Fairview Avenue from Hafey to Orchard streets will be closed for at least several hours, police said.

stock photo of a Chicopee police cruiser.Patrick Johnson | pjohnson@repub.com 

CHICOPEE - A pedestrian was seriously injured when struck by a motor vehicle Thursday evening on Fairview Avenue, police said.

Police spokesman Michael Wilk said the pedestrian was rushed by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. No word was available on the extent of any injuries or the person's condition.

Few details were available about the accident. Wilk said the department's accident reconstruction team is investigating.

Fairview Avenue from Hafey to Orchard streets will be closed for at least several hours, he said.

Drivers are asked to avoid the area.

Holyoke schools receiver Stephen Zrike discussed teacher recruitment, the need to establish contacts with families and other issues in a 90-minute meeting with a committee of City Council and School Committee members.

HOLYOKE -- Stephen K. Zrike said he will work on strengthening ties between the School Department and families, especially the Latino community he knows feels excluded, in a meeting Thursday with the Joint City Council-School Committee board at City Hall.

"The expectation is that parents have input into the process," said Zrike, the state-appointed receiver in charge of the public schools.

Zrike, who took control of the system July 6, fielded questions from elected officials and discussed dozens of issues for 90 minutes.

Zrike talked about issues ranging from Dean Technical High School and charter schools to the need to recruit teachers, investigations into restraints being used on students at Peck School and his ongoing steps to redirect administrative staff to classroom resources.

Ward 3 Councilor David K. Bartley asked Zrike if he had a sense of how long receivership would be needed here, whether Zrike expects to be here for two or five years or longer.

"Is this a trick question?" Zrike said, joking. "I don't know what the time-frame is. I'm here for the long haul. Obviously, the goal is that we turn the schools back over to the city. We have a lot of work to do and I want to be sure that it's self-sustaining."

Responding to a question from Ward 2 Councilor Nelson R. Roman, cochairman of the committee, Zrike said the school system's connection with Latinos is weak. Holyoke's population of about 40,000 is roughly half Latino.

"I wouldn't pat ourselves on the back for that. I know where I want us to be....I don't think (Latino) families have a voice yet....There is some fear," Zrike said.

The system's chronically poor academic performance despite years of warnings to improve is the reason why state officials took the extraordinary step in April of taking over the system and declaring receivership.

The receiver has complete authority over school personnel and other decisions, supplanting the superintendent and School Committee.

Zrike's yearly salary is $185,000.

The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education made the receivership declaration April 28. On June 1, Mitchell D. Chester, commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), announced the appointment of Zrike, formerly superintendent of schools in Wakefield.

Zrike took over the system of 5,381 students and a staff of more than 1,500, including 500 teachers, and 11 schools on July 6.

A story with more detail will be published on MassLive.com Friday morning.

The 30 Dow Jones industrial stocks fell 40 points to close at 16,413.

By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK -- Stocks slipped Thursday as a three-day rally ran out of steam. A surge in oil prices also slowed down, and consumer stocks fell after Walmart reported disappointing sales and cut its projections for the year.

The losses were small but spread across many industries. Energy stocks fell the most, followed by banks. Those stocks had made big gains over the last three days as the market rallied. Walmart's weak results put pressure on other retailers as well as supermarket chains.

The Dow Jones industrial average gave up 40.40 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,413.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 8.99 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,917.83. The Nasdaq composite index slid 46.53 points, or 1 percent, to 4,487.54.

Walmart's profit fell compared to last year and its sales were weaker than analysts expected. The retailer now says its net sales this year will be about the same as in 2015. It's struggling with competition from online giant Amazon and other retailers and is also paying its employees more, which has reduced its profits. In January the company said it would close 269 stores.

On Thursday the stock lost $1.99, or 3 percent, to $64.12. It's down 26 percent over the last year.

Walmart is the first major retailer to report its quarterly results. Competitors including Target, JC Penney and Macy's will follow next week. Retail consultant Walter Loeb said he thinks most of those competitors will also report disappointing results.

"There are many, many retailers who have not been proactive in keeping their expenses in check," he said, adding that weakening sales growth makes that a bigger problem. Loeb said consumers are spending cautiously because they are worried about job security and aren't sure if the U.S. economy will keep growing.

J.C. Penney lost 20 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $7.63 and Costco fell $2.26, or 1.5 percent, to $148.65. Walmart's struggles also affected supermarkets, as the company noted that meat and dairy prices are down. Kroger fell $1.35, or 3.5 percent, to $38.06.

Oil prices fluctuated after a big rally over the last few days. Investors are hoping that a round of international talks will lead to a deal that addresses a glut in oil production, but the U.S. government reported that energy stockpiles are still growing.

U.S. crude added 11 cents to close at $30.77 a barrel in New York. The price of U.S. oil has climbed 17 percent over the last week. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, lost 22 cents to close at $34.28 a barrel in London.

With oil prices trading around 13-year lows, at least six OPEC nations have backed a plan that would stop oil production from increasing any further. That would help address a giant supply glut. Iran, which has not agreed to the deal and has said it wants to keep increasing its production, said it supports any measure to raise oil prices.

Investors saw that as a good sign, but the deal won't go into effect unless all 13 OPEC members agree to it. Meanwhile, stockpiles keep growing. According to an Energy Information Administration report, oil inventories grew by 2.1 million barrels and gasoline stockpiles increased by 3 million barrels.

Independent analyst Jim Ritterbusch said people are driving a bit more because the price of gas has plunged, but it's not a big change, so it's not helping improve prices.

"It looks like gasoline demand is still soft," he said. "You can only buy and sell so many SUVs."

While oil companies have shut down hundreds of oil drilling rigs, it will be months before oil production really slows down because drilling operations have become much more efficient, Ritterbusch said.

The S&P 500 jumped more than 5 percent over the past three days, with banks and consumer stocks making the biggest gains. That rally erased about half of the index's losses since the beginning of the year.

Financial stocks had made the largest gains during the three-day rally, as the S&P 500's financial stock index jumped more than 7 percent over the three days ending on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase retreated 96 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $57.81 and Bank of America fell 32 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $12.24.

IBM climbed after the company said it will buy Truven Health analytics for $2.6 billion, expanding the health care capabilities of its Watson computing system. IBM rose $6.35, or 5 percent, to $132.45, by far the largest gain in the Dow average.

Logistics company Ingram Micro surged $6.69, or 22.6 percent, to $36.34 after it agreed to be bought by Chinese shipping company Tianjin Tianhai. The deal values Ingram at about $6 billion, or $38.90 per share.

With the broader market slumping, investors returned again to the safe havens of telecom and utilities stocks. Those were the only S&P 500 sectors that traded higher, and they're also the only sectors that have made big gains in 2016.

European markets were mixed. Germany's DAX rose 0.9 percent and France's CAC 40 inched up 0.2 percent, but Britain's FTSE 100 slipped 1 percent. Asian stock markets rose. Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 2.3 percent and South Korea's Kospi rose 1.3 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng surged 2.3 percent.

In metals trading, gold rose $14.90, or 1.2 percent, to $1,226.30 an ounce and silver added 5.5 cents to $15.432 an ounce. Copper inched down to $2.074 a pound.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.74 percent from 1.82 percent. The euro fell to $1.1099 from $1.1139. The dollar slid to 113.58 yen from 113.77 yen.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 3.1 cents to 97.2 cents a gallon. Heating oil declined 0.9 cents to $1.079 a gallon. Natural gas slipped 9 cents, or 4.6 percent, to $1.852 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The MassMutual Center on Thursday evening welcomed locals as it officially opened its third art gallery in Downtown Springfield called "Creation."

SPRINGFIELD — The MassMutual Center on Thursday evening welcomed locals as it officially opened its third art gallery in Downtown Springfield called "Creation."

"Creation" features three Western Massachusetts artists who will exhibit their work at the civic center for the next four months.

They were selected from a list of local artists, and the reception highlighted the artists' work and celebrated the official opening of a new gallery.

The featured artists are:

• Frank Carter - An accomplished artist from Springfield, MA that specializes in detailed illustrations of birds, but in a very unique way. Since observing songbirds by his backyard feeder, Frank's interest in animals has grown, leading him to capture their unique characteristics and, eventually personifying them through his art.


• Jacqueline Roche - A Palmer, MA native, who studied art and design at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. "Lines" shows how she likes to use the ideas of construction and knitting to help support paint; the paint is directly affected when each layer of support is removed.


• Andrae Green - A Springfield, MA artist, who uses painting as a historical device to critique a contemporary issue of representation. He is also interested in how legacies of colonialism and slavery inform how people of color are represented today.

According to MassMutual Center staff, the next "call for art" will take place this coming spring for a fall/winter exhibit.

A private helicopter with five people on board crashed Thursday into Hawaii's Pearl Harbor, leaving a teenage passenger in critical condition, officials said.

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii -- A private helicopter with five people on board crashed Thursday into Hawaii's Pearl Harbor, leaving a teenage passenger in critical condition, officials said.

The Bell 206 aircraft made a hard landing and sank near the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, a popular tourist destination on Oahu, U.S. Navy spokeswoman Agnes Tauyan said.

The names of the five people on board were not immediately released.

"We are told bystanders jumped in to help rescue these patients from the water," said Shayne Enright, spokeswoman for Honolulu Emergency Services Department.

One of them was Chris Gardner, a tour guide with Keawe Adventures who was with a group of tourists at the visitor center when he heard the crash.

"I took off my shirt and dove in," he said, describing how he, a Navy sailor, a federal police officer and another man took turns diving to the submerged helicopter and trying to free a passenger with a knife. "He was strapped into his seat in the back of the aircraft."

They eventually freed the teenage passenger.

The helicopter crashed about 20 feet offshore, right next to the visitor center's lawn, said tourist Justice Winrich of Madison, Wisconsin. She watched as it "plopped down" into the water.

"I saw it like as it was coming in, and it looked pretty normal. It didn't look like it was shaking or anything," Winrich said. "It just started like getting really close this way and started going down." She thought it was strange that the helicopter was that close to people.

As it got closer to the water, she saw some dark smoke coming out of the back of the helicopter, and it started shaking slightly.

Winrich saw three people get out of the helicopter immediately and start swimming to shore.

"I was like, oh my God, I can't believe this just happened. It was crazy," she said. "You go on vacation and you never think you're going to see something like that."

Her father, Shawn Winrich, caught the crash on video. His footage shows the helicopter heading toward the water and then crashing down. The blades stop spinning as it turns over in the water.

Local author Allan Seiden was signing books at the visitor center when someone told him a helicopter crashed. He rushed over to where people were gathered, but by then the helicopter wasn't visible.

"I think it sunk instantly," he said.

Seiden watched as the helicopter's occupants-- including a man in a neck brace-- were carried away on stretchers. "People were very calm. ... You could tell everyone was very shocked," he said.

Federal records show the helicopter is registered to Jeffrey Gebhard of Kailua, Hawaii. He couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

The Navy said in a statement that the helicopter reportedly belongs to Genesis Aviation. The company website says it conducts helicopter tours of Oahu.

Honolulu paramedics treated the 16-year-old passenger and took him to a hospital in critical condition, Enright said.

"It was a team effort and we pray that he's OK," Gardner said of the teen he helped free from the helicopter.

"It's part of the instinct growing up in Hawaii," he said of jumping in to help.

A 45-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man were taken to the hospital in stable condition. Details on the two other people on board, including the pilot, weren't immediately available.

Operations at the visitor center, including visits to the nearby USS Arizona Memorial, were suspended until further notice, the Navy said. The memorial honors the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed on the ship in the Dec. 7, 1941, attack by Japan.

Federal Aviation Administration investigators were on their way to the crash site. A National Transportation Safety Board investigator was expected to arrive Friday.

It was the second major crash this year involving helicopters on Oahu.

Twelve Hawaii-based Marines were killed when two military helicopters crashed during nighttime training on Jan. 14. Both aircraft were CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters that were part of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463.

Two suspects, one armed with a gun, assaulted a student at Pierpoint Hall, a dormitory in the Southwest residential area of the campus.

Updates story posted at Thursday, Feb. 18.

The late-afternoon incident prompted a shelter-in-place order that remained in effect until around 7:15 p.m. Authorities believe two suspects fled the dormitory where the assault took place immediately after the incident, which was reported around 5:17 p.m. The shelter-in-place order was issued around 5:45 p.m.

"It appears this was not a random act," Parham said. "We're confident that these two people were here for that particular student."

University officials did not release the identity of the student, who sustained a cut to the head – possibly after being pistol-whipped – and was taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton for treatment. "We believe they actually hit him on the head," Parham said.

The chief, speaking at a press conference at UMass police headquarters Thursday night, said the investigation was only a few hours old and many details were still unknown – including a motive for the assault. When asked if the crime was possibly related to a drug deal gone awry, Parham replied, "We're looking into that option."

Police were reviewing campus surveillance footage in an effort to learn more about the suspects, both of whom appeared to be college-age white men. "We are following up on leads regarding the suspects," Parham said. "We're confident they're not UMass students."

Authorities also were investigating how the suspects managed to get inside Pierpont Hall, the locked dormitory where the assault occurred. Students must use electronic swipe cards to enter campus dorms, so it remains unclear how the assailants gained entry. "We're still trying to identify and learn that," Parham said.

Pierpont is located in the Southwest residential area, the largest residential area on campus. The assault, which reportedly was witnessed by several students, happened on an "upper floor" in the four-story building, Parham said.

The shelter-in-place order was issued out of an abundance of caution. "We thought we potentially had two people who were seen in a residence hall with a handgun," Parham said. "We thought it was best that (students) do stay in place."

The order was lifted when authorities were satisfied there was no longer any threat to students. A beefed-up police presence was expected to remain in place overnight.

The Daily Collegian, the UMass campus newspaper, reported that the assault happened on the third floor of Pierpont Hall. Freshman Morgan Hughes, a reporter for the Collegian and a resident of Pierpont, said she heard yelling and saw two men standing over a student who was bleeding from the forehead, according to the newspaper.

As Hughes and other students approached the suspects, someone shouted that one of them had a gun, and the students ran for their rooms. "When I looked through the peephole of my door, I saw two armed officers with their weapons drawn walking quietly down the hallway," Hughes said.

Resident assistants – the trained peer leaders who supervise students living in residence halls – told students not discuss the incident, according to Hughes.

A maintenance worker was seen cleaning up blood around 7:40 p.m., the Collegian reported.

AMHERST - A person armed with a gun is in a University of Massachusetts Amherst dormitory and people on campus were advised to shelter in place.

UPDATE, 7:13 p.m.: The university lifted the shelter in place order and told the campus community, "Please resume normal activities."

UMass lifts shelter-in-place order

AMHERST -- A person armed with a gun was reportedly in a University of Massachusetts Amherst dormitory and people on campus were advised to shelter in place.

That's according to a text alert sent to students and staff Thursday afternoon shortly before 6 p.m.

The alert said a "hostile, armed person" was in Pierpont Hall in the Southwest residence area and a handgun was shown but not fired. 

Another alert minutes later said there were reports of a second "involved party" and no known direction of travel for either person.

The suspect with a gun is a white male wearing a dark colored shirt and a gold chain, the alert said, while the second person was a white male with a gray sweatshirt.

UMass Police are on scene and have secured the perimeter, the alert said. A later alert shortly after 6 p.m. said police were "interviewing suspects and continuing to investigate."

Shortly after 6:30 p.m., the school sent out a notification to the school community reminding students that the shelter-in-place order applied to the entire campus, and not just Pierpont dormitory or the Southwest area.

Word of the situation quickly spread across campus and beyond through social media.

Smith College sent out an alert to all students, faculty and staff to notify them of the situation and to urge them to stay clear of the UMass campus 

This story will be updated when more information becomes available.

One student tweeted a recording of the active shooter alert announcement.

Message from UMPD earlier #UMass pic.twitter.com/acWy6Gpvs8

-- Judith (@jgibsonokunieff) February 18, 2016

Gunman near Pierpont Hall which is a dorm at UMass Amherst.

-- CHLRLKsS (@charlesrockhill) February 18, 2016

Gunman loose at umass in the building next to me yay[?]

-- Hannah Glenny (@hglenncoco) February 18, 2016

Anyone at UMass find a safe place. pic.twitter.com/gfHVMPQOrz

-- Brendan Kelley (@kelley7622) February 18, 2016

Candidates for the First Hampshire District Republican State Committee made their cases during a forum hosted by the Longmeadow Republican Town Committee this week.

LONGMEADOW — Two incumbent candidates and two challengers running for the 1st Hampden-Hampshire District Republican State Committee made their cases in Longmeadow Wednesday night.

 

The vote will take place March 1, the same day as Massachusetts' presidential primary.

Martell, a second-term member, said she would continue her record of nominating candidates who are right for the needs of the district, according to a statement issued by the committee.

McCarthy, a Springfield resident, said he believes that decisions out of Boston stifle the Republican party. He vowed to continue pushing for transparency on the Republican State Committee.

Gray, who is challenging Martell, said is dedicated to strengthening town committees, in order to see more Republicans elected to office.

Grove, McCarthy's opponent, also spoke of the need to strengthen Republican Town Committees.

The Longmeadow Republican Town Committee meets the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Greenwood Center.

James Gill officially added his name to the list of candidates vying for Hampden County Sheriff Friday, as he took out the papers needed to begin the nomination process. Watch video

SPRINGFIELD ‒ James Gill officially added his name to the list of candidates vying for Hampden County Sheriff Friday, as he took out the papers needed to begin the nomination process.

Gill, an assistant deputy superintendent in the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, signed-into the race at Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin's office in Springfield Friday afternoon -- a move that now allows his campaign to begin collecting the 1,000 voter signatures needed to place his name on the ballot.

The Wilbraham resident, who is running as an independent candidate, said he plans to begin signature collection efforts on Monday, adding that he is confident he'll be able to run his campaign without taking time off from work.

"I believe I can campaign and still show up everyday to do my job," he said in an interview. "I do believe that we will have our required signatures, I'm not going to say in record time, but will be within the time period required."

If elected sheriff, Gill said he plans to bring firmness and strength to the position. Stressing that he doesn't believe offenders should feel comfortable in going to jail, he added that the theme of his campaign is to ensure that the agency is delivering on its promise of "corrections."

"I'm not a social worker. I believe that, as sheriff, my job primarily would be an administrator -- a corrections administrator," he said. "James Gill has something different on his mind: that is to produce change."

For example, Gill said he would like to see the sheriff's department deal with offenders in a period of thirds: the first portion of which would address the primary reason they are in jail; the second of which would focus on the secondary charge or issue; and third of which would address other ancillary issues.

He added that he would also place an emphasis on families and involve a person from an offender's family from the beginning of their recovery.

The sheriff hopeful further said he would work to ensure the department has a strong relationship with local police jurisdictions across the county, as well as support agency staff and make sure offenders feel confronted with their need for change.

"I'm not interested in being a politician with a lot of power and muscle," he said. "I want to do the job of being a strong administrative leader. And I believe that's what our sheriff's department needs."

While Gill said he has great respect and even a love for outgoing Hampden County Sheriff Michael J. Ashe Jr., he would simply present a different leadership style to build on his work.

"When a giant stands on the the shoulders of another giant, that person sees much further," he said.

Gill, who kicked-off his campaign in June 2015, will not square-off in a primary against the three Democrats who have announced bids to replace Ashe.

Former Springfield Mayor Michael Albano, Nick Cocchi, a deputy superintendent with the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, and Jack Griffin, who worked as an addiction specialist with the Connecticut Department of Corrections, have all taken out nomination papers for the race.

Thomas Ashe, a Springfield city councilor who has floated the idea of running for Hampden County sheriff, meanwhile, had also not officially signed-in with Galvin's office as of Friday afternoon.

Seven months after Curtis James Jackson III- better known as rapper 50 Cent -filed for bankruptcy, he's back in court to explain photos he posted to social media.

Seven months after Curtis James Jackson III- better known as rapper 50 Cent -filed for bankruptcy, he's back in court to explain photos he posted to social media.

Jackson filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July at U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Hartford, a week after he was ordered to pay $7 million to a woman who sued over a sex tape.

Lastonia Leviston has reported she has yet to receive any money from Jackson after he was ordered to pay her $7 million this summer. 

The Farmington, Connecticut resident reported his assets and debts to be between $10 and $50 million, according to court documents.

A Hartford bankruptcy judge this week ordered Jackson return to court regarding recent public displays of assets.

In recent months, the rapper has posted several photos to Instagram featuring large stacks of cash.

In one, he's laying in bed with stacks of hundred dollar bills around him. Another features piles of money stacked in his fridge.

"I'm concerned about allegations of nondisclosure and a lack of transparency in the case," Judge Nevins said during a hearing Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reports. "There's a purpose of having a bankruptcy process be transparent, and part of that purpose is to inspire confidence in the process." 

Lawyers for the rapper say all his income is reported. 

University of Massachusetts Amherst freshman Morgan Hughes witnessed the armed assault in the school's Pierpont dormitory last night. Watch video

AMHERST -- University of Massachusetts Amherst freshman Morgan Hughes, a witness to the armed assault in the school's Pierpont Hall last night, said in an interview that attackers dragged the bleeding victim into a hallway before fleeing from the dorm.

Around 5:15 p.m., Hughes and a friend were in her Pierpont dorm room with the door open when she heard the sound of a violent struggle, she said.

"We heard yelling, so we walked out into the hallway to find a group of people over by the staircase," Hughes said. "There were two men standing over another man, who was bleeding from his face. There was a lot of yelling, a lot of commotion."

Hughes and others in the hall initially rushed over to the scene to see what was happening, but ran back to their rooms when it became clear that one of the men was armed.

"Somebody who came from the other side of the hallway yelled, 'He has a gun!' " Hughes said. "We all just ran into our own rooms. Shut the door, locked it."

Hughes did not see the gun herself, but around 5:45 p.m. the university issued a shelter-in-place order and warned the campus that a "hostile armed person" had been seen in Pierpont.

One of the alleged attackers, William P. McKeown, 19, turned himself in to police in Framingham Friday afternoon. The other is still at large, and police have seized a vehicle believed to be connected to the assault.

The shelter-in-place order was lifted around 7:15 p.m. and no shots were fired.

"It was just really scary because they pulled this kid out of the room," Hughes said.

Hughes said the victim did not live in Pierpont, and that other students in the dormitory identified him as a fellow freshman. He was taken to Cooley Dickinson hospital and later released.

Police have said the victim may have been pistol-whipped. Hughes said she saw a wound that was bleeding heavily.

"The gash on his head did not look like it was just from a fist," she said.

Police officers soon arrived and patrolled her hallway with guns drawn, according to Hughes.

"We just kind of waited it out," Hughes said. "I'm glad [McKeown] was smart enough to turn himself in and I'm glad that nobody else got seriously hurt considering there was a weapon in my building."

Hughes' evening was not over when the lockdown was lifted; a reporter at the student-run Massachusetts Daily Collegian, she contributed to paper's coverage of the incident that night.

 

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the duo behind Vermont-based Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream will be in Massachusetts next week to "Bernstorm" the state for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders', I-Vt., Democratic presidential campaign.

SPRINGFIELD ‒ Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the duo behind Vermont-based Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream will be in Massachusetts next week to "Bernstorm" the state for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders', I-Vt., Democratic presidential campaign.

With recent polls forecasting a tight race between the Vermont senator and fellow White House hopeful Hillary Clinton in Massachusetts' March 1 Democratic primary election, the Ben and Jerry's co-founders will travel across the Bay State in an effort to scoop up support for Sanders' campaign.

Cohen and Greenfield, who have campaigned for the Vermont senator in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina, will kick-off their Massachusetts trip with a Sunday evening stop in Pittsfield, where they will host an ice cream social at Shire City Sanctuary from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The two will then head to Boston to serve up free "Bernie's Yearning" sundaes outside their Newbury Street scoop shop from noon to 2 p.m. on Monday.

On Tuesday, Cohen and Greenfield will meet with Boston business leaders about why they should support Sanders' presidential campaign. The event will take place at the Lenox Hotel beginning at 8 a.m.

They are expected to return Western Massachusetts on Wednesday afternoon for a campaign-related event at a local college. Details for the event have yet to be finalized.

Later on Wednesday, Greenfield will stop by Sanders' Springfield campaign office for a 6 p.m. get-out-the-vote "Bernstorm."

Cohen unveiled the "Bernie's Yearning" ice cream flavor in late-January. Just 40 pints of the concoction, which tops a simple mint ice cream with a thick disc of solid chocolate, were created and 25 of them were donated to Sanders' campaign.

Ben and Jerry's distanced itself from the product, tweeting from its official account that the flavor was created by Cohen as a citizen and the company was not involved.

A 5-month-old child has died after she and her mother were hit by a car on Thursday, Boston police said.

A digest of news stories from around New England.

Bill and Camille Cosby, who have been married for 52 years, live in Shelburne.

SPRINGFIELD - Bill Cosby's wife will be deposed Monday by lawyers for eight women who sued him in federal court for defamation and emotional distress, alleging the film and television legend sexually assaulted them.

Camille Cosby, 71, who has served as her husband's business manager, can refuse to answer questions about private conversations she and her husband shared, U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni ruled in a 13-page decision.

Her lawyers attempted on Friday afternoon to postpone the deposition, but were unsuccessful.

Eight women are suing Cosby, 78, for defamation in federal court. They are among the approximately 50 women who have come forward over the last year alleging that he sexually assaulted or had unwanted sexual contact with them decades ago. 

The eight are Tamara Green, Katherine Mae "Kathy" McKee, Therese Serignese, Linda Traitz, Louisa Moritz, Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis and Angela Leslie. All claim in their suit that Cosby allowed his representatives to portray them as liars after they went public with their allegations.

Cosby has also countersued seven of his accusers saying that they have defamed him. McKee was not sued because she hadn't filed her complaint when Cosby countersued.

Bill and Camille Cosby, who have been married for 52 years, live in Shelburne.

The work is part of the reconstruction of Interstate 91.

SPRINGFIELD - Two lanes will be closed on Boland Way in downtown Springfield next week as part of the Interstate 91 viaduct reconstruction project, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced Friday.

Lanes directly under the highway will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 22, through Friday, Feb. 26.

These closures are required for the contractor to safely demolish the reinforced concrete deck on the I-91 Viaduct above Boland Way, the department announced in an email.

The $183.3-million project is intended to rehabilitate about 2 miles of elevated highway built in the 1960s. MassDOT expects to have the entire highway and all its ramps reopened to traffic in December of 2017.

For next week's work on Boland Way, MassDOT promises that signs will be in place directing traffic around the lane closures. No detour routes are required, the department announced.

Those traveling through the area on I-91 should follow the reduced speed limits and use caution, the department announced.

MassDOT officials asked that anyone with issues or concerns, or for questions related to construction, to email them at I91viaduct@state.ma.us or call (617)454-1839.

Next week, the U.S. Senate will consider a bill authorizing a grant program to address opioid addiction.

BOSTON - Next week, the U.S. Senate will consider a bill authorizing a grant program to address opioid addiction. Senators plan to add amendments related to the opioid problem.

For U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, it's about time.

"We're coming to a showdown on this issue," Markey said Friday, after touring the Dimock Center in Roxbury. "The time has come for us to have a national debate."

Opioid addiction has become a major problem in Massachusetts and throughout New England. In 2014, according to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, 1,099 Massachusetts residents died of unintentional drug overdoses. Statistics show that 80 percent of heroin users get addicted through prescription drugs. The Dimock Center houses inpatient and outpatient treatment services for people with substance abuse problems.

Markey has used his position in the Senate to call attention to the problem of substance abuse and propose bills to address it.

"It is an epidemic which has largely been created by the pharmaceutical industry and by the medical community itself," Markey said. "It is something that has to stop."

For the last month and a half, Markey has used a procedural move to temporarily block the confirmation of Dr. Robert Califf as head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration due to concerns over the FDA's approval process for opioid painkillers. He criticizes the FDA for approving the use of the opioid Zohydro over the recommendation of its own panel of experts and for approving the use of OxyContin by children without convening an expert panel.

"There's a culture that says no experts wanted," Markey said. "I'm holding, and I'm going to fight until the FDA changes its policy."

Markey also criticized the FDA's reliance on "abuse deterrent" drugs, drugs made in a way that they cannot be tampered with. "Abuse deterrent when it comes to opioids is a contradiction in terms, like jumbo shrimp or congressional expert," Markey said.

President Barack Obama recently proposed spending $1 billion to deal with addiction, which Markey said he supports.

During next week's debate, Markey plans to introduce an amendment that would mandate that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency require that any doctor authorized to prescribe opioids be trained in the consequences of over-prescription.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, former Gov. Deval Patrick and the state Legislature have all taken steps to deal with addiction prevention and treatment. Markey said the discussion has to take place on a national level involving federal agencies.

"We cannot solve the problem in any one state, because people cross the state boundaries," Markey said.

Rob Demeo, 28, a recovering drug addict who went through the Dimock Center 14 times and now works there, said he was prescribed powerful opioids when he was undergoing multiple hand surgeries after a serious car accident. When a doctor cut him off the drugs, Demeo was addicted, and he turned to the street for pills and then heroin. After multiple tries at recovery, he is finally on his way to turning his life around, he said.

"This epidemic is a plague," Demeo said.

Demeo needs another surgery, but he is pushing it off until he is further along in recovery to avoid getting addicted to opioids again.

"I'd rather have my hand like this than wake up and want to kill myself with a needle in my neck," Demeo said.

The three-day, family-oriented event, spread between the Better Living Center and Stroh Building, features hundreds of booths, exhibits, boats, seminars, demonstrations and entertainment.

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Hunting and fishing gear and more lured crowds through the doors of the Eastern States Exposition on Friday for the 33rd annual Springfield Sportsmen's Show.

The three-day, family-oriented event, spread between the Better Living Center and Stroh Building, features hundreds of booths, exhibits, boats, seminars, demonstrations and entertainment. A special feature is the Sportsmen's Fashion Show on the Cabela's Sportsmen's Stage.

Notable sportsmen such as fishing pro Alex Wetherell, big game hunter and TV star Dick Scorzafava, Jurie Meyer of Jurie Meyer Safaris, Captain Bill "Ironman" Brown and many others were on hand to give seminars and answer visitors' questions.

For the younger set, coupons are available at the door for free fishing at the trout pound in the Great Entertainment Hall. In addition, a gun range allows kids to practice their shooting skills. Then head over to the 'Tipi Village' created by Wildland Adventures of Maine to see an authentic Native American style tipi.

The Springfield Sportsmen's Show continues on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $13, adults; $5, children 6 to 12; and free, children 5 and under.

For more information, visit the show's website: here.

Snow is expected to fall across Massachusetts this weekend, starting Friday evening in some communities.

SPRINGFIELD -- Snow is expected to fall across Massachusetts this weekend, starting Friday evening in some communities.

The National Weather Service reports there's a 40 percent chance of snow after 8 p.m. on Friday in Springfield, 40 percent chance in Worcester. Snow will mix with rain early Saturday morning resulting in little to no snow accumulation.

There's a 30 percent chance of snow in Boston. If Boston sees flurries, the National Weather Service reports they'll fall after 10 p.m. on Friday and mix with rain after 5 a.m. on Saturday.

The low Friday will be around 29 in Springfield and Worcester, 32 in Boston.

After a slight chance of precipitation until late morning on Saturday in Western and Central Massachusetts, cloudy skies are expected through the evening. The high Saturday will be around low-50s in Springfield and Boston, high-40s in Worcester.

The low Saturday evening will be in the mid-30s in Springfield, Worcester and Boston.

Sunday will be cloudy with the high in the mid-to-high 40s across the state. 

There's a 50 percent chance of rain Sunday evening before 10 p.m. in Springfield then a mix of rain and snow between 10 p.m. and midnight. 

Rain is expected to hit Central Massachusetts before 9 p.m. Sunday, with snow and rain falling from 9 p.m. until midnight. 

The low will be around 28 degrees in Springfield and Worcester. 

Rain may fall until around midnight Sunday evening in Boston. The low will be around 32 degrees overnight. 

A review of online records from the UMass Police Department indicates officials have investigated or issued crime alerts for several gun-related crimes since November.

AMHERST — Thursday's armed assault at a UMass Amherst dormitory isn't the only gun call authorities have dealt with this academic year. A review of online records from the UMass Police Department indicates officials have investigated or issued crime alerts for several gun-related crimes since November.

The incident at Pierpont Hall, a dorm in the Southwest Residential Area – home to roughly 5,500 UMass students – led to a shelter-in-place order for students, who stayed indoors until the alert was lifted a little more than an hour after it was issued. UMass police said two men, one of whom reportedly had a gun, assaulted a student inside Pierpont shortly after 5 p.m.

The incident triggered a campuswide shutdown while police secured the area and hunted for the assailants. One alleged attacker, 19-year-old William P. McKeown of Framingham, surrendered to police Friday afternoon, while the other remained at large.

Last month, UMass police investigated another gun incident involving two men who fled the campus after allegedly displaying a firearm in the Sylvan Residential Area on Jan. 23. The suspects, 18-year-old Isaiah Kasekas and 19-year-old Jeremy Borges, both of Berkshire County, were arrested a short while later by Hadley police, who allegedly found a 9 mm pistol in their getaway car.

On Nov. 18, UMass police issued a crime alert for an armed robbery at the Puffton Village Apartments, an off-campus housing complex where many UMass students live. UMass police said the robbery victim exited a bus and was approached by two men who displayed a gun and demanded money.

"It's our concern because we have a lot of students who live in that apartment complex," UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski told the Massachusetts Daily Collegian, the campus newspaper.

Less than two weeks earlier, UMass police issued a crime alert for a Nov. 6 gunpoint robbery and home invasion at the Brandywine Apartments, another off-campus complex popular with UMass students. Amherst police investigated the incident, with assistance from UMass police and the Massachusetts State Police.

Meanwhile, Amherst police continue to investigate a rash of armed robberies at the Southpoint Apartments and other town housing complexes since December.

Patrick Durocher, 20, looked shocked and emotional after Hampshire Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup said that three to five years in state prison is the appropriate sentence for his crime of raping a student on a lawn at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2013. Watch video

NORTHAMPTON -- Patrick Durocher, 20, looked shocked and emotional after Hampshire Superior Court Judge Mary-Lou Rup said that three to five years in state prison is the appropriate sentence for his crime of raping a student on a lawn at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2013.

During her nearly five-minute address about the case and her sentencing decision, Rup spoke at length about Durocher's apparent good upbringing in Longmeadow, his "wonderful" family and supporters who wrote letters, and his ambition to work hard. 

"Clearly you're a young man who up until this point took advantage of the privileges that you were born into... and led an otherwise apparently exemplary life," she said. "But the offense of which you've been charged and convicted in my opinion is too serious to warrant probation."

His attorney, Vincent Bongiorni of Springfield, had asked for probation. The prosecutor, Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Jennifer H. Suhl, asked for a sentence of five to seven years, which is within the state guidelines.

Rup did not speak much about the victim, who had tearfully read a statement to the court about the effect of the rape on her life.

"These are two young, smart, apparently hard-working people with seemingly bright futures ahead of them who now face, both of them I suspect, longterm, perhaps lifelong changes in their lives' paths," she said.

After Rup announced the prison sentence -- to be followed by four years probation -- Durocher's family audibly reacted behind him, exclaiming and weeping. Durocher looked back toward his family and then poured himself a glass of water and drank it down -- just as he did after the jury foreman announced the guilty verdict in the same courtroom Feb. 5. He was found guilty of rape and assault and battery.

The victim testified in the trial that Durocher, a stranger, approached her around midnight on Sept. 2, 2013, held her against a tree by her neck, and raped her on the ground.  She said that on the lawn by the UMass Campus Center, he held her against a tree by her neck and then raped her on the ground.

Student witnesses testified that they saw Durocher on top of the woman on the lawn and she appeared to be unconscious. 

Patrick Durocher UMass rape trial juror: 'I didn't believe a word he said'

The victim told the court Friday that after getting through the sexual assault examination and police statements in the days after the rape, she thought she could just move on with her life. But she said she will never be the same person that she was before the attack.

"I was strong, independent and always saw the glass half full," she said. "Then I was raped. To this day it is even hard for me to say those words."

She put on a strong front and tried to pretend everything was fine, she said, but gradually sank into depression. She started seeing a therapist and threw herself into exercising and getting healthy, but then, she became obsessed with it. 

She said she struggled with an eating disorder and at one point weighed 98 pounds.

"My self-respect and dignity were stripped away from me," she said. "My faith in the honest man is gone."

She said that even with the support of her family and friends and professional help, there still isn't a day when the rape does not affect her.

"I lost so much and many of those losses cut to the core of who I am," she said.

Suhl argued for the five- to seven-year sentence, saying that Durocher has never acknowledged that he did something wrong. She said a letter of support written by a defense witness whom Bongiorni opted not to call was submitted, along with other letters of support, in an attempt to change the judge's view of the crime even though the verdict was already delivered, Suhl said.

In court Friday, Bongiorni suggested that the jury did not believe the victim's story fully and maintained that Durocher was telling the truth that the sex was consensual, if ill-advised.

"This was two young people under the influence of alcohol ... who both may have made some mistakes that evening," he said. He said young, drunk men can "misread" cues from young women, and Durocher's intoxication may have had that effect.

Suhl also reasoned that the jury convicted him of rape and it does not matter whether the jury believes the pair met at a party, as Durocher alleges, or not. Even if they did meet, she was far too incapacitated by alcohol to consent to sex, Suhl said. 

Conditions of his probation state that Durocher must undergo sex offender treatment and counseling and substance abuse treatment; refrain from consuming drugs or alcohol and submit to random testing; stay away from and have no contact with the victim, wear a GPS monitoring device and submit a DNA sample for the national DNA data base.

All coverage on the sentencing, verdict and trial is available here. Live coverage of the sentencing is available here.