"It's like a weight has been lifted off us. The acknowledgement that the situation was driven by terrorism brings us some closure," said Joe Sullivan, the Marine's younger brother.

SPRINGFIELD — Tommy Sullivan, the U.S. Marine from Springfield killed in the Chattanooga, Tennessee, mass shooting, will receive a Purple Heart now that the government has determined the attack was motivated by terrorism.

Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan, 40, who grew up in the city's East Forest Park section, was among five military personnel – four U.S. Marines and one U.S. Navy sailor – who were killed by 24-year-old Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, who opened fire on two military sites in Chattanooga on July 16.

"As a whole, everyone is relieved," Joe Sullivan, Tommy's younger brother and co-owner of Nathan Bill's Bar & Restaurant, said Wednesday, the same day federal authorities issued an official assessment of the attacks.

"It's like a weight has been lifted off us. The acknowledgement that the situation was driven by terrorism brings us some closure," said Sullivan, 39, adding that he planned to hoist a few pints at his neighborhood bar in honor of his brother.

Sullivan said his family – his parents, Jerry and Betty Sullivan of Hampden, and his sister, Dianne Sullivan Caron of Wilbraham – only learned the news Wednesday morning. "It's not like we have some inside track on this," he said.

As tough as the past five months have been, the family was pleased to learn that Tommy's death was not in vain, according to Joe Sullivan. Unlike the Dec. 2 shooting in San Bernardino, California, that killed 14 people and injured 22, which was quickly ruled terrorism, the Chattanooga shooting was initially characterized as an attack committed by a "homegrown violent extremist," and not a terrorist, Islamist or otherwise.

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That all changed Wednesday – the five-month anniversary of the death of Tommy Sullivan and his four comrades – when FBI director James Comey concluded that Abdulazeez was "inspired by a foreign terrorist organization's propaganda." Abdulazeez was killed by police in a gunfight at the U.S. Navy Reserve center in Chattanooga, where Sullivan, an Iraq war veteran, was stationed.

"To my mind, there is no doubt the Chattanooga shooter was inspired and motivated by foreign terrorist organization propaganda," Comey said. "We've investigated it from the beginning as a foreign terrorist case."

For months, however, the FBI had not ruled whether the Chattanooga incident was terrorism, even though Abudlazeez had deliberately targeted two separate U.S. military facilities in an assault lasting more than 30 minutes that involved at least 100 fired rounds.

Shortly after Comey's announcement, the Department of the Navy, which oversees the Navy and the Marine Corps, announced that Sullivan and the other military personnel would be awarded Purple Heart medals. The honor is given to personnel "wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States or as a result of an act of any such enemy or opposing armed forces."

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in a statement: "Following an extensive investigation, the FBI and NCIS (the Naval Criminal Investigative Service) have determined that this attack was inspired by a foreign terrorist group, the final criteria required for the awarding of the Purple Heart to this sailor and these Marines."

Mabus was referring to Randall Smith, 26, the Navy sailor from Paulding, Ohio, who was killed in Chattanooga.

"This determination allows the Department of the Navy to move forward immediately with the award of the Purple Heart to the families of the five heroes who were victims of this terrorist attack, as well as to the surviving hero," Mabus said. The "surviving hero" is Sgt. DeMonte Cheeley, 26, a Marine Corps recruiter who was shot in the leg.

In addition to Sullivan, Smith and Cheeley, the other military personnel slated to receive Purple Heart medals were all Marines, including Sgt. Carson A. Holmquist, 25, of Grantsburg, Wisconsin; Lance Cpl. Squire K. "Skip" Wells, 21, of Marietta, Georgia; and Staff Sgt. David A. Wyatt, 37, of Russellville, Arkansas.

This will be Tommy Sullivan's third Purple Heart, according to Joe Sullivan, who said the other two were "proven combat medals." Tommy was wounded in action during two tours of Iraq, according to Joe, adding that his family is proud Tommy is receiving the medal again. But it's even more "relevant to the younger soldiers and their families, especially their young children," Joe said of the honor, which comes with various VA benefits and other forms of support.

Now, after five months of sitting in limbo, Joe can sit at his Springfield bar, located in the same East Forest Park neighborhood where he and Tommy grew up and went to school, raise a glass, and ... exhale. His brother's not coming back, but his spirit lives here forever.

The diocese appointed a committee to investigate after the host that went uneaten on Nov. 8 appeared to bleed after being left unattended for several days.

SALT LAKE CITY -- A "bleeding host" reported after a communion wafer turned water red was caused by bread mold, not a miracle, the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City said Wednesday.

A scientist found the conclusive natural explanation for the wafer that turned water in an ablution bowl a dark red color at Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Kearns, officials said.

The diocese appointed a committee to investigate after the host that went uneaten on Nov. 8 appeared to bleed after being left unattended for several days.

Committee chair Monsignor Francis Mannion said the church sets a high bar for proving a miracle and rules one out if an event has a conclusive natural explanation.

He said in a statement that miracles have occurred in the church's history, but false claims undermine its credibility.

Here's a portion of the official statement from the diocese:

"In November of 2015, it was alleged that a consecrated host (communion bread wafer) from Saint Francis Xavier Church in Kearns, Utah, appeared to be bleeding. A thorough investigation has concluded that the host did not bleed, but the change of appearance in the host was due to red bread mold. The consecrated host has been disposed of in a reverent manner, as is required."

The market finished higher for the third day in a row, something that hadn't happened in almost two months.

By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK -- Stocks climbed Wednesday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, a long-expected vote of confidence in the U.S. economy. At the same time investors were encouraged that the Fed emphasized that further increases will be gradual.

The market was slightly higher at midday and rose steadily through the afternoon after the Fed released its policy statement and as Fed Chair Janet Yellen gave a news conference explaining the Fed's decision.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 224.18 points, or 1.3 percent, to 17,749.09. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 29.66 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,073.07. The Nasdaq composite gained 75.77 points, or 1.5 percent, to 5,071.13.

The market finished higher for the third day in a row, something that hadn't happened in almost two months. The S&P 500 is up 3 percent over the last three days.

The biggest gainers were sectors known for paying big dividends. Utilities surged 2.6 percent, while telecommunications and consumer goods makers rose 2 percent. Only the energy sector finished lower as the price of oil dropped and natural gas continued to fall.

Paul Christopher, head global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, said investors think big dividend payers might pay even more out to shareholders and buy back more stock because as interest rates rise, they'll be reluctant to spend a lot of money on equipment.

The Federal Reserve raised its main interest rate by a quarter of a point, a move that was widely anticipated in the markets. That rate had been near zero for seven years.

For months the Fed has been suggesting it would raise borrowing costs from their historically low levels because the U.S. economy has improved a great deal since the financial crisis and the Great Recession. The S&P 500 has more than doubled since the Federal funds rate was cut to zero in 2008. Unemployment, which peaked at 10 percent, is now at five percent.

The Fed emphasized Wednesday that it plans to raise interest rates slowly.

Stephen Freedman, senior investment strategist at UBS Wealth Management Americas, said the Fed is "taking off the Band-Aid" because the economy has healed substantially.

"Three or four hikes next year would be, historically speaking, extremely slow and progressive," he said. "The Fed is not going to choke the economy."

The boost in interest rates lifted metals prices. The yield on the two-year Treasury note also rose to its highest level in five years.

Oil prices and energy stocks skidded after the U.S. government said oil stockpiles grew 4.8 million barrels last week. The price of oil has plunged to its lowest levels in more than six years because supplies continued to rise as the global economy struggles.

Benchmark U.S. crude dropped $1.83, or 4.9 percent, to close at $35.52 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, lost $1.26, or 3.3 percent, to $37.19 a barrel in London. U.S. crude had climbed over the last two days after falling beneath $35 a barrel Monday.

Pioneer Natural Resources lost $10.18, or 7 percent, to $134.40 and Devon Energy dropped $1.30, or 4.1 percent, to $30.57.

Natural gas, which has dropped to 16-year-lows, lost 3.2 cents to close at $1.79 per 1,000 cubic feet. Natural gas has been falling as traders anticipate weaker demand for home heating due to the unseasonably warm winter weather in the U.S.

The price of wholesale gasoline fell 1.2 cents to $1.233 a gallon and heating oil lost 3.5 cents, or 3 percent, to $1.112 a gallon.

Payment card processor Heartland Payments climbed after it accepted an offer from Global Payments worth $100 per share, or $4.3 billion. Heartland provides credit, debit, and prepaid card processing and security technology services nationwide. Its shares rose $9.87, or 11.6 percent, to $94.97.

The government said the pace of homebuilding increased in November on a big jump in apartment construction in the Midwest and the South. Construction of single-family houses also reached an eight-year high. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that total housing starts climbed 10.5 percent.

Shares of homebuilders rallied. Beazer Homes rose 64 cents, or 5.6 percent, to $12.13. PulteGroup added 63 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $18.02 and D.R. Horton advanced 80 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $32.26.

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.30 percent. The euro edged up to $1.0970 from $1.0917 late Thursday while the dollar rose to 121.85 yen from 121.73 yen.

The price of gold rose $15.20, or 1.4 percent, to $1,076.80 an ounce and silver jumped 47.8 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $14.25 an ounce. Copper picked up 1.5 cents to $2.07 a pound.

A Dec. 10 report charged that the WiredWest financial model is not viable in its current form.

WiredWest is defending its business plan and financial model after a consultant for the Massachusetts Broadband Institute issued a report that was highly critical of the coop's plan to profitably operate a 32-town rural fiber optic network.

The Dec. 10 report, prepared by consultant Michael Morgenstern for Wipro Technologies, charges that the WiredWest plan omits costs; is too rosy in its projected revenues; and is unrealistic in its idea to start an ISP and network operations business from scratch, instead of relying upon experienced vendors and technology partners.

Steve Nelson, legal chair for WiredWest, said in an email Wednesday that Morgenstern is either "bad at arithmetic" or being "deliberately deceptive to make WiredWest look bad."

Nelson charged that Morgenstern projected WiredWest's revenues based upon 6,000 customers, when in fact the coop expects 9,000 or even 12,000 customers -- which would represent a 75 percent take rate.

Morgenstern had written that WiredWest's forecast of 15,000 subscribers is "impossibly aggressive;" Nelson said WiredWest isn't using that number.

"The key to making a broadband business succeed is the number of customers you serve, and we agree that with a customer count of 6,000 we would lose money," wrote Nelson. "But we have already signed up over 7,000 people who have put down a $49 deposit for internet service."

Nelson said there are 16,343 non-seasonal homes in the projected service area, and that a 75 percent take rate is more than reasonable to expect in a "greenfields" build that does not face competition from cable and similar providers.

WiredWest financial chair Jim Drawe, who wrote the business plan and is in charge of the financial modeling, on Tuesday issued a five-page, single-spaced rebuttal to the Wipro report.

Morgenstern's assertion that the plan omits or underestimates costs are simply not true, according to Drawe. Drawe wrote that insurance costs are "conservatively estimated," and that sales and marketing costs are indeed included in the financial model. 

Drawe wrote that start-up costs for the business were folded into a construction cost estimate, and would be drawn from contributions by member towns. Drawe did not address a remark by Morgenstern that using state bonds and town notes for working capital is "at best, unusual," and could be restricted by federal tax law.

As for a $4,200 item for monthly rent on office space, an operations center, a testing lab, warehouse space, and garage, Drawe admitted the number might be low, but wrote "I doubt if Wipro or their experts have priced office space in our market area." Morgenstern had suggested that $15,000 might be a more realistic figure for the five pieces of real estate.

Drawe took aim at an assertion that WiredWest would need to purchase around ten times more "backhaul," or capacity on a regional fiber backbone, to effectively serve its customers, saying WiredWest has "no intention of guaranteeing service levels within 20 percent of the bandwidth levels demanded."

WiredWest plans to hire staff who know how to run an ISP, said Drawe, indirectly addressing a recommendation that the coop outsource many of its functions and find an experienced technology partner for the venture.

Those are just a few of the items in the back-and-forth between WiredWest and Mass. Broadband Institute, a public agency in charge of $40 million in state bonding dedicated to bring high-speed internet service to 44 currently unserved towns.

WiredWest hopes to use the state money, as well as about twice that much raised by local taxation, to own and operate a regional broadband network that would be built by MBI.

The two organizations have been at odds for months, and the conflict came to a head Dec. 1 when MBI advised 32 town officials to walk away from a proposed operating agreement with WiredWest. MBI also said it would withhold state money unless it saw major changes to the coop's business plan. WiredWest subsequently held a well-attended emergency meeting and issued a blistering point-by-point rebuttal.

The Wipro report on the financials was presented to the public by Morgenstern at a contentious Dec. 14 meeting in Greenfield, where a critique of the WiredWest operating agreement was also presented by attorney Gregory A. Sandomirsky of Mintz Levin.

WiredWest supporters point to a separate analysis of their business plan conducted by CTC consultants that identified some problems, but found the document "well designed" and portraying "a reasonable portrayal of its business, given the model's underlying cost and revenue assumptions."

WiredWest, governed by representatives from each of its towns and led by an executive committee, has been working on the idea of a regional fiber optic network in western Massachusetts since 2011.

The Franklin County town of Leverett took a different tack, and developed its own broadband network, partnering with Holyoke Gas & Electric and Crocker Communications.

WiredWest plans to incorporate as a limited liability company (LLC) and to own any regional network build -- but MBI stated in July that the individual towns must own their own infrastructure as a condition of receiving state money.

WiredWest maintains that the state policy is misguided, and that rural network design should be regional in nature, and not constrained by town boundaries. MBI has said it wants to protect the interests of local and state taxpayers, and wants towns to be able to secede from WiredWest and still own their broadband networks, paid for with tax dollars.

Nelson and Drawe met with MBI and Mass. Technology Collaborative officials on Wednesday in an ongoing effort to resolve their differences, Nelson said.

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

Redding police said detectives determined during the investigation the children's death occurred outside Shasta County. The police gave no other details.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Police in the Northern California city of Redding, where the bodies of a boy and a girl were found inside a storage unit, said Wednesday that the children died somewhere else and that police in Salinas, where the children had lived until recently, will lead the investigation.

Redding police said detectives determined that the deaths of the children -- a 3-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy -- occurred outside Shasta County. The police gave no other details.

The Redding and Salinas police departments did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Child welfare workers repeatedly visited the Salinas home of a woman now under investigation in the deaths of two children to check on complaints of neglect, an official said.

The five children were not removed from the care of the 39-year-old woman because there was no evidence they were at risk, Elliot Robinson, head of the Monterey County Department of Social Services, told The Associated Press.

There were four complaints between September 2014 and August about general neglect, a category that includes poor supervision, improper feeding, lice infestation and dirty household conditions, Robinson said, adding that none of the complaints alleged physical abuse.

"General neglect calls rarely will result in the removal of the child," he said. "More often than not it's about poverty."

Two of the children at the home belonged to the woman, and the other three had been placed in her care by their incarcerated father after their mother died, Robinson said.

The AP typically does not identify abuse victims; it is not naming the woman and a teenage suspect because their relationship to the children is unclear.

On Friday, a 9-year-old girl suffering from neglect and abuse was found near a house in Quincy, where the woman had recently moved. Later, police investigators found two children, ages 3 and 6, dead in a storage locker in Redding.

Teen boy, woman arrested in deaths of children found in storage unit

The woman and the 17-year-old male were arrested and charged with child abuse, torture and mayhem. Each remained jailed on $1 million bail. They have been named as suspects in the deaths, but they have not been charged.

The investigation began Friday with the discovery of the starving 9-year-old girl who was taken to a hospital.

Plumas County Sheriff Greg Hagwood told the Sacramento Bee that some officials were so shaken by the abuse endured by the girl that they might have to take time off to recover.

"When you see what has been done to a beautiful little 9-year-old girl ." the sheriff said before stopping to regain his composure. "Anyone not affected needs to get some help."

The case took another turn Sunday, when Plumas County authorities got a call from someone in Monterey County asking about the two younger children.

Detectives questioned the woman and teenager again, and learned of the storage locker, the sheriff said.

The woman and teen appeared in court Tuesday, but they did not enter pleas. Their arraignments were set for Jan. 7. Their attorneys declined to comment.

Social services officials were reviewing the agency's handling of the four neglect complaints. "We're looking at the case to see if there's anything we should have done differently that could have prevented this tragedy," Robinson told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Honorary deputies would be paired with inmates at the jail and would mentor and supervise offenders after they're released from custody, according to Gill, an assistant deputy superintendent in the Hampden County Sheriff's Department who's running for sheriff.

SPRINGFIELD — Hampden County sheriff candidate James L. Gill Jr., an assistant deputy superintendent at the county jail, would like to tap members of the Hampden County Honorary Deputy Sheriff's Association to serve as mentors for offenders, pairing them with inmates inside the jail and after they are released from custody.

Gill, a strong believer in mandatory post-release supervision, envisions a program that would give association members an expanded role in the corrections process, not just an honorary one, he said in a recent interview with The Republican.

The Deputy Sheriff's Association was started to support Sheriff Michael J. Ashe's efforts to reduce recidivism and run preventative programs such as youth baseball and anti-gang education efforts. But Gill would like to see the association blossom into something "more than just people carrying an ID and badge," he said.

"I don't want to use them to donate to my campaign," Gill said. "I want them to be trained on how to supervise and mentor people on the outside. Pair them with someone on the inside, then supervise and mentor them when they're out."

Honorary deputies would be connected to the Sheriff's Department and would undergo law enforcement training, Gill said. In addition to the mentoring role, they would be used "to help restore order" in smaller Hampden County communities with small police departments or no departments.

If elected, Gill said, county residents are "going to feel their Sheriff's Department at work."

"When James Gill is the next sheriff of Hampden County, I can assure citizens it will not be another day of business as usual, but instead a day of let's get down to business."

City resident Cyrah James has been missing since Oct. 8, according to The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

SPRINGFIELD -- Police are seeking the public's help finding a 14-year-old girl who has been missing since early October.

Springfield resident Cyrah James has been missing since Oct. 8, according to The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

She is described as a black female with black hair, brown eyes, pierced ears, approximately 5-feet, 4-inches tall, weighing around 115 pounds.

Cyrah may still be in the area.

Anyone with information are asked to call Springfield police at (413) 787-6302, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST).

The Impressionist Art Gallery in the Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts is now the Carol and Noel Leary Gallery of Impressionist Art in recognition of a major gift to the museum by the Longmeadow couple.

SPRINGFIELD - The Impressionist Art Gallery in the Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts is now the Carol and Noel Leary Gallery of Impressionist Art in recognition of a major gift to the Springfield Museums by the Longmeadow couple.

Carol Leary is the long-time president of Bay Path University, and her husband is a retired real estate association executive and consultant to not-for-profit organizations. Their gift was announced during the annual museums' holiday gala on Dec. 3, and as part of the museums' ongoing capital campaign.

"Noel and Carol are long-standing and dedicated advocates for the museums," said Kay Simpson, museums' president, in a release.

"We are truly honored by their display of generosity and for their leadership in bolstering our capital campaign."

In the release, Noel Leary credited the couple's major naming gift as a result of working with a financial planner who "showed us how to combine current giving with a legacy commitment to achieve far more than we had ever considered."

"We hope that our gift will serve as an inspiration to our colleagues and friends that something similar is indeed possible with a bit of planning," added Carol Leary in the release.

The exact amount of the gift, termed "substantial, was not disclosed because it is a combination of both ongoing donations made by the Learys as well as legacy giving, according to a museum official.

The gallery houses paintings by such major artists as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Auguste Renoir, and Paul Gauguin.

The Learys made their gift as part of the museums' $7 million capital campaign, "Seuss In Springfield: Building a Better Quadrangle," to fund major improvements to the museums' campus and the creation of a new museum honoring Springfield native Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and former New England Patriots linebacker Andre Tippet visited Central High School in Springfield to promote "Game-Change: The Patriots Anti-Violence Partnership." Watch video

SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and former New England Patriots linebacker and NFL Hall of Famer Andre Tippett told Central High School students on Thursday that football players and other school athletes can help lead the way in preventing violence.

Tippet recalled growing up as the oldest of six children in East Orange, New Jersey, where a neighbor and sometimes surrogate parent would knock on his family's door in the middle of the night after being beaten up by a boyfriend. "I heard noise in the night on the floor above us," he said. "In the end, she ended up murdering him."

"I was only 9 or 10," he said, adding that the thought of the tragedy still haunts him and has inspired him to speak out against domestic and dating abuse as a professional athlete and role model, he said.

Just as a cow bell signals a herd to follow, Tippett said, student-athletes should be the "cow-bell" leader to encourage classmates to stop violence before it happens.

"As football players, you're respected," he said during a round-table discussion at the school with about a dozen students. "You guys have a real opportunity to lead the way ... to be the someone that steps up to take a stand against domestic abuse and dating violence."

Healey, who was a standout basketball point guard in college, said she recently met with a teenage mother who grew up in an abusive family and thought abuse was normal.

"It's not normal," Healey said. "All of you represent the key to making people understand that."

Healey cited statistics showing that one in three young people has experienced physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse in a relationship.

"The fact is that you have the power to do something about this – to be the change agent," Healey said.

Healey and Tippet visited Central to promote "Game-Change: The Patriots Anti-Violence Partnership," a new initiative of the AG's office and the New England Patriots aimed at providing students with the tools to combat a culture of violence that has crept into American society.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft donated $500,000 to fund the program through the team's charitable foundation.

Central is one of 98 schools across the commonwealth that have signed on to the partnership.

During the first phase of the program, two adults from each of the schools will participate in anti-violence workshops that they will bring back to their schools to share with students.

Central teacher Jean Marvel, an adviser to the Gender Equality Club. and football coach and teacher Valdamar Brower, who hosted Thursday's round-table, were chosen to attend training sessions run by Mentors in Violence Prevention Program, a national leader in violence prevention,

The training session, which will be held in March, is run by the Center for Sport in Society at Northeastern University and uses a sports-themed curriculum with collegiate athletes and former professional athletes as trainers.

After the training is completed, Marvel said she and Brower will come back and train the students in the methods of combating violence. Through the program, students will be trained to become peer leaders who can teacher younger students about healthy relationships and bystander intervention.

In the meantime, Marvel encouraged students in attendance to start speaking out if they hear about or encounter incidents of relationship abuse.

In answer to questions from Healey, Central senior Sarah Nwafor, who founded the Gender Equality Club during her sophomore year, said, "There is a widespread feeling at the school 'that it can't happen here,' but it does."

Nwafor said students need to understand that social media and the Internet can be a vehicle for bullying and abuse.

Because there is a stigma about being a victim, students are often reluctant to speak out if they've experienced it, she said, adding that education is needed to empower students to speak up and get help.

Sunil Darjee, 18, who came to the United States from Nepal in 2012, said students who are afraid to talk about bullying or abuse need a friend to speak up for them. "They need a friend they can trust," Darjee said.

Healey, backed by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and District Attorney Anthony Gulluni, encouraged the students not to be afraid to speak up.

"If you come forward, we're going to have your backs," Gulluni said of the role of law enforcement.

"One by one, you can make a difference," Sarno said. "When you see the hurt in someone's eyes who has been targeted for any kind of abuse, there are lots of caring adults who can help you."

A Cape Cod man and his mother, along with two other Cape Cod residents, were hit with federal drug and money laundering charges.

BOSTON - A Cape Cod man and his mother, along with two other Cape Cod residents, were hit with federal drug and money laundering charges.

Federal prosecutors say the four Cape Cod residents are David Landry, a 27-year-old Mashpee man; his 50-year-old mother Diane Johnson, also of Mashpee; 26-year-old Hyannis resident Justin Groom; and 27-year-old East Wareham resident Evan Lopes.

According to U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office, the alleged charges include possession with intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracies to manufacture marijuana and launder money, possession with intent to distribute the drug known as "Molly," and being a felon possessing a firearm.

The indictment, unsealed this week, alleges that between May 2014 and Jan. 2015, Landry, a convicted felon, and Groom were in a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana. Groom was charged with money laundering while using the money they made from the illegal activities to pay for rent for a house on Cheryl Lane in Pocasset.

"Landry, who was arrested and has been in custody since Sept. 12, 2014, is alleged to have continued participating in the criminal offense while in jail on state charges," Ortiz's office said in a release.

Landry is accused of possessing a semi-automatic .40 caliber pistol.

Lopes allegedly possessed -- with intent to distribute -- the drug known as "Molly," or methylone.

Prosecutors say Landry involved his mother in a conspiracy to launder drug money "in order to disguise the nature of the funds and continue the drug trafficking activity."

In Jan. 2015, Barnstable police officers, joined by other law enforcement officials, found a 3,000-square foot marijuana growing set-up.

"I have to say the quality of the grow was pretty impressive," Barnstable Detective Lt. Sean Balcom told the Cape Cod Times after their discovery.

t was supposed to be a way for Glastonbury businesses to promote themselves and raise money for the Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce, but a calendar photo has cost 4 realtors their affiliation with a popular realty company. The calendar is a fundraiser for the chamber and features men from various local businesses baring almost everything.

A digest of news stories from around New England.

Court says Catholic school in Milton discriminated against gay man when it rescinded job offer [Boston Globe] Video below

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Stanley Rosenberg
Byron Hefner 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas for Square One when a big donation and Santa show up on the same day.

SPRINGFIELD — Square One, the Springfield-based early childhood education private non-profit organization, had a good day Thursday.

Santa handed out candy canes, and Fallon Health Care representatives showed up with a check for $2,500 to add to their fund for gifts to children and families. Now, with a combined $5,000-plus in donations and donated gifts from individuals, all of the 900 children in their five area facilities and 40 home-based care centers will receive Christmas gifts.

Kyocera Corp. gave Square One $1,000. Most of the smaller donations and gifts came from individual donors. Square One sponsors "adopted" families, and there will be gifts for all of them, as well.

Square One education and care centers are in Springfield, West Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke.

The visiting Santa Claus got a warm welcome when he stopped into the Square One classrooms at the Early Childhood Education Center in Springfield. He also visited the classrooms there of the Springfield Public Schools, the YMCA and Head Start.

The demonstration on State Street occurred one year after a car crashed into three pedestrians outside the Central Library, killing 7-year-old Destiny Gonzalez and injuring two relatives.

SPRINGFIELD — Approximately 20 people demonstrated Thursday outside the city library on State Street, saying they continue to fear for the safety of pedestrians crossing that corridor one year after the death of 7-year-old Destiny Gonzalez.

Those who gathered Thursday included relatives of Gonzalez and members of Arise for Social Justice who questioned why the city has not enacted any solutions to making the crossing safer.

On Dec. 1, 2014, a car struck three pedestrians crossing State Street at that location, killing Gonzalez and injuring her mother and a cousin.

"Something has to be done to slow down this traffic," said Michaelann Bewsee, executive director of Arise for Social Justice. "Whether it's a crosswalk or flashing lights or something, people are not going to stop crossing the street right here to get to the library. That's why we are here, to call attention to the fact that we need a plan and one that makes sense."

Pedestrians are not supposed to cross at that location, but do very often, not wanting to walk to a legal crosswalk further downhill at State and Chestnut streets, residents and city officials said.

"I don't have my daughter now," said Luis Gonzalez, Destiny's father. "I used to have a perfect family. We used to be happy."

Gonzalez said he used to celebrate Christmas with his family every year, but cannot now.

He does not believe it should be so hard for the city to find a solution.

City Councilor Thomas Ashe, chairman of the council's Public Safety Committee, said he was told recently that the Department of Public Works will be submitting a report of its recommendations very soon to Mayor Domenic Sarno.

Ashe said he believes the report will address the State Street crossing at the library, another dangerous crossing on State Street at the Indian Motocycle apartments and another crossing on Sumner Avenue just east of The X.

Public Works Director Christopher Cignoli was not immediately available for comment.

Carol Costa, president of the Armoury-Quadrangle Civic Association, joined the demonstration and said she shares the concerns about the danger at the Central Library crossing

"The civic association has been so concerned about this location for years," Costa said. "I hate to say it, but we knew it was going to end up with somebody getting killed crossing this street here. Unfortunately, tragically, that happened a year ago."

The association met with Ashe's committee several times and with Cignoli, Costa said.

Costa said she knows there may be some legalities hindering a proposal to create a crosswalk there.

"The issue is, they need to do something to make it safer here," Costa said. "Even if they can't create a crosswalk right away, they need to be able to slow down traffic, even with rough pavement or a speed bump or flashing lights, reduced speed zone --something has to be done in the interim. And nothing is happening."

Costa who lives at the Classical Condominiums, at the State Street location across from the library, said some cars travel 50 miles per hour down State Street, adding to the danger.

Springfield Police Detective Luke Cournoyer, the lead investigator, learned that the suspects allegedly had a gun as they traveled from Holyoke to Springfield in a gray Honda Civic. Authorities said they recovered a fully loaded semiautomatic pistol.

SPRINGFIELD — A trio of suspects being surveilled by police were tracked from Holyoke to Springfield, where they were charged with gun offenses Tuesday night, according to authorities.

Springfield Police Detective Luke Cournoyer, the lead investigator, learned that the suspects allegedly had a gun as they traveled from Holyoke to Springfield in a gray Honda Civic.

Police officers assigned to the Springfield narcotics and street crimes units stopped the car on Main Street in Springfield around 9:50 p.m., according to online arrest records. The suspects – 24-year-old Dignamarka Berges, 27-year-old Anthony Lee Rivera and 28-year-old Justin Rodriguez, all of Springfield – were arrested and charged with possession of a gun and ammunition.

Confiscated during the arrest was a fully loaded Luger 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, Springfield police spokesman Sgt. John Delaney said. Berges also had cocaine in her pockets and was subsequently charged with drug possession, Delaney said.

The suspects were expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Springfield District Court, but the outcomes of their hearings were not immediately known.

Rain will continue to fall into the evening on Thursday across Massachusetts.

SPRINGFIELD -- Rain will continue to fall into the evening on Thursday across Massachusetts.

The National Weather Service reports a 90 percent chance of rain in Western and Central Massachusetts until 10 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17. For an additional hour, there's a chance of showers. 

Rain is expected in Boston until midnight, according to the National Weather Service.

The low in Springfield and Worcester will be around 41 degrees, 46 degrees in Boston and nine degrees lower across the state in Pittsfield.

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Friday morning may bring more rain in parts of the state, then possibly snow in the evening.

There's a 50 percent chance of showers in Boston on Friday, mainly after 8 a.m., with a 20 percent chance of showers in Springfield and Worcester after 9 a.m. Partly sunny skies are expected in Berkshire County.

The high on Friday will be 50 degrees in Boston, 46 in Springfield and Worcester and 40 in Pittsfield.

The National Weather Service predicts a slight chance of snow showers from Berkshire to Worcester County on Friday evening.

Steve Como said he resigned as Holyoke Soldiers' Home board chairman because it had been eight years and the Republican governor should appoint his own chairman.

HOLYOKE -- Republican State Sen. Donald R. Humason will speak to Gov. Charlie Baker about the Holyoke Soldiers' Home's leadership turnover and the need for the state to increase help to the facility that Humason called "a jewel," he said Thursday.

This comes after Paul Barabani, superintendent of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, announced Tuesday he will retire in January, Deputy Superintendent John Paradis said Wednesday he will resign as of Jan. 1 and Steven E. Como, chairman of the board of trustees, resigned Monday.

Como, in his first public comments about the departure, said Thursday he had been thinking of resigning for a while after having been board chairman and a member for eight years and believing Baker should appoint his own chairman.

"I had been thinking about it for a long time," Como said in a phone interview.

The Soldiers' Home is a state-funded health care facility for veterans established in 1952 on Cherry Street overlooking Interstate 91.

Baker, a Republican, is scheduled to make a Western Massachusetts swing Friday with a stop at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee at 12:30 p.m. Humason will be there as a member of the Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force.

"I intend to speak to the governor personally about the Soldiers' Home situation ... I just think it's so unfortunate because John Paradis and Paul Barabani my opinion were a tremendous team and great public servants," Humason said.

"They can never seem to get the attention they deserve," said Humason, R-Westfield, of the Soldiers' Home.

That echoes comments state Rep. Aaron M. Vega, D-Holyoke, made Wednesday that complaints had arisen questioning state support of the facility.

On the other hand, Humason said, it could be argued the Soldiers' Home received too much state attention in the form of government red tape despite the devotion of Barabani and Paradis.

"They were a great team, but I think they had frustration with the bureaucracy in Boston," Humason said.

"You're not going to find better guys than John and Paul. I think the governor needs to hear about this," he said.

Barabani, 64, who became superintendent in February 2011, said he would remain until the federal Veterans Administration does its annual assessment of the Soldiers' Home in January. He retired in 2002 as a colonel after 32 years in the Army National Guard.

Paradis said he was leaving because Barabani is the only boss at the Soldiers' Home for whom he wanted to work.

Barabani and Paradis declined to comment on whether state support of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home was a factor in their departures.

Como said the only reason he has resigned as board chairman is because he felt it was time and Baker should have the chance to appoint his own trustees' leader. Former Gov Deval L. Patrick, a Democrat, appointed Como as a board representative from Berkshire County.

The seven-member board of trustees, appointed by the governor, oversees the Soldiers' Home.

Como said he was unaware Barabani and Paradis were poised to announce their exits when he declared his own resignation Tuesday.

"I was kind of taken aback by that. It wasn't my intention," he said.

Como also declined to address the level of state support of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home.

"I don't have a comment on that one way or another," Como said.

The Holyoke Soldiers' Home's budget is $22.7 million and consists of state and federal funding, he said.

The facility employs more than 300 people, including 205 nurses. It has 265 long-term care beds and 30 private rooms for veterans, Paradis said.

The Soldiers' Home serves 2,200 veterans a year in its in- and out-patient facilities, officials have said.

In an emailed statement Wednesday, a Veterans Affairs Department spokesman said caring for veterans will remain the priority.

"The administration is committed to meeting the needs of our veterans, making significant investments this year for housing and support services, and will ensure a smooth transition for the Soldiers' Home," department spokesman Joe Truschelli said.

State support of veterans includes $93 million in funding this year, an increase of $2 million over the previous year; 200 rental vouchers for chronically homeless veterans; and Operation Welcome Home, which helps veterans buy first homes with loan, closing-cost, mortgage insurance and unemployment assistance, administration officials said.

Vega said that though the board of trustees is authorized to appoint the Holyoke Soldiers' Home superintendent, he will urge that instead a search committee be established to solicit candidates with public involvement.

Besides Como, board members are Brian Q. Corridan, Margaret E. Oglesby Daniel J. Smith and John J. Fitzgerald, of Hampden County, Ben Cluff, of Franklin County and Spiros Hatiras, of Hampshire County.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 253 points after having climbed 224 the day before.

By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK -- Stocks skidded Thursday as a late drop erased the market's gains from the day before. Companies that sell oil, gold and silver tumbled along with the prices of those commodities.

Thursday's slide marked the end of a three-day winning streak. Indexes drifted lower in the morning and fell sharply in the final minutes of trading. Energy stocks fell as the price of oil slumped again, and lower metals prices hurt mining companies.

The Dow Jones industrial average sank 253.25 points, or 1.4 percent, to 17,495.84. The Standard & Poor's 500 lost 31.18 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,041.89. The Nasdaq composite index gave up 68.58 points, or 1.4 percent, to 5,002.55.

Energy and mining stocks have been pummeled this year as the sluggish global economy reduces demand even as supplies become more abundant. U.S. crude fell 57 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $34.95 a barrel in New York. It had not closed beneath $35 since Feb. 18, 2009 and traded above $60 a barrel as recently as June.

Chevron lost $2.90, or 3.1 percent, to $90.54 and Marathon Oil lost $1, or 7.3 percent, to $12.78.

Natural gas, which has fallen to 16-year lows, gave up another 3.5 cents, or 2 percent, to $1.755 per 1,000 cubic feet. The price of natural gas has tumbled as demand has collapsed. Thanks to the warm weather, customers haven't needed much gas to heat their homes this winter. And demand from industrial customers has been weak.

Metals prices gave up their gains from Wednesday. The price of gold fell $27.20, or 2.5 percent, to $1,049.60 an ounce and silver sank 54.5 cents, or 3.8 percent, to $13.703 an ounce. Copper fell 2.8 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $2.044 a pound.

Among mining stocks, Newmont Mining dropped $1.47, or 7.7 percent, to $17.61 and Freeport-McMoRan lost 57 cents, or 8.5 percent, to $6.12.

Only utility stocks traded higher. Utilities have also struggled this year, but including a tiny gain Thursday, they have risen for four days in a row and are up 4 percent over that time. Utility stocks are seen as steady performers that pay regular dividends, and some investors think payments are going to increase. Duke Energy rose 47 cents to $70.50 and Ameren Corp. gained $1.03, or 2.4 percent, to $44.03.

Solar power stocks continued to rise after Congress agreed to extend a federal tax credit for commercial and residential solar projects. Leading Democrats and Republicans reportedly agreed to extend the 30-percent credit through 2019, after which it will wind down over two years. The credit was scheduled to fall in 2017 and be eliminated in 2018.

SolarCity gained $3.57, or 6.6 percent, to $57.26 and Sunrun added $1.08, or 9.3 percent, to $12.71. The stocks are up 55 percent and 62 percent this week, respectively.

"This was one of the biggest risks confronting the industry over the last year," said Angelica Jarvenpaa, research associate for Raymond James. She said solar power companies didn't know if the tax credit would be allowed to expire.

Jarvenpaa said the agreement is "among the best case scenarios" for solar power because it tells companies what they can expect for the next several years. She added that the extension will benefit the entire industry, including companies that serve homes, businesses, utilities and manufacturers of solar cells.

Shipping company FedEx said its quarterly profit grew as online shopping increased and costs in its express-delivery business came down. FedEx also said it thinks holiday shipments will rise by more than 12 percent from a year ago. FedEx rose $3.01, or 2 percent, to $151.84.

Streaming music company Pandora Media surged. A panel of copyright judges raised the amount that streaming companies like Pandora have to pay to record labels, but the increase was less than many had expected. Pandora jumped $1.82, or 13.5 percent, to $15.26.

Business software maker Oracle had its worst day in more than two years. The stock slipped after Oracle reported a smaller quarterly profit. Its revenue also fell short of analyst forecasts. The shares declined $1.98, or 5.1 percent, to $36.93.

The dollar climbed. While the Fed is raising interest rates, central banks in Europe and Japan are planning to lower them. That will make the dollar even stronger. A strong dollar hurts U.S. exporters but makes imports cheaper.

The euro dropped to $1.0805 from $1.0970. The dollar rose to 122.85 yen from 121.85 yen.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.23 percent from 2.30 percent late Wednesday.

In other energy trading, Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, fell 33 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $37.06 a barrel in London. The price of wholesale gasoline rose 2.9 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $1.262 a gallon in New York. Heating oil slipped 0.7 cents to $1.105 a gallon.

Prosecutors plan to file first-degree murder charges against a woman and teenager in the death of two children found in a California storage locker.

SALINAS, Calif. (AP) -- Prosecutors said Thursday they plan to file first-degree murder charges against a woman and teenager in the death of two children found in a California storage locker.

Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo made the disclosure at a news conference in Salinas, where authorities believe the children -- ages 3 and 6 -- had been killed.

Prosecutors say they will decide later whether to seek the death penalty.

Police have said the children were killed in a Salinas apartment around Thanksgiving then taken 300 miles to the locker in Redding.

The Associated Press typically does not identify abuse victims; it is not naming the woman and teenager because their relationship to the children is unclear.

The investigation began on Dec. 11 when a 9-year-old girl suffering from neglect and abuse was found near a house in Plumas County, where the woman had recently moved.

Police later found the two younger children dead in the storage locker about 150 miles away from the home.

The 39-year-old woman and 17-year-old male were charged with child abuse, torture and mayhem involving the 9-year-old child. Their lawyers have declined comment.

Elliot Robinson, head of the Monterey County Department of Social Services, said the woman was visited by county child welfare workers four times over the course of a year to check on complaints of neglect.

The complaints between September 2014 and August were about general neglect, a category that includes poor supervision, improper feeding, lice infestation and dirty household conditions, Robinson said, adding that none of the complaints alleged physical abuse.

"General neglect calls rarely will result in the removal of the child," he said. "More often than not it's about poverty."

Social services officials were reviewing the agency's handling of the four neglect complaints.

Two witnesses told investigators they were asked to meet the Lewises, with respective street names of "Bandz" and "Innocence" at Tower Square in downtown Springfield to sign their prostitution contracts.

SPRINGFIELD — A married couple from Springfield recruited prostitutes for an illegal business they ran called "Sinful Innocence" with a snappy online slogan, according to federal investigators:

"Don't Let Your Future Walk Away!"

Milford and Tiana Lewis on Thursday were charged with human trafficking, transportation for prostitution, inducement of prostitution and other crimes. A criminal complaint filed in connection with the arrests states the couple recruited women through ads on Craigslist and Backpage.

Unnamed witnesses told Homeland Security investigators the ads featured the counter-intuitively named business as a talent agency that "negotiates contracts for the rendition of professional services" including "exotic dancer, escort, stage show performer, model and 'porn.'"

The Lewises identified themselves as the "CEO's" of "Sinful Innocence," according to a federal complaint drafted by Homeland Security Agent Timothy W. Irving.

Arrests were made in the parking lot of the 5th Alarm strip club on Worthington Street on Thursday.

Milford and Tiana LewisFACEBOOK 

Two witnesses told investigators they were asked to meet the Lewises, with respective street names of "Bandz" and "Innocence," at Tower Square in downtown Springfield to sign their prostitution contracts. "During the meeting, Milford and Tiana made it clear to the women that they would engage in prostitution and that they were to split the proceeds with Milford and Tiana," the complaint reads.

The women were instructed to go to a home at 32 Longhill St. to wait for calls from customers, though none came, the witnesses said.

The women were subsequently instructed to service customers at the Springfield Inn and Express Inn in West Springfield, court records state. When one of the women had second thoughts and balked, according to the complaint, the couple responded that they would "f*** her up" if she did not pay $350 to break the contract.

The motel "dates" were labeled "in-call," while the trysts outside the motels were characterized as "out-call," the complaint states. Special rates were offered for "double dates" with multiple women, it adds.

When the second witness asked for a better cut of the prostitution proceeds, and then informed the couple she wanted to quit the business, Milford Lewis informed the woman she could never "get out of the game." The couple then demanded $350 from that woman to terminate her contract. When she could not immediately come up with the money, the complaint states, Tiana began threatening the woman and her family. "If I have to come to Connecticut to settle this sh*t there's going to be a problem," Tiana Lewis told the witness during a phone call recorded by federal agents.

The calls continued as recently as earlier this month, according to court records, and the women reported that Milford Lewis, or "Bandz," who sobbed nearly throughout his entire court appearance on Thursday, has a Taser, a machete and a black hand gun.

Yet another woman (identified in court documents as Female D) called West Springfield police in November, and officers found her screaming and bleeding outside the Express Inn.

"Female D told the officers that she was being pimped out by a man and a woman on sex pages on the Internet," the complaint states. "Female D said the two had recruited her at a methadone clinic and that (the three of them) were living at a hotel and she was being paid to have sex with people."

The woman told police that the couple beat her up when she refused to have sex with a customer.

"The officers observed blood coming out of Female D's nose and her eyes were black and blue," Irving wrote.

On Dec. 11, an undercover West Springfield police officer arranged for an "interview" with the couple at the food court in Tower Square. During a brief meeting and negotiation, "Bandz" offered the undercover officer a 50/50 or 60/40 split of profits and informed her that their business was built on fetishes. The hourly rate was approximately $200, according to the complaint. He presented the officer with a yearly contract at the close of the meeting, court records state.

He wrapped up the meeting by asking the undercover officer if she was a member of law enforcement. "The (undercover) laughed at him and asked 'Do I look like a cop?'" the complaint states.

The other unnamed witnesses also told investigators of similar beatings outside hotels, with one sharing an anecdote about getting a reward of a pack of cigarettes if she "pulled four dates in a day," the complaint states. The woman said when she asked after her "reward," she was made by Milford Lewis to stand in a tub of ice cold water, lest she risk a beating.

Another shared her experience of being bumped from "bottom bitch," yet another counter-intuitive phrase to describe the top prostitute in a hierarchy, according to investigators. The woman's role was usurped by another prostitute Tiana Lewis recruited from Ohio, the witness said.

Both Lewises were temporarily held without bail after their arrests on Thursday. Defense lawyers David Hoose and Frank Flannery, for Milford and Tiana Lewis respectively, said they expect they will make arguments for their clients' pretrial release in U.S. District Court next week.

Human trafficking convictions carry a sentence of 15 years to life in prison.

Ryan Kierce, 27, was charged with possession and distribution of heroin, commission of a felony while armed, and illegal possession of a gun and ammo, according to Pepperell police.

PEPPERELL — Police seized a gun, heroin and cash after busting up an alleged drug operation earlier this week in the northern Middlesex County town of Pepperell.

Ryan Kierce, 27, was charged with possession and distribution of heroin, commission of a felony while armed, and illegal possession of a gun and ammo, according to Pepperell police, who were assisted by members of the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council.

Kierce was arrested after authorities raided his home on the morning of Dec. 14. A loaded handgun, more than $1,200 cash, and about $1,700 worth of heroin were seized during the raid, according to police.

"Any dent we can make on the enforcement side of the drug crisis is another step in the right direction toward saving lives, and ridding our community of these deadly substances," Pepperell Police Chief David Scott said, praising Lt. Todd Blain and Detective Tom Maskalenko for their work on the case.

Arraignment information was not immediately available.