Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday said he is not ruling out raises for an obscure panel tasked with vetting the governor's judicial nominees.

BOSTON - Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday said he is not ruling out raises for the panel tasked with vetting his judicial nominees.

Charlie Baker 

State Senate and House lawmakers sent a $38.1 billion state budget to the governor's desk last week that includes a $10,000 pay increase for the eight members of the independently elected Governor's Council.

Under the proposed budget, the councilors' pay would increase to $36,025. The Boston Herald first reported on the proposal tucked inside the fiscal 2016 state budget last week, with State Sen. Robert Hedlund, R-Weymouth, telling the newspaper that the increase amounted to a reward "for barely... a day a week of work."

Baker said he will make the decision on whether the council should get a raise based "on the merits."

"It's one of many issues we're working through as we process the budget that was sent to us by the Legislature and we'll obviously have more to say about this by the end of the week," Baker said. "But I'm not ruling it out automatically."

Michael Albano, the former mayor of Springfield who represents Western Massachusetts on the council, said the pay increase proposal came as a surprise to him.

Citing state ethics rules, Albano declined to comment on whether he would take the pay raise if the governor signs off on the proposal. "I can't ethically say anything, 'yes' or 'no,' " he said.

But Albano defended the council, which meets every Wednesday next door to the governor's office and is frequently criticized as an unnecessary holdover from the state's Colonial era.

Albano said the council last year held over 80 hearings on judicial nominees, and acted on nominees to the state Parole Board and the Industrial Accident Board, as well as Gov. Deval Patrick's commutation and pardons.

Albano said he spends 20 to 25 hours a week on the job.

Asked whether the raise is necessary, Albano said others can determine the answer to the question.

Albano said there should be an elected body dedicated to judicial nominations. "I believe it's an important check and balance," he said.

According to the State House News Service, the council pay raise proposal was filed as a budget amendment by Rep. Chris Markey, D-Dartmouth. Markey is an attorney and former prosecutor.

Standing next to Gov. Baker after a Monday afternoon meeting with him, the House speaker and Senate president were asked if they backed the raises.

Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, said the "ball's in the governor's court" to decide whether the raises are appropriate. "I voted for the budget and I liked a lot of what was in the budget," Rosenberg said.

Asked if he would be disappointed if the governor vetoed the raises, Rosenberg turned to Baker and said, "Governor, are you still working on that section?"

"The answer is we're working on all of them as we move forward," Baker responded.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, said he supports the raise. DeLeo said the council meets on Wednesdays, but the panel also has "ongoing meetings" on prospective judicial candidates.

Alexander Ciccolo, 23, who had been living in the Berkshires and goes by the alias "Ali Al Amriki," was arrested last week by federal agents while en route to his home in Adams.

SPRINGFIELD — All eyes are expected to be on Springfield Tuesday afternoon for a detention hearing involving the son of a Boston cop accused of plotting ISIS-inspired attacks on domestic targets.

Alexander Ciccolo, 23, who had been living in the Berkshires and uses the alias "Ali Al Amriki," was arrested last week by federal agents on his way to his home in Adams. Ciccolo, the son of Boston Police Capt. Robert Ciccolo, is charged in connection with a plan to shoot college students while also setting off improvised explosive devices at campus dorms and cafeterias, according to federal prosecutors.

A detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Springfield, where Ciccolo will face charges of being a felon in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz said Monday. He had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in jail and therefore was prohibited from having guns, officials said.

Ciccolo purchased a pressure cooker similar to that used in the Boston Marathon bombings, Ortiz said. Federal agents also allegedly recovered multiple guns and found partially constructed Molotov cocktails at Ciccolo's apartment on Murray Street in Adams, a northern Berkshire County town of about 8,000 people just south of the city of North Adams.

On the Fourth of July, Ciccolo allegedly took delivery of four guns that he ordered from a confidential informant who was secretly working with members of the Western Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force. The informant had been communicating with Ciccolo about alleged plans to engage in domestic terrorist acts, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court. Authorities said Ciccolo was arrested immediately after receiving the weapons, including two Glock semiautomatic handguns and two military-style assault rifles, one of which was capable of firing up to 700 rounds a minute.

In multiple recorded conversations with the government informant, Ciccolo allegedly detailed plans to commit acts of terrorism inspired by ISIS, including setting off a pressure-cooker bomb in places where large numbers of people congregate. He cited a specific out-of-state public university – authorities did not identify the school in court documents – where he planned to focus his attacks on dorms and cafeterias and broadcast the "execution of students" live on the Internet, according to an affidavit filed in support of the government's detention motion.

Ciccolo's father, a veteran Boston police officer, was among the law enforcement officials who responded to the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15, 2013. Three people were killed and more than 260 others were injured after pressure-cooker bombs exploded near the finish line.

Ciccolo's family issued a statement on the Boston Police Department's website Monday: "While we were saddened and disappointed to learn of our son's intentions, we are grateful that authorities were able to prevent any loss of life or harm to others. At this time, we would ask that the public and the media recognize our grief and respect our desire for privacy."

After Ciccolo was taken into custody, he allegedly used a pen to stab a nurse in the head at the Franklin County Jail in Greenfield, "leaving a bloody hole in the nurse's skin (and) causing the pen to break in half," the affidavit states.

Federal investigators had been watching Ciccolo since last fall, when a "close acquaintance" reached out to authorities to share concerns about Ciccolo's growing interest in radical Islam and groups such as ISIS. The acquaintance contacted law enforcement on Sept. 11, 2014, after Ciccolo revealed his alleged desire to travel to Syria and Iraq to fight for ISIS.

The acquaintance told authorities that Ciccolo "had a long history of mental illness" and had become "obsessed with Islam," the affidavit states. Ciccolo referred to the U.S. as "Satan," claimed Islam was "under attack," and said he was not afraid to "die for the cause," according to the affidavit.

On Oct. 17, 2014, federal agents discovered a Facebook profile for Ali Al Amriki, whom they later identified as Ciccolo, expressing his desire to become a martyr for Islam. On Oct. 18, 2014, a photo of a man with a covered face in a wooded area was posted to the Facebook page. The picture was accompanied by the statement, "Another day in the forest strengthening myself."

On Oct. 27, 2014, Amriki's Facebook page featured a photo of a dead U.S. soldier with a statement reading, "Thank you, Islamic State! Now we don't have to deal with these kafr back in America." "Kafr" means "non-believers" of Islam, according to the affidavit.

In recorded conversations with the confidential informant in Pittsfield on June 24 and in Springfield on June 30, Ciccolo began to reveal more about his alleged plans to travel to another state to conduct terrorist attacks on "civilians, members of the U.S. military and law enforcement personnel," federal officials said.

He initially identified a police station and two bars that he intended to target, but later changed his plans to specifically focus on the unnamed university, authorities said. On July 3, federal agents watched him buy a pressure cooker at the Walmart in North Adams. The next day, they arrested him after he allegedly received the weapons he ordered from the informant.

Gov. Charlie Baker said it's up to colleges and universities to determine what works best for them in terms of securing their campuses. "Most schools have put significant changes in place as a result of some of the things that have happened over the course of the past few years," he told reporters Monday.

Of the investigation leading to Ciccolo's arrest, Baker said it shows the "ongoing dialogue that exists between federal, state and local officials is constant and continuing."

Republican reporter George Graham and MassLive reporter Gintautas Dumcius contributed to this report.

Ciccolo Complaint

12 Detention Memo 7.13.15

12-3 Detention Memo Exhibit c - FBI Sa Paul Ambrogio Affidavit 7.13.15

Joshua Devine disappeared on April 11 while on a diving boat in Thailand.

CHICOPEE - The family of missing Army veteran Joshua Devine is planning a fund-raising event this week to raise funds for a reward.

"They are not interested in prosecuting anyone. They are not interested in knowing what happened. They just want to find Josh," said Alison Podworski, owner of Alison May Public Relations who is working with the family.

Devine, a former U.S. Army sergeant who served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo, disappeared on April 11 while on vacation in Thailand.

Devine and his wife were on a dive boat starting a week-long Scuba diving vacation when he is believed to have gone overboard at about 4 a.m. Reports of what happened before his disappearance differ but some say he had been drinking heavily and was upset.

Jeanette DeForge | jdeforge@repub.com 

A graduate of Chicopee Comprehensive High School, Devine served four years active duty in the U.S. Army and then transferred to the Connecticut National Guard and served four more years there. After leaving the military he worked in computer networking for military contractors in Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently was living in Kuwait.

After he disappeared, his mother Marie Major and sister Jennifer Bakowski, of Enfield, traveled to Thailand to find more information about Devine's disappearance. At the time they joined in a helicopter search of the water and were able to speak to investigators from the Marine Police, the Thailand Royal Navy and officials from the American Embassy.

Despite a week of intensive searches, no trace of Devine has ever been found.

His family is hoping to raise money to offer a $5,000 reward for information leading to finding Devine and to hire investigators to assist them, Podworski said.

One of the difficulties with the investigation is finding people in Thailand who will share information. Family members are hoping the reward will encourage people to come forward, she said.

"They are working with the FBI and they have told them any information they receive will be passed onto them," she said.

Informants can remain anonymous, she said.

Devine's family is still holding out hope they could find him alive. If not, they would like to be able to fulfill his wish for a military funeral with honors, she said.

The event will be held at 6:30 p.m., Friday at Maximum Capacity on School Street in Chicopee. The cost is $20 a ticket before the event or $25 at the door. Food will be served.

New York City has reached a settlement with the family of Eric Garner for $5.9 million, almost a year after the 43-year-old died in police custody.

NEW YORK (AP) -- The family of a black man who died after being placed in a white police officer's chokehold reached a $5.9 million settlement with the city on Monday, days before the anniversary of his death.

Eric Garner's family in October filed a notice of claim, the first step in filing a lawsuit against the city, asking for $75 million.

Garner, who was 43, was stopped last July 17 outside a Staten Island convenience store because police officers believed he was selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. A video shot by an onlooker shows Garner telling the officers to leave him alone and refusing to be handcuffed.

An officer, Daniel Pantaleo, placed his arm around Garner's neck to take him to the ground. Garner, who had asthma, is heard gasping "I can't breathe!" 11 times before he loses consciousness. He was pronounced dead later at a hospital.

The city medical examiner found that the police chokehold contributed to Garner's death. But a grand jury declined to indict the officer in the death. A federal probe is ongoing.

Chokeholds are banned by New York Police Department policy. Pantaleo says he used a legal takedown maneuver, not a chokehold.

Garner's death sparked demonstrations and became a flashpoint in a national debate about relations between police and minority communities.

While the city has a legal department that fields lawsuits, the comptroller's office also can settle claims. Comptroller Scott Stringer has made a point of doing that in civil rights cases, saying that resolving them quickly saves the city money on legal fees.

"Following a judicious review of the claim and facts of this case, my office was able to reach a settlement with the estate of Eric Garner that is in the best interests of all parties," Stringer said.

The city did not admit to any liability.

Longtime civil rights attorney Jonathan Moore, the family's lawyer, said there also was a settlement with the Richmond University Medical Center, which responded to the scene. That settlement is confidential. He said there would be a press conference Tuesday with the Rev. Al Sharpton and the family.

Last month, the comptroller's office agreed to pay $6.25 million to a man who spent nearly 25 years in prison before being exonerated in a killing that happened while he was more than 1,000 miles away vacationing at Disney World. A $6.4 million settlement was reached with a man exonerated in the 1990 killing of a rabbi.

Stringer also agreed to a $2.25 million payout to the family of a mentally ill inmate who died in a Rikers Island jail cell that sweltered to 101 degrees because of a malfunctioning heating system, and he helped put together a $17 million settlement in the case of three half-brothers who spent a combined 60 years in prison before their convictions were thrown out.

The public hearing on July 14 at Lawrence Memorial Hall, 2 Jabish St., starts at 7 p.m.

Belchertown could be home to a new Verizon cellular tower in a residential neighborhood at 134 Aldrich St. Charles Krupa / Associated Press 

BELCHEROWN - Verizon Wireless will explain to the Planning Board on Tuesday why its 140 foot high cell tower proposed at 134 Aldrich St. is a good thing.

Several homeowners in the neighborhood are expected to attend and oppose the controversial idea to locate it in a residential area. They have shown up by the dozens at previous hearings involving the tower proposal.

The public hearing on July 14 at Lawrence Memorial Hall, 2 Jabish St., starts at 7 p.m.

According to reports Verizon filed with the town, property values would not decrease, sound emitted from the facility would comply with Belchertown bylaws, and it would operate in accordance with FCC safety standards.

The company says a telecommunications tower in the Aldrich St. area would improve cellular service.

Opponents of the tower say it would be wrong for the planning board to allow a cell tower to operate in a residential neighborhood; the facility would discourage potential homebuyers from purchasing in the vicinity, be an eyesore, lower values, and the radiation emitted could pose a health risk.

The tower, which would be enclosed by a chain link fence, is proposed on an 8.5 acre parcel.

The deal for a new loan package is aimed at keeping the country in the euro, but many hurdles remain.

By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK -- A new agreement between Greece and its lenders helped lift the stock market on Monday, extending the market's winning streak to a third day. The deal for a new loan package is aimed at keeping the country in the euro, but many hurdles remain.

Major indexes headed higher at the opening bell, following solid gains in Europe, then kept climbing throughout the afternoon. Nearly three stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange, and every sector in the S&P 500 finished with gains.

Nine hours after a self-imposed deadline passed, European officials announced the breakthrough on Greece early Monday. The tentative agreement removed an immediate threat that the country would default on its debts and leave the euro. In exchange for a three-year loan program, the deal requires Greece's parliament to pass tax increases and other key demands from its lenders into law by Wednesday.

"Our markets have reason to cheer," said Tim Dreiling, senior portfolio manager at the U.S. Bank's Private Client Reserve. "It's a reprieve from worry for a few days at least."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 22.98 points, or 1.1 percent, to 2,099.60.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 217.27, or 1.2 percent, to 17,977.68, while the Nasdaq gained 73.82, or 1.5 percent, to 5,071.51.

Major markets in Europe rallied on the news. Germany's DAX climbed 1.5 percent and France's CAC 40 surged 1.9 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 finished with a gain of 1 percent.

Worries over Greece and China have buffeted markets in recent weeks. Barring any worrying news out of either country, investors will likely shift their attention to earnings reports as a parade of major corporations turn in second-quarter results.

JPMorgan Chase, Johnson & Johnson and Wells Fargo will report early Tuesday, followed by Bank of America and Google later in the week. Analysts expect overall earnings to fall 4.5 percent compared with the prior year, according to S&P Capital IQ. If that forecast comes true, it would mark the first drop in earnings since 2009.

Among other companies making big moves on Monday, Marathon Petroleum soared 8 percent, the biggest gain in the S&P 500, following its announcement that a partnership it runs will buy MarkWest Energy Partners, a company that works with natural gas. Marathon jumped $4.29 to $58.78.

Microsoft said it would roll out Windows 10 in late July. The upgraded operating system is supposed to allow users to switch seamlessly between personal computers and their gadgets. The company's stock rose 93 cents, or 2 percent, to $45.54, among the biggest gains in the Dow.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 1.6 percent, South Korea's Kospi gained 1.5 percent. In China, the Shanghai Composite added 2.4 percent, bouncing back after a slew of government measures to halt a dramatic slide. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.3 percent.

Back in the U.S., government bond prices slipped, pushing yields up. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.43 percent from 2.40 percent late Friday.

Precious metals finished with slight losses. Gold lost $2.50 to settle at $1,155.40 an ounce, while silver sank 3 cents to $15.44 an ounce. Copper picked up a penny to close at $2.56 a pound.

Benchmark U.S. oil fell 54 cents to close at $52.20 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, an international benchmark, fell 88 cents at $57.85 a barrel in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

1. Wholesale gasoline fell 7.7 cents to close at $1.940 a gallon.
2. Heating oil fell 2.1 cents to close at $1.719 a gallon.
3. Natural gas rose 9.4 cents to close at $2.864 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Boston, which is suing the state Gaming Commission over its decision to award Wynn a gambling license, says the witnesses told commission investigators that Wynn representatives were informed of or discussed Charles Lightbody's ownership stake before signing an option on roughly 30 acres on the Everett waterfront across from Boston.

By PHILIP MARCELO

BOSTON -- Recently discovered interviews with at least five people suggest Wynn Resorts knew a mob associate with felony convictions would profit from his stake in the waterfront land where the Las Vegas casino company plans to build a resort, the city says in recent court filings.

Boston, which is suing the state Gaming Commission over its decision to award Wynn a gambling license, says the witnesses told commission investigators that Wynn representatives were informed of or discussed Charles Lightbody's ownership stake before signing an option on roughly 30 acres on the Everett waterfront across from Boston.

The city argues that existence of the testimony casts further doubts over the commission's vetting of the Wynn application.

One interview centers on a conversation between Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria and Stephen Tocco, a former state secretary of economic affairs working as a political consultant for Wynn.

Tocco told gambling investigators he had mentioned to the mayor that a reporter was inquiring about the Everett land. He then reminded DeMaria that Wynn would not move forward with the deal if there was anyone with a criminal background involved. The mayor, in response, asked specifically if the reporter was asking about Lightbody, Tocco testified.

"A fair and reasonable inference to be drawn from Tocco's testimony is that Mayor DeMaria knew that Lightbody was an owner of the former Monsanto Chemical Site and a convicted felon, which he communicated directly to Tocco, a long-term, authorized representative of Wynn," the city argues in the legal brief.

But Tocco said Monday it's clear from his testimony he didn't pass on any mention of Lightbody to Wynn officials after his brief conversation with DeMaria because the name didn't ring any bells.

"I never heard of Lightbody and I certainly never had any discussions with Wynn or anybody else about Lightbody," he said. "I didn't pursue it because I didn't know who the names were, anyway. I wasn't involved in the land stuff."

Wynn spokesman Michael Weaver maintains the company first learned about Lightbody's ties to the property from the gaming commission investigation. The commission and DeMaria didn't comment Monday.

The interviews were included in roughly 1,000 pages of materials Boston filed late last week as the city argued for casting a wider net for gathering evidence in the civil lawsuit.

A state judge struck the filings from the court record Thursday because they had been submitted just hours before a hearing in the case. The city subsequently released the materials to the Associated Press.

Boston alleges commission investigators "consciously omitted" mention of interviewing Tocco and DeMaria in their extensive background check into the key players in the $1.7 billion resort casino project. The testimony also was not included in the administrative record the commission has compiled for the court in Boston's civil lawsuit, the city says.

DeMaria and Tocco's testimony was a focus of legal filings this month in the criminal case against Lightbody and two other former owners of the Everett land, Dustin DeNunzio and Anthony Gattineri.

The three face federal wire fraud charges. They're accused of trying to conceal the fact Lightbody would profit from the multimillion-dollar land deal in violation of the state's casino law, which prohibits criminals from profiting from gambling facilities.

Boston and two other area cities, Revere and Somerville, have sued the gaming commission following last year's decision to award Wynn a casino license over rival Mohegan Sun. The cities, in separate lawsuits, accuse the commission and Wynn of misconduct that severely compromised the competition for the state's most lucrative regional casino license.

Among Boston's numerous allegations is that the commission attempted to "salvage" Wynn's qualification in the license competition by "mischaracterizing" evidence its investigators uncovered regarding Wynn's knowledge of Lightbody's role.

In a related development, state Attorney General Maura Healey on Monday issued a letter to state transportation officials in which she urged them to delay any approvals for Wynn's project until an independent analysis on the casino's impacts to the notoriously traffic-clogged region could be done.

The parents of a woman shot to death on a San Francisco pier said Monday in a cable television news interview that they support a proposal to give mandatory prison time to deported people who return to the U.S. illegally.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The parents of a woman shot to death on a San Francisco pier said Monday in a cable television news interview that they support a proposal to give mandatory prison time to deported people who return to the U.S. illegally.

Kathryn Steinle, 32, was walking along a waterfront in San Francisco when she was shot by a gun allegedly fired by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, a Mexican national who was in the country illegally.

Lopez-Sanchez, 45, who has pleaded not guilty, had been released from jail months before the shooting, despite a federal immigration order asking local authorities to hold him.

Jim Steinle and Liz Sullivan, of Pleasanton, California, were interviewed by Fox News talk-show host Bill O'Reilly for a segment that aired Monday on "The O'Reilly Factor."

The death of their daughter has fueled a national debate on immigration, with advocates of stricter border control denouncing San Francisco as a city whose immigrant "sanctuary" protections harbor people who are in the country illegally. Even some prominent Bay Area Democrats say Lopez-Sanchez should have been turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Supporters of sanctuary protections have jumped on O'Reilly and others, saying they have politicized the death. They say public safety is improved when immigrants can work with local police without fear of deportation.

To that, Jim Steinle said, "We're getting a little tired of the finger pointing, and we want to see some action."

Steinle, who was at his daughter's side when she was shot, and his wife said the proposed "Kate's Law" would be a good way to keep her memory alive. O'Reilly is collecting signatures for a petition supporting the proposal, which would impose a mandatory five years in federal prison for people who are deported and return and 10 years for people caught a second time.

"We feel the federal, state and cities, their laws are here to protect us," Jim Steinle said. "But we feel that this particular set of circumstances and the people involved, the different agencies let us down."

Liz Sullivan said she hopes some good might come out of her daughter's death.

"You want to make it so much better for everybody in the United States that this, as you say, would never happen again," she said.

Federal records show Lopez-Sanchez had been deported three times before being sentenced to about five years in federal prison in 1998. He had finished his third stint in prison for re-entering the country illegally when he was sent to San Francisco March 26 on an outstanding 1995 drug charge.

The San Francisco district attorney's office declined to prosecute, given the age of the case and the small amount of marijuana involved.

The San Francisco Sheriff's Department released Lopez-Sanchez on April 15, declining to honor a request by federal immigration authorities to keep Lopez-Sanchez in custody for 48 hours until they could pick him up for deportation proceedings.

San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi has strenuously defended his decision, saying he was following city law, including a broader 1989 city "sanctuary" law and a more specific 2013 ordinance that applies specifically to federal immigration detainers.

Springfield- Lenny Weake of Three Rivers decided to show off his 1995 Cadillac at the Springfield Business Improvement District Cruise Night at Stearns Square in Springfield. The reason, not many people have seen the inside of the long grey vehicle. Weake's ride just happens to be a hearse. The Cadillac Fleetwood joined about 20 other vintage, classic and muscle cars...

Springfield- Lenny Weake of Three Rivers decided to show off his 1995 Cadillac at the Springfield Business Improvement District Cruise Night at Stearns Square in Springfield. The reason, not many people have seen the inside of the long grey vehicle. Weake's ride just happens to be a hearse.

The Cadillac Fleetwood joined about 20 other vintage, classic and muscle cars at the Monday night gathering for the weekly cruise night. A 2008 Dan Guerney Mustang from Sarat Ford was one of the new featured cars on the green between Bridge and Worthington Streets.

Bruce Marshall of Real Oldies 1250 WARE played music from the 50's and 60's at the event which ran from 4:30 pm to dusk.

The case of a California woman who said she was kidnapped for ransom only to have police call it a hoax took another bizarre twist Monday when federal prosecutors announced they charged a disbarred Harvard-trained lawyer with her abduction.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The case of a California woman who said she was kidnapped for ransom only to have police call it a hoax took another bizarre twist Monday when federal prosecutors announced they charged a disbarred Harvard-trained lawyer with her abduction.

Matthew Muller, of Orangevale, California, was charged last month after he was arrested in South Lake Tahoe in a home-invasion robbery that occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area and had similarities to the kidnapping, the FBI said. The allegations were in an affidavit that was unsealed Monday.

The kidnapping case began when the Denise Huskins' boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, reported kidnappers broke into the couple's Vallejo home on March 23, abducted her and demanded an $8,500 ransom.

June 2015 booking photo released by the Dublin, Calif., police department, showing Matthew Muller after he was arrested on robbery and assault charges. (AP Photo/Dublin PD) 

Huskins, 29, turned up safe two days later in her hometown of Huntington Beach, where she says she was dropped off. She showed up just hours before the ransom was due.

Huskins and Quinn appeared with their lawyers at a news conference in Vallejo, but they didn't talk to the media. A teary-eyed Huskins and Quinn held hands tightly during the brief conference and hugged before leaving.

Huskins' lawyer, Douglas Rappaport, said his client will avoid commenting on the case to preserve the integrity of the prosecution.

Rappaport and Quinn's lawyer, Daniel Russo, blasted investigators and asked that authorities set the record straight.

"What I want is for the Vallejo PD to do their job," Russo said. "Go out, find out if there are other guys out there and make sure that next time this happens they think before they talk."

After Huskins reappeared, Vallejo police said at a news conference the kidnapping was a hoax. Police have since declined to comment other than to say they continue to investigate. A call to Vallejo police was not immediately returned Monday.

Quinn's attorneys maintained the kidnapping was real, and people purporting to be the victim's kidnappers sent an email to Vallejo police demanding they apologize for calling it a hoax and acknowledge they were wrong.

FBI Special Agent Jason Walter said in the affidavit that recently discovered evidence led him to conclude there was probable cause to believe Muller kidnapped the woman.

Investigators who arrested Muller in South Lake Tahoe found a laptop that resembled one Quinn had. A search of a stolen car that was connected to Muller turned up numerous other items, including a water pistol with a flashlight and laser pointer on it. People claiming responsibility for the woman's abduction emailed photos of the items to a newspaper, Walter said.

A cellphone in the car had one of the same photos, and the vehicle's navigation system turned up a Huntington Beach address.

Detectives also found a pair of goggles with a long blond hair in it, the same hair color as the victim's. The goggles were similar to those the woman, and Quinn said they were forced to wear them during the kidnapping, Walter said.

On Monday, Muller was in custody on charges of attempted first-degree residential robbery and assault in Alameda County, where the home-invasion robbery occurred. A call seeking comment from his attorney, Thomas Johnson, was not immediately returned.

Muller told investigators he served as a Marine from 1995 to 1999 and attended and taught at Harvard University after that, the FBI affidavit said. He said he suffered from psychosis and in 2008 was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, according to the affidavit.

Muller was admitted to practice law in California in May 2011. His state bar profile also shows he attended Harvard Law School.

Muller's license was suspended in 2013 for failing to pay annual dues, records show. Later that year, the state bar filed disciplinary charges against Muller, citing his failure to file a green card application for a client's son. The bar notice states Muller took $1,250 in advance money from the client.

Muller failed to cooperate with the bar's investigation, leading the State Bar Court to recommend his disbarment in January. The state Supreme Court ordered him disbarred in June.

Wilson Purves, a partner with the Kerosky, Purves & Bogue in San Francisco, said Muller worked as an associate at the immigration law firm for a year before it terminated his employment in 2012. Purves declined to discuss the termination, but he said there was nothing that stood out about Muller.

"Nothing extraordinary would make me feel that he could be accused of something like this," he said. "I don't know what happened between then and now."

"I believe jails should be a place of challenge, and the challenge is to change," said James Gill, an assistant deputy superintendent in the Hampden County Sheriff's Department and a candidate for sheriff.

SPRINGFIELD — James L. Gill Jr., a candidate for Hampden County sheriff, can empathize with Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Judge William Boyle, both of whom have expressed frustration about offenders who wind up back on the streets or back before judges for crimes one might reasonably assume would keep them locked up.

For a little while, anyway.

Gill, an assistant deputy superintendent in the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, made it clear that he's not commenting on the issue as a 24-year veteran of the corrections industry, but rather as a candidate for political office. "Is corrections doing what its name says it does – correct?" he asked during a recent interview with The Republican / MassLive. "That's the kind of question that a reasonable, prudent person would ask," he said.

Gill was reacting to recent news about Ishmael "Kiko" Delgado, a 30-year-old Springfield resident who was released from the county jail after serving only 14 days of a one-year sentence for a drug offense. "I would feel personally frustrated as well," he said, referring to Sarno and Boyle.

Boyle, a judge in Springfield District Court, wasn't pleased last week when Delgado appeared in his courtroom again, this time for two new drug cases – and just three months after starting a supposed year-long sentence for the intended sale of marijuana and crack cocaine. But Delgado, who has a prior cocaine-distribution conviction, spent only two weeks at the Ludlow jail before being released with a GPS monitoring bracelet.

Boyle wasn't happy about that.

"A couple of weeks?" the judge asked at a July 6 hearing, his incredulity filling the courtroom. "One year equals two weeks? So if I want to give him a month, what do I do - sentence him to two years?" he asked.

The case comes as Sarno is blaming judges for contributing to Springfield's crime woes by granting low bail and lenient sentences to offenders, and as some critics are questioning the role of corrections in the overall criminal justice system.

Sarno has criticized the widespread use of electronic monitoring bracelets, claiming the devices fail to deter determined criminals. Sounding a similar note, Gill believes the concept of "house arrest" has become far too cushy for defendants who are awaiting trial or serving court-ordered sentences involving GPS devices.

"It has to begin with 100 percent house arrest. You can't come outside," Gill said. "Step outside the house, and you'll see what happens. Tamper with that bracelet, and you'll see what happens. You're going inside (jail)."

On March 31, Delgado was given a 12-month jail term after pleading guilty to possession of crack cocaine and marijuana, both with intent to distribute. Two weeks later, he was freed with an electronic monitoring bracelet and other restrictions.

Without directly criticizing the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, which runs the electronic monitoring program, Boyle questioned how a repeat drug offender received such lenient treatment. "I just want to know what a one-year sentence means, because (I) and other judges think long and hard before we give someone a year," he said. "If I know it means two weeks, maybe it would be easy to give everyone one year."

The judge set Delgado's bail at $200,000 on the new charges, which involve allegations that Delgado intended to sell drugs while wearing an electronic ankle bracelet.

Most people would reasonably assume that a convicted criminal like Delgado would "be away for some time," Gill said. But that's not always the case, particularly for defendants who are classified as non-violent offenders. Although Gill said he believes in the integrity of the state's truth in sentencing guidelines – established more than 20 years ago in response to escalating concerns about the need for reform – they may need some tweaking.

"I'm grateful to all the men and women who crafted the guidelines. However, I do believe it's time to amend not whole, but certain pieces of the law," Gill said, adding that serious and violet offenders need to be detained for longer periods of time. "We need more time with these offenders," he said.

Truth in sentencing guidelines were designed, in part, to cut costs and avoid overcrowding in jails, giving correctional facilities authority to release certain offenders based on their classification. Gill said there's got to be a way to strike a balance between cost-efficiency and "good public safety." "The community at large has to decide what it values more: cost or safety," he said.

As sheriff, Gill said, he would push for "alternative sanctioning centers" throughout the county for non-violent offenders, with each center providing programs, treatment, education and wrap-around services before people are sent back home with post-release supervision plans. "You must have post-release supervision," he said.

For offenders who end up back in the clink, however, Gill believes that jail must be as unpleasant an experience as possible. "We gotta get back to the day when being incarcerated hurts," he said. "Jail should never be comfortable – period! I believe jails should be a place of challenge, and the challenge is to change."

Republican reporter Jack Flynn contributed to this report.

A teenage girl who survived a small-plane crash in the craggy, thickly forested mountains of north-central Washington state emerged from the wilderness after hiking "for a couple of days" and was picked up by a motorist who drove her to safety, authorities said Monday.

SEATTLE (AP) -- A teenage girl who survived a small-plane crash in the craggy, thickly forested mountains of north-central Washington state emerged from the wilderness after hiking "for a couple of days" and was picked up by a motorist who drove her to safety, authorities said Monday. But the fate of her two step-grandparents, who were also on board, remained unclear.

Family members alerted authorities after the Beech A-35 failed to complete its flight from Kalispell, Montana, to Lynden, Washington, on Saturday afternoon. Rescuers narrowed down a search area based on cellphone data and typical flight patterns. But there was no sign of the aircraft or its occupants until Autumn Veatch, 16, followed a trail to state Route 20, near the east entrance to North Cascades National Park.

A motorist picked her up Monday afternoon and drove her 30 miles east to a general store in Mazama, where employees called 911. The Aero Methow Rescue Service sent a paramedic team to check her out before she was taken to a hospital in Brewster for treatment of what appeared to be minor injuries, said Cindy Button, director of services at the organization.

"Our initial information is she sustained no life-threatening injuries and is somewhat dehydrated due to being out in the elements," said Scott Graham, CEO of Three Rivers Hospital.

Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said Monday afternoon that the girl had been "walking for a couple of days." He declined to comment on the status of the other two people aboard the plane.

Serena Lockwood, the manager at the Mazama Store, said the girl and a motorist came in Monday afternoon, saying she had been in a plane crash.

"She was obviously pretty traumatized," Lockwood said.

Rescuers celebrated Veatch's survival, but they immediately returned their focus to finding the wreckage, aided by Veatch's description of the crash site, said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Lustick of the Civil Air Patrol. Lustick said he could not confirm any details about the condition of the grandparents, Leland and Sharon Bowman of Marion, Montana.

"We're so happy about this," Lustick said. "I've spent 30 years in the Civil Air Patrol and in search-and-rescue. Moments of joy like this can be hard to find."

Lustick said he had spoken with Veatch's father, who said his daughter told him the plane crashed and caught fire after flying into a bank of clouds. She remained at the crash site for a day before deciding to hike down, eventually finding a trail and following it to the trailhead on Highway 20.

Five aircraft equipped with special radios for detecting the missing plane's emergency-locator transmitter searched the mountains Monday, while ground crews focused on areas between Mazama and Rainy Pass, officials said. The planes halted their search for the night by 8 p.m. while a couple of Navy helicopters from the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station continued to sweep the area, said Barbara LaBoe, a state Transportation Department spokeswoman.

The crashed plane crossed the Idaho-Washington border about 2:20 p.m. PDT Saturday, but it dropped off the radar near Omak, Washington, about an hour later, transportation officials said. The last phone signal from one of the plane's occupants was detected around 3:50 p.m.

A detention hearing for Alexander Ciccolo, also known as Ali Al Amriki has been scheduled for July 14 at 3:30 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Springfield.

BOSTON — An Adams man has been arrested and charged in connection with a plot to set off improvised explosive devices in places like college cafeterias on behalf of ISIS.

A criminal complaint, charging Alexander Ciccolo, also known as Ali Al Amriki, 23, with being a felon in possession of firearms was unsealed Monday, according to a release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston.

Prior to his arrest, agents had observed Ciccolo purchase a pressure cooker similar to that used in the Boston Marathon bombings, according to the release.

Additional information regarding Ciccolo's plans was filed Monday morning in advance of a detention hearing to be held Tuesday afternoon in Springfield.

On July 4, Ciccolo took delivery of four firearms that he had ordered from a person who was cooperating with members of the Western Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force and who had been communicating with Ciccolo about Ciccolo's plans to engage in a terrorist act, according to the complaint affidavit.

Ciccolo was arrested immediately after taking delivery of the firearms, which included a Colt AR-15 .223 caliber rifle, a SigArms Model SG550-1, 556 caliber rifle, a Glock 17- 9mm pistol, and a Glock 20-10 mm pistol.

He had had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in jail and therefore was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Ciccolo spoke with a cooperating witness in recorded conversations about his plans to commit acts of terrorism inspired by ISIS, including setting off improvised explosive devices such as pressure cookers filled with black powder, nails, ball bearings and glass in places where large numbers of people congregate, like college cafeterias, according an affidavit filed in support of the government's detention motion.

The press release does not name any specific targets.

That affidavit alleges that Ciccolo is a supporter of a designated foreign terrorist organization that is also known as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which is also known as ISIS

It is also alleged that during a search of Ciccolo's apartment after he was arrested, agents found several partially constructed "Molotov cocktails." These incendiary devices contained what appeared to be shredded Styrofoam soaking in motor oil, according to the release.

Ciccolo had previously stated that this mixture would cause the fire from the exploded devices to stick to people's skin and make it harder to put the fire out.

A detention hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Springfield.

This investigation is being conducted by the Western Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force and member agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Massachusetts State Police and Homeland Security Investigations, with critical assistance from the Adams Police Department and the Massachusetts State Regional Hazardous Materials Response Team.

Other participating agencies include police departments in Springfield, Ludlow, Holyoke, West Springfield, Easthampton and Pittsfield.

U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Vincent Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston Field Division, made the announcement Monday.

Ciccolo Complaint

12 Detention Memo 7.13.15

12-3 Detention Memo Exhibit c - FBI Sa Paul Ambrogio Affidavit 7.13.15

The historic accord, hailed as a breakthrough by Democrats, is being met by fierce opposition from the GOP, which views the deal as a mere delay in Iran's quest for a nuclear arsenal.

WASHINGTON — Saying diplomacy is the best way to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear arsenal, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren praised Secretary of State John F. Kerry for reaching a landmark deal Tuesday to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions in relief from international sanctions.

"In the coming weeks, I look forward to reviewing the details of this agreement to determine whether they are tough, verifiable and effective," the senior Democratic senator from Massachusetts said.

For now, though, Kerry, President Barack Obama and U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz deserve "great credit for working with our allies to reach a negotiated solution to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran without resorting to military action," Warren said.

"Diplomacy represents our best hope of ending that threat, far better than the alternative of escalating tensions and war," she said.

Kerry oversaw 18 days of intense, at times heated talks that often seemed on the brink of collapse. However, the U.S. and five other world powers ultimately forged a deal that will keep Iran from producing enough material for an atomic weapon for at least a decade, while also imposing new provisions for inspections of Iranian military sites and other facilities.

Kerry praised his Iranian counterpart, Javad Zarif, as a tough negotiator and a patriot, saying the two had maintained mutual respect throughout the fractious talks, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Obama, in a statement carried live on Iranian TV, said the deal is built on "verification," not "trust," and is the best available option to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear bomb, The Guardian reports.

Obama vowed to veto any attempt by Republican opponents to undermine the deal, which is already facing criticism from GOP leaders, many of whom believe the plan will merely delay Iran's path to nuclear weapons. After 10 years of restraint on any nuclear activities, Republican leaders fear Iran will then be able to ratchet up its nuclear program and potentially unleash a nuclear arms race in the region, the Journal reports.

Back in Massachusetts, the state's 11-member federal delegation, all of whom are Democrats, had mostly positive things to say about the historic agreement, though most said they would have to scrutinize the language to ensure it's potent enough to curtail the nuclear threat posed by Iran – a longtime foe of the U.S. and still widely considered the No. 1 threat to Middle East stability and security.

"We need to ensure that this agreement has the most invasive inspections possible, the most intensive enforcement provisions possible, including expedited ability to reinstate sanctions if Iran violates the agreement, and the most aggressive means to remove the technological capability for Iran to quickly make a nuclear weapon," Sen. Edward J. Markey, dean of the Massachusetts delegation, said.

"Our continuing and ultimate goal must always be to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran from ever emerging," said Markey, who plans to "carefully examine the language" of the agreement and is eager to hear from top national security leaders about how the deal will improve global and regional security.

U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, of Worcester, called the historic nuclear agreement "a major step forward for American diplomacy" that avoids the possibility of another war in the troubled Middle East. The deal advances "the broader goal of containing nuclear weapons globally," said McGovern, adding that he's looking forward to robustly debating the plan with his colleagues in Congress.

The deal is a "comprehensive historic nuclear accord" and the "byproduct of years of hard work by President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry," U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, of Springfield, said. "I appreciate their diplomatic efforts to hold the leading state sponsor of terrorism around the globe more accountable for its actions," he said. "Throughout these negotiations, I have always believed that any agreement must include safeguards that prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon."

Neal said a nuclear-armed Iran poses "a threat to our national security, the security of Israel, and our other friends and allies in the Middle East." The arms-control deal now must be scrutinized and subjected to "a robust bipartisan examination" before any final recommendations are made to the White House, he said.

Rep. Katherine Clark, of Melrose, praised Kerry for his "tenacity and commitment," which ultimately produced what many thought was impossible – "a possible diplomatic solution to the decades-long problem of Iran's growing nuclear program," she said. "I look forward to carefully and thoroughly reviewing the agreement to ensure that it fulfills the goals of verifiably preventing a nuclear-armed Iran and promoting peace and stability in the region," Clark said.

"A nuclear Iran would pose a grave threat to the entire international community," said Rep. Joe Kennedy III. "It is absolutely critical this agreement contain the necessary level of protection, verification, inspection and consequence to prevent that scenario, as well as ensure that any sanction relief and subsequent economic gains aren't used by Iran to further fuel unrest throughout the region."

In Tehran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani trumpeted the breakthrough as "a new chapter" in Iran's relationship with the rest of the world. But the rest of the Arab world is split over the deal, with some hoping the diplomatic success will reduce tensions and others fearing it will empower Iran and increase instability throughout the already volatile region, The New York Times reports.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu furiously rejected the accord as "a historic mistake" with negative repercussions for a region already riven with rivalries and armed conflict, the Times reports. Netanyahu characterized the deal as a dangerous compromise that will exacerbate regional tensions and further strain Israel's relations with the U.S.

Hangar 2 at Barnes Regional Airport will be used by students enrolled in the new aviation maintenance program.

WESTFIELD - Westfield Technical Academy has received additional financial grants to help launch its new aviation maintenance program in September.

The Smith Avenue high school last week received an additional Perkins education grant and additional funding through the city's Community Preservation Act to assist with hangar preparations at Barnes Regional Airport that students will benefit from.

Principal Stefan Czaporowski and Superintendent of Schools Suzanne Scallion said the academy is "very lucky" because of the recent Perkins Grant in the amount of nearly $60,000. The grant is specifically for equipment and is similar to a grant received by the school last year in the amount of $20,000.

The Community Preservation Committee late last week allocated $300,000 toward exterior repairs at Hangar 2 at Barnes, a hangar the school will use in its aviation curriculum.

Czaporowski said the additional CPC funding will be combined with other state and local funding for the hangar renovation project.

Friday Mornings for Children at Stanley Park is offered free of charge.

WESTFIELD - Ed Popielarczyk's Comedy Magic Show will return to Stanley Park July 31 to entertain children in the Beveridge Pavilion Annex.

The comedy magic show uses a lot of audience participation and children called to the stage to assist receive a show souvenir.

The show is scheduled July 31, weather permitting, at 10 a.m. and admission to the 45-minute show is free.

Ed Popielarczyk's Comedy Magic Show is sponsored by Stanley Park's Friday Mornings for Children Series.

Aldrain Ashby, 30, of the Bronx section of New York, had warrants from Vermont and New York when he was stopped on I-91 in Vermont on Tuesday, according to authorities.

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — A routine traffic stop on a Vermont highway Tuesday morning led to the arrest of a New York City man wanted by the law, according to authorities.

Aldrain Ashby, 30, of the Bronx, was arrested after troopers stopped him for "a minor motor vehicle violation" on I-91 south in Springfield, Vermont, around 11:30 a.m., Vermont State Police officials said.

Ashby is a "fugitive from justice," according to police, who didn't indicate the offense that he's wanted for in New York. Additional investigation revealed Ashby had an active Vermont warrant for an alleged parole violation, police said.

As of Tuesday evening, Ashby, who's expected to be extradited to New York, was being held at Springfield's Southern State Correctional Facility, police said.

Voters rejected sewer funding at Southwick's Annual Town Meeting in May.

SOUTHWICK - Town officials will meet Wednesday to review past and consider current and future sewer issues as they search for ways to comply with state directives to connect the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School district to the town's sewer system.

The work session involving the Board of Selectmen, Sewer Commission and Sewer Implementation Committee will begin at 6 p.m. in the Land Use Conference Room at Town Hall.

Several items are up for discussion including a review of votes cast at the May Annual Town Meeting when voters rejected all sewer funding, design and installation warrant articles.

Officials plan to seek out additional federal and state loans and grants to help offset the cost as well as options to promote sewer projects among town residents.

Town Meeting voters rejected a $3.1 million bond proposed to connect the school district and homes along Powder Mill Road to the sewer system which carries sewerage from Southwick to Westfield's treatment plant under an agreement and contract between the two communities.

The town has, for several years, also planned to expand sewers in other sections of Southwick, specifically the Congamond Road area.

The cost of sewer expansion and connection appears to be the primary issue facing voters and homeowners who, in addition to property taxes, will be charged a betterment assessment estimated at more than $15,000 for sewer connection along with additional sewer use fees.

Southwick's first sewer phase was completed in 2004 and the betterment to homeowners at that time was $9,000.

The mound made Bostonians shiver into the summer, but not because of the temperature: It was laden more than 80 tons of garbage, transforming it into a repulsive trash heap as the snow melted.

BOSTON -- The last of Boston's winter nightmare has finally melted away.

Mayor Martin Walsh announced Tuesday that Boston's once-massive pile of filthy snow has officially dwindled to nothing. The pile accumulated into a 75-foot tower of snow after a record-breaking winter that dumped more than 110 inches on the city.

The mound made Bostonians shiver into the summer, but not because of the temperature: It was laden more than 80 tons of garbage, transforming it into a repulsive trash heap as the snow melted. Officials say two snowstorms struck after residents put their trash out, and it got swept up by plows.

The persistent pile prompted Walsh to hold a contest for who could guess when it would melt. He'll announce the winners Wednesday.

With summer in full swing and temperatures flirting with the 90s, the epic winter has seemed like a distant bad dream to many Bostonians. Others had speculated -- and not happily -- that the messy mound might last until Labor Day.

Gov. Charlie Baker captured the mood Tuesday, tweeting: "Our nightmare is officially over!"

The concert is free and refreshments will be available for purchase.

WESTFIELD - Westfield on Weekends will sponsor its second of three summer concerts at Park Square Green Thursday at 7 p.m..

Logan Mize will perform as part of Westfield MisicFest Thursday. The concert is free as a result of WOW and donations from various local businesses, organizations and individuals.

Concert-goers are urged to bring their own lawn chairs. Beer, wine and food will be available for purchase from local vendors.

MusicFest will continue with its concert series on Aug. 20, again at Park Square Green.

That concert will feature Bruce in the U.S.A., a Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band tribute band.