stream of shootings this spring.

On Monday, three people were shot in three hours in Springfield.

Anyone with information about this latest incident is asked to call detectives in the Springfield Police Major Crimes Unit.

Memorial services for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings are scheduled to take place on Wednesday as the trial of the perpetrator is on hold until next week.

BOSTON -- Memorial services for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings are scheduled to take place on Wednesday as the trial of the perpetrator is on hold until next week.

Local and state officials are expected to gather at 7:30 a.m. on Boylston Street to raise honorary banners in memory of the victims of the attacks. Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Governor Charlie Baker are scheduled to be on hand with the banners are hoisted on Boylston Street near the finish line area.

A moment of silence is scheduled for throughout the city at 2:49 p.m., the exact time that the first bomb went off. Walsh has encouraged Bostonians as well as people around the world to join in during the moment of silence as part of an initiative known as One Boston Day. Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito will lead a moment of silence in Memorial Hall on Beacon Hill while Walsh is scheduled to lead staffers in a moment of silence at Boston City Hall.

Immediately following the moment of silence church bells will ring all across the city.

Meanwhile, things will be quiet at Moakley Courthouse, where the trial of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is delayed until next Tuesday. Tsarnaev was convicted on April 7 for the attacks that ultimately led to the deaths of four people and injured over 200. The sentencing phase of Tsarnaev's trial is expected to last four weeks and could result in him facing the death penalty.

All of those arrested were charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, according to Sgt. John Delaney, a spokesman for the Springfield Police Department. Watch video

Updates story published at 4:41 p.m. Tuesday, April 14.

Officers were called to the neighborhood at 2:45 p.m. to monitor a group of over 40 people involved in the protest at Sumner and Belmont avenues, Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney said.

A group of officers, led by Capt. Cheryl Clapprood, followed the activists as they made their way by car from downtown Springfield to The X, where they proceeded to try to shutdown the busy intersection.

"The police officers were on hand to make sure that the protest was orderly and calm and to make sure that the individuals were safe and conducted themselves in a peaceful manner," Delaney said.

However, after 15 protesters locked arms and walked out into the middle of The X, blocking traffic in all directions, police took action.

First, Clapprood repeatedly ordered the protestors to leave the intersection. Then, Mayor Domenic Sarno tried his hand at getting the group back onto the sidewalk, telling them they could continue to protest safely and peacefully once they exited the intersection.

After the protesters refused to comply with the requests, officers moved in and charged the following people with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest:

• Vanessa Lynch, 23, of West Street, Northampton;
• Ashley Gadson, 24, of Wilbraham Road, Springfield;
• Shana Nunez, 22, of Beaumont Street, Springfield;
• Jozlyn M. Squaire, 21, of Newland Street, Springfield;
• Tianna Thomas, 21, of Quincy Street, Springfield;
• Frank Cincotta, 24, of Maple Street, Springfield;
• Kwamel Joselyn, 20, of Euclid Avenue, Springfield;
• George Esworthy, 67, of Ashfield Street, Shelburne Falls;
• George Aguiar, 58, of Three Rivers Road, Palmer;
• Matthew Cohen, 31, of Second Street, Turners Falls;
• Maureen Briggs-Carrington, 63, of X Street, Turners Falls;
• Catherine Woolner, 64, of Limden Avenue, Northfield;
• Emily Douglass, 30, of Second Street, Turners Falls;
• Holly Richardson, 50, of North Main Street, Florence;
• and Ellen Graves, 74, of Plateau Circle, West Springfield.

"Public safety is the main reason why these individuals were placed under arrest after being asked multiple times to get out of the middle of this very busy intersection," Delaney said.

"If an ambulance or fire truck had to be rerouted, it could take valuable life-saving minutes away from those emergency responding vehicles," he said. "The Springfield Police Department owed it to those citizens affected by the traffic slowdown to clear the road and make it passable in case of an emergency." 

Emergency vehicles were unable to use Sumner Avenue – a main east-west thoroughfare linking the neighborhood to I-91 and other sections of the city – during the protest, Delaney said. He characterized the avenue as "the busiest stretch of road in the City of Springfield."

The protest also coincided with the afternoon dismissal of area schools, ultimately affecting bus schedules and parents who were trying to pick up their kids, according to police. "The protesters did not think about how they were affecting those lives," Delaney said. "When officers were handcuffing these citizens, they expressed their desire to be arrested."

The protest tied up city police resources, taking officers away from their regular duties, and required assistance from the Massachusetts State Police.

Police Commissioner John Barbieri monitored the situation, praising Clapprood's leadership and the manner in which officers handled the potentially volatile situation.
 

During the protest, some of the activists called Springfield police officers "pigs" and "racists," oinking at them and pledging to continue their demonstrations. "What do we do when the pigs attack? Stand up! Fight back!" was one of the chants that rose up from the crowd.

Sarno also invoked the ire of the protesters, who oinked at him and called him the "pig's mayor."

"Have a safe trip back home," Sarno said. "We appreciate your efforts. It's time to move on. Let our officers patrol our streets."

All 15 protesters are expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Springfield District Court.