The man is known to Greenfield Police.

Dave Canton | dcanton@repub.com 

HADLEY — A Deerfield man will be arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown this week on chargers of improper use of a credit card.

On its Facebook page Hadley Police said the man found the victim's purse in Holyoke and used her credit card in Hadley and Deerfield.

Police in Hadley said their investigation revealed surveillance video of the incident at a local retail establishment, the post stated. Deerfield Police also obtained surveillance video of their incident.

Deerfield Police were familiar with the suspect and relayed that information to Hadley investigators, resulting in the charges being filed, the post said.

The name of the suspect was not released.

FBI officials are investigating a weekend break-in at the Worcester army reserve armory. “We’re currently looking into it,” said Hank Shaw, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston division.

BOSTON - FBI officials are investigating a weekend break-in at the Worcester U.S. Army Reserve armory. The agency later said some weapons were taken but added there is no indication the theft is connected to terrorism.

"We're currently looking into it," said Hank Shaw, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Boston division.

"Nothing at this point in time would tie this to any specific threat or anything else, at this point," he told reporters during a media briefing at the State House on security measures in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris.

In a statement late Sunday, the FBI said the missing weapons have been entered into a national database and added that the agency is working with the Massachusetts State Police, the Worcester police and others in an effort to locate the weapons.

"There is no indication that these missing weapons are connected to any kind of terrorism threat whatsoever. Nevertheless, every effort will be made to recover these weapons immediately," the statement said.

The incident came up during a Sunday briefing as an example of law enforcement officials continuing to focus on "day to day stuff" while also communicating and collaborating on national security matters, according to Gov. Charlie Baker.

Along with the Worcester break-in, law enforcement officials have also discussed three shootings in Dorchester on Saturday night and three overdose deaths in Chelsea, Baker said, while sharing the stage with officials from the State Police, the FBI , the Massachusetts Port Authority, and the Boston Police Department.

"These sorts of things, people are going to be chasing and investigating no matter what and I think it's important for us to recognize that law enforcement will be collaborating, communicating and cooperating across all levels of government," he said.

This post was updated at 7:05 p.m. and 9:35 p.m. with additional information.

A ministry spokesman said that the strikes on Raqqa involved 12 aircraft, including 10 fighter jets, and 20 bombs were dropped.

PARIS -- France launched "massive" air strikes on the Islamic State group's de-facto capital in Syria Sunday night, destroying a jihadi training camp and a munitions dump in the city of Raqqa, where Iraqi intelligence officials say the attacks on Paris were planned.

Meanwhile, as police announced seven arrests and hunted for more members of the sleeper cell that carried out the Paris attacks that killed 129 people, French officials revealed to The Associated Press that several key suspects had been stopped and released by police after the attack.

The arrest warrant for Salah Abdeslam, a 26-year-old born in Brussels, calls him very dangerous and warns people not to intervene if they see him.

Yet police already had him in their grasp early Saturday, when they stopped a car carrying three men near the Belgian border. By then, hours had passed since authorities identified Abdeslam as the renter of a Volkswagen Polo that carried hostage takers to the Paris theater where so many died.

Three French police officials and a top French security official confirmed that officers let Abdeslam go after checking his ID. They spoke on condition of anonymity, lacking authorization to publicly disclose such details.

An Iraqi intelligence dispatch warned that Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had ordered his followers to immediately launch gun and bomb attacks and take hostages inside the countries of the coalition fighting them in Iraq and Syria.

The Iraqi dispatch, which was obtained by the AP, provided no details on when or where the attack would take place, and a senior French security official told the AP that French intelligence gets these kinds of warnings "all the time" and "every day."

However, Iraqi intelligence officials told the AP that they also warned France about specific details: Among them, that the attackers were trained for this operation and sent back to France from Raqqa, the Islamic State's de-facto capital.

The officials also said that a sleeper cell in France then met with the attackers after their training and helped them to execute the plan. There were 24 people involved in the operation, they said: 19 attackers and five others in charge of logistics and planning.

None of these details have been corroborated by officials of France or other Western intelligence agencies.

All these French and Iraqi security and intelligence officials spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity, citing the ongoing investigation.

Abdeslam is one of three brothers believed to be involved; One who crossed with him into Belgium was later arrested, and another blew himself up inside the Bataclan theater after taking the audience hostage and firing on them repeatedly. It was the worst of Friday's synchronized attacks, leaving 89 fatalities and hundreds of people wounded inside.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility. Its statement mocked France's air attacks on suspected IS targets in Syria and Iraq, and called Paris "the capital of prostitution and obscenity."

In all, three teams of attackers including seven suicide bombers attacked the national stadium, the concert hall and nearby nightspots. The attacks wounded 350 people, 99 of them seriously.

Abdeslam rented the black Volkswagen Polo used by the hostage-takers, another French security official said. A Brussels parking ticket found inside led police to at least one of the arrests in Belgium, a French police official said.

Three Kalashnikovs were found inside another car known to have been used in the attacks that was found in Montreuil, an eastern Parisian suburb, another a French police official said.

As many as three of the seven suicide bombers were French citizens, as was at least one of the men arrested in the Molenbeek neighborhood of Brussells, which authorities consider to be a focal point for extremists and fighters going to Syria from Belgium.

Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon, speaking to The Associated Press by phone, said suspects arrested in Molenbeek had been stopped previously in Cambrai, France, "in a regular roadside check" but that police had had no suspicion about them at the time and they were let go quickly.

One, identified by the print on a recovered finger, was 29-year-old Frenchman Ismael Mostefai, who had a record of petty crime and had been flagged in 2010 for ties to Islamic radicalism, the Paris prosecutor said. A judicial official and lawmaker Jean-Pierre Gorges confirmed his identity.

Police detained Mostefai's father, a brother and other relatives Saturday night, and they were still being questioned Sunday, the judicial official said.

These details stoked fears of homegrown terrorism in France, which has exported more jihadis than any other in Europe, and seen many return from the fight. All three gunmen in the January attacks on the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and a kosher supermarket in Paris were French.

The attackers inside the Bataclan seemed quite young, according to one survivor, Julien Pearce, a journalist at Europe 1 radio who escaped by crawling onto the stage, and then out an exit door when the shooters paused to reload. Before making his final dash, he got a good look at one of the assailants, he said.

"He seemed very young. That's what struck me, his childish face, very determined, cold, calm, frightening," Pearce said.

Struggling to keep his country calm and united after an exceptionally violent year, President Francois Hollande met Sunday with opposition leaders -- conservative rival and former President Nicolas Sarkozy as well as increasingly popular far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who has used the attacks on Paris to advance her anti-immigrant agenda.

Refugees fleeing war by the tens of thousands fear the Paris attacks could prompt Europe to close its doors, especially after police said a Syrian passport found next to one attacker's body suggested its owner passed through Greece into the European Union and on through Macedonia and Serbia last month.

Paris remains on edge amid three days of official mourning. French troops have deployed by the thousands and tourist sites remain shuttered in one of the most visited cities on Earth. Panic ensued Sunday night as police abruptly cleared hundreds of mourners from the famed Place de la Republique square, where police said firecrackers sparked a false alarm.

"Whoever starts running starts everyone else running," said Alice Carton, city council member who was at the square. "It's a very weird atmosphere. The sirens and screaming are a source of fear."

Officers also moved in, guns drawn, after mourners panicked near the Carillon bar, where crowds have laid flowers and lit candles in memory of the 15 people killed there.

"Lots of people started running and screaming from the Carillon...tables were overturned, plates shattered. It was a terrible panic," said Jonathan Dogan, who took shelter in a nearby hotel. "I think people are terrified," Dogan said.

The blaze was reported just before 3:20 p.m. by residents who flagged down a fire truck driving by.

SPRINGFIELD - The Fire Department's Arson & Bomb Squad is investigating the cause of a fire that damaged a first floor porch on Union Street, Sunday.

Residents flagged down the Engine 8 firefighters, who were driving down the street, to ask for help. Firefighters then called for assistance and quickly extinguished the blaze, said Dennis G. Leger, assistant for Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant.

The fire was contained to the first floor rear porch of the house at 745 Union St. It caused about $5,000 in damage, Leger said.

The blaze was reported just before 3:20 p.m. No one was injured in the fire, he said.

The bill still has to be adopted by the House and Senate and signed by Gov. Charlie Baker.

BOSTON - A legislative committee on Tuesday endorsed a bill establishing a $15 an hour minimum wage for fast food and so-called big box store workers, but the proposal still has a long way to go to become law.

The Labor and Workforce Development Committee approved the bill in a 4-2 vote.

The proposal now has to go to the the Senate, but it is unlikely to do so before lawmakers break in a week for the rest of the year.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo said it was unlikely the House will take it up any time soon since legislators passed a bill last year that will increase the minimum wage to $10 next year and $11 in 2007.

The bill would also have to be signed by Gov. Charlie Baker.

On the same day, thousands of fast-food workers across the country demanding a $15-an-hour minimum wage walked off their jobs to protest low wages.

There have been plenty of pros and cons to the state proposal. Advocacy groups, some of which rallied in Boston this week, argue people who work full-time should be able to support themselves. But Retailers Association of Massachusetts said the bill will eliminate jobs.

Here are some of the things people were Tweeting about the bill.

The cars that were broken into were parked in driveways.

WILBRAHAM - Police are warning residents to lock their car doors after at least four residents reported items stolen from their cars Sunday morning.

The thefts happened around the Soule Road area. All the cars were parked in driveways, Police Capt. Robert Zollo said.

"People are looking for unlocked vehicles," he said.

In some cases the unlocked cars were sitting next to locked ones and the secured vehicles were untouched, he said.

"People rarely break windows. They don't want to make any noise," he said.

Thefts were limited to loose change and items of small value. But Zollo also warned people to avoid leaving purses, wallets and phones in their cars.

People with any information about the thefts should contact Wilbraham police at 596-3837.

The driver was taken to the hospital for non life-threatening injuries.

DEDHAM - A 44-year-old woman, who was walking on Interstate-95, was struck and killed by a car Sunday evening.

The woman, who is from Roslindale, was struck by a 2014 Ford Fiesta at around 5 p.m., Massachusetts State Police officials said.

The driver, 56, from Walpole, was hurt in the crash and was taken to Norwood Hospital by ambulance for treatment of non life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police are not releasing the name of the woman until her family can be notified. Officers are still trying to learn why she was walking in the roadway.

The right two lanes of Interstate-95 and the Exit 15B South ramp were closed for more than two hours after the accident. All lanes were opened at about 7:30 p.m., police said.

The crash is being investigated by troopers from the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, Crime Scene Services Section, and the State Police Detective Unit attached to the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office.

Troopers were assisted at the scene by personnel from the Dedham and Westwood fire departments, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highways Division.

Friday's attacks in Paris, which killed 129 people, are not likely to negatively affect the economies of the U.S. or Europe, said Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist for Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

By ALEX VEIGA

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks mounted a broad rally on Monday, snapping a three-day losing streak as investors moved past concerns that the terrorist attacks in Paris could spell big trouble for the global economy.

Oil and gas stocks were among the biggest gainers as the price of crude rose. Traders also bid up shares in defense contractors, while travel-related stocks slumped.

The gains followed a mixed day in European markets, which shook off an early loss and ended mixed.

Friday's attacks in Paris, which killed 129 people, are not likely to negatively affect the economies of the U.S. or Europe, said Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist for Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

"It all comes down to, are consumers going to be staying at home and not out spending money because they're afraid that if they go anywhere they're going to be victims of a terrorist attack," Wren said. "That might be the case if you saw a series of these things, but hopefully that's not what's going to happen and the economy is not going to be affected."

All told, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 237.77 points, or 1.4 percent, to 17,483.01. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 30.15 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,053.19. The Nasdaq composite added 56.73 points, or 1.2 percent, to 4,984.62.

Monday's rally helped lift the market following its biggest weekly loss since August.

The market action got off to a somber start as the New York Stock Exchange paused to observe a moment of silence shortly before the start of regular trading.

The major market indexes started lower but rebounded within the first 10 minutes as investors piled into consumer staples stocks, a category that includes Coca-Cola and household products maker Procter & Gamble. Stocks wavered for a while, but began to climb steadily by midday as crude oil prices perked up, pushing up energy stocks.

The energy sector in the S&P 500 surged 3.3 percent, far more than the rest of the market.

Natural gas and coal producer Consol Energy added 56 cents, or 7.6 percent, to $7.96. Cabot Oil & Gas gained $1.82, or 8.8 percent, to $22.56, while Range Resources rose $2.90, or 9.1 percent, to $34.62.

The energy sector has been the biggest laggard among industries this year, down 14.9 percent, as the slide in oil prices has deepened.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil climbed $1, or 2.5 percent, to close at $41.74 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 9 cents, or 0.2 percent, to close at $44.56 a barrel in London.

News that Marriott International agreed to acquire rival hotel chain Starwood for $12.2 billion received a mixed response. Marriott ultimately added 98 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $73.72, while Starwood slid $2.72, or 3.6 percent, to $72.27.

The prospects of stepped-up military action to counteract terror threats helped give defense contractors a boost.

Northrop Grumman gained $7.79, or 4.4 percent, to $186.61, while Lockheed Martin added $7.51, or 3.5 percent, to $220.67. Raytheon rose $4.86, or 4.1 percent, to $121.11.

At the same time, traders moved to unload some travel-related stocks.

Priceline Group slid $30.88, or 2.4 percent, to $1,266.87, while Expedia declined $2.67, or 2.1 percent, to $122.53. Carnival fell 79 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $50.77. Delta Air Lines lost $1.06, or 2.2 percent, to $47.93.

The attacks may make it even more likely that the European Central Bank will expand its stimulus program at the conclusion of its December meeting, some analysts said. Some speculate that the Federal Reserve could also hold off on raising rates next month.

"At this juncture, it is easy to see that the Fed's intentions to 'normalize' monetary policy could be derailed by a combination of adverse domestic economic and external events," said Neil MacKinnon, global macro strategist at VTB Capital.

In Europe, Germany's DAX was flat, while France's CAC-40 slipped 0.1 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.5 percent. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 fell nearly 1 percent, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost nearly 1 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.7 percent.

In other energy futures trading, wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.239 a gallon, heating oil rose 0.4 cent to $1.385 a gallon and natural gas rose 2.4 cents to $2.385 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals prices closed mixed. Gold rose $2.70 to $1,083.60 an ounce, silver fell two cents to $14.22 an ounce and copper gave up five cents to close at $2.12 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.27 percent from 2.28 percent late Friday. The dollar rose to 123.21 yen from 122.72 yen and the euro fell to $1.0687 from $1.0740.

Authorities said the pair are facing minor drug offenses, at least one default warrant, evading police, and leading troopers on a high-speed chase, among other possible charges.

SPRINGFIELD — She didn't want to get caught, so she jumped from an I-291 overpass in Springfield late Monday afternoon. That's the latest on a police chase that began around 4:30 p.m. and ended with two people in custody – including the jumper.

The woman, whose name wasn't immediately released, was undergoing emergency surgery at a local hospital for injuries sustained in the fall, Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Brian Gladu said. She and an unidentified male suspect fled from a police traffic stop, he said.

Authorities said the pair faces minor drug offenses, at least one default warrant, and charges of evading police and leading troopers on a high-speed chase, among other possible offenses.

The chase exited I-291 onto St. James Avenue, where the suspects' vehicle reportedly crashed. The occupants then fled on foot, with the woman jumping from the overpass, according to Western Mass News, TV partner of The Republican/MassLive. Both were quickly taken into custody. She was taken to an area hospital and remains under police guard, Gladu said.

Springfield police assisted at the scene.

Six people were killed at a Texas campsite and a suspect has been arrested and charged in the weekend homicides, authorities said Monday.

PALESTINE, Texas (AP) -- Six people were killed at a Texas campsite, authorities said Monday, and a suspect has been arrested and charged in the weekend homicides.

Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor said the bodies were found in a rural part of the county, southeast of Dallas. Authorities haven't released the victims' names and ages, but Taylor said "a lot of them are family."

William Hudson, 33, is charged with one murder count and was being held Monday on $2.5 million bond. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.

Authorities have released few details about the crime, including a possible motive or how the people were killed.

One woman survived and called 911.

Officials then found the bodies of a man and a woman Sunday in a travel trailer at a campsite next to the suspect's residence, according to the Anderson County Sheriff's Office. Four males initially thought missing were found dead Monday afternoon in a pond on the suspect's property.

Authorities are not seeking additional suspects. Hudson was apprehended at his mother's house, next door to his property.

Taylor said Hudson was picked up several weeks ago for a separate assault.

The commissioner is recommending the adoption of a next-generation MCAS test over the PARCC, which is based on common core standards.

MALDEN — The board of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will decide on Tuesday what test – the PARCC or a revised version of MCAS – will become the new academic achievement standard for students across the Bay State.

Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester is recommending that the state transition to a next-generation MCAS test that would incorporate elements of both the MCAS and PARCC assessments as well as items developed specifically for the Massachusetts tests.

The commissioner is recommending the adoption of a next-generation MCAS test over the PARCC, which is based on common core standards.

In a memorandum to members of state board, Chester gave three reasons for his decision:

• MCAS, which has been the standard for almost two decades, has reached a point of diminishing returns.
• PARCC is a substantial advancement over the current MCAS test.
• The commonwealth needs to ensure control of standards and assessments.

In addition, Chester made the following nine recommendations:

• The state will incorporate into an upcoming procurement for a new MCAS contract the services needed to develop next-generation English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics assessments, to be administered in all schools beginning in the spring of 2017.
• Because of the time required to work out a new MCAS testing contract, spring 2016 will be a transitional year for grades 3-8.
• The state will convene technical advisory committees including K-12 teachers, higher education faculty and assessment experts on the content and test administration policies for the new test.
• The state will convene review panels to review current and ELA and mathematics curriculum frameworks and identify modifications or additions that best prepares students for the 21st century.
• The state will commit to computer-based testing for the state assessments. (a paper-based option will be available through the spring of 2018.)
• Districts administering PARCC in grades 3-8 for the first time in spring 2016 will be held harmless for any negative changes int their school district accountability levels.
• For ELA and mathematics assessments at the high school level in spring 2016, the state will only offer the current MCAS grade 10 results in order to focus on developing the new test.
• The state will continue to ensure that the new PARCC consortium memorandum of understanding, currently under development, fully protects its ability to use PARCC intellectual properties in future Massachusetts tests.
• The state expects to remain an active member of the PARCC consortium.

The two casinos have reported a few months of rising bets and revenue after years of declines due to the weak economic recovery and casino competition in the Northeast.

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut's two tribal casinos reported lower slot machine revenue in October, though Foxwoods Resort Casino said bets were higher than a year ago.

The Mohegan Sun reported bets of nearly $580 million, down slightly from about $582 million in October 2014. Revenue of $48 million was down about 2 percent from $48.9 million.

Foxwoods, which is operated by the Mashantucket Pequots, reported bets totaling $482.5 million, up 1 percent from October 2014. Revenue of $38.6 million was down 3 percent.

The two casinos have reported a few months of rising bets and revenue after years of declines due to the weak economic recovery and casino competition in the Northeast.

Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods are seeking a joint venture in central Connecticut to compete with the planned MGM Resorts casino in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Trump leads the Republican field, with 31 percent of likely GOP voters listing him as their first choice. Carson comes in second at 22 percent, followed by U.S. senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio at 13 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

AMHERST — Donald Trump and Ben Carson continue to dominate the field of candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination, according to a survey released Monday by the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Trump, the reality TV star and billionaire real estate tycoon, leads the Republican field with 31 percent of likely GOP voters listing him as their first choice. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, comes in second at 22 percent.

The next closest threats are U.S. senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, with support rates of 13 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

Support for the remaining Republican presidential candidates did not even reach 5 percent, according to the poll, a national online survey of 318 likely Republican primary voters by YouGov America under the direction of the UMass Poll.

The survey, conducted from Nov. 5-13, found that if either Trump or Carson were to drop out of the primary race, the other stands to benefit the most. When respondents were asked about their second GOP choice, 36 percent of Trump supporters named Carson as their alternate, while 30 percent of Carson supporters named Trump as their backup candidate.

"Trump and Carson continue to lead the way as they have for longer than many thought they would," said Brian Schaffner, director of the UMass Poll. But Cruz and Rubio are well positioned to pick up supporters if either or both of the front-runners should stumble, according to Schaffner.

The poll also asked respondents to name every candidate they were willing to support in their state's primary, as well as every candidate for whom they would not be willing to vote. Over half of likely Republican voters said they would be willing to support Carson and Trump, while Jeb Bush attracted the most opposition among Republicans. Half of all respondents indicated their unwillingness to vote for the former Florida governor.

Other Republican candidates attracting high levels of opposition included U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; former New York Gov. George Pataki; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; and ex-Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore.

The poll paints a particularly grim picture for Bush, who was widely expected to emerge as a legitimate GOP contender for president but continues to register support in the single digits. "These are frightening numbers for Bush. More than half of registered primary voters said they would not be willing to vote for him under any scenario," said Raymond La Raja, associate director of the UMass Poll. "No other top-tier candidate faces this "wall of unconvinced voters," he added.

Bush may think his campaign treasury will help him outlast other candidates, but that strategy seems implausible if voters don't list him as their second or third choice, according to La Raja. Meanwhile, Carson, Rubio and Cruz look well positioned at the moment. "As other candidates leave the dance floor and disappoint supporters, they are the next most attractive dance partners," La Raja said.

The poll further points to the "anti-establishment mood" of Republican voters, who seem strongly opposed to nominating another career party leader, Schaffner said.

Likely Republican voters also said that Trump (40 percent) and Carson (24 percent) would have the best chances of winning a general election campaign. "For supporters of Trump and Carson, this is not just a protest vote," La Raja said. "They actually think these candidates are best positioned to win the general election. That is fascinating given the weakness of their support among political elites and their total lack of government experience."

While Trump leads the poll, nearly one-third of Republican voters said they would not consider voting for him. "Trump appears to have flatlined," La Raja said. "He needs to knock out Carson and Cruz to move forward, but his persuadable voters are fewer than other insurgent candidates."

The poll also surveyed 381 likely Democratic primary voters, determining that U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont continues to struggle to gain traction against Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and U.S. senator from New York. Clinton was the top choice for 63 percent of likely Democratic voters, compared to just 29 percent for Sanders.

The poll found that Democrats view Clinton as having the best chance of winning the general election. Seventy-eight percent see her as the most competitive candidate to take on the Republican nominee, compared to just 19 percent for Sanders. "Even many of Sanders' supporters recognize that Clinton has the best chance of winning in November, and that is obviously a key part of her campaign juggernaut," Schaffner said.

The margin of error for likely Republican primary voters is 6.4 percent; the margin of error among likely Democratic primary voters is 6 percent. Click HERE for more information on how the poll was conducted.

Lance George, the casino's general manager, says it's normal for revenues to "taper down" after opening and that the casino's profits will eventually stabilize.

PLAINVILLE -- Gambling revenue at Massachusetts's first casino continues to decline.

Plainridge Park Casino generated $12.9 million in gross gambling revenues in October, according to data released Monday by the state.

That's up slightly from September's $12.6 million haul, but because October has more days than September, the figures reflect a slight decline. Daily revenue per slot machine has steadily declined from $389 in July to $277 in October.

The racino has generated over $65 million since opening in late June and is on track to generate about $176 million in its first full year, or about $24 million less than the state's $200 million projection. Massachusetts collects 49 percent of Plainridge's gambling revenues.

Lance George, the casino's general manager, says it's normal for revenues to "taper down" after opening and that the casino's profits will eventually stabilize.

Plainridge's decline comes on the heels of a report that indicates slot machine revenue was down at the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos in Connecticut.

The Holyoke City Council Tuesday will consider the committee recommendation to withdraw the immigration-related order.

HOLYOKE -- The City Council Public Safety Committee voted 3-2 Monday to recommend that the full council withdraw an order related to certain cases of federal immigration law enforcement.

The recommendation pleased more than 20 speakers at the City Hall meeting who warned that abiding by the order of committee Chairwoman Linda L. Vacon was "racist," "inflammatory" and "inhumane."

Vacon said her order wasn't racist or anything other than calling on Mayor Alex B. Morse to refrain from asking police to pick and choose which laws to enforce.

Morse said the City Council had no authority to order him, as Vacon's order proposed, to rescind an executive order he issued a year ago directing Police Chief James M. Neiswanger to ignore federal immigration laws for detaining immigrants in certain cases. Morse and Neiswanger attended the committee meeting.

The City Council will consider the committee recommendation to withdraw Vacon's order Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

The discussion at City Hall featured the committee suspending its rules to allow for public comments after the benches in City Council Chambers were filled following a weekend call on Facebook to show up and oppose Vacon's order.

The local orders and the City Hall discussion were related to an action called a federal civil detainer request. Such requests are made of local police departments by agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The goal is that in cases where someone who has been held by local police and is about to be released, a federal agency that has expressed interest in the individual be notified. In some cases that might result in the local police being asked to hold the person longer so federal officials can conduct questioning.

The order, which Morse said made official an existing police practice, is not to apply if an individual is the subject of a criminal warrant, has been indicted, arraigned or convicted in relation to a criminal offense or is a registered Massachusetts sex offender, he has said.

Morse said his executive order that police refrain from abiding by such civil detainer requests ensures police focus on local public safety issues and avoids involvement in federal immigrant policies that need reform.

Neiswanger said he supported the executive order. It could eliminate the fear that illegal immigrants have of police and encourage them to help if a crime occurs, the chief said.

Nelson R. Roman mounted the social media push to draw a crowd to City Hall. Vacon's order is not a true reflection of Holyoke, he said.

"It's extremely inflammatory to me and it's extremely discriminatory to me, just as a Latino male," Roman said.

Juan Anderson-Burgos of Locust Street stood at the microphone and stared at Vacon, seated with the four other committee members facing the audience.

"Stop. Please stop what you're doing and think. This is a very diverse city. The people here are full of love....I'll say it one more time: stop the hate," said Anderson-Burgos, an unsuccessful candidate for Ward 6 City Council in the Nov. 3 election.

Vacon said she agreed with the crowd that racial profiling by police would be objectionable. But she said it also was clear from the lack of such cases that such a problem doesn't exist with the Holyoke Police Department, making Morse's order to the chief unnecessary.

"The order that I have filed has nothing to do with racism, has nothing to do ..," said Vacon, who then was interrupted by grumbling from the crowd.

"Did you hear anything?" a woman in the audience said.

"Excuse me," Vacon said. "I listened to you. I did not interrupt."

A community that fails to abide by laws it has established winds up with anarchy and chaos, said Vacon, prompting more catcalls from the audience.

"Yes, we do," Vacon said.

The only speaker in favor of Vacon's order was Mike Franco, of Primrose Lane. The "left" wants to "give away our rights" by opposing the proper thinking involved in Vacon's order, said Franco, an unsuccessful candidate for City Council at large Nov. 3.

"I'm here to speak in favor of that common sense thinking," Franco said.

Neiswanger said he was unable to remember the last time his department received a federal civil detainer request regarding someone here in police custody.

"My officers do not go out and check on someone's immigration status," Neiswanger said.

He repeated that such inquiries from federal agencies are requests, not court orders or warrants for arrest.

"I don't believe I am violating any law. These are requests. I've checked with the (city) Law Department," Neiswanger said.

The goal, he said, is to deal with the reality that many people distrust police.

"We're trying to break these barriers down," Neiswanger said.

Committee members voting to recommend that Vacon's order with withdrawn were Daniel B. Bresnahan, James M. Leahy and Jennifer E. Chateauneuf.

Voting against the recommended withdrawal were Howard B. Greaney Jr. and Vacon.

A story with video and additional detail on this meeting will be published later this week.

The mayor of Minneapolis on Monday asked for a federal civil rights investigation into the weekend shooting of a black man by a police officer during an apparent struggle.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The mayor of Minneapolis on Monday asked for a federal civil rights investigation into the weekend shooting of a black man by a police officer during an apparent struggle.

Mayor Betsy Hodges said she wrote to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and to the U.S. attorney for Minnesota seeking the investigation in the "interest of transparency and community confidence." The state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is already conducting a criminal investigation, but Hodges said the city needs "all the tools we have available to us."

Authorities have released few details about the shooting, which has angered some community members after witnesses said the man was handcuffed when he was shot. Police said their initial information showed the man, a suspect in an assault, was not handcuffed. He was taken to a hospital after the shooting, and his family says he is on life support.

The incident sparked protests Sunday and an overnight encampment at the north Minneapolis police precinct near the site of the shooting. Community members and activists called for a federal investigation, as well as for authorities to release video of the incident and the officer's identity.

Protests continued Monday, with a few hundred people gathering at an evening rally outside the same precinct, beating a drum and chanting for justice. At least eight tents were set up outside, and a handful of protesters were sitting behind glass doors in the foyer, including one who was knitting.

"We're still not moving until we get that footage," said Michael McDowell, a member of Black Lives Matter.

Two officers are on paid leave, standard practice after such an incident. Police Chief Janee Harteau said the officers were not wearing body cameras, but declined to say whether squad car or surveillance video was available, citing the ongoing investigation.

Nekima Levy-Pounds, president of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP, called the civil rights request a step in the right direction, "given that we do not trust Minnesota law enforcement officials to hold themselves accountable."

Police said they were called to north Minneapolis around 12:45 a.m. Sunday following a report of an assault. When they arrived, a man was interfering with paramedics helping the victim, police said. Officers tried to calm him, but there was a struggle. At some point, an officer fired at least once, hitting the man, police said.

Authorities have not released the man's name, but family members identified him as Jamar Clark, 24, and said he was on life support. His father, James Hill, told The Associated Press that his son suffered a single gunshot wound over his left eye.

Ramona Dohman, the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, said the officers' identities would be released after investigators interview them. She declined to say how long the investigation could take.

Harteau said she welcomed a federal investigation.

"Everyone involved needs and deserves the truth and the facts," she said.

Gov. Mark Dayton also issued a statement saying he supported the request for a federal probe.

Authorities said a window at the precinct was broken amid the protests and two police vehicles were damaged, including a marked squad car in which all the windows and a camera were broken, and an expletive was scratched into the hood. One person was arrested in connection with damage to an unmarked police car.

The protests are just the latest expression of tension between the department and minorities in the city.

Outrage and a civil lawsuit followed the 2013 death of 22-year-old Terrance Franklin, a burglary suspect whom police pursued and shot in a Minneapolis basement. A grand jury declined to indict the officers involved.

In 2014, prominent civil rights activist Al Flowers complained of being the victim of brutality when police served a warrant on a relative at his home. Police say Flowers instigated their aggression.

The rocky relations have led to discussions between police and minorities and the creation of task forces designed to quell concerns. This spring, Minneapolis was selected for a federal Justice Department program to rebuild trust between police and the communities they patrol.

KG Wilson, a peace activist who retired weeks ago after 11 years of building relationships between the community and the police department, said he's hurt by the reaction he is seeing and disagrees with the protests.

"I hate that this is going on right now. My heart is so crushed. I have not stopped crying," he said, adding that some protesters are looking for an excuse to be angry. "I think everything is being gone about in the wrong way. ... Peace is always the way. You can't bring peace with aggression."

A combination of solid security at the huge arena, quick thinking in a crisis, modern stadium infrastructure and apparent mistakes in the attackers' planning appears to have averted a massacre.

By JOHN LEICESTER
and SAMUEL PETREQUIN

SAINT-DENIS, France -- The suicide bombers' explosive belts, packed with shrapnel, had been designed to kill and maim the crowds at the national stadium.

But while their terrorist associates in the city center of Paris killed 128 people in gun and suicide bomb attacks, the three assailants who blew themselves up outside the Stade de France added just one more body to the overall count of 129.

That suggests the host of next year's European soccer championships, which are expected to draw millions of fans from far and wide, is as well-equipped as any nation can be against such viciousness.

The stadium, much loved because it was there that the national team won the World Cup in 1998, was the first target hit on Friday night. It was packed with 79,000 people watching France beat Germany at soccer. Had the suicide attackers gotten inside or, failing that, blown up outside among crowds before and after the game, they would have been more murderous and caused even more panic, further overloading Paris hospitals and rescue services scrambling to treat hundreds of casualties with battlefield wounds from the city center.

Instead they exploded outside, during the match, when the stadium surrounds were less crowded. One of the explosions was in a lonely dead-end street 500 meters away. Only the first blast was deadly, killing a bystander. There also were several dozen injuries.

At least one of the attackers tried to get in, despite not having a ticket, but was turned away, said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the complex and fast-evolving investigation.

One police theory is that the attackers never expected to get inside, knowing they likely wouldn't get past security pat-downs with their suicide vests, and instead planned to detonate as people filed in before kick-off or filed out after France's 2-0 victory.

But their timing may have been off, officials say. When they triggered their vests -- two during the first half of the match, the third at half-time -- the bulk of the crowd was safely inside, enjoying itself.

"We think this operation failed," a police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because French law doesn't allow the release of details from ongoing investigations. "Badly organized."

Still, as chaos unfolded, authorities decided spectators would be safer kept inside and the match went on. That decision was taken by President Francois Hollande, in consultation with French Football Federation officials, the presidential Elysee Palace says.

Bley Bilal Mokono, who arrived late at the game with his 13-year-old son Ryan and a friend, believes he saw one of the attackers -- "a man with a beard and a gaunt face" -- in the toilets of a restaurant opposite the stadium's Gate D.

"His face was sweaty, he looked distressed, staring at the mirror in front of him with his hands on the sink," Mokono told French broadcaster BFM. He saw him again outside, where Mokono had stopped to buy a sandwich. Then came a powerful blast. Mokono was hospitalized with a collarbone injury and damaged hearing.

That first blast, which also killed the bystander, sent shrapnel and flesh whizzing through the restaurant and left a large shattered dent in its frontage of triple-layered toughened glass.

Jeremy, a stadium security guard who would only give his first name for fear of losing his job, said he'd just arrived to help with the aftermath when the second blast went off minutes later, 200 meters (yards) away outside Gate H.

"Everyone was stepping on each other," he said. "It was a mess."

The third attacker, for reasons still unknown, waited another 23 minutes to trigger his vest, killing only himself, away from the stadium, next to a tree and a traffic sign in a side-road wedged between office buildings.

The shrapnel shot bullet-like holes in windows and shattered glass in the cab of a parked truck.

Back at the stadium, after the match, truck driver Abdelaziz Boucenna was thrown to the floor and trampled, breaking two fingers and bones in the wrist of his left hand, as people panicked as they were filing out. By then, word of the attacks had spread in the crowd. As Boucenna, his son and nephew neared an exit, they heard people yell, 'he's coming, he's coming!" and imagined it must be an attacker.

"I picked up our kid. I wanted to protect him. We were thrown to the floor. The crowd arrived like a wave. My fingers were all twisted," Boucenna said.

"The kid's shocked," he added. "In his imagination, the guy was carrying a bomb that was about to explode. He thought we were going to die."

Boucenna's nephew, Mohammed Chelay, said they were directed to the stadium infirmary. But when shown Boucenna's fingers, "The woman took a look and said, 'There's nothing I can do," Chelay said.

He added that a riot policeman they also asked for help replied: "'Listen to me, a bomb exploded 25 meters from me, so I don't give a (expletive) about your little scratch."

Another spectator who left the stadium before the end of the match said he ran into chaos outside, with "people hitting the ground and others treading on them. There was a woman sitting on the ground with a head injury and spilling blood."

He only gave his first name, Said.

Stadium operators and one of the companies in charge of venue security wouldn't speak to an Associated Press reporter who went Monday to their headquarters. The stadium will host seven matches, including the final, at Euro 2016.

The president of the French Football Federation, Noel Le Graet, said security functioned well.

"Dramatic things happened outside the stadium but inside, the police, stewards and spectators were exemplary," he told French sports daily L'Equipe. "No crush, no panic. There could have been a veritable catastrophe. That wasn't the case."

AP reporter Jamey Keaten contributed from Paris.

The 17 honorees will be recognized by the president Nov. 24.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Baseball legends Willie Mays and the late Yogi Berra will be honored with the nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

They are among 17 people who will be recognized by President Barack Obama at a Nov. 24 ceremony.

Honorees from the entertainment world include Barbra Streisand, Steven Spielberg, Stephen Sondheim, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, James Taylor and Itzhak Perlman.

Politicians include Sen. Barbara Milkulski, former Rep. Lee Hamilton and the late Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress.

Other honorees include veterans advocate Bonnie Carroll; NASA mathematician Katherine G. Johnson; and former EPA chief and deputy attorney general William Ruckelshaus, known for refusing to fire the Watergate special prosecutor. Posthumous recipients include Indian tribal advocate Billy Frank Jr. and civil rights advocate Minoru Yasui.

France has identified a Belgian man as the mastermind of the Paris attacks that killed 129 people on Friday.

BRUSSELS -- Belgium called off Tuesday's soccer match against Spain less than 24 hours before kickoff after the government raised the security threat level amid an investigation related to the Paris attacks.

The Belgian football federation said the decision was taken late Monday after the government recommended that the game not be played.

"After consulting with the relevant bodies and the Spanish national team, the (Belgian FA) decided to cancel the match," the federation said in a statement. "Right at the end of the evening, the (federation) was contacted by the government which recommended that the Belgium-Spain match should not go ahead tomorrow night.

"It is in the context of a new elevated terrorist alert and the current pursuit of a suspect."

France has identified a Belgian man as the mastermind of the Paris attacks that killed 129 people on Friday. His current whereabouts are unknown. A major police operation took place in the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek on Monday, although it failed to yield any arrests related to the attacks.

The Ministry of the Interior's Crisis Center had raised the threat level earlier Monday, recommending the cancellation of the match on its website.

"We deeply regret that such a friendly match between two motivated teams had to be cancelled so late and we understand the disappointment of numerous fans," the federation statement added. "However, taking into account these exceptional circumstances, we couldn't take any risk in the matter of the security of our players and supporters."

The attacks in Paris started when two explosions were set off by suicide bombers outside the Stade de France while the French national team was playing Germany.

France is playing England at Wembley Stadium in London on Tuesday after the countries decided to go ahead with that game.

The game in Brussels was set to pit the No. 1-ranked team in the world -- Belgium -- against the two-time defending European champion Spain in a warm-up match ahead of next year's Euro 2016 tournament.

Before the cancellation, the Spain players had said they weren't worried about the security situation.

"If we're going it's because it's safe, we're calm," Spain defender Marc Bartra said.

Belgium is also set to host the Davis Cup final against Britain in Ghent later this month.

Some councilors wanted to order MGM Springfield to remove Jersey barriers from Main and State streets, but the order failed by a 6-6 vote

SPRINGFIELD - City councilors, who raised concerns about Jersey barriers on Main and State streets, abutting the MGM Springfield casino project, failed by a 6-6 vote on Monday to order the removal of the concrete structures.

After prolonged debate, the motion to order the removal of the barriers as proposed by Council President Michael Fenton, failed to pass by way of the tie vote. Ward 1 Councilor Zaida Luna, whose term ends in January, was absent from the meeting after her Election Day loss.

"The issue for me was one about helping downtown businesses that are hurting as a result of these unnecessary barriers," Fenton said.

Fenton said he also objected because the barriers were legally allowed for a 90-day trial period, ending in late August, but then were permitted to stay. He questioned the need for those barriers and the legality of the barriers.

Some councilors, however, said they were convinced that the concrete barriers provide protection for pedestrians in that area.

"I voted mainly for safety reasons," Councilor Kenneth Shea said. "The barriers are put out there to protect the public when there is construction, and I felt that removing the barriers puts the public at risk and puts the city at risk for liability."

City Engineer Christopher Cignoli said there have been numerous permits granted for the casino project for work that has included utility work.

In addition, Cignoli said that demolition of some buildings on Main Street is scheduled to begin the week of Dec. 3, that will require the barriers to be in place.

Fenton said he has serious concerns about demolition work occurring on Main Street before the council has received and considered approval of MGM Springfield site plans.

Those who favored ordering MGM to remove the barriers were Timothy Allen, Orlando Ramos, Bud L. Williams, Justin Hurst, Melvin Edwards and Fenton.

Those voting to against the removal order were Thomas Ashe, Clodovaldo Concepcion, Timothy Rooke, E. Henry Twiggs, Kateri Walsh and Shea.

Representatives of McCaffrey's Public House bar and Caring Health Center, have raised concerns about the loss of parking in the downtown-South End area related to the casino project and the Jersey barriers.

Cignoli said Jersey barriers caused the loss of less than 10 legal on-street parking spaces. McCaffrey's representatives have disagreed, saying it affects many more spaces at nighttime, hurting their business.

The traffic commission recently recommended that the Jersey barriers be removed, but Cignoli said that commission's vote was to have the barriers removed only when construction work was not taking place.