Hundreds of crashes were reported across New England as a result of Friday's snowstorm, making a mess of traffic.
A digest of news stories from around New England.
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Bruce Stevenson, 23, of Springfield Gardens, Queens, was charged with kidnapping, larceny over $250 and "trafficking persons for sexual servitude," said Officer Mike Wilk, Chicopee Police Department spokesman.
CHICOPEE — Authorities arrested a New York City man on sex-trafficking charges after aiding of one of his alleged victims at a Chicopee restaurant early Thursday morning.
Bruce Stevenson, 23, of Springfield Gardens, Queens, was charged with kidnapping, larceny over $250 and "trafficking persons for sexual servitude," Chicopee Police Officer Mike Wilk said Friday.
Stevenson was being held at the Hamdpen County Correctional Center in Ludlow pending his arraignment. It was not immediately known if he has a lawyer.
Sgt. Hamilton Wray and Officer Eric Brice responded to the McDonald's restaurant at 350 Burnett Road shortly around 5:30 a.m. Thursday for a report of "a woman in distress," said Wilk, the department's public information officer.
"Upon arrival, officers spoke with the woman, who was extremely upset," Wilk said. "She (said) she had been taken against her will from North Carolina, and taken to several states, where the male party, by threat of bodily injury, forced her to prostitute herself."
The woman also told police that Stevenson stole all of her personal belongings.
The investigation was handed over to Detective Sgt. Bret Nichols and Detective Michael Dion, who worked with Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Tim Irving. As a result of the joint investigation, Stevenson was taken into custody, according to authorities, who didn't indicate where he was arrested.
"There is a possibility of more victims in this case, and our detectives will continue to work with Homeland Security on this investigation," Wilk said. Chicopee detectives are working with the office of Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni to help the victim return to North Carolina, Wilk said.
A Hampshire Superior Court judge heard arguments for and against the pretrial release of Zachary Holmes, an autistic man accused of stabbing his mother, but did not issue a decision Friday.
NORTHAMPTON -- A Hampshire Superior Court judge heard arguments Friday about whether Zachary Holmes, an autistic man accused of stabbing his mother, is too dangerous to be released pending his trial.
Judge Mary-Lou Rup said she will issue a decision at a later date.
Zachary Holmes, 21, of Belchertown, has pleaded not guilty in Hampshire Superior Court to charges of armed assault to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, strangulation or suffocation, and assault and battery on a family or household member.
His family has been desperate for Holmes to be released, arguing that he needs psychiatric care, not to be imprisoned in the Hampshire County Jail. That's where he has been held for the majority of his time in custody since the alleged stabbing in September.
His mother, Joann Holmes, wept into her scarf for part of the dangerousness hearing Friday, and then left the courtroom.
Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Jennifer Suhl argued that releasing Holmes to his father's custody is not sufficient to protect his mother or others from the possibility of another violent episode.
Suhl said Holmes had been growing more aggressive towards his mother for about a year, according to Joann Holmes' own statements to police. On the Sept. 3, they started arguing after she asked him to use a wet wipe instead of a tissue to clean up after their dog, Joann Holmes told police.
Suhl said his mother reported that Holmes started strangling her and after she got away from him, he grabbed a knife. He stabbed her repeatedly in the abdomen, hand, chin, and in the back, before the knife blade broke off from the handle, Suhl said.
"The only reason she was saved is because the knife broke," Suhl said in court. She was hospitalized for a week.
Holmes went for a second knife, she said, but his mother was able to get away and call 911. Both knives were found on the floor, which was covered in blood, Suhl said.
Suhl said that Zachary Holmes told police he was ready to go to jail and that he had also tried to sicken his mother by pouring dishwashing detergent into her water bottle.
The prosecutor also said that Holmes had pinned his mother against a wall in November 2014, but no charges were filed. Joann Holmes told MassLive that the incident was a result of a bad reaction to a medication and her son was hospitalized at the time.
Suhl also pointed out that the report on Holmes' criminal responsibility states that his autism and possible obsessive compulsive disorder have nothing to do with the alleged attack. The violence is due to his inability to deal with his anger towards his mother, she said.
Releasing Holmes to his father's home is not safe because it is only a few blocks away from Joann Holmes' residence and there is a question about whether he will be properly supervised to ensure he takes his medication, Suhl said.
The Commonwealth would be open to Holmes being ordered to the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, Suhl said, where he could be held pending his trial and receive care.
But defense attorney Alfred Chamberland of Easthampton said that getting Holmes to the Worcester hospital is easier said than done.
That's why he is asking for Holmes to be released to the care of his father, step-mother and sister, with the conditions that he have no physical contact with his mother, take all prescribed medication, and continue to get counseling and treatment, including through a day program.
Chamberland said that since Holmes has a developmental disability, his case is being overseen by the Department of Developmental Services, while Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital is run by the Department of Mental Health.
"The system is broken and Zachary Holmes has fallen through the holes in the system," Chamberland said.
He said the Department of Developmental Services would rather see him put in a group home or some other residential living quarters that is constantly staffed and supervised.
Chamberland said that before Holmes can be placed in any staffed care facility, there are numerous assessments that the Department of Developmental Services needs to conduct first.
"They really don't want to do that at the jail," he said, and would much rather do the assessments at Holmes' father's house. In the months Holmes has been at the jail, no one from the department has visited to do any assessments, he said.
Plus, Chamberland argued, the jail is simply the wrong place for Holmes. He has not had any aggressive or violent incidents at the jail or in his 60 days in the Worcester hospital, he said. At the jail, because he is held in a special management unit, he has no interaction with groups of people and always eats his meals alone.
His family is more than willing to give him support and anything else he needs while awaiting trial and a more permanent living arrangement, Chamberland said. They understand that living with his father would only be a temporary arrangement.
"He's got more support, more family support, more community support, than any client I've ever seen," Chamberland said.
Rup told the attorneys she would take the issue under advisement. Among the pieces of evidence she is considering is a 911 call, a statement from a 12-year-old boy who witnessed the alleged attack, police reports, and the report compiled by a forensic psychologist at the Worcester hospital.
Technology, energy and consumer discretionary stocks lead the decline as oil prices fell causing investors to worry that the U.S. economy could be slipping into a recession.
By KEN SWEET
NEW YORK -- Stocks posted steep losses Friday, ending the week with broad declines, as investors fretted over a report showing that U.S. job creation slowed last month.
Technology stocks fell especially hard, and shares of LinkedIn had their worst day in history.
Energy and consumer discretionary stocks fell as oil prices declined and investors continued to worry that the risk of the U.S. economy slipping into recession, while low, is growing.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 211.75 points, or 1.3 percent, to 16,204.83. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 35.43 points, or 1.9 percent, to 1,880.02 and the Nasdaq composite dropped 146.41 points, or 3.3 percent, to 4,363.14.
Stocks were mostly lower throughout day, but losses accelerated as the end of trading approached. With Friday's losses, the Dow was down 1.6 percent for the week, the S&P 500 fell 3.1 percent and Nasdaq lost 5.4 percent.
Investors were discouraged by a report that showed U.S. employers added 151,000 jobs last month, a sharp deceleration from recent months as companies shed education, transportation and temporary workers. That was below economists' forecasts of 185,000 new jobs, according to data from FactSet.
The report included some positive signs, however. The unemployment rate fell to 4.9 percent from 5 percent, the lowest level since February 2008. Average wages jumped 2.5 percent over the past year to $25.39 an hour, evidence that the past years of job growth are helping to generate larger pay raises.
"It's a rather difficult report to interpret. It confirms there has been some deceleration in the U.S. economy. We're not falling off the cliff, but it clearly shows the U.S. economy is not immune to the global slowdown," said Russ Koesterich, global market strategist with asset manager BlackRock.
The jobs report, while less than what economists were looking for, still showed that the U.S. economy is growing, albeit slowly. The report caused the dollar to strengthen against other currencies, reversing some of the last two days of declines.
The report also raised a new worry about Federal Reserve interest rate policy. Investors had been betting in recent weeks that a slowing U.S. economy might prompt the Federal Reserve to delay plans to raise interest rates. But the Fed could see the data showing the growth in hourly wages as an early sign of inflation, which in turn might cause them to keep raising rates even in a slowing economy, Koesterich said.
"You have the possibility of soft growth and monetary tightening, and that's not a great place to be as an investor," he said.
Technology stocks were hit hard by disappointing results from professional social network company LinkedIn and data analysis company Tableau Software. LinkedIn shares dropped $83.90, or 44 percent, to $108.38, its worst single-day performance in the company's history. The company provided a weak outlook for 2016 and announced it was winding down an advertising platform that was supposed to be a new venture.
Tableau Software plunged $40.40, or 49 percent, to $41.33 after the data analytics company reported a wider-than-expected loss and its software license revenue missed analysts' predictions. Tableau's dismal results spread to other software companies, like Salesforce.com, which fell 13 percent, and Adobe Systems, which fell 8 percent.
U.S. government bond prices were mostly unchanged. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note remained at 1.84 percent.
The dollar rose to 116.89 yen from 116.71 yen. The euro fell to $1.1164 from $1.1214, inching back from its highest level in more than three months.
In the energy markets, U.S. crude fell 83 cents to $30.89 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 40 cents to $34.06 a barrel in London. Heating oil fell 2 cents to $1.059 a gallon, wholesale gasoline fell 3.6 cents to 99.27 cents and natural gas rose 9 cents to $2.063 per thousand cubic feet.
In precious and industrial metals trading, gold edged up 20 cents to $1,157.70 an ounce, silver fell 7 cents to $14.78 an ounce and copper fell 3 cents to $2.10 a pound.
Police raided the property at 31 Madison Ave. on Thursday afternoon
SPRINGFIELD -- Police said they arrested nine suspected drug dealers on heroin and crack cocaine charges Thursday afternoon after raiding a "shooting gallery" inside a home within one of the city's historic districts.
The raid at 31 Madison Ave. followed a lengthy investigation prompted by numerous complaints from neighbors, Sgt. John Delaney said. The property is located within the Maple Hill local historic district.
It is owned by 52-year-old William Braese who lived there and provided shelter to drug dealers and addicts, Delaney, public information officer for the department, said.
"It was not long before heroin and crack cocaine was sold from this address and it became very popular as a "shooting gallery," Delaney said. "The neighborhood was in fear and there was constant traffic coming and going by addicts and drug dealers. "
Police targeted Braese and a drug dealer known to them at 32-year-old Darnell Holbrook, Delaney said.
Detectives, armed with a warrant, raided the property at about 2:30 p.m.
Arrested were: Braese, Holbrook, of 63 Berkshire St.; DeCarlo Holmes, 36, of 765 Worthington St.; Ronald Raymond, 4 6, of 816 Sumner Ave.; Jasmine Delacruz, 32, of 17 Dineen St., Margarita Ramos, 50, of 687 State St.; Jose Cruz, 46 ,of 140 Chestnut St.; Iris Andino, 32 , of 31 Madison Ave. and Alycka Wagner, 42, of 27 Glendale Road, Enfield, Conn.
They were charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute and violation of a drug-free zone (Head Start).
Delaney said the property is in "deplorable condition" and there was raw sewage in the basement.
Members of the Springfield Police Ordinance Unit, with the assistance of David Cotter, deputy director of Springfield Code Enforcement cleared out the property on Friday and boarded it up.
Delaney said narcotics detectives raided the property on July 1 and arrested Braese for selling heroin and prescription pills. That case is ongoing and the property is subject to proceedings in housing court.
David Loomis remains imprisoned while Kater, once owner of Hinge, is free awaiting trial.
Eleven weeks after allegedly borrowing a car and driving to Connecticut with Aaron Kater, owner of the now-shuttered Hinge nightclub in downtown Northampton, Vermont musician David Loomis is still behind bars and the Subaru Outback remains impounded as evidence in connection with the pair's November drug bust.
A judge in Manchester, Connecticut on Feb. 3 declined to lower a $200,000 bond requirement for Loomis, sending him back to the Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown, a high-security state prison.
Judge Jason Lobo further declined to immediately release the Subaru to its owner, a Williamsburg woman identified in documents as Loomis' girlfriend. A lawyer for Loomis had filed a motion arguing that the woman did not give permission for her car to be used, and had no knowledge of any alleged drug-related activity.
Loomis and Kater were arrested Nov. 18 in South Windsor after a traffic stop where the East Central Narcotics Task Force allegedly found 35 pounds of marijuana in the car, stuffed into large black speaker boxes. Each were ordered held on $200,000 bail. Kater paid a non-refundable fee to a bail bonding agency and secured his freedom, but Loomis, who did not pay a bonding agency, was sent to prison on pre-trial detention.
Both men were charged with possession of marijuana, "sale of certain illegal drugs," and conspiracy to possess cannabis. Loomis was additionally charged with "traveling unreasonably fast" in South Windsor.
Defense lawyer Aaron Romano said Friday that he believes the bail requirement is too high.
"It is my hope that the judge will reconsider his decision," said Romano. "Mr. Loomis is not being charged with a violent crime, has no criminal record, comes from a supportive family, and does not pose a flight risk."
He said Loomis' family can not afford to pay a non-refundable fee to a bail bondsman.
Asked how his client is faring in prison, Romano, who maintains an office in Bloomfield, said that Loomis "is suffering" and that the state penitentiary is "not a good place for him."
The court docket in Manchester contains around a dozen letters of support for Loomis from friends and family, most of whom described the 30-year-old a kind and helpful young man who is easily manipulated.
He is "a big puppy, he is full of love and just wants to please and do right by those around him," wrote a cousin. "However, on the flip side of that coin is someone who doesn't always say no to helping someone who he thinks has his bast interests at heart."
His mother, who lives in the Franklin County town of Leyden, said her son was "naive, eager to please, and easily influenced by others." A former employer described Loomis was "an honest worker on carpentry jobs." An aunt said her nephew suffered from "impulsivity, ADHD, and learning disabilities."
Romano has petitioned the court for the release of additional evidence in the case. Loomis is due back in court March 2.
Kater, 26, with a listed address in Pelham, is represented separately. The former nightclub owner is free on conditions that he wear an electronic monitoring device and stay away from drugs. Kater, who is due back in court Feb. 11, closed Hinge in late November following his drug bust.
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Mary Serreze can be reached at mserreze@gmail.com.
An estimated 300 visitors filled the Chez Josef Banquet facility in Agawam, Massachusetts Friday evening for the Westfield Sons of Erin 35th Colleen Ball where 19 girls competed for the prestigious title of Westfield Colleen.
Agawam - An estimated 300 visitors filled the Chez Josef Banquet facility Friday evening for the Westfield Sons of Erin 35th Colleen Ball where 19 girls competed for the prestigious title of Westfield Colleen. Prior to the gala event each contestant was judged in the following categories.
1 - Personality
2 - Intellect
3 - Poise
4 - Appearance
Each was judged in private interviews with each category worth 25-points for a total of 100-points.
The contestants were:
Rieghan B. O'Connor, 17, of East Longmeadow.
Samantha L. Dolan, 18, of Westfield.
Grace M. Silva, 17, of Westfield.
Eileen T. Fitzgerald, 18, of Westfield.
Victoria L. Weltlich, 22, of Russell.
Catie M. Laraway, 19, of Westfield.
Jasmine A. Malochleb, 17, of Westfield.
Megan G. Cole, 17, of Westfield.
Madison A. Rix, 17, of Westfield.
Morgan M. Sanders, 17, of Westfield.
Grace S. Templeton, 18, of Westfield.
Anna C. Grady, 17, of Westfield.
Natalie E. Mitchell, 18, of Westfield.
Jillian M. McCormick, 18, of Westfield.
Alexis N. Ross, 18, of Westfield.
Rosaelena M. Sutton, 19, of Westfield.
Caitlyn C. Bodoh, 20, of Russell.
Alyssa M. Manna, 18, of Westfield.
Leighanne M. Sullivan, 18, of Westfield.
The winner, Victoria L. Weltlich, will receive a $1,500 travel voucher for airfare for two to Ireland, a Belleek ring holder, a gold Claddagh ring and the tiara she wore while being crowned Westfield Colleen.
The Colleen Court, Alyssa M. Manna, Anna C. Grady, Grace M. Silva, and Samantha L. Dolan will each receive, a sterling silver Claddagh ring, a Belleek trinket box and vases as a remembrance of their accomplishments on this special occasion. The Colleen and her Court will receive kilts and handmade knitted Irish sweaters and mittens compliments of the Westfield Sons of Erin Colleen Committee, which they will wear to special events where they will represent the City of Westfield and the Westfield Sons of Erin. Each contestant will also receive a silver Celtic design ring as a remembrance of the evening.
Other notable awards were:
The Thomas M. Kane Memorial Irishman of the Year Award went to Dermont Hurley.
The Dorothy Griffin Irishwoman of the Year Award went to Lynda Cavanaugh.
The 2016 Westfield Parade Marshall went to Jim Madigan.
The Billy Buzzee Saint Pat on the Back Award was awarded to Ed Tymeson.
A smaller field of Republican presidential hopefuls will square-off for the eighth time Saturday, as they meet in New Hampshire to debate ahead of the state's first-in-the-nation primary.
MANCHESTER ‒ A smaller field of Republican presidential hopefuls will square off for the eighth time Saturday as they meet in New Hampshire to debate ahead of the state's first-in-the-nation primary.
Unlike previous GOP presidential debates, the prime-time event, hosted by ABC News in partnership with WMUR, Independent Journal Review and the Republican National Committee, will not include an earlier "undercard" forum for lower polling candidates.
With a handful of Republican White House hopefuls having dropped out of the contest following the Iowa Caucuses, the top seven polling GOP candidates will take the debate stage at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, including front-runner Donald Trump who boycotted the last event.
The debate will give candidates a final chance to make their cases to New Hampshire voters, who are historically known for making their decisions at the last minute, before next week's primary.
Here's what you need to tune in to the prime time event:
WHEN:
Coverage of the debate will begin at 8 p.m. EST, with the candidates expected to take the stage around 8:15 p.m. EST.
WHERE:
The event will air live nationally on ABC and locally on WMUR-TV. It will be live streamed on ABCNews.com and across the network's mobile and OTT platforms. An on-demand replay of the debate will also be made available on these platforms as well, the network said.
WHO:
"World News Tonight" Anchor David Muir and Co-Anchor of "This Week" and Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz will serve as the debate's moderators.
WHO'S NOT IN:
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum dropped out of the GOP presidential race earlier this week.
Businesswoman Carly Fiorina, meanwhile, did not qualify for the debate stage despite finishing higher than Kasich and Christie in Iowa.
WHAT'S NEXT:
Republican presidential candidates will square-off in their next debate on Feb. 13 in South Carolina.
The prosecutor asked for $20,000 bail, noting that Diaz had past drug convictions in Springfield and a criminal record in New York and New Jersey.
SPRINGFIELD - In Springfield District Court this week, a prosecutor was explaining where, exactly, the "Dog Do" heroin was hidden.
"There were five bags in the left sock and five bags in the right sock," Assistant District Attorney Cary Szafranski said Tuesday, summarizing the evidence against a Springfield man arrested Monday.
"Five in each sock, your honor," she told Judge Paul Smyth.
The defendant, Jorge L. Diaz, 59, pleaded not guilty to possession of heroin and cocaine, each with intent to distribute; driving with a suspended license and failing to register as a sex offender.
If investigators are correct, the heroin allegedly found in Diaz's socks was supposed to end up in the hands of addicts waiting at a methadone clinic near Main and Carew Streets.
Indeed, Diaz regularly made deliveries to homeless shelters and methadone clinics before city narcotics detectives arrested him around 9 a.m. Monday, Szafranski said.
Another 100 bags of "Dog Do" heroin, two bags of powdered cocaine and seven Percocet pills were seized at the defendant's Armory Street apartment, along with $739 in cash found in his pocket when he was arrested, Szafranski said.
The prosecutor asked for $20,000 bail, noting that Diaz had past drug convictions in Massachusetts and a criminal record in New York and New Jersey.
Defense lawyer Scott J. Charney opposed the bail request.
A longtime Springfield resident and father of two children, Diaz works at an auto repair shop and served in the first Gulf War in 1991, according to Charney, who requested $1,000 bail.
The relatively small amount of drugs found on his client "is more indicative of use rather than selling," the lawyer added.
As for the sex offender charge, Diaz did not move without notifying state officials, as police allege; the misunderstanding was apparently prompted by remodeling work being done on Diaz's apartment, Charney said.
Smyth set bail at $20,000 and continued the case to Feb. 29.
John A. Barile, 52, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Connecticut on Friday to arson, insurance fraud, gambling and extortion offenses.
EAST HARTFORD, CONN. - A reputed mob bookmaker and associate of the Genovese crime family with Springfield ties pleaded guilty in federal court to burning down his own restaurant for $190,000 in insurance money.
John A. Barile, 52, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Friday to arson, insurance fraud, gambling and extortion offenses.
Prosecutors said that when Barile's Middleton eatery, Enzo's, fell on hard times, he hatched a plan to burn it to the ground. He and other began plotting to torch the restaurant in 2009, court records state.
"Barile informed his (unnamed) co-owner of the plan and sought information from at least one individual on how to start the fire to make it look like an accident," according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Connecticut.
On Jan. 9, 2010, Barile positioned greasy rags around a deep-fryer and greased up the walls, prosecutors said. Later that night after the restaurant was closed, he made sure multiple rags had caught fire and left the restaurant without calling the fire department.
Barile waltzed out, but left his co-owner inside, according to prosecutors.
"The Middletown Fire Department arrived a short time later, forced entry, rescued the co-owner and put out the fire," prosecutors said.
After the fire, the defendant sought money from an insurance company, concealing his role in the fire from the insurance company and law enforcement. The insurance company ultimately paid $189,787.69 to Barile to settle the his claims.
Also, from 2010 to 2014, Barile operated a $2000-per-day illegal sports-betting ring, prosecutors contend. On Nov. 8, 2011, he hit one perennial bettor who owed him $50,000 with a Taser in a Hartford parking lot.
Barile was arrested on Jan. 5, and released on $350,000 bail. Prosecutors say he is staying with a family member in Enfield.
Previous reports state Barile routinely carried a stun gun and a cattle prod "for protection."
Barile has been on the FBI's radar since 1994 when he was arrested with members of the Genovese crime family's western New England branch during a gambling crack-down in Hartford. Arrested with Barile were the late Francesco "Skyball" Scibelli and Carmine "Carlo" Mastrototaro, the Genovese capos in Springfield and Worcester, Mass.
Barile was charged with racketeering using threats of violence to collect street debts. FBI officials have said he worked for Tony Volpe, the Hartford lounge owner who ran Hartford for the Genovese family. Barile and an associate from Springfield, a 250-pound former pro wrestler known as "Big Pat" Poland, were given 30-month sentences after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy.
In the current case, he faces up to 65 years in prison at his sentencing hearing, scheduled for May 6.
According to the district's business manager, Andy Paquette, the spending plan identifies about $12.5 million in revenue, and that more than $800,000 more is needed to reach the amount the school says is needed, to fund it
WARE - The administration presented the school board a $13,298,461 "needs based budget" that would hike spending 7.3 percent for the fiscal year that starts on July 1.
The School Committee is scheduled to meet with selectmen and the town manager next month to discuss the proposal.
According to the district's business manager, Andy Paquette, the spending plan identifies about $12.5 million in revenue, and that more than $800,000 more is needed to reach the amount the school says is needed, to fund it.
He said spending would have to increase nearly 5 percent, to a little over $13 million, to maintain services. The committee and superintendent said a level-funded budget is not an option.
According to data provided by the district at the Feb. 3 meeting, Ware spends an average of $12,805 per pupil, compared to the state average of $14,517.
Paquette said that unlike in past years, the district is meeting the minimum spending requirements that are determined annually by the state department of elementary and secondary education.
The school board chairman, Aaron Sawabi, said the committee hopes to make its case at May's annual Town Meeting, for the additional money.
Rescuers were searching late Saturday for more than 100 people still missing after a powerful, shallow earthquake struck southern Taiwan before dawn, causing a high-rise residential building to collapse, killing at least 14 people and injuring hundreds.
TAINAN, Taiwan (AP) -- Rescuers were searching late Saturday for more than 100 people still missing after a powerful, shallow earthquake struck southern Taiwan before dawn, causing a high-rise residential building to collapse, killing at least 14 people and injuring hundreds.
Nearly 340 people were rescued from the rubble in Tainan, the city hit worst by the quake. About 2,000 firefighters and soldiers scrambled with ladders, cranes and other equipment to the ruins of the 17-floor residential building, which folded like an accordion onto its side after the quake struck.
Local authorities said Saturday night that more than 100 people remained missing and that rescuers were racing to find them. Taiwan's official Central News Agency reported that 172 people were missing.
The quake came two days before the start of Lunar New Year celebrations that mark the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar. The building had 256 registered residents, but far more people could have been inside when it fell because the population might have swelled ahead of the holiday, when families typically host guests.
Local media said the building included a care center for newborns and mothers, and a newborn was among the dead in the disaster.
Most people were asleep when the magnitude-6.4 earthquake hit at about 4 a.m., 22 miles (35 kilometers) southeast of Yujing. It struck only 6 miles (10 kilometers) underground, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Tainan resident Lin Bao-gui, a secondhand car salesman whose cars were smashed when the building collapsed across the street from him, said his house first started "shaking horizontally, then up and down, then a big shake right to left."
"I stayed in my bed but jumped up when I heard a big bang, which was the sound of the building falling," he said.
Authorities in Tainan said 14 people were killed in the quake. At least 11 were found at the ruins of the fallen high-rise building.
Taiwan's Emergency Management Information center said 477 people were injured, with 380 of them discharged from hospitals by Saturday evening.
Rescuers found the bodies of a 10-day-old infant, three other children and six adults at the collapsed building, the information center said. One other death was reported at the site, but details were not immediately available.
Authorities said two people were killed by falling objects elsewhere in Tainan. No details were available on the 14th death, reported Saturday night.
Rescuers pulled out at least 247 survivors from the collapsed building, the emergency management information center said.
Throughout Tainan, 334 people were rescued, the city government said.
The Taiwanese news website ET Today reported that a mother and daughter were among the survivors from the building, and that the girl drank her urine while waiting to be rescued, which happened sooner than expected.
Rescuers went apartment to apartment, drawing red circles near windows of apartments they already had searched.
"I went to the top floors of the middle part of the building, where we found five people, one of whom was in bed and already dead," said Liu Wen-bin, a 50-year-old rescuer from Taichung. "Some people were found in the shower, some in the bedroom."
Elsewhere in Tainan, dozens of other people were rescued or safely evacuated from damaged structures or buildings declared unsafe following the quake, including a market and a seven-floor building, authorities said. A bank building also careened, but no one was injured or trapped.
All told, nine buildings collapsed and five careened in Tainan, the emergency management information center said.
As dawn broke, Taiwanese TV showed survivors being brought gingerly from the high-rise, including an elderly woman in a neck brace and others wrapped in blankets. The trappings of daily life -- a partially crushed air conditioner, pieces of a metal balcony, windows -- lay twisted in rubble.
People with their arms around firefighters were being helped from the building, and cranes were being used to search darkened parts of the structure for survivors.
Men in camouflage, apparently military personnel, marched into one area of collapse carrying large shovels.
The emergency management information center said 1,236 rescuers from outside Tainan were deployed, including 840 from the army, along with six helicopters and 23 rescue dogs.
Tainan's municipal government said it mobilized nearly 600 professional and volunteer firefighters.
The quake was felt as a lengthy, rolling shake in the capital, Taipei, on the other side of the island. But Taipei was quiet, with no sense of emergency or obvious damage just before dawn.
Residents in mainland China also reported that the tremor was felt there. The Beijing government offered to help as needed.
Because of the spectacular fall of the residential high-rise, questions surfaced about whether the 1989 structure had shoddy construction. Tainan's government said the Wei Guan building was not listed as a dangerous structure before the quake, and Taiwan's interior minister, Chen Wei-zen, said an investigation would examine whether the developer had cut corners during construction.
Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor and cause little or no damage. However, a magnitude-7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.
Dennis Leger of the Springfield Fire Dept. said firefighters were called to 41 Bartlett St. just after 5 a.m. and found a Cadillac CTS engulfed in flames parked behind the home.
SPRINGFIELD - Two cars parked behind a home in the city's North End caught fire early Saturday morning in what fire officials are calling a suspicious blaze.
"It's suspicious because there's no reason for it; it wasn't a mechanical failure," said Dennis Leger, executive aide to Fire Commissioner Joseph A. Conant.
He said firefighters were called to 41 Bartlett St. just after 5 a.m. and found a Cadillac CTS engulfed in flames parked behind the home. A nearby Nissan Murano also had begun burning from the heat of the initial fire, Leger said.
The Cadillac did not belong to the residents of 41 Bartlett St. Leger declined to provide information about the owner. Firefighters extinguished the blaze. There were no injuries but the Cadillac was completely destroyed, Leger said.
He encouraged anyone with information to call the Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad at 787-6370.
Rudof contended that the victim's accusations were fabricated and rooted in a feud between her and her mother.
SPRINGFIELD - Over a defense lawyer's objection, a judge granted a one month delay in the case of Long Dinh Duong, a Level 2 sex offender facing six new charges, including rape of a child by force.
Duong, 46, of Springfield, appeared for a probable cause hearing in Springfield District Court Thursday, two months after his arrest for allegedly assaulting a girl, now 17, since she was in middle school.
Assistant District Attorney Karen McCarthy asked to postpone the hearing, explaining that Duong is likely to be indicted soon by a Hampden County grand jury. An indictment would transfer the case to Superior Court, where defendants face potentially longer sentences if convicted.
Defense lawyer Paul Rudof opposed the delay, saying his client has been held for two months at the Hampden County Correctional Center.
He also asked Judge Robert Murphy for a reduction in Duong's $10,000 bail.
Another judge sliced the figure from $100,000 to $10,000 last month after Rudof asserted that the accusations were fabricated and rooted in a feud between the alleged victim and her mother.
The defendant has the support of his family and the local Vietnamese community, Rudof said.
The victim's mother attended Thursday's hearing to show support for Duong, who also is facing a bail revocation hearing in Hampden Superior Court and possible deportation to his native Vietnam.
Murphy refused to reduce the bail and rescheduled Thursday's hearing for March 4 to determine if there is probable cause to transfer Duong's case to Superior Court.
According to the arrest report, Duong began sexually assaulting the victim in 2011, when she was in middle school, and continued after she entered high school. The girl's mother dismissed her claims of repeated sexual abuse and blamed her for causing trouble, the report said.
In November, after a suicide attempt, the victim told Springfield school officials about the sexual assaults. Springfield police and the state Department of Children and Families investigated and supported the girl's claim, according to court documents.
The defendant was on probation for an indecent assault conviction when the new charges were filed; state officials have since moved to revoke his release in the 2012 case, his second sex-related conviction.
A scrambling quarterback who can usually wriggle his way out of a predicament, Johnny Manziel is under pressure unlike any he's felt before.
Johnny Manziel's troubles -- both legal and personal -- are worsening.
A scrambling quarterback who can usually wriggle his way out of a predicament, Manziel is under pressure unlike any he's felt before.
Dallas police announced Friday night they were launching a criminal investigation into a domestic violence assault complaint filed against Manziel, who was involved in an altercation last weekend during which he allegedly struck his ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, several times.
On Thursday, police in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, said they had closed their investigations into allegations involving Manziel.
The turn of events came on the same day Manziel was dropped by his agent, his father said he fears for his son's life and it was revealed that Crowley received a protective order against the former Heisman Trophy winner, preventing him from seeing her for two years.
Manziel's world appears to be crumbling.
The 23-year-old, who electrified college football just a few years ago at Texas A&M with his ability to make game-breaking plays, is a falling star. After two combustible seasons, the Cleveland Browns said earlier this week that they intend to release Manziel next month, putting his onetime promising professional career in peril.
By initiating their new investigation, Dallas police said detectives would determine what, if any, criminal charges Manziel would face. They noted it is not uncommon for victims of domestic violence to question or delay reporting an assault.
Crowley, who told police last week that Manziel was violent with her at a Dallas hotel and later while she drove with him to her apartment in Fort Worth, released a statement to television station WFAA on Friday night. Crowley said she met with domestic violence specialists at the Dallas Police Department a day earlier to describe what happened on the night of Jan. 29 and to answer questions.
"I don't know what will happen next with this case -- that'll be up to the Dallas Police Department," she said in the statement, which also asked for privacy.
Column: Manziel needs help, not more excuses
It was not immediately clear if Manziel has a lawyer who could comment on the criminal investigation. The Associated Press left messages seeking comment for Manziel, his parents and a lawyer who represented the player when he was at Texas A&M.
Paul Manziel told The Dallas Morning News that his son refused to enter rehab facilities twice in the past week.
"I truly believe if they can't get him help, he won't live to see his 24th birthday," he told the newspaper.
The elder Manziel also said he tried to have his son admitted to a psychiatric and chemical dependency hospital, but he was allowed to leave despite his father telling officers he believed his son was suicidal.
Manziel entered the NFL with a party-boy reputation. He spent 73 days last winter in a Pennsylvania treatment center specializing in care for alcohol and drug dependency. The lengthy stay -- Manziel never disclosed why he was admitted -- seemed to change him and he returned to the Browns last season far more committed following a rough rookie season.
But there were more signs of trouble this past season, forcing the team to move on from a player they selected with the No. 22 overall pick in 2014.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters on Friday that he hasn't been able to contact the quarterback.
"Johnny has not responded to us, but we'll do anything we can to help him personally and our thoughts and prayers are with Johnny and his family," Haslam told reporters in San Francisco ahead of the Super Bowl. "We're not worried about Johnny Manziel the football player, we're worried about Johnny Manziel the person, and I think that's all we need to say on the issue."
Manziel's agent, Erik Burkhardt, expressed "deep regret" in deciding to end the business relationship with a personal he considers a close friend. For Burkhardt, there was no longer any choice.
"Though I will remain a friend and Johnny supporter, and he knows I have worked tirelessly to arrange a number of professional options for him to continue to pursue, it has become painfully obvious that his future rests solely in his own hands," the agent said in a statement.
"His family and I have gone to great lengths to outline the steps we feel he must take to get his life in order. Accountability is the foundation of any relationship, and without it the function of my work is counterproductive. I truly wish the best for Johnny and sincerely hope he can, and will, find the kind of peace and happiness he deserves."
Beyond his legal issues, Manziel is also being reviewed by the NFL, which is looking into whether he violated its personal-conduct policy. League spokesman Greg Aiello said the inquiry is ongoing. It's the second time in four months the league has been forced to examine Manziel, who was accused by Crowley of striking her during a heated roadside argument near his home in Avon, Ohio.
That incident in October was disturbing.
Nothing compared to what Manziel is dealing with now.
Only his T-shirt was smiling Monday when a glum-looking Anthony Fortunato pleaded not guilty to charges from a three-county state police chase at speeds allegedly reaching 130 mph. Fifteen hours after his arrest, Fortunato stood in the defendant's dock, wearing a T-shirt with a smiley-faced symbol with the inscription "have a nice day."
These were the top stories out of Springfield District Court this week. plus two from last week. If you missed any, click on the links below to read them now.
Northampton mother jailed for slamming kids heads into floor while high on PCP
Springfield woman denies assaulting stepson with skateboard, milk crate, lit cigarette
Judge sets $500 bail for panhandler 'terrorizing' Springfield neighborhood
'He's done the same thing to my car,' Springfield judge says in aggressive panhandling case
Rifle, shotgun hold 'sentimental value' for Springfield defendant, lawyer says
Gov. Charlie Baker nominates Springfield native for district court judgeship
Speeds reach 130 mph in Springfield-to-Montague police chase, prosecutor says; bail set at $10,000
The male suspect walked up to the clerk, showed a handgun, demanded money, then fled toward the apartments behind the store.
CHICOPEE - Chicopee police seek the public 's help identifying this suspect they say robbed Mike's Variety, 355 Dale St., at 6:25 p.m. Friday.
The male suspect walked up to the clerk, showed a handgun, demanded money, then fled toward the apartments behind the store, Officer Michael Wilk said.
The suspect is described as 5-feet, 7-inches tall, slim and was wearing a black hoodie, navy pants, white sneakers and gold sunglasses. The clerk told police that the robber had a slight accent.
Police ask anyone who can assist them to call the detective bureau at (413) 594-1730 or use Text a Tip by addressing a message with the words "Solve Chicopee" to CRIMES (274637).
***HELP WITH IDENTIFYING ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECT***
— Chicopee Police (@ChicopeeMa_PD) February 6, 2016
On February 5th at 6:25pm Officers responded to Mike's Variety... https://t.co/VqgvrwD2Rp
A small blaze broke out just before noon in an empty home at 28 Marengo Park that was being rehabilitated, according to Dennis Leger, spokesman for the Springfield Fire Department.
SPRINGFIELD - Firefighters on Saturday quickly extinguished a basement fire in the city's Forest Park neighborhood, which fire officials attributed to a faulty propane heater.
A small blaze broke out just before noon in an empty home at 28 Marengo Park that was being rehabilitated, according to Dennis Leger, spokesman for the Fire Department.
A propane heater malfunctioned, triggering a small fireball that charred a portion of the ceiling and melted some wires, Leger said.
It was the second fire of the day in Springfield. Firefighters encountered a Cadillac sedan completely engulfed in flames parked in the back yard of a home at 41 Bartlett St. just after 5 a.m.
That fire is being treated as suspicious, Leger said.
Bounce! Trampoline Sports celebrated its grand opening at Springfield Plaza on Saturday with a fundraiser to benefit the Springfield Boys & Girls Club. Watch video
SPRINGFIELD — Bounce! Trampoline Sports celebrated its grand opening at Springfield Plaza on Saturday with a fundraiser to benefit the Springfield Boys & Girls Club.
The trampoline park occupies 9 of the 16 theaters that were once part of Entertainment Cinemas and includes 16,000 square feet of trampolines. The theaters closed in January of 2015, and earlier this week, Bounce! held a soft opening.
Fifty percent of the gross sales from Saturday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. were to go directly to the Springfield Boys & Girls Club, which serves more than 1,500 young people each year with after school and summer youth development programs.
The indoor bounce house includes play areas and foam pits set aside for children under the age of five, huge swaths of trampolines for adults and older kids, trampolines set up with basketball courts, three trampoline dodge ball courts, another foam pit for older kids and two "extreme" rooms set up with trampoline agility and obstacle courses reminiscent of the "American Ninja Warrior" television program.
Bounce has five franchised locations including Springfield and a location in Danbury, Connecticut, set to open soon. Another similar company, Launch Trampoline Park, has abandoned plans for its own trampoline park on Avocado Street in Springfield.
The Monson Police Department is demanding accountability from 'Punxsutawney Phil,' the seasonal icon that they insist falsely predicted an early end to winter on Tuesday.
MONSON - Police have issued a faux warrant for a groundhog they say led them astray given Friday's blast of snow.
In short, they say they were punked by "Punxsutawney Phil."
The Monson Police Department is demanding accountability from the seasonal icon they insist falsely predicted an early end to winter on Tuesday.
Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day, an annual holiday when the critter has the duration of winter on his furry little shoulders - whether he likes it or not.
"It is alleged that 'Phil' committed an act of fraud against Monson residents on or about February 2. Approach with skepticism and caution!" Monson police wrote on Saturday in a Facebook post.
Phil could not be reached for comment. It is unknown whether he has an attorney.
