For more than 50 years, the Brimfield Antique Show has attracted antiques dealers, collectors and visitors from across the United States and abroad.

BRIMFIELD — For more than 50 years, the Brimfield Antique Show has attracted antiques dealers, collectors and visitors from across the United States and abroad.

The annual event appears three times a year — in May, July and September — with the help of an estimated 20 show fields along Route 20.

This year's September show will remain open until Sunday.

Next year's schedule will be May 10-15, July 12-17 and Sept. 6-11, when once again hundreds of vendors will line Route 20 and the surrounding side streets.

Officials estimate more than 50,000 people attend each of the three weeks. Food vendors range from homemade kettle corn to custom style sandwiches. Early arrivals can expect basic breakfast sandwiches and coffee.

Experienced shoppers can be seen toting pull-style wagons, handcarts, adult tricycles with baskets and backpacks. Parking is plentiful and walking shoes are a must.

A woman sought in connection with a home break-in in Lancaster that resulted in the theft of credit cards, a television set and a camera, turned her self into police Wednesday. Toni Hasselmann was identified by police as a woman seen in surveillance video using a stolen credit card at several stores, WCVB-TV reported. It was not immediately clear, however,...

A woman sought in connection with a home break-in in Lancaster that resulted in the theft of credit cards, a television set and a camera, turned her self into police Wednesday.

Toni Hasselmann 

It was not immediately clear, however, whether some of the family's most cherished items -- photos of their deceased baby -- could be recovered.

Although the Boston Herald reported that the "irreplaceable" photos had been deleted from the Canon Powershot DLR camera allegedly taken during the break-in, police were hopeful that they could be recovered.

"Although the photos of the families baby were deleted, we are confident that they can be recovered with the help of the Massachusetts State Police computer crimes unit," police said in a message announcing the arrest of Hasselmann, who was arraigned Wednesday in Clinton District Court on charges including breaking and entering, larceny and credit card fraud.

Christopher Morales, of Leominister, is also being sought in connection with the burglary.

Homeowner David Neeley told the Herald that he wasn't concerned about the flat-screen television or the credit cards stolen from his house Aug. 30. He said he and his wife wife "just want the pictures of our son," who passed away shortly after his birth in October.

"We just want everyone to know that it's really heartbreaking that people would stoop that low to invade someone's house and privacy and not care," Neeley told the Herald. "It's just petty."

Surveillance footage taken at one of the stores where a stolen credit card was allegedly used, shows a blonde woman, who appears to have tattoos on her shoulder and left forearm. She reportedly used the card at New Mark Variety store in Clinton, Advanced Auto in Leominster and King's Corner Cumberland Farms in Lancaster.

The woman was also seen in a silver SUV with a man driving.

Police plan to charge Morales, when apprehended, with breaking and entering, larceny and credit card theft.

Anyone with information about Morales' location is asked to call Lancaster police at 978-368-1411.

The man was hit in the first inning by a foul off the bat of Toronto slugger Josh Donaldson, and there was a brief delay as the Blue Jays played the Boston Red Sox.

BOSTON -- A fan at Fenway Park was injured by a foul ball during a game Wednesday night, the latest in a series of crowd accidents this season at the century-old stadium.

The man was hit in the first inning by a foul off the bat of Toronto slugger Josh Donaldson, and there was a brief delay as the Blue Jays played the Boston Red Sox. The fan returned to his seat an inning later with what appeared to be an ice pack he was holding on his left shoulder.

The fan was sitting four rows from the field when he was struck and Donaldson looked over to see if the man was OK.

A person nearby gave the ball to the man, who was wearing a Toronto jersey. He walked off under his own power with medical personnel at his side.

Several fans around the majors have been hurt by foul balls and broken bats this year, prompting discussion about whether teams should extend protective netting. Major League Baseball has said it is studying the issue of crowd safety.

In June, 44-year-old Tonya Carpenter was seriously injured at Fenway Park after she was hit by a broken piece of a bat from Oakland's Brett Lawrie.

Earlier this homestand in Boston, a female fan was hit on the left elbow after a bat slipped from the hands of Yankees star Brian McCann. She was given an ice pack and stayed in her seat.

Another fan in Boston recently went to the hospital after he flipped backward over a railing trying to catch a foul ball and landed on a concrete walkway.

The accidednt just east of the Westport station caused delays of up to 40 minutes on the New Haven Line.

WESTPORT, Conn. -- Transit police are investigating the death of a man who had been trespassing on train tracks in Connecticut.

Metro-North officials say the man was hit by a New Haven-bound train shortly before 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The train had left Grand Central Terminal in New York City at 10:04 a.m. and was to arrive in New Haven at 12:10 p.m.

But the collision just east of the Westport station caused delays of up to 40 minutes on the New Haven Line.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority police are investigating.

Officials say it's not clear why the man was on the tracks.

Sotomayor's talk was delayed by 40 minutes as hundreds of people took seats at the MassMutual Center.

SPRINGFIELD - The first person of Hispanic heritage ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court earned a prolonged standing ovation when she was introduced Wednesday night at the MassMutual Center.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor's talk launched the Springfield Public Forum's 80th anniversary, and the 7:30 p.m. start time was delayed by 40 minutes as hundreds of people found their seats in the 15,000-square-foot exhibition hall.

The talk followed a surprise visit to the Holyoke Public Library, where Sotomayor spoke to city children about the importance of a good education.

Sotomayor spoke with moderator Ilana Rovner, a federal appellate judge, about her mindset when writing her bestselling memoir "My Beloved World," capturing important moments in her life with raw honesty, and said everyone should take the time to learn from their elders.

"I wanted to tell people the actual story of who Sonia is," she said, recalling a meeting with President Barack Obama in which he encouraged her to stay grounded despite her job on the high court.

"I started realizing that I needed to capture who I was for myself. ... If I get too big for my britches, take that heavy book I wrote and hit me over the head with it," she said.

Sotomayor is just the third woman to sit on the nation's highest court. The Bronx, N.Y., native, 61, was appointed to replace David Souter in 2009. When Obama nominated her, she was a federal appellate judge with jurisdiction in Connecticut, New York and Vermont.

She gained national attention when one of her decisions ended the eight-month Major League Baseball strike of 1995, and again in 2008 when she sided against a group of white firefighters in a "reverse" racial discrimination lawsuit. The Supreme Court threw out that ruling shortly after Sotomayor took her seat.

At age 7, Sotomayor was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. Her alcoholic father died when she was young and she was raised by her mother, a nurse who insisted upon a quality education, speaking English and reading encyclopedias.

"I wanted to write a book that gave people hope, because the reality is, if I can do it, you can do it, too," she said. "Diabetes taught me discipline, something that a lot of kids take a long time to learn."

The disease has forced Sotomayor to watch her diet carefully and exercise regularly, habits she said everyone should follow for the inherent health benefits, but also to develop a sense of discipline.

"Every day we live our lives is a gift. Life is precious," she said. "You squeeze out of it as much as you can, you enjoy it, you give to others, you learn something new each day, you don't let a moment go by that you don't take and live to its fullest."

One of the four members of the Supreme Court's so-called liberal bloc, Sotomayor often sides with colleagues Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan (also an Obama appointee) on divisive cases.

She acknowledged that the justices make mistakes, sometimes eliciting gasps from people who read their decisions and find them troubling.

"I think that you can forgive more easily if you realize that we are people, like you, who are struggling to do our jobs as well as we can," she said.

Split decisions have become increasingly common over the years since John Roberts became chief justice, often leading to bitter and bloviating disputes between the justices. Sotomayor brushed away the idea that this is a sign of trouble.

"If we decide every case 9-0, that means we're probably not talking about the cases the way we should be," she said. The country is so large and diverse that reasonable people are likely to disagree on case outcomes, especially if they approach the issues with different legal theories in mind, she said.

Oral arguments are crucial for deciding cases not just because lawyers present their arguments, but because the justices get a chance to gauge each other's stances. Sotomayor said she learns significantly more about cases from her colleagues than from the attorneys, and she acknowledged that it's possible to convince her to change her mind.

She celebrated the idea that Supreme Court justices can write dissenting opinions, which reject the majority's decision and argue that it's the wrong move. Sotomayor said those writings can influence lawmakers to correct perceived or real injustices. She said she can "absolutely" respect a law she believes is unjust because she firmly believes in separation of governmental powers.

"Working together, we can become, or try to become, a more perfect union," she said. "As a society, we can correct ourselves."

Critics of Sotomayor sometimes say she was only admitted to Princeton University because of affirmative action. She spoke to that issue while wandering around the room to give attendees a sense of intimacy in the cavernous space. Cultural differences, she said, can make life tough for people of color in the United States. There are opportunities, though, and they can't be wasted.

"There are plenty of kids in every school, who don't have my background ... who don't do anything with the education they receive," she lamented.

"It was a door opener for doors that had been closed for people of my background," she said, advocating affirmative action to help people who are otherwise excluded. "Like Princeton; they weren't looking for people they weren't used to."

Affirmative action should be based not just on race or gender, but on "diversity of all kinds."

"I always wanted to be a lawyer or a judge," said Sotomayor. "I don't worry about the roads I didn't take. I'm just glad the one I took is OK."

During the Supreme Court confirmation process, Sotomayor said, she had to overcome fear and the discouragement she felt when people questioned her intelligence and qualifications. Luckily, she had "good friends who kicked me in the posterior (and) threatened to beat me up" if she withdrew.

One of the first cases Sotomayor heard was Citizens United, which cemented the influence of super PACs, groups that are supposed to operate independently of political candidates, yet are allowed to spend unlimited amounts of money on their behalf. She pored over thousands of pages of documents and decisions to prepare for oral arguments.

During that tumultuous and confusing first week, she got a visit from Justice Clarence Thomas, then-Justice John Paul Stevens talked to her for half an hour, followed by Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female justice, and Sotomayor also received a letter from colleague Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Each provided emotional and logistical support.

"It's a wonderful place to work because the people who work there love working there," she said.

Rovner, the event's moderator, pointed out there were many young people in the audience, including an 8-year-old girl. Rovner asked Sotomayor is she had any advice for the children.

"Don't give up hope, even when things seem impossible, because the impossible can happen sometimes," said Sotomayor when asked what advice she would offer young people. "Try to remember that you should answer, at the end of each night the way I do, two questions: What have I learned new today ... and secondly, what good have I done today? If you can't answer those two questions," she said, "then don't go to sleep."

As part of the Springfield Public Forum on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m., political pundit Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks will discuss the 2016 election at Symphony Hall. Bestselling author and television personality Wes Moore is scheduled to speak there on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m., as part of the lecture series.

According to Granby police, Fox was pulled over following reports of erratic driving -- in an unmarked cruiser – and officers detected "a strong smell of alcohol" on his breath when he was apprehended in that town on Feb. 1.

BELCHERTOWN - Neither selectmen nor the town administrator here were told about Belchertown Police Chief Francis Fox' incident at the time it happened, several months ago, the chairman of the board said Wednesday.

According to Granby police, Fox was pulled over following reports of erratic driving -- in an unmarked cruiser - and officers detected "a strong smell of alcohol" on his breath when he was apprehended in that town on Feb. 1.

Belchertown selectmen chairman Ron Aponte confirmed, in a telephone interview Tuesday evening, it was not until news reports of the incident surfaced earlier Tuesday, that town officials became aware of it.

"We were made aware earlier today," Aponte said.

Town officials are now in the process of obtaining relevant material related to the incident, but cannot comment on what action may be taken, as it is a personnel issue, Aponte said.

Fox "is certainly entitled to due process," he said.

The "first step is: find out what happened, and talk, to chief Fox, and go from there," Aponte said.

The chairman also said that, because Belchertown Town Administrator Gary Brougham's son is a police officer in town,

"We (the board) will run with this" and the administrator would "stay in the background" so as to avoid any appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest.

Aponte said selectmen are scheduled to meet on Monday, and if they have all the information, they would begin discussion on it at that time, likely behind closed doors.

While flight crews tell people to leave belongings behind in an evacuation, pilots say they seem increasingly inclined to grab whatever they brought on board.

LOS ANGELES -- Passengers on the British Airways jet whose engine caught fire just before takeoff in Las Vegas escaped with their lives -- and some with their carry-ons, as well.

While flight crews tell people to leave belongings behind in an evacuation, pilots say they seem increasingly inclined to grab whatever they brought on board. And sometimes even a selfie or two.

"We're always shaking our head," said Chris Manno, a veteran pilot with a major US airline who took to social media Wednesday to slam those pictured on the Vegas tarmac with bulky cabin bags. "It doesn't matter what you say, people are going to do what they do."

The engine on the London-bound Boeing 777-200 caught fire Tuesday as the plane was gathering speed. Though the evacuation was swift, officials said Wednesday that 27 of the 170 passengers or crew on board required hospital treatment for cuts, bruises or other minor injuries, mostly from the evacuation slides.

"A deadly slalom" is how pilot Patrick Smith described baggage on an emergency slide in a blog post. Bags also could tear the inflatable slides, block exits on board and cause other injuries in the chaos of an evacuation.

Question: Should these idiots who are bringing their hand luggage off ever be allowed on a flight again? pic.twitter.com/luFme20VCR

-- Gareth Soye (@GarethSoye) September 9, 2015

Manno noted that passengers also evacuated with belongings when a Delta Air Lines jet nearly skidded off the runway at New York's LaGuardia Airport in March and an Asiana Airlines jet caught fire after a hard landing in San Francisco in 2013.

"We're seeing this more and more," said John Goglia, an aviation safety expert and former member of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Goglia believes that because air safety advances have made accidents far more survivable and injuries often less severe, more people can -- and do -- bring bags as they evacuate.

Passenger Karen Bravo, 60, of Las Vegas, said she happened to have her purse and some other passengers further back in coach had time to grab their carry-on luggage while waiting to evacuate.

"It would be like if your whole house was on fire and you had to go out the door," she said.

"Flight attendants are the first line of defense in emergencies," he said, declining to address whether the agency believed emergency-evacuations-with-bags were an increasing problem that merited any regulatory action or public education campaign.

Airlines vary in whether their preflight briefings tell passengers to abandon belongings in an evacuation, according to Stephen Schembs, the flight attendant union's government affairs director.

With the advent of checked bag fees, many passengers opt to bring important items on board rather than check them. The union said for years it has advocated fewer passenger items in the cabin and for full-scale evacuation demonstrations when an aircraft is redesigned, especially if passenger capacity is increased. The latter is to ensure that the plane can still evacuate safely within 90 seconds, as required by the FAA.

Within five short minutes, the passengers on the British Airways flight were evacuated and the flames were out.

Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.

SPRINGFIELD — Local Latino students, leaders, politicians and residents joined thousands to hear Justice Sonia Sotomayor speak in Springfield Wednesday night.

"It is an incredible honor to have her here in Springfield and to hear her speak," said businessman and New England Farm Workers Council President Heriberto Flores.

Holyoke mayoral candidate Anthony Soto said Justice Sotomayor is an inspiration to many Latinos, Puerto Ricans in particular.

"She started out just like you and look what she has achieved," he told a group of students from Holyoke who attended the speech hosted by the Springfield Public Forum at the MassMutual Center.

Sotomayor, 61, was the first Latina appointed to the court. President Barack Obama chose the Bronx, N.Y., native to replace David Souter in May 2009.

She told the audience that growing up poor should not stop anyone from pursuing their dreams.

"I came from what some people would describe as a very challenging background," she said going on to discuss her father's alcoholism, her struggle with Type 1 diabetes and poverty.

"My mother had a hard time because of my father's alcoholism, so did we and we were poor. And I suspect that many in this room are poor too and you know that it brings its own special hardships," she said. "I wanted to write a book that gave people hope because the reality is, if I can do it you can do it too."

Sotomayor spent a large part of the interview answering questions about her memoir "My Beloved World."

"I started realizing I needed to capture who I was for myself. You got an informal therapy session in my book," she said joking.

Sotomayor said a large reason for writing her own memoir was to let people into her life, into "what's real."

"To let people know that people in positions like mine, we are not gods, we are certainly not infallible. We are human beings trying to do the best job we can do," she said. "We make mistakes...but you can forgive more if you know that we are people like you who are struggling to do our jobs the best that we can."

Check in with MassLive.com tomorrow morning for more reaction from the crowd as well as more of Justice Sotomayor's discussion about her life in the Bronx, her struggle with diabetes and her role as a leader in the Latino community.

Authorities said the victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the 8:56 p.m. shooting near 66 Fort Pleasant Ave., which is between Leete and Blake Hill streets.

SPRINGFIELD — Gunshots rang out Wednesday night in the city's Forest Park neighborhood, where a 23-year-old man was injured in an apparent drive-by shooting.

Authorities said the victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the 8:56 p.m. shooting near 66 Fort Pleasant Ave., which is between Leete and Blake Hill streets.

The victim was seated in a black, four-door sedan when a gray car drove by and opened fire, according to police, who continue to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 413-787-6355 or text an anonymous tip to CRIMES (274637).

The public wasn't in any danger because the victim was the intended target, police spokesman John Delaney said. But some in the crowd that gathered on Fort Pleasant Avenue felt differently about the danger factor, noting that plenty of people were outside at the time of the shooting.

"I was down there with my friends," said a male bystander, nodding toward the South End Package Store down the block, "and I heard 'pop, pop, pop.'" The Philadelphia native said he grew up in Pittsfield and now calls Springfield home, although he recently considered moving back to Philly. But crime in the City of Brotherly Love makes Springfield look tame, he said.

"This is crazy; there's kids around here," he said.

ShotSpotter, the city's high-tech gunfire detection system, picked up the sound of nine gunshots, but police placed only eight evidence markers on the street where shell casings were found.

A crowd gathered outside a row of brick apartment buildings across from the crime scene to watch officers investigate on one of the hottest, muggiest nights this summer. Word on the street was that the victim was shot in the head, but police said the uncooperative man sustained only a graze wound to the neck.

Police have responded to multiple shootings over the past several days, including incidents involving gunshot victims and property damage. Fourteen people have been killed in Springfield so far this year.

MAP showing approximate location of shooting:

Dennis Rodeman, a seven-year veteran of the Lansing Fire Department, died Wednesday night, Mayor Virg Bernero said.

LANSING, Mich. -- Police in Michigan have arrested the driver of a pickup truck who they believe intentionally struck a firefighter standing in a roadway collecting money for charity, killing him.

Dennis Rodeman, a seven-year veteran of the Lansing Fire Department, died Wednesday night, Mayor Virg Bernero said.

The 35-year-old Rodeman, who also served in the U.S. Marines in Iraq, according to the mayor, was struck about 3:40 p.m. MLive.com reported that he and other firefighters were participating in an annual fundraising campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the International Association of Fire Fighters, authorities said.

"This is a shocking and unthinkable tragedy. ... Dennis was cut down in an instant, doing what he loved, what he believed in, what he believed in most: helping other people," Bernero said at a press conference.

Rodeman was married two months ago, and he and his wife were expecting their first child, Fire Chief Randy Talifarro said.

A "traffic altercation" preceded Rodeman being hit, Lansing police Capt. Jim Kraus told the Lansing State Journal.

"The suspect came by, was upset for whatever reason (and) circled back around" before striking the firefighter, Kraus said. "The preliminary investigation is that he deliberately hit the firefighter."

Rodeman was wearing a reflective vest and other gear and was standing in the road's center turning lane.

"He literally tried to hit him," she said.

The truck fled the scene, authorities said. The driver eventually stopped the vehicle and fled on foot, but police officers caught him. The 22-year-old suspect's name wasn't immediately released.

Prosecutors could file charges Thursday. Police Chief Michael Yankowski said the suspect was being held on suspicion of murder and felony fleeing and eluding.

Talifarro called Rodeman's death "a tremendous loss."

He described the fireman as a highly regarded colleague with an "unblemished" work record.

"He was a joy to work around," Talifarro said.

Victor Rivera, 28, was expected to be arraigned Thursday in Holyoke District Court on charges of armed robbery while masked and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to Holyoke Police Lt. Jim Albert.

HOLYOKE — Officers arrested a knife-wielding suspect who robbed a city pizzeria Wednesday night, Holyoke Police Lt. Jim Albert said.

Victor Rivera, 28, was expected to be arraigned Thursday in Holyoke District Court on charges of armed robbery while masked and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Rivera, a city resident, brandished a knife and stole cash from the register at Manny's Pizza Store, 510 Westfield Road, at about 9:40 p.m., Albert said. No one was injured in the incident.

Patrol officers and a K-9 unit found Rivera on nearby Kane Road and took him into custody.

MAP showing approximate location of armed robbery:

The Sept. 5 and July 16 incidents both happened in South Boston and involved a Hispanic man in his twenties, according to police.

BOSTON — Investigators are seeking the public's help in two similar sexual assault cases that both occurred in South Boston and remain unsolved.

The first incident dates back to the early-morning hours of July 16, when officers responded to a report of a woman screaming in the Farragut Road area of Southie.

Officers located a woman who claimed she was approached from behind and touched inappropriately by a Hispanic man in his early twenties. The man was about 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-9 and wearing a dark shirt and camouflage shorts. When the woman screamed for help, the suspect ran down Farragut Road toward East First Street, police said.

The second incident was reported around 3 a.m. Sept. 5. That's when another woman claimed she was approached from behind and touched inappropriately by a Hispanic male in his early twenties in the area of Boston and Mayhew Streets, police said. The victim said when she screamed for help, the suspect fled on foot down Mayhew Street back toward Boston Street, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives in the Boston Police Sexual Assault Unit at 617-343-4400. Anonymous tips may be left at 1-800-494-TIPS or by texting the word '"TIP" to "CRIME" (27463).

The conference is for doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, law enforcement officers and others who have to deal with the misuse of illegal narcotics and prescription drugs.

NORTHAMPTON - The Northwestern District Attorney's office is sponsoring a conference on the opioid epidemic and strategies for approaching it at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House on Sept. 25.

The conference, which will take place from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., is for doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, law enforcement officers and others who have to deal with the misuse of illegal narcotics and prescription drugs.

It is intended to raise awareness of the problem and help participants develop a multidisciplinary approach to dealing with it, according to Mary Carey, a spokeswoman for the DA's office.

Among those expected to speak are Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy, Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan and Karen Ryle, the president of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

The cost of attendance is $25.

Skowronek has been serving as superintendent of the municipality's water pollution control facility.

PALMER - The town manager has selected Gerald Skowronek as director of the public works department.

Gerald Skowronek 

Under new business for the Sept. 14 council session is the item: "DPW Director Appointment -- Gerald Skowronek."

Skowronek has been serving as superintendent of the municipality's water pollution control facility.

He would replace Rudy Pisarczyk, who has been acting Public Works Director since Craig Dolan's resignation last year.

At the town election earlier this year, voters approved a measure that removes the requirement that the department of public works director must possess an engineering degree.

John Sevigny was living in Arizona when a child rape warrant was connected to him.

The exterior of the Hampden County Hall of Justice is seen Saturday night.Dwight B. Shepard / The Republican 

SPRINGFIELD - John Sevigny, now 58, had a trial date of Nov. 5, 1991, on a charge of forcible rape of a child.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew W. Green said although Sevigny was actively participating in pretrial court procedures, when it came time for trial he did not show up.

A warrant was issued and in 2014 the warrant caught up with Sevigny in Arizona. The case became active again in early 2014 and is now on trial before Hampden Superior Court Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder.

Green told jurors it was a very simple case and he would only present one witness, the alleged victim, now a 32-year-old woman. The only other evidence Green had for the jury was a docket sheet showing Sevigny defaulted in 1991.

Defense lawyer Erin Boylan had objected to the docket sheet being allowed in as evidence, but Green said it was the only way he had to let jurors know the woman had disclosed the incident more than two decades ago.

Green said without the docket sheet jurors might think the woman had disclosed the alleged incident decades after it happened.

Boylan said Sevigny was living openly in Arizona under his real name and real Social Security number.

Boylan told jurors in her opening statement the woman at the time was "a confused girl who's mistaken."

The woman testified when she was 6 or 7 years old Sevigny undressed her and penetrated her vagina with his finger.

Under questioning from Green and cross-examination from Boylan, the woman answered "I don't remember" to many questions about what was going on in her life and family back then.

But, she said, "I remember exactly what happened with that man."

She testified the first person she told about the incident was a therapist.

The trial continues Thursday.

A major MassDOT reconstruction project at the Memorial Bridge rotary in West Springfield is slated to begin April 21, requiring overnight lane closures and leading to delays for motorists, who are urged to seek alternate routes during the roadwork. THE REPUBLICAN / FILE PHOTO 

WEST SPRINGFIELD - The state Department of Public Transportation intends to reduce traffic to one lane through the Memorial Bridge rotary and along portions of Memorial Avenue beginning Friday night.

The closures are part of the ongoing work to two overpasses over Route 5. They are needed for roadway milling and paving.

In addition to the lane closures, there will also be intermittent ramp closures for entrances to and exits from the rotary and Route 5.

The work will be conducted at nighttime, beginning 7 p.m. Friday and ending 7 a.m. Saturday, and then again at 7 p.m. Monday through 7 a.m. Monday.
MassDOT encourages drivers to avoid the area and seek alternate routes to minimize delays. Those traveling through the area should expect delays and should reduce speed and use caution.

NORTHAMPTON — The city has been awarded a $625,000 federal grant toward prevention of substance abuse by young people.

The grant, part of 697 Drug-Free Communities Support Program grants totaling $86 million announced this week by Michael Botticelli, Director of National Drug Control Policy, are aimed at providing communities funding to prevent youth substance use, including prescription drugs, marijuana, tobacco and alcohol.

"We know that evidence-based prevention efforts are the most effective way to reduce youth substance use and to support the roughly 90 percent of American youth who do not use drugs," Botticelli said in a press release.

"By bringing together schools, businesses, law enforcement, parent groups, and other members of the community, DFC-funded community coalitions are helping to protect youth from the devastating consequences of non-medical prescription drug use, heroin and other substance use," Botticelli said.

Opioid abuse has reached epidemic levels in Western Massachusetts, although the DCF's 2014 National Evaluation Report shows a significant decrease in drug abuse among youth in grant communities over the last 30 days.

The Northampton Prevention Coalition will also work to address underage drinking, marijuana use and prescription drug abuse.

BOSTON — Authorities are asking for the public's help in locating a missing man who suffers from "mental health issues," Boston police said Thursday.

Anders "Andy" Simon, 52, was last seen around 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, exiting Massachusetts General Hospital. He may have been headed toward the area of Longwood and Brookline avenues, Logan Airport, North Station or South Station, according to police.

Simon is about 6-foot-2 and weighs about 270 pounds. He was last seen wearing eyeglasses, blue jeans, and a black shirt with a green shamrock on it, police said.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call 911 or detectives at 617-343-4248.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Five family members, including three children, were found dead in their lakeside home in an upscale western Minneapolis suburb on Thursday in what police said appeared to be a murder-suicide.

South Lake Minnetonka police went to check on the family at 12:21 p.m. after no one was seen or heard from in days, Interim Chief Mike Siitari told The Associated Press. Siitari wouldn't release any information on how the family members died but said there appeared to be "no threat or danger to the community."

By BERNARD CONDON

NEW YORK -- Stocks in the U.S. bucked a global market slump Thursday as investors look ahead to a crucial Federal Reserve meeting next week on interest rates.

Investors pushed major U.S. indexes lower in the morning following drops in Asia and Europe, then reversed course as oil prices rose. That helped send shares of energy companies, which have been battered in recent weeks, higher.

Traders remain focused on a two-day meeting of Federal Reserve policymakers next week. They are trying to anticipate when and how quickly the central bank will begin to raise interest rates from their historically low levels. Those low rates have been a key factor sending stock prices higher over the past seven years.

A report Thursday showing a decline in applications for unemployment claims was the latest bullish sign on the job market, which could prompt the Fed to tighten credit. Some say worries about higher rates are overblown.

"The U.S. economy is in significantly better shape than in the past," said Mike Ryan, chief investment strategist at UBS Wealth Management Americas. "We're not dependent on Fed largess and stimulus to support growth."

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 76.83 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 16,330.40. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 10.25 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,952.29. The Nasdaq composite climbed 39.72 points, or 0.8 percent, to 4,796.25.

Global markets have been moving sharply up and down in recent weeks as investors worry about a slowdown in China, plunging currencies in developing countries like Malaysia and uncertainty over the Fed's next move. In five of the six previous days of trading in September, the S&P 500 has made big moves both up and down, including a surge of 2.5 percent on Tuesday and a plunge of 3 percent on the first day of the month.

Trading was relatively light on Thursday, with little news moving prices one way or the other.

Apple jumped $2.42, or 2.2 percent, to $112.57, on Thursday, a day after the company introduced updated versions of the iPhone, Apple TV and iPad. Technology stocks rose 1 percent overall, the biggest gain among the 10 industry sectors of the S&P 500.

The price of oil rose sharply after the Energy Department reported a strong increase in U.S. gasoline demand.

A report on unemployment claims early Thursday showed fewer Americans applied for benefits last week, adding to recent evidence of robust hiring. The Labor Department said weekly applications benefits dropped 6,000 to 275,000.

A separate government report the day before said U.S. job openings jumped to the highest level in 15 years in July. A report last week showed the U.S. unemployment rate fell to a seven-year low of 5.1 percent in August.

Investors are not so sure they like the healthier economy because it could mean the Fed raising rates sooner, and faster, than anticipated.

"The Fed has to be mindful of all this job creation because, sooner or later, companies are going to have to compete for workers, and they're going to compete by raising wages," said David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. "That will filter into the Fed's deliberations next week."

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 slumped 2.5 percent after surging 7.7 percent on Wednesday in its biggest gain since October 2008. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dropped 2.6 percent and China's Shanghai Composite Index finished 1.4 percent lower.

European markets were mostly lower. France's CAC-40 lost 1.5 percent.

Among U.S. stocks making big moves:

• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts plunged $2.08, or 12 percent, $15.65 after the company lowered its outlook following disappointing second-quarter results.
• Lululemon Athletica sank $10.51, or 16 percent, to $53.54 after the high-end apparel maker predicted profits for the current quarter that were lower than Wall Street analysts were expecting.
• Freight company Con-Way soared $12.01, or 34 percent, to $47.54 after agreeing to be acquired by XPO Logistics.

U.S. crude rose $1.77 to close at $45.92 a barrel in New York. Over the past four weeks, U.S. gasoline demand averaged 9.3 million barrels per day, up 3.8 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the Energy Department's weekly petroleum status report. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.31 to close at $48.89 a barrel in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

1. Wholesale gasoline rose 3.4 cents to close at $1.394 a gallon.
2. Heating oil rose 3.6 cents to close at $1.575 a gallon.
3. Natural gas rose 3.2 cents to close at $2.683 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices fell slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.22 percent from 2.20 percent late Wednesday. The U.S. dollar rose to 120.62 yen from 120.28 yen. The euro rose to $1.1285 from $1.1219.

The price of gold rose $7.30 to $1,109.30 an ounce. Silver rose 7 cents to $14.65 an ounce and copper gained a penny to $2.45 per pound.