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Prosecutor: Defendant arrested in FBI gang sweep unsubtle about his Latin Kings affiliation

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Peter Kowenhoven, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's Boston Division, said the raid on Latin Kings from Holyoke, Chicopee and Springfield required about 150 law enforcement officers from federal, local and state agencies.

SPRINGFIELD — Francisco Bermudez wasn't subtle about promoting his affiliation with the Latin Kings, perhaps to his own detriment in federal court.

Bermudez, 26, of Holyoke, had photos of himself and his presumed fellow gang members flashing gang signs and dressed in Latin King colors and garb prominently displayed on his Facebook account, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse.

The prosecutor showed three undated photos to U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson during a detention hearing on Thursday for Bermudez, one of 15 men from Holyoke, Chicopee and Springfield arrested in a sweep of alleged gang members early Monday morning.

Bermudez, a.k.a. "King Chryses," a father of four, was charged with distribution
and possession with intent to distribute heroin. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. But, Newhouse said members of the FBI Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force who arrested Bermudez recovered 538 bags of heroin from an infant's room in the defendant's home.

Also, investigators who raided Bermudez' apartment found gang beads that read "King Chryses" and "Mrs. King Chryses," Newhouse said.

Bermudez lived in the apartment with his "significant other" and their six combined children, according to lawyers in the case.

Newhouse said the defendant has virtually no work history and was running an "illegal narcotics superstore" from the house. He added that Bermudez attempted to flush a bag of cocaine down the toilet when agents rushed the apartment.

Defense lawyer Charles E. Dolan said his client was willing to disavow his association with the Latin Kings if released on bail, and was pursuing employment.

"He acted alone and is at best a low-level individual in this endeavor," Dolan said, arguing for pretrial release.

Newhouse said Bermudez was caught on video selling 199 bags of heroin for $700 to an informant in July. The informant was once a ranking member of the local Latin Kings chapter – one of three across the state, according to an FBI complaint.

Peter Kowenhoven, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's Boston Division, said the raid required about 150 law enforcement officers from federal, local and state agencies who executed simultaneous arrests in about an hour.

The raid netted at least two high-ranking members of the local chapter, according to the FBI complaint, including Bienvenido Nunez, 37, of Springfield, a.k.a. "King Apache," the alleged "enforzador" or head of security. Federal prosecutors also said defendant Jose Cartagena, 37, also of Springfield, a.k.a. "King Black, is the "inca," or chief of the Springfield chapter.

The government is seeking pretrial detention for a dozen defendants charged with gun and firearms counts in U.S. District Court.

Roberston took the matter of Bermudez' pretrial release under advisement.

A second defendant, Norman Andino, 35, of Chicopee, was unable to appear in court Thursday due to illness. Robertson ruled that he will be released from the hospital under certain restrictions given his poor health. Newhouse did not oppose the move. Andino was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin.



Westfield man found with six stolen steaks on person during booking pleads guilty, serves one month

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Steven Nikiel, 38, pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing and shoplifting in Westfield District Court. He served direct time between Oct. 14 and Friday, when he was released.

WESTFIELD -- A Westfield man who was hiding six packaged steaks on his person when he was booked at the local police station in October has served a month in jail for his alleged crimes, according to court documents.


Steven Nikiel, 38, pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing and shoplifting in Westfield District Court. He served direct time between Oct. 14 and Friday, when he was released.

Nikiel's alleged heist began when he repeatedly entered Genesis Healthcare on Silver Street, where his mother is staying, after being asked to leave, reports said. An employee called police, who realized that Nikiel had three open warrants for his arrest.

Nikiel then went to Stop and Shop, took six steaks worth $58 and walked out without paying, according to police reports.

Police took Nikiel into custody and brought him to the police station, where officers discovered the steaks during a search.

Nikiel was arrested by Holyoke police in April and charged with drug possession, according to Holyoke police logs.

Wife of Ryder Funeral Home director ordered to pay $106,000 in restitution in plea deal

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The state shut down the South Hadley funeral home last year after an inspection found decaying corpses scattered about the premises. Eight civil suits have been filed against Willaim Ryder and the former business by families who claim he lost their loved ones' remains or failed to attend to their bodies. The state Attorney General's office has identified more than 63 families who say they are owed money for services not performed.

NORTHAMPTON - Susan Ryder, ex-wife of Ryder Funeral Home director William Ryder, will have to pay an insurance company $106,000 in restitution, but no longer faces criminal charges.

Susan Ryder was charged with one count each of larceny of over $250 and life insurance fraud. William Ryder, meanwhile, faces 64 counts of larceny of over $250 and five counts of improper disposal of a body.

The state shut down the South Hadley funeral home last year after an inspection found decaying corpses scattered about the premises. Eight civil suits have been filed against William Ryder and the former business by families who claim he lost their loved ones' remains or failed to attend to their bodies. The state Attorney General's office has identified more than 63 families who say they are owed money for services not performed.

In a brief proceeding, Judge Bertha D. Josephson accepted a disposition agreement Friday between the Northwestern District Attorney's officer and defense lawyer Michael Jennings that calls for Susan Ryder to pay $106,533 to Columbian Mutual Life Insurance Company and surrender her insurance agent license. That is the amount that William Ryder allegedly gave her in unearned commissions after signing her name to insurance applications. Susan Ryder, who has divorced William Ryder, used the money to support herself and her 12-year-old son, Jennings said.

William Ryder allegedly collected more than twice the amount he gave his wife in insurance premiums, according to the agreement. Susan Ryder, Jennings said, never stole from the funeral home's clients. Ryder will be on pretrial probation until Dec. 31, according to the terms of the agreement.

Paris attacks: Police say at least 35 killed in shootings, explosions; hostages taken at theater

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A police official said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement, and others said at least twice that number died elsewhere, primarily in the Bataclan concert hall, where the hostages were taken.

Watch live coverage from Britain's Sky News here »


Updates a story posted Friday at 4:54 p.m.


By ANGELA CHARLTON
and LORI HINNANT

PARIS -- At least 35 people were killed Friday in shootings and explosions around Paris, many of them in a popular concert hall where patrons were taken hostage, police and medical officials said.

A police official said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement, and others said at least twice that number died elsewhere, primarily in the Bataclan concert hall, where the hostages were taken. It was unclear how many people were in the hall; one official said there were around 100 while another said there were far fewer.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named in the quickly moving investigation.

Also late Friday, two explosions were heard outside the Stade de France stadium north of Paris during a France-Germany friendly football match.

A police official confirmed one explosion in a bar near the stadium. It was not known if there were casualties.

An Associated Press reporter in the stadium Friday night heard two explosions loud enough to penetrate the sounds of cheering fans. Sirens were immediately heard, and a helicopter was circling overhead.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named.

The attack comes as France has heightened security measures ahead of a major global climate conference that starts in two weeks, out of fear of violent protests and potential terrorist attacks.

Emilioi Macchio, from Ravenna, Italy, was at the Carillon bar near the restaurant that was targeted, having a beer on the sidewalk, when the shooting started. He said he didn't see any gunmen or victims, but hid behind a corner, then ran away.

"It sounded like fireworks," he said.

France has been on edge since deadly attacks by Islamic extremists in January on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher grocery that left 20 dead, including the three attackers.

The restaurant targeted Friday, Le Carillon, is in the same general neighborhood as the Charlie Hebdo offices, as is the Bataclan, among the best-known venues in eastern Paris, near the trendy Oberkampf area known for a vibrant nightlife.

The country remains on edge after January attacks on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which had caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, and a kosher grocery. The Charlie Hebdo attackers claimed links to extremists in Yemen, while the kosher market attacker claimed ties to the Islamic State group.

The country has seen several smaller-scale attacks or attempts since, including an incident on a high-speed train in August in which American travelers thwarted an attempted attack by a heavily armed man.

France's military is bombing Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq and fighting extremists in Africa, and extremist groups have frequently threatened France in the past.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for Friday's attacks.

French authorities are particularly concerned about the threat from hundreds of French Islamic radicals who have travelled to Syria and returned home with skills to stage violence.


AP writers Greg Keller and Jerome Pugmire contributed to this story.

Section of Mountain Road in Wilbraham closed due to accident

News Links: Man convicted of killing escort he solicited online, man accused of handing KKK flyers to black women, and more

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A New Hampshire teen who was upset after she had been stood up earlier in the day was given a fatal drug dose to calm down by her mom's boyfriend, a witness told police, according to court records.

A digest of news stories from around New England.


  • Rhode Island man gets life, plus 100 years, for assaulting, robbing and killing one of the escorts he met online [Providence Journal] Related video above


    William Schenk 111315.JPGWilliam Schenk 
  • North Carolina man accused of hate-crime for handing Ku Klux Klan flyers to black women in Vermont [Burlington Free Press] Photo at left, video below


  • New Hampshire teen given fatal drug overdose by mother's boyfriend, police say [Boston Herald] Video below


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  • Woman who admitting defrauding One Fund Boston by saying she was injured in Marathon bombing was stupid, not criminal, lawyer says [Boston Globe]Video below


    James FoleyJames Foley  
  • Man wanted by Worcester police in alleged rape of child apprehended by US marshals in Puerto Rico [Telegram & Gazette]


  • Family of James Foley, New Hampshire journalist beheaded by ISIS, finds little comfort in US's air strike of 'Jihadi John' [Associated Press] Photo at right


  • Not all Western Massachusetts panhandlers are what they appear to be, television station finds [WWLP-TV, 22News, Chicopee]


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    David Sweat 111315David Sweat 
  • Convicted murderer David Sweat, who triggered monthlong manhunt when he and colleague Richard Matt escaped from upstate New York prison last summer, pleads guilty [Albany Times Union] Photo at left


  • Registry of Motor Vehicles allows Bay State woman to sear spaghetti strainer on head in driver's license picture [CBS Boston.com]


  • Main police officer rescues skunk, gets sprayed in process [NECN]


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  • Bail set at $100,000 for Springfield man charged in huge heroin bust

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    Oquendo graduated from Holyoke High School in 2012, and works as a state-funded personal care attendant. Five of Oquendo's family members and his pregnant girlfriend came to court to support him, Vidal said.

    SPRINGFIELD - The defendants in one of the largest heroin busts in Springfield's recent history have very little criminal history of their own, defense lawyers said Friday.

    One, Isais Rosario, 31, manages the T-Mobile store at the Eastfield Mall while the other, Matthew Oquendo, 25, works as a state-funded personal care attendant, the lawyers said.

    Neither defendant knew that a huge amount of heroin was hidden in bags, boxes and closets throughout their apartment, according to their lawyers.

    Both men pleaded innocent Friday to trafficking heroin (200 grams-plus) and three counts each of felony possession of a firearm in Springfield District Court.

    The arraignment came 20 hours after Springfield narcotics detectives seized nearly 22,000 bags of heroin during a raid on their 23 Silver St. apartment in Liberty Heights Thursday night.

    At a prosecutor's request, Judge Michael Ripps set bail at $100,000 for Oquendo and $50,000 for Rosario, despite appeals by their lawyers for low cash bail.

    Rosario is the manager of the T-Mobile cell phone store at the Eastfield Mall, and was scheduled to work today and all weekend, defense lawyer David Keller said.

    When police arrived at his second floor apartment, Rosario was studying for an online class, according to Keller, who said his client expects to earn a computer science degree next spring.

    The drugs and firearms were found in the rear of the apartment, where Oquendo's bedroom was located; no drugs, firearms or cash was found on Rosario, who lived in the front half of the apartment, Keller said.

    Oquendo's lawyer said police found drugs and firearms hidden throughout the apartment, rather than in plain sight.
    .
    Ivonne Vidal said there was no reason to believe that Oquendo knew the drugs were there, although he was apparently the target of the raid.

    Oquendo graduated from Holyoke High School in 2012, and works as a state-funded personal care attendant. Five of Oquendo's family members and his pregnant girlfriend came to court to support him, Vidal said.

    Neither Oquendo nor Rosario have history of drug arrests, and neither could afford high cash bail, the lawyers said. Vidal asked for $5,000 cash bail for Oquendo and Keller requested that Rosario be released on personal recognizance so he could continue his studies and return to work.

    "He works six days a week," Keller said.

    After setting bail at $100,000 for Oquendo and $50,000 for Rosario, the judge scheduled a pretrial conference for next month.

    Paris attacks: Watch live coverage from Sky News

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    Great Britain's Sky News has live coverage of the Paris shootings and explosions that have claimed dozens of lives in France's capital city.

    Sky News, a 24-hour international, multimedia news operation based in Britain, is reporting round-the-clock coverage of the Friday the 13th Paris attacks that have claimed dozens of lives in a series of shootings and explosions in the capital of France.

    Several dozen people were killed in a series of unprecedented attacks around Paris on Friday, French President Francois Hollande said, announcing that he was closing the country's borders and declaring a state of emergency.

    At least 35 people died in shootings and explosions at multiple sites, many of them in a popular concert hall where patrons were taken hostage, police and medical officials said. The series of attacks gripped the city in fear and recalled the horrors of the Charlie Hebdo carnage just 10 months ago.

    A police official said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement, and other police officials said at least twice that number died elsewhere, primarily in the Bataclan music venue, where the hostages were taken. It was unclear how many people were in the hall; one official said there were around 100, while another said there were far fewer.

    The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named in the quickly moving investigation.

    There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the series of attacks.

    Hollande, in a televised address, said the nation would stand firm and united against the attackers.

    President Barack Obama is calling the attacks on Paris "outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians" and is vowing to do whatever it takes to help bring the perpetrators to justice.


    Material from The Associated Press included in this article
    111315-paris-stade-de-france.JPG11.13.2015 | PARIS -- A police stands outside the Stade de France stadium after the international friendly soccer France against Germany, Friday, in Saint Denis, outside Paris. At least 35 people were killed in shootings and explosions around Paris, many of them in a popular theater where patrons were taken hostage, police and medical officials said Friday. Two explosions were heard outside the Stade de France stadium.  



    Massachusetts State Police increase security around Statehouse, Logan Airport after Paris attacks

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    Troopers were put on high alert after a series of attacks in France on Friday that killed at least 35 people. No specific threats have been received by Massachusetts authorities.

    BOSTON — The Paris attacks have prompted the Massachusetts State Police to beef up security around the Statehouse and elsewhere across Boston, even though no threats have been received, according to David Procopio, director of media communications for the state agency.

    "It is important to preface this statement by noting that, at this time, there is no intelligence that suggests specific threats to Massachusetts," Procopio said Friday evening, shortly after more than 150 people were killed in attacks in the French capital.

    The violence, including shootings and apparent bombings, occurred near a stadium, restaurant and concert hall, according to French authorities. The attacks come amid heightened security in preparation for a major global climate conference in France, which authorities fear could spark violent protests and potential terrorist attacks.

    In Massachusetts, state and federal law enforcement officials are closely monitoring worldwide intelligence sources and any developments coming out of France, according to Procopio. As precaution, he said, security and awareness have been heightened at the Statehouse, Logan Airport and elsewhere across the city.

    "A comprehensive and multi-layered security package" is in place at the East Boston airport, Procopio said, adding that State Police commanders are notifying all on-duty troopers of any new developments in the Paris attacks. Troopers were told to be on the lookout for suspicious activity within their patrol areas and to be "mindful of their own security and that of their barracks," Procopio said.

    "Our prayers are with the French people tonight, and our thoughts are also with the French law enforcement and counter-terrorism authorities who are working to end this ongoing threat," he said.

    France has been on edge since January's deadly attacks by Islamic extremists on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher grocery that left 20 dead, including the three attackers. Charlie Hebdo was targeted because the magazine had caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, outraging many Muslims. The magazine attackers claimed links to extremists in Yemen, while the kosher market attacker claimed ties to ISIS.

    The country has also had several smaller-scale attacks or attempts since January, including an attempted attack by a heavily armed man on a high-speed train in August that was thwarted by American travelers.


    Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

    Paris attacks: Video - Suicide bomb rocks soccer stadium; panicked fans take refuge on field (Reports)

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    Confusion and fear swept through the city of Paris Friday night during a series of shootings and explosions. One such case occurred at Stade de France, during a soccer match between France and Germany.

    A terrifying series of shooting and explosion rocked the city of Paris on Friday night, leading to dozens of deaths at multiple venues. In the hours since, news of the violence stemming from a still-unknown group of attackers, a curfew has been issued in the city while French President Francoise Hollande has ordered that the country close its borders.

    The events unfolded suddenly and swiftly, with confusion sweeping through the city. One such case occurred at Stade de France, during a soccer match between France and Germany.

    In the video below, you can hear an explosion come from outside the stadium while the match is going on. The blast was initially mistaken for fireworks, with players and fans brushing off the noise and continuing the game.

    The two sides finished the game. However, many fans were held within the facility for their own safety, milling around on the field. The Daily Mail is reporting that three people were killed in an explosion near the stadium entrance and that fans were later evacuated safely.

    The AP is reporting through a French police official that the explosion was the result of an attack from a suicide bomber. CNN has made similar reports.

    Here's what the stadium looked like after fans poured out onto the field:

    News out of Paris is still fluid and erratic. Stay tuned for more updates of this developing story as they come out throughout the night.

    Paris shootings, explosions: At least 100 killed in Bataclan concert hall, dozens more dead in terror attacks

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    Paris police officials said security officials launched an assault on the Bataclan concert hall Friday night, killing at least two attackers, in the deadliest violence the capital of France has seen since World War II. Sky News reported that at least 140 people had been killed.

    Watch live coverage here »


    By LORI HINNANT
    and GREG KELLER

    PARIS -- A series of unprecedented attacks on popular night spots killed more than 100 people in the deadliest violence to strike France since World War II, officials said. President Francois Hollande condemned it as a terrorist attack and pledged that France would stand firm against its foes.

    The worst carnage was at a concert hall hosting an American rock band, where scores of people were held hostage and attackers hurled explosives at their captives. Police who stormed the building, killing two attackers, encountered a bloody scene of horror inside.

    Hollande declared a state of emergency and announced that he was closing the country's borders. The violence spread fear through the city and exceeded the horrors of the Charlie Hebdo attack just 10 months ago.

    Paris police officials said security officials had launched an assault on the concert hall, killing at least two attackers. One described "carnage" inside the building, saying the attackers tossed explosives at the hostages.

    In addition to the deaths at the concert hall, a police official said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement and other officials said at least three people died when bombs went off outside a stadium.

    All of the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named in the quickly moving investigation.

    There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks, and no clear picture of how many attackers were involved and if any were on the run. Jihadists on Twitter immediately praised the attack and criticized France's military operations against Islamic State extremists.

    Hollande, who had to be evacuated from the stadium when the bombs went off outside, said in a televised address that the nation would stand firm and united.

    "This is a terrible ordeal that again assails us," he said. "We know where it comes from, who these criminals are, who these terrorists are."

    U.S. President Barack Obama, speaking to reporters in Washington, called the attacks on Paris "outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians" and vowed to do whatever it takes to help bring the perpetrators to justice. He called the attacks a "heartbreaking situation" and an "attack on all of humanity."

    Earlier Friday, two explosions were heard outside the Stade de France stadium north of Paris during a France-Germany friendly football match. A police union official said there were two suicide attacks and a bombing that killed at least three people.

    The official, Gregory Goupil of the Alliance Police Nationale, whose region includes the area of the stadium, said explosions went off simultaneously near two entrances and a McDonalds.

    An Associated Press reporter in the stadium Friday night heard two explosions loud enough to penetrate the sounds of cheering fans. Sirens were immediately heard, and a helicopter was circling overhead.

    The attack comes as France has heightened security measures ahead of a major global climate conference that starts in two weeks, out of fear of violent protests and potential terrorist attacks. Hollande canceled a planned trip to this weekend's G-20 summit in Turkey, which was to focus in large part on growing fears of terrorism carried out by Islamic extremists.

    Emilio Macchio, from Ravenna, Italy, was at the Carillon restaurant that was targeted, having a beer on the sidewalk, when the shooting started. He said he didn't see any gunmen or victims, but hid behind a corner, then ran away.

    "It sounded like fireworks," he said.

    France has been on edge since January, when Islamic extremists attacked the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which had run cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, and a kosher grocery. Twenty people died, including the three attackers. The Charlie Hebdo attackers claimed links to extremists in Yemen, while the kosher market attacker claimed ties to the Islamic State group.

    This time, they targeted young people enjoying a rock concert and ordinary city residents enjoying a Friday night out.

    One of at least two restaurants targeted Friday, Le Carillon, is in the same general neighborhood as the Charlie Hebdo offices, as is the Bataclan, among the best-known venues in eastern Paris, near the trendy Oberkampf area known for a vibrant nightlife. The California-based band Eagles of Death Metal was scheduled to play there Friday night.

    The country has seen several smaller-scale attacks or attempts since, including an incident on a high-speed train in August in which American travelers thwarted an attempted attack by a heavily armed man.

    France's military is bombing Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq and fighting extremists in Africa, and extremist groups have frequently threatened France in the past.

    French authorities are particularly concerned about the threat from hundreds of French Islamic radicals who have travelled to Syria and returned home with skills to stage violence.

    Though who was responsible for Friday night's violence remained a mystery, the Islamic State is "clearly the name at the top of everyone's list," Brian Michael Jenkins, a terrorism expert and senior adviser to the president of RAND Corp., said.

    Jenkins said the tactic used -- "multiple attackers in coordinated attacks at multiple locations" -- echoed recommendations published in extremist group's online magazine, Dabbiq, over the summer.

    "The big question on everyone's mind is, were these attackers, if they turn out to be connected to one of the groups in Syria, were they homegrown terrorists or were they returning fighters from having served" with the Islamic State group, Jenkins said. "That will be a huge question."


    AP writers Angela Charlton, Jerome Pugmire, Samuel Petrequin, Jamey Keaten and John-Thor Dahlburg contributed to this report.

    Fans in Paris stay calm amid chilling atmosphere at Stade de France

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    The spectators didn't panic, despite hearing the sounds of explosions from outside — part of the carnage unfolding in the city that left dozens killed in multiple acts of violence.

    By JEROME PUGMIRE

    PARIS -- As news of bloodshed filtered through the crowd and police sirens wailed outside, thousands of soccer fans milled around the Stade de France, reluctant to leave the seemingly safe stadium.

    The spectators didn't panic, despite hearing the sounds of explosions from outside -- part of the carnage unfolding in the city that left dozens killed in multiple acts of violence. But there was plenty of unease and tension.

    During the first half of France's soccer match against Germany on Friday, two explosions went off nearby. The first, at around 9:20 p.m., was a short and crisp bang.

    "We heard them, but we thought they were home-made devices or fireworks," soccer fan Frederic Lavergne told The Associated Press as he left the stadium. "We had no idea at the time what it was."

    The next "bang" followed only minutes later, clearly audible as it ripped through the chill air.

    The noise inside the stadium was low at that point, since there was little excitement in the game, and the sounds of the sirens outside were loud and clear. So was the whirling sounds of the police helicopter buzzing overhead.

    By the end of the match, which France won 2-0, the mood was one of silent contemplation as news filtered in through mobile phones and social networks relaying the carnage outside.

    What would otherwise have been a celebration of France's win became a night of worry. Some people were still singing near the end, but for most a sickening feeling had taken over.

    Moments after the referee had blown his final whistle, hundreds of fans started streaming onto the field. At first, match stewards in their fluorescent tops surely were confused by the commotion. But it was soon clear that the fans just wanted to go onto the field, rather than face going outside.

    "We preferred to stay on the field, that's where we felt safest," Lavergne said. "We had difficulty understanding the explanations inside the stadium."

    After a second public address announcement reassuring fans that it was safe to leave and to take public transport, fans started moving out.

    Gallery preview 

    France will host the European Championship next year, and Friday's match was one of a handful of games remaining for coach Didier Deschamps to test the national team before the tournament.

    There will now be doubts as to whether it will be safe to host the tournament, with 24 teams involved in matches across the country.

    Photos: 2015 Equine Affaire at Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield

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    One of the featured events was the finals of the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition which horse and rider teams race through a difficult obstacle course in the Coliseum

    WEST SPRINGFIELD — The 2015 Equine Affaire, the region's premiere horse exhibition, seminar and trade show, trotted to the Eastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield for day two of a four-day run on Friday.

    In a recent story on MassLive, event president Eugenia Snyder said, "What is unique about the Equine Affaire is that it provides top horse men and women from different disciplines and different countries with the opportunity to meet each other and to share their knowledge and training philosophies with young and aspiring horse people. At Equine Affaire, backyard pleasure horse people can rub shoulders with the stars of the equestrian world, people to whom they would not otherwise have access."

    The show featured a full schedule of demonstrations designed to teach the basics of horse management and horsemanship, as well as an extensive series of displays that included video presentations and interactive learning opportunities.

    One of the featured events was the finals of the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition, in which horse and rider teams race through a difficult obstacle course in the Coliseum.

    The event runs on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A full schedule can be found at equineaffaire.com.


    Paris timeline: Prosecutor says death toll could pass 120

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    The Paris police prefect said all the attackers are believed dead, although authorities are hunting for any possible accomplices.

    PARIS -- Here is a timeline update on the shootings and explosions in Paris. (all times local):

    2:39 a.m.

    French police say they believe all of the attackers involved shootings and bombings in Paris are dead.

    Micheal Cadot, the head of Paris police said Saturday that while all of the attackers are believed to have died, authorities are searching for possible accomplices in the attacks that left over 120 people dead.

    2:33 a.m.

    Police in the U.S. capital have sent extra officers to the French Embassy and other France-related sites and high-profile locations after the attacks in Paris.

    The Metropolitan Police Department said in a news release Friday night that the moves were being made out of an abundance of caution and that there is no imminent threat to the District.

    The department says Chief Cathy Lanier has been in contact with federal and regional law enforcement officials since the attacks began.

    2:16 a.m.

    The Paris police prefect said the attackers at the Bataclan rock venue blew themselves up with suicide belts as police closed in, killing four people. He said the gunmen first sprayed cafes outside the venue with machine gunfire, then went inside the concert hall and killed more before the assaullt by security forces.

    The prefect, Michel Cadot, said the one set of attackers was at the stadium and at nearly the same time the second group attacked within the city.

    Cadot said all the attackers are believed dead, although authorities are hunting for any possible accomplices.

    2:10 a.m.

    Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who was in Paris when the attacks took place, says he is suspending the broadcast of an event he was holding there.

    "Out of solidarity with the French people and the city of Paris, we have decided to suspend our broadcast of 24 Hours of Reality and Live Earth. Our thoughts are with all who have been affected and the entire nation of France. We send our condolences to the families of those who have been killed or injured."

    Gallery preview 
    1:59 a.m.

    U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the U.S. stands "in solidarity with France, as it has stood with us so often in the past.

    "This is a devastating attack on our shared values and we at the Department of Justice will do everything within our power to assist and work in partnership with our French law enforcement colleagues," Lynch said in a statement.

    1:53 a.m.

    New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says New York is constantly on alert for coordinated terror attacks, especially in the wake of an attack in Paris that has killed dozens.

    De Blasio said in an interview with WABC-TV on Friday the attack was not only sobering, but a reminder that police officials need to be prepared and vigilant for a possible follow-up attack.

    Police have stressed there is "no indication that the attack has any nexus to New York City."

    Officers have been deployed to various locations in the city, including French government buildings.

    French officials say several dozen people have been killed in shootings and explosions at a theater, restaurant and elsewhere in Paris.

    1:48 a.m.

    Massachusetts State Police say they're increasing security around the area of the State House following the deadly attacks in Paris.

    In addition, state police said Friday they are monitoring intelligence at Logan International Airport in Boston.

    State police troop commanders also are directing on-duty troopers to have a heightened awareness of potential suspicious activity within their patrol areas.

    State police acted as attackers killed at least 100 people in a popular Paris concert hall. It was one of at least six terror attacks across the city in the deadliest violence Paris has seen since World War II.

    1:40 a.m.

    New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the One World Trade Center spire will be lit blue, white and red in honor of dozens killed in the Paris attacks.

    Cuomo says the 408-foot spire will be illuminated Friday night and in the days to come. The governor says the act shows New York will stand with the people of France.

    New York City officers have been deployed to various parts of the city, including French government buildings. Heavily-armed officers stood outside of the French Consulate in Manhattan as passers-by brought flowers.

    Police have stressed there is "no indication that the attack has any nexus to New York City."

    French officials say several dozen people have been killed in shootings and explosions at a theater, restaurant and elsewhere in Paris.

    1:37 a.m.

    U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is describing the attacks in Paris as "heinous, evil" and "vile," calling them "an assault on our common humanity."

    Kerry says the U.S. embassy in Paris is "making every effort to account for the welfare of American citizens in the city."

    The State Department says U.S. citizens can contact 1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S.) or 202-501-4444 (from other countries) for assistance.

    Kerry says the U.S. stands ready "to provide whatever support the French government may require."

    Kerry was speaking from Vienna, where he is scheduled to attend talks Saturday on the crisis in Syria.

    Vice President Joe Biden calls the attacks "heartbreaking" and "outrageous" and says, "Such savagery can never threaten who we are."

    1:29 a.m.

    Tens of thousands of people join the football players at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires in offering tribute to the dead and wounded in Paris before the start of a World Cup qualifying match between Argentina and Brazil.

    With players standing on the field Friday night, the crowd in the stands fell silent for a minute in acknowledging the bloodshed in the French capital. Some applauded as the tribute ended.

    1:25 a.m.

    Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins says the death toll in attacks at six sites around the French capital could exceed 120.

    Speaking near a popular music venue where scores of people were taken hostage, Molins said early Saturday that five attackers may have been killed.

    1:15 a.m.

    The Paris hospital service says medical personnel are reporting for work of their own accord to help treat the injured in the multiple attacks in the city, and that others were being called in as part of a plan to deal with emergencies.

    Among those called in minutes after the first reports went out was Patrick Pelloux, an emergency room doctor and former writer for Charlie Hebdo. Pelloux was also among the first to see the aftermath of the Jan. 7 attacks.

    At least 100 people died in a Paris concert hall where attackers seized hostages Friday, an official said. At least five other terror attacks unfolded across the city in the deadliest violence Paris has seen since World War II.

    1 a.m.

    The French president has formally declared the state of emergency on all mainland territory and Corsica during a Cabinet meeting urgently summoned at the Elysee palace on Friday night.

    Under French law, the state of emergency can be decided in the event of "imminent danger following serious breaches of law and order."

    The state of emergency allows state authorities to forbid the movement of persons and vehicles at specific times and places. They can also define protected areas and safety areas where the movement of persons is controlled.

    The state of emergency also allows police to perform house searches day and night --instead of performing them only at daylight.

    12:55 a.m.

    Management for rock band Eagles of Death Metal, who were scheduled to perform Friday at a venue in Paris where hostages were taken and scores were killed say they are "trying to determine the safety and whereabouts" of the band and its crew.

    The American band was supposed to perform at the Bataclan, a theater located in eastern Paris. The band, formed in 1998 in Palm Desert, California, was celebrating the October release of "Zipper Metal" with an European tour.

    Police officials who were not authorized to be named said at least 100 people died at the Bataclan Friday, and that a police assault left at least two attackers dead.

    12:45 a.m.

    Twitter accounts linked to jihadists are celebrating the attacks in Paris.

    According to the SITE Intelligence Group tracking militant sites, Twitter posts attributed to jihadist supporters are speculating which group may be responsible. Many users expressed belief that the Islamic State group could be behind the carnage.

    They used Arabic-language hashtags that translated to "Paris on fire" and "Caliphate state strikes France."

    SITE says that accounts also circulated pictures of the attacks, and one pro-IS channel accused France of sending warplanes to bomb Syria and says "today it drinks from the same cup."

    12:25 a.m.

    A French police official says top government officials including President Francois Hollande were headed to the Bataclan concert hall where hostages were taken.

    Another official said at least 100 people died inside the hall. A police assault on the venue finished early Saturday, leaving at least two attackers dead, officials said.

    The officials were not authorized to be named because operations were ongoing.

    12:20 a.m.

    A French police official says at least 100 people have been killed inside a Paris concert hall where attackers seized hostages. The hostage-taking was one in a series of at least six attacks across the French capital.

    12:10 a.m.

    A French government official says the country's state of emergency has gone into effect and that President Francois Hollande is cancelling his trip to the G-20 meeting in Turkey.

    Hollande was due to leave Saturday for the meeting in Turkey, which was to focus in large part on growing fears of terrorism carried out by Islamic extremists.

    The official, who was not authorized to be named, said the government will hold a defense council meeting in the morning.

    12 a.m.

    Two Paris police officials say security forces have ended their assault on a concert hall filled with hostages, killing at least two attackers. Neither official could be named, citing ongoing operations throughout the city.

    One official described "carnage" inside the building, saying the attackers had tossed explosives at the hostages. Both officials said they expected the toll of victims to rise.

    11:45 p.m.

    World leaders have expressed shock at the violence in Paris.

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she is "deeply shaken by the news and pictures that are reaching us from Paris." The German leader issued a statement saying her thoughts were with the victims "of the apparent terrorist attack."

    The Secretary-General of the NATO alliance says he is "deeply shocked by horrific Paris attacks."

    Jens Stoltenberg said in a Twitter message that "We stand together with the people of #France. Terrorism will never defeat democracy."

    U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is condemning "the despicable terrorist attacks" in Paris and is demanding the immediate release of numerous hostages being held in the Bataclan theater.

    11:35 p.m.

    Three police officials confirm that security forces have launched an assault on the Paris concert hall where hostages have been taken.

    None of the officials could be named when discussing the ongoing operation, which several officials said involved dozens of hostages.

    The Paris police prefecture told resident to remain home and avoid going out unless absolutely necessary.

    11:30 p.m.

    Automatic gunfire and blasts have rung out from the area of a Paris music hall where police say people are being held hostage.

    Scores of police are surrounding the Bataclan concert hall, and sirens are wailing throughout the neighborhood.

    The gunfire began soon after French President Francois Hollande said security forces were launching an assault on one of several sites targeted in attacks Friday night around Paris.

    11:20 p.m.

    A police union official says there were two suicide attacks and a bombing near the national stadium where France and Germany were playing a friendly match.

    The official, Gregory Goupil of the Alliance Police Nationale, whose region includes the area of the stadium, said there were at least three dead in the attacks near the stadium, near two of the entrances and a McDonalds restaurant.

    He said the explosions went off simultaneously. He did not provide more details.

    11.10 p.m.

    Although no one has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks, some terrorism experts say the Islamic State group is likely responsible.

    Brian Michael Jenkins, a terrorism expert and senior adviser to the president of RAND Corp., said the extremist group is clearly the name at the top of everyone's list." He said this was because the tactic used -- "multiple attackers in coordinated attacks at multiple locations" -- echoed recommendations published in extremist group's online magazine,

    James Woolsey, a former director of the CIA in 1993-195 and now chancellor at the Institute of World Politics, also told the BBC he suspected the Islamic State because the coordinated nature of the attacks required government-style planning.

    11:05 p.m.

    President Barack Obama is calling the attacks on Paris "outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians" and is vowing to do whatever it takes to help bring the perpetrators to justice.

    Speaking to reporters at the White House, Obama said he would not speculate about who was responsible.

    He called the attacks a "heartbreaking situation" and an "attack on all of humanity."

    Obama was briefed on the attacks Friday by his counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco.

    The attacks come as the president is preparing for two trips abroad. He's slated to leave Saturday for a nine-day trip to Turkey, the Philippines and Malaysia. He due to travel to Paris for climate change talks at the end of the month.

    11 p.m.

    French President Francois Hollande says he is closing the country's borders and declaring a state of emergency after several dozen people were killed in a series of unprecedented terrorist attacks.

    Hollande, in a televised address to his nation, said the nation would stand firm and united against the attackers.

    He said security forces are assaulting one of the sites hit by Friday's attacks, without elaborating.

    "It's a horror," he said.

    10:50 p.m.

    British Prime Minister David Cameron says he is "shocked" by the Paris attacks and violence.

    Cameron said on Twitter "Our thoughts and prayers are with the French people. We will do whatever we can to help."

    French police say at least 35 were killed in multiple acts of violence took place in Paris Friday night, including shootings at restaurants and a hostage-taking at a music theater.

    10:40 p.m.

    A White House official says President Barack Obama has been briefed on the attacks in Paris.

    The official says counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco briefed the president. The official was not authorized to talk about the private discussion and demanded anonymity.

    Obama is slated to travel to Paris at the end of the month to attend a United Nations conference on climate change.

    10:35 p.m.

    Hundreds of people spilled onto the field of the Stade de France stadium after explosions were heard nearby during a friendly match between the French and German national soccer teams.

    A stadium announcer made an announcement over the loudspeaker after the match, telling fans to avoid certain exits "due to events outside," without elaborating.

    At first that prompted some panic, but then the crowds just walked dazed, hugging each other and looking at their phones for the latest news of the violence.

    Many appeared hesitant to leave amid the uncertainty after France's deadliest attacks in decades.

    10:22 p.m.

    Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff says it is too early to know exactly what was happening in Paris.

    Social media posts from purported ISIS supporters could indicate that "there was a group waiting for this, but it could be a group watching," Chertoff said in an interview with MSNBC Friday night.

    "I don't think we can say this proves anything, but again it supports the idea that it's terrorism," Chertoff said.

    John Cohen, a former Homeland Security Department counterterrorism coordinator, say the presence of multiple attack scenes at the same time suggested a coordinated effort to "send a message" and raises immediate terror concerns, including for other cities in Europe and potentially the United States as well. He said both Al Qaida and ISIS have relied on the strategy of coordinated attacks in the past.

    10:14 p.m.

    A Paris police official said there were at least 100 hostages in a Paris theater following shooting and explosions at two sites in the city.

    Multiple officials, including one medical official, put the number of dead at between 35 to 40 people.

    All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named according to police policy.

    10:10 p.m.

    U.S. Homeland Security Department officials monitoring the attacks in Paris say there is no known, credible threat against the United States.

    DHS officials are in contact with their foreign counterparts amid reports of multiple shootings and explosions in Paris.

    Police officials in France say at least 26 people have been killed and a hostage-taking situation is underway at a theater.

    10 p.m.

    Two police officials say that at least 26 people have been killed in shootings and explosions around Paris, in the deadliest violence in France in decades.

    One of the police officials said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement and about 15 killed in the Bataclan theater, where a hostage-taking is under way.

    Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named according to police policy.

    Friday the 13th: Retail stocks get slammed as Wall Street has second-worst week of year

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    Fears that the holiday shopping season will be a dud tanked retail stocks.

    By MARLEY JAY

    NEW YORK -- The stock market slumped to its second-biggest weekly loss of the year Friday, breaking a streak of six consecutive weeks of gains. Fears that the holiday shopping season will be a dud tanked retail stocks.

    Retailers ranging from department stores to dollar stores plunged after Nordstrom posted disappointing third-quarter results, just as Macy's did earlier this week.

    The price of oil continued to slide on evidence that global supplies are still rising. The dollar could get even stronger, further pressuring oil and other commodities and affecting mining and energy companies.

    The Dow Jones industrial average fell 202.83 points, or 1.2 percent, to 17,245.24. The Standard & Poor's 500 gave up 22.93 points, or 1.1 percent, to 2,023.04. The Nasdaq composite index slipped 77.20 points, or 1.5 percent, to 4,927.88.

    Concerns about retail sales and skidding commodities prices have eroded the gains from October's big stock market rally. Stocks have now lost ground seven of the last eight days. Overall the S&P 500 is down almost 2 percent for the year.

    Nordstrom sank $9.51, or 15 percent, to $53.96 after reporting weaker sales. The company also cut its forecast for the year. Macy's had done the same on Wednesday.

    The holiday shopping rush will kick into high gear with Black Friday in two weeks. Following several weak reports from retailers, investors are becoming worried that sales will be poor during that period, which is a crucial moneymaker for retail companies. Macy's and Nordstrom both hit two-year lows Friday. Consumer discretionary stocks were by far the worst performing group in the S&P 500.

    J.C. Penney's results were about equal to analyst projections, but its stock lost $1.35, or 15.4 percent, to $7.44. Video game retailer GameStop sank $7.35, or 16.5 percent, to $37.18. Watchmaker Fossil Group plunged $18.62, or 36.5 percent, to $32.39. Fossil posted disappointing earnings Thursday afternoon and also said it will buy activity tracker maker Misfit for $260 million. Its shares hit their lowest level in five years.

    Compounding those worries was a government report showing that U.S. retail spending edged up just 0.1 percent in October, a bit less than analysts expected. Prices charged by farmers, manufacturers and other producers fell in October. The figures show there is little sign of inflation in the U.S. economy. When inflation is higher, consumers have an incentive to spend more money.

    Stifel Nicolaus analyst Richard Jaffe suggested the widespread selling was an overreaction. Shoppers will spend plenty of money this holiday season, he said, and while they're spending more money on smartphones and TVs and other big items than they used to, there will still be plenty of socks and sweaters given as gifts over the holidays.

    "Christmas is boxed gifts," Jaffe said. "There will be a lot of gift giving, a lot of apparel sales."

    Jaffe noted that Americans' shopping habits have changed a lot over the last few years. Consumers are spending more on homes, cars, and vacations. Aging baby boomers don't buy clothes as often as they used to, and younger shoppers are more interested in technology.

    The price of oil continued to fall after the International Energy Agency said commercial inventories reached almost 3 billion barrels at the end of September, a record. The IEA also said growth in global demand will slow down next year. Oil prices have dropped because demand can't keep up with ever-increasing supplies. The strong dollar makes dollar-denominated commodities costlier to buyers using yen, euro and other currencies.

    U.S. crude slumped $1.01, or 2.4 percent, to $40.74 a barrel in New York. It's dropped about 13 percent this month and is at its lowest price since late August. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, lost 45 cents, or 1 percent, to $43.61 a barrel in London.

    Jim Ritterbusch of the oil trading firm Ritterbusch & Associates said crude could fall another $3 to $4 a barrel. It's gone as low as $37.75 this year.

    In other energy trading, heating oil fell 2.5 cents to $1.381 a gallon. Wholesale gasoline dipped 3.4 cents to $1.239 a gallon. Natural gas edged up 10.1 cents to $2.361 per 1,000 cubic feet.

    The price of gold fell 10 cents to $1,080.90 an ounce. Silver fell for the tenth day in a row, losing 2.1 cents to $14.20 an ounce. Copper dipped slightly to just under $2.17 a pound. All three metals are at their lowest levels in six years.

    Generic drugmaker Mylan climbed after a long pursuit of Irish drugmaker Perrigo came to an end. Perrigo's shareholders rejected a $26 billion offer from Mylan, an offer Perrigo had called inadequate. Mylan logged the biggest gain on the S&P 500, adding $5.58, or 12.9 percent, to $48.78. Perrigo fell $9.65, or 6.2 percent, to $146.90.

    U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.27 percent from 2.31 percent. The euro declined to $1.0751 from $1.0791 and the dollar edged up to $122.67 yen from 122.62 yen.


    Photos: Seen@ Suit Up Springfield's Bowties and Beers fundraiser at the Student Prince

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    White Lion Brewing Company and The Student Prince hosted and celebrated Suit Up Springfield's first anniversary with a Bowties and Beers community wide fundraiser on Friday night.

    SPRINGFIELD -- White Lion Brewing Company and The Student Prince hosted and celebrated Suit Up Springfield's first anniversary with a Bowties and Beers community wide fundraiser on Friday night.

    The evening highlighted a draft beer line up by White Lion, and The Student Prince donated 10 percent of all food and beverage proceeds from the evening to Suit Up Springfield to supports its mission.

    Suit Up Springfield was founded by Justin Roberts on the premise of providing others an opportunity to succeed.

    "I'm humbled by all those who have embraced our mission; everyone from Sheriff Michael Ashe to United States Senator Elizabeth Warren has supported Suit Up's goal of helping men succeed," said Roberts, Development Officer at American International College, in a statement. "Our board members have carried that momentum to every part of the region, and I'm excited to see how our incoming president will continue our work."

    All proceeds raised go directly to helping Suit Up Springfield continue to provide attire along with the personal and professional development mentorship programs to the men of the city of Springfield, according to organizers.

    http://www.masslive.com/food/2015/10/photos_white_lion_brewing_comp.html

    UMass Amherst holds forum on racial inclusion amid nationwide campus protests

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    About 250 University of Massachusetts Amherst students, faculty and administrators aired concerns about racial inclusivity and racism at a public forum Tuesday, as protests over racial discrimination continue to spread across university campuses nationwide. Watch video

    About 250 University of Massachusetts Amherst students, faculty and administrators aired concerns about racial inclusivity and racism at a public forum Tuesday, as protests over racial discrimination continue to spread across university campuses nationwide.

    Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, who delivered opening remarks before listening to the dozens of students who lined up behind microphones at Mahar Auditorium, said the UMass administration is paying attention to the issues raised by minority students.

    "As recent events at the University of Missouri remind us, the struggle to overcome deep seated institutional racism on our college campuses is far from over," Subbaswamy said. "Our campus is not immune to the structural racism that confronts our country today."

    His introduction was followed by two hours of testimony from students who shared personal stories of discrimination, advocacy for policy changes and frustration about the pace of change at the university.

    "I think we've been waiting for it for a lot of time," said Student Government Association Vice President Chantal Barbosa.

    Subbaswamy called the meeting in response to anti-racism protests that led to the ouster of administrators at the University of Missouri. In Missouri, students protesting racist incidents on campus, including the painting of a swastika in feces on a bathroom wall, called for and received the resignation of Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin and system president Tim Wolfe. Student Jonathan Butler sparked the demonstrations by starting a hunger strike, and the dispute gained national attention after dozens of the school's football players refused to play in protest.

    Similar discussions have roiled the campus of Yale University in recent weeks, with students demanding the resignation of administrators over past racial incidents and an email that questioned whether the school should discourage students from wearing offensive Halloween costumes. Those administrators, Erika Christakis and her husband Nicholas Christakis, both still have their jobs.

    The protests at both universities led to discussion of what protesters describe as unaddressed racial exclusion on campus. They also led to tense, sometimes aggressive confrontations between demonstrators, school officials and the media.

    At the University of Missouri, communications professor Melissa Click gained notoriety after her request for "muscle" to help remove a reporter from a quad where demonstrators were staying was captured on video. And at Yale, a video of students yelling at Nicholas Christakis after he refused to apologize for his wife's Halloween costume email went viral.

    UMass Amherst itself has also dealt with racially charged incidents in recent years. Racist graffiti targeting students in residential halls drew condemnation from students and Subbaswamy in Oct. 2014. In December, the university announced an expansion of a scholarship program to recruit diverse students, and in April hired Leykia Brill as its first assistant provost for diversity.

    The university held a similar forum last year following the reports of racial graffiti -- a fact noted by several students who were skeptical over whether university action would follow Tuesday's discussion. Black Student Union Vice President Sheena Jeune said she suspected the talk was a tactic to avoid the unrest that has disrupted the campuses at Missouri and Yale.

    "If you think that's going to stop black students, minority students or our allies from being heard, you are very wrong," she said.

    Many students described being singled out or denied services because of their race, economic status or sexual identity. A black graduate student who did not give her name said her advisor had told her the only reason she would get a job after graduating was because of her race, her voice breaking with emotion. Another student said she had difficulty receiving needed health care because University Health Services does not accept MassHealth, the insurance provider used by her economically disadvantaged family.

    Khalif Nunnally-Rivera, the Student Government Association's Secretary of Diversity, said the lack of minority students from nearby cities like Holyoke and Springfield spoke to a lack of outreach efforts by the university.

    "I'm from Springfield myself, and there are not enough of us represented on campus," he said.

    Student advocated for several specific changes to university policy, including mandatory racial studies classes for freshmen, gender-inclusive bathrooms and overall increases in the numbers of minority students and faculty.

    Subbaswamy, who described the event as a listening opportunity, did not take questions but said more forums would follow and pledged the university's support for improving outcomes for underrepresented student groups. He said the school had expanded scholarships for minority students, hired 26 faculty of color, hired transgender clinical staff for health services and is continuing work on its diversity strategic plan.

    The discussion came a day after more than 200 UMass students rallied for college affordability, an increased minimum wage and more diversity as part of the "Million Student March" day of action.

    This week in Springfield District Court: A huge heroin bust; a small dog killed by BB gun; and more.

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    Democrats see Rubio, Kasich as tough to beat, not Trump or Carson

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    "As a Democrat, I'd love to see a Trump-Carson ticket," said Bob Mulholland, a member of the DNC from California. "We'd probably win back the Senate and pick up the House as well."

    WASHINGTON (AP) -- Bring on Donald Trump, and Ben Carson, too.

    That's what Democratic insiders are saying about the Republican outsiders who sit solidly atop preference polls in the race for the GOP nomination for president.

    They are far more worried about GOP candidates who have experience in office, with Marco Rubio cited most often as the strongest potential competition for their overwhelming choice for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

    "As a Democrat, I'd love to see a Trump-Carson ticket," said Bob Mulholland, a member of the Democratic National Committee from California. "We'd probably win back the Senate and pick up the House as well."

    RELATED: Trump's 5 most outrageous comments this week

    The Associated Press contacted all 712 superdelegates to the Democratic National Convention next summer, and asked them which Republican they thought would be their party's strongest opponent in the general election.

    Offering a window into how the Democratic establishment is sizing up the competition, most superdelegates declined to name a candidate, expressing bewilderment at a Republican field in which billionaire Trump and retired neurosurgeon Carson are leading in polls while Jeb Bush, the son and brother of presidents, struggles.

    Of the 176 superdelegates who answered the question, 65 said Rubio, the first-term senator from Florida, would be the Democrats' strongest opponent.

    "Rubio speaks well and he could generate appeal among Latino voters," said Chris Wicker, vice chairman of the Nevada Democratic Party, referring to Rubio's background as a Cuban-American raised by working-class parents. "He doesn't say some of the crazy stuff that the other leaders have said."

    The other candidates, along with the number of Democratic insiders who said they would be the strongest opponent:

    Ohio Gov. John Kasich: 45.

    Bush: 36.

    Trump: 16.

    Carson: 4.

    Texas Sen. Ted Cruz: 4.

    New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: 2.

    Businesswoman Carly Fiorina and former New York Gov. George Pataki each got a vote. So did Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who dropped out of the race, and Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee.

    Democratic superdelegates can support the candidate of their choice at the party's summer national convention, regardless of whom voters choose in the primaries and caucuses. They are members of Congress and other elected officials, party leaders and members of the Democratic National Committee.

    They are the ultimate party insiders. With 712 votes at the convention, superdelegates make up about 30 percent of the 2,382 needed to clinch the Democratic nomination.

    Marco RubioRepublican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R- Fla., addresses the Sunshine Summit in Orlando, Fla., on Nov. 13. Democratic insiders are most worried about GOP candidates who have experience in office, with Rubio cited most often as the strongest potential competition for their overwhelming choice for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton. (AP Photo/John Raoux) 

    Rubio, 44, has done well in preference polls lately, but he still lags behind Trump and Carson. Some Democratic insiders worry that Rubio's candidacy could resonate in the general election, particularly among non-white and young voters who helped propel Democrat Barack Obama to victory in 2008 and 2012.

    "I think Rubio would give us a tough time," conceded Cecil Benjamin, state Democratic chairman of the Virgin Islands.

    In an interview, Rubio played down his status among Democratic insiders.

    "You never know what these people are thinking when they say these things to reporters," Rubio said. "I do believe, and I've believed this through this campaign, that if I'm our nominee, we're going to be viewed as the party of the future and the Democrats are going to be viewed as the party of the past."

    In the AP survey, many Democrats were dismissive of Trump. Some said his sharp rhetoric on issues like immigration, which is playing well among some Republican primary voters, won't fly in a general election.

    "He's a loose cannon," Missouri superdelegate Sandra Querry said of Trump.

    "Like everybody else in America," Georgia Democrat Dan Halpern said, he's "just wondering when the wind is going to come out from under the sails of both Carson and Trump."

    In the last GOP presidential debate, Bush criticized Trump's call for mass deportations of immigrants living in the country illegally, calling it an impractical plan that would benefit Democrats with Hispanic voters.

    "They're doing high-fives in the Clinton campaign right now when they hear this," Bush said.

    Indeed, Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon responded to the exchange by tweeting: "We actually are doing high-fives right now."

    The Clinton campaign declined to comment on the strength of the Republican field.

    About one-fifth of Democratic superdelegates who answered the survey said they believe Bush, who is fighting to stem a slide in GOP polls, could bounce back and pose a threat to Clinton, given his name recognition and early fundraising.

    Even more superdelegates praised Kasich, a two-term Ohio governor who served 18 years in the House. Some Democrats described Kasich as the "adult" in the field who could campaign from the center and win his home state, a key battleground.

    The last candidate to win the White House without Ohio was Democrat John F. Kennedy in 1960.

    "A Democratic nightmare would begin and end with a Rubio-Kasich ticket," said former state Rep. Boyd Brown of South Carolina.

    The AP results come as Clinton is solidifying her support among the superdelegates. More than two months before the first primaries and caucuses, Clinton has public endorsements from 359 superdelegates, while Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has 8 and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has 2.

    A few Clinton supporters warned against dismissing Trump too quickly, given today's political climate.

    Joe Rugola, a labor union leader in Ohio, said Trump and Carson might be written off in a normal political year, but "I don't think there's anything normal about politics in America right now."

    Poll: Who will win Saturday's Democratic presidential debate

    - HOPE YEN and STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, The Associated Press

    Springfield Roman Catholic Bishop Mitchell Rozanski joins global denouncement of Parisian terror attacks

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    Muslim citizens around the world also took to social media to decry the massacre, several quoting the Quran: "Whoever kills an innocent person it is as if he killed all of humanity."

    The Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, has joined in the global response to the Paris massacres.

    "This weekend I ask Catholics throughout western Massachusetts to offer prayers for the people of Paris and France, who sadly once again find themselves the victims of senseless violence. Especially during this month dedicated to remembering our faithful departed, we add to those intentions the victims of Friday night's attacks. May God grant them eternal rest, as well as comfort their families and loved ones," he said in a statement.

    "Let our prayers also be for a true and enduring peace among people of all faith traditions. Let us re-commit ourselves to a better dialogue and understanding among people of all religions, in the hope that this will be the most enduring response to such misguided acts of terror," Rozanski added.

    He joined religious leaders throughout the world in denouncing the attacks, which took took the lives of 128 through assaults using gunfire and explosives. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the separate but coordinated attacks at Parisian nightspots and a concert hall.

    In an interview with Vatican radio, Pope Francis said:

    When asked if this is part of the "piecemeal Third World War" the Holy Father has mentioned many times before, Pope Francis said "this is a piece of it," adding "there is no religious or human justification for it."

    Several Muslim religious and political leaders officially denounced the attacks before the group took responsibility, including Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, who called them a "crime against humanity," and Qatari foreign minister Khaled al-Attiyah, who said they were "heinous," according to a report in Time magazine.

    Muslim citizens around the world also took to social media to decry the massacre, several quoting the Quran:

    "Whoever kills an innocent person it is as if he killed all of humanity."

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