But defense lawyer Timothy Mannion said the woman was not Marin's girlfriend and had credibility problems of her own.

SPRINGFIELD - Jesus A. Marin was out on bail - and up a tree.

The extensively-tattooed construction worker had already scaled two, 6-foot fences and climbed a tree in a Taft Street backyard before police captured him Wednesday night.

"I advised Mr. Marin to get down from the tree and handcuffed him," officer Darren Nguyen wrote in his arrest report.

Marin, 30, of Springfield pleaded innocent to domestic assault and battery during his arraignment in Springfield District Court.

Before his latest arrest, Marin was out on bail in four other cases in Springfield and Chicopee District Court.

Late Wednesday night, Marin allegedly assaulted his girlfriend at 801 Belmont Ave. and fled as police arrived - leading them on a chase through backyards on Sylvan and Taft streets, according to the arrest report.

Following Marin's arrest, the woman told police the couple got into a fight over their plan to rob a West Springfield man who had withdrawn $10,000 from the bank earlier Wednesday, the report states.

After they arrived in West Springfield, Marin stole $5,000 from the victim's car without telling her, then returned to Springfield by himself. The pair reunited later in Springfield, and Marin denied taking the money. An argument ensued, and she called 911 after Marin assaulted her, the report states.

But defense lawyer Timothy Mannion said the woman was not Marin's girlfriend and had credibility problems of her own.

Marin never assaulted the woman or stole $5,000, according to Mannion, who said nobody reported the theft to West Springfield police.

The $3,000 found in Marin's pocket came from the sale of his motorcycle earlier Wednesday, the lawyer said.

He requested that Marin be released on personal recognizance so he could continue with his construction job.

Assistant District Attorney Ryan McRae asked for $10,000 bail, noting the defendant is awaiting trial in four cases in Springfield and Chicopee district courts.

In addition to an extensive adult arrest record, Marin has been named in seven restraining orders by three women and has a juvenile record as well, McRae said.

Basically, Marin has been committing crimes "his entire life," the prosecutor said.

At the prosecutor's request, Judge Michael Mulcahy ordered the defendant held at the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow for 90 days for violating bail on three of the open cases.

He also issued an order barring Marin from having any contact with the woman in the case.

Marin has 15 tattoos, including the names of three women, dollars signs, a clown, Marvin the Martian and the phrase "Till Death Do Us ...," the arrest report states.

He is unmarried, a Springfield native and an employee of Roca Construction, the records state.

Bail on the new charge was set at $4,000 and a pretrial conference was scheduled for October 6.

Seven companies submitted bids for the South End Community Center construction project, with the low bid coming in below the estimate.

SPRINGFIELD - Fontaine Bros. Inc., of Springfield, submitted the apparent low bid of $8,287,000 to build a new South End Community Center at Emerson Wight Park, with local officials pleased the price came in below the estimate.

Seven bids were received by Friday afternoon's deadline, and the city will now proceed with finalizing a contract with the company, officials said. The South End center has operated its programs in temporary locations since June 1, 2011, when a tornado destroyed its former home in the State Armory building on Howard Street.

"Obviously, this is another big step in the complete recovery from the 2011 tornado," Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said.

The new center will add to rejuvenation efforts in the South End area, coupled with new affordable housing and some traffic changes, Sarno said. In addition, the new center will aid with youth development, that is "key to knocking down poverty and public safety issues in urban America," Sarno said.

The new center will be a two-story building totaling approximately 28,000 square feet of space, and will contain offices, concessions, multi-purpose rooms, classrooms, an exercise room and a gymnasium. It will include a regulation basketball court and two side courts, a boxing ring with flexibility to allow wrestling, a cafeteria and lounge area.

The former site of the South End Community Center in Springfield is shown after devastation from the tornado of June 1, 2011.File photo / The Republican 

Patrick J. Sullivan, the city's director of parks, buildings and recreation management, said he is excited to seeing plans progress for construction of a new center.

"It's going to be a great opportunity to expand indoor recreational opportunities at Emerson Wight Park," he said.

The project cost is being afforded with a combination of federal disaster aid and city funds.

Theo G. Theocles, the city's deputy director of procurement, said that under bid guidelines, the city must accept the "lowest qualified bidder capable of performing the work," and Fontaine's bid did meet that criteria, and was accepted.

The six other bids were as follows: D.A. Sullivan & Sons, Inc., of Northampton, $8,697,000; Aquadro & Cerruti, Inc., of Northampton, $8,700,000; and Lupachino & Salvatore, Inc., of Bloomfield, Conn., $8,893,000.

Also: Five Star Building Corp., of Easthampton, $8,917,000; R.A..C. Builders, Inc., of Agawam, $9,800,000; and The Morganti Group, Inc., of Danbury, Conn., $9,800,000.

The center is among several large projects on the horizon in Springfield, also including a new senior center at Blunt Park, and a reconstruction of a building complex at 50 East St. for various Police Department uses, Theocles said.

He said he is pleased that projects are coming in on budget. The contract with Fontaine will have to be reviewed and signed by Sarno and various other city officials.

It is anticipated that the project will begin this fall, but the specific timetable was not verified on Friday.

Springfield tornado 2011, and three years later

 

These were the most read stories out of Springfield District Court last week. If you missed any, click on the links below to read them now. Springfield woman, 68, pleads guilty to soliciting sex 'Don't worry ... we trust you,' suspect in gun, grenade sale told state trooper, documents show New hearing set for Springfield woman, 60, charged with selling...

These were the most read stories out of Springfield District Court last week. If you missed any, click on the links below to read them now.

Springfield woman, 68, pleads guilty to soliciting sex

'Don't worry ... we trust you,' suspect in gun, grenade sale told state trooper, documents show

New hearing set for Springfield woman, 60, charged with selling crack cocaine from a pickup truck

'Remember, marijuana is a drug,' judge tells Springfield defendant

For 2nd time in month, Springfield caretaker denies assault on patient

"I just don't want someone on stage who gets a hostile question from a lady and his first inclination is to imply it was hormonal. It just was wrong," Erick Erickson wrote on the RedState website.

ATLANTA (AP) -- Donald Trump opened his mouth and now finds the door closed to him at a high-profile gathering of conservative activists. 

His latest incendiary comment, about one of the Fox News moderators from Thursday's Republican presidential debate, has led to a scolding by the party and condemnation by organizers of the RedState Gathering.

The billionaire businessman lashed out against Fox News' Megyn Kelly for her questions during the campaign's first debate. She had asked the candidate about his use of derogatory language toward women and whether it reflected the "temperament of a man we should elect as president."

Referring to Kelly's questions, Trump told CNN in an interview late Friday, "There was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever."

RELATED: 5 fiery comments from Trump at the Republican 2016 debate

Soon after the interview aired, RedState's Erick Erickson booted Trump from the event's Saturday lineup.

"I just don't want someone on stage who gets a hostile question from a lady and his first inclination is to imply it was hormonal. It just was wrong," Erickson wrote on the RedState website.

He said that "while Mr. Trump resonates with a lot of people with his bluntness, including me to a degree, there are just real lines of decency a person running for president should not cross."

Trump's campaign was incensed -- and unbowed.

"This is just another example of weakness through being politically correct. For all of the people who were looking forward to Mr. Trump coming, we will miss you. Blame Erick Erickson, your weak and pathetic leader," according to a campaign statement.

The Republican National Committee, treading carefully about the current front-runner for the 2016 nomination, called on Trump to "immediately clarify" his comment and said it would "highly inappropriate" if Trump stood by his remarks.

Trump needs "to understand that he is seeking the presidency of the United States now and that words do matter," RNC spokesman Sean Spicer told NBC's "Today" show on Saturday.

"I'm hoping that Mr. Trump, because he does speak off the cuff, because he doesn't ascribe to political correctness, was speaking in a way that wasn't fully thought out," Spicer said.

Trump's absence from Saturday's program threatened to overshadow appearances by a number of his rivals, including former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Erickson said he had invited Fox's Kelly to attend in place of Trump in the evening.

The attacks Friday in Kabul marked the highest number of civilians killed and wounded in a single day.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A series of attacks that killed at least 44 people and wounded over 300 in one day has shattered the relative calm of Afghanistan's capital, even as some had hoped fledgling negotiations with the Taliban and the death of their figurehead could bring peace.

The attacks Friday in Kabul marked the highest number of civilians killed and wounded in a single day, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, which began keeping its statistics in 2009. Even Saturday, as Afghans protested the violence and donated blood to victims, people remained on edge.

"I feel danger even now, right now as we are talking," said Kabul resident Mohammad Naeem. "And when I see the crowd of people I think maybe a suicide attack will take place with a car bomb or on a motorbike. Anything is possible."

Since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 that ousted the Taliban, Kabul always has been the target of insurgent attacks. But Friday's attack included a massive truck bombing targeting a residential area in the capital that killed 15 people and wounded more than 200, something unusual. Security forces say they have thwarted a number of attempts to bring large caches of explosives into the capital and at least one truck bomb exploded this year while attempting to enter the city limits.

Friday's two other attacks included a suicide bomber attacking recruits outside a police academy, killing at least 20 cadets and wounding 24, as well as an attack on a NATO military base near Kabul's international airport. The NATO base attack killed one international service member and eight Afghan contractors, NATO spokesman Col. Brian Tribus said. The Afghan Interior Ministry said the assault wounded 10 local security guards, while three insurgents were killed.

NATO did not identify the nationality of the international trooper killed. The Taliban claimed the police academy attack and the NATO base assault, without mentioning the truck bombing. Insurgents often don't claim attacks that kill women and children.

U.S. and NATO forces ended their combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of last year. In the time since, Afghan security forces have been taking record casualties in their fight against insurgents across the country.

Civilians also have suffered. A recent U.N. report shows a 1 percent increase in civilian casualties in the first six months of the year, the overwhelming majority caused by the insurgents. Almost 5,000 people were killed or wounded during that time, the report said, with the number of women and children affected by the violence up 23 and 13 percent respectively.

Meanwhile, Saturday, in eastern Nangarhar province, a roadside bomb killed a traffic police officer and a civilian and wounded three near a checkpoint in Surkh Rod district, authorities said.

President Ashraf Ghani promised to retaliate against the perpetrators and linked the Kabul attacks to the recent announcement by his government that Taliban figurehead Mullah Mohammad Omar had been dead for more than two years.

The appointment of Mullah Omar's replacement, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, has sparked dissent within the Taliban. That's also raised questions about the peace process that Ghani has made pivotal to his presidency. After a series of informal talks, a first formal, face-to-face round of negotiations was held in Pakistan on July 7. The announcement of Mullah Omar's death saw future talks cancelled.

However, many seem to take Friday's bombings as a message that the Taliban won't quit fighting -- and that Kabul remains a major target.

"Since the death of Mullah Omar, explosions are still happening," Kabul resident Mohammed Zahir said. "These problems have increased and we can't expect anything from the government."

Later Saturday, hundreds gathered at a candlelight vigil in memory of those who died. Many blamed Pakistan, long suspected of harboring insurgents, for allowing the attacks in Kabul to take place. They burned Pakistani currency with the candles lit to remember the dead.

"Our nation is in mourning," said Aryan Afghan, who took part in the vigil.

Veterans, local officials and families gathered Saturday to dedicate Route 202 as Purple Heart Trail.

HOLYOKE - They are big and purple and will soon be lining Route 202 from Westfield to South Hadley.

More than 20 Purple Heart Trail signs honoring veterans wounded and killed in combat will remind motorists of the sacrifices the men and women in our armed forces make everyday.

The Holyoke City Council voted Oct. 7 to name that part of the road Purple Heart Way after declaring Holyoke a Purple Heart City in February 2014.

"It really remembers all the generations. We're kind of reaching back and saying, "Thank you," said Brian Willette, the commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Western Massachusetts Chapter 875.

Veterans, local officials and families of veterans filled the Holyoke Senior Center as the 20 signs lined tables on the perimeter. Each sign presents the name of its sponsor, with some proudly displaying the name of a service member and other the names of an organization.

Speakers talked of sacrifice and service, but the Purple Heart recipients in the audience knew all that. They have the scars to prove it. The words were for the rest of us.

SPRINGFIELD – While visiting her daughter's family for the summer, Indiana resident Marcy Anderson found a perfect way to spend a sunny a Saturday afternoon downtown. The daylong Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival attracted an estimated 5,000 people who wanted to hear music from a high school jazz group, Latin jazz performers and some bigger known names including Springfield native...

SPRINGFIELD - While visiting her daughter's family for the summer, Indiana resident Marcy Anderson found a perfect way to spend a sunny a Saturday afternoon downtown.

The daylong Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival attracted an estimated 5,000 people who wanted to hear music from a high school jazz group, Latin jazz performers and some bigger known names including Springfield native Avery Sharpe with Charles Neville.

"I was born and raised up on jazz. My father was a big fan of jazz," Anderson said.

She attended with her daughter Stacey Church, of Wilbraham, the general manager of the MassMutual Center, and her granddaughter Reese Church, 8.

"There is a great variety. There is a little bit of everything," Anderson said.

This is the second time the organization has run the outdoor free festival on Court Square downtown. In the future Evan Plotkin, president of NAI Plotkin, of Springfield, and one of the organizers, said he would like it to expand to a second day or have music also offered in other spots in Springfield such as Riverfront Park.

The event had already expanded beyond the first year by offering several acts inside in the Old First Church located at the edge of Court Square, he said.

Plotkin was initially a member of a committee that organized the Hoop City Jazz Festival, which died in part due to the June 1, 2011 tornado. Even then he noticed the event drew a widely diverse crowd on people of different ages, races and socio-economic backgrounds.

When reviving the event, Plotkin said he wanted to hold it in the heart of downtown Springfield. With its shady expanse of grass, fountain and nearby historic buildings, it is similar to a downtown square in a European city.

"This is a revival of Springfield," he said. "It is one of the most beautiful venues in the world."

Mayor Domenic Sarno, said he was thrilled to see the lineup of bands and the hundreds of people coming out to enjoy the music. In the second year, a number of vendors were added so people could purchase food and drink and also learn about community agencies.

"People are able to showcase the good of Springfield and the good of urban America with this festival," he said.

The perfect weather, with sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s, also drew many people, Sarno added.

Maxine Hall, of Springfield, especially wanted to see a few performers, including Deva Mahal, at the festival.

"I came to hear the music and the dance and the venue is beautiful," she said.

Amherst resident Mari Castaneda and Korina Jocson, of Holyoke, arrived early to see Jesus Pagan & Conjunto Barrio, who play a variety of music including Latin jazz and salsa, but expected to stay for others.

"It is a great place for the community to come together and the acoustics are great," Castaneda said.

The festival was designed to showcase a wide variety of jazz performers including those with roots in blues, classical and African music, said Kristin Neville, executive director of Blues To Green and festival producer.

"We wanted to bring a focus on the richness of the art form," she said.

The man was found on Wilbraham Road after walking away from the festival in downtown Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD - An off-duty police officer who was heading home after working all day on Saturday located an elderly man who was reported missing from a downtown festival.

The man, who is 74 and suffers from Alzheimer's disease, was reported missing Saturday afternoon from the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival at Court Square. Police organized a search for the man and announced all officers on duty to be on the lookout for him, Police Sgt. Vincent Spagnolo said.

Police assigned to the search did not immediately find the man. Later Officer Elizabeth Dasso, a 28-year veteran of the force, was heading home after working a day shift when she spotted a person on Wilbraham who fit the description of the man police were still trying to find, Spagnolo said.

She stopped and talked to the man and confirmed he was the same person. Using a take-home police radio she reported she found the lost person. On-duty officers arrived soon after and reunited him with the people who reported him lost, he said.

The man was uninjured, Spagnolo said.

Thieves stole a nursing medical cross, uniform bars, pins and photographs.

BOLTON, VT. - Vermont State Police are searching for World War II memorabilia stolen from the family of a nurse who served in the U.S. Army.

Thieves broke into a vacant home in Bolton, Vermont, and took a nursing medical cross patch, lieutenant uniform bars, U.S. pins, dress coat buttons and photographs. The property is owned by the grandson of a woman who served as a lieutenant in World War II, according to Vermont State Police.

"The property was considered priceless by the victim's family," police said.

The thieves also stole copper piping and scrap steel farm parts from the property, police said.

Anyone with information about the stolen items should contact Police Cpl. Andrew Liese at 802-878-7111.

The last transmission from the Piper PA-46 aircraft was the pilot announcing he was taking off from Adirondack Regional Airport at 5:50 p.m. Friday, an official says.

LAKE CLEAR, N.Y. -- No distress call was received from a small plane that crashed in the Adirondack Mountains, leaving four people dead in the fiery wreckage, a federal official said Saturday.

Peter Knudson, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board, told The Associated Press that the last transmission from the Piper PA-46 aircraft was the pilot announcing he was taking off from Adirondack Regional Airport at 5:50 p.m. Friday.

The small single-engine plane went down in a wooded area northwest of the airport just minutes after taking off. The lakeside hamlet of tourist lodges, campsites and outdoors-oriented establishments is about 50 miles south of the Canadian border.

"It crashed into a heavily wooded area, about three-quarters of a mile northwest of the airport," Knudson said. "There was a significant post-crash fire."

The identities of the dead have not been released, and officials don't know the cause of the crash.

While the impact and fire destroyed the six-seat civilian plane, it appears the aircraft "came down in a fairly vertical position," rather than gliding, Franklin County Sheriff Kevin Mulverhill said by phone.

"There's not a lot left of the aircraft," and the forest is scorched around it, Mulverhill said.

The crash site is half a mile or more into woods, authorities said.

"The pilot announced the aircrafts was going to take off. That's the last transmission that was heard from pilot," Kundson said.

He said there was "no distress call, no contact with air traffic control."

Knudson said the plane had flown in earlier Friday from Rochester and was parked at the airport during the day. It was not clear whether the four people who were aboard the aircraft when it landed in Lake Clear were the ones who were killed.

The pilot had filed a flight plan with the Federal Aviation Administration to return to Rochester that evening. The plane was registered to someone in the Rochester area, authorities said. An FAA spokesman said the agency would not release the plane's registration number until the families of the victims have been notified.

An NTSB investigator from New York City arrived at the crash site Saturday morning to inspect the wreckage before it can be removed.

The crash happened little over a year after another small plane crashed while approaching the airport in nearby Lake Placid, killing the pilot and his two passengers, who were his graduate student daughter and a friend of hers.

In March 2013, another small plane went down while approaching the Lake Placid Municipal Airport, but all three men aboard escaped with only minor cuts and bruises.

After waiting about 20 minutes, the Democratic presidential candidate was pushed away when he tried to take the microphone back.

SEATTLE -- Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was shoved aside by several Black Lives Matter activists and eventually left a Saturday afternoon event in Seattle without giving his speech.

Sanders was just starting to address several thousand people gathered shoulder to shoulder at Westlake Park when two women took over the microphone. Organizers couldn't persuade the two to wait and agreed to give them a few minutes.

As Sanders stepped back, the women spoke about Ferguson and the killing of Michael Brown and held a four minute moment of silence.

When the crowd asked the activists to allow Sanders to speak, one activist called the crowd "white supremacist liberals," according to event participants.

After waiting about 20 minutes, Sanders himself was pushed away when he tried to take the microphone back. Instead, he waved goodbye, left the stage with a raised fist salute and waded into the crowd. He shook hands and posed for photos with supporters for about 15 minutes, and then left.

The rally at Westlake Park was organized as a birthday celebration for Social security, Medicare and Medicaid.

It's not the first time that Black Lives Matter activists disrupt the Vermont senator's event.

At a town hall for Democratic presidential candidates in Phoenix last month, protesters affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement took over the stage and disrupted an interview with Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.

In his campaign, Sanders has chiefly focused on issues like the middle class, climate change and criminal justice reform. In addition to advocating a $15-an-hour minimum wage and raising taxes on the rich, Sanders also supports a massive government-led jobs program to fix roads and bridges, a single-payer health care system, an expansion of Social Security benefits and debt-free college.

Sanders will hold a campaign rally at the University of Washington this evening. He will be driving to Portland on Sunday and is scheduled to hold a Sunday night rally at Portland's Moda Center, which has a capacity of about 19,000 and is home of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. The event had originally been scheduled at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which can handle about 12,000.

Sanders heads to an event in Los Angeles on Monday.

Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson said he had spoken to the FBI's Dallas field office after the Friday shooting of Christian Taylor, a 19-year-old African-American.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The FBI has been asked to help investigate the death of a Texas college football player who was fatally shot by an officer during a burglary call at a car dealership, a suburban Dallas police chief said Saturday.

During a news conference Saturday night, Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson said he had spoken to the FBI's Dallas field office after the Friday shooting of Christian Taylor, a 19-year-old African-American who was unarmed when shot by a white police officer. Johnson stressed the move "in no way diminishes my confidence" in local officers to conduct the investigation.

Arlington officer Brad Miller has been placed on administrative leave. Police say the officer, who joined Arlington police last year and was still completing his department field training, had never before fired his weapon in the line of duty.

Johnson said Miller and another officer found Taylor "freely roaming" inside the dealership's showroom when they arrived, sometime after 1 a.m. Friday.

The officers told Taylor to surrender and lie down on the ground, but he refused, the chief said. He said they saw him trying to escape the showroom and pursued him.

The incident ended with Miller shooting his service weapon four times at Taylor, hitting him at least twice, according to Johnson. The officer with Miller -- his field training officer, a nearly two-decade veteran -- used his Taser, but not a gun.

Johnson repeatedly refused to describe the confrontation or say how close Taylor got to either officer before Miller opened fire.

Police had gone to the Classic Buick GMC in Arlington, about 10 miles west of Dallas, after being contacted by a company that manages security cameras at for the car dealership. Police were advised that someone had driven a car onto the lot, started to damage another car, then drove his own vehicle into the glass front of the showroom. Johnson said Taylor appeared to have kicked out the windshield of a car.

Taylor was shot by a white police officer two days before the anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, an unarmed, black 18-year-old whose death galvanized the "Black Lives Matter" movement and sparked protests that at times turned violent.

Johnson mentioned the current climate during the news conference, noting that "our nation has been wrestling with the topics of social injustice, inequities, racism and police misconduct" and that his department would "pledge to act in a transparent manner."

Some of the nationwide criticism of police use of force in the last year has happened online, and Taylor's death resonated on social media, with some posts questioning the official account and calling for video to be released.

Police say they are investigating Taylor's death both as a possible criminal case and to determine whether department rules were broken.

The city of Nagasaki marked the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing Sunday with calls to abolish nuclear weapons and halt the Japanese government's push to loosen restrictions on what its military can do.

NAGASAKI, Japan -- The city of Nagasaki marked the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing Sunday with calls to abolish nuclear weapons and halt the Japanese government's push to loosen restrictions on what its military can do.

With Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the audience, a representative of Nagasaki bomb survivors told an annual ceremony that security legislation introduced by Abe's government goes against the wishes of the survivors and "will lead to war."

"We cannot accept this," 86-year-old Sumiteru Taniguchi said, after describing in graphic detail his traumatic injuries and how others died in the Aug. 9, 1945, attack on Nagasaki.

Representatives from 75 countries, including U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, were among those gathered under a tall white canopy to shade them from the sun on a 31-degree-Celsius (88-degree Fahrenheit) morning at Nagasaki Peace Park.

As a bell tolled, they observed a minute of silence at 11:02 a.m., the time when the a U.S. B-29 plane dropped the atomic bomb, killing more than 70,000 people and helping to prompt Japan's World War II surrender. The first atomic bomb in Hiroshima three days earlier killed an estimated 140,000.

Abe's security bills, which he says are needed to increase Japan's deterrence capabilities in the face of growing threats in the region, have run into stiff public opposition. The legislation would ease constitutional limits that restrict the military to self-defense, allowing Japanese forces to defend allies in limited circumstances.

Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue, addressing the same ceremony, noted the "widespread unease" about the legislation, which has passed the lower house of parliament and is now before the upper house.

"I urge the government of Japan to listen to these voices of unease and concern," Taue said.

A message from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon echoed calls by Taue and others to abolish nuclear weapons.

"I wholeheartedly join you in sounding a global rallying cry: No more Nagasakis. No more Hiroshimas," Ban said in a message read by Kim Won-soo, the acting U.N. high representative for disarmament affairs.

Abe, in brief remarks, said that Japan, as the only country to experience nuclear attacks, would seek to play a leading role in realizing a world without such weapons.

All three victims are related to Jody Herring, currently being held for the shooting death of a state social worker Friday afternoon.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

This updates a story published early Saturday morning.

BERLIN,VT— The bodies of three women were found in a Berlin home Saturday morning, two appear to have been shot, police said. All three victims are related to Jody Herring, currently being held for the shooting death of a state social worker Friday afternoon.

According to police statements, a woman found the three bodies just after 8 a.m. Saturday morning. Police said they found shell casings in the home, and two of the victims appear to have been shot. There was no apparent cause of death for the third woman found in the home at 3168 Airport Road in Berlin. Police have not released the names or ages of the victims pending notification of family.

The bodies were removed to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner' for autopsies to determine the exact cause of death.

Jody HerringBarre City Police 

Herring is being held on a charge of first degree homicide after police said she shot and killed Lara Sobel, a social worker for the state Department of Children and Families. Sobel was instrumental in having Herring's 9-year-old daughter removed from her custody earlier. The child is now a ward of the state.

Herring is accused of stalking Sobel to a parking lot behind the DCF office in nearby Barre City Friday afternoon, and shooting her twice with a scope-mounted high powered rifle. Sobel died at the scene. Witnesses and passersby tackled Herring and held her until police arrived to take her into custody.

Berlin police are working with Barre City Police, Montpelier Police, the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Major Crime Unit.

SPRINGFIELD—A Springfield party-goer ended up at the Baystate Medical Center Sunday morning after he was apparently slashed in the chest after he and another attendee got into a heated argument. Springfield Police Lt. Brian Keenan said police first became aware of the incident when the alleged victim showed up at the emergency room at about 2:50 a.m. The man...

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

Springfield Police Lt. Brian Keenan said police first became aware of the incident when the alleged victim showed up at the emergency room at about 2:50 a.m. The man had slash wounds to his chest. He was treated in the Trauma Unit for what Keenan called, "non-life threatening injuries."

The victim told police he attended an after-hours party on Granger Street in Springfield and at one point began to argue with Eric Gaudette, of South Hadley. The argument got heated and at one point, the victim said Gaudette produced a knife and attacked him.

After the victim went to the hospital, Gaudette apparently fled the party. Police contacted South Hadley authorities and they took Gaudette into custody at his home. Springfield police retrieved the suspect and brought him to Springfield Police headquarters where he was placed under arrest and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

He will be arraigned in Springfield District Court on Monday.

Holyoke jobs also are available in the public works and building departments.

HOLYOKE -- Here's a look at the current job postings on the city website:

--Head clerk in the Health Department. The job is posted initially only internally under agreement with the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE).

Ability to speak English and Spanish preferred.

Summary: Performs receptionist, clerical and customer-service duties; transfers or posts information; retrieves information and maintains files; prepares vouchers, requisitions and purchase orders; prepares and types forms, statements, letters, reports and other documents; compiles statistical information, among other duties.

Yearly salary: $33,124 to $35,217.

Application deadline: Aug. 13.

--Assistant director of the Council on Aging.

Ability to speak English and Spanish, and knowledge of graphic design or PowerPoint software, preferred.

Summary: At the direction of the executive director, the assistant director oversees Senior Center including building operations and staffing, maintenance, administration of program services for older adults, transportation, social services, meals, health services, educational and recreational programming, and volunteers. The assistant director also helps with recruitment, hiring, training, supervision, discipline and performance evaluations, among other duties.

Yearly salary: $44,354 to $59,879.

Application deadline: Aug. 19.

--Council on Aging social worker.

Ability to speak English and Spanish, and knowledge of graphic design or PowerPoint software, preferred.

Summary: Meets with elders to define client needs and facilitate access to services such as case management, fuel assistance, food stamps, health insurance, emergency response tools and housing; coordinates medical appointments and transportation; counsels elders and their families to help ensure independence, autonomy and safety; helps elders in completing applications for public assistance programs and with appeals; maintains client files, among other duties.

Yearly salary, part-time, 20 hours a week: $17,243 to $24,658.

Application deadline: Aug. 19.

--Assistant superintendent of the Department of Public Works (DPW)/city engineer.

Summary: Oversees enforcement of state and city laws and regulations, including those regarding traffic signals and signs; enforces erosion control and storm water ordinances; advises city departments on engineering and technical matters; manages and reviews budget for work done under contract; approves invoices; maintains plans and records; reviews and approves petitions for new streets; examines bridges and maintains custody of bridge inspection reports; examines land owned by city; prepares contract documents for city projects; manages contractors on municipal projects; reviews plans submitted to Planning Department; reviews and issues permits; reviews petitions for storm water and other permits; manages state-funded roadway improvement projects; oversees construction of municipal and permitted work; processes change orders; serves on Board of Public Safety, Building Survey Board, and other committees, among other duties.

Yearly salary: $54,674 to $83,406.

Application deadline was July 31 but position remains posted.

--Public health nurse in Health Department.

Summary: Must be a registered nurse. Visits patients' homes, determines patient and family needs, develops health plans, refers patients with social and emotional problems to pertinent agencies. Safeguards health of children by participating in child health conferences; provides group instruction for parents; conducts immunization programs; arranges convalescent and rehabilitative care of sick or injured persons by cooperating with families, community agencies, and medical personnel; investigates all reportable communicable diseases; educates, counsels and indexes cases; maintains surveillance of various diseases, reports findings and enters information into the Maven system on Java computing platform; arranges flu clinics, among other duties.

Yearly salary: $42,397 to $46,027.

Application deadline was July 5 but position remains posted.

--Plumbing and gas inspector in Building Department.

Summary: Performs technical inspection work including field visits and inspections of plumbing and mechanical systems; evaluates systems to determine compliance with regulations and ordinances; records findings and recommendations for use in issuing or denying plumbing and gas permits, among other duties.

Yearly salary: $44,681 to $47,794.

Application deadline was July 3 but position remains posted.

--DPW motor equipment repair person.

Summary: Performs skilled maintenance, diagnostic and repair work on automotive and non-automotive equipment including hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, air conditioning, mechanical systems and hoisting equipment; performs related work as required, among other duties.

Yearly salary: $39,540 to $43,201.

Application deadline was June 19 but position remains posted.

Monteiro went to court to watch trials - and ended up selling insurance policies to lawyers, prosecutors, court officers and judges.

SPRINGFIELD - In May, John J. Monteiro, volunteer information officer at the Hampden County Hall of Justice, celebrated his 90th birthday.

That means the impeccably dressed, semi-retired insurance salesman is more than twice as old as the building in which he works - and, by all appearances - in much better shape.

"I feel great," he said recently, moments before giving a mother with two small children directions to the Probation Department.

Despite being known as "Info John," the Wilbraham resident does more than steer people to the right place to pay a parking ticket, sue a contractor or request a restraining order.

For a few hours each day, he dispenses civility and good cheer in a building that needs all it can get.

"John is a gentleman. He treats everyone well. He's never sarcastic or rude," said defense lawyer Stephen Newman.

A New Bedford native and World War II veteran, Monteiro came to Springfield to work in the insurance industry. He was fascinated by the law, but had a family to support and bills to pay. (In addition to his wife, Joan, Monteiro has four children, 14 grandchildren.)

Still, the courthouse was just a block away from his downtown insurance office. In the late 1970s, he began going to court to watch trials - and ended up selling insurance policies
to lawyers, prosecutors, court officers and judges.

"Four judges - but I can't mention any names," Monteiro said.

The first trial he watched pitted District Attorney Matthew J. Ryan Jr. against lawyers for two Springfield men charged with killing a city liquor store owner.

In 1973, Ryan won a conviction in the high-profile case, but it was later overturned. The second trial ended in acquittals after days of courtroom theatrics.

"It was really something. The lawyers, the closing arguments ... just so much drama," Monteiro recalled.

As his business flourished, Monteiro found more time for court. In the hallways, he was sometimes mistaken for Francesco "Skyball" Scibelli, one of Springfield's ranking organized crime figures.

By the mid-1980s, he was a full-fledged court watcher, known for almost daily attendance in Superior Court. During a charity "jail or bail" fundraiser at Tower Square in 1991, Monteiro was "jailed" for "failure to report to court."

In the early 1990s, District Attorney William Bennett asked him to serve as information officer. It was an obvious choice, Bennett recalls.

"Everybody liked John; he loved to talk and he wanted to help people he saw coming into the courthouse every day," Bennett said.

Two decade later, Monteiro is still talking. On a typical day, the conversation ranges from old criminal cases ("then she threw a coffee pot at him!") to his grandson's athletic accomplishments to the post-season prospects of the New York Yankees, his preferred baseball franchise.

"We talk about the important things in life," defense lawyer John Greenwood said. "Sports, jazz ... and food," he said.

"John stirs the pot," adds lawyer Thomas Bessette, who sold insurance before getting a law degree. "We talk about a lot of things, even the insurance business."

Most days, Monteiro shows up around 8:30 a.m. and leaves around by 11 a.m., the busy period in court. Dozens of people - from police officers and lawyers to parents needing quick directions to the bathroom for their children - stop by the first-floor information booth on a typical morning.

In late May, some of Monteiro's friends stopped by with a bagful of gifts and a birthday card with dozens of signatures.

The surprise party was organized by defense lawyer Erin O'Connor to mark Monteiro's 90th birthday.

"John is a pillar in the Springfield courthouse," O'Connor said.

"Day after day, he is there offering encouragement, assistance and a smile to those who come through the doors," she said.

"We are lucky to have him," she added.

Eight people — including five children and three adults — were found dead inside a Houston-area home.

HOUSTON (AP) -- Eight people -- including five children and three adults -- were found dead inside a Houston-area home following the arrest of a man who exchanged gunfire with police, Texas authorities said Sunday.

Deputies were called to the home about 9 p.m. Saturday to perform a welfare check, Harris County Sheriff spokesman Thomas Gilliland told KHOU-TV. Gilliland said deputies subsequently received information indicating that a man inside the home was wanted on a warrant for aggravated assault on a family member.

Gilliland said while waiting for a High Risk Operations Unit to arrive at the scene, deputies spotted the body of a juvenile through a window. Four deputies then forced their way into the home, prompting the 49-year-old male suspect inside to begin shooting. Deputies pulled back and waited for the operations unit to arrive.

The man surrendered about an hour later.

"At this time we have what appears to be five children and three adults," Gilliland said. "Ages and genders we do not have, and cause of death we do not have. The medical examiner will have to determine a cause of death."

The relationship between the suspect and victims wasn't immediately known. No further details were released.

"Homicide detectives have taken over the operation along with our crime scene unit. Due to the amount of victims and the proximity to the people in the house, it'll be a scene that's going on for a while."

Alan Cartagena, 19, said he was attending a barbecue at a home a couple houses away. About 11 p.m., he said, deputies started going around the neighborhood knocking on doors.

"Cops were walking around with their handguns out, telling people to remain in their houses. They were also telling them to evacuate. It was extremely scary," he said.

Cartagena said he heard one gunshot but wasn't sure if there were more.

It was a picture perfect day for the 750 runners and hundreds of spectators for the 37th Bridge of Flowers Classic 10K road race Saturday.

SHELBURNE FALLS — It was a picture perfect day for the 750 runners and hundreds of spectators for the 37th Bridge of Flowers Classic 10K road race Saturday.

Matthew Brooker, of Albany, New York, cruised to a first place finish in 33:50. Brooker and Shelburne Falls native, Dan Smith, took the lead from the start but Brooker took a seven second lead after the first mile.

The race features a crushing three-quarters of a mile climb up Crittendon Hill, and Smith was able to close the gap to 40 yards there. But the ensuing downhill enabled Brooker, 24, to build his lead to 42 seconds by the finish line.

Check out the action in the photos above and real the full report on the road race by Seth Roberts here.

The story went viral as people shared it on Twitter, Facebook and other social media.

AGAWAM - Two women were arrested recently after allegedly attacking and injuring a lesbian couple they observed kissing at Six Flags New England.

Damarielys Mukhtar, 29, of Springfield, and Nikia L. Butt, 27, of Holyoke, were arraigned in Westfield District Court on charges of assault and battery and a civil rights violation with injury. Mukhtar faces an additional charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, court documents show.

Mukhtar was released on $1,000 bail, according to court records. Butt is being held without right to bail for an assault and battery with a dangerous weapon case that dates to March 2014.

The pair allegedly attacked two female Bryant University students who said they were kissing on a bridge at the amusement park. The victims are 18 and 19.

The victims said there was a confrontation on the bridge and Mukhtar began yelling graphic, homophobic slurs at them. She then allegedly punched, kicked and pulled the hair of one of the victims, court records said.

The story went viral as people passed it around on social media. Here are some of the things people were Tweeting following the arrest.