After a string of suspected opiate-related deaths in the last 48 hours, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni urged the public Saturday to be aware of a possible more lethal strain of heroin and to not hesitate if seeking emergency medical assistance for an overdose.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ After a string of suspected opiate-related deaths in the last 48 hours, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni urged the public Saturday to be aware of a possible more lethal strain of heroin and to not hesitate if seeking emergency medical assistance for an overdose.

Gulluni advised family and friends of suspected opiate users, as well as opiate users themselves, to utilize the "Good Samaritan Law," which protects individuals who call 911 to report an overdose from being charged with possession or use of opiates.

He also cautioned that everyone should be aware of a potentially more lethal strain of heroin that's being distributed in the Springfield-area.

Lt. Jim Albert, of the Holyoke Police Criminal Investigations Bureau, said earlier this week that several overdose cases involving heroin have occurred in recent days. Many of the incidents, he said, involved bags of heroin labeled "Hollywood."

Two people had fatally overdosed on the drug in 24 hours alone and a third death was being investigated as a possible overdose, Holyoke officials said Friday.

In Chicopee, at least seven documented heroin overdoses, including three fatalities, have occurred since Wednesday - four overdoses of which took place on New Year's Day, officials said.

Gulluni said he has directed the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit attached to his office to investigate the production and distribution of this deadly strain of heroin.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Massachusetts State Police, Springfield Barracks, at 413-736-8390, or to use the anonymous "Text-a-Tip" service by sending a text message to "crimes" (274637) that begins with the word "solve."

Law enforcement officials assigned to the Winter Classic event at Gillette Stadium arrested a 48-year-old North Granby, Conn. man Thursday and recovered an electric stun gun and several sharp weapons from his vehicle, Foxborough Police said Saturday.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ Law enforcement officials assigned to the Winter Classic event at Gillette Stadium arrested a 48-year-old North Granby, Conn. man and recovered an electric stun gun and several weapons from his vehicle, Foxborough Police said Saturday.

According to local law enforcement officials, members of the Foxborough Police Department and Norfolk Sheriff's Office working the hockey event at the New England Patriots' home stadium arrested Matthew Bromson Friday morning after responding to reports of a suspicious male in the off-site employee parking lot.

Bromson, who is not an employee at the stadium, has been charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct, possession of an electric stun gun and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, police said. The assault charges result from his alleged actions and words with an object that caused three witnesses to fear for their safety, according to Foxborough police.

The incident was isolated and did not pose a threat to Gillette Stadium, police said. Bromson will be arraigned at Wrentham District Court on Jan. 4.

Protesters in Iran, angered by the execution by Saudi Arabia of a prominent Shiite cleric, broke into the Saudi embassy in Tehran early Sunday, setting fires and throwing papers from the roof.

TEHRAN, Iran -- Protesters in Iran, angered by the execution by Saudi Arabia of a prominent Shiite cleric, broke into the Saudi embassy in Tehran early Sunday, setting fires and throwing papers from the roof, Iranian media reported.

The semiofficial ISNA news agency said the country's top police official, Gen. Hossein Sajedinia, rushed to the scene and police worked to disperse the crowd outraged by the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Shiite leaders in Iran and other countries across the Middle East swiftly condemned Riyadh and warned of sectarian backlash.

Saudi Arabia's execution Saturday of 47 prisoners, which also included al-Qaida detainees, threatened to further enflame Sunni-Shiite tensions in a regional struggle playing out between the Sunni kingdom and its foe Iran, a predominantly Shiite nation.

While Saudi Arabia insisted the executions were part of a justified war on terrorism, Iranian politicians warned that the Saudi monarchy would pay a heavy price for the death of al-Nimr.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Saudi envoy in Tehran to protest, while the Saudi Foreign Ministry later said it had summoned Iran's envoy to the kingdom to protest the critical Iranian reaction to the sheikh's execution, saying it represented "blatant interference" in its internal affairs.

In Tehran, the crowd gathered outside the Saudi embassy and chanted anti-Saudi slogans. Some protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the embassy, setting off a fire in part of the building, Sajedinia told the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

"Some of them entered the embassy. Currently, individuals who entered the embassy have been transferred out (of the building). However, a large crowd is still there in front of the embassy," Sajedinia told ISNA early Sunday.

Some of the protesters broke into the embassy and threw papers off the roof, and police worked to disperse the crowd, Sajedinia told ISNA. He later told Tasnim that police had removed the protesters from the building and arrested some of them. He said the situation outside the embassy "had been defused."

Al-Nimr's execution promises to open a rancorous new chapter in the ongoing Sunni-Shiite power struggle playing out across the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia and Iran as the primary antagonists. The two regional powers already back opposing sides in civil wars in Yemen and in Syria. Saudi Arabia was also a vocal critic of the recent Iranian agreement with world powers that ends international economic sanctions in exchange for limits on the Iranian nuclear program.

The cleric's execution could also complicate Saudi Arabia's relationship with the Shiite-led government in Iraq. The Saudi embassy in Baghdad reopened for the first time in nearly 25 years on Friday. Already on Saturday there were public calls for Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to shut the embassy down again.

Al-Abadi tweeted Saturday night that he was "shocked and saddened" by al-Nimr's execution, adding that, "peaceful opposition is a fundamental right. Repression does not last."

Hundreds of al-Nimr's supporters also protested in his hometown of al-Qatif in eastern Saudi Arabia, in neighboring Bahrain where police fired tear gas and bird shot, and as far away as northern India.

The sheikh's brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, said in a telephone interview that Saudi authorities told the family they had already buried the body, but didn't tell them at which cemetery. The family had hoped to bury his body in his hometown. His funeral would likely have attracted thousands of supporters, including large numbers of protesters. Instead the family planned to hold prayers and accept condolences at the mosque in a village near al-Qatif, where the sheikh used to pray.

A spokesman said in a statement that United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "deeply dismayed" over the Saudi Arabia executions, including that of Al-Nimr.

Germany's Foreign Ministry said the cleric's execution "strengthens our existing concerns about the growing tensions and the deepening rifts in the region."

State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that the U.S. is "particularly concerned" that al-Nimr's execution risked "exacerbating sectarian tensions at a time when they urgently need to be reduced." He said the U.S. is calling on Saudi Arabia to ensure fair judicial proceedings and permit peaceful expression of dissent while working with all community leaders to defuse tensions after the executions.

Al-Nimr's death comes 11 months after Saudi Arabia issued a sweeping counterterrorism law after Arab Spring protests shook the region in 2011 and toppled several longtime autocrats. The law codified that the kingdom could prosecute as a terrorist anyone who demands reform, exposes corruption or otherwise engages in dissent or violence against the government.

The convictions of those executed Saturday were issued by Saudi Arabia's Specialized Criminal Court, established in 2008 to try terrorism cases.

The executed al-Qaida detainees were convicted of launching a spate of attacks against foreigners and security forces a decade ago.

To counter Arab Spring rumblings that threatened to spill into eastern Saudi Arabia, the kingdom sent troops in 2011 to crush Shiite protests demanding more political powers from the Sunni-led, fraternal monarchy of Bahrain. More security forces were also deployed that year to contain protests in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich east, where al-Nimr rallied youth who felt disenfranchised and persecuted.

A Saudi lawyer in the eastern region told The Associated Press that three other Shiite political detainees were also executed from among the 47. The lawyer spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

Saudi Arabia says all those executed were convicted of acts of terrorism. Al-Nimr and the three others mentioned had been charged in connection with violence that led to the deaths of several protesters and police officers.

Saudi Arabia's top cleric Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Sheikh defended the executions as in line with Islamic Shariah law. He described the executions as a "mercy to the prisoners" because it would save them from committing more evil acts and prevent chaos.

Islamic scholars around the world hold vastly different views on the application of the death penalty in Shariah law. Saudi Arabia's judiciary adheres to one of the strictest interpretations, a Sunni Muslim ideology referred to as Wahhabism.

Saudi Arabia carries out most executions through beheading and sometimes in public and has drawn comparisons to extremist groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State group -- which also carry out public beheadings and claim to be implementing Shariah. It strongly rejects the comparisons and points out that it has a judicial appeals process with executions ultimately aimed at combating crime.

The Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah issued a statement calling al-Nimr's execution an "assassination" and a "ugly crime." The group added that those who carry the "moral and direct responsibility for this crime are the United States and its allies who give direct protection to the Saudi regime."

In a press conference Saturday, Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki said the executions were carried out inside prisons and not in public, as is sometimes the case. The Interior Ministry, which announced the names of all 47 people executed in a statement, said a royal court order was issued to implement the sentences after all appeals had been exhausted.

Meanwhile, the execution of al-Qaida militants raised concerns over revenge attacks. The extremist group's branch in Yemen, known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, had threatened violence against Saudi security forces last month if they carried out executions of its fighters.

One of the executed was Faris al-Shuwail, a leading ideologue in al-Qaida's Saudi branch who was arrested in August 2004 during a massive crackdown on the group following the series of deadly attacks.

The executions took place in the capital, Riyadh, and 12 other cities and towns. Of those executed, 45 were Saudi citizens, one was from Chad and another was from Egypt.

In announcing the verdicts, Saudi state television showed mugshots of those executed. Al-Nimr was No. 46, expressionless with a gray beard, his head covered with the red-and-white scarf traditionally worn by men in the Arab Gulf region.

Al-Nimr, who was in his 50s, never denied the political charges against him, but maintained he never carried weapons or called for violence.

At his trial, he was asked if he disapproved of the Al Saud ruling family because of speeches in which he spoke out forcefully against former Interior Minister and late Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdelaziz, who is King Salman's elder brother.

"If injustice stops against Shiites in the east, then (at that point) I can have a different opinion," the cleric responded, according to his brother, who attended court sessions and spoke to The Associated Press just days before the Oct. 2014 verdict.

U.S.-based Human Rights Watch's Middle East director Sarah Leah said "regardless of the crimes allegedly committed, executing prisoners in mass only further stains Saudi Arabia's troubling human rights record." She said al-Nimr was convicted in an "unfair" trial and that his execution "is only adding to the existing sectarian discord and unrest."

Al-Nimr's brother told the AP by telephone that the executions came as a "big shock" because "we thought the authorities could adopt a political approach to settle matters without bloodshed." He urged people to "adopt peaceful means when expressing their anger."

Saudi Arabia carried out at least 157 executions in 2015, with beheadings reaching their highest level in the kingdom in two decades, according to human rights groups.

Here are the winning numbers in Saturday's Powerball drawing.

If you plunked down $2 for a ticket to Saturday's Powerball drawing, take a deep breath before checking to see if you've won one of the biggest lottery jackpots ever.

The latest winning numbers for Powerball are:

05-06-15-29-42, Powerball: 10, Power Play: 2X

The estimated jackpot is $355.8 million. The lump sum payment before taxes is more than $200 million.

While one of the largest lottery prizes recently, it isn't close to the record Powerball prize of $590.5 million in May 2013 to players in Florida.

Powerball drawings are twice a week, and are offered in the 44 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The odds of winning the jackpot with a $2 ticket are 1 in 292 million.

On Oct. 7, the Powerball Lottery altered the number of red and white balls to try and increase the number of secondary prize winners while making it harder to win the top prize.The previous odds were 1 in 175 million.

The drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. Deadline to purchase tickets is 9:45 p.m.

Police are calling it "a tragic accident" after the body of a 5-year-old boy with autism was found in a canal about a quarter mile from a residence in eastern Pennsylvania where he wandered away from a New Year's Eve party.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- Saturday morning, authorities said they still had hope Jayliel Vega Batista would be found OK.

An autistic 5-year-old from Allentown went missing late in the night of Dec. 31, 2015, in the city's East Side. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Officers were going door to door around the East Side Allentown neighborhood in which the autistic 5-year-old had gone missing Thursday night -- without shoes, socks or a jacket -- and searchers launched boats with dogs on the Lehigh River and the canal.

Saturday afternoon, they said, a tablet he had been playing with when he walked away from a family New Year's Eve party in the 200 block of East Union Street had been found in the water by a resident in nearby Canal Park.

Saturday evening, they made a tragic announcement: Jayliel's body had been found in the canal.

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, police Chief Keith Morris, Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim and a number of other police and rescue workers announced the end of the search at a 5:30 p.m. news conference in the neighborhood where the boy vanished.

"This is a sad day for our searchers. This is a sad day for our city," Pawlowski said.

Community mourns 5-year-old found dead in Allentown

Morris said the death is being considered "a tragic accident," but added that a full investigation is underway and an autopsy will be conducted Monday.

Jayliel's body was found by divers about a quarter-mile from the house where he wandered away, about eight feet from the canal bank in about six feet of 39-degree water, authorities said. His body was recovered about 30 yards from where the tablet was found earlier in the afternoon, police said.

He was pronounced dead at 3:39 p.m., the coroner's office said. An autopsy to establish the child's cause and manner of death was set for Monday.

Throughout the search, people from the Lehigh Valley and beyond tried to help authorities, though police said volunteers' efforts were best spent watching their properties for any sign Jayliel had taken shelter.

Officials thanked volunteers and agencies from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York that assisted in the search.

"It makes me very proud to be a part of this city, knowing that community members care so much," Morris said.

Of the child's family, Morris said "this is a difficult time for them and they are and will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers." Pawlowski noted Elias Funeral Home of Allentown has offered to provide funeral services for free.

Jayliel lived in the 700 block of Mohawk Street, the coroner's office said.

"This is a sad conclusion to the search. This is a sad day for our city," Pawlowski said. "As always our city pulled together."

Five finalists were chosen for Holyoke, Massachusetts' 2016 Grand Colleen in a pageant on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016 at the city's high school.

HOLYOKE - Five finalists were chosen for Holyoke's 2016 Grand Colleen in a pageant held on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016 at the city's high school.

21 contestants participated in the 62nd annual St. Patrick's Committee of Holyoke, Inc. Colleen Pageant. The Grand Colleen Coronation Ball is scheduled for Saturday, February 20 at 5:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House.

The five finalists chosen were Angela Foley, Lauren Picard, Grace Lavelle, Rebecca Brunelle and Meghan Ryan. Madeleine Brunelle was awarded the Bonnie Baker Miss Congeniality Award at the event.

A militia took over Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters following a peaceful protest in support of an eastern Oregon ranching family facing jail time for arson.

BURNS, Ore. -- A building at a national wildlife refuge in Oregon was occupied Saturday by an outside militia group following a peaceful protest in support of an eastern Oregon ranching family facing jail time for arson.

Ammon Bundy, the son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who was involved in a standoff with the government over grazing rights, told The Oregonian that he and two of his brothers were among a group of dozens of outside milita members occupying the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Bundy posted a video on his Facebook page asking for people to come help him. He said that "this is not a time to stand down. It's a time to stand up and come to Harney County," where Burns is located.

Below the video is this statement: "(asterisk)(asterisk)ALL PATRIOTS ITS TIME TO STAND UP NOT STAND DOWN!!! WE NEED YOUR HELP!!! COME PREPARED."

Ammon Bundy said the group planned to stay at the refuge indefinitely. "We're planning on staying here for years, absolutely," Ammon Bundy said. "This is not a decision we've made at the last minute."

An Idaho militia leader who helped organize the earlier march said he knew nothing about activities after a parade of militia members and local residents in Burns walked past the sheriff's office and the home of Dwight Hammond Jr. and his son Steven.

Ammon Bundy's father, Cliven Bundy, told Oregon Public Broadcasting Saturday night that he had nothing to do with the takeover of the building.

Bundy said his son felt obligated to intervene on behalf of the Hammonds.

"That's not exactly what I thought should happen, but I didn't know what to do," he said. "You know, if the Hammonds wouldn't stand, if the sheriff didn't stand, then, you know, the people had to do something. And I guess this is what they did decide to do. I wasn't in on that."

His son Ammon told him they are committed to staying in the building, Cliven Bundy told Oregon Public Broadcasting.

"He told me that they were there for the long run. I guess they figured they're going to be there for whatever time it takes_and I don't know what that means," Cliven Bundy said. "I asked him, 'Well how long can ya, how long you going to stand out there?' He just told me it was for long term."

Beth Anne Steele, an FBI spokeswoman in Portland, told The Associated Press the agency was aware of the situation at the national wildlife refuge. She made no further comment.

Militia takes over Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters

Some local residents feared the Saturday rally would involve more than speeches, flags and marching. But the only real additions to that list seemed to be songs, flowers and pennies.

As marchers reached the courthouse, they tossed hundreds of pennies at the locked door. Their message: civilians were buying back their government. After the march passed, two girls swooped in to scavenge the pennies.

A few blocks away, Hammond and his wife, Susan, greeted marchers, who planted flower bouquets in the snow. They sang some songs, Hammond said a few words, and the protesters marched back to their cars.

Dwight Hammond has said he and his son plan to peacefully report to prison Jan. 4 as ordered by the judge.

Dwight Hammond, 73, and Steven Hammond, 46, said they lit the fires in 2001 and 2006 to reduce the growth of invasive plants and protect their property from wildfires.

The two were convicted of the arsons three years ago and served time -- the father three months, the son one year. But a judge ruled their terms were too short under federal law and ordered them back to prison for about four years each.

The decision has generated controversy in a remote part of the state.

In particular, the Hammonds' new sentences touched a nerve with far right groups who repudiate federal authority.

Ammon Bundy and a handful of militiamen from other states arrived last month in Burns, some 60 miles from the Hammond ranch.

In an email to supporters, Ammon Bundy criticized the U.S. government for a failed legal process.

Wednesday's estimated jackpot is $400 million, with a lump sum payment of $244.8 million before taxes.

There was no grand prize winner Saturday in the first Powerball drawing of the year, meaning the jackpot will soar to at least $400 million on Wednesday. That will make it one of the biggest prizes in the game's history.

But don't throw away Saturday's tickets yet. Check your numbers to see if you won a secondary Powerball prize:

The latest winning numbers are:

05-06-15-29-42, Powerball: 10, Power Play: 2X

Wednesday's estimated jackpot is $400 million, with a lump sum payment of $244.8 million before taxes.

The jackpot in Saturday's drawing had grown to $334 million, the 12th largest in Powerball history. The lump-sum cash prize for the winner would have been $205 million.

The last time the prize was close to that amount was in March 2013, when a New Jersey man won $338 million.

The odds of winning Saturday's Powerball jackpot were 1 in 292 million.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Massachusetts State Police detectives are investigating the sources of heroin sold in packets stamped with the brand "Hollywood" after eight people in Hampden County died of overdoses in the past week.

SPRINGFIELD— Massachusetts State Police detectives are investigating the sources of heroin sold in packets stamped with the brand "Hollywood" after eight people in Hampden County died of overdoses in the past week, with three deaths in Hoyoke and Chicopee recorded Friday alone.

In a release posted yesterday, the State Police reminded all users that help is available.

"We urge anyone using heroin or any illicit drug to seek medical help/counseling. There are many resources available to those fighting addiction," the statement read.

"The Massachusetts Substance Abuse Information and Education Helpline provides free and confidential information and referral for alcohol and other drug abuse problems and related concerns. The Helpline is staffed 7 days a week. This service helps people of all ages, and assistance is available in multiple languages."

The Helpline number is 1-800-327-5050. For the hearing impaired a TTY line is available at 1-888-448-8321.

 

Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni issued a release Friday reminding all Hampden County residents, and especially drug users, that the state's "Good Samaritan Law' protects those offering information that could save a life.

Gulluni said that anyone who reports an overdose for themselves or another person will not be charged with possession or use of opiates.

Gulluni also called on anyone with information about the source of the "Hollywood" branded heroin to call the Springfield barracks of the Massachusetts State Police at 413-736-8390.

The John Boyle O'Reilly Club will honor Patrick McMahon, its Irish Person of the Year on Feb. 21, at 2 p.m., at the club on Progress Avenue in Springfield.

Patrick McMahon was recently selected as the John Boyle O'Reilly Club's Irish Person of the Year.Submitted photo 

SPRINGFIELD - The John Boyle O'Reilly Club recently announced that its 2016 Irish Person of the Year is Patrick J. McMahon of West Springfield, known for his long-term affiliation and support of the club and community.

McMahon will be formally honored as Irish Person of the Year on Sunday, Feb. 21, at the club located at 33 Progress Ave., said John O'Shea, club president. The celebration begins at 2 p.m.

Here is the statement issued by the club regarding its honoree:

Patrick J. McMahon came to this country in 1960 from his native Miltown Malbay, County Clare Ireland. He settled in Springfield with relatives and shortly thereafter met his future wife, Eileen (Leahy) McMahon. Eileen herself was the daughter of Irish immigrants, John Leahy from County Clare and Katherine (Dowd) Leahy from County Kerry.

Pat and Eileen were married and had two boys, Stephen and John McMahon, moving to West Springfield in 1965 to the same home where they reside today.

Pat began his decades-long association with the John Boyle O'Reilly Club by working part-time as a bartender at its original home in downtown Springfield. The club later moved to its current location on Progress Avenue and eventually Pat became full-time manager. This marked the start of his lifelong, unwavering devotion to the JBO and to the promotion of Irish culture and heritage. And through his untiring efforts, he helped to make the John Boyle O'Reilly Club the celebrated monument to Irish culture and music that it is known for today, throughout the world.

In those days, if you were Irish and you needed a hall for a wedding, a family gathering or a meeting for work, you went to see Pat McMahon. And he helped you. And if you were in band playing Irish music and you needed a place to play, you went to see Pat and he made sure you had an audience. The bands never got rich, but they played for people who loved their music and it was Pat McMahon who gave them the opportunity.

Pat instituted many new programs at the JBO that have become traditions that continue to this day, including Irish step dancing and music lessons, and the member children's Christmas party. He also was a founder and driving force behind the creation of the Springfield/Hartford chapter of the Jim Seery Branch of Comhaltas, an international organization that promotes the culture, language, music and dance of Ireland.

In the mid 1970's, Pat was the inaugural chairman of the founding committee that brought the first-ever Feis to Springfield. A Gaelic term, a Feis is a day of Irish competitive step dancing, Irish music and Gaelic football matches. The annual festival was attended by thousands from all over the Northeast, and it was the first of its kind in the area.

Eventually, Pat left his full-time position at the JBO and began a second long career as a security officer for the State Court System. It was a job he held for many years until his retirement in 201r. But he never stopped volunteering his time to the Club and to this day he continues to help the club grow and prosper.

Pat and his wife Eileen instilled their love of Irish music in their sons, both who took Irish dancing lessons and played Gaelic football and both who continue today to carry their love of all things Irish. And he and Eileen passed along their love of Irish culture to Stephen's wife Laura and John's wife Cindy and onto their grandchildren, Tim, Emma and Clare.

Through his work at the John Boyle that started decades ago, Patrick McMahon has been able to help foster the appreciation and celebration of Irish culture in the Springfield area that continues to this day.

Toy for Joy successfully completed its 93rd annual toy drive for children in need in Western Massachusetts.

SPRINGFIELD —Across Western Massachusetts children were able to open presents on Christmas morning due to the generous donations of individuals, organizations, schools and local businesses.

Toy for Joy has completed its 93rd annual distribution of toys through a collaboration between the Salvation Army, The Republican and, new this year, Masslive.com.

Also new this year was the ability to donate online, which raised $13,579.60 for the charity.

"We are incredibly thankful to all of the people who chose to make a donation to Toy for Joy this year and for all of the volunteers that spent some time with us," said Danielle LaTaille, social services director of the Salvation Army in Springfield.

The goal was $150,000 and while the fund received many generous donations it fell short by $16,037.98.

"We were short of our goal by about $16,000. but still were able to help hundreds of children and continue The Republican's more than 90-year tradition of making sure kids in need are taken care of at Christmas. Thanks for everyone who contributed," said Wayne E. Phaneuf, executive editor of The Republican.

LaTaille said around 3,500 families were served in the Greater Springfield area.

"The number of families didn't go up much from last year, but for some reason the number of children served grew a lot," she said.

LaTaille said this year the organization ran out of books as well as presents for teenagers.

"I have never had that happen before, so I was pretty surprised. We had families coming here right up until Christmas Eve," she said.

LaTaille said even though the goal was missed, overall it was a successful year.

"We helped so many family and it is thanks to the generosity of every person who donated this year and ever year," she said.

About 3,400 people gathered in Amherst and another about 3,000 listened to Sanders in Worcester.

AMHERST - Democrate Presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders spent his Saturday in Massachusetts, first speaking to supporters at the University of Massachusetts and then heading to a rally in Worcester.

In Amherst he spoke to just under 1,900 supporters in the UMass Fine Arts Center. He also spoke to another about 1,500 supporters who gathered outside before the rally.

He spoke about breaking up giant banks, helping students to afford college, ending criminal penalties for marijuana across the country. He also blasted Republicans' stance on the economy and so-called "family values".

In Worcester, he attracted about 3,000 people, including those who waited outside to listen on loudspeakers once North High School's gymnasium and auditorium filled.

In both places, Sanders touched upon the same issues including woman's rights; regulating Wall Street and big banks; healthcare for all; the environment; and wealth inequity.

"Something is fundamentally wrong when so few have so much and so many have so little," Sanders said.

Here are some of the things people were posting on Twitter and Facebook about Sanders.

FERC blames 'inclement weather,' even though mild temperatures prevail in Washington.

Foes of interstate gas pipeline expansion in New England cried foul Sunday night as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's e-filing system remained shut down, three days before a key deadline passes for citizen participation in the matter of Kinder Morgan's proposed 415-mile Northeast Energy Direct.

Individuals, towns and businesses hoping to apply as "intervenors" in the pipeline case have until 5 p.m. on Jan. 6 to file motions with the federal regulators. But they have been blocked in their efforts since Dec. 31, and were previously blocked from the FERC web portal over the long Christmas weekend.

"This is very frustrating," said Julia Blyth of Northfield. "The system has been shut down for eight of the last 13 days that the public has had to file their motions."

Those attempting to register accounts or submit any type of public input online have been confronted with a mysterious message saying the agency's web portal is shut down because of "inclement weather:"

"Due to inclement weather that has resulted in the Office of Personnel Management closing Federal government offices in Washington, D.C., the Commission is closed and is not accepting submittals - either in hardcopy format or in electronic format through 'FERC Online.'"

Inexplicably, records show mild weather prevailing in the nation's capital. Neither FERC nor OPM spokespersons were available for comment over the weekend.

Those with intervenor status become participants in the regulatory review, and gain legal standing to file an appeal of any relevant ruling issued by the FERC.

Activists across the region have been encouraging ordinary people to intervene in federal proceedings around the pipeline, which would cross 28 Massachusetts towns and 17 in New Hampshire. Hundreds have registered as potential intervenors in recent weeks, following widely-shared "do-it-yourself" instructions. 

Hundreds more were expected to apply over the weekend at workshops held in libraries, churches, and senior centers. In Massachusetts, volunteer-led workshops were scheduled in Dracut, Townsend, Pittsfield, Amherst, and Northfield. In New Hampshire, sessions were set for Rindge and Pelham.

Blyth said about 30 people showed up at a workshop she led Sunday in Northfield. "We are talking about older people without good computer skills, and without good internet access," she said. "It's difficult enough without the FERC web portal being down."

Blyth said she showed slides and helped people prepare their written comments, but that none of the attendees were able to file their motions online.

Intervenors need not live along the proposed pipeline route, but must show an "interest" that may be directly affected by the outcome, wrote leading anti-pipeline organizer Kathryn Eiseman in an open letter.

For instance, all Massachusetts ratepayers have an "interest" in the pipeline because Kinder Morgan wants electric utilities to enter into into long term contracts for capacity, and to pass those costs on to their customers, said Eiseman, who contends that the "massive overbuild embodied in the proposal" is likely to lead to higher energy costs for New England.

The Franklin County town of Shelburne in its motion to intervene wrote that the NED pipeline "would amount to the industrialization of a rural area that contains ten historically significant century farms with large tracts of land that have been maintained by the same families for a century or more."

Others have written that powerful compressor stations along the route would introduce 24-hour light pollution to dark, rural areas, and that coldwater fisheries in the federally-designated Westfield River would be harmed by a pipeline crossing.

"Intervening shows FERC, and Kinder Morgan's investors, how many people are watching this proceeding closely and secures your right to challenge FERC's decision," Eiseman wrote.

It's not the first time in recent weeks FERC's E-filing portal has been shut down. The agency closed its web portal Christmas Eve and opened it again on Dec. 28.

"Even if the weather was stormy, the e-Filing system is automated and doesn't require staff to immediately accept incoming filings," said Rose Wessel, leader of the group No Fracked Gas in Mass. Wessel noted that in 2014, FERC kept its web portal open over both the Christmas and New Years Day weekends.

"So many of us work full time jobs, and the only free time we have is on nights and weekends," she said. "These federal employees are getting paid to maintain systems to allow for meaningful public input."

Blyth said that even if the shutdown is not intentional on FERC's part, it's "troubling" if the federal agency "can't maintain a robust system for handling public input."

Wessel and others are calling upon the FERC to extend its deadline for intervention motions, given the ongoing problems with the agency's website. Wessel said her organization has written to President Obama; Blyth said she has written to Senators Warren and Markey and Congressman Jim McGovern in Washington.

"This is just the latest in a series of troublesome realizations of how the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission functions," said Wessel.

Kinder Morgan subsidiary Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. filed its federal application for the 1.3 billion cubic-foot-per-day interstate pipeline with the FERC on Nov. 20, and now the energy regulatory commissioners are tasked with conducting a comprehensive environmental review of the project.

If Tennessee Gas wins a certificate from the FERC, it will gain the power of eminent domain to take public and private land to build the pipeline.

Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com

Mayor Richard J. Kos will be sworn in for his consecutive term.

CHICOPEE - The inaugural ceremony will be held at Elms College on Monday morning and the public is invited.

The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. in the Veritas Auditorium in Berchmans Hall. It will be preceded with a 9 a.m. Mass at the Mary Dooley Center on campus.

During the event choirs from Comprehensive High School and Chicopee High School will perform.

Mayor Richard J. Kos will be sworn in for his second consecutive term.

Brian Suchy will also be sworn in for his second term as assessor while Victor Anop will be sworn in for a four-year assessor position. Keith W. Rattell will be sworn in as City Clerk for four years.

Two new City Councilors will take the oath, William Courchesne, who will represent Ward 7, and Stanley Walczak, who will represent Ward 9.

Those returning to City Council seats are James K. Tillotson, Frank N. Laflamme, Gerard A. Roy, Adam Lamontagne, John Vieau, Shane D. Brooks, William Zaskey, Robert Zygarowski, Gary Labrie, Frederick Krampits and Timothy McLellan.

All 12 School Committee members will be returning to office. They are Marjorie A. Wojcik, Sandra Peret, Deborah A. Styckiewicz, David Barsalou, Susan Lopes, Chester Szetela, Michael Pise, Mary-Elizabeth Pniak-Costello, Donald Lamothe, Sharon Nawrocki, Dana Cutter and Kos serves as chairman.

Following the event, the City Council will meet at noon in the conference room of Berchmans Hall to elect a new president and vice president of the group.

The chase was called off for safety reasons.

HOLYOKE - A suspect trying to flee police struck a civilian motorist and nearly ran over a police officer during a chase through the city Sunday.

The suspect is currently at large and police are investigating, Police Sgt. Kevin Thomas said.

The chase started around 5:15 p.m. when police stopped a person suspected of a narcotics violation on Lincoln Street near the Stop and Shop, he said.

The police officer had already gotten out of his car when the driver sped away, nearly striking the officer, he said.

Police then chased the suspect through a number of streets. During the chase, the driver struck a motorist at the intersection of Dwight and Beech Streets. The motorist was not injured and the car received minor damage, Thomas said.

The driver then fled into South Hadley. At that time police called off the chase for safety reasons, he said.

Bail was set at $100,000 for both Hartford men.

WINDSOR, CT - State Police arrested two men and recovered one kilogram of cocaine following a car chase on Interstate 91 Sunday.

The two men, Jose Fontanez, 27, of New Britain Avenue, Hartford, and Erick Ortiz-Aguayo, 35, of 159 Wethersfield Ave., Hartford were arrested over the weekend. They were charged with illegal possession of narcotics, reckless driving, engaging in pursuit,
operating a motor vehicle while using a handheld device, reckless use of the highway by a pedestrian and interfering with an officer, Connecticut State Police said.

Bond was set at $100,000 for both. Fontanez was released on bail and will be arraigned Jan. 29 in Enfield Superior Court while Ortiz-Aguayo is being held and will be arraigned on Jan. 4, police said.

Troopers conducting routine enforcement on Interstate-91 southbound near Exit 38 on Jan. 1 at about 6:20 p.m. spotted the driver using his cell phone. When police tried to stop the car, the driver refused to pull over, police said.

"During the brief pursuit, troopers observed an object being thrown from the vehicle as it exited the highway at Exit 38. The pursuit was terminated for the safety of the public," police said.

Troopers then returned to the area where they saw the object thrown from the car and located what they later determined to be about one kilogram of cocaine, police said.

Then on Saturday at about 12:30 a.m., troopers saw two men searching the grassy area where they recovered the drugs.

During a following investigation, police said they identified the men as being in the car during the chase and arrested the two.

The town's anniversary panel got the idea to combine a bonfire with getting rid of Christmas trees from the western Mass. town of Charlemont, which celebrated their 250-th anniversary last year

PALMER - Sunday at dusk organizers of the town's first event to celebrate the community's 300 years as a town lit up the sky with a bonfire at Laviolette Field in the Three Rivers village.

Residents watching the Christmas Tree BonfireJim Russell photo 

Residents were invited to bring their Christmas trees, and several dozen went up in flames. As a precaution, fire department personnel were on hand, and to keep things safe, were responsible for placing the trees onto the fire.

The crackling sound of pine pitch, evergreen burning, added to a festive atmosphere accentuated by holiday music playing, with servings of hot chocolate and home-baked cookies.

Hot chocolate and cookies were provided by the the Three Rivers Firefighters Association Lady's AuxiliaryJim Russell photo 

"This is a great idea and brings everyone together," said Roger Duguay, who attended with his wife of a 25 years, Mary Ann.

Tony Valley, owner of Tony V Entertainment, who provided the music, said: "The 300 year committee, they have been doing a lot. Being the first event, this is great, a good turnout."

His daughter, a third-grader at Old Mill Pond School, said, "it's good to come and see the trees burn."

Palmer Town Councilor Lorinda Baker chairs the anniversary committee.

Palmer Town Councilor Lorinda Baker, who chairs the town's 300th anniversary panel, takes a break from her cup of hot chocolate to chat with Town Manager Charles Blanchard during the Christmas Tree BonfireJim Russell photo 

She said the panel got the idea to combine a bonfire with getting rid of Christmas trees from the western Mass. town of Charlemont, which celebrated their 250-th anniversary last year.

Baker said volunteers are working out the details to hold a Valentines Day dance next month. Among other events in the planning stages is an October parade to cap off Palmer's 300-th anniversary.

Town Manager Charles Blanchard and State Senator Anne M. Gobi attended the January 3 bonfire.

In addition to the anniversary panel, the Three Rivers Firefighters Association, and the association's Lady's Auxiliary sponsored the Sunday night event. More than 100 attended the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. festivities.

SPRINGFIELD— An electrical fire Monday morning forced four people from their 42 Rest Way home. Firefighters pulled walls apart, trying to trace fire within the structure of the mobile home. Homeowner Francisco Figueroa said he turned the heat on in the home just before 3 a.m., but when the heat did not come on as he had expected he looked...

SPRINGFIELD— An electrical fire Monday morning forced four people from their 42 Rest Way home. Firefighters pulled walls apart, trying to trace fire within the structure of the mobile home.

Homeowner Francisco Figueroa said he turned the heat on in the home just before 3 a.m., but when the heat did not come on as he had expected he looked into a vent and could see flames under the home. He woke his two sons and a friend who is living in the house and all four escaped unharmed.

Firefighters worked underneath the home to pull down fiberglas insulation that hid the fire, and pulled aluminum siding from the exterior sides of the mobile home to expose the internal structure.

Dennis Leger, aide to Springfield Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant, confirmed that the fire originated in an electrical line. He estimated damage to the home at between $15,000 and $20,000.

The Red Cross was called in to aid the family.

On the job stress leads to suicide rates among correctional officers that are far higher than in the general population. But the problem has largely gone unaddressed.

When Michael Mellen retired at age 45, after 22 years as a Massachusetts correctional officer, he could not leave behind the paranoia that he developed behind the walls.

Mellen refused to sit in a restaurant with his back facing the door. He was always looking over his shoulder, a symptom of the years when an inmate could attack at any moment.

"Once he retired, it really seemed to get out of control," said Mellen's daughter, Bryanna Mellen. "His cynicism, his paranoia. He was very depressed."

In 2011, 18 months after he retired, Michael Mellen committed suicide.

Mellen's story is not unusual. Between 2011 and 2015, 12 officers working for the Massachusetts Department of Correction committed suicide. They included 11 men and one woman, working at seven state prisons. They ranged in age from their 20s to their 50s, and they had worked for the Department of Correction anywhere from six months to 23 years, according to department statistics. Two were military veterans. This figure does not include suicides of recent retirees or of correctional officers working for county jails.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which tracks violent deaths, between 2009 and 2013, there were 20 suicides in Massachusetts of people whose occupations were listed as corrections officers.

The figures from the corrections and public health departments both indicate a suicide rate among correctional officers that is around six times the rate of suicides in the general Massachusetts population, based on 2012 figures.

Correctional officers chalk the high suicide rates up to job-related stress. "When you're a correction officer, you're around the worst of the worst 24/7, and it tends to wear individuals down being in such a negative atmosphere day in and day out, month after month, year after year," said Guy Glodis, a former correction officer, state senator and Worcester sheriff, who now lobbies for the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union.

As private initiatives have begun raising awareness of mental health problems among correctional officers, the Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security is considering a bill sponsored by State Sen. James Eldridge, D-Acton, that would create a commission to study suicide prevention among correction officers and prisoners.

"The thing I hear consistently is the culture in the Department of Correction by senior management has not fostered a very supportive environment, and there's not many mental health services offered to correction officers," said Eldridge, whose district includes two prisons. "There's almost an attitude that if you are depressed or you're having a problem at work, you just need to toughen up and take it."

Since 1986, the Massachusetts Department of Correction has run an Employee Assistance Services Unit, known as the "stress unit." Today, the seven-person unit has offices at correctional facilities in Bridgewater, Shirley and Norfolk. It offers free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day peer counseling and referrals to outside resources. The office is set up to help correctional officers and their families with problems such as substance abuse, stress and dealing with trauma.

Massachusetts is also participating in a study designed to create a "stress index" that will eventually help correction agencies identify stress-related symptoms in officers and intervene.

"Correctional Officers have incredibly difficult jobs and the (Department of Corrections) has taken steps to prevent suicides by partnering with the officers' union," said Department of Correction spokesman Darren Duarte. "The DOC looks forward to enhancing the suicide prevention program in place now by collaborating with the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union."

This year for the first time, Glodis said the correction officers' union secured $200,000 in state money to send officers to On-Site Academy, a residential treatment and training center in Westminster that provides emergency service workers in distress with counseling and treatment.

Former correctional officer Gary Ouillette created the state's stress unit in the 1980s. Ouillette and his wife now run a private organization called Respond, which offers services to correctional officers and training to clinicians in stress management, drug and alcohol treatment, and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

"The biggest component of stress is the environment in which the officers work in," Ouillette said. He said officers develop a "survival technique," where they become unable to show emotions, are hyper vigilant, and need to be in control at all times. Officers become isolated from their families. They witness trauma, like inmate suicide attempts and violence, and keep those memories bottled up.

"You lose your fight or flight mentality. It now becomes fight or fight," Ouillette said.

A 2012 study by the Colorado non-profit Desert Waters Correctional Outreach, which does research aimed at improving the health of corrections professionals, surveyed 3,600 corrections professionals and found that 27 percent had exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in the previous 30 days.

In comparison, the prevalence of PTSD in the general population at any given time is 3.5 percent. After the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, the PTSD rate among emergency responders in New York was 14 percent.

Brian Dawe co-founded the Massachusetts' correction officer union in the 1980s and is now CEO of American Correctional Officer Intelligence Network, a non-profit that shares information between correctional officer organizations nationwide. Dawe said nationally, it is difficult to find accurate statistics about correction officer suicides, mortality and divorce rates, because he believes government officials do not want to spend money treating officers.

"If the public knew the damage the job does to men and women who go behind the walls and their families, there would be a lot of change," Dawe said.

Dawe said often, officers are discouraged from speaking out, for fear of losing their jobs or to maintain machismo in a job that requires officers to remain constantly strong and vigilant.

Dawe said as a Massachusetts corrections officer in the 1980s and 1990s, he would be responsible, alone, for a housing unit of 40 or 60 inmates. He said the job can be boring for months, then in one moment, an inmate might take a shank to an officer's neck. "You're talking people's lives in the balance, in your hand instantaneously," Dawe said.

Donald Steele, a private practice psychologist in Mansfield who treats correction officers from two nearby state prisons and wrote a book on correction officer stress management, said officers tell him about the trauma of having urine or feces thrown at them. They witness inmates fighting and hurting themselves. Family members report that a spouse has become angry, callous or tough on the job. Some officers turn to alcohol or drugs.

"Their own level of stress and post-traumatic stress is pretty elevated. My perception is that unless they really do some things to take care of themselves, they're very high risk for depression and anxiety," Steele said.

Although it is slowly changing, Steele said there remains a stigma that seeking help indicates weakness. After he scheduled two correctional officers back-to-back, Steele said he got a call asking him not to do that again, since the men did not want to be seen in his office.

There are some private resources, like Respond. Bryanna Mellen, who was 19 when her father killed himself, co-founded On Guard, a non-profit that has been raising awareness of correctional officer suicides, running support groups for officers and families, and fundraising to help correctional officers in need.

But retired corrections officer Rob Brouillette, who is involved with Respond and On Guard, said addressing the mental health needs of correction officers remains a major problem. Brouillette said the Department of Correction does not provide enough help when officers get into trouble, and many officers will not reach out to the stress unit for fear of showing weakness. Over a 20 year period working in corrections, Brouillette personally knows four officers who killed themselves.

"I don't think you're going to find anyone who has a career in the department who doesn't know of a suicide," Brouillette said.

The Holyoke City Council will meet briefly to elect a president, and Kevin Jourdain said he has councilors' commitments for another term as president.

HOLYOKE -- Mayor Alex B. Morse will be inaugurated into his third term as chief executive and oaths of office will be given to the City Council, School Committee and City Treasurer Sandra A. Smith in a ceremony Monday at 10 a.m. at City Hall.

"Thank you to all who made this day possible. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve as Holyoke's mayor. Congratulations again to our new and reelected city councilors, School Committee members and treasurer," Morse said Sunday in an email to supporters.

A service will precede the inaugurations at 8:30 a.m. at United Congregational Church, 300 Appleton St., the city website said.

City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee will administer the oaths of office to the officials, who either were reelected or mounted successful campaigns on Election Day Nov. 3, in the auditorium at City Hall at High and Dwight streets.

All officials' terms are for two years except for treasurer, which is four years.

Voters approved a binding question on the Election Day ballot to increase the mayor's term to four years. That will take effect with the 2017 election.

Morse, 26, will deliver his inaugural speech in remarks that traditionally outline the mayor's economic development, public safety and education plans for the next two years, often with an offer to work with the City Council. Such a reaching out comes as the mayor and members of the City Council, the 15-member legislative body, often clash over how to run the city.

Morse defeated Fran O'Connell, owner of the business O'Connell Care at Home, on Election Day with 5,429 votes, or 53 percent, to O'Connell's 4,855 votes, or 47 percent. Morse first took office in January 2012 when he was 22.

He beat incumbent Mayor Elaine A. Pluta in November 2011 and accountant Jeffrey A. Stanek for reelection two years later.

The City Council will convene in the auditorium after the inauguration, briefly adjourn and resume meeting downstairs in City Council Chambers, where councilors will elect a president. Kevin A. Jourdain, who will be the Ward 6 councilor and who has been president the past four years, said he has commitments from a majority of councilors to be elected president again.

Jourdain, a 22-year veteran, also will deliver remarks discussing his plan for the City Council in the next term.

The council's duties include setting the tax rate, which usually occurs in December; reviewing and possibly making cuts to the municipal budget the mayor proposes for the next fiscal year in the spring; deciding whether to grant financial transfers; establishing ordinances, or laws; and voting whether to grant zone changes and special permits, such as if a restaurant owner wants to install a drive-through window.

The council has eight at large members and seven ward representatives.

Another binding ballot question voters approved on Nov. 3 will reduce the size of the City Council to 13 members by removing two at large positions. That change also will take effect with the 2017 election.

Inauguration Day will add only two new members to the City Council. Nelson R. Roman is the new Ward 2 representative and Michael J. Sullivan will be the new at large councilor.

That's not to say the council will be free of changes. Todd A. McGee, who had been the Ward 6 councilor since January 2006, won the election for the Ward 7 council seat by defeating former city treasurer Jon D. Lumbra.,

McGee moved his family to Ward 7 last year and ran for that seat after Gordon P. Alexander, who had been the Ward 7 representative for two terms, didn't run for reelection.

The at large seat that Sullivan won was vacated by Jourdain. A councilor at large for all of his time on the City Council, Jourdain on Nov. 3 ran for the Ward 6 seat and won it by defeating newcomer Juan Anderson-Burgos.

Roman takes over the Ward 2 seat vacated by Anthony Soto, a two-term incumbent who surrendered the seat upon running for mayor. Soto was eliminated in the race for mayor with a third-place finish in the preliminary election Sept. 22.

Returning councilors are Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Ward 1, David K. Bartley, Ward 3, Jossie M. Valentin, Ward 4, Linda L. Vacon, Ward 5, and at large councilors Peter R. Tallman, Daniel B. Bresnahan, James M. Leahy, Joseph M. McGiverin, Rebecca Lisi, Jennifer E. Chateauneuf and Howard B. Greaney Jr.

Smith had been acting city treasurer since February with the resignation of Lumbra. She won the seat by defeating Joshua A. Garcia, a former School Committee member, Nov. 3.

The School Committee also will have little change. Returning members are Mildred I. Lefebvre, Ward 1, Rosalee Tensley Williams, Ward 2, Dennis W. Birks Jr., Ward 3, Irene G. Feliciano-Sims, Ward 4, John P. Brunelle, Ward 5, William R. Collamore, Ward 6 and Devin M. Sheehan, at large.

Nyles L. Courchesne is the new Ward 7 representative on the School Committee, replacing Erin B. Brunelle. Brunelle sought and won the second at large seat on the School Committee by beating John G. Whelihan in the Nov. 3 election.

On Jan. 16, Morse will hold his third Inaugural Ball from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road. For tickets, visit morseformayor.com/ball/ Prices are $75 for individuals, or $80.12 including service fee if purchased online, and $650 for a table of 10 people, or $679.45 including online service fee.

On Jan. 29, the Alex Morse for Mayor Committee will pay for a party of his supporters from 7 p.m. to midnight at Gateway City Arts, 92 Race St., in an an event that also will celebrate Morse's 27th birthday. DJ Lori B will provide music and there will be hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar, according to a Facebook page.