When the committee's chairman, Ray Domey, pulled into the fire yard prior to the evening meeting, he was met a picket line of unhappy residents – and when left, shouts of "Domey resign," and "time to resign" filled the frigid air

PALMER - The long-simmering anger and frustration that many Palmer residents feel erupted Wednesday night at what was supposed to be a Three Rivers Fire District Prudential Committee meeting. More than 50 people demonstrated, held signs and shouted that the panel must resign prior to the meeting.

When the committee's chairman, Ray Domey, drove into the fire yard prior to the meeting, he was met by a picket line of unhappy residents who shouted: "Domey resign," and "time to resign."

Much of the residents' anger stemmed from myriad attempts by the panel to discipline Fire Chief Scott Turner, part of an ongoing dispute since May. Turner remains the chief, though he no longer has a contract.

Other controversies include last year's problematic use of absentee ballots that tainted the results at the annual election. Secretary of State William Galvin's office investigated the matter, and determined the district lacked authority to conduct the election in the manner it had.

Chairman Ray Domey is seen at a Three Rivers Fire District Committee meeting that had to be called off Wednesday night due to lack of a quorum. Domey was the only board member who showed up for the meeting.JIm Russell photo 

"This committee has been making decisions without people's input, running roughshod, said Patricia Matthieu. "It's time for this to stop, that is why I'm here."

"They put the fire chief through hell. This is the most absurd thing. We need this board to leave," she said.

Matthieu's husband, Michael, is deputy chief in the Three Rivers fire district.

Palmer Town Councilor Donald Blais attended the demonstration and the meeting, which had to be canceled due to lack of a quorum. Although Domey attended, Donald Reim was absent reportedly due to illness. The third member, William Jalbert, resigned last month

Blais said he wanted to show his support for the chief, and said he is upset by the actions of the prudential committee.

"I've been following this for six months. I can't believe how one person can mismanage this as badly as he has," said Dave Balser.

"Where are the absentee ballots?" said Stephen Chiacchia. "The prudential committee should resign."

Some holding signs said they did not wish to give their name out of fear of retribution.

Domey declined to comment. He said that he plans to speak with legal counsel about the matter.

Turner said he was grateful for the support and that has made a difference.

"The show of support is the reason I am still here," he said.

A skunk that had contact with a dog on Jan. 8 has tested positive for rabies, according to town health officials, who are urging pet owners to make sure their animals are up to date with rabies vaccinations.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — They smell bad enough. Add in rabies and, well, the situation goes from bad to worse.

The West Springfield Health Department on Wednesday issued an alert about an aggressive rabid skunk spotted in the central section of town.

The skunk, which had contact with a dog on Jan. 8 in the Elm Street area, has tested positive for rabies, according to town health officials, who are urging people to make sure their pets are up to date with rabies vaccinations.

"If you live in this area, or anywhere else, please make sure that your cat, dog or ferret is up to date on its rabies vaccination. These domestic animals are required by law to be vaccinated against rabies," a Health Department press release stated.

Health officials are also urging people who had contact with the aggressive skunk to see a doctor to determine if they require medical treatment.

For additional questions, the West Springfield Health Department may be reached at 413-263-3206 during regular weekday business hours.

Turkish authorities identified the assailant in Tuesday's attack as a Syrian man who was born in 1988, and said he was affiliated with the Islamic State group.

By MEHMET GUZEL
and SUZAN FRASER

ISTANBUL -- The suicide attacker who detonated a bomb that killed 10 German tourists in the heart of Istanbul's historic district had registered as a refugee just a week earlier, Turkish officials said Wednesday, raising questions over whether extremists are posing as asylum-seekers to inflame anti-immigrant sentiment in Europe.

Turkish authorities identified the assailant in Tuesday's attack as a Syrian man who was born in 1988, and said he was affiliated with the Islamic State group. Turkish media, including some close to the government, identified him as Nabil Fadli and said he was Saudi-born. The extremist group has not so far claimed the attack.

Meanwhile, Turkish police arrested five people suspected of direct links to the bomb attack which took place just steps from the historic Blue Mosque in Istanbul's storied Sultanahmet district. The suspects were not identified.

The bomber had recently entered Turkey, authorities said, and Interior Minister Efkan Ala confirmed reports he had registered with an Istanbul branch of the Migration Management Authority, providing fingerprints that allowed officials to quickly identify him. Ala said the bomber wasn't on any Turkish or international watch lists for IS militants.

"This person was not someone who was being monitored," Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said. "It is a person who entered normally, as a refugee, as an asylum-seeker."

The attack wounded 15 people, including nine Germans and citizens of Norway, Peru and South Korea. Six of the victims remained hospitalized on Wednesday.

Although not as deadly as two attacks in Turkey last year that were blamed on IS, Tuesday's bombing had heightened resonance because it struck at Turkey's $30 billion tourism industry, which has already suffered from a steep decline in Russian visitors since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Syrian border in November.

The fact that the bomber had registered as a Syrian refugee suggests central planning by Islamic State leaders, either to cover their tracks or provoke a backlash in Europe against legitimate Syrian asylum-seekers, said Firas Abi-Ali, an analyst with the security consultancy IHS Country Risk.

"It seems to make it less likely this was anything but a centrally commanded operation by the Islamic State," he said.

It is not the first time the group has taken advantage of the chaos caused by the huge influx of asylum-seekers into Europe by ensuring that suicide bombers were registered and fingerprinted -- and would thus be identified as refugees after their deaths.

Two of the suicide bombers who died Nov. 13 at France's national stadium had registered in Greece -- and their forged Syrian passports were found on their bodies.

Thousands of Muslims have fled the territory under Islamic State control in Syria and Iraq and the extremists have repeatedly threatened those who leave, saying they will regret their journey to Europe.

The Soufan security firm said in an analysis Wednesday that IS was not short on volunteers for suicide missions and the migrant crisis was posing a security challenge for Europe.

"Given how much time the Islamic State has had to administer explosives training in Raqqa, Mosul, and elsewhere, the group is likely not running low on bomb-makers or suicide mission volunteers," the firm said.

"The chaos on Europe's southern borders, involving a combination of overwhelming numbers of refugees, inadequate screening processes, and untold numbers of false travel documents, is a security challenge of the highest order."

In addition to the five people suspected of direct links to Tuesday's attack, more than a dozen other suspected IS militants were detained Wednesday and 59 a day earlier, although officials said none appeared to be tied to the Istanbul bombing.

They included three Russian nationals taken into custody in the Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya, a popular destination for tourists. The state-run Anadolu Agency said the suspects were allegedly in contact with IS fighters in conflict zones and had provided logistical support to the group.

Nearly 3,000 Russians, mostly from the predominantly Muslim North Caucasus, are believed to have gone to fight alongside IS militants in Syria. Families of IS recruits and human rights activists in the Caucasus have described Turkey as the main gateway to Syria for Russian fighters. Some IS fighters of Russian origin are believed to have left IS to settle in Turkey, families say.

On Wednesday, Davutoglu contended that in addition to the Islamic State group, other forces he did not identify were behind Tuesday's attack and were using the extremist group as a "pawn."

"We are working intensely to find the true actors in the background who are using this terror organization," Davutoglu said, without elaborating.

The Turkish premier said other countries fighting the Islamic State group had to adopt "a sincere stance," accusing Russia both of preventing Turkey from carrying out raids on the extremists and of bombing schools and hospitals in Syria instead of fighting IS.

Asked whether Turkey would retaliate for the attack with aerial strikes on IS positions, Davutoglu said: "I say this clearly, we would respond to every attack directed against us with the force we see fit."

Germany meanwhile, sent a team of investigators to Istanbul on Wednesday to support Turkish authorities investigating the attack.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said there was no sign Germans were specifically targeted.

"According to the investigations so far, there are no indications that the attack was directed specifically against Germans, so there can't be any connection to our contribution to the fight against international terrorism," de Maiziere said.

Following the November attacks in Paris, Germany Committed Tornado reconnaissance jets to aid the military effort against the Islamic State group in Syria and started flying missions from the Incirlik air base in Turkey last week. It also sent a tanker aircraft, as well as a frigate to help protect a French aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean.

Germany already was helping supply and train Kurdish forces fighting IS in northern Iraq but has not taken a direct combat role.

Those killed in Tuesday's blast included two couples. Authorities didn't identify the victims but said they ranged in age from 51 to 73.

AP writers Geir Moulson, David Rising and Frank Jordans in Berlin and Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed to this report.

Here are the winning numbers for Wednesday's Powerball drawing.

Want to be a billionaire? Let's check to see if that $2 you plunked down for a Powerball ticket this week makes you the winner of the largest lottery prize ever.

Here are Wednesday's winning numbers:

04-08-19-27-34, Powerball: 10, PowerPlay: 2x

The estimated jackpot is $1.5864 billion. The lump sum payment before taxes will be at least $930 million.

This is the largest U.S. lottery jackpot in history. Sales have been fast-paced since Saturday when no one won the jackpot and the top Powerball prize exceeded $1 billion for the first time.

Lottery officials said 85.8 percent of possible number combinations had been selected by midday Wednesday, increasing the chances that someone would win the world's largest lottery jackpot. But the odds of winning are still extraordinarily slim, at 1 in 292.2 million.

If someone matches all the winning numbers, the jackpot would be paid in annual payments over 29 years, or the winner could opt for a lump-sum payment of $930 million. Winners have to pay 39.6 percent of the prize in federal income taxes, in addition to any state taxes.

If no one wins Wednesday night, the estimated jackpot for Saturday's drawing would increase to $2 billion, or a lump-sum value of $1.24 billion before taxes, according to Kelly Cripe with the Texas Lottery, which currently manages the multistate Powerball game. Estimated jackpot amounts, which are released daily, have been steadily rising since Nov. 4, when the jackpot was reset at $40 million.

Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states, as well as the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

But residents in the six states that don't participate are finding ways to get their hands on tickets. Some of the biggest Powerball sales have come from cities bordering states that don't sell the tickets, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. The association oversees the Powerball Lottery, but management rotates annually among member states.

Anyone who sees Gretta, who's pictured above, is asked to call Animal Control at 413 289-4706.

MONSON — The owner of a black-and-tan German shepherd named Gretta is reportedly heartbroken after his dog went missing on Wednesday in Monson, according to the Palmer Municipal Dog Pound's Facebook page.

The owner said he didn't realize Gretta was not in her usual spot in his truck – the space behind his seat – and fears she may have ran after the vehicle as he drove off.

The dog reportedly lives on Haynes Hill Road near the Brimfield/Wales line and is unfamiliar with the Monson area.

Gretta was last seen in the area of King and Whitney avenues in Monson early Wednesday evening. Anyone who sees her is asked to call Animal Control at 413 289-4706.

Dozens of people have shared information about the missing dog on their Facebook pages, sending prayers that Gretta will soon be reunited with her owner.

MAP showing area where lost dog was last seen:

A strong earthquake struck just off the coast of Hokkaido in northern Japan. No tsunami warning was issued.

TOKYO -- A strong earthquake struck just off the coast of Hokkaido in northern Japan. No tsunami warning was issued.

The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.7 hit about 12:30 p.m. (0330 GMT) Thursday, near Urakawa town on the southern tip of Hokkaido, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. It said the quake's center was located at a depth of 50 kilometers (30 miles) below the sea surface.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The lunchtime quake caught many residents by surprise.

"It was pretty strong. It went on about 40 seconds," said Haru Matsutakeya, 45-year-old resident in Hokkaido's capital of Sapporo, about 170 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of the epicenter. Just before the quake struck, an alarm on her cellphone and of several others around her sounded at a center for disabled people where she works. Matsutakeya rushed to turn off a kerosene stove in the room and stood by silently.

Hiroyuki Kenai, a disaster prevention official at the Urakawa town was having lunch in his office when the quake hit. He told Japan's NHK national television in a telephone interview that officials were still assessing whether there was any damage.

Two nuclear power plants and the Rokkasho reprocessing plant in the quake-hit region were not affected, nuclear safety officials said.

Tohoku "bullet train" service south of the region was temporarily suspended but has since resumed, according to NHK. Some local train lines in Hokkaido were suspended for safety checks, though there were no immediate reports of damage.

Powerball officials confirmed that three winning tickets were sold in the record $1.56 billion drawing.

Lotteries in California, Tennessee and Florida have each sold one Powerball ticket with the winning jackpot numbers in Wednesday drawing, lottery officials announced early Thursday.

Powerball officials confirmed that three winning tickets were sold in the record $1.56 billion drawing. 

Shortly after the drawing, California Lottery officials were the first to confirm they sold a winning jackpot ticket.

We have a winner in California! A jackpot-winning ticket was sold in Chino Hills. We're still awaiting results from other states.

-- California Lottery (@calottery) January 14, 2016

A spokesman for the California Lottery told The Associated Press that a Powerball ticket with the winning jackpot numbers was sold at a 7-Eleven in Chino Hills, about 25 miles northeast of Anaheim.

Powerball officials had no further information on where the tickets in Tennessee and Florida were sold, and none of the winners' identities have yet been revealed. It's possible that each winning jackpot ticket could have more than one winner

Representatives for the Tennessee and Florida lotteries couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Here are Wednesday's winning numbers:

04-08-19-27-34, Powerball: 10, PowerPlay: 2x

The estimated jackpot is $1.5864 billion, divided among the winners. The lump sum payment before taxes will be at least $930 million.

Sales were fast-paced since Saturday when no one won the jackpot and the top Powerball prize exceeded $1 billion for the first time.

Lottery officials said 85.8 percent of possible number combinations had been selected by midday Wednesday, increasing the chances that someone would win the world's largest lottery jackpot. But the odds of winning are still extraordinarily slim, at 1 in 292.2 million.

The jackpot will be paid in annual payments over 29 years, unless the winner or winners opt for a lump-sum payment. Winners have to pay 39.6 percent of the prize in federal income taxes, in addition to any state taxes.

If no one had won Wednesday night, the estimated jackpot for Saturday's drawing would have increased increase to $2 billion, or a lump-sum value of $1.24 billion before taxes, according to Kelly Cripe with the Texas Lottery, which currently manages the multistate Powerball game.

Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states, as well as the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Attackers set off explosions at a Starbucks cafe in a bustling shopping area of downtown Jakarta and waged gun-battles with police Thursday, leaving bodies in the streets as office workers watched in terror from high-rise windows.

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Attackers set off explosions at a Starbucks cafe in a bustling shopping area of downtown Jakarta and waged gun-battles with police Thursday, leaving bodies in the streets as office workers watched in terror from high-rise windows.

There were unconfirmed media reports of explosions in other parts of Jakarta.

Police said four of the attackers and three others were killed in the brazen attacks, which came after several warnings in recent weeks by the police that Islamic militants were planning something big. It was unclear if other perpetrators remained at large.

It was the first major violence in Indonesia's capital since the 2009 bombings of two hotels that killed seven people and injured more than 50. Before that, a bombing in a nightclub on the resort island of Bali in 2002 killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.

No one has claimed responsibility for Thursday's attacks, which took place in front of the Sarinah shopping mall on Thamrin Street that prompted a security lockdown in central Jakarta and enhanced checks all over the crowded city of 10 million.

"This act is clearly aimed at disturbing public order and spreading terror among people," President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, said in statement on television. Jokowi, who is on a working visit in West Java town of Cirebon, said he is returning to Jakarta immediately.

"The state, the nation and the people should not be afraid of, and lose to, such terror acts," he said.

Tri Seranto, a bank security guard, told The Associated Press he saw at least five attackers, including three who triggered explosions at the Starbucks. It was not immediately clear if they exploded bombs or grenades.

Tri described them as suicide bombers but Gen. Anton Charilyan, a spokesman for the national police, denied they blew themselves up.

He said the attack involved an unknown number of assailants with grenades and guns, at least one on a motorcycle. He said three civilians were killed. Later, Jakarta police spokesman Col. Muhammad Iqbal said four of the attackers were killed, and their bodies retrieved.

Tri said he was out on the street when he saw the three men entering Starbucks. He said the other two attackers, carrying handguns, entered a police post from where he heard gunfire.

TVOne, a local television network, reported three other explosions in other parts of the city.

 

After the first explosions a gun-battle broke out between the attackers and anti-terror police squads, and gunfire could be heard more than 1 1/2 hours later.

About two hours later, another explosion was heard from a cafe near the Starbucks, about five minutes after 25 anti-terror policemen entered it. It was not clear if the explosion was a controlled detonation or a bomb.

The area has many luxury hotels, and offices and embassies, including the French. The other set of explosions were in neighborhoods where the embassies of Turkey and Pakistan are located.

Tweets from the account of Jeremy Douglas, regional representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, described a bomb and "serious" exchanges of gunfire on the street outside his Jakarta office. "Didn't experience this in 3.5 years in #Pakistan," he wrote.

"A massive #bomb went off in front of our new #Indonesia office as @collie_brown & I exit car. Chaos & we're going into lock-down," he wrote. And three minutes later: "Apparent #suicidebomber literally 100m from the office and my hotel. Now gunfire."

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has been a victim of several bombing attacks in the past, claimed by Islamic militant groups.

Last month, anti-terror police arrested nine men and said the group had wanted to "perform a 'concert' to attract international news coverage of their existence here." Police cited a document seized from the group that described the planned attacks as a "concert."

The country has been on high alert after authorities said they had foiled a plot by Islamic militants to attack government officials, foreigners and others. About 150,000 police officers and soldiers were deployed during New Year's Eve to guard churches, airports and other public places.

More than 9,000 police were also deployed in Bali.

On Tuesday, the jailed radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir appealed to an Indonesia court to have his conviction for funding a terror training camp overturned, arguing that his support for the camp was an act of worship.

The 77-year-old leader of the Jemaah Islamiyah militant network filed a judicial review of his 2011 conviction, when he was sentenced to 15 years in jail for setting up the camp in Aceh province. A higher court later cut the sentence to nine years.

Indonesia has suffered a spate of deadly attacks by the Jemaah Islamiyah network in the past. But strikes in recent years have been smaller and less deadly, and have targeted government authorities, mainly police and anti-terrorism forces.

Several weeks after a moose was reportedly shot and killed in Belchertown, the reward for information leading to an arrest has risen to just over $2,500.

These were the most read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links below to read them now.

1) Among the missing money from the Springfield Police evidence room: A dead man's cash [Patrick Johnson]

2) Powerball jackpot: Five 'lottery curse' cases where winners lost it all [Shaina Mishkin] Photo gallery above

3) Reward for Belchertown moose killer rises to $2,500, mother's twin calves spotted in the wild [Rebecca Everett]

4) Lethargic toddler found Tuesday in same Worcester apartment where a toddler died in September [Scott J. Croteau]

5) How much tax would a Massachusetts resident owe on a $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot? [Michelle Williams]

A joint Drug Enforcement Agency, Springfield Police and Agawam Police raid on Monday led to three arrests and the seizure of more than 300 bags of heroin, according to charging documents filed in Westfield District Court.

A joint Drug Enforcement Agency, Springfield Police and Agawam Police raid on Monday led to three arrests and the seizure of more than 300 bags of heroin, according to charging documents filed in Westfield District Court.

Jean Paul Sicard, 36, Stephen Milanovich, 38, and Theresa Godfrey, 55, were charged with distribution of a class A substance and a drug violation with 100 feet of a public park, after authorities executed a search warrant on Sicard's residence in Agawam's Lamplighter apartment complex.

The raid was preceded by a month-long drug investigation, including multiple undercover heroin buys using marked bills, according to police reports. At 5:30 p.m. on Monday, four DEA members, three Springfield drug police and six Agawam officers converged on the apartment, and prepared to execute the warrant.

Before they did so, one officer saw Milanovich allegedly exit the apartment. An Agawam officer and DEA agent detained him and allegedly found 100 bags of heroin on him, according to an Agawam police statement of fact.

Officers entered the apartment and allegedly saw Sicard and Godfrey sitting in the living room. During the search, investigators allegedly found another 195 bags of heroin in Sicard's possession, packaged in white paper blocks. Godfrey allegedly had 10 bags of heroin in her possession, according to court filings.

All the heroin was stamped with the label "smoking aces" in blue ink, according to the police report.

Sicard was held on $10,000 cash bail, Milanovich on $5,000 and Godfrey on $500. They are due back in court Feb. 9.

A woman who neighbors said they hadn't seen for 2½ years, was found dead yesterday in a rural Maine town.

A digest of news stories from around New England.

Pittsfield man charged with exposing self, damaging dryer while stealing clothes at Laundromat [Berkshire Eagle]

Lorda Bermudez 

Intermittent lane closures will allow the contractor to perform maintenance work required at the northern and southern approaches of the I-91 project.

SPRINGFIELD - MassDOT plans to close lanes both on Interstate-91 North and  South intermittently from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 15.

At least one lane in each direction will remain open, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced.

The lane closures, announced Thursday, will allow construction crews to perform required maintenance both north and south of the $183.3-million rehabilitation area through downtown Springfield.

The state is repairing about 2 miles of elevated highway built in the 1960s which opened 45 years ago in December 1970.

#MAtraffic Alert: #Springfield- I-91 N/S intermittent single lane closures, Fri, Jan 15, 9am-3pm.

-- Mass. Transportation (@MassDOT) January 14, 2016

The closures in detail:

Beginning at 9 a.m., the contractor will intermittently close a single lane on I-91 North and/or South for approximately ten minutes at a time, MassDOT wrote in a prepared statement. The lane closures will continue until approximately 3 p.m. At least one lane will remain open in each direction at all times. The affected area includes:

• I-91 South: from the I-291 Interchange to Exit 1 for Route 5 South
• I-91 North: from just south of the Longmeadow curve near Exit 2 (for Route 83 South) to the I-391 North Interchange near Exit 12

MassDOT anticipates congestion in this area and urges drivers to use caution .

More information is available at MassDOT's website www.mass.gov/massdot/I91ViaductRehab.

To report issues or concerns, or for questions related to construction, email I91viaduct@state.ma.us or call (617) 454-1839.

View progress photos on the project's Flickr Album.

Interstate 91 Detour Map

Even with the big rebound day the three major U.S. stock indexes remain down for the year.

By ALEX VEIGA

NEW YORK - Energy stocks led a broad rally in U.S. stocks Thursday, giving the market its biggest gain in over a month.

A recovery in crude oil prices helped put stocks into rebound mode a day after the market had its worst drop since September. Investors also welcomed some encouraging company earnings.

Chevron and Exxon Mobil each jumped about 5 percent, by far the biggest gains in the Dow Jones industrial average. It was a reprieve for the energy sector, which has been battered in recent months as crude oil prices plunged. U.S. crude oil rose 2.4 percent on Thursday.

"That all led to a little bit of confidence in the markets and some buyers coming in," said Sean Lynch, co-head of global equity for Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "It's been pretty ugly so far, year-to-date, and it's good to see the gains, but we'll see if they follow through (Friday.)"

The Dow rose 227.64 points, or 1.4 percent, to 16,379.05. The average had risen as much as 330 points earlier. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 31.56 points, or 1.7 percent, to 1,921.84. The Nasdaq composite added 88.94 points, or 2 percent, to 4,615.

It was the best gain for each index since Dec. 4.

Even with the big rebound day the three major U.S. stock indexes remain down for the year. The Dow and S&P 500 are both off about 6 percent, while the Nasdaq is down nearly 8 percent.

It's been a rocky start to the year for stocks, reflecting investor worries about the slowdown in China, plunging oil prices and the implications those trends may have for U.S. corporations. The first eight trading days of 2016 represent the worst start to a year in the history of both the S&P 500 and the Dow.

That slump worsened on Wednesday, pushing the S&P 500 index into what's known as a correction, or a drop of 10 percent or more from a peak.

On Thursday, after wavering in the first hour of trading, the market shifted higher and remained on an upward track the rest of the day.

Investors welcomed a pickup in the price of crude oil, which had briefly fallen below $30 a barrel for the first time since late 2003 the day before. It ended up rising 72 cents, or 2.4 percent, to close at $31.20 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, also gained 72 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $31.03 a barrel in London.

The rise in crude oil led traders to pile into several big-name energy companies. Exxon Mobil added $3.47, or 4.6 percent, to $79.12, while Chevron rose $4.14, or 5.1 percent, to $85.47.

"The markets in general needed a little dose of confidence and they got it through a firming of oil prices," Lynch said.

Energy company Williams Cos. vaulted 34.4 percent, to lead all the gainers in the S&P 500. The stock, which had fallen sharply a day earlier, rose $4.68 to $18.29. It's still down 29 percent for the year. Freeport-McMoRan also got a boost. The mining company rose 46 cents, or 12.3 percent, to $4.20.

All told, the S&P 500's energy stocks jumped 4.5 percent. The sector remains down 6.1 percent for the year.

The start of the latest corporate earnings season also helped lift the market Thursday.

JPMorgan Chase rose 1.5 percent after the bank reported earnings that were better than analysts expected. The stock added 86 cents to $58.20.

Some companies provided less encouraging updates.

Best Buy slid 9.7 percent after the electronics store operator reported a drop in sales during the holiday season. The company also said it expects a wider drop in fourth-quarter revenue, partly on weak mobile phone and personal device sales. The stock was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500 index. It shed $2.83 to $26.43.

Investors may get more insight into how the U.S. economy and Corporate America are doing on Friday. Reports on consumer sentiment, retail sales and manufacturing are due out. Several big banks, including Citigroup and Wells Fargo, are also scheduled to release quarterly earnings.

In Europe, Germany's DAX dropped 1.7 percent and France's CAC 40 slid 1.8 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was 0.7 percent lower. In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 dived 2.7 percent, South Korea's Kospi fell 0.9 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 0.6 percent. The Shanghai Composite rebounded nearly 2.0 percent.

Precious and industrial metals future closed mixed. Gold lost $13.50 to $1,073.60 an ounce, silver fell 41 cents to $13.75 an ounce and copper rose 2 cents to $1.98 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 1.6 cents to $1.068 a gallon, heating oil rose 1.1 cents to 98.1 cents a gallon, and natural gas fell 13 cents to $2.139 per 1,000 cubic feet.

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.10 percent from 2.09 percent late Wednesday.

In currency trading, the euro fell to $1.0862 from $1.0876, while the dollar rose to 118.15 yen from 117.78 yen.

Carlos Isreal Cortes-Deleon, 57, a fugitive from justice, is wanted by authorities in Puerto Rico on heroin distribution charges. He was

SPRINGFIELD — An alleged drug dealer with ties to Puerto Rico is expected to be sent back to the island to face heroin distribution charges.

Detectives Bobby Bohl and Chris Bates, members of the Springfield Police Department Warrant Apprehension Unit, showed up at 133 St. James Ave. with a warrant in hand just before 9 a.m. Thursday.

They were looking for 57-year-old Carlos Isreal Cortes-Deleon, a fugitive from justice, who was taken into custody without incident at the McKnight neighborhood address.

Cortes-Deleon is wanted by police in San Juan, according to Springfield police, who were assisted by members of the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section.

Turkey agreed last year to take on a larger role in the fight against IS amid two major attacks that left 135 people dead. But critics contend the country has shown only limited engagement, striking only when attacked and focusing instead on quelling Kurdish rebels.

By SUZAN FRASER

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkish tanks and artillery attacked the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the suicide bombing in Istanbul that killed 10 tourists, Turkey's prime minister said Thursday -- the country's first significant strike against the Islamic extremists in months.

Turkey agreed last year to take on a larger role in the fight against IS amid two major attacks that left 135 people dead. But critics contend the country has shown only limited engagement, striking only when attacked and focusing instead on quelling Kurdish rebels.

Turkey rejects the accusations, pointing out that it has opened its bases to the U.S.-led air campaign against IS , boosted security along its 900-kilometer (550-mile) border with Syria to try to prevent IS fighters from crossing it and cracked down on suspected terror cells in Turkey, detaining or deporting thousands of militants. Turkish forces are also training Iraqi Kurdish forces fighting the militants.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said some 200 extremists had been killed over the past 48 hours in Turkey's offensive against IS along the Syria-Turkish border and near a Turkish camp in northern Iraq. He did not rule out possible airstrikes against the group, although a day earlier he said Russia was obstructing Turkey's ability to conduct airstrikes against IS in Syria.

The Turkish leader said Ankara acted after determining that IS was responsible for the "heinous" suicide bombing Tuesday in Istanbul's main tourist district, just steps away from the landmark Blue Mosque. All of the dead were German tourists.

Turkish officials say the bomber, a Syrian born in 1988, was affiliated with the Islamic State group and entered Turkey by posing as a refugee. Interior Minister Efkan Ala said seven people had been detained in connection with the bombing.

"Turkey will continue to punish with even greater force any threat that is directed against Turkey or its guests," Davutoglu said. "We will press ahead with our determined struggle until the Daesh terrorist organization leaves Turkey's borders ... and until it loses its ability to continue with its acts that soil our sacred religion, Islam."

Davutoglu was speaking in Ankara hours after Kurdish rebels detonated a car bomb at a police station in southeastern Turkey, then attacked it with rocket launchers and firearms. Six people were killed, including three children, authorities said.

Clashes between Turkey's security forces and the rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, reignited in July, shattering a fragile peace process.

Turkey has carried out numerous airstrikes against PKK positions in northern Iraq and imposed extended curfews in flashpoint neighborhoods and towns in its mainly Kurdish southeast as security forces battle Kurdish militants linked to the PKK.

The conflict between government forces and the PKK, considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984.

As a result, "Turkey continues to identify the main problem as the PKK and (Syrian President Bashar) Assad," said Svante Cornell, director of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute. "Turkey continues to view (IS) as a lesser evil."

Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar at Brussels-based Carnegie Europe, agreed Turkey was slow to react to the threat posed by IS, showing to much leniency toward the jihadist recruits who used its territory to enter Syria, in the hope that they would help bring Assad down.

However, "it's not the same battle, the strategies are different," Ulgen said. "What's going on in the southeast against the PKK is a low-intensity conflict which is highly visible. Turkey's battle against the Islamic State is less visible and is going on behind the scenes."

He said the crisis with Russia, triggered by Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane it said violated its airspace, has prevented Turkey from carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic extremists. Moscow has warned Turkey against violating Syrian airspace and suggested it would respond to any threat to its aircraft.

"The U.S. and Turkey were in the middle of a preparing a joint campaign," Ulgen said. "If the crisis hadn't occurred the fight (against IS) would have been more visible."

The Kurdish rebel attack late Wednesday targeted a police station and adjoining housing for officers and their families in the town of Cinar in mostly Kurdish Diyarbakir province.

The force of the blast caused a house near the police station to collapse. The dead included the wife of a policeman and a 5-month-old baby who were killed in the police lodging and two children who died in the collapsed house, the private Dogan news agency said.

"We were sleeping and woke up thinking it was an earthquake," Shafee Dagli, a Cinar resident told The Associated Press. "Then the clashes started. They lasted for about 2 1/2 hours, from 11.30 p.m. to 2 a.m."

"We were so frightened. We were awake watching TV when all these fragments blew into our yard from the blast," said Hediye 0zaltay, a mother of five who lives behind the police station. "At first we thought there was an earthquake. Then I looked at the police station and saw fire."

AP writer Dominique Soguel contributed to this report from from Cinar, Turkey.

The License Commission rejected a liquor license for Smokey Joe's Cigar Lounge after hearing objections from two downtown groups in contrast to 21 people speaking in favor of the liquor license.

SPRINGFIELD — The License Commission in a 2-2 vote rejected a liquor license for Smokey Joe's Cigar Lounge in downtown Springfield on Thursday after a nearly two-hour hearing that included more than 20 people speaking in favor of the application.

Smokey Joe's, which has been operating a smoking lounge and cigar shop on the ground floor of the McIntosh Condominiums building on Chestnut Street the past three months, faced objections from some of the condominium owners about smoke and noise, and opposition from the Armoury-Quadrangle Civic Association,

However, the owners, Joseph and Toni Hendrix, and 19 other supporters including members and non-members of the smoking lounge, said the business is a relaxing, safe and non-noisy environment for cigar enthusiasts.

Commission Chairman Peter Sygnator said his opposition was based in part on the objections raised by the five-member condominium Board of Trustees and by the opposition of the civic association that represents the downtown area.

Commission members Andrew Cade and Robert Casey voted in favor of the liquor license, while Sygnator and Denise Kelsey were opposed. The status of the fifth member of the board was unclear. The agenda for Thursday night's meeting listed only the four members who were present.

McIntosh Condominiums, shown here on Chestnut Street in Springfield includes Smokey Joe's Cigar Lounge and Shop on the first floor. The business was denied a liquor license on Thursday.File photo / Peter Goonan 

Paul Mann was among several condominium residents who spoke against the license and said that a liquor-serving lounge was not appropriate on the ground floor of the condominiums, despite zoning that allows business on that floor.

"We are pleased that the commission denied the liquor license for the safety and the well being and the peace of mind of the tenants," Mann said.

A five-member Board of Trustees voted to oppose the liquor license including three who were present at the commission meeting.

Rooke said he was disappointed by the vote and will consult with the owners concerning if there would be an appeal of the decision.

Rooke said the site is a good location in the entertainment district and "something that Springfield needs."

The liquor license was for a club, not a bar, Rooke said, adding that only dues-paying club members and their guests would be in the lounge to smoke and drink, socialize and network. He and the owners described it as a upscale lounge that draws a business professionals.

"Every person who spoke in favor of it spoke of safety," Rooke said. "It (the commission decision) is very disappointing."

The story will be updated as reporting continues.

Several K-9 units and multiple law enforcement agencies were assisting Warren police in the search for the suspect, described as a small male teen wearing a mask and a gray hoodie.

WARREN — Police were called to Traska Village Market, 2240 Main St., after a scrawny teenager allegedly robbed the Warren business with a weapon on Thursday evening.

Authorities did not indicate what sort of weapon was used in the 6:30 p.m. armed robbery, but "a weapon was shown," Warren Police Chief Bruce D. Spiewakowski said.

Several K-9 units and multiple law enforcement agencies were helping Warren police search for the suspect, described as a small male teen wearing a mask and a gray hoodie. Additional details were not immediately available.

Traska Village Market is a grocery / convenience store at the corner of Main and Central streets in west Warren.

MAP showing approximate location of armed robbery:

The interfaith dialog was intended to bring people of different faiths together to in the spirit of unity, and push back against the wave of what was called "anti-Islamic rhetoric" in the media.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Before an overflow crowd at the Islamic Center of Western Massachusetts, speakers from different faiths and from law enforcement on Thursday night spoke in support of followers of the Islamic faith and against those who commit acts of terror in the name of Islam.

More than 250 people packed the hall. Organizers continued to add seats throughout the program as more people entered the back of the hall.

The interfaith meeting was intended to bring people of different faiths together in the spirit of unity, and to push back against the wave of what was called "anti-Islamic rhetoric" in the media and even on the presidential stump by those who equate the religion with acts of Islamic extremists committing acts of terror.

West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt spoke briefly, as did school superintendent Michael Richard. Each said the town of West Springfield is committed to acceptance of people of all faiths and backgrounds.

Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan also was present but did not speak.

Zubair Kareem, president of the Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts, said the numbers of the crowd in attendance and the diversity of faiths and faces was spoke of the hope and acceptance that many Muslims are looking for in American culture today.

For all the hateful rhetoric directed at the religion, Kareem said, "We have received many messages of kindness, support and hope."

Rev. Martin Pion of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, also head of the Interfaith Council of Western Mass., said the level of anti-Islamic rhetoric that fills the airwaves makes this "a very critical time."

"It is important for everyone to know of the many, many people, of many voices who support the Islamic community, across the United States and across the world," he said. "As we observe what is happening, we recognize the need to do something."

He read a statement from Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of the Diocese of Springfield: "To compromise the right of any one religion is to compromise the rights of all religions."

John Robbins of the Boston chapter of the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the country's largest advocacy group for Muslims, said the organization has been pressed lately in its goal of pushing back against Islamic discrimination in the mass media.

"We've been very busy lately. Very busy," he said.

"In the face of so much negativity, this outpouring of positivity is outstanding," he said.

Rabbi Mark Shapiro of Sinai Temple spoke briefly about how Jews, Muslims, and Christians are all different, but all three have common roots that go back to the creation of the world in the Book of Genesis.

"Yes, we have differences, but differences are simply that," he said. "Different is not meant to be frightening."

Kevin O'Regan, the head of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Springfield, and Julia Crowley, of the FBI office in Boston, each told the crowd that the U.S. Justice Department is committed to protecting everyone equally, regardless of faith.

O'Regan said he first came in contact with the Islamic Center of Western Massachusetts in the days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He said he knew little of the Islamic faith, but came to know the people at the center.

The U.S. Attorney investigates and has prosecuted people "who act in the name of Islam," he said.

He said those acts have been horrific on many levels, but he said because of his relationships with the people at the center, he has come to see that regardless of what terrorists claim, their actions do not represent Islam.

Crowley said the FBI is committed to investigating and prosecuting any civil rights violations, and that includes against Muslims. She said one of her reasons for attending was to let people see the face behind the phone number on her business card. "We will help you if you ask for it," she said.

Calvin Miranda, 29, of Dedham, was taken Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, for emergency treatment. An update on his condition was unavailable.

NEWPORT, Vt. — A Massachusetts man was hospitalized after totaling a car in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom on Thursday morning.

Calvin Miranda, 29, of Dedham, was taken Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, for emergency treatment. An update on his condition was unavailable.

Miranda was northbound on Route 100 in Newport, Vermont, around 8:40 a.m., when the 2015 Nissan Altima he was driving went off the road and struck a tree, according to Vermont State Police.

Police said he was first taken to North Country Hospital in Newport, then transferred to the New Hampshire hospital for additional treatment.

The Altima was totaled in the crash, and Miranda was not wearing a seatbelt, police said. "The vehicle sustained severe damage when it left the roadway," police said in statement.

Weather conditions were clear at the time of the crash, but there was snow on the ground, police said.

Troopers from the Derby barracks responded to the incident.

Narcotics investigators executed a search warrant at a Dickinson Street home and arrested 55-year-old Francisco Morales on drug charges.

SPRINGFIELD — A nighttime raid at a Forest Park address netted large quantities of heroin and cocaine, according to Springfield narcotics officers, who charged a city man with drug crimes.

An extensive Springfield police investigation determined that drugs were being "kept for sale" at 572 Dickinson St., a department spokesman said.

Police executed a search warrant around 11 p.m. Wednesday and arrested 55-year-old Francisco Morales, who lives at the Dickinson Street home. He was arraigned Thursday in Springfield District Court on charges of heroin and cocaine possession with intent to distribute. The outcome of that hearing was not immediately known.

Authorities said they seized drug paraphernalia, 50 heroin bags with a "Versace" logo on them, and a large amount of packaged cocaine.

MAP showing approximate location of Forest Park drug raid: